The Unique Effects of Hope, Optimism, and Self-efficacy on Subjective Well-being and Depression in German Adults

Positive thinking is a source of mental health. Hope, optimism, and self-efficacy are three factors of positive thinking that are strongly correlated but distinct. Each construct independently relates to measures of mental health such as subjective well-being (SWB) and depression. However, research on the unique impact of hope, optimism, and self-efficacy on both SWB and depression is limited, and robust research on the distinctiveness of these factors and their independent contributions to predicting SWB and depression is needed. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling in a large (n = 6,077), older (above 40), German sample and found the following. First, the three factors of hope, optimism, and general self-efficacy better accounted for their individual items than a single overarching factor of positive thinking. However, because hope and self-efficacy were not identifiable as distinct latent constructs in this sample, they were modeled as one construct in subsequent analyses. Second, combined hope/self-efficacy and optimism had a strong positive relationship among themselves and a weak to moderate positive relationship with higher SWB and lower self-rated depression symptoms. Third, hope/self-efficacy and optimism in separate models had significant moderate to strong latent effects on SWB and depression. Fourth, and finally, hope/self-efficacy and optimism in the same model had unique weak to moderate latent effects on SWB and depression. The fact that hope and self-efficacy were not distinguishable in this sample ran contrary to the existing literature and greatly restricted the conclusions from this study. This limitation may be due to the measures being administered inappropriately. However, in general, the positive thinking factors were highly correlated with each other and were found to be significant predictors of higher well-being and lower depression.  Psychology, Department o

Examining hope as a transdiagnostic mechanism of change across anxiety disorders and CBT treatment protocols.

Hope is a trait that represents the capacity to identify strategies or pathways to achieve goals and the motivation or agency to effectively pursue those pathways. Hope has been demonstrated to be a robust source of resilience to anxiety and stress and there is limited evidence that, as has been suggested for decades, hope may function as a core process or transdiagnostic mechanism of change in psychotherapy. The current study examined the role of hope in predicting recovery in a clinical trial in which 223 individuals with 1 of 4 anxiety disorders were randomized to transdiagnostic cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), disorder-specific CBT, or a waitlist controlled condition. Effect size results indicated moderate to large intraindividual increases in hope, that changes in hope were consistent across the five CBT treatment protocols, that changes in hope were significantly greater in CBT relative to waitlist, and that changes in hope began early in treatment. Results of growth curve analyses indicated that CBT was a robust predictor of trajectories of change in hope compared to waitlist, and that changes in hope predicted changes in both self-reported and clinician-rated anxiety. Finally, a statistically significant indirect effect was found indicating that the effects of treatment on changes in anxiety were mediated by treatment effects on hope. Together, these results suggest that hope may be a promising transdiagnostic mechanism of change that is relevant across anxiety disorders and treatment protocols.R01 MH090053 - NIMH NIH HHSAccepted manuscrip

Safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose versus oral iron in patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD: an analysis of the 1-year FIND-CKD trial.

Background: The evidence base regarding the safety of intravenous (IV) iron therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is incomplete and largely based on small studies of relatively short duration. Methods: FIND-CKD (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00994318) was a 1-year, open-label, multicenter, prospective study of patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD, anemia and iron deficiency randomized (1:1:2) to IV ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), targeting higher (400-600 µg/L) or lower (100-200 µg/L) ferritin, or oral iron. A post hoc analysis of adverse event rates per 100 patient-years was performed to assess the safety of FCM versus oral iron over an extended period. Results: The safety population included 616 patients. The incidence of one or more adverse events was 91.0, 100.0 and 105.0 per 100 patient-years in the high ferritin FCM, low ferritin FCM and oral iron groups, respectively. The incidence of adverse events with a suspected relation to study drug was 15.9, 17.8 and 36.7 per 100 patient-years in the three groups; for serious adverse events, the incidence was 28.2, 27.9 and 24.3 per 100 patient-years. The incidence of cardiac disorders and infections was similar between groups. At least one ferritin level ≥800 µg/L occurred in 26.6% of high ferritin FCM patients, with no associated increase in adverse events. No patient with ferritin ≥800 µg/L discontinued the study drug due to adverse events. Estimated glomerular filtration rate remained the stable in all groups. Conclusions: These results further support the conclusion that correction of iron deficiency anemia with IV FCM is safe in patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

THE EFFECTS OF HOPE ON ANXIETY AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AS MEDIATED BY COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL AND EXPERIENTIAL AVOIDANCE IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE EXPOSED TO HURRICANE HARVEY

