A Novel Approach to High-Quality Postmortem Tissue Procurement: The GTEx Project.

The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, sponsored by the NIH Common Fund, was established to study the correlation between human genetic variation and tissue-specific gene expression in non-diseased individuals. A significant challenge was the collection of high-quality biospecimens for extensive genomic analyses. Here we describe how a successful infrastructure for biospecimen procurement was developed and implemented by multiple research partners to support the prospective collection, annotation, and distribution of blood, tissues, and cell lines for the GTEx project.

The Affordable Care Act: implementation and implications for addiction specialty care.

Converging in 2015 are the implementation of key pieces of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10). The implications for addiction care in the United States are substantial. This editorial discusses opportunities and challenges presented by these major changes to medicine and addiction specialty care.

Kalirin12 interacts with dynamin.

Background: Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and their target Rho GTPases regulate cytoskeletal changes and membrane trafficking. Dynamin, a large force-generating GTPase, plays an essential role in membrane tubulation and fission in cells. Kalirin12, a neuronal RhoGEF, is found in growth cones early in development and in dendritic spines later in development.

Kalirin: a dual Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is so much more than the sum of its many parts.

A large number of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and Rho GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) are used in the CNS to activate specific Rho GTPase family members, thereby inducing various signaling mechanisms that regulate neuronal shape, growth, and plasticity, in part through their effects on the actin cytoskeleton. Kalirin is a large neuronal dual Rho GEF that activates Rac1, RhoA, and RhoG via its two Rho GEF domains. This activation, which is spatially and temporally regulated, allows Kalirin to influence neurite initiation, axonal growth, and dendritic morphogenesis.

Increased expression of the MBP mRNA binding protein HnRNP A2 during oligodendrocyte differentiation.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2, a trans-acting factor that mediates intracellular trafficking of myelin basic protein (MBP) mRNA to the myelin compartment in oligodendrocytes, is most abundant in the nucleus, but shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. In the cytoplasm, it is associated with granules that transport mRNA from the cell body to the processes of oligodendrocytes. We found that the overall level of hnRNP A2 increased in oligodendrocytes as they differentiated into MBP-positive cells, and that this augmentation was reflected primarily in the cytoplasmic pool of hnRNP A2 present in the form of granules.

Characterization of neuronal dystrophy induced by fibrillar amyloid beta: implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Amyloid deposition, neuronal dystrophy and synaptic loss are characteristic pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have used cortical neuronal cultures to assess the dystrophic effect of fibrillar amyloid beta (Abeta) and its relationship with neurotoxicity and synaptic loss. Treatment with fibrillar Abeta led to the development of neuritic dystrophy in the majority of the neurons present in the culture.

"Doom anxiety" and delirium in lidocaine toxicity.

Of 15 patients with psychiatric reactions to lidocaine, 12 (80%) had mood changes, 11 (73%) had "doom anxiety," eight (53%) had overt confusional states, and six (40%) had hallucinations and delusions. The authors contend that morbid fears of impending doom or the belief that death has occurred are specific manifestations of lidocaine toxicity and may be mistakenly attributed to "understandable" fears about death during the course of recovery from a myocardial infarction on the coronary care unit.

Outcome study of first-episode psychosis. I: Relapse rates after 1 year.

One-year relapse rates were assessed in a group of 64 patients diagnosed by Research Diagnostic Criteria who were hospitalized for their first psychotic episode. Life-table analysis showed that of the 51 remitted patients, 71.4% of the schizophrenic patients (N = 20), 71.

The Cognitive Deficit subscale of the SCL-90-R and prediction of outcome in first episode schizophrenics.

This study examined the relationship between the Cognitive Deficit scale and psychiatric outcome in a sample of 31 first episode schizophrenics. These patients initially were evaluated during their inpatient hospitalization and thereafter assessed for psychiatric symptomatology at 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals. At the end of 12 months, 51.

Reluctance to readmit psychiatric patients.

Psychiatric patients whom staff on an inpatient service were reluctant to readmit were compared to all other patients about whom no such reservations had been expressed. The former group revealed a much greater number of readmissions and a greater proportion of males. Although no statistically significant differences in diagnoses were found, there tended to be a greater proportion of patients with personality and affective disorders and a lesser proportion of those with neurotic and other disorders in this group.

Psychiatric treatment of chronic somitizing patients: a pilot study.

Somatization is a very common condition although these patients are usually seen by general medical practitioners rather than mental health professionals. In a pilot demonstration study, chronic somatizers were significantly improved in a group psychotherapy treatment modality. The somatization was ameliorated and their functioning was significantly improved.

Congregate living for the mentally ill: patients as tenants.

The authors describe an apartment-living project for chronic mental patients released from the Hillside Division of the Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center. The apartments, which are rented by the hospital and sublet to the patients, are located in modern, well-maintained high-rise buildings within commuting distance from the hospital. To avoid creating a psychiatric ghetto, the project rents no more than two apartments in buildings of a hundred or more units.

Three types of paranoid processes.

In classical descriptive psychiatry the term 'paranoid' is often used ambiguously -- referring to a variety of clinical processes which should be more clearly differentiated. Specifically, in this paper, we have differentiated three distinct sets of clinical phenomena all usually lumped together as 'paranoid': 1. Paranoid from a Sense of Guilt, 2.

Fluphenazine decanoate, fluphenazine hydrochloride given orally, and placebo in remitted schizophrenics. I. Relapse rates after one year.

In a simple remitted, nonpsychotic schizophrenics, the relapse rate within one year was significantly higher for those patients taking placebo as opposed to those taking fluphenazine hydrochloride orally or fluphenazine decanoate. There were no differences in relapse rates between the two active drugs, but there were significantly more terminations due to toxicity from fluphenazine decanoate than from pluphenazine given orally, entirely due to the fact that in 35% of patients receiving fluphenazine decanoate, severe akinesia developed.