Stimulating appearance comparison dynamics and their effects on psychological dysfunctions: The moderating role of self-compassion

In recent decades, attitudes towards appearance comparison, and self-disapproval have rapidly increased, and these are attitudes strongly associated with psychological disorders. The present study aims to investigate the underlying patterns of depression, appearance-based stress, dietary constraints, and social and celebrity appearance comparison among young adults. It also examines the role of self-compassion in moderating the relationship between psychological dysfunctions and appearance comparison as well as the criteria and influences contributing to appearance comparison. Data on BMI, the measures of depression, appearance-based stress, eating restraints, appearance comparison, self-compassion, and predictors of peers and celebrity appearance comparison were collected from 434 college students (Age: Mean = 22; SD = 2.36; Male = Female = 217) in Sialkot, Pakistan. The data was analyzed by using the Hierarchical Regression Model. The results revealed that respondents who compared their appearances to peers and celebrities had increased depression and appearance-based stress while eating constraints didn’t affect the appearance-based comparison, stress, and depression. Moreover, self-compassion significantly moderated the relationship between depression, appearance-based stress, and appearance comparison whereas an insignificant moderation effect is observed between eating restraints and self-compassion. Despite psychological distresses such as depression, appearance-based stress, and eating restraints, appearance comparisons are connected to appearance-based victimization, media appearance pressure, social-cultural appearance pressure, appearance conversation, and self-consciousness

Meta-analysis of diabetes mellitus prevalence among tuberculosis patients in Asia and Africa

Objective: To determine the prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus (DM) among active Tuberculosis (TB) patients. To find out the impact of age factor in the prevalence rate. Methodology: This research work is a meta-analysis to determine the prevalence rate of DM among TB patients in Asian and African countries. To conduct this research total 200 studies are reviewed and 15 studies (28,055 patients) are further used for analysis, while 47% and 53% studies of last seven years (2012-2018) have been included from African and Asian countries respectively. The data is analyzed using the Meta excel extension of excel. Results: The results revealed that highest prevalence rate 71% found within Pakistan, while overall pooled prevalence of DM among TB patients is 26% with 95% confidence interval (22.12, 28.47). It also has been determined that age significantly affects the prevalence rate of DM among TB patients with -0.634 to 4.179) confidence interval. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Diabetes Mellitus is widely spreading among people and age also significantly moderate the prevalence rate. Continuous..

Characteristics and main outcome variables of the sample (N = 434).

Characteristics and main outcome variables of the sample (N = 434).</p

Regression models for examining the relationship of peer and celebrity appearance comparison.

Regression models for examining the relationship of peer and celebrity appearance comparison.</p

Pearson correlation among main outcomes and other independent variables.

Pearson correlation among main outcomes and other independent variables.</p

Results of three separate regression models each assessing the relationship of depression, appearance-based stress, and eating constraints with independent variables in the presence of self-compassion as a moderator.

Results of three separate regression models each assessing the relationship of depression, appearance-based stress, and eating constraints with independent variables in the presence of self-compassion as a moderator.</p

Theoretical framework of the second model: a) appearance comparison with peers and b) appearance comparison with celebrities.

The numerical values are correlation coefficients.</p

Moderation model illustrating indirect effect of self-compassion on the relationship between health issues and appearance comparison.

The numerical values represent correlation coefficients.</p

Participants flow diagram.

In recent decades, attitudes towards appearance comparison, and self-disapproval have rapidly increased, and these are attitudes strongly associated with psychological disorders. The present study aims to investigate the underlying patterns of depression, appearance-based stress, dietary constraints, and social and celebrity appearance comparison among young adults. It also examines the role of self-compassion in moderating the relationship between psychological dysfunctions and appearance comparison as well as the criteria and influences contributing to appearance comparison. Data on BMI, the measures of depression, appearance-based stress, eating restraints, appearance comparison, self-compassion, and predictors of peers and celebrity appearance comparison were collected from 434 college students (Age: Mean = 22; SD = 2.36; Male = Female = 217) in Sialkot, Pakistan. The data was analyzed by using the Hierarchical Regression Model. The results revealed that respondents who compared their appearances to peers and celebrities had increased depression and appearance-based stress while eating constraints didn’t affect the appearance-based comparison, stress, and depression. Moreover, self-compassion significantly moderated the relationship between depression, appearance-based stress, and appearance comparison whereas an insignificant moderation effect is observed between eating restraints and self-compassion. Despite psychological distresses such as depression, appearance-based stress, and eating restraints, appearance comparisons are connected to appearance-based victimization, media appearance pressure, social-cultural appearance pressure, appearance conversation, and self-consciousness.</div

Medicinal Biospecificity of Ginger and Its Efficacious Bioactive Compounds in the Context of Its Biological Activities Against Predominant Health Issues: Current Study and New Avenues

There is a multitude of life-threatening and widespread health issues worldwide, regarding weak immunity, severe inflammation, viral infections, bacterial infections as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), high free radicals generation, and cancer. Ginger, a perennial plant of the Zingiberaceae family with several authentic nutritional and medicinal values used in many countries as traditional medicine. That is why, the study was designed to highlight recent studies about medicinally most efficacious bio-active compounds of ginger along their biological significance related to immuno-stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer effects. Our study also recognized future gaps in research. The study included professional research data under duration from 2001-2022 appearing in books and scholarly journals, collected from scientific database platforms via PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Springer Nature, Science Direct and Scopus. The present study includes the medicinal effects of almost 44 most influential ginger compounds like phenolics, terpenoids, flavonoids, and vinyllyl ketonic compounds etc. Our results revealed the strong alleviating effects of gingerols, shogaols, paradols, and polyphenols. Moreover, the ginger essential oil has proven to be very effective both for antiviral and antibacterial activity. However, no data is available in previous literature for components of ginger involved in immuno-stimulatory, effects. There is also a need to explore components for antibacterial activity. However, research has been conducted on ginger for only a few viruses despite its strong alleviating effects. Besides this, more study is needed to comprehend the comprehensive mechanism of action (especially at the molecular level) regarding the anti-bacterial and anti-viral activity of ginger and its constituents