Mindfulness and loneliness in retired older adults in China: mediation effects of positive and negative affect.

Objectives: Drawing from the mindfulness framework and the broaden-and-build theory, this study investigates the extent to which mindfulness influences loneliness and whether the relation is mediated by positive and negative affect.Method: Data were collected from 748 retired older adults aged 60 and above in Chengdu, China in 2022. Loneliness and mindfulness were measured by the UCLA loneliness scale and by the short-form version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, while the positive and negative affect was assessed by the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule.Results: The results of this study show that mindfulness was positively associated with positive affect (ß = 0.37, p<.001), negatively related to negative affect (ß=-0.21, p<.001) and loneliness (ß=-0.13, p<.001), and had an indirect effect on loneliness via positive and negative affect (ß=-0.20, p<.001).Conclusion: The findings suggest that mindfulness could be a positive resource for improving mental health and reducing loneliness among retired older adults in China.

Mindfulness Practice and Job Performance in Social Workers: Mediation Effect of Work Engagement.

Despite a rapid increase in the work force over the last decade, the social work labor force is still suffering through high amounts of stress and burnout that could negatively affect work engagement and job performance in China. A potential solution worth exploring, however, is the practice of mindfulness, a concept based on expanding one's awareness to target focus without judgement. Using 537 social workers from street-level social work service stations in Guangzhou, China, this paper examines the relation between mindfulness practice and job performance, and whether work engagement mediated the relation through the application of the job demand and resources theory. The findings indicate that that mindfulness practice directly increases work engagement (Beta = 0.33) and has an indirect effect on job performance (Beta = 0.21) through its effect on work engagement that fully mediated the relation between mindfulness practice and job performance. In contrast to formal mindful practices (Beta = 0.13), informal mindful practices (Beta = 0.22) encompass a broader impact on employee performance. The findings suggest that mindfulness practice can effectively be used in workspaces to enhance engagement and performance of social workers in China.

Melatonin Inhibits Osteoclastogenesis and Osteolytic Bone Metastasis: Implications for Osteoporosis.

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are major cellular components in the bone microenvironment and they play a key role in the bone turnover cycle. Many risk factors interfere with this cycle and contribute to bone-wasting diseases that progressively destroy bone and markedly reduce quality of life. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) has demonstrated intriguing therapeutic potential in the bone microenvironment, with reported effects that include the regulation of bone metabolism, acceleration of osteoblastogenesis, inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and the induction of apoptosis in mature osteoclasts, as well as the suppression of osteolytic bone metastasis. This review aims to shed light on molecular and clinical evidence that points to possibilities of melatonin for the treatment of both osteoporosis and osteolytic bone metastasis. It appears that the therapeutic qualities of melatonin supplementation may enable existing antiresorptive osteoporotic drugs to treat osteolytic metastasis.

Adverse childhood experiences, mindfulness and happiness in Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rise of literature on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has indicated a strong relationship between ACEs and negative life outcomes, leading to important implications for services to the population. However, less is known about the effects of ACEs on happiness and the role of mindfulness in this relation. This study examined the relationships between ACEs and happiness and whether mindfulness mediated the effects of ACEs on happiness in a sample of Chinese college students. The data were collected from 1871 college students from 12 colleges across China in September 2020. The findings of this study show that ACEs had significant negative effects on students' happiness and that mindfulness helped to substantially reduce the negative effects of ACEs on happiness. Students who experienced emotional neglect and abuse in childhood were affected the most. By contrast, this group is not the primary focus of mindfulness-based interventions in existing literature; thus, this study calls for specific mindfulness-based interventions for this vulnerable population.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Well-Being in Chinese College Students: Mediation Effect of Mindfulness.

Literature on the antecedents of psychological well-being (PWB) has found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mindfulness are associated with PWB; less is known, however, about the role of mindfulness, a type of emotional and self-regulation, in the pathway between ACEs and PWB. This study used data from 1871 college students across China to examine the relation between ACEs and PWB, and whether the relation was mediated by mindfulness. The findings from structural equation modelling indicate a statistically significant negative association between ACEs and PWB, while mindfulness was strongly and positively associated with PWB. The effect of ACEs on PWB was reduced once mindfulness was controlled for in the analysis. This provides evidence that mindfulness was able to partially mediate the effects of negative life experiences on psychological well-being. This calls for mindfulness interventions targeted toward students with a history of ACEs to buffer the effects of ACEs on PWB.

