The inflammasome activates caspase-1 and the release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and several inflammasomes protect against intestinal inflammation and colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) ...in animal models. The absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome is activated by double-stranded DNA, and AIM2 expression is reduced in several types of cancer, but the mechanism by which AIM2 restricts tumor growth remains unclear. We found that Aim2-deficient mice had greater tumor load than Asc-deficient mice in the azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) model of colorectal cancer. Tumor burden was also higher in Aim2(-/-)/Apc(Min/+) than in APC(Min/+) mice. The effects of AIM2 on CAC were independent of inflammasome activation and IL-1β and were primarily mediated by a non-bone marrow source of AIM2. In resting cells, AIM2 physically interacted with and limited activation of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), a PI3K-related family member that promotes Akt phosphorylation, whereas loss of AIM2 promoted DNA-PK-mediated Akt activation. AIM2 reduced Akt activation and tumor burden in colorectal cancer models, while an Akt inhibitor reduced tumor load in Aim2(-/-) mice. These findings suggest that Akt inhibitors could be used to treat AIM2-deficient human cancers.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the influence of subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and full PTSD on quality of life following mild traumatic brain injury ...(mTBI).
Participants were 734 service members and veterans (SMV) classified into two injury groups: uncomplicated mild TBI (MTBI; n = 596) and injured controls (IC, n = 139). Participants completed a battery of neurobehavioral measures, 12-or-more months post-injury, that included the PTSD Checklist Civilian version, Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, and select scales from the TBI-QOL and MPAI. The MTBI group was divided into three PTSD subgroups: No-PTSD (n = 266), Subthreshold PTSD (n = 139), and Full-PTSD (n = 190).
There was a linear relationship between PTSD severity and neurobehavioral functioning/quality of life in the MTBI sample. As PTSD severity increased, significantly worse scores were found on 11 of the 12 measures (i.e., MTBI: Full-PTSD > Sub-PTSD > No-PTSD). When considering the number of clinically elevated scores, a linear relationship between PTSD severity and neurobehavioral functioning/quality of life was again observed in the MTBI sample (e.g., 3-or-more elevated scores: Full-PTSD = 92.1 %, Sub-PTSD = 61.9 %, No-PTSD = 19.9 %).
Limitations included the use of a self-report measure to determine diagnostic status that may under/overcount or mischaracterize individuals.
PTSD symptoms, whether at the level of diagnosable PTSD, or falling short of that because of the intensity or characterization of symptoms, have a significant negative impact on one's quality of life following MTBI. Clinicians' treatment targets should focus on the symptoms that are most troubling for an individual and the individual's perception of quality of life, regardless of the diagnosis itself.
PURPOSETo examine a the association of caregiver health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and service member/veteran (SMV) neurobehavioral outcomes with caregiver resilience; b longitudinal change in ...resilience at the group and individual level; and c the magnitude of change at the individual level.METHODSCaregivers (N = 232) of SMVs with traumatic brain injury completed a resilience measure, and 18 caregiver HRQOL and SMV neurobehavioral outcome measures at a baseline evaluation and follow-up evaluation three years later. Caregivers were divided into two resilience groups at baseline and follow-up: 1 Low Resilience (≤ 45 T, baseline n = 99, follow-up n = 93) and 2 High Resilience (> 45 T, baseline n = 133, follow-up n = 139).RESULTSAt baseline and follow-up, significant effects were found between Low and High Resilience groups for the majority of outcome measures. There were no significant differences in resilience from baseline to follow-up at the group-mean level. At the individual level, caregivers were classified into four longitudinal resilience groups: 1 Persistently Low Resilience (Baseline + Follow-up = Low Resilience, n = 60), 2 Reduced Resilience (Baseline = High Resilience + Follow-up = Low Resilience, n = 33), 3 Improved Resilience (Baseline = Low Resilience + Follow-up = High Resilience, n = 39), and 4 Persistently High Resilience (Baseline + Follow-up = High Resilience, n = 100). From baseline to follow-up, approximately a third of the Reduced and Improved Resilience groups reported a meaningful change in resilience (≥ 10 T). Nearly all of the Persistently High and Persistently Low Resilience groups did not report meaningful change in resilience (< 10 T).CONCLUSIONResilience was not a fixed state for all caregivers. Early intervention may stall the negative caregiving stress-health trajectory and improve caregiver resilience.
