Attachment styles and personal growth following romantic breakups: The mediating roles of distress, rumination, and tendency to rebound

© 2013 Marshall et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.The purpose of this research was to examine the associations of attachment anxiety and avoidance with personal growth following relationship dissolution, and to test breakup distress, rumination, and tendency to rebound with new partners as mediators of these associations. Study 1 (N = 411) and Study 2 (N = 465) measured attachment style, breakup distress, and personal growth; Study 2 additionally measured ruminative reflection, brooding, and proclivity to rebound with new partners. Structural equation modelling revealed in both studies that anxiety was indirectly associated with greater personal growth through heightened breakup distress, whereas avoidance was indirectly associated with lower personal growth through inhibited breakup distress. Study 2 further showed that the positive association of breakup distress with personal growth was accounted for by enhanced reflection and brooding, and that anxious individuals’ greater personal growth was also explained by their proclivity to rebound. These findings suggest that anxious individuals’ hyperactivated breakup distress may act as a catalyst for personal growth by promoting the cognitive processing of breakup-related thoughts and emotions, whereas avoidant individuals’ deactivated distress may inhibit personal growth by suppressing this cognitive work

The relationship between cardiac and liver iron evaluated by MR imaging in haematological malignancies and chronic liver disease

Although iron overload is clinically significant, only limited data have been published on iron overload in haematological diseases. We investigated cardiac and liver iron accumulation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a cohort of 87 subjects who did not receive chelation, including 59 haematological patients. M-HIC (MRI-based hepatic iron concentration, normal values <36 μmol/g) is a non-invasive, liver biopsy-calibrated method to analyse iron concentration. This method, calibrated to R2 (transverse relaxation rate), was used as a reference standard (M-HIC(R2)). Transfusions and ferritin were evaluated. Mean M-HIC(R2) and cardiac R* of all patients were 142 μmol/g (95% CI, 114–170) and 36.4 1/s (95% CI, 34.2–38.5), respectively. M-HIC(R2) was higher in haematological patients than in patients with chronic liver disease or normal controls (P<0.001). Clearly elevated cardiac R2* was found in two myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with severe liver iron overload. A poor correlation was found between liver and cardiac iron (n=82, r=0.322, P=0.003), in contrast to a stronger correlation in MDS (n=7, r=0.905, P=0.005). In addition to transfusions, MDS seemed to be an independent factor in iron accumulation. In conclusion, the risk for cardiac iron overload in haematological diseases other than MDS is very low, despite the frequently found liver iron overload

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in Wistar rat's intervertebral disc after experimentally induced scoliotic deformity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>A scoliotic deformity on intervertebral discs may accelerate degeneration at a molecular level with the production of metalloproteinases (MMPs). In the present experimental study we evaluated the presence of MMP-1 immunohistochemically after application of asymmetric forces in a rat intervertebral disc and the impact of the degree of the deformity on MMP-1 expression.</p> <p>Material-Method</p> <p>Thirty female Wistar rats (aged 2 months old, weighted 200 ± 10 grams) were used. All animals were age, weight and height matched. A mini Ilizarov external fixator was applied at the base of a rat tail under anaesthesia in order to create a scoliotic deformity of the intervertebral disc between the 9^thand 10^thvertebrae. Rats were divided into three groups according to the degree of the deformity. In group I, the deformity was 10°, in group II 30° and in group III 50°. The rats were killed 35 days after surgery. The discs were removed along with the neighbouring vertebral bodies, prepared histologically and stained immunohistochemically. Immunopositivity of disc's cells for MMP-1 was determined using a semi-quantitative scored system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MMP-1 immunopositivity was detected in disc cells of annulus fibrosus of all intervertebral disc specimens examined. The percentage of MMP-1 positive disc cells in annulus fibrosus in group I, II and III were 20%, 43% and 75%, respectively. MMP-1 positivity was significantly correlated with the degree of the deformity (p < 0,001). An increase of chondrocyte-like disc cells was observed in the outer annulus fibrosus and at the margin of the intervertebral disc adjacent to the vertebral end plates. The difference in the proportion of MMP-1 positive disc cells between the convex and the concave side was statistically not significant in group I (p = 0,6), in group II this difference was statistically significant (p < 0,01). In group III the concave side showed a remarkable reduction in the number of disc's cells and a severe degeneration of matrix microstructure.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study showed that an experimentally induced scoliotic deformity on a rat tail intervertebral disc results in over-expression of MMP-1, which is dependent on the degree of the deformity and follows a dissimilar distribution between the convex and the concave side.</p

Disruption of reducing pathways is not essential for efficient disulfide bond formation in the cytoplasm of E. coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The formation of native disulfide bonds is a complex and essential post-translational modification for many proteins. The large scale production of these proteins can be difficult and depends on targeting the protein to a compartment in which disulfide bond formation naturally occurs, usually the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotes or the periplasm of prokaryotes. It is currently thought to be impossible to produce large amounts of disulfide bond containing protein in the cytoplasm of wild-type bacteria such as <it>E. coli </it>due to the presence of multiple pathways for their reduction.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we show that the introduction of Erv1p, a sulfhydryl oxidase and FAD-dependent catalyst of disulfide bond formation found in the inter membrane space of mitochondria, allows the efficient formation of native disulfide bonds in heterologously expressed proteins in the cytoplasm of <it>E. coli </it>even without the disruption of genes involved in disulfide bond reduction, for example <it>trxB </it>and/or <it>gor</it>. Indeed yields of active disulfide bonded proteins were higher in BL21 (DE3) pLysSRARE, an <it>E. coli </it>strain with the reducing pathways intact, than in the commercial Δ<it>gor </it>Δ<it>trxB </it>strain rosetta-gami upon co-expression of Erv1p.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results refute the current paradigm in the field that disruption of at least one of the reducing pathways is essential for the efficient production of disulfide bond containing proteins in the cytoplasm of <it>E. coli </it>and open up new possibilities for the use of <it>E. coli </it>as a microbial cell factory.</p

