Impact of yoga based lifestyle intervention on psychological stress and quality of life in the parents of children with retinoblastoma

Effect of pranayama on perceived stress, well-being and quality of life of frontline healthcare professionals on COVID-19 duty: A quasi-randomised clinical trial

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) had to perform their duties under extremely trying circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. High expectations further increased HCP's stress, which had an adverse impact on their mental health. The present quasi-randomised clinical trial examined how a specially designed pranayama regimen practised for 4 weeks affected the mental health of frontline, exposed HCPs in terms of perceived stress, wellness and quality of life. A total of 280 frontline HCPs on COVID-19 duties in five public hospitals of Delhi, India participated in this study. The intervention (n = 123) and control (n = 127) groups were alternately allocated. Data on perceived, self-reported mental health of HCPs were collected at baseline and post-test at the end-line (after 28 days of practice). We report that the intervention group (n = 123) had a substantial lower perceived stress at post-test at the end-line in comparison to the control group (n = 127, p-value: .028). Their overall WHO Quality-of-Life score also improved, of which the score on psychological domain increased significantly (p-value: .019). Accordingly, we conclude that a 28-day practice of the pranayama by the frontline HCPs in COVID-19 hospitals significantly decreased their level of perceived stress and enhanced their psychological quality of life.

Yoga and Lifestyle Changes: A Path to Improved Fertility - A Narrative Review

Infertility, a widespread medical condition affecting numerous couples globally, persists as a challenge despite advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), often burdened by financial, physical, and emotional strains. Complementary and alternative approaches, notably yoga, have garnered attention for potentially enhancing fertility outcomes. Studies reveal yoga's influence on factors contributing to infertility, including reduced oxidative stress (OS) and oxidative DNA damage (ODD). OS, linked to mutagenic base formation, higher malondialdehyde levels, abnormal methylation, and altered gene expression, can impair sperm genome integrity. Yoga's efficacy is evident in lowering OS, positively affecting signal transmission, gene expression, and physiological systems. Furthermore, yoga has a positive impact on addressing the dysregulation of apoptosis, resulting in improved processes such as spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, and motility, while also reducing DNA fragmentation. OS correlates with genome-wide hypomethylation, telomere shortening, and mitochondrial dysfunction, contributing to genome instability. Yoga and meditation significantly reduce OS and ODD, ensuring proper reactive oxygen levels and preserving physiological systems. The review explores potential mechanisms underlying yoga's positive impact on infertility, including enhanced blood flow, reduced inflammation, relaxation response, and modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Furthermore, a comprehensive review of the literature reveals substantial evidence supporting the positive effects of yoga on infertility factors. These include oxidative stress (OS), oxidative DNA damage (ODD), epigenetic changes, hormonal balance, ovarian function, menstrual irregularities, and stress reduction. In summary, yoga emerges as a promising adjunctive therapy for infertility, demonstrating the potential to mitigate key factors influencing reproductive success. Although preliminary evidence indicates the positive effects of yoga on infertility, further clinical research is imperative to define specific benefits, molecular mechanisms associated, optimal protocols, and long-term effects in infertility treatment plans.

Identification of Glucocorticoid Receptor Target Genes That Potentially Inhibit Collagen Synthesis in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Over several decades, excess glucocorticoids (GCs) of endogenous or exogenous origin have been recognized to significantly inhibit collagen synthesis and accelerate skin aging. However, little is known regarding their molecular mechanisms. We hypothesized that the action of GCs on collagen production is at least partially through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and its target genes, and therefore aimed to identify GR target genes that potentially inhibit collagen synthesis in Hs68 human dermal fibroblasts. We first confirmed that dexamethasone, a synthetic GC, induced canonical GR signaling in dermal fibroblasts. We then collected 108 candidates for GR target genes reported in previous studies on GR target genes and verified that 17 genes were transcriptionally upregulated in dexamethasone-treated dermal fibroblasts. Subsequently, by individual knockdown of the 17 genes, we identified that six genes, AT-rich interaction domain 5B, FK506 binding protein 5, lysyl oxidase, methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP + dependent) 2, zinc finger protein 36, and zinc fingers and homeoboxes 3, are potentially involved in GC-mediated inhibition of collagen synthesis. The present study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms of GC-mediated skin aging and provides a basis for further research on the biological characteristics of individual GR target genes.

