Cognitive predictors of response to interpersonal and social rhythm therapy in mood disorders.

Background: There has been increasing interest in examining the potential moderating effects that cognitive functioning has on treatment outcome in bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Therefore, the aim of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive function and treatment outcome in individuals with mood disorders who completed 12 months of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and were randomised to receive adjunctive cognitive remediation (CR) or no additional intervention.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with mood disorders (BD, n = 36, MDD, n = 22), who were randomised to IPSRT-CR or IPSRT, underwent cognitive testing at baseline and completed follow-up mood measures after 12 months.

Relationship between baseline cognition and 18-month treatment response in bipolar disorder.

Background: To date, few studies have examined baseline cognitive function as a predictor of clinical outcome following treatment in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this analysis was therefore to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive function and treatment outcome in a sample of young adults with BD receiving Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) or Specialist Supportive Care (SSC) with adjunctive pharmacotherapy.

Methods: Eighty-six BD patients underwent baseline cognitive testing and completed 18 months of IPSRT or SCC.

Integrative analysis of drug response and clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of myeloid-lineage cells with limited therapeutic options. We previously combined ex vivo drug sensitivity with genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical annotations for a large cohort of AML patients, which facilitated discovery of functional genomic correlates. Here, we present a dataset that has been harmonized with our initial report to yield a cumulative cohort of 805 patients (942 specimens).

The five year outcome of major depression: Effects of baseline variables and type of treatment.

Background: Depression is commonly a relapsing or chronic disorder. Long-term outcome is therefore important. We report on the outcome of major depression five years after receiving treatment with medication or psychotherapy.

A randomised controlled trial of psychotherapy and cognitive remediation to target cognition in mood disorders.

Objective: To examine the impact of a treatment package combining Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) and cognitive remediation (CR), vs IPSRT alone, on cognition, functioning, and mood disturbance outcomes in mood disorders.

Methods: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial in adults with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD), recently discharged from mental health services in Christchurch, New Zealand, with subjective cognitive difficulties. Individuals were randomised to a 12-month course of IPSRT with CR (IPSRT-CR), or without CR (IPSRT).

Clinical Effectiveness Trial of Adjunctive Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy for Patients With Bipolar Disorder.

Objective: This study compared relapse rates at 18 months among patients with bipolar disorder who, after discharge from publicly funded mental health services, received either adjunctive interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) or treatment as usual (general practice medical care).

Methods: Patients diagnosed as having a bipolar I or II disorder who had been discharged from publicly funded mental health services in New Zealand during the previous 3 months were randomly assigned to 18 months of IPSRT or to treatment as usual. The primary outcome measure was the Life Interval Follow-Up Evaluation (LIFE) completed at weeks 26, 52, and 78 of treatment.

Development and application of 'systems thinking' principles for quality improvement.

Introduction: 'Systems thinking' is often recommended in healthcare to support quality and safety activities but a shared understanding of this concept and purposeful guidance on its application are limited. Healthcare systems have been described as complex where human adaptation to localised circumstances is often necessary to achieve success. Principles for managing and improving system safety developed by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL; a European intergovernmental air navigation organisation) incorporate a 'Safety-II systems approach' to promote understanding of how safety may be achieved in complex work systems.

The future of CPD for general practitioners, registered pharmacy staff and general practice nurses in Scotland - qualitative responses from a national survey.

In the United Kingdom, undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) is required for revalidation with regulatory authorities for general practitioners, general practice nurses and registered pharmacy staff - pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. A survey of CPD preferences and activities of these four professions has been published and this paper focuses on one qualitative question in the survey: 'Please describe any changes that you anticipate in the way in which you will undertake CPD over the next 12 months.' Responses were analysed using content analysis, then codes and themes were developed into a coding framework.

CPD preferences and activities of general practitioners, registered pharmacy staff and general practice nurses in NHS Scotland - a questionnaire survey.

In the United Kingdom, taking part in continuing professional development (CPD) is required for revalidation for general practitioners, general practice nurses and registered pharmacy staff - pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The literature has many research studies which describe one profession's activities, or a specific learning method or topic. Few studies compared the CPD preferences across these four professional groups or compared their CPD activity.

Synthetic lethality of TNK2 inhibition in PTPN11-mutant leukemia.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPN11 is implicated in the pathogenesis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and other malignancies. Activating mutations in PTPN11 increase downstream proliferative signaling and cell survival. We investigated the signaling upstream of PTPN11 in JMML and AML cells and found that PTPN11 was activated by the nonreceptor tyrosine/serine/threonine kinase TNK2 and that PTPN11-mutant JMML and AML cells were sensitive to TNK2 inhibition.

Frequency and nature of potentially harmful preventable problems in primary care from the patient's perspective with clinician review: a population-level survey in Great Britain.

Objectives: To estimate the frequency of patient-perceived potentially harmful problems occurring in primary care. To describe the type of problem, patient predictors of perceiving a problem, the primary care service involved, how the problem was discussed and patient suggestions as to how the problem might have been prevented. To describe clinician/public opinions regarding the likelihood that the patient-described scenario is potentially harmful.

Development and piloting of a survey to estimate the frequency and nature of potentially harmful preventable problems in primary care from a UK patient's perspective.

