Stress reduction

IMPORTANCE: Stress First Aid is an evidence-informed peer-to-peer support intervention to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of health care workers (HCWs). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored peer-to-peer support intervention compared with usual care to support HCWs' well-being at hospitals and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cluster randomized clinical trial comprised 3 cohorts of HCWs who were enrolled from March 2021 through July 2022 at 28 hospitals and FQHCs in the US...

Improvement of indoor air quality is beneficial for human health. However, previous studies have not reached consistent conclusions regarding the effects of indoor air filtration on inflammation and oxidative stress. This study aims to determine the relationship between indoor air filtration and inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers. We conducted an electronic search that evaluated the association of indoor air filtration with biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus) from the beginning to April 23, 2023...

BACKGROUND: Myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction underpins the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF), yet therapeutic options to restore myocardial mitochondrial function are scarce. Epigenetic modifications of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), such as methylation, play a pivotal role in modulating mitochondrial homeostasis. However, their involvement in HF remains unclear. METHODS: Experimental HF models were established through continuous angiotensin II and phenylephrine (AngII/PE) infusion or prolonged myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury...

BACKGROUND: Coping refers to conscious responses to negative circumstances, with the intention of ameliorating these situations. Few studies have compared the differences between psychotherapy and medication treatment for coping strategies for depression. In this study, we investigated the differences in coping strategies between cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with medication (CBT group) and medication alone (pharmacotherapy group) among outpatients with depression. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted among 50 patients with major depression (24 and 26 in the CBT and pharmacotherapy groups, respectively)...

Previous research has already provided evidence regarding the favorable impact of green walls and outdoor views on stress reduction and anxiety alleviation. However, there has been limited exploration into the combined effects of green walls and outdoor views on older adults. In this study, a between-subjects experiment was conducted using virtual reality (VR) technology with 23 participants. Following exposure to stressors, each participant underwent four randomized sessions, each lasting 5 min, in various virtual reality (VR) environments, encompassing non-biophilic and biophilic environments (including green walls, outdoor views, and their combination)...

Nickel (Ni) is a common metal with a nephrotoxic effect, damaging the kidneys. This study investigated the mechanism by which gallic acid (GA) protects mice kidneys against renal damage induced by Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs). Forty male Swiss albino mice were randomly assigned into four groups, each consisting of ten mice ( n  = 10/group): Group I the control group, received no treatment; Group II, the GA group, was administrated GA at a dosage of 110 mg/kg/day body weight; Group III, the NiO-NPs group, received injection of NiO-NPs at a concentration of 20 mg/kg body weight for 10 consecutive days; Group IV, the GA + NiO-NPs group, underwent treatment with both GA and NiO-NPs...

Conventional pest control measures, such as chemical pesticides and nematicides, have limited efficacy and raise environmental concerns, necessitating sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives for pest management. Therefore, to find a complementary eco-friendly pesticide/nematicide, this study investigated the role of fly ash (FA) in managing a notorious pest, Meloidogyne javanica and its impact on the growth and physiology of Abelmoschus esculentus. Molecular characterization using SSU and LSU rDNA gene markers confirmed the identity of Indian M...

S-nitrosylation (SNO) is an emerging paradigm of redox signaling protecting cells against oxidative stress in the heart. Our previous studies demonstrated that valosin-containing protein (VCP), an ATPase-associated protein, is a vital mediator protecting the heart against cardiac stress and ischemic injury. However, the molecular regulations conferred by VCP in the heart are not fully understood. In this study, we explored the potential role of VCP in cardiac protein SNO using multiple cardiac-specific genetically modified mouse models and various analytical techniques including biotin switch assay, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and western blotting...

Altered ocean chemistry caused by ocean acidification (OA) is expected to have negative repercussions at different levels of the ecological hierarchy, starting from the individual and scaling up to the community and ultimately to the ecosystem level. Understanding the effects of OA on benthic organisms is of primary importance given their relevant ecological role in maintaining marine ecosystem functioning. The use of functional traits represents an effective technique to investigate how species adapt to altered environmental conditions and can be used to predict changes in the resilience of communities faced with stresses associated with climate change...

Plastic accumulation in the environment is rapidly increasing, and nanoplastics (NP), byproducts of environmental weathering of bulk plastic waste, pose a significant public health risk. Particles may enter the human body through many possible routes such as ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption. However, studies on NP penetration and accumulation in human skin are limited. Loss or reduction of the keratinized skin barrier may enhance the skin penetration of NPs. The present study investigated the entry of NPs into a human skin system modeling skin with compromised barrier functions and cellular responses to the intracellular accumulations of NPs...

