106 research outputs found
Identification of psychological flexibility and inflexibility profiles during the COVID-19 pandemic
BackgroundThe first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave and lockdown adversely affected the lives of people in diverse ways. AimsThis study used a person-centered approach to identify patterns of engagement in the 12 psychological flexibility (PF) and inflexibility (PI) processes to manage the first COVID-19 wave and lockdown hardships. Materials & MethodsA total of 1035 Italian adults completed an online survey. ResultsLatent profile analyses conducted on the 12 PI/PF processes measured by the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory identified five profiles; three reflected gradations of high to low PF with corresponding inverse levels of PI, while two represented more complex relationships between PI and PF. After controlling for relevant socio-demographic and COVID-19/lockdown factors, the five profiles differed in mental health (depression, anxiety, and COVID-19 distress). Essentially a gradient of progressive decreases in all PI processes (except experiential avoidance) corresponded with increments in mental health across all profiles. Two profiles, which evidenced the highest levels of mental health (highly flexible and moderately flexible profiles), also had the greatest proportion of the sample 56.42% (n = 584), and the highest levels of PF and experiential avoidance. DiscussionFindings from this and similar studies suggest intersecting complex relationships among the PI/PF processes that are likely to shift in response to changing contexts. We suggest this network of relationships is better represented by a three-dimensional PF/PI hexaflex than a simplistic two-dimensional depiction of the model. ConclusionDistinguishing different PF/PI profiles identified groups most at risk for the adverse mental health impacts of the pandemic and exposed variations in the mental health protective and risk roles of PF and PI processes, respectively, that can inform ACT-based mental health promotion interventions
Drunkorexia: investigación empírica y análisis de las características del fenómeno en una muestra italiana de adolescentes y adultos jóvenes
Parental cancer: mediating and moderating roles of psychological inflexibility in the links between illness severity and parental quality of life and family outcomes
The challenges of parental cancer while caring for young offspring are often neglected by researchers and healthcare providers. Focusing on parents with cancer, this cross-sectional study examines the mediating and moderating roles of a mal- leable risk factor, psychological inflexibility, in the relationships between perceived illness severity and parental quality of life (QoL) and family outcomes. Psychological inflexibility was conceptualized using the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework. A total of 86 parents with cancer caring for young offspring (aged 11–24 years; M=17.94, SD=3.68) completed a survey that assessed psychological inflexibility, parental mental and physical health QoL, family outcomes (family functioning, parenting concerns, and openness to discuss cancer), socio-demographics, and illness vari- ables. Mediation analyses indicated that higher perceived illness severity was associated with higher levels of psychologi- cal inflexibility, which in turn were related to higher detrimental impacts on parental QoL and family outcomes. Results of moderation analyses were non-significant. Findings highlight the detrimental impacts of illness severity on psychological inflexibility, suggesting that it is a psychosocial risk factor in parents dealing with cancer. ACT-based interventions which foster psychological flexibility are likely to enhance parental QoL and family outcomes
Reactive oxygen species and transcript analysis upon excess light treatment in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana vs a photosensitive mutant lacking zeaxanthin and lutein
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are unavoidable by-products of oxygenic photosynthesis, causing progressive oxidative damage and ultimately cell death. Despite their destructive activity they are also signalling molecules, priming the acclimatory response to stress stimuli.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate this role further, we exposed wild type <it>Arabidopsis thaliana </it>plants and the double mutant <it>npq1lut2 </it>to excess light. The mutant does not produce the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, whose key roles include ROS scavenging and prevention of ROS synthesis. Biochemical analysis revealed that singlet oxygen (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) accumulated to higher levels in the mutant while other ROS were unaffected, allowing to define the transcriptomic signature of the acclimatory response mediated by <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2 </sub>which is enhanced by the lack of these xanthophylls species. The group of genes differentially regulated in <it>npq1lut2 </it>is enriched in sequences encoding chloroplast proteins involved in cell protection against the damaging effect of ROS. Among the early fine-tuned components, are proteins involved in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, chlorophyll catabolism, protein import, folding and turnover, synthesis and membrane insertion of photosynthetic subunits. Up to now, the <it>flu </it>mutant was the only biological system adopted to define the regulation of gene expression by <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>. In this work, we propose the use of mutants accumulating <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2 </sub>by mechanisms different from those activated in <it>flu </it>to better identify ROS signalling.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We propose that the lack of zeaxanthin and lutein leads to <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2 </sub>accumulation and this represents a signalling pathway in the early stages of stress acclimation, beside the response to ADP/ATP ratio and to the redox state of both plastoquinone pool. Chloroplasts respond to <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2 </sub>accumulation by undergoing a significant change in composition and function towards a fast acclimatory response. The physiological implications of this signalling specificity are discussed.</p
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Current Paths in the Management of Obesity
The treatment of obesity and its related chronic symptoms is one of the major issues that world healthcare systems are facing today. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective therapies in the treatment of dysfunctional eating behaviors. In the first part of the chapter, the phenomenon of obesity will be introduced; subsequently, the role of CBT into obesity treatment will be underlined. CBT’s core strategies will be presented and analyzed: goal setting, self-monitoring, stimulus control, problem solving technique, and cognitive restructuring technique. The use of these strategies and related results is a major issue, emphasizing the need for further studies on the phenomenon of obesity, given the excellent results available in the short term, with significant weight loss, but the difficulties in keeping the results achieved in the long run. Since obesity is a chronic condition, CBT treatments must focus on different outcomes, considering weight loss as a consequence of a change in the individual’s eating style rather than as a major and only result to be pursued. Finally, we will take into account the topic of motivation in the psychological treatment of obesity since patient’s motivation assessment seems to be a major prerequisite for successful weight loss therapy
Photosynthetic antenna size in higher plants is controlled by the plastoquinone redox state at the post-transcriptional rather than transcriptional level.