The sirtuin family in health and disease

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are nicotine adenine dinucleotide(+)-dependent histone deacetylases regulating critical signaling pathways in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and are involved in numerous biological processes. Currently, seven mammalian homologs of yeast Sir2 named SIRT1 to SIRT7 have been identified. Increasing evidence has suggested the vital roles of seven members of the SIRT family in health and disease conditions. Notably, this protein family plays a variety of important roles in cellular biology such as inflammation, metabolism, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, etc., thus, it is considered a potential therapeutic target for different kinds of pathologies including cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and other conditions. Moreover, identification of SIRT modulators and exploring the functions of these different modulators have prompted increased efforts to discover new small molecules, which can modify SIRT activity. Furthermore, several randomized controlled trials have indicated that different interventions might affect the expression of SIRT protein in human samples, and supplementation of SIRT modulators might have diverse impact on physiological function in different participants. In this review, we introduce the history and structure of the SIRT protein family, discuss the molecular mechanisms and biological functions of seven members of the SIRT protein family, elaborate on the regulatory roles of SIRTs in human disease, summarize SIRT inhibitors and activators, and review related clinical studies.

Psychometric Properties of the New Working Parent Burnout Scale

INTRODUCTION

Parental burnout is an underrecognized condition with adverse consequences for parents and children. The objective of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of a new scale, the Working Parent Burnout Scale, and a concurrent one-item assessment.

METHOD

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. The sample included parents (N = 1,285) living with children < 18 years. Content, face, construct, and predictive validity and reliability were established.

RESULTS

Cronbach α was 0.90 with the elimination of item four on the scale. All factor loadings were > 0.40. The one-factor model was supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The Pearson r correlation was 0.59 for the total score on the original 10-item burnout scale (item 4 excluded) and the one-item assessment.

DISCUSSION

These are the first known scales to measure working parent burnout. By better identifying parental burnout, preventive and interventional approaches can be initiated to enhance parent and child outcomes.

Potential Role of Yoga Intervention in the Management of Chronic Non-malignant Pain

Pain is an unpleasant and upsetting experience. Persistent pain has an impact on an individual's quality of life which causes stress and mood disorders. There are currently no pain-relieving techniques available that can eliminate pain and offer relief without causing any adverse effects. These factors draw attention to traditional treatments like yoga and meditation, which can reduce biological stress and hence increase immunity, as well as alleviate the psychological and emotional suffering produced by pain. Yoga reduces the stress response and the pain cascade via the downregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and vagal stimulation. Yoga is a cost-effective growing health practice that, unlike pharmaceuticals, has no side effects and can help patients stay in remission for longer periods of time with fewer relapses. Yoga not only reduces stress and depression severity but also improves functional status and reduces pain perception. This article highlights the impact of yoga on pain management and on a malfunctioning immune system, which leads to improved health, pain reduction, disease management, and improvement in overall quality of life.

The effect of non-pharmacological interventions on psychological stress and quality of life of parents of children with retinoblastoma: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Retinoblastoma is the most common malignant tumor in infancy and early childhood. Due to the high incidences of intracranial metastasis and distant metastasis, retinoblastoma not only threatens the life of affected children, but also brings heavy mental stress to their parents. A strong mental stress often leads to anxiety, depression, and other adverse emotions, which is very unfavorable to the treatment and prognosis by generating great psychological pressure and reducing the quality of life of the family. Reducing the psychological stress of the parents and improving the quality of life of the family are beneficial to the treatment and prognosis of retinoblastoma in children. However, there are no recommended non-pharmacological therapies to reduce the psychological stress and improve the quality of life of the parents of children with retinoblastoma. This study aims to evaluate the effects of non-pharmacological therapies on psychological stress and quality of life of parents of children with retinoblastoma through a meta-analysis, thus providing clinical evidence.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials reporting the effects of non-pharmacological therapies on psychological stress and quality of life of parents of children with retinoblastoma published before 2021 November will be searched in online databases, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The Cochrane Quality Assessment Manual will be used to assess the quality of the included literatures. Meta-analysis will be performed using Revman 5.4 software.

RESULTS

This study will evaluate the effects of non-pharmacological therapies on psychological stress and quality of life of parents of children with retinoblastoma via grading anxiety scores, depression scores, and quality-of-life scores.

