Adverse childhood experiences and the associations with depression and anxiety in adolescents

Objectives There has been increasing attention to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among adolescents in the U.S because ACEs may result in severe mental health issues. Although associations between ACEs and mental health have been explored, research on how different types or combinations of ACEs render different impacts on adolescents is limited. Therefore, this study aims to (a) examine latent classes of ACEs among adolescents who have experienced at least one ACE and (b) investigate associations of each latent group of ACEs with mental health problems, depression and anxiety. Method Questionnaires on ACEs and depression/anxiety from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) were used, and a total of 11,437 adolescents aged 10–17 years were included in this study. For analyses, latent class analysis (LCA) was implemented to identify the number and types of classes, which are pertinent to represent the heterogenous combinations of ACEs. Moreover, chi-square tests and ordinal regression were performed to investigate the associations of class memberships within ACEs with depression/anxiety. Results The LCA found four class memberships within ACEs: Multiple High-Risk, Broken Family, Income Hardship, and Multiple Low-Risk. These classes displayed differences in depression/anxiety. For both pre-existing and current conditions of depression/anxiety, the most prominence has been found in the Multiple High-Risk, followed by the Multiple Low-Risk, the Broken Family, and the Income Hardship, in order. Conclusions These differences among the classes indicate that understanding of ACEs and interventions should be based on considering latent classes of ACEs

Emotion regulation from a virtue perspective

Background The ability to regulate one’s emotional state is an important predictor of several behaviors such as reframing a challenging situation to reduce anger or anxiety, concealing visible signs of sadness or fear, or focusing on reasons to feel happy or calm. This capacity is referred to as emotion regulation. Deficits in this ability can adversely affect one’s adaptive coping, thus are associated with a variety of other psychopathological symptoms, including but not limited to depression, borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, eating disorders, and somatoform disorders. Methods The present study examined emotion regulation in relation to the virtue-based psychosocial adaptation model (V-PAM). 595 participants were clustered based on their Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) score, producing two clusters (i.e., high functioning vs. low functioning). Then, emotion regulation group membership was discriminated by using five V-PAM virtue constructs, including courage, integrity, practical wisdom, committed action, and emotional transcendence. Results Results show that five virtues contribute to differentiating group membership. Practical wisdom was the strongest contributor, followed by integrity, emotional transcendence, committed action, and courage. Predictive discriminant analysis was conducted and 71% of cases were correctly classified. A discussion of the relationship between emotion regulation and virtues was elaborated. Conclusion The concept of virtue holds significant importance in the comprehension of an individual’s capacity to regulate their emotions, meriting future study. Methods: The present study examined emotion regulation in relation to the virtue-based psychosocial adaptation model (V-PAM). 595 participants were clustered based on their Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) score, producing two clusters (i.e., high functioning vs. low functioning). Then, emotion regulation group membership was discriminated by using five V-PAM virtue constructs, including courage, integrity, practical wisdom, committed action, and emotional transcendence. Results: Results show that five virtues contribute to differentiating group membership. Practical wisdom was the strongest contributor, followed by integrity, emotional transcendence, committed action, and courage. Predictive discriminant analysis was conducted and 71% of cases were correctly classified. A discussion of the relationship between emotion regulation and virtues was elaborated. Conclusion: The concept of virtue holds significant importance in the comprehension of an individual\u27s capacity to regulate their emotions, meriting future study

Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity is Related With Retinal Neuronal and Axonal Integrity in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

Background Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may confer benefits for axonal and/or neuronal integrity in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Purpose Examine the association between device-measured MVPA with optical coherence tomography (OCT) metrics of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and total macular volume (TMV) in persons with and without MS. Methods Adults with MS (N = 41), along with sex-matched healthy control (HC) participants (N = 79), underwent measurements of retinal morphology via OCT and wore an accelerometer for a period of 7 days as a measure of MVPA. Results Persons with MS had significantly lower MVPA, RNFL thickness, and TMV compared with HCs. MVPA was correlated with RNFL (r = .38, P \u3c .01) thickness and TMV (r = .49, P \u3c .01). Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that addition of MVPA attenuated the Group effect on RNFL and TMV. MVPA accounted for 8% and 3% of the variance in TMV (β = .343, P \u3c .01) and RNFL thickness (β = .217, P = .03), respectively. Conclusion MVPA was positively associated with axonal and neuronal integrity assessed by OCT and partially explained group differences in those metrics. These results present possible future targets for MS management by increasing MVPA

MyBrush: Brushing and Linking with Personal Agency

We extend the popular brushing and linking technique by incorporating personal agency in the interaction. We map existing research related to brushing and linking into a design space that deconstructs the interaction technique into three components: source (what is being brushed), link (the expression of relationship between source and target), and target (what is revealed as related to the source). Using this design space, we created MyBrush, a unified interface that offers personal agency over brushing and linking by giving people the flexibility to configure the source, link, and target of multiple brushes. The results of three focus groups demonstrate that people with different backgrounds leveraged personal agency in different ways, including performing complex tasks and showing links explicitly. We reflect on these results, paving the way for future research on the role of personal agency in information visualization

Nucleotide polymorphism and copy number variant detection using exome capture and next-generation sequencing in the polyploid grass \u3ci\u3ePanicum virgatum\u3c/i\u3e

