Individual Differences In Response Research Articles

Brain activity during reappraisal and associations with psychotherapy response in social anxiety and major depression: a randomized trial.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) or major depressive disorder (MDD), yet there is variability in clinical improvement. Though prior research suggests pre-treatment engagement of brain regions supporting cognitive reappraisal (e.g. dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [dlPFC]) foretells CBT response in SAD, it remains unknown if this extends to MDD or is specific to CBT. The current study examined associations between pre-treatment neural activity during reappraisal and clinical improvement in patients with SAD or MDD following a trial of CBT or supportive therapy (ST), a common-factors comparator arm. Participants were 75 treatment-seeking patients with SAD (n = 34) or MDD (n = 41) randomized to CBT (n = 40) or ST (n = 35). Before randomization, patients completed a cognitive reappraisal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, patients completed clinician-administered symptom measures and a self-report cognitive reappraisal measure before treatment and every 2 weeks throughout treatment. Results indicated that pre-treatment neural activity during reappraisal differentially predicted CBT and ST response. Specifically, greater trajectories of symptom improvement throughout treatment were associated with less ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) activity for CBT patients, but more vlPFC activity for ST patients. Also, less baseline dlPFC activity corresponded with greater trajectories of self-reported reappraisal improvement, regardless of treatment arm. If replicated, findings suggest individual differences in brain response during reappraisal may be transdiagnostically associated with treatment-dependent improvement in symptom severity, but improvement in subjective reappraisal following psychotherapy, more broadly.

Dietary Modulations in Preventing Cardiometabolic Risk in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex health issue include obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and chronic inflammation that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). CVDs are of great concern in the disease progression and prognosis of T2DM. This review is a comprehensive examination of the literature on the relationship between T2DM and cardiovascular risk, nutrition-related cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors, and impact of dietary modulations on CMR. In recent years the researches has been focus on the importance of a comprehensive treatment approach like dietary modulations to address multiple cardiovascular risk reductions, including hypertension and dyslipidemia. Modulation of dietary patterns are the most promising interventions to prevent CMR factors and T2DM via affecting the body weight, glucose control, and microbial diversity of individuals. Current evidence suggests that high-quality dietary patterns such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet is important in the metabolic control processes of T2DM with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, glucagon-like peptide agonist compounds, and intestinal microbiota changes. Nutrition plays a critical role in preventing and improving CVD outcomes in patients with T2DM. Dietary modulations should be planned considering individual differences in responses to dietary composition and nutritional changes, personal preferences, eating behaviors and gut microbiota differences.

Predicting high-level visual areas in the absence of task fMRI.

The ventral visual stream is organized into units, or functional regions of interest (fROIs), specialized for processing high-level visual categories. Task-based fMRI scans ("localizers") are typically used to identify each individual's nuanced set of fROIs. The unique landscape of an individual's functional activation may rely in large part on their specialized connectivity patterns; recent studies corroborate this by showing that connectivity can predict individual differences in neural responses. We focus on the ventral visual stream and ask: how well can an individual's resting state functional connectivity localize their fROIs for face, body, scene, and object perception? And are the neural processors for any particular visual category better predicted by connectivity than others, suggesting a tighter mechanistic relationship between connectivity and function? We found, among 18 fROIs predicted from connectivity for each subject, all but one were selective for their preferred visual category. Defining an individual's fROIs based on their connectivity patterns yielded regions that were more selective than regions identified from previous studies or atlases in nearly all cases. Overall, we found that in the absence of a domain-specific localizer task, a 10-min resting state scan can be reliably used for defining these fROIs.

A Bayesian approach for exploring person × environment interaction within the environmental sensitivity meta-framework.

For investigating the individual-environment interplay and individual differences in response to environmental exposures as captured by models of environmental sensitivity including Diathesis-stress, Differential Susceptibility, and Vantage Sensitivity, over the last few years, a series of statistical guidelines have been proposed. However, available solutions suffer of computational problems especially relevant when sample size is not sufficiently large, a common condition in observational and clinical studies. In the current contribution, we propose a Bayesian solution for estimating interaction parameters via Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMC), adapting Widaman etal. (Psychological Methods, 17, 2012, 615) Nonlinear Least Squares (NLS) approach. Findings from an applied exemplification and a simulation study showed that with relatively big samples both MCMC and NLS estimates converged on the same results. Conversely, MCMC clearly outperformed NLS, resolving estimation problems and providing more accurate estimates, particularly with small samples and greater residual variance. As the body of research exploring the interplay between individual and environmental variables grows, enabling predictions regarding the form of interaction and the extent of effects, the Bayesian approach could emerge as a feasible and readily applicable solution to numerous computational challenges inherent in existing frequentist methods. This approach holds promise for enhancing the trustworthiness of research outcomes, thereby impacting clinical and applied understanding.