Antcin K Inhibits TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8 Expression in Synovial Fibroblasts and Ameliorates Cartilage Degradation: Implications for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Extracts from Taiwan's traditional medicinal mushroom, Antrodia cinnamomea, exhibit anti-inflammatory activities in cellular and preclinical studies. However, this paper is the first to report that Antcin K, a triterpenoid isolated from A. cinnamomea, inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in human rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts (RASFs), which are major players in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease. In our analysis of the mechanism of action, Antcin K inhibited the expression of three cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin 1 beta [IL-1ß] and IL-8) in human RASFs; cytokines that are crucial to RA synovial inflammation. Notably, incubation of RASFs with Antcin K reduced the phosphorylation of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling cascades, all of which promote cytokine production in RA. Intraperitoneal injections of Antcin K (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) attenuated paw swelling, cartilage degradation and bone erosion, and decreased serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-8 in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice; in further experiments, IL-6 levels were similarly reduced. The inhibitory effects of Antcin K upon TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8 expression in human RASFs was achieved through the downregulation of the FAK, PI3K, AKT and NF-κB signaling cascades. Our data support clinical investigations using Antcin K in RA disease.

Mindfulness and social-emotional skills in Latino pre-adolescents in the U.S.: The mediating role of executive function.

Latino youth are the largest and the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the U.S., and social-emotional skills are critical to their ability to cope with acculturative stress, perceived racial/ethnic discrimination and cultural value conflicts. Despite the significant challenges faced by Latino youth in the U.S., a paucity of research has examined the social-emotional skills of Latino pre-adolescents specifically. Recent research suggests that mindfulness may be closely linked to youth social-emotional skills, and executive function may serve as a mediating mechanism, but such associations have not been examined prior to this study. Using a cross-sectional survey among a sample of Latino youth in fifth-sixth grades in northern New Jersey (N = 97, Mage  = 11, 54% male), this study examines the association between their mindfulness and their social-emotional skills, and tests the role of executive function in this relationship. Among the sampled Latino youth, mindfulness is positively associated with executive function, which is positively associated with social-emotional skills. Additionally, being male and being older both have marginally significant negative effect on social-emotional skills. Our results suggest that mindfulness, the awareness of and intentional focus on one's present thoughts and emotions with self-compassion, may benefit Latino pre-adolescents' executive function, which in turn may exhibit as improved social-emotional skills. This preliminary evidence and the differences based on gender and age therein warrant further investigation with larger samples among Latino youth. Future research and service implications are discussed.

Associations between Mindfulness, Executive Function, Social-Emotional Skills, and Quality of Life among Hispanic Children.

Hispanic children constitute the largest ethnic minority in the United States of America, and yet few studies examine the relationship between mindfulness and Hispanic children's quality of life. This 2018 study seeks to gain insight into how mindfulness is associated with Hispanic children's quality of life. We surveyed 96 children in 5th- and 6th-grade classes in three Northern New Jersey elementary schools in 2018. Structure Equation Modeling was used to examine the associations between mindfulness, executive function, social-emotional skills, and quality of life. The results indicate that mindfulness is significantly and directly associated with executive function (ß = 0.53), and that executive function is positively associated with social-emotional skills (ß = 0.54) and quality of life (ß = 0.51) of the sampled Hispanic children. The total effects on quality of life are significant for mindfulness (ß = 0.33), executive function (ß = 0.62), and social-emotional skills (ß = 0.20). The findings shed light upon factors that can affect Hispanic children's quality of life and call for interventions related to these factors in order to improve their well-being.

Mind Over Matter: Mindfulness, Income, Resilience, and Life Quality of Vocational High School Students in China.

Many social welfare programs focus on the provision of cash assistance and cash transfers to improve the quality of life (QoL) of those living in low-income households. While there is literature to support a positive relationship between income and QoL, studies have shown that QoL is impacted by non-income-related factors. This study examined the effects of income and mindfulness on QoL through a mediator, resilience, and attempts to answer the question of how important income is to QoL, relative to a non-income-based determinant, mindfulness. Using a sample of 905 emerging adults from the senior class of a secondary vocational high school based in an impoverished county of China, we studied two key determinants of QoL, income and mindfulness, as well as respective pathways, during a particularly critical stage of life. The results indicated that mindfulness had strong direct and indirect effects on QoL via resilience, while income had only limited indirect effects on QoL via resilience. Policy implications were discussed.

Reconsidering the Role of Melatonin in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory joint disorder characterized by synovial proliferation and inflammation, with eventual joint destruction if inadequately treated. Modern therapies approved for RA target the proinflammatory cytokines or Janus kinases that mediate the initiation and progression of the disease. However, these agents fail to benefit all patients with RA, and many lose therapeutic responsiveness over time. More effective or adjuvant treatments are needed. Melatonin has shown beneficial activity in several animal models and clinical trials of inflammatory autoimmune diseases, but the role of melatonin is controversial in RA. Some research suggests that melatonin enhances proinflammatory activities and thus promotes disease activity in RA, while other work has documented substantial anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties of melatonin in preclinical models of arthritis. In addition, disturbance of the circadian rhythm is associated with RA development and melatonin has been found to affect clock gene expression in joints of RA. This review summarizes current understanding about the immunopathogenic characteristics of melatonin in RA disease. Comprehensive consideration is required by clinical rheumatologists to balance the contradictory effects.

Mindfulness, Life Skills, Resilience, and Emotional and Behavioral Problems for Gifted Low-Income Adolescents in China.