Effect of Bilateral Mandibular Osteodistration on the Condylar Cartilage: An Experimental Study on Rabbits

Although various aspects of bone formation during distraction osteogenesis have been studied extensively, there are only limited experimental data concerning the influence of hyper-physiologic mandibular distraction rate on structural alterations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) condylar cartilage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of bilateral distraction osteogenesis of the mandibular body, at a hyper-physiologic rate and length, on the integrity of the condylar cartilage in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen healthy adult male rabbits weighing 2 to 3 kg were assigned to 1 of 2 groups: the control group (n = 2 rabbits, 4 joints) or the study group (n = 16 rabbits, 32 joints) four rabbits (8 joints) in each subgroup according to the post-distraction period (1,2,3 or 4 weeks). In the control group, rabbits received sham surgery (Osteotomy without distraction) and then left to live for 4 weeks under the same condition of the study group then euthanized using intravenous overdose of pentobarbital sodium. In the study group, an extra oral custom-made distracter was employed to achieve bilateral mandibular hyper physiologic distraction (1.5 mm twice daily for 5 days) distraction. All animals were evaluated clinically and histomorphometrically and results analyzed by MINITABE 13.1 statistical package using ANOVA test. RESULTS: Animals underwent distraction showed obvious changes in condylar surface contour related to length of the follow up period, compared to the control; these changes seemed to be partly reversible. The most pronounced observation was the irregularities and resorption in the anterior part of the condylar cartilage and the subcondylar bone. Moreover, at the first two weeks, the area of resorption was invaded by large number of osteoclasts and chronic inflammatory cells which declined later in the 3rd and 4th weeks and replaced with osteoblastic activities. CONSLUSION: These experimental data showed that distraction rate of 3 mm per day may lead to degenerative or even early arthritic changes in the TMJ condylar cartilage in the 1st and 2nd post-distraction weeks. However, all condyles showed adaptive and remodeling sings in the following 3rd and 4th weeks

Health-related quality of life in glioma patients in China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been increasingly emphasized in cancer patients. There are no reports comparing baseline HRQOL of different subgroups of glioma patients prior to surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HRQOL assessments by the standard Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30, version 3.0), the Mini-Mental State Examination and Karnofsky Performance Status were obtained from glioma patients prior to surgery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety-two pathologically confirmed glioma patients were recruited. There were 84.8% patients with emotional impairment, 75% with social and cognitive impairment, 70.7% with physical impairment, and 50% with role impairment. Eighty-two percent of patients reported fatigue symptoms, 72.8% reported pain, 50% reported appetite loss, 39.1% reported insomnia, and 36.9% reported nausea/vomiting, whereas other symptoms (dyspnea, diarrhea, constipation) in the QLQ-C30 were reported by fewer than 30% of patients. Fatigue and pain symptoms and all "functioning" scales were strongly correlated with global health status/quality of life (QoL). Fatigue was strongly related to all functioning scales, pain, appetite loss, and global health status/QoL. No difference in baseline HRQOL prior to surgery was reported between females and males, among different lesion locations, or between normal- and abnormal-cognition subgroups of glioma patients. Age, KPS, WHO grade, and tumor recurrence significantly affected HRQOL in glioma patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data provided the baseline HRQOL in glioma patients prior to surgery in China. Most pre-surgery glioma patients indicated emotional, social, cognitive, physical, and role impairment. Fatigue, pain, appetite loss, insomnia, and nausea/vomiting were common in these patients. The fatigue and pain symptoms and all types of functioning strongly affected global health status/QoL. Old age, worse performance status, WHO grade IV and tumor recurrence had deleterious effects on HRQOL.</p

Combined effects of precipitation and nitrogen deposition on native and invasive winter annual production in California deserts

Primary production in deserts is limited by soil moisture and N availability, and thus is likely to be influenced by both anthropogenic N deposition and precipitation regimes altered as a consequence of climate change. Invasive annual grasses are particularly responsive to increases in N and water availabilities, which may result in competition with native forb communities. Additionally, conditions favoring increased invasive grass production in arid and semi-arid regions can increase fire risk, negatively impacting woody vegetation that is not adapted to fire. We conducted a seeded garden experiment and a 5-year field fertilization experiment to investigate how winter annual production is altered by increasing N supply under a range of water availabilities. The greatest production of invasive grasses and native forbs in the garden experiment occurred under the highest soil N (inorganic N after fertilization = 2.99 g m−2) and highest watering regime, indicating these species are limited by both water and N. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis on the multi-year field fertilization study showed that winter annual biomass was primarily limited by November–December precipitation. Biomass exceeded the threshold capable of carrying fire when inorganic soil N availability was at least 3.2 g m−2 in piñon-juniper woodland. Due to water limitation in creosote bush scrub, biomass exceeded the fire threshold only under very wet conditions regardless of soil N status. The CART analyses also revealed that percent cover of invasive grasses and native forbs is primarily dependent on the timing and amount of precipitation and secondarily dependent on soil N and site-specific characteristics. In total, our results indicate that areas of high N deposition will be susceptible to grass invasion, particularly in wet years, potentially reducing native species cover and increasing the risk of fire