163. Individual Differences in Network Topography Govern TMS Response

163. Individual Differences in Network Topography Govern TMS Response

Changes in Caregiver Outcomes After Participation in the Engaged Eaters Program: A Caregiver-Mediated Feeding Intervention for Autistic Children and Their Families.

Caregivers are essential partners in caregiver-mediated interventions that build on family routines and practices. Research identifying how participation as an intervention partner influences caregivers' outcomes, including stress and self-efficacy, is scarce. To evaluate caregiver outcomes (stress, self-efficacy, and positive feeding responses and confidence) after participation in the Engaged Eaters Program. Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. In-home via telehealth. Fourteen primary caregivers of an autistic child (ages 2-7 yr) with feeding challenges. The Engaged Eaters Program-Telehealth, a caregiver-mediated 6-mo in-home telehealth feeding intervention for autistic children ages 2 to 7 yr that included 24 intervention visits, eight caregiver training modules, and consultation with a dietician. Relationships between child feeding challenge severity and caregiver outcomes and individual differences in caregivers' intervention responses were evaluated. We assessed caregivers' stress (Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition Short Form), self-efficacy (Parent Sense of Competence Scale), Positive Feeding Responses and Confidence (PFRC; composite score of items from other assessments), and individual intervention response using pre- to postintervention change in scores. Exploration of individual differences revealed that only caregivers with intake PFRC scores below the mean made significant improvements by the end of the intervention. No significant group-level changes were identified for stress, self-efficacy, or PFRC. Feeding challenge severity was not significantly related to caregiver outcomes. The results emphasize the importance of considering baseline practices, efficacy, and caregiver confidence when engaging caregivers in intervention. Future research should explore the nuanced relationship between caregiver outcomes and child characteristics. Plain-Language Summary: Caregivers are essential partners with feeding interventions that build on family routines and practices. When working with caregivers, occupational therapists should consider caregivers' readiness for and responses to an intervention because intervention practices may differentially affect caregivers' parenting practices, confidence, and self-efficacy. Caregivers' responses may also affect the overall effectiveness of a caregiver-mediated intervention. Positionality Statement: The term caregiver-mediated in used throughout this article in place of parent-mediated to be inclusive of all types of caregivers.

Phytochemicals, Herbal Extracts, and Dietary Supplements for Metabolic Disease Management.

Comprehensive and effective care techniques have become essential due to the global epidemic dimensions of metabolic disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular ailments. Recent research highlights the potential of dietary supplements, herbal extracts, and phytochemicals in treating metabolic diseases. This abstract conveys the current state of the science in this field by highlighting these findings' underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications. Plant-based diets contain naturally occurring bioactive molecules termed phytochemicals, which have shown promise in treating various metabolic illnesses. Examples include curcumin, flavonoids, and polyphenols' insulin-sensitizing, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory properties. Herbal extracts, derived from ancient medicinal herbs, have been used by people for years to treat a wide range of ailments. Recent studies have shown the efficacy of these strategies in improving lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, and overall cardiovascular health. Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals are just a few of the numerous nutritional supplements that are critical to metabolic health. These vitamins improve insulin sensitivity, regulate blood sugar, and decrease inflammation. Probiotics and prebiotics also affect the gut flora, which significantly affects metabolic function. These natural medicines' ability to treat metabolic diseases either by themselves or in combination with conventional medical interventions. However, when using it therapeutically, one must consider the differences in doses, individual responses, and bioavailability. The article concludes that phytochemicals, plant extracts, and food supplements offer a promising avenue for the management of metabolic illnesses. Comprehensive research, including clinical studies, is needed to ascertain their safety and efficacy characteristics. When added to treatment strategies, these natural therapies could be helpful supplements that improve overall health and the quality of life among individuals with metabolic diseases. Naringenin, a citrus flavonoid, can potentially prevent kidney injury in hyperuricemia by reducing uric acid, inflammation, apoptosis, DNA damage, and activating antioxidants. Further research and professional consultation are essential. Factors contributing to metabolic diseases, current approaches to management nutritional approaches for managing obesityassociated metabolic impairments in the liver and small intestine, and nutritional approaches for managing obesity-associated metabolic dysregulation are also explained briefly.

