Objective: Since the release of ChatGPT, popular demand has driven the use of social chatbots as ... more Objective: Since the release of ChatGPT, popular demand has driven the use of social chatbots as pseudo-AI psychotherapists. With time, it is inevitable that these technologies will be deployed in some form as dedicated psychotherapy interventions. Here, we attempt to forecast the implications for psychotherapy including the unique benefits to distributive justice as well as concerns for the quality of the therapy and its societal impact. Conclusion: An AI psychotherapist (APT) has the potential to provide engaging clinical interactions given its capacity for highly realistic interaction as well as its high level cognitive and emotional capabilities. Moreover, it can potentially address financial and workforce limitations on access to therapy. However, an APT may cause significant iatrogenic harm if released without adequate quality control and oversight by trained psychotherapists. If not appropriately designed and regulated, APTs have potential to mislead and reinforce maladaptive coping behaviours. Given societal drivers and possible benefits, these technologies will inevitably be deployed; thus, it is incumbent upon us as a professional body to consider their regulation.
Mechanisms underlying age-related defects within lymphoid-lineages remain poorly understood. We p... more Mechanisms underlying age-related defects within lymphoid-lineages remain poorly understood. We previously reported that sex steroid ablation (SSA) induced lymphoid rejuvenation and enhanced recovery from hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation (HSCT). We herein show that, mechanistically, SSA induces hematopoietic and lymphoid recovery by functionally enhancing both HSC self-renewal and propensity for lymphoid differentiation through intrinsic molecular changes. Our transcriptome analysis revealed further hematopoietic support through rejuvenation of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, with upregulation of key hematopoietic factors and master regulatory factors associated with aging such as Foxo1. These studies provide important cellular and molecular insights into understanding how SSA-induced regeneration of the hematopoietic compartment can underpin recovery of the immune system following damaging cytoablative treatments. These findings support a short-term strategy for clinical use of SSA to enhance the production of lymphoid cells and HSC engraftment, leading to improved outcomes in adult patients undergoing HSCT and immune depletion in general. Cell Isolation and Analysis Cell suspensions of the sinusoidal compartment were obtained by flushing tibias and femurs. Absolute numbers were calculated based on the total numbers of viable nucleated cells harvested from two tibias and two femurs. Osteoblasts from the endosteal niche were isolated by crushing flushed bones and digesting with 0.3% (w/v) Collagenase/Dispase (Roche) and 0.1% (w/v) DNase I (Roche) in RPMI-1640. Flow cytometric analysis and sorting was performed on FACSCalibur, FACSCanto II, FACSVantage, FACSAria, or Influx (BD Biosciences) cytometers and cell sorters. Gates were typically set using appropriate isotype controls. Microarray and qPCR Analysis Microarrays and bioinformatics were performed at the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF) using Partek v.6.5. Pathway.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the stark reality of city lockdowns, mass quaran... more Background The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the stark reality of city lockdowns, mass quarantines and social isolation worldwide. The importance of social isolation and quarantine measures to reduce community transmission of COVID-19 must be balanced against the potential impact on the psychological health of the population. Objective The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the psychological and social impacts of human isolation, how these may present and approaches to identifying and mitigating these effects. Discussion Quarantine has been associated with increased rates of suicide, anger, acute stress disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, with symptoms continuing even years after quarantine ends. There are several predisposing risk factors including the inhabited environment, unique aspects of assessment as well as phenomena seen specifically among groups facing isolation together. The article provides management strategies for the general ...
Mechanisms underlying age-related defects within lymphoid-lineages remain poorly understood. We p... more Mechanisms underlying age-related defects within lymphoid-lineages remain poorly understood. We previously reported that sex steroid ablation (SSA) induced lymphoid rejuvenation and enhanced recovery from hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation (HSCT). We herein show that, mechanistically, SSA induces hematopoietic and lymphoid recovery by functionally enhancing both HSC self-renewal and propensity for lymphoid differentiation through intrinsic molecular changes. Our transcriptome analysis revealed further hematopoietic support through rejuvenation of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, with upregulation of key hematopoietic factors and master regulatory factors associated with aging such as Foxo1. These studies provide important cellular and molecular insights into understanding how SSA-induced regeneration of the hematopoietic compartment can underpin recovery of the immune system following damaging cytoablative treatments. These findings support a short-term strategy for clinical use of SSA to enhance the production of lymphoid cells and HSC engraftment, leading to improved outcomes in adult patients undergoing HSCT and immune depletion in general.
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Papers by Marc Jurblum