Opioid Risk Tool, in-hospital opioid exposure, and opioid demand predict pain outcomes following traumatic injury.

Prescribed opioids are a mainstay pain treatment after traumatic injury, but a subgroup of patients may be at risk for continued opioid use. We evaluated the predictive utility of a traditional screening tool, the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT), and two other measures: average in-hospital milligram morphine equivalents (MME) per day and an assessment of opioid demand in predicting pain outcomes. Assessments of pain-related outcomes (pain intensity, interference, injury-related stress, and need for additional pain treatment) were administered at 2 weeks and 12 months post-discharge in a sample of 34 patients hospitalized for traumatic injury.

Targeting chromosome 12q amplification in relapsed glioblastoma: the use of computational biological modeling to identify effective therapy-a case report.

Background: Relapsed glioblastoma (GBM) is often an imminently fatal condition with limited therapeutic options. Computation biological modeling, i.e.

Early pain, stress, and opioid use following traumatic injury.

Objective: Prescription opioids are an effective pain treatment strategy but can lead to long-term opioid misuse. Identifying at risk patients during hospitalization can inform the development of prevention interventions post-discharge. Using the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) as a screening measure, this study predicted factors associated with pain and opioid use at 2 weeks post-discharge in trauma patients.

Epigenetic derepression converts PPARγ into a druggable target in triple-negative and endocrine-resistant breast cancers.

Clinical trials repurposing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) agonists as anticancer agents have exhibited lackluster efficacy across a variety of tumor types. Here, we report that increased PPARG expression is associated with a better prognosis but is anticorrelated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2 expressions. We show that HDAC overexpression blunts anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic responses to PPARγ agonists via transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms, however, these can be neutralized with clinically approved and experimental HDAC inhibitors.

Attachment Style Mediates the Relationship between Trauma and Somatic Distress among Individuals with Serious Mental Illness.

: Individuals with mental illnesses severe enough to require psychiatric hospitalization often have significant trauma histories, have developed maladaptive attachment styles, and experience comorbid somatic distress. Gaining an understanding about the interaction of such factors may lead to prioritizing interventions that target factors that mediate the relationship between trauma and adverse somatic distress. Prior research has examined various mediation models, but results have been mixed and conducted only on outpatient samples.

Combination chemotherapy versus temozolomide for patients with methylated MGMT (m-MGMT) glioblastoma: results of computational biological modeling to predict the magnitude of treatment benefit.

Background: A randomized trial in glioblastoma patients with methylated-MGMT (m-MGMT) found an improvement in median survival of 16.7 months for combination therapy with temozolomide (TMZ) and lomustine, however the approach remains controversial and relatively under-utilized. Therefore, we sought to determine whether comprehensive genomic analysis can predict which patients would derive large, intermediate, or negligible benefits from the combination compared to single agent chemotherapy.

Changes in Experimental Pain Sensitivity from Using Home-Based Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: The present study examined the effects of home-based remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on quantitative sensory testing measurements in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Participants were hypothesized to experience improved pain measurements over time.

Design: Open-label, single-arm trial.

Utility of a brief assessment of opioid demand among post-discharge trauma care patients.

Opioid misuse and opioid-related death are a growing public health concern. One population of interest is recent trauma and/or surgery patients, who are at increased risk of developing an opioid use disorder (OUD). Although a variety of assessments have been developed to screen for risk of opioid misuse, each has limitations and prediction needs improvement.

Health Care Utilization for Chronic Pain in Low-Income Settings.

Background: Chronic pain is a serious health problem with high rates of health care utilization (HCU). Many patients become stymied in a perpetual cycle of unsuccessful attempts to find relief from suffering through frequent health care visits. Especially within low-income populations, the burdens of health care services are especially unpleasant due to significant financial costs, barriers to transportation, and high levels of stress.

Spiritual Openness, Revisiting a Potentially Important Aspect of Spirituality: Scale Review and Revision.