Are some species more sensitive to environmental change than others? It may all depend on the context.

Research Highlight: Rademaker, M., van Leeuwen, A., & Smallegange, I. M. (2024). Why we cannot always expect life history strategies to directly inform on sensitivity to environmental change. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14050. Ecological studies have long delved into how organisms allocate energy between reproduction and somatic maintenance to maximize fitness. This allocation gives rise to various life-history strategies, and these strategies have been shown to predict how populations respond to environmental change, allowing us to generalize potential responses to increasing human pressures. Such predictions have, however, been made for a limited set of terrestrial taxa and typically do not explore how individual differences in life-history responses to environmental change scale to affect population-level responses. Using novel data on diverse fish species, Rademaker etal. (2024) construct models that link individual-level trade-offs in energy allocation under environmental change to population-level life-history strategies. A key finding in their study is that short-lived species are not more sensitive to environmental change-unlike results of previous studies. This study represents a new generation of work that underscores the complexity of predicting population responses to environmental shifts and suggests a need for a broader understanding of individual-level mechanisms. The results of Rademaker etal. (2024) encourage further mechanistic life-history analyses across a wider range of species and populations to validate the exciting findings and explore their implications across diverse ecological contexts.

The impact of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on isometric bench press performance in trained athletes

Athletic development centers on optimizing performance, including technical skills and fundamental motor abilities such as strength and speed. Parameters such as maximum contraction force and rate of force development, influence athletic success, although performance gains become harder to achieve as athletic abilities increase. Non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation of the cerebellum (CB-tDCS) has been used successfully to increase force production in novices, although the potential effects in athletes remain unexplored. The present study examined the effects of CB-tDCS on maximum isometric voluntary contraction force (MVCiso) and isometric rate of force development (RFDiso) during a bench press task in well-trained athletes. 21 healthy, male, strength-trained athletes participated in a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded crossover design. Each participant completed the isometric bench press (iBP) task on two separate days, with at least 5 days between sessions, while receiving either CB-tDCS or sham stimulation. Electromyography (EMG) recordings of three muscles involved in iBP were acquired bilaterally to uncover differences in neuromuscular activation and agonist-antagonist co-contraction between conditions. Contrary to our hypothesis, no significant differences in MVCiso and RFDiso were observed between CB-tDCS and sham conditions. Furthermore, no tDCS-induced differences in neuromuscular activation or agonist-antagonist co-contraction were revealed. Here, we argue that the effects of CB-tDCS on force production appear to depend on the individual's training status. Future research should study individual differences in tDCS responses between athletes and novices, as well as the potential of high-definition tDCS for precise brain region targeting to potentially enhance motor performance in athletic populations.

Precision medicine for respiratory diseases: A current viewpoint.

In the realm of respiratory illnesses, despite the immense costs and efforts invested in diagnosis and treatment, numerous patients with chronic respiratory conditions or malignancies do not respond well to existing therapies. Delayed diagnoses and inadequate treatments contribute to these challenges, along with adverse reactions or treatment limitations due to side-effects. However, recent advancements in understanding respiratory diseases have paved the way for personalized medical treatments, considering individual genetic, molecular and environmental factors. Precision medicine, which accommodates individual differences in disease susceptibility and response to treatments, aims to improve patient care by aligning medical research with tailored therapies. Innovative technologies, such as genomic sequencing and biomarker identification contribute to this approach, allowing for customized treatments and the identification of effective therapies. Additionally, the application of precision medicine in lung cancer treatment exemplifies the forefront of individualized care within respiratory medicine. Several studies have explored the role of precision medicine in managing respiratory infectious diseases, asthma and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, aiming to categorize diseases more accurately and design targeted therapies. The ultimate goal is to enhance treatment effectiveness, minimize adverse events, and shift towards a patient-centered approach to managing respiratory conditions. Despite limitations, precision medicine holds promise for improving patient outcomes and emphasizing personalized care in respiratory medicine.