This study aimed to identify risk factors predictive of the presence and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reporting following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants ...were 1,301 U.S. service members and veterans (SMVs) divided into four groups: uncomplicated mild TBI (mTBI; n = 543); complicated mild, moderate, severe, and penetrating TBI (n = 230); injured controls (n = 340); and noninjured controls (n = 188). We examined 25 factors related to demographic, injury‐related, military‐specific, treatment/health care need, and mental health/social support variables. Seven factors were statistically associated with the presence of DSM‐IV‐TR symptom criteria for PTSD: premorbid IQ, combat exposure, depression, social participation, history of mTBI, need for managing mood and stress, and need for improving memory and attention, p < .001 (51.3% variance). When comparing the prevalence of these risk factors in a longitudinal cohort (n = 742) across four PTSD trajectory groups (i.e., asymptomatic, improved, developed, persistent), a higher proportion of participants in the persistent PTSD group reported worse depression, a lack of social participation, and history of mTBI. Additionally, a higher proportion of participants in the persistent and developed PTSD groups reported the need for managing mood/stress and improving memory/attention. When considered simultaneously, the presence of ≥ 1 or ≥ 2 risk factors was associated with a higher proportion of participants in the developed and persistent PTSD groups, ps < .001. These risk factors may be useful in identifying SMVs at risk for the development and/or persistence of PTSD symptoms who may need intervention.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is reported as one of the most complex chronic diseases worldwide. In the United States, Type 2 DM (T2DM) is the seventh leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Individuals ...with diabetes require lifelong personal care to reduce the possibility of developing long-term complications. A good knowledge of diabetes risk factors, including obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, family history of DM, and sedentary lifestyle, play an essential role in prevention and treatment. Also, sociodemographic, economic, psychological, and environmental factors are directly and indirectly associated with diabetes control and health outcomes. Our review intends to analyze the interaction between demographics, knowledge, environment, and other diabetes-related factors based on an extended literature search, and to provide insight for improving glycemic control and reducing the incidence of chronic complications.
The purpose of this study was to (a) identify the prevalence and barriers of self-reported service needs in a military sample with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI), (b) evaluate the influence ...of the number of service needs on overall neurobehavioral functioning, and (c) examine the longitudinal trajectories of service needs over time.
Participants were 941 U.S. service members and veterans (SMVs) prospectively enrolled into four groups: uncomplicated mild TBI (MTBI;
= 455); complicated mild, moderate, severe, and penetrating TBI combined (STBI;
= 164); injured controls (IC,
= 138); and noninjured controls (NIC,
= 184). Participants completed a battery of neurobehavioral measures, as well as a self-reported service need interview, 12 or more month's postinjury. In addition, a longitudinal cohort (
= 553) was included using a subset of participants who had completed two or more evaluations.
When examining the total number of self-reported service needs, there was a greater proportion of the MTBI and STBI groups that had a higher number of service needs compared to the NIC and IC groups (
< .001). In the MTBI and STBI groups, as the number of service needs increased, worse scores were found on all neurobehavioral measures. In the longitudinal cohort, the STBI group reported the highest number of service needs that persisted or developed over time (six needs), followed by the MTBI (three needs), IC (one need), and NIC (zero need) groups.
These findings call for the need to enhance the provision of information given to service members and veterans following TBI regarding available services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
The inflammasome activates caspase-1 and the release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and several inflammasomes protect against intestinal inflammation and colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) ...in animal models. The absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome is activated by double-stranded DNA, and AIM2 expression is reduced in several types of cancer, but the mechanism by which AIM2 restricts tumor growth remains unclear. We found that
Aim2
-deficient mice had greater tumor load than
Asc
-deficient mice in the azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) model of colorectal cancer. Tumor burden was also higher in
Aim2
−/−
/
Apc
Min/+
than in APC
Min/+
mice. The effects of AIM2 on CAC were independent of inflammasome activation and IL-1β and were primarily mediated by a non–bone marrow source of AIM2. In resting cells, AIM2 physically interacted with and limited activation of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), a PI3K-related family member that promotes Akt phosphorylation, whereas loss of AIM2 promoted DNA-PK–mediated Akt activation. AIM2 reduced Akt activation and tumor burden in colorectal cancer models, while an Akt inhibitor reduced tumor load in
Aim2
−/−
mice. These findings suggest that Akt inhibitors could be used to treat AIM2-deficient human cancers.
Untold Stories of Women at Work MacGowan, Rebecca; Stillwell, Elizabeth E.; Smith, Alexis Nicole ...
Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings,
08/2022, Volume:
2022, Issue:
1
Conference Proceeding
PDF
