Mental Health Best Practices in NCAA: The Bidirectional Relationship between Mental Toughness and Self-Compassion

Based on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reports, student-athletes’ well-being is compromised by sub-clinical issues of mental health (MH) disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Preliminary data have shown a positive relationship between mental toughness (MT) and MH, self-compassion (SC) and MH, and SC and MT. To date, possible indirect causal relationships between these three constructs have not been investigated. PURPOSE: To confirm the three aforementioned relationships in NCAA athletes and explore the mediation role of MT and SC on the SC-MH and MT-MH relationships, respectively. Hypotheses: (1) MT will correlate positively with MH, (2) SC will correlate positively with MH, (3) MT will correlate positively with SC, (4) MT will mediate the SC-MH relationship, and (5) SC will mediate the MT-MH relationship. METHODS: The Mental Toughness Index, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form were uploaded on Qualtrics. NCAA athletes were invited to participate via email. The sample (n=466) was predominantly Division III, White, female, freshmen, soccer players, and in-season (Mage=19.8, SD=1.8). The analysis consisted of two parts. In the first, bivariate correlations were computed among MT, SC, and MH. In the second, a structural equation model was constructed to test the bidirectional relationship between MT and SC, where MT and SC also had direct effects on MH. All analyses were completed in R. RESULTS: The findings showed a positive relationship between MT and MH (r=0.371, pr=0.461, pr=0.533, pCONCLUSION: Our positive correlation results are in accordance with Gucciardi, Hanton, and Fleming (2017), Neff, Rude, and Kirkpatrick (2007), Wilson, Bennett, Mosewich, Faulkner, and Crocker (2018), and Ales, Kurzum, Deal, and Stamatis (2018). The full bidirectional model analysis revealed that MT is associated with increases in SC and increases in both MT and SC are associated with increases in MH. Therefore and concerning updating mental health best practices, both MT and SC psychological skill training can potentially increase MH levels. However, to most appropriately increase athletes’ MH, stakeholders should prioritize MT, over and above SC, but not to its detriment. Possible limitations include self-assessment and athletes representing three institutions only. Similar, larger-scale research projects are needed in the future

Restricting Dosage Compensation Complex Binding to the X Chromosomes by H2A.Z/HTZ-1

Dosage compensation ensures similar levels of X-linked gene products in males (XY or XO) and females (XX), despite their different numbers of X chromosomes. In mammals, flies, and worms, dosage compensation is mediated by a specialized machinery that localizes to one or both of the X chromosomes in one sex resulting in a change in gene expression from the affected X chromosome(s). In mammals and flies, dosage compensation is associated with specific histone posttranslational modifications and replacement with variant histones. Until now, no specific histone modifications or histone variants have been implicated in Caenorhabditis elegans dosage compensation. Taking a candidate approach, we have looked at specific histone modifications and variants on the C. elegans dosage compensated X chromosomes. Using RNAi-based assays, we show that reducing levels of the histone H2A variant, H2A.Z (HTZ-1 in C. elegans), leads to partial disruption of dosage compensation. By immunofluorescence, we have observed that HTZ-1 is under-represented on the dosage compensated X chromosomes, but not on the non-dosage compensated male X chromosome. We find that reduction of HTZ-1 levels by RNA interference (RNAi) and mutation results in only a very modest change in dosage compensation complex protein levels. However, in these animals, the X chromosome–specific localization of the complex is partially disrupted, with some nuclei displaying DCC localization beyond the X chromosome territory. We propose a model in which HTZ-1, directly or indirectly, serves to restrict the dosage compensation complex to the X chromosome by acting as or regulating the activity of an autosomal repellant

Surgical management of children and young adults with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, as originally described, includes palpitations, tachycardia, and an abnormal electrocardiogram (short PR interval and wide QRS complex). The clinical manifestations are dependent upon a reentrant tachycardia supported by an accessory connection bridging the atrioventricular junction and frequently appear during the first two decades of life. Palpitations are the usual symptoms; less frequently, severe symptoms, such as syncope and sudden death, may result from very rapid atrioventricular conduction across the accessory connection during atrial fibrillation. We report the surgical management of 30 young patients with this syndrome, including 6 with life-threatening tachycardia. Surgical interruption of the accessory connection(s) was curative in 90% (27/30) of the patients; life-threatening symptoms were eliminated in the other three. Based on the limited knowledge of the natural history of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, the individual patient symptoms, and the electrophysiologic properties of each patient's accessory pathway(s), an algorithm is presented outlining the treatment options. This experience strongly suggests that surgical treatment of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is safe, effective, and possibly the preferred treatment for this disorder in selected young symptomatic patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41585/1/380_2005_Article_BF02058591.pd

Incidence and progression of coronary artery calcium in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men

Objective: The aim of this article is to determine whether HIV-infected (HIVþ) men have either higher incidence or more rapid progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC) compared with HIV-uninfected (HIVÀ) controls. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Multicenter study in four US academic research centers: University of Pittsburgh, Johns Hopkins University, University of California Los Angeles, and Northwestern University. Participants: Eight hundred and twenty-five men (541 HIVþ and 284 HIVÀ) enrolled in the cardiovascular substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study who underwent serial cardiac computed tomography (CT) imaging during a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 2-8 years). Main outcome measures: Incidence and progression of CAC assessed by cardiac CT. Results: During follow-up, 21% of HIVþ men developed incident CAC compared with 16% of HIVÀ men. This association persisted after adjustment for traditional and HIVassociated risk factors: hazard ratio 1.64 (1.13-3.14). However, there was no association between HIV serostatus and CAC progression among men with CAC present at baseline. Current smoking and increased insulin resistance, both modifiable risk factors, were independently associated with increased incidence of CAC. No evidence supporting an elevated risk for either CAC progression or incidence was found for either dyslipidemia or long-term usage of antiretroviral therapy. Conclusion: In this large study of HIVþ and HIVÀ men who underwent serial cardiac CT scan imaging, HIVþ men were at significantly higher risk for development of CAC: hazard ratio 1.64 (1.13-3.14). In addition, two important and modifiable risk factors were identified for increased incidence of CAC. Taken together, these findings underscore the potential importance for smoking cessation and interventions to improve insulin resistance among HIVþ men