Positive thinking factors such as hope are protective in the face of difficult life events, including natural disasters (Glass, Flory, Hankin, Kloos, & Turecki, 2009). Association studies support the correlation between higher hope, lower anxiety, and higher subjective well-being although little is known about how hope effects position change (SWB; Alarcon, Bowling, & Khazon, 2013). Cognitive and behavioral coping strategies such as higher cognitive reappraisal and lower experiential avoidance have been proposed as two such mechanisms (Gallagher et al., 2017; Kashdan, Barrios, Forsyth, & Steger, 2006; Long et al., 2020). The present study used latent growth curve modeling to test whether the relationship between hope and mental health, as represented by lower anxiety and higher subjective well-being, is mediated by higher cognitive reappraisal and lower experiential avoidance within a sample exposed to Hurricane Harvey. Data collection took place in three waves beginning one year after Hurricane Harvey and continuing for 15 months (n = 258). The longitudinal study variables of anxiety (standardized mean gain scores wave 1 to wave 2 = -.04; wave 2 to wave 3 = -.10), positive affect (W1-W2 = -.12; W2-W3 = .04), negative affect (W1-W2 = .06; W2-W3 = .03), and satisfaction with life (W1-W2 = .01; W2-W3 = .01) showed little change over time that limited the ability to measure how change in mediators related to change in outcomes. Therefore, intercept only models were conducted and revealed the following. First, hope was strongly associated with lower anxiety (β = -.51), lower negative affect (β = -.39), higher positive affect (β = .71), and higher satisfaction with life (β = .71). Second, cognitive reappraisal was associated with lower anxiety (β = -.22), lower negative affect (β = -.26), higher positive affect (β = .58), and higher satisfaction with life (β = .46). On the other hand, experiential avoidance was associated with higher anxiety (β = .63), higher negative affect (β = .67), lower positive affect (β = -.35), and lower satisfaction with life (β = -.35). Finally, hope had indirect effects on higher positive affect through cognitive reappraisal (ab = .05) and hope had indirect effects on lower anxiety (ab = -.13) and negative affect (ab = -.14) through experiential avoidance. The study supports the research that hope leads to lower mental illness and higher mental well-being over time, even following a major stressor. Further, it provides a unique contribution that indicates that the association between hope and a positive indicator of mental health is mediated by cognitive reappraisal whereas the association between hope and two negative indicators of mental health is mediated by experiential avoidance

Retrospective Review of Surgical Site Infections after Endoscopic Endonasal Sellar and Parasellar Surgery: Multicenter Quality Data from the North American Skull Base Society

Abstract Introduction  Transnasal access to the anterior skull base provides a minimally invasive approach for sellar and parasellar masses compared with its open counterparts. The unique microbiome of the sinonasal mucosa provides distinct challenges not encountered with other cranial approaches. The use of antibiotics in these cases has not been standardized, and data remain scarce regarding infectious outcomes. Methods  We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis of shared quality data points for the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for pituitary adenomas, along with other sellar and parasellar region masses that were included by participating institutions. Patient and operative characteristics, perioperative and postoperative antibiotic regimens and their durations, intraoperative and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak, and onset of postoperative meningitis and sinusitis were compared. Results  Fifteen institutions participated and provided 6 consecutive months' worth of case data. Five hundred ninety-three cases were included in the study, of which 564 were pituitary adenomectomies. The incidences of postoperative meningitis and sinusitis were low (0.67 and 2.87% for all pathologies, respectively; 0.35% meningitis for pituitary adenomas) and did not correlate with any specific antibiotic regimen. Immunocompromised status posed an increased odds of meningitis in pituitary adenomectomies (28.6, 95% confidence interval [1.72–474.4]). Conclusions  The results show no clear benefit to postoperative antimicrobial use in EEA, with further larger studies needed

Nudging oligodendrocyte intrinsic signaling to remyelinate and repair: Estrogen receptor ligand effects

Demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to significant, progressive axonal and neuronal degeneration. Currently existing immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies alleviate MS symptoms and slow, but fail to prevent or reverse, disease progression. Restoration of damaged myelin sheath by replenishment of mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) should not only restore saltatory axon conduction, but also provide a major boost to axon survival. Our previous work has shown that therapeutic treatment with the modestly selective generic estrogen receptor (ER) β agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN) confers functional neuroprotection in a chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS by stimulating endogenous myelination. Recently, we found that the more potent, selective ERβ agonist indazole-chloride (Ind-Cl) improves clinical disease and motor performance. Importantly, electrophysiological measures revealed improved corpus callosal conduction and reduced axon refractoriness. This Ind-Cl treatment-induced functional remyelination was attributable to increased OL progenitor cell (OPC) and mature OL numbers. At the intracellular signaling level, transition of early to late OPCs requires Erk1/2 signaling, and transition of immature to mature OLs requires mTOR signaling; thus, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway plays a major role in the late stages of OL differentiation and myelination. Indeed, therapeutic treatment of EAE mice with various ERβ agonists results in increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated (p) Akt and p-mTOR levels. It is notable that while DPN’s neuroprotective effects occur in the presence of peripheral and central inflammation, Ind-Cl is directly neuroprotective, as demonstrated by remyelination effects in the cuprizone-induced demyelination model, as well as anti-inflammatory. Elucidating the mechanisms by which ER agonists and other directly remyelinating agents modulate endogenous OPC and OL regulatory signaling is critical to the development of effective remyelinating drugs. The discovery of signaling targets to induce functional remyelination will valuably contribute to the treatment of demyelinating neurological diseases, including MS, stroke, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injury