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a polyploid, outcrossing grass species native to North America and has recently been recognized as a potential biofuel feedstock crop. Significant phenotypic variation including ploidy is present across the two primary ecotypes of switchgrass, referred to as upland and lowland switchgrass. The tetraploid switchgrass genome is approximately 1400 Mbp, split between two subgenomes, with significant repetitive sequence content limiting the efficiency of re-sequencing approaches for determining genome diversity. To characterize genetic diversity in upland and lowland switchgrass as a first step in linking genotype to phenotype, we designed an exome capture probe set based on transcript assemblies that represent approximately 50 Mb of annotated switchgrass exome sequences. We then evaluated and optimized the probe set using solid phase comparative genome hybridization and liquid phase exome capture followed by next-generation sequencing. Using the optimized probe set, we assessed variation in the exomes of eight switchgrass genotypes representing tetraploid lowland and octoploid upland cultivars to benchmark our exome capture probe set design. We identified ample variation in the switchgrass genome including 1 395 501 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 8173 putative copy number variants and 3336 presence/absence variants. While the majority of the SNPs (84%) detected was bi-allelic, a substantial number was tri-allelic with limited occurrence of tetra-allelic polymorphisms consistent with the heterozygous and polyploid nature of the switchgrass genome. Collectively, these data demonstrate the efficacy of exome capture for discovery of genome variation in a polyploid species with a large, repetitive and heterozygous genome

嶺南通訊 Lingnan Newsletter (第63期)

https://commons.ln.edu.hk/lingnan_newsletter/1062/thumbnail.jp

Control of endothelial quiescence by FOXO-regulated metabolites.

Funder: - Cancer Center Support Grant 5P30CA045508Funder: - Medical Research Council (MRC_MC_UU_12022/6)Funder: - Max Planck Society - European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant EMERGE (773047) - European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action (814316) - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 834) - Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (EXC 2026, Project ID: 390649896) - DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research) - Foundation Leducq Transatlantic Network - Stiftung Charité - European Molecular BiologyOrganization (EMBO) Young Investigator ProgrammeEndothelial cells (ECs) adapt their metabolism to enable the growth of new blood vessels, but little is known how ECs regulate metabolism to adopt a quiescent state. Here, we show that the metabolite S-2-hydroxyglutarate (S-2HG) plays a crucial role in the regulation of endothelial quiescence. We find that S-2HG is produced in ECs after activation of the transcription factor forkhead box O1 (FOXO1), where it limits cell cycle progression, metabolic activity and vascular expansion. FOXO1 stimulates S-2HG production by inhibiting the mitochondrial enzyme 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase. This inhibition relies on branched-chain amino acid catabolites such as 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, which increase in ECs with activated FOXO1. Treatment of ECs with 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate elicits S-2HG production and suppresses proliferation, causing vascular rarefaction in mice. Our findings identify a metabolic programme that promotes the acquisition of a quiescent endothelial state and highlight the role of metabolites as signalling molecules in the endothelium

Independent predictors of executive function: Cathepsin B and strength

Despite the developments in medicine and technology, regular engagement in exercise and healthy eating remains one of the most efficacious lifestyle approaches to maintaining healthy function. The benefits of which extend into cognitive function. However, the mechanism through which exercise and eating habits affects cognitive function is poorly understood. This is a significant obstacle in developing effective intervention strategies to optimize cognitive function using lifestyle approaches. The research presented herein sought to explore the relationship between peripheral blood markers, muscular strength, relational memory and, executive function and neuroelectric indices. Adults between the ages 40-64 completed venous blood draws to examine the molecule of interest, Cathepsin B (CTSB), maximal strength testing to assess isokinetic strength using a Biodex dynamometer (Biodex System 3, Shirley, NY), and a Spatial Reconstruction Task to assess relational memory. Attentional inhibition, a component of executive function, was assessed using a modified Flanker task. Neuroelectric function was assess using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Specifically, the mean amplitude and peak latency of the P3 waveform in a central-parietal region of interest (ROI) was used to index inhibitory resources and processing speed respectively. After adjusting for possibly confounding variables based on an a priori hypothesis, CTSB was found to be a negative predictor of reaction time for the congruent (β = -0.44, P ≤ 0.01) and incongruent (β = -0.45, P ≤ 0.01) conditions. These results indicate individuals with greater levels of CTSB responded faster. Similarly, isokinetic strength was also found to negatively predict reaction time across both congruent (β = -0.83, P ≤ 0.01) and incongruent (β = -0.80, P ≤ 0.01) conditions. Thus, stronger individuals responded faster. Interestingly, results showed CTSB and isokinetic strength to independently predict reaction time across either condition. These findings lend support to the idea that CTSB may influence cognitive function in a manner that is independent of strength.LimitedAuthor requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD syste

Effects of a nonviolent communication-based training program for inpatient alcoholics in South Korea

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate a communication skills program based on nonviolent communication targeted on inpatient alcoholics at the alcoholics specialized ward. Design and Methods The sample for this mixed methods quasi-experimental study comprised 47 patients who were hospitalized in the alcoholic wards of two psychiatric hospitals in South Korea. Findings The program effectively improved participants' empathy, anger expression, communication competence, and alcohol abstinence self-efficacy (p < .001). Practice implications This program could be implemented in community-based alcoholic care with the aim of preventing relapse and serve as the basis for developing similar programs for family members.N