CONCLUSION

This study will provide a reliable evidence-based basis for non-pharmacological interventions on parents of children with retinoblastoma.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was not required for this study. The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences, and shared on social media platforms. This review would be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or conference presentations.OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER.

Connecting Mind-Body Therapy-Mediated Effects to Pathological Features of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder that represents a major and increasing global health challenge. In most cases, the first clinical symptoms of AD are preceded by neuropathological changes in the brain that develop years to decades before their onset. Therefore, research in the last years has focused on this preclinical stage of AD trying to discover intervention strategies that might, if implemented effectively, delay or prevent disease progression. Among those strategies, mind-body therapies such as yoga and meditation have gained increasing interest as complementary alternative interventions. Several studies have reported a positive impact of yoga and meditation on brain health in both healthy older adults and dementia patients. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms contributing to these effects are currently not known in detail. More specifically, it is not known whether yogic interventions, directly or indirectly, can modulate risk factors or pathological mechanisms involved in the development of dementia. In this article, we first review the literature on the effects of yogic practices on outcomes such as cognitive functioning and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Then, we analyze how yogic interventions affect different risk factors as well as aspects of AD pathophysiology based on observations of studies in healthy individuals or subjects with other conditions than dementia. Finally, we integrate this evidence and propose possible mechanisms that might explain the positive effects of yogic interventions in cognitively impaired individuals.

Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate in adults with self-reported stress. A randomized trial

Long‐term stress can lead to long‐term increased cortisol plasma levels, which increases the risk of numerous diseases. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated form dehydroepiandrosterone‐sulfate (DHEAS), together DHEA(S), have shown to counteract some of the effects of cortisol and may be protective during stress. The program “Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR) has shown to have positive effects on stress. The present study examined a possible effect of MBSR on DHEAS in plasma compared to a waiting list and a locally developed stress reduction program (LSR) in people with self‐reported stress. The study was a three‐armed randomized controlled trial conducted in a municipal health care center in Denmark. It included 71 participants with self‐reported stress randomized to either MBSR (n = 24) or LSR (n = 23), or a waiting list (n = 24). Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 12 weeks follow‐up to estimate effects of MBSR on DHEAS. The effect of MBSR on DHEAS was statistically significant compared to both the waiting list and LSR. We found a mean effect of 0.70 µmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.18–1.22) higher DHEAS in the MBSR group compared with the waiting list group and a mean effect of 0.54 µmol/L (95% CI = 0.04–1.05) higher DHEAS in the MBSR group compared with the LSR group. Findings indicate an effect on DHEAS of the MBSR program compared to a waiting list and LSR program in people with self‐reported stress. However, we consider our findings hypothesis‐generating and validation by future studies is essential.

β-Ionone Attenuates Dexamethasone-Induced Suppression of Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid Synthesis in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Stress is a major contributing factor of skin aging, which is clinically characterized by wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and dryness. In particular, glucocorticoids are generally considered key hormones for promoting stress-induced skin aging through binding to glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). In this work, we aimed to investigate whether β-ionone (a compound occurring in various foods such as carrots and almonds) attenuates dexamethasone-induced suppression of collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis in human dermal fibroblasts, and to explore the mechanisms involved. We found that β-ionone promoted collagen production dose-dependently and increased mRNA expression levels, including collagen type I α 1 chain (COL1A1) and COL1A2 in dexamethasone-treated human dermal fibroblasts. It also raised hyaluronic acid synthase mRNA expression and hyaluronic acid levels. Notably, β-ionone inhibited cortisol binding to GR, subsequent dexamethasone-induced GR signaling, and the expression of several GR target genes. Our results reveal the strong potential of β-ionone for preventing stress-induced skin aging and suggest that its effects are related to the inhibition of GR signaling in human dermal fibroblasts.

Can Yogic Breathing Techniques Like Simha Kriya and Isha Kriya Regulate COVID-19-Related Stress?

The global impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is tremendous on human life, not only affecting the physical and mental health of population but also impacting the economic system of countries and individual itself. The present situation demands prompt response toward COVID-19 by equipping the humans with strategies to overcome the infection and stress associated with it. These strategies must not only be limited to preventive and therapeutic measures, but also aim at improving immunity and mental health. This can be achieved by yogic breathing techniques. In this perspective, we emphasize the importance of yogic breathing, Simha Kriya and Isha kriya, the simple yet effective breathing techniques.