Purpose in Life and Conscientiousness Protect Against the Development of Suicidal Ideation in U.S. Military Veterans With PTSD and MDD: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Background:Although several studies have examined risk factors for suicidal ideation among veterans, little is known about risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation in high-risk veteran samples. Thus, this study examined a broad range of risk and protective factors associated with the development of suicidal ideation in a high-risk sample of U.S. veterans who screened positive for current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods:Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative, prospective cohort study of U.S. veterans. Veterans completed self-report measures to screen for PTSD and MDD and to assess for risk and protective factors. The sample included 222 veterans with PTSD and/or MDD who did not endorse suicidal ideation at baseline and completed at least one assessment over a seven-year follow-up period. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine baseline factors associated with incident suicidal ideation. Results:Nearly one in three (27.1%) of veterans with PTSD and/or MDD developed suicidal ideation over the seven-year follow-up period. Non-Caucasian race and lower scores on measures of purpose in life, conscientiousness, and frequency of religious service attendance were independently associated with incident suicidal ideation. Lower purpose in life (52.3%) and conscientiousness (33.2%) explained the vast majority of variance in incident suicidal ideation. Conclusion:Nearly 30% of veterans with PTSD and/or MDD who did not endorse suicidal ideation at baseline developed suicidal ideation over a seven-year period. Prevention and treatment efforts designed to bolster purpose in life and conscientiousness may help mitigate risk for suicidal ideation in this high-risk population

‘The Science of CAIM: What's Next for Complementary, Alternative and Integrative Medical Research?’

symposium on the future of complementary, alternative and integrative medical research featuring nationally recognized speakers. The symposium took place on the UCLA campus in late January and was targeted to the Geffen School of Medicine’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Its purpose was to address the finding by th

Crohn's Disease and Urinary Bladder Mass

The presence of a bladder mass in a patient with inflammatory bowel disease poses a diagnostic dilemma. We present the case of a 26-year-old male with a bladder mass who had not previously been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Initial biopsies of the bladder mass were consistent with inflammatory changes, but superficial transitional cell carcinoma could not be reliably excluded. Subsequent evaluation confirmed the presence of Crohn's disease with bladder involvement, and the patient underwent bowel resection and partial cystectomy. Pathologic evaluation demonstrated Crohn’s disease and no evidence of malignancy. Accurate differentiation of benign and malignant bladder masses in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may be difficult and requires cooperation between pathologists and clinicians

Reactivity of MEST-1 (antigalactofuranose) with Trypanosoma cruzi, glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs): Immunolocalization of GIPCs in acidic vesicles of epimastigotes

Using confocal microscopy, MEST-1-positive immunofluorescence was observed within various Trypanosoma cruzi forms, except in cell-derived trypomastigotes. Glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides were identified by thin-layer chromatography immunostaining as the antigens recognized by MEST-1 in these parasites. in epimastigotes, labeling of MEST-1 coincided with acidic vesicles, indicating an internal localization of these glycoconjugates.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Bioquim, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Bioquim, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Comparison of High-degree Solar Acoustic Frequencies and Asymmetry between Velocity and Intensity Data

Using the local helioseismic technique of ring diagram we analyze the frequencies of high--degree f- and p-modes derived from both velocity and continuum intensity data observed by MDI. Fitting the spectra with asymmetric peak profiles, we find that the asymmetry associated with velocity line profiles is negative for all frequency ranges agreeing with previous observations while the asymmetry of the intensity profiles shows a complex and frequency dependent behavior. We also observe systematic frequency differences between intensity and velocity spectra at the high end of the frequency range, mostly above 4 mHz. We infer that this difference arises from the fitting of the intensity rather than the velocity spectra. We also show that the frequency differences between intensity and velocity do not vary significantly from the disk center to the limb when the spectra are fitted with the asymmetric profile and conclude that only a part of the background is correlated with the intensity oscillations.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Comparison of Use of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program and Patient Characteristics Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This cross-sectional study compares the number of encounters at the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program, patient characteristics, and mental health diagnoses before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Effect of anti-glycosphingolipid monoclonal antibodies in pathogenic fungal growth and differentiation. Characterization of monoclonal antibody MEST-3 directed to Manpα1→3Manpα1→2IPC

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies carried out during the 1990's demonstrated the presence of fungal glycoinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs) with unique structures, some of them showed reactivity with sera of patients with histoplasmosis, paracoccidioidomycosis or aspergillosis. It was also observed that fungal GIPCs were able to inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation "in vitro", and studies regarding the importance of these molecules to fungal survival showed that many species of fungi are vulnerable to inhibitors of sphingolipid biosynthesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper, we describe a detailed characterization of an IgG2a monoclonal antibody (mAb), termed MEST-3, directed to the <it>Paracoccidioides brasiliensis </it>glycolipid antigen Pb-2 (Man<it>p</it>α1→3Man<it>p</it>α1→2IPC). mAb MEST-3 also recognizes GIPCs bearing the same structure in other fungi. Studies performed on fungal cultures clearly showed the strong inhibitory activity of MEST-3 on differentiation and colony formation of <it>Paracoccidioides brasiliensis</it>, <it>Histoplasma capsulatum </it>and <it>Sporothrix schenckii</it>. Similar inhibitory results were observed when these fungi where incubated with a different mAb, which recognizes GIPCs bearing terminal residues of β-D-galactofuranose linked to mannose (mAb MEST-1). On the other hand, mAb MEST-2 specifically directed to fungal glucosylceramide (GlcCer) was able to promote only a weak inhibition on fungal differentiation and colony formation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results strongly suggest that mAbs directed to specific glycosphingolipids are able to interfere on fungal growth and differentiation. Thus, studies on surface distribution of GIPCs in yeast and mycelium forms of fungi may yield valuable information regarding the relevance of glycosphingolipids in processes of fungal growth, morphological transition and infectivity.</p