Development of a positive psychology intervention for patients with acute cardiovascular disease

The management of depression and other negative psychological states in cardiac patients has been a focus of multiple treatment trials, though such trials have not led to substantial improvements in cardiac outcomes. In contrast, there has been minimal focus on interventions to increase positive psychological states in cardiac patients, despite the fact that optimism and other positive states have been associated with superior cardiovascular outcomes. Our objective was to develop an 8-week, phone-based positive psychology intervention for patients hospitalized with acute cardiac disease (acute coronary syndrome or decompensated heart failure). Such an intervention would consist of positive psychology exercises adapted for this specific population, and it would need to be feasible for practitioners and patients in real-world settings. By adapting exercises that were previously validated in healthy individuals, we were able to generate a positive psychology telemedicine intervention for cardiac patients that focused on optimism, kindness, and gratitude. In addition, we successfully created a companion treatment manual for subjects to enhance the educational aspects of the intervention and facilitate completion of exercises. Finally, we successfully performed a small pilot trial of this intervention, and found that the positive psychology intervention appeared to be feasible and well-accepted in a cohort of patients with acute cardiac illness. Future studies should further develop this promising intervention and examine its impact on psychological and medical outcomes in this vulnerable population of cardiac patients

Effectiveness of the Relaxation Response-Based Group Intervention for Treating Depressed Chinese American Immigrants: A Pilot Study

Background:: This study examined the feasibility, safety and efficacy of an 8-week Relaxation Response (RR)-based group. Methods:: Twenty-two depressed Chinese American immigrants were recruited. Outcomes measures were response and remission rates, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Clinical Global Impressions Scale, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale. Results: Participants (N = 22) were 82% female, mean age was 53 (±12). After intervention, completers (N = 15) showed a 40% response rate and a 27% remission rate, and statistically significant improvement in most outcome measures. Discussion: The RR-based group is feasible and safe in treating Chinese American immigrants with depression

Genomic and Clinical Effects Associated with a Relaxation Response Mind-Body Intervention in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Introduction: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can profoundly affect quality of life and are influenced by stress and resiliency. The impact of mind-body interventions (MBIs) on IBS and IBD patients has not previously been examined. Methods: Nineteen IBS and 29 IBD patients were enrolled in a 9-week relaxation response based mind-body group intervention (RR-MBI), focusing on elicitation of the RR and cognitive skill building. Symptom questionnaires and inflammatory markers were assessed pre- and post-intervention, and at short-term follow-up. Peripheral blood transcriptome analysis was performed to identify genomic correlates of the RR-MBI. Results: Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores improved significantly post-intervention for IBD and at short-term follow-up for IBS and IBD. Trait Anxiety scores, IBS Quality of Life, IBS Symptom Severity Index, and IBD Questionnaire scores improved significantly post-intervention and at short-term follow-up for IBS and IBD, respectively. RR-MBI altered expression of more genes in IBD (1059 genes) than in IBS (119 genes). In IBD, reduced expression of RR-MBI response genes was most significantly linked to inflammatory response, cell growth, proliferation, and oxidative stress-related pathways. In IBS, cell cycle regulation and DNA damage related gene sets were significantly upregulated after RR-MBI. Interactive network analysis of RR-affected pathways identified TNF, AKT and NF-κB as top focus molecules in IBS, while in IBD kinases (e.g. MAPK, P38 MAPK), inflammation (e.g. VEGF-C, NF-κB) and cell cycle and proliferation (e.g. UBC, APP) related genes emerged as top focus molecules. Conclusions: In this uncontrolled pilot study, participation in an RR-MBI was associated with improvements in disease-specific measures, trait anxiety, and pain catastrophizing in IBS and IBD patients. Moreover, observed gene expression changes suggest that NF-κB is a target focus molecule in both IBS and IBD—and that its regulation may contribute to counteracting the harmful effects of stress in both diseases. Larger, controlled studies are needed to confirm this preliminary finding. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT0213674

Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients

ObjectiveThe objective was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of nine positive psychology exercises delivered to patients hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and to secondarily explore the relative impact of the exercises.MethodParticipants admitted to a psychiatric unit for suicidal ideation or behavior completed daily positive psychology exercises while hospitalized. Likert-scale ratings of efficacy (optimism, hopelessness, perceived utility) and ease of completion were consolidated and compared across exercises using mixed models accounting for age, missing data and exercise order. Overall effects of exercise on efficacy and ease were also examined using mixed models.ResultsFifty-two (85.3%) of 61 participants completed at least one exercise, and 189/213 (88.7%) assigned exercises were completed. There were overall effects of exercise on efficacy (χ(2)=19.39; P=.013) but not ease of completion (χ(2)=11.64; P=.17), accounting for age, order and skipped exercises. Effect (Cohen's d) of exercise on both optimism and hopelessness was moderate for the majority of exercises. Exercises related to gratitude and personal strengths ranked highest. Both gratitude exercises had efficacy scores that were significantly (P=.001) greater than the lowest-ranked exercise (forgiveness).ConclusionIn this exploratory project, positive psychology exercises delivered to suicidal inpatients were feasible and associated with short-term gains in clinically relevant outcomes

Interaction of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase with YC-1Kinetic and Resonance Raman Studies

