Publications by authors named "Valenstein M"

Article Synopsis
  • - The mTORC1 pathway is crucial for regulating cell growth and metabolism in response to various environmental signals, particularly amino acids, which activate mTORC1 by influencing Rag GTPases that recruit mTORC1 to the lysosome.
  • - The study found that mTORC1 cannot respond to amino acids in cells without Rag GTPases or the Ragulator component p18, highlighting their role in both mTORC1 activation and the recruitment of associated regulatory complexes (GATOR1, GATOR2, and KICSTOR) to the lysosome.
  • - The findings indicate that the Rag-Ragulator complex is essential for the organization of the mTORC1 nutrient-sensing pathway, emphasizing that mTOR
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Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) regulates cell growth and metabolism in response to multiple nutrients, including the essential amino acid leucine. Recent work in cultured mammalian cells established the Sestrins as leucine-binding proteins that inhibit mTORC1 signalling during leucine deprivation, but their role in the organismal response to dietary leucine remains elusive. Here we find that Sestrin-null flies (Sesn) fail to inhibit mTORC1 or activate autophagy after acute leucine starvation and have impaired development and a shortened lifespan on a low-leucine diet.

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Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) controls growth by regulating anabolic and catabolic processes in response to environmental cues, including nutrients. Amino acids signal to mTORC1 through the Rag GTPases, which are regulated by several protein complexes, including GATOR1 and GATOR2. GATOR2, which has five components (WDR24, MIOS, WDR59, SEH1L and SEC13), is required for amino acids to activate mTORC1 and interacts with the leucine and arginine sensors SESN2 and CASTOR1, respectively.

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To test whether technology-facilitated self-management support improves depression in primary care settings. We randomized 204 low-income primary care patients who had at least moderate depressive symptoms to intervention or control. Intervention participants received 12 months of weekly automated interactive voice response telephone calls that assessed their symptom severity and provided self-management strategies.

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Objective: This study tested whether computerized cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression supported by a peer specialist with lived experience of depression (PS-cCBT) improves mental health-related outcomes for primary care patients.

Methods: In the U.S.

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Background: Most guidelines for major depressive disorder recommend initial treatment with either a second-generation antidepressant (SGA) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Although most trials suggest that these treatments have similar efficacy, their health economic implications are uncertain.

Objective: To quantify the cost-effectiveness of CBT versus SGA for initial treatment of depression.

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To assess possession of household firearms among veterans receiving mental health care and the frequency of their discussions with clinicians about firearms. We surveyed random samples of veterans receiving mental health care in each of five purposively chosen, geographically diverse VA facilities; 677 (50% of recipients) responded. 45.

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mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) is a major regulator of cell growth and proliferation that coordinates nutrient inputs with anabolic and catabolic processes. Amino acid signals are transmitted to mTORC1 through the Rag GTPases, which directly recruit mTORC1 onto the lysosomal surface, its site of activation. The Rag GTPase heterodimer has a unique architecture that consists of two GTPase subunits, RagA or RagB bound to RagC or RagD.

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Background: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) deliver care to 26 million Americans living in underserved areas, but few offer telemental health (TMH) services. The social missions of FQHCs and publicly funded state medical schools create a compelling argument for the development of TMH partnerships. In this paper, we share our experience and recommendations from launching TMH partnerships between 12 rural FQHCs and 3 state medical schools.

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Study Objectives: Sedative hypnotic medications are routinely prescribed for insomnia treatment, but have been associated with significant risks of morning-after impairment. We evaluated responsiveness in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities to two drug safety warnings recommending against high-dose zolpidem use-a 2007 Veterans Administration Pharmacy Benefits Management Service warning and a 2013 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning.

Methods: We used interrupted time-series design to assess how the two warnings influenced prescribing within the VHA in outpatients from 2005 to 2014.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom groups and assess their longitudinal progression during their first year of reintegration among United States (US) National Guard (NG) service members.

Methods: A cohort of NG service members (n = 886) completed surveys at 6 and 12 months following their return from deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Latent class analysis (LCA) and latent transition analysis (LTA) were used to empirically derive groups based on their PTSD symptoms and examine their longitudinal course, respectively.

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Military families with young children often experience stress related to the unique circumstances of military families (e.g., deployment), and there is a need for interventions that are specifically tailored to military families with young children.

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Nutrients, such as amino acids and glucose, signal through the Rag GTPases to activate mTORC1. The GATOR1 protein complex-comprising DEPDC5, NPRL2 and NPRL3-regulates the Rag GTPases as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for RAGA; loss of GATOR1 desensitizes mTORC1 signalling to nutrient starvation. GATOR1 components have no sequence homology to other proteins, so the function of GATOR1 at the molecular level is currently unknown.

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Mental disorders have been linked to unemployment among veterans. Improving mental health conditions, such as depression, can improve veteran employment outcomes. This study compared mental health treatment among unemployed Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF; in Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF; in Iraq) veterans and veterans from other service eras.

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Military families face many challenges due to deployment and parental separation, and this can be especially difficult for families with young children. The Strong Military Families (SMF) intervention is for military families with young children, and consists of two versions: the Multifamily Group, and a Home-based psychoeducational written materials program. The Multifamily Group was designed to enhance positive parenting through both educational components and in vivo feedback and support during separations and reunions between parents and children (n = 78 parents).

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Objective: This study assessed the beliefs, barriers and preferences for physical activity (PA) among users of outpatient mental health (MH) services. Outpatient discussions with MH providers were also evaluated.

Method: Between September-December 2014, patient advisors approached adult and family members in an academic MH clinic's waiting room on high volume patient visit days during peak clinic hours; 83% participated in the survey.

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