We analyze the effect of the plastoquinone redox state on the regulation of the light-harvesting antenna size at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. This was approached by studying transcription and accumulation of light-harvesting complexes in wild type versus the barley mutant viridis zb63, which is depleted in photosystem I and where plastoquinone is constitutively reduced. We show that the mRNA level of genes encoding antenna proteins is almost unaffected in the mutant; this stability of messenger level is not a peculiarity of antenna-encoding genes, but it extends to all photosynthesis-related genes. In contrast, analysis of protein accumulation by two-dimensional PAGE shows that the mutant undergoes strong reduction of its antenna size, with individual gene products having different levels of accumulation. We conclude that the plastoquinone redox state plays an important role in the long term regulation of chloroplast protein expression. However, its modulation is active at the post-transcriptional rather than transcriptional level
The Role of Pain Catastrophizing and Pain Acceptance in Performance-Based and Self-Reported Physical Functioning in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and Obesity
Impaired physical functioning is one of the most critical consequences associated with fibromyalgia, especially when there is comorbid obesity. Psychological factors are known to contribute
to perceived (i.e., subjective) physical functioning. However, physical function is a multidimensional
concept encompassing both subjective and objective functioning. The contribution of psychological
factors to performance-based (i.e., objective) functioning is unclear. This study aims to investigate
the contribution of pain catastrophizing and pain acceptance to both self-reported and performancebased physical functioning. In this cross-sectional study, 160 participants completed self-report
measures of pain catastrophizing, pain acceptance, and pain severity. A self-report measure and a
performance-based test were used to assess physical functioning. Higher pain catastrophizing and
lower pain acceptance were associated with poorer physical functioning at both self-reported and
performance-based levels. Our results are consistent with previous evidence on the association between pain catastrophizing and pain acceptance with self-reported physical functioning. This study
contributes to the current literature by providing novel insights into the role of psychological factors
in performance-based physical functioning. Multidisciplinary interventions that address pain catastrophizing and pain acceptance are recommended and might be effective to improve both perceived
and performance-based functioning in women with FM and obesity
The Interaction between Cold and Light Controls the Expression of the Cold-Regulated Barley Gene cor14b
ACTonFood. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Group Treatment Compared to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Group Treatment for Weight Maintenance: An Individually Randomized Group Treatment Trial
Managing chronic pathologies with a stepped mHealth-based approach in clinical psychology and medicine
Chronic diseases and conditions typically require long-term monitoring and treatment protocols both in traditional settings and in out-patient frameworks. The economic burden of chronic conditions is a key challenge and new and mobile technologies could offer good solutions. mHealth could be considered an evolution of eHealth and could be defined as the practice of medicine and public health supported by mobile communication devices. mHealth approach could overcome limitations linked with the traditional, restricted, and highly expensive in-patient treatment of many chronic pathologies. Possible applications include stepped mHealth approach, where patients can be monitored and treated in their everyday contexts. Unfortunately, many barriers for the spread of mHealth are still present. Due the significant impact of psychosocial factors on disease evolution, psychotherapies have to be included into the chronic disease protocols. Existing psychological theories of health behavior change have to be adapted to the new technological contexts and requirements. In conclusion, clinical psychology and medicine have to face the "chronic care management" challenge in both traditional and mHealth settings
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