Comparison of latent variable and psychological network models in PROMIS data: output metrics and factor structure.

Purpose: Much research is still needed to compare traditional latent variable models such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to emerging psychometric models such as the Gaussian graphical model (GGM). Previous comparisons of GGM centrality indices with factor loadings from CFA have discovered redundancies, and investigations into how well a GGM-based alternative to exploratory factor analysis (i.e.

Author's Reply to "Communication with Patients on Mechanical Ventilation: A Review of Existing Technologies" by Nair and Anand.

Dind A, Starr JS, Arora S. Author's Reply to "Communication with Patients on Mechanical Ventilation: A Review of Existing Technologies" by Nair and Anand. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(6):758.

iPad-based Apps to Facilitate Communication in Critically Ill Patients with Impaired Ability to Communicate: A Preclinical Analysis.

Background: Inability to communicate is very distressing for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most communication exchanges in ICU are initiated by healthcare workers (HCWs). Touch screen apps may enable patients to initiate communication and improve their interactions.

Development and Validation of the Four Facet Mindful Eating Scale (FFaMES).

Objectives: Previous mindful eating scales stress the attentional domains of eating-specific mindfulness, such as present-moment attention to homeostatic cues of hunger and satiety while discounting other important domains such as non-judgment and decentering. The purpose of the series of studies was to develop and evaluate a multifaceted mindful eating scale that assesses several domains of eating-specific mindfulness.

Methods: A multistep process was used to construct the Four Facet Mindful Eating Scale (FFaMES).

Tensin 1 (TNS1) is a modifier gene for low body mass index (BMI) in homozygous [F508del]CFTR patients.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by variants in the CFTR gene, most commonly by the [F508del] variant. Although CF is a classical Mendelian disease, genetic variants in several modifier genes have been associated with variation of the clinical phenotype for pulmonary and gastrointestinal function and urogenital development. We hypothesized that whole genome sequencing of a well-phenotyped CF populations might identify novel variants in known, or hitherto unknown, modifier genes.

Transcriptomics of Long-Term Meditation Practice: Evidence for Prevention or Reversal of Stress Effects Harmful to Health.

Stress can overload adaptive mechanisms, leading to epigenetic effects harmful to health. Research on the reversal of these effects is in its infancy. Early results suggest some meditation techniques have health benefits that grow with repeated practice.

Vi-Vaccinations Induce Heterogeneous Plasma Cell Responses That Associate With Protection From Typhoid Fever.

Vi-polysaccharide conjugate vaccines are efficacious against cases of typhoid fever; however, an absolute correlate of protection is not established. In this study, we investigated the leukocyte response to a Vi-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (Vi-TT) in comparison with a plain polysaccharide vaccine (Vi-PS) in healthy adults subsequently challenged with Typhi. Immunological responses and their association with challenge outcome was assessed by mass cytometry and Vi-ELISpot assay.

A Comparison of Limited-Information Test Statistics for a Response Style MIRT Model.

An increased use of models for measuring response styles is apparent in recent years with the multidimensional nominal response model (MNRM) as one prominent example. Inclusion of latent constructs representing extreme (ERS) or midpoint response style (MRS) often improves model fit according to information criteria. However, a test of absolute model fit is often not reported even though it could comprise an important piece of validity evidence.

Digitoxin Inhibits Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal-Transition in Hereditary Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) is thought to be driven by a collaborative mechanism between TNFα/NFκB and TGFβ signaling, leading to inflammation, Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT), and metastasis. Initially, TGFβ is a tumor suppressor, but in advanced metastatic disease it switches to being a tumor promoter. TGFBR2 may play a critical role in this collaboration, as its expression is driven by NFκB and it is the primary receptor for TGFβ.

Serum Biomarkers for Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Progression.

African American (AA) women are often diagnosed with more aggressive breast cancers and have worse survival outcomes than their Caucasian American (CA) counterparts. However, a comprehensive understanding of this disparity remains unclear. In this study, we attempted to identify the race-specific non-invasive protein biomarkers that may particularly benefit interventions aimed at reducing the risk of recurrence and metastasis in breast cancers (BrCa).

Validation of Biomarker Proteins Using Reverse Capture Protein Microarrays.