The enzyme-soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which converts GTP to cGMP, is a receptor for the signaling agent nitric oxide (NO). YC-1, a synthetic benzylindazole derivative, has been shown to activate sGC in an NO- independent fashion. In the presence of carbon monoxide (CO), which by itself activates sGC approximately 5-fold, YC-1 activates sGC to a level comparable to stimulation by NO alone. We have used kinetic analyses and resonance Raman spectroscopy (RR) to investigate the interaction of YC-1 and CO with guanylate cyclase. In the presence of CO and 200 μM YC-1, the V(max)/K(m GTP) increases 226-fold. While YC-1 does not perturb the RR spectrum of the ferrous form of baculovirus/Sf9 cell expressed sGC, it induces a shift in the Fe-CO stretching frequency for the CO-bound form from 474 to 492 cm-1. Similarly, YC-1 has no effect on the RR spectrum of ferrous β1(1-385), the isolated sGC heme-binding domain, but shifts the v(Fe-CO) of CO-β1(1-385) from 478 to 491 cm-1, indicating that YC-1 binds in heme-binding region of sGC. In addition, the CO-bound forms of sGC and β1(1-385) in the presence of YC-1 lie on the v(Fe-CO) vs v(C-O) correlation curve for proximal ligands with imidazole character, which suggests that histidine remains the heme proximal ligand in the presence of YC-1. Interestingly, YC-1 does not shift v(Fe-CO) for the CO-bound form of H105G(Im), the imidazole-rescued heme ligand mutant of β1(1-385). The data are consistent with binding of CO and YC-1 to the sGC heme-binding domain leading to conformational changes that give rise to an increase in catalytic turnover and a change in the electrostatic environment of the heme pocket

Espalhamento elástico de elétrons por isômeros de C2H2CL2, C4H4N2 e C3H3NX (X=NH, O, S)

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Márcio Henrique Franco BettegaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Exatas, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Física. Defesa: Curitiba, 27/02/2012Bibliografia: fls. 95-103Resumo: Neste trabalho apresentamos seções de choque de espalhamento elástico de elétrons pelos isômeros C2H2Cl2, C4H4N2 e C3H3NX (onde X=NH, O, S). Os cálculos de espalhamento foram efetuados na aproximação de núcleos fixos, com uso do método multicanal de Schwinger implementado com pseudopotenciais de Bachelet, Hamann e Schl¨uter, e nas aproximações estático-troca e estático-troca mais polarização. Para os três isômeros C2H2Cl2 apresentamos seções de choque integrais, de trasferência de momento e diferenciais. O procedimento Born-closure é empregado a fim de levar em conta o efeito do momento de dipolo. As ressonâncias encontradas tiveram suas posições comparadas aos valores experimentais. Discutimos ainda o efeito isômero, que consiste em diferenças apresentadas pelas seções de choque de cada molécula. Para os três isômeros C4H4N2 apresentamos seções de choque integrais. As ressonâncias são identificadas e caracterizadas. Suas posições são comparadas com os resultados encontrados na literatura. Cálculos de estrutura eletrôncia também são efetuados para ajudar na interpretação dos resultados. Os seis sistemas C3H3NX, onde X=NH, O, S tiveram suas seções de choque integrais apresentadas. As ressonâncias são identificadas e comparadas ao resultado experimental existente. Também discutimos as diferenças nas características das ressonâncias de cada molécula. Para todos os sistemas estudados, nossos resultados concordam bem com os reportados experimentalmente. Foi desenvolvido ainda um novo esquema para a construção do espaço de configurações.Abstract: In this work we present cross sections for elastic electron scattering from C2H2Cl2, C4H4N2 and C3H3NX (where X=NH, O, S) isomers. The scattering calculations were done in the fixed-nuclei approximation, with the Schwinger multichannel method implemented with pseudopotentials of Bachelet, Hamann and Schl¨uter, in the static-exchange and in the static-exchange plus polarization approximations. For the three C2H2Cl2 isomers, we present integral, momentum transfer and differential cross sections. The Born-closure procedure is employed in order to consider the dipole moment effect. The identified resonances had their positions compared to the experimental values. We also discuss the isomer effect, which consists in differences presented in the cross sections of each molecule. For the three C4H4N2 isomers, we present integral cross sections. The resonances are identified and characterized. Their positions are compared to the results found in the literature. Electronic structure calculations were done as well, in order to help in the interpretation of the results. The six systems C3H3NX, where X=NH, O, S had their integral cross sections presented. The resonances are identified and compared to the existing experimental result. We also discuss the differences in the characteristics of the resonances of each molecule. For all the studied systems, our results agree well with the ones reported experimentally. We also developed a new scheme for the construction of the configuration space. i

Correction: Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140212.]

Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients.

ObjectiveThe objective was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of nine positive psychology exercises delivered to patients hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and to secondarily explore the relative impact of the exercises.MethodParticipants admitted to a psychiatric unit for suicidal ideation or behavior completed daily positive psychology exercises while hospitalized. Likert-scale ratings of efficacy (optimism, hopelessness, perceived utility) and ease of completion were consolidated and compared across exercises using mixed models accounting for age, missing data and exercise order. Overall effects of exercise on efficacy and ease were also examined using mixed models.ResultsFifty-two (85.3%) of 61 participants completed at least one exercise, and 189/213 (88.7%) assigned exercises were completed. There were overall effects of exercise on efficacy (χ(2)=19.39; P=.013) but not ease of completion (χ(2)=11.64; P=.17), accounting for age, order and skipped exercises. Effect (Cohen's d) of exercise on both optimism and hopelessness was moderate for the majority of exercises. Exercises related to gratitude and personal strengths ranked highest. Both gratitude exercises had efficacy scores that were significantly (P=.001) greater than the lowest-ranked exercise (forgiveness).ConclusionIn this exploratory project, positive psychology exercises delivered to suicidal inpatients were feasible and associated with short-term gains in clinically relevant outcomes