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by bilateral cyst formation. We showed that PKD cells and kidneys display metabolic alterations, including the Warburg effect and glutaminolysis, sustained in vitro by the enzyme asparagine synthetase (ASNS). Here, we used antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) against Asns in orthologous and slowly progressive PKD murine models and show that treatment leads to a drastic reduction of total kidney volume (measured by MRI) and a prominent rescue of renal function in the mouse...

The mechanisms underlying myopia remain not fully understood. We proposed to examine the function and underlying mechanisms of miR-204-5p in myopia development. The miR-204-5p expression level was assessed in the vitreous humor (VH) of a cohort consisting of 11 patients with high myopia (HM) and 16 control patients undergoing vitrectomy. Then the functional implications of miR-204-5p in ARPE-19 cells were assessed. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) was found as a possible target of miR-204-5p through mRNA sequencing, and its interaction with miR-204-5p was confirmed employing luciferase assay and western blotting...

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial adverse impact on the physical and mental health of pregnant and postpartum women, thereby increasing the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a continuous contactless exercise intervention in reducing the risk of depression during the prenatal and postnatal periods. The study utilized an interactive contactless exercise program consisting of Pilates movement over a 16-week period, with 8 weeks during pregnancy and 8 weeks after childbirth...

Heterotrophic activity, primarily driven by sulfate-reducing prokaryotes, has traditionally been linked to nitrogen fixation in the root zone of coastal marine plants, leaving the role of chemolithoautotrophy in this process unexplored. Here, we show that sulfur oxidation coupled to nitrogen fixation is a previously overlooked process providing nitrogen to coastal marine macrophytes. In this study, we recovered 239 metagenome-assembled genomes from a salt marsh dominated by the foundation plant Spartina alterniflora, including diazotrophic sulfate-reducing and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria...

PURPOSE: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause of hypoxemic respiratory failure in adults. In ARDS extensive inflammation and leakage of fluid into the alveoli lead to dysregulation of pulmonary surfactant metabolism and function. Altered surfactant synthesis, secretion, and breakdown contribute to the clinical features of decreased lung compliance and alveolar collapse. Lung function in ARDS could potentially be restored with surfactant replacement therapy, and synthetic surfactants with modified peptide analogues may better withstand inactivation in ARDS alveoli than natural surfactants...

BACKGROUND: Scientific nursing is of great significance for improving negative emotions, self-management ability and quality of life of patients after cancer surgery. The Omaha system has been widely used in the field of care in many countries and regions, and although it helps to improve the quality of life of cancer patients after surgery, there are still large differences between different patients. This study examines factors affecting postoperative quality of life in renal cancer patients under the continuous care Omaha system, aiming to refine nursing plans...

There are limited evidence-based husbandry recommendations for laboratory zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ), including appropriate light sources. Light-emitting diode (LED) technology has been shown to improve circadian regulation and reduce stress in some laboratory animal species, such as mice and rats, when compared with cool-white fluorescent (CWF) lighting, but the effects of LED lighting on zebra finches have not been published. We compared the effects of broad-spectrum, blue-enriched (6,500 Kelvin) CWF and flicker-free LED lighting on the behavior, stress, and reproductive outcomes of indoor-housed zebra finches...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this network meta-analysis was to compare the improvement effects of various exercise interventions and mindfulness-based interventions to determine the best interventions for the improvement of cognitive impairment. DESIGN: 7 databases were searched to screen RCTs of exercise interventions and mindfulness-based interventions to improve cognitive impairment. The network meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.3, R 4.2.1 and ADDIS 1.16.8 software...

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Depressive disorder or mental cold is the most common mental disorder, and depression exists all over the world and in all countries and cultures. The results of several studies have shown that using compounds with antioxidant properties has been fruitful in patients with depression. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a fat-soluble antioxidant and exerts its antioxidant effect by directly neutralizing free radicals or reducing tocopherol and preventing the inhibition of mitochondrial activity because of oxidative stress...

Peptidoglycan (PG) and most surface glycopolymers and their modifications are built in the cytoplasm on the lipid carrier undecaprenyl phosphate (UndP). These lipid-linked precursors are then flipped across the membrane and polymerized or directly transferred to surface polymers, lipids, or proteins. Despite its essential role in envelope biogenesis, UndP is maintained at low levels in the cytoplasmic membrane. The mechanisms by which bacteria distribute this limited resource among competing pathways is currently unknown...