Mindfulness and Pain Regulation: The Role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Individuals with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a significant and widely prevalent health condition which requires comprehensive care to address the many facets contributing to symptomatology. In 2016, 20% of American adults (about 50 million) reported experiencing chronic pain, of which 7.4% indicated that chronic pain frequently limited their life and participation in activities within the past 3 months (CDC, 2018). As a result, many individuals with chronic pain turn to opioid-based medication for pain relief, but long-term use of opioids actually increases pain sensation (Tobin, 2019). Moreover, opioid medication is unable to target underlying mental health components which emerge as part of chronic pain conditions. Thus, non-pharmacological treatment is needed to relieve the burden of chronic pain and improve cognitive and emotional processing as well as views of self (Skelly et al., 2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a highly effective transdiagnostic intervention used to treat chronic pain by teaching individuals coping skills through mindfulness and behavioral activation (Bai et al., 2020; Dindo et al., 2017). Based on extensive data, ACT is shown to correlate with an increase in psychological flexibility, pain acceptance, and reductions in feelings of pain-related stigma (Aytur et al., 2022; Ding & Zheng, 2022; Meier et al., 2021; Feliu-Soler, 2018). Given the necessity of remote healthcare intervention, especially relevant during the recent pandemic, there is an urgent need to evaluate the efficacy of ACT in a tele-practice delivery model which will broaden the availability of the treatment to reach far larger numbers of patients. As a complement to ACT, recreational therapy (RT) is likely efficacious for treatment of chronic pain and associated symptoms. Similar to the underlying goals of ACT, RT focuses on personal values, improved functioning, quality of life, independence, and recovery (Froutan, 2022). The purpose of this paper is to expand upon a prior pilot study assessing feasibility of a non-pharmacological approach to chronic pain treatment using a tele-practice intervention that combines ACT with RT (TeleACT-RT). Specifically, this paper will evaluate the efficacy of the TeleACT-RT intervention on improving mindfulness in participants with chronic pain. With a focus on the concept of mindfulness, this study aims to extend the previous findings from the TeleACT-RT study by quantifying the impact of ACT on metrics of mindfulness using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer et al., 2004, 2008). Results suggest that TeleACT-RT was associated with a significant increase in mindfulness scores after the intervention, as well as improved scores in numerous other domains (e.g., psychological flexibility, pain acceptance, and social role participation) (Roy, 2022). These findings complemented prior research suggesting that TeleACT-RT was associated with a wide range of improvements in chronic pain. (Roy, 2022). Roy et al. (2022) explored the feasibility of administering this intervention through a 6-week tele-practice TeleACT-RT modality within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through a pilot-study. Findings from this study revealed positive behavior outcomes, encompassing increased psychological flexibility, pain acceptance, and lower extremity function, while simultaneously showing decreased feelings of pain-related stigma (Roy, 2022). Additionally, participants reported being satisfied with the tele-practice modality of delivery and provided positive feedback regarding their overall quality of life post-treatment with ACT

State of STEM: Defining the Landscape to Determine High-Impact Pathways for the Future Workforce

This article attempts to address the workforce crisis with implications for economic competitiveness and national defense faced by America and the dichotomy of STEM needs and available employees. Businesses struggle to fill critical skilled roles in STEM occupations and thus suffer sluggish growth. In fact, some estimate up to 2.4 million STEM jobs go unfilled College graduates in STEM fields struggle to find jobs. STEM jobs have doubled as a proportion of all jobs since the industrial revolution. New jobs and entirely new fields are being created daily. Estimates suggest that 65 percent of children entering elementary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that are not on our radar yet. More students are in college than ever before, and STEM graduates out-earn those in non-STEM fields 12-30 percent across all education levels. It seems impossible for both these narratives to be accurate. Yet, impossibly, they are both quite real. These two realities demand a greater understanding of the STEM talent ecosystem and a greater commitment to action. Both employers who have jobs to fill and job seekers are facing myriad confusing messages, options, and challenges. Considering this complexity, it is tempting to put our energy towards finding a single solution—the one program, metric, or organization that has all the answers. Since the National Science Foundation (NSF) coined the term “STEM” nearly two decades ago, we have seen an explosion in interest, investment, programs, research, and data all seeking such a solution

Postglacial Vegetation Change in the Interior Temperate Rainforest of British Columbia

The interior temperate rainforest of eastern British Columbia, Canada, supports dozens of species disjunct from their main coastal distribution, but the paleoecological history of this biogeographically unique area remains poorly studied. Specifically, the arrival time and migration route of the key rainforest tree species Tsuga heterophylla remains poorly understood. Sediment cores were obtained from two lakes occupying kame terraces on opposite sides of the upper Fraser River in east-central British Columbia. Pollen analysis indicates an early Holocene arrival time for this key species, much earlier than has previously been established and suggestive of a north-to-south migration route. Although the pollen records were broadly similar, minor differences occurred in the temporal zonation and pollen assemblages between sites. The synchronous and disparate aspects of these records shed light on the broad regional forcings of vegetation change as well as on more local factors affecting Holocene vegetation change.2015-04-1