Research Progress of Long Non-Coding RNA in Tumor Drug Resistance: A New Paradigm.

In the past few decades, chemotherapy has been one of the most effective cancer treatment options. Drug resistance is currently one of the greatest obstacles to effective cancer treatment. Even though drug resistance mechanisms have been extensively investigated, they have not been fully elucidated. Recent genome-wide investigations have revealed the existence of a substantial quantity of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) transcribed from the human genome, which actively participate in numerous biological processes, such as transcription, splicing, epigenetics, the cell cycle, cell differentiation, development, pluripotency, immune microenvironment. The abnormal expression of lncRNA is considered a contributing factor to the drug resistance. Furthermore, drug resistance may be influenced by genetic and epigenetic variations, as well as individual differences in patient treatment response, attributable to polymorphisms in metabolic enzyme genes. This review focuses on the mechanism of lncRNAs resistance to target drugs in the study of tumors with high mortality, aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for targeted therapy.

Physical Therapy Strategies for Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is known to affect about 1/15,000–20,000 individuals in the world [1]. OI is rare congenital disorder characterised by bone fragility. Mutation in collagen related genes results in deficiency of collagen, which forms the bone matrix. This can result in fractures, deformities of the spine, and effects on other organs. A child's perception of pain can be influenced by a variety of circumstances, including repetitive fractures, bone deformities, muscle atrophy, mobility issues, and psychological concerns. Based on clinical characteristics and the course of the disease, OI subtypes are categorised; types I, II, III, and IV. OI Type I is considered the mildest form of the condition, with normal growth patterns and a low incidence of fractures during the perinatal period. Type II OI is more severe and causes death during the prenatal period. In contrast, OI Type III is a more serious presentation of the disorder. People with type III OI have significant bone deformities, and have fractures often even after birth. The most clinically heterogeneous type of OI is Type IV, with members displaying mild to severe symptoms. OI is diagnosed by using ultrasonography, radiography, bone densitometry, and serum electrolytes(calcium and phosphorous). Bone and skin biopsy also helps in diagnosis by studying collagen tissue. Individual differences in treatment response and outcome are due to genetic complexity in each kind of OI. Medicinal treatment(bisphosphonates) is the most common approach used to manage pain but these treatments' primary drawbacks include their comparatively low efficacy, their lack of benefits, the emergence of treatment resistance in certain individuals, or their cytotoxic adverse effects. The multidisciplinary approach to manage OI involves occupational therapy, physical therapy, orthotics and by other health care professionals including orthopaedic surgeon, dieticians, and speech therapists. Ongoing studies have provide new avenues for the management of OI, including medical, rehabilitation, and surgical treatments. Physical therapy maximise mobility and independence while lowering the risk of fracture and bone loss. The physiotherapists play a crucial role by providing counselling to the parents of OI infants based on disease severity and help the children with OI reach adult independence and maintain optimal musculoskeletal health. Parents are advised to handle and position the baby safely, with the ultimate goal of enabling the child to gain mobility on their own, whether that means utilising a wheelchair in the future or walking aids. Observational studies have shown evidence that supervised exercise regimes can enhance physical capacity and muscle strength.

Abstract 4236: PDX-derived organoids (PDXO) are valuable tools to unveil the shortcomings of new anti-cancer drug candidates

Abstract Introduction: Tumor organoids are increasingly being used as predictive preclinical cancer models, as they reflect the original tumor features and patient drug responses. However, systematic comparisons between organoids and traditional 2D cell lines or 3D spheroids are lacking. Method: We established over 30 PDX-derived organoid (PDXO) models with KRAS mutations and tested three inhibitors targeting the KRAS pathway: VS-6766(RAF/MEK inhibitor), Trametinib (MEK inhibitor), and MRTX1133 (a Phase II drug targeting KRASG12D) against these models. Results: IC50 results indicated that most models responded to treatment. For some cell lines we detected differential drug responses in 2D vs. 3D testing with 3Dspheroids being more sensitive to inhibitors than 2D cell lines (on average ~10 fold). PDXO models exhibited greater individual differences in drug response, with a subset of models demonstrating no sensitivity to MRTX1133. This is consistent with published results showing that some KRASG12D-mutant PDX models were less sensitive to MRTX11331. Similarly, the clinical trial data for the KRASG12C inhibitor Adagrasib revealed distinctions in the response of patients2. Further analysis with WES (whole exome sequencing) and RNA-sequencing identified potential genotypic mutations and differential expressions of signaling pathways related to drug resistance. Subsequent drug combination testing showed that targeting these pathways could enhance the MRTX1133 efficacy in the resistant PDXO models. Summary: Our research confirms that drug testing on organoids predicts responses in mouse models and clinical trials. In combination with multi-omics and bioinformatics analysis, the platform can be used for evaluating drug resistances, identifying new targets, developing new drug combination therapies, and ultimately improving the creation of new cancer therapeutics. Citation Format: Yuhui Wang, Lin Feng, Han Liu, Junwen Zhang, Kaiqiang Hu, Pengwei Pan, Fang He. PDX-derived organoids (PDXO) are valuable tools to unveil the shortcomings of new anti-cancer drug candidates [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4236.

