Effects of attitudes towards ambiguity on subclinical depression and anxiety in healthy individuals

This study aims to examine the effects of multidimensional attitudes towards ambiguity on subclinical depression and anxiety in healthy individuals. Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale, consisting of four clusters (enjoyment, anxiety, exclusion, and noninterference), Self-Rating Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–trait version were administered to 1019 Japanese volunteers. The result of a regression analysis suggested that the score of Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale–enjoyment factor significantly contributed to the Self-Rating Depression Scale score while that of Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale–anxiety factor significantly contributed to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–trait score. Among attitudes toward ambiguity, enjoyment may have protective effects against subclinical depression whereas anxiety can enhance anxiety-trait in nonclinical individuals

Analysis of Notch1 protein expression in methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorders

Methotrexate (MTX)-associated lymphoproliferative disorder (MTX-LPD) is a lymphoproliferative disorder in patients treated with MTX. The mechanism of pathogenesis is still elusive, but it is thought to be a complex interplay of factors, such as underlying autoimmune disease activity, MTX use, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and aging. The NOTCH genes encode receptors for a signaling pathway that regulates various fundamental cellular processes, such as proliferation and differentiation during embryonic development. Mutations of NOTCH1 have been reported in B-cell tumors, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia/ lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Recently, it has also been reported that NOTCH1 mutations are found in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, and in CD20-positive cells in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, which might be associated with lymphomagenesis in immunodeficiency. In this study, to investigate the association of NOTCH1 in the pathogenesis of MTX-LPD, we evaluated protein expression of Notch1 in nuclei immunohistochemically in MTX-LPD cases [histologically DLBCL-type (n = 24) and classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL)-type (n = 24)] and de novo lymphoma cases [DLBCL (n = 19) and CHL (n = 15)]. The results showed that among MTX-LPD cases, the expression of Notch1 protein was significantly higher in the DLBCL type than in the CHL type (P < 0.001). In addition, among DLBCL morphology cases, expression of Notch1 tended to be higher in MTX-LPD than in the de novo group; however this difference was not significant (P = 0.0605). The results showed that NOTCH1 may be involved in the proliferation and tumorigenesis of B cells under the use of MTX. Further research, including genetic studies, is necessary

Attitudes towards Ambiguity in Japanese Healthy Volunteers

Multi-dimensional structure of the Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale (ATAS: original Japanese version) and its relationship with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ) were investigated. We administered the ATAS and the Japanese version of the AAQ to 1019 Japanese healthy volunteers (513 females and 506 males; age range 18–78 years). Trial of exploratory factor analysis extracted four distinct clusters (Enjoyment; α = .83, Anxiety; α = .75, Exclusion; α = .75, and Noninterference; α = .65) from the ATAS item pool, suggestive of diversity in cognitive/ emotional/ behavioral responses to ambiguity. Confirmative factor analysis showed similar goodness in fit indices between the new four-factor model in the present study and the original five-factor model in our previous study (Nishimura 2007). Considering interpretability by using large number of representative samples with general population in the present study, we adopted the four-factor model. The ATAS Anxiety subscale was negatively correlated with the AAQ willingness subscale (r = −.39, p < .001), while the ATAS Enjoyment subscale was positively correlated with the AAQ Action subscale (r = .40, p < .001). It is thus suggested that one who enjoys ambiguous situations can adopt two distinct attitudes: Excluding ambiguity from active resolution, or not interfering with ambiguity due to good tolerance of this experience, which can lead to positive and flexible commitments in life. In contrast, one who tends to be anxious about ambiguity may be characterized by exclusion-based attitudes due to intolerance of ambiguity, leading to lowered acceptance of their feelings and of the reality of circumstances. Cognitive/emotional attitudes towards ambiguity may affect acceptance of inner experience and active commitment to reality

The effects of the utilization of contextual information and its kinds on irony understanding : Comparing positive irony and negative irony

Irony is understood by utilizing contextual information, but the relation between the different kinds of contextual information and their effects has not been examined thoroughly. This study proposed a model from the Relevance Theory view that the utilization of contextual information promotes the understanding of irony. Three kinds of contextual information, that is, positive norm, the explicit preceding utterance of the hearer, and controllability of the hearer, were studied to examine their effects on the appropriateness and attitudes implicit in the understanding of irony. Thirty-one college women were asked to respond to a questionnaire which included the presentation of the story. The results showed that the contextual information types of explicit preceding the utterance and controllability specifically promoted the understanding of negative attitudes. These are types of contextual information which are concerned with the responsibility of the hearer. Thus the hearer becomes the victim of irony, and negative attitudes are emphasized. These effects were salient in positive irony, which implicates negative attitudes. In order to clarify the way contextual information is used in the understanding of irony, it is necessary to investigate the different kinds and features of contextual information

Potential Inaccuracies in Chloride Measurements in Patients with Severe Metabolic Acidosis

Background. To address the cause(s) of the significant differences in chloride (Cl-) concentrations between point-of-care blood gas analyzers and central laboratory analyzers. Methods. Cl- concentrations measured simultaneously by a blood gas analyzer (ABL800 FLEX) and a central laboratory analyzer (Hitachi7600) were collected in patients with severe acidemia (pH<7.20) (n=32) and were examined for correlations between differences in Cl- and factors associated with the acid-base status. Cl- concentrations were measured with both analyzers for samples with different concentrations of lactate, inorganic phosphate, or bicarbonate (HCO3   −). Results. The differences in Cl- concentrations were correlated with HCO3   − concentrations (r=0.72, P<0.0001) and anion gap (r=0.69, P<0.0001). Only the addition of HCO3   − proportionately increased Cl- levels measured by a Hitachi7600, but it did not affect those measured by an ABL800FLEX. Conclusion. Cl- measurements with some analyzers may be influenced by HCO3   − concentrations, which could result in the observed discrepancies

Atf1 Is a Target of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pmk1 and Regulates Cell Integrity in Fission Yeast

In fission yeast, knockout of the calcineurin gene resulted in hypersensitivity to Cl−, and the overexpression of pmp1+ encoding a dual-specificity phosphatase for Pmk1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or the knockout of the components of the Pmk1 pathway complemented the Cl− hypersensitivity of calcineurin deletion. Here, we showed that the overexpression of ptc1+ and ptc3+, both encoding type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C), previously known to inactivate the Wis1–Spc1–Atf1 stress-activated MAPK signaling pathway, suppressed the Cl− hypersensitivity of calcineurin deletion. We also demonstrated that the mRNA levels of these two PP2Cs and pyp2+, another negative regulator of Spc1, are dependent on Pmk1. Notably, the deletion of Atf1, but not that of Spc1, displayed hypersensitivity to the cell wall-damaging agents and also suppressed the Cl− hypersensitivity of calcineurin deletion, both of which are characteristic phenotypes shared by the mutation of the components of the Pmk1 MAPK pathway. Moreover, micafungin treatment induced Pmk1 hyperactivation that resulted in Atf1 hyperphosphorylation. Together, our results suggest that PP2C is involved in a negative feedback loop of the Pmk1 signaling, and results also demonstrate that Atf1 is a key component of the cell integrity signaling downstream of Pmk1 MAPK