The effects of loving-kindness and compassion meditation on life satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Loving-kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) was a promising intervention for improving life satisfaction, but previous findings have been inconsistent. The current study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis, including 23 empirical studies on LKCM with life satisfaction as an outcome variable. The primary meta-analysis indicated that LKCM significantly enhanced life satisfaction in pre-post design (g = 0.312, k = 15, n = 451), but the significance disappeared in the additional meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (g = 0.106, k = 6, n = 404). Moderator analyses found significant effects for type of control (i.e., the effects of LKCM were inferior to active control group, but superior to waitlist condition), but not for other moderators (i.e., participant type, previous meditation experience, specific protocol, components of LKCM, combination with mindfulness mediation, and intervention length). Narrative review identified self-compassion and positive emotions as important mediators. The practice time of LKCM had indirect but not direct association with life satisfaction. The findings supported that LKCM is promising in increasing life satisfaction, but more studies are needed to investigate the effects with more rigorous designs. Future studies should investigate other potential mechanisms and clarify whether LKCM change the reality or the perception of life.

A New Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Intervention Focusing on Well-Being: A Randomized Control Trial of Mindfulness-Based Positive Psychology.

Second-generation mindfulness-based interventions (SG-MBIs) align well with positive psychology philosophy and practices, but trials of SG-MBIs have largely focused on ill-being. This study developed a mindfulness-based positive psychology (MBPP) intervention integrating positive psychology with an SG-MBI to enhance well-being. A randomized control trial was performed to compare MBPP with a waitlist condition among 138 Chinese participants. The results showed that MBPP significantly reduced negative emotions for subjective well-being and significantly improved environmental mastery for psychological well-being. Improvements in self-compassion and negative attitudes but not avoidance, mediated changes in well-being. Changes in positive emotions, positive relations, and awareness were associated with the amount of meditation practice. These findings showed that MBPP is promising for improving well-being and that the positive psychology components play important roles. Broadly, the study illustrated that positive psychology and SG-MBIs can be effectively integrated, and it supported the further application of SG-MBIs from the positive psychology perspective. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-022-00525-2.

Multifunctional chitosan/grape seed extract/silver nanoparticle composite for food packaging application.

Food-borne fungi present significant hazards to food preservation and human health. Oxidation causes spoilage and the inedibility of the fruit. However, traditional packaging films without antimicrobial or antioxidant activities do not satisfy the active packaging requirements. Films with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities are urgently required. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized from fruit waste grape seed extracts (GSE). The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of GSE-silver nanoparticles (GSE-AgNPs) and AgNPs (average size 20 nm) stabilized by polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-AgNPs) were evaluated in vitro. The effect of chitosan (CS)-coated GSE-AgNPs and PVP-AgNPs on the postharvest quality of grape was studied during storage at 20 °C for 5 days. The results confirmed that grapes treated with CS and GSE-AgNPs showed significantly reduced decay percentage, weight loss, and maintained titratable acidity at high levels compared with those of untreated fruit and fruit treated with PVP-AgNPs. Moreover, CS and GSE-AgNPs significantly inhibited the total mold count during storage. Our results suggest that CS coating enriched with GSE-AgNPs has the potential to preserve the quality and extend the shelf life of grapes.

Melatonin Alleviates Neuronal Damage After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Hyperglycemic Rats.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to investigate a novel effect of melatonin in reducing brain injury in an in vivo hyperglycemic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) model and further explore the mechanisms of protection. METHODS: Hyperglycemia ICH was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by streptozocin injection followed by autologous blood injection into the striatum. A combined approach including RNA-specific depletion, electron microscopy, magnetic resonance, Western blots, and immunohistological staining was applied to quantify the brain injuries after ICH. RESULTS: Hyperglycemia resulted in enlarged hematoma volume, deteriorated brain edema, and aggravated neuronal mitochondria damage 3 days after ICH. Post-treatment with melatonin 2 hours after ICH dose-dependently improved neurological behavioral performance lasting out to 14 days after ICH. This improved neurological function was associated with enhanced structural and functional integrity of mitochondria. Mechanistic studies revealed that melatonin alleviated mitochondria damage in neurons via activating the PPARδ/PGC-1α pathway. Promisingly, melatonin treatment delayed until 6 hours after ICH still reduced brain edema and improved neurological functions. Melatonin supplementation reduces neuronal damage after hyperglycemic ICH by alleviating mitochondria damage in a PPARδ/PGC-1α-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Melatonin may represent a therapeutic strategy with a wide therapeutic window to reduce brain damage and improve long-term recovery after ICH.

Immunogenic cell death in cancer therapy: Present and emerging inducers.

In the tumour microenvironment (TME), immunogenic cell death (ICD) plays a major role in stimulating the dysfunctional antitumour immune system. Chronic exposure of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) attracts receptors and ligands on dendritic cells (DCs) and activates immature DCs to transition to a mature phenotype, which promotes the processing of phagocytic cargo in DCs and accelerates the engulfment of antigenic components by DCs. Consequently, via antigen presentation, DCs stimulate specific T cell responses that kill more cancer cells. The induction of ICD eventually results in long-lasting protective antitumour immunity. Through the exploration of ICD inducers, recent studies have shown that there are many novel modalities with the ability to induce immunogenic cancer cell death. In this review, we mainly discussed and summarized the emerging methods for inducing immunogenic cancer cell death. Concepts and molecular mechanisms relevant to antitumour effects of ICD are also briefly discussed.

Long-term Tai Chi exercise increases body stability of the elderly during stair ascent under high and low illumination.

The effects of long-term Tai Chi exercise on body stability of the elderly during stair ascent under high and low illumination were investigated. Forty-five healthy elderly women were divided into three groups, namely, Tai Chi exercise group, brisk walking group and no-exercise control group. All the participants ascended a staircase, during which force platforms and a motion capture system collected the data. Under the high illumination, Tai Chi exercise participants exhibited higher loading rate and anteroposterior centre of pressure (COPap) displacement as well as a lower braking impulse than no-exercise group. Under the low illumination, Tai Chi exercise participants demonstrated higher COPap and mediolateral centre of pressure (COPml) displacements as well as lower braking and lateral impulses compared with no-exercise participants. The centre of mass (COM)ml sway in Tai Chi and no exercise participants were higher, the loading rates in Tai Chi and walking participants were higher, and the lateral impulse in no exercise participants was higher under low illumination than under high illumination. Thus, low illumination increases the risk of falling. Tai Chi participants increased their foot clearance, head inclination angle and COPap displacement under low illumination to increase their stability during stair ascent.