Love on the developing brain: Maternal sensitivity and infants' neural responses to emotion in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Infancy is a sensitive period of development, during which experiences of parental care are particularly important for shaping the developing brain. In a longitudinal study of N=95 mothers and infants, we examined links between caregiving behavior (maternal sensitivity observed during a mother-infant free-play) and infants' neural response to emotion (happy, angry, and fearful faces) at 5 and 7 months of age. Neural activity was assessed using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a region involved in cognitive control and emotion regulation. Maternal sensitivity was positively correlated with infants' neural responses to happy faces in the bilateral dlPFC and was associated with relative increases in such responses from 5 to 7months. Multilevel analyses revealed caregiving-related individual differences in infants' neural responses to happy compared to fearful faces in the bilateral dlPFC, as well as other brain regions. We suggest that variability in dlPFC responses to emotion in the developing brain may be one correlate of early experiences of caregiving, with implications for social-emotional functioning and self-regulation.

Characterizing stress processes by linking big five personality states, traits, and day-to-day stressors

The accumulation of day-to-day stressors can impact mental and physical health. How people respond to stressful events is a key mechanism responsible for the effects of stress, and individual differences in stress responses can either perpetuate or prevent negative consequences. Most research on daily stress processes has focused on affective responses to stressors, but stress responses can involve more than just affect (e.g., behavior, cognitions). Additionally, most research has studied the role of neuroticism in shaping those responses, but many other individual differences are associated with stress. In this study, we more broadly characterized daily stress processes by expanding the nomological networks of stress responses to include Big Five personality states. We also linked those stress responses to all Big Five traits, as well as individual differences in stress variety, severity, and controllability. We studied a sample of participants (N = 1,090) who reported on stressful events, their appraisal of events in terms of severity and controllability, and their Big Five personality states daily for 8–10 days (N = 8,870 observations). Multi-level structural equation models were used to separate how characteristics of the perceived stressful situation and characteristics of the person play into daily stress processes. Results showed that (1) all Big Five personality states shift in response to perceived stress, (2) all Big Five personality traits relate to average levels of perceived stress variety, severity, and controllability, (3) individual differences in personality and average perceived stress variety and perceived severity relate to the strength of personality state responses to daily stress, albeit in a more limited fashion. Our results point to new pathways by which stressors affect people in everyday life and begin to clarify processes that may explain individual differences in risk or resilience to the harmful effects of stress.

Twins And Telomeres-In Space!

As part of the NASA Twins Study, our investigations related to telomeres and DNA damage responses (genome stability) during long-duration spaceflight have important implications for the health and performance of astronauts participating in exploration missions, as well as for long-term aging and disease risk outcomes. Together with the other Twins Study investigations, results will guide future studies and development of personalized medicine approaches for evaluating health effects for individual astronauts as we make our way back to the moon and beyond. Particularly as the number and diversity of space travelers and even space tourists increases over the coming years, identifying individual differences in response to the extreme environment, experiences and chronic exposures associated with space travel, exploration, and eventual habitation of other planets, represents a critical next step for ensuring future astronaut performance and health during, and improving disease and aging courses following, such missions. Ad astra!