Objectives: To design and pilot a survey to be used at the population level to estimate the frequency of patient-perceived potentially harmful preventable problems occurring in UK primary care. To explore the nature of the problems, patient-suggested strategies for prevention and opinions of clinicians and the public regarding the potential for harm.

Design: A survey was codesigned by three members of the public and one researcher and piloted through public and patient involvement and engagement networks.

Can interpersonal psychotherapy be delivered by a community agency?

Objectives: There are limited options for depressed patients to have access to evidence-based psychotherapies in the community. This pilot study explored the feasibility of delivering interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) to clients in a community support agency.

Method: A total of 18 clients with depression completed at least eight sessions of IPT (range 8-13) and 17 completed a range of pre- and post-treatment measures.

Three-year follow-up after psychotherapy for young people with bipolar disorder.

Objectives: (1) To examine the differences between interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) and specialist supportive care (SSC) in the longer term impacts of IPSRT and SSC on cumulative depression and mania symptoms over a further 78-week follow-up period post treatment. (2) To calculate the survival time before recurrence of a new mood episode over the 3-year period.

Methods: One hundred young people with bipolar disorder aged between 15 and 36 years who had been randomized to treatment with either IPSRT or SSC for 78 weeks were followed up for a subsequent 78 weeks.

Kinase profiling of liposarcomas using RNAi and drug screening assays identified druggable targets.

Background: Liposarcoma, the most common soft tissue tumor, is understudied cancer, and limited progress has been made in the treatment of metastatic disease. The Achilles heel of cancer often is their kinases that are excellent therapeutic targets. However, very limited knowledge exists of therapeutic critical kinase targets in liposarcoma that could be potentially used in disease management.

Predictors of premature termination from psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa: Low treatment credibility, early therapy alliance, and self-transcendence.

Objective: Failure to complete treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is- common, clinically concerning but difficult to predict. This study examines whether therapy-related factors (patient-rated pretreatment credibility and early therapeutic alliance) predict subsequent premature termination of treatment (PTT) alongside self-transcendence (a previously identified clinical predictor) in women with AN.

Methods: 56 women aged 17-40 years participating in a randomized outpatient psychotherapy trial for AN.

Ten month outcome of cognitive behavioural therapy v. interpersonal psychotherapy in patients with major depression: a randomised trial of acute and maintenance psychotherapy.

Background: Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) are the most studied psychotherapies for treatment of depression, but they are rarely directly compared particularly over the longer term. This study compares the outcomes of patients treated with CBT and IPT over 10 months and tests whether there are differential or general predictors of outcome.

Methods: A single centre randomised controlled trial (RCT) of depressed outpatients treated with weekly CBT or IPT sessions for 16 weeks and then 24 weeks of maintenance CBT or IPT.

Characterization of the leukemogenic potential of distal cytoplasmic CSF3R truncation and missense mutations.

An increasing number of variants of unknown significance are being identified in leukemia patients with the application of deep sequencing and these include CSF3R cytoplasmic mutations. Previous studies have demonstrated oncogenic potential of certain CSF3R truncation mutations prior to internalization motifs. However, the oncogenic potential of truncating the more distal region of CSF3R cytoplasmic domain as well as cytoplasmic missense mutations remains uncharacterized.

Assessing the distinctiveness of psychotherapies and examining change over treatment for anorexia nervosa with cognitive-behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and specialist supportive clinical management.

Objective: Therapist adherence to cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM) for anorexia nervosa (AN), was examined across three phases of therapy in a randomized clinical trial.

Method: Adherence in early, middle, and late phase therapy sessions from 53 of 56 participants in the trial was assessed using the CSPRS-AN by independent raters after listening to complete therapy sessions.

Results: The three forms of psychotherapy were distinguishable by blind raters.

Implementation of the trigger review method in Scottish general practices: patient safety outcomes and potential for quality improvement.

Objectives: To report the implementation of a trigger review method (TRM) in primary care, with a particular focus on its impact on patient safety-related findings.

Design: Cross-sectional structured review of random samples (n=25) of electronic records of 'high-risk' patient groups conducted twice per year (each for a retrospective review period of 3 months).

Setting: 274 general practices in two regions of Scotland.

Impact of point-of-care ultrasonography on ED time to disposition for patients with nontraumatic shock.

Study Objective: Nontraumatic shock in the emergency department (ED) has multiple causes and carries in-hospital mortality approaching 20%, underscoring the need for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostic ultrasonography at the point of care is one method that may improve the ability of ED physicians to quickly diagnose and treat. This study assesses the effect of the use and timing of point-of-care (POC) ultrasonography on time to disposition request.

Ureteral Stones: Implementation of a Reduced-Dose CT Protocol in Patients in the Emergency Department with Moderate to High Likelihood of Calculi on the Basis of STONE Score.

Purpose To determine if a reduced-dose computed tomography (CT) protocol could effectively help to identify patients in the emergency department (ED) with moderate to high likelihood of calculi who would require urologic intervention within 90 days. Materials and Methods The study was approved by the institutional review board and written informed consent with HIPAA authorization was obtained. This was a prospective, single-center study of patients in the ED with moderate to high likelihood of ureteral stone undergoing CT imaging.