Plasma concentrations of thioredoxin, thioredoxin reductase and peroxiredoxin-4 can identify high risk patients and predict outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A clinical observation.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is a pathological feature of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a complex disease with varying clinical outcomes. Surrogate biomarkers of oxidative stress including, peroxiredoxin-2 (PRDX2), PRDX4, thioredoxin (TRX) and thioredoxin reductase (TRXR) were measured in ACS patients at presentation and follow-up, to assess their clinical utility in diagnosis and risk stratification. METHODS: Plasma from 145 participants (80 ACS and 65 healthy) at diagnosis, 1-3 month (first) and 6-month follow-up (second) was analysed by ELISA. ACS patients were monitored for 12-months. RESULTS: ACS patients at diagnosis had significantly higher concentrations of TRX (p < 0.05), TRXR (p < 0.01) and PRDX4 (p < 0.01), compared to healthy donors. This was increase was driven by non-ST elevated myocardial infarction for TRX (p < 0.01) and PRDX4 (p < 0.05). For TRXR, ACS females were significantly higher than males (p < 0.05). TRX was also higher in older females (>55 years) at diagnosis (p < 0.05). At first follow-up, TRX had lowered, whereas PRDX4 remained significantly high (p < 0.05). Stratification of ACS patients according to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) revealed that TRXR was significantly higher in patients receiving PCI to the right coronary artery (p < 0.05). Whereas both TRXR (p < 0.01) and PRDX4 (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in patients receiving PCI to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. ACS patients who had plasma TRX >13.40 ng/ml at second follow-up were at high risk of readmission (p < 0.05), as were patients with TRXR of <1000 pg/ml at diagnosis having PCI to the LAD (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that TRX, TRXR and PRDX4 may have clinical utility for ACS stratification.

Parenting Styles and Disordered Eating Among Youths: A Rapid Scoping Review.

Youth is a critical period in the development of maladaptive eating behaviors. Previous systematic reviews suggest the etiological significance of parent-child relationships for the onset of disordered eating in youth, but less is known about the role of parenting styles. This rapid scoping review aimed to identify whether research supports the role of parenting styles in the development of disordered eating symptoms among youths. Sixteen studies, retrieved from three databases (PsycArticles, PsycInfo, and BASE), met the inclusion criteria: original studies, published in English, examined the effect of parenting styles (authoritative or neglectful) on cognitive (drives for thinness and body dissatisfaction) and behavioral (weight control behaviors) disordered eating outcomes, among young people up to 18 years of age. Studies supported an association between various youth disordered eating symptoms such as unhealthy weight control behaviors, and experiences of adverse parenting styles characterized by high levels of control and low levels of responsiveness. Associations between adverse parenting styles and youth disordered eating were frequently indirect and differed depending on the sex of the parent and offspring. Synthesis of findings was limited due to variation in the operationalization and measurement of parenting styles, family context and disordered eating across studies. Longitudinal and standardized research is required to better understand the dynamic associations between parenting styles and youth disordered eating. Implications for family-based care in clinical practice are discussed.

Does Emotional Intelligence Buffer the Effects of Acute Stress? A Systematic Review.

People with higher levels of emotional intelligence (EI: adaptive emotional traits, skills, and abilities) typically achieve more positive life outcomes, such as psychological wellbeing, educational attainment, and job-related success. Although the underpinning mechanisms linking EI with those outcomes are largely unknown, it has been suggested that EI may work as a "stress buffer." Theoretically, when faced with a stressful situation, emotionally intelligent individuals should show a more adaptive response than those with low EI, such as reduced reactivity (less mood deterioration, less physiological arousal), and faster recovery once the threat has passed. A growing number of studies have begun to investigate that hypothesis in respect to EI measured as both an ability (AEI) and trait (TEI), but results are unclear. To test the "stress-buffering" function of EI, we systematically reviewed experimental studies that explored the relationship between both types of EI and acute stress reactivity or recovery. By searching four databases, we identified 45 eligible studies. Results indicated that EI was only adaptive in certain contexts, and that findings differed according to stressor type, and how EI was measured. In terms of stress reactivity, TEI related to less mood deterioration during sports-based stressors (e.g., competitions), physical discomfort (e.g., dental procedure), and cognitive stressors (e.g., memory tasks), but did not appear as helpful in other contexts (e.g., public speaking). Furthermore, effects of TEI on physiological stress responses, such as heart rate, were inconsistent. Effects of AEI on subjective and objective stress reactivity were often non-significant, with high levels detrimental in some cases. However, data suggest that both higher AEI and TEI relate to faster recovery from acute stress. In conclusion, results provide mixed support for the stress-buffering effect of EI. Limitations and quality of studies are also discussed. Findings could have implications for EI training programmes.

'Because it kind of falls in between, doesn't it? Like an acute thing and a chronic': The psychological experience of anaphylaxis in adulthood.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, rare condition increasing in prevalence. This study explored the psychological experience of adult-onset anaphylaxis from patient, family and staff perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. Two global themes emerged from thematic analysis: 'controllability' ('an unknown and distressing experience', 'the importance of control over triggers' and 'responsibility but no control: the impact on others') and 'conflict' ('rejecting illness identity', 'minimisation of risk', 'accessing specialist care: running in slow motion' and 'patient-centred versus service-centred care'). Findings highlight the importance of perceived control and emphasise the presence of conflict in the experience of this complex, episodic condition.

"It's Just More Acceptable To Be White or Mixed Race and Gay Than Black and Gay": The Perceptions and Experiences of Homophobia in St. Lucia.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals come from diverse cultural groups with differing ethnic and racial identities. However, most research on LGB people uses white western samples and studies of Afro-Caribbean diaspora often use Jamaican samples. Thus, the complexity of Afro-Caribbean LGB peoples' experiences of homophobia is largely unknown. The authors' analyses explore experiences of homophobia among LGB people in St. Lucia. Findings indicate issues of skin-shade orientated tolerance, regionalized disparities in levels of tolerance toward LGB people and regionalized passing (regionalized sexual identity shifting). Finally, the authors' findings indicate that skin shade identities and regional location influence the psychological health outcomes of homophobia experienced by LGB people in St. Lucia.

The effect of accent evaluation and evidence on a suspect's perceived guilt and criminality.

The authors investigated the effect of accent evaluation, evidence, and crime type on participants' perceptions of guilt and criminality. British student raters (n = 199) listened to a tape-recorded exchange between a male criminal suspect and a male policeman. The authors manipulated this exchange to produce a 2 (accent type: English regional or standard) x 2 (evidence type: strong or weak) x 2 (crime type: blue collar or white collar) factorial design. Dependent measures consisted of participants' ratings of the suspect's guilt and criminality. Contrary to previous research, accent did not significantly influence attributions of guilt either as a main effect or in interaction with the contextual variables. However, independent of evidence presented and crime type, the regional-accented suspect was evaluated as more typically criminal and more likely to be reaccused of a crime than the standard-accented suspect.