Multimodal Associations of FKBP5 Methylation With Emotion-Regulatory Brain Circuits

BackgroundUnderstanding the biological processes that underlie individual differences in emotion regulation and stress responsivity is a key challenge for translational neuroscience. The gene FKBP5 is a core regulator in molecular stress signaling that is implicated in the development of psychiatric disorders. However, it remains unclear how FKBP5 DNA methylation in peripheral blood is related to individual differences in measures of neural structure and function and their relevance to daily-life stress responsivity. MethodsHere, we characterized multimodal correlates of FKBP5 DNA methylation by combining epigenetic data with neuroimaging and ambulatory assessment in a sample of 395 healthy individuals. ResultsFirst, we showed that FKBP5 demethylation as a psychiatric risk factor was related to an anxiety-associated reduction of gray matter volume in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a brain area that is involved in emotion regulation and mental health risk and resilience. This effect of epigenetic upregulation of FKBP5 on neuronal structure is more pronounced where FKBP5 is epigenetically downregulated at baseline. Leveraging 208 functional magnetic resonance imaging scans during a well-established emotion-processing task, we found that FKBP5 DNA methylation in peripheral blood was associated with functional differences in prefrontal-limbic circuits that modulate affective responsivity to daily stressors, which we measured using ecological momentary assessment in daily life. ConclusionsOverall, we demonstrated how FKBP5 contributes to interindividual differences in neural and real-life affect regulation via structural and functional changes in prefrontal-limbic brain circuits.

Predicting individual differences in peak emotional response.

Why does the same experience elicit strong emotional responses in some individuals while leaving others largely indifferent? Is the variance influenced by who people are (personality traits), how they feel (emotional state), where they come from (demographics), or a unique combination of these? In this 2,900+ participants study, we disentangle the factors that underlie individual variations in the universal experience of aesthetic chills, the feeling of cold and shivers down the spine during peak experiences. Here, we unravel the interplay of psychological and sociocultural dynamics influencing self-reported chills reactions. A novel technique harnessing mass data mining of social media platforms curates the first large database of ecologically sourced chills-evoking stimuli. A combination of machine learning techniques (LASSO and SVM) and multilevel modeling analysis elucidates the interacting roles of demographics, traits, and states factors in the experience of aesthetic chills. These findings highlight a tractable set of features predicting the occurrence and intensity of chills-age, sex, pre-exposure arousal, predisposition to Kama Muta (KAMF), and absorption (modified tellegen absorption scale [MODTAS]), with 73.5% accuracy in predicting the occurrence of chills and accounting for 48% of the variance in chills intensity. While traditional methods typically suffer from a lack of control over the stimuli and their effects, this approach allows for the assignment of stimuli tailored to individual biopsychosocial profiles, thereby, increasing experimental control and decreasing unexplained variability. Further, they elucidate how hidden sociocultural factors, psychological traits, and contextual states shape seemingly "subjective" phenomena.

Precision medicine for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the common causes of nephrotic syndrome in adults and children worldwide. FSGS consists of a group of kidney diseases classified based on specific histopathological features. The current classification of FSGS makes it difficult to distinguish individual differences in pathogenesis, disease progression, and response to treatment. In recent years, the spread of next-generation sequencing, updates in biological techniques, and improvements of treatment have changed our understanding of FSGS. In this review, we will discuss the use of genetic testing in patients with FSGS, explore its clinical significance from a genetic identification perspective, and introduce several new biomarkers, that may help in the early diagnosis of FSGS and guide the development of specific or targeted therapies, so as to understand the biological characteristics in FSGS. This will certainly help develop more effective and safer treatments and advance precision medicine.

Predicting response to and relapse after treatment of trichotillomania with the Comprehensive Behavioral model (ComB).

Prior studies of behavior therapy for trichotillomania (TTM) have shown that response is variable, and relapse after treatment discontinuation is common. Little information is available concerning prognostic factors capable of predicting individual differences in response or maintenance of improvement. The present study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (N = 36) of the Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model of treatment for TTM (Carlson et al., 2021). We investigated age, disorder history, pre-treatment symptom severity, longest prior period of abstinence from pulling, and Emotion and Intention hair pulling styles as predictors of initial response. We studied age, disorder history, pre-treatment symptom severity, longest prior period of abstinence from pulling, and post-treatment symptom severity or hair-pulling abstinence as predictors of relapse following treatment. Older age significantly predicted lower TTM severity following treatment. Lower pre-treatment severity significantly predicted lower severity of TTM at the 3-month follow-up.