Genomics has revolutionized large-scale and high-throughput sequencing and has led to the discovery of thousands of new proteins. Protein chip technology is emerging as a miniaturized and highly parallel platform that is suited to rapid, simultaneous screening of large numbers of proteins and the analysis of various protein-binding activities, enzyme substrate relationships, and posttranslational modifications. Specifically, reverse capture protein microarrays provide the most appropriate platform for identifying low-abundance, disease-specific biomarker proteins in a sea of high-abundance proteins from biological fluids such as blood, serum, plasma, saliva, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid as well as tissues and cells obtained by biopsy.

Transcriptome and Proteome Analyses of TNFAIP8 Knockdown Cancer Cells Reveal New Insights into Molecular Determinants of Cell Survival and Tumor Progression.

Tumor necrosis factor-α-inducible protein 8 (TNFAIP8) is the first discovered oncogenic and an anti-apoptotic member of a conserved TNFAIP8 or TIPE family of proteins. TNFAIP8 mRNA is induced by NF-kB, and overexpression of TNFAIP8 has been correlated with poor prognosis in many cancers. Downregulation of TNFAIP8 expression has been associated with decreased pulmonary colonization of human tumor cells, and enhanced sensitivities of tumor xenografts to radiation and docetaxel.

"Soldier's Heart": A Genetic Basis for Elevated Cardiovascular Disease Risk Associated with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

"Soldier's Heart," is an American Civil War term linking post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with increased propensity for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We have hypothesized that there might be a quantifiable genetic basis for this linkage. To test this hypothesis we identified a comprehensive set of candidate risk genes for PTSD, and tested whether any were also independent risk genes for CVD.

Personalized Radioproteomics: Identification of a Protein Biomarker Signature for Preemptive Rescue by Tocopherol Succinate in CD34 Irradiated Progenitor Cells Isolated from a Healthy Control Donor.

Tocopherol succinate (TS) has been shown to protect mice against acute radiation syndrome, however, its exact mechanism of action and its possible use in humans has not yet been evaluated. Our approach has been to test the radioprotectant properties of TS on CD34-positive stem cells from healthy volunteers. We hypothesize that a radioproteomics strategy can identify a drug-dependent, personalized proteomics signature for radioprotection.

A novel analytical brain block tool to enable functional annotation of discriminatory transcript biomarkers among discrete regions of the fronto-limbic circuit in primate brain.

Fronto-limbic circuits in the primate brain are responsible for executive function, learning and memory, and emotions, including fear. Consequently, changes in gene expression in cortical and subcortical brain regions housing these circuits are associated with many important psychiatric and neurological disorders. While high quality gene expression profiles can be identified in brains from model organisms, primate brains have unique features such as Brodmann Area 25, which is absent in rodents, yet profoundly important in primates, including humans.

Diverse effects of ANXA7 and p53 on LNCaP prostate cancer cells are associated with regulation of SGK1 transcription and phosphorylation of the SGK1 target FOXO3A.

Tumor suppressor function of the calcium/phospholipid-binding Annexin-A7 (ANXA7) has been shown in Anxa7-deficient mice and validated in human cancers. In the androgen-resistant prostate cancer cells, ANXA7 and p53 showed similar cytotoxicity levels. However, in the androgen-sensitive LNCaP, ANXA7 greatly exceeded the p53-induced cytotoxicity.

The significance of TNFAIP8 in prostate cancer response to radiation and docetaxel and disease recurrence.

TNFAIP8 is a NF-κB-inducible, oncogenic molecule. Previous "promoter array" studies have identified differential methylation and regulation of TNFAIP8 in prostate epithelial and cancer cell lines. Here we demonstrate that TNFAIP8 expression is induced by androgen in hormone-responsive LNCaP prostate cancer cells.

Curcumin treatment suppresses IKKβ kinase activity of salivary cells of patients with head and neck cancer: a pilot study.

Purpose: To determine whether curcumin would inhibit IκB kinase β (IKKβ) kinase activity and suppress expression of proinflammatory cytokines in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cancer (HNSCC) patients.

Experimental Design: Saliva was collected before and after subjects chewed curcumin tablets. Protein was extracted and IKKβ kinase activity measured.