Durability of deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for veterans with treatment resistant depression with comorbid suicide risk and PTSD symptoms.

Evidence supports transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as an effective treatment for symptoms of depression and PTSD; however, there has been limited investigation into the durability of symptoms reduction. The Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center's (HVAMC) rTMS clinic used H-coil for dTMS for Veterans with treatment-resistant depression and tracked symptomology at multiple times points up to six months post-treatment. Veterans underwent 30 session of dTMS treatment using the Hesed coil (H1 coil). The PHQ-9, PCL-5, and BSS were administered to Veterans at four time points: pretreatment, post-treatment, three months after treatment, and six months after treatment. In aggregate, there were clinically significant reductions in symptoms of depression (43.47%), PTSD (44.14%) and suicidal ideation (54.02%) at the six month follow-up relative to pretreatment. Results provide evidence of the impact and durability of dTMS on symptoms of MDD, PTSD, and suicidal ideation among Veterans with treatment-resistant depression.

Technology Access and Perceptions of Telehealth Services Among Young Adults Involved in the Court System.

PURPOSE: This study examined access to technology and telehealth among young adults (ages 18-24) who were court-involved and were recruited from an alternative sentencing program in New York City. METHODS: Using sequential mixed methods design, we examined demographic factors linked with access to technology and perceived usefulness of the Internet among n = 321 young adults who were court-involved (75% male, 65% African American, 35% Latinx). We then conducted in-depth interviews with 27 young adults to elicit first-person account of their access to, interest in, and experience with technology and telehealth. RESULTS: Although most participants had access to a phone with a data plan, a substantial proportion reported inconsistent access to the technology critical to telehealth. Certain young adults were more likely to lack consistent access to the technology needed for telehealth, including Black young adults, males, those with less than a high school diploma, those with a history of homelessness, and those who had difficulties paying for basic necessities. Qualitative interviews revealed that most had a strong self-efficacy using technology, while distrust of technology, inexperience with and skepticism of telehealth, low perceived need for care, and medical mistrust were common significant barriers in this underserved population. DISCUSSION: Findings underscored the critical need to address medical mistrust and increase access to and utilization of care among young adults who are court-involved. Results can inform the development and implementation of interventions designed to improve accessibility and acceptability of telehealth.

Exploring Theater Neuroscience: Using Wearable Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy to Measure the Sense of Self and Interpersonal Coordination in Professional Actors.

Ecologically valid research and wearable brain imaging are increasingly important in cognitive neuroscience as they enable researchers to measure neural mechanisms of complex social behaviors in real-world environments. This article presents a proof of principle study that aims to push the limits of what wearable brain imaging can capture and find new ways to explore the neuroscience of acting. Specifically, we focus on how to build an interdisciplinary paradigm to investigate the effects of taking on a role on an actor's sense of self and present methods to quantify interpersonal coordination at different levels (brain, physiology, behavior) as pairs of actors rehearse an extract of a play prepared for live performance. Participants were six actors from Flute Theatre, rehearsing an extract from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sense of self was measured in terms of the response of the pFC to hearing one's own name (compared with another person's name). Interpersonal coordination was measured using wavelet coherence analysis of brain signals, heartbeats, breathing, and behavior. Findings show that it is possible to capture an actor's pFC response to their own name and that this response is suppressed when an actor rehearses a segment of the play. In addition, we found that it is possible to measure interpersonal synchrony across three modalities simultaneously. These methods open the way to new studies that can use wearable neuroimaging and hyperscanning to understand the neuroscience of social interaction and the complex social-emotional processes involved in theatrical training and performing theater.

Advances in molecular-based diagnostics in meeting crop biosecurity and phytosanitary issues.

Awareness of crop biosecurity and phytosanitation has been heightened since 9/11 and the unresolved anthrax releases in October 2001. Crops are highly vulnerable to accidental or deliberate introductions of crop pathogens from outside U.S. borders. Strategic thinking about protection against deliberate or accidental release of a plant pathogen is an urgent priority. Rapid detection will be the key to success. This review summarizes recent progress in the development of rapid real-time PCR protocols and evaluates their effectiveness in a proposed nationwide network of diagnostic laboratories that will facilitate rapid diagnostics and improved communication.