In contrast to emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs), which can disrupt normal adolescent development, resilience can buffer the effects of stress and adverse childhood experiences and can help youth overcome adversity. While research has looked at the relationship between adolescent resilience and EBPs, current literature relatively lack a discussion of a strengths-based approach of resilience framework, nor discuss non-western sociocultural contexts. In this study, we utilized the resilience theory to examine the effects of individual mindfulness and life skills on resilience and consequently on EBPs in a group of low-income and gifted adolescents in China. A secondary data of 152 adolescents from a specialized school for low-income and gifted students in Guangzhou, China was used for the analysis. The findings from structural equation modeling indicated that mindfulness and life skills were associated with heightened resilience and reduced EBPs. In addition, resilience reduced EBPs for this group of adolescents. These findings underscore the promise of mindfulness and life skills training on increasing resilience and reducing EBPs in gifted adolescents.

Resilience, emotional problems, and behavioural problems of adolescents in China: Roles of mindfulness and life skills.

While emotional and behaviorial problems increase risks to youth development, resilience helps youth adapt and overcome adversity. Research has discussed factors related to youth resilience, emotional problems, and behaviorial problems; however, existing literature excludes non-western sociocultural contexts and has not explored the potential relations among mindfulness and life skills. This study examines the effects of mindfulness and life skills on resilience, emotional problems, and behaviorial problems of adolescents in China. Our data come from a group-administered survey among 60 adolescents from a school for behaviourally delinquent students in Beijing, China, in 2017. The regression results indicate that mindfulness is associated with reduced adolescent emotional and behaviorial problems, whereas life skills are associated with increased resilience. The findings suggest the importance of adolescent interventions that incorporate concepts from both mindfulness and life skills training.

Associations between Adipokines in Arthritic Disease and Implications for Obesity.

Secretion from adipose tissue of adipokines or adipocytokines, comprising of bioactive peptides or proteins, immune molecules and inflammatory mediators, exert critical roles in inflammatory arthritis and obesity. This review considers the evidence generated over the last decade regarding the effects of several adipokines including leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, resistin, chemerin and apelin, in cartilage and bone homeostasis in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which has important implications for obesity.

Melatonin attenuates TNF-α and IL-1ß expression in synovial fibroblasts and diminishes cartilage degradation: Implications for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The hormone melatonin has many properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Melatonin has been demonstrated to be beneficial in several inflammatory autoimmune diseases, but its effects in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain controversial. We sought to determine how melatonin regulates inflammation in RA. We found that melatonin dose-dependently inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-1ß expression through the PI3K/AKT, ERK, and NF-κB signaling pathways. We also identified that melatonin inhibits TNF-α and IL-1ß production by upregulating miR-3150a-3p expression. Synovial tissue specimens from RA patients and culture of human rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes confirmed that the MT1 receptor is needed for the anti-inflammatory activities of melatonin. Importantly, melatonin also significantly reduced paw swelling, cartilage degradation, and bone erosion in the collagen-induced arthritis mouse model. Our results indicate that melatonin ameliorates RA by inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1ß production through downregulation of the PI3K/AKT, ERK, NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as miR-3150a-3p overexpression. The role of melatonin as an adjuvant treatment in patients with RA deserves further clinical studies.

CCN1 Promotes VEGF Production in Osteoblasts and Induces Endothelial Progenitor Cell Angiogenesis by Inhibiting miR-126 Expression in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Angiogenesis is the formation of new capillaries from preexisting vasculature. The perpetuation of angiogenesis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of various disease states including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61 or CCN1) is an important proinflammatory cytokine in RA. Here, we investigated the role of CCN1 in angiogenesis associated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and osteoblasts. We found higher expression of CCN1 and VEGF in synovial fluid from RA patients compared with healthy controls. CCN1 induced VEGF expression in osteoblasts and increased endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) angiogenesis by inhibiting miR-126 via the protein kinase C-alpha (PKC-α) signaling pathway. CCN1 knockdown inhibited angiogenesis in both in vitro and in vivo models. Inhibition of CCN1 expression with lentiviral vectors expressing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) ameliorated articular swelling, cartilage erosion, and angiogenesis in the ankle joint of mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Our study is the first to describe how CCN1 promotes VEGF expression in osteoblasts and increased EPCs angiogenesis in RA disease. CCN1 may serve as a potential target for RA treatment. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels predict outcomes of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma receiving antiangiogenic therapy.

PURPOSE: Patients with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have decreased serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels. We evaluated whether IGF-1 levels were associated with the outcomes of patients with advanced HCC treated with systemic antiangiogenic therapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The study was based on patients with advanced HCC who were enrolled in two clinical trials evaluating first-line combination antiangiogenic therapy. Serum samples were collected before treatment and four to six weeks after the start of treatment. The levels of IGF-1, IGF-2, and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) were analyzed for their associations with treatment outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients were included in the study. Patients who had high (≥the median level) baseline IGF-1 levels had significantly higher disease control rate (DCR) than patients who had low (