Gun Crimes/Shootings in Chicago

In a time where it seems like someone, somewhere, gets shot everyday, our IMPACT group decided to take a closer look at gun crime and violence. In order to be more specific in our research, we focused on an area near us that has a bit of a reputation: Chicago. Unfortunately, we hear news like this often enough that people are no longer moved to anger or action. There have been 373 people shot in Chicago this year alone, but Chicago’s turbulent environment makes it difficult to know whether or not gun crimes in Chicago are increasing or decreasing. It is hard to tell what is being done to solve this problem and whether or not it is having an impact. After conducting hours of research, compiling data from multiple reliable sources, and performing an interview with an IMSA security officer, we believe that there are solutions to this problem both in urban areas like Chicago and other areas where gun related violence has become an issue. The solution may not necessarily be stricter gun laws, which continue to fall short in influencing the issue, but instead something that everyone has a part in: a more united community

Aha! Vivat Homo Sapiens

Program for the twelfth and final annual RISD Cabaret held in the Cellar at the top of the Waterman Building.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/liberalarts_cabaret_programs/1011/thumbnail.jp

Modelling the COVID-19 pandemic in context : An international participatory approach

Funding RA is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1193472). LW is funded by the Li Ka Shing Foundation. CF is funded by grant #2017/26770-8, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). The CoMo Consortium has support from the Oxford University COVID-19 Research Response Fund (ref: 0009280). Scientific writing assistance and editorial support was provided by Adam Bodley, according to Good Publication Practice guidelines.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Potential health and economic impacts of dexamethasone treatment for patients with COVID-19

Acknowledgements We thank all members of the COVID-19 International Modelling Consortium and their collaborative partners. This work was supported by the COVID-19 Research Response Fund, managed by the Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford. L.J.W. is supported by the Li Ka Shing Foundation. R.A. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1193472).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic analyses in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and related diagnoses: Novel candidate genes, <scp>genotype–phenotype</scp> correlations and common mechanisms

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is a rare, dominantly inherited multisystem developmental disorder characterized by highly variable manifestations of growth and developmental delays, upper limb involvement, hypertrichosis, cardiac, gastrointestinal, craniofacial, and other systemic features. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding cohesin complex structural subunits and regulatory proteins (NIPBL, SMC1A, SMC3, HDAC8, and RAD21) are the major pathogenic contributors to CdLS. Heterozygous or hemizygous variants in the genes encoding these five proteins have been found to be contributory to CdLS, with variants in NIPBL accounting for the majority (&gt;60%) of cases, and the only gene identified to date that results in the severe or classic form of CdLS when mutated. Pathogenic variants in cohesin genes other than NIPBL tend to result in a less severe phenotype. Causative variants in additional genes, such as ANKRD11, EP300, AFF4, TAF1, and BRD4, can cause a CdLS‐like phenotype. The common role that these genes, and others, play as critical regulators of developmental transcriptional control has led to the conditions they cause being referred to as disorders of transcriptional regulation (or “DTRs”). Here, we report the results of a comprehensive molecular analysis in a cohort of 716 probands with typical and atypical CdLS in order to delineate the genetic contribution of causative variants in cohesin complex genes as well as novel candidate genes, genotype–phenotype correlations, and the utility of genome sequencing in understanding the mutational landscape in this population

Massive X-ray screening reveals two allosteric drug binding sites of SARS-CoV-2 main protease

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is creating tremendous health problems and economical challenges for mankind. To date, no effective drug is available to directly treat the disease and prevent virus spreading. In a search for a drug against COVID-19, we have performed a massive X-ray crystallographic screen of repurposing drug libraries containing 5953 individual compounds against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which is a potent drug target as it is essential for the virus replication. In contrast to commonly applied X-ray fragment screening experiments with molecules of low complexity, our screen tested already approved drugs and drugs in clinical trials. From the three-dimensional protein structures, we identified 37 compounds binding to Mpro. In subsequent cell-based viral reduction assays, one peptidomimetic and five non-peptidic compounds showed antiviral activity at non-toxic concentrations. Interestingly, two compounds bind outside the active site to the native dimer interface in close proximity to the S1 binding pocket. Another compound binds in a cleft between the catalytic and dimerization domain of Mpro. Neither binding site is related to the enzymatic active site and both represent attractive targets for drug development against SARS-CoV-2. This X-ray screening approach thus has the potential to help deliver an approved drug on an accelerated time-scale for this and future pandemics

X-ray screening identifies active site and allosteric inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is creating tremendous human suffering. To date, no effective drug is available to directly treat the disease. In a search for a drug against COVID-19, we have performed a high-throughput X-ray crystallographic screen of two repurposing drug libraries against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^(pro)), which is essential for viral replication. In contrast to commonly applied X-ray fragment screening experiments with molecules of low complexity, our screen tested already approved drugs and drugs in clinical trials. From the three-dimensional protein structures, we identified 37 compounds that bind to M^(pro). In subsequent cell-based viral reduction assays, one peptidomimetic and six non-peptidic compounds showed antiviral activity at non-toxic concentrations. We identified two allosteric binding sites representing attractive targets for drug development against SARS-CoV-2