Religiousness and spirituality (R/S) exert important influences on individuals across a range of domains. Spiritual Openness is theoretically linked with the personality trait of Openness to Experience, suggesting promise for future research. Using responses from 366 undergraduates on the Spiritual Experience Index-Revised (SEI-R: subscales of Spiritual Openness and Spiritual Support), analyses evaluated and revised the SEI-R, deleting poor items and generating a 10-item measure.

The relationship of sociodemographic and psychological variables with chronic pain variables in a low-income population.

Chronic pain is a pervasive condition that is complicated by economic, educational, and racial disparities. This study analyzes key factors associated with chronic pain within an understudied and underserved population. The sample is characterized by a triple disparity with respect to income, education/literacy, and racial barriers that substantially increase the vulnerability to the negative consequences of chronic pain.

Pain Catastrophizing, rather than Vital Signs, Associated with Pain Intensity in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department for Pain.

This study examined the relationships of self-reported pain intensity with vital signs, pain catastrophizing, and state anxiety in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for acute pain, exacerbations of chronic pain, or acute pain with concurrent chronic (combined) pain, comparing the pattern of relationships among these three pain groups. One hundred fifty-eight patients presenting to the ED for pain were recruited. Vital signs and self-reported pain intensity were obtained at triage, then participants completed self-report measures of pain catastrophizing, state anxiety, and demographic information.

An Examination of Cultural Values and Pain Management in Foreign-Born Spanish-Speaking Hispanics Seeking Care at a Federally Qualified Health Center.

Objective: Most studies done with Hispanics illustrate their preference for self-management practices; therefore, examining the factors driving patients to seek medical care for pain management will help elucidate what patients want and need from their doctors for pain management. The aim of the present study was to obtain patients' perspectives and enhance our understanding of the cultural beliefs influencing pain management decisions of foreign-born Spanish-speaking Hispanics with low acculturation.

Methods: Twenty-four individuals (17 females and 7 males) with self-reported chronic pain completed the study.

Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Acute Pain: The Significant Role of Pain Catastrophizing and State Anxiety.

Objective: Pain is one of the most common reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. Given the significant association of psychological variables and pain experience, it is critical to examine the relation of such factors with ED pain reports. This study sought to analyze the association of reported pain intensity in ED with pain catastrophizing and state anxiety.

Psychologists' Contributions to Patient-Centered Medical Homes.

Mounting evidence supports the value of integrated healthcare and the need for interprofessional practice within patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). Incorporating behavioral health services is key to fully implementing the PCMH concept. Unfortunately, psychologists have not been front and center in this integrative and interprofessional care movement nor have they typically received adequate training or experience to work effectively in these integrated care programs.

Overexpression of Bcl-2 induces STAT-3 activation via an increase in mitochondrial superoxide.

We recently reported a novel interaction between Bcl-2 and Rac1 and linked that to the ability of Bcl-2 to induce a pro-oxidant state in cancer cells. To gain further insight into the functional relevance of this interaction, we utilized computer simulation based on the protein pathway dynamic network created by Cellworks Group Inc. STAT3 was identified among targets that positively correlated with Rac1 and/or Bcl-2 expression levels.

Healthcare use and prescription of opioids in rural residents with pain.

Introduction: Chronic pain is a major public health problem. Increased healthcare utilization by individuals with pain puts enormous burden on financial and health resources. There is extremely limited understanding of psychosocial factors that affect healthcare use and prescription of opioids in individuals who experience heightened healthcare disparities associated with being African-American, having low income, and with rural residency.

In silico modeling predicts drug sensitivity of patient-derived cancer cells.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive disease associated with poor survival. It is essential to account for the complexity of GBM biology to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This complexity is best represented by the increasing amounts of profiling ("omics") data available due to advances in biotechnology.

Emodin inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma model by blocking activation of STAT3.

Background And Purpose: Aberrant activation of STAT3 is frequently encountered and promotes proliferation, survival, metastasis and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we have investigated whether emodin mediates its effect through interference with the STAT3 activation pathway in HCC.

Experimental Approach: The effect of emodin on STAT3 activation, associated protein kinases and apoptosis was investigated using various HCC cell lines.