Pectins Rich in RG-I Extracted from Watermelon Peel: Physicochemical, Structural, Emulsifying, and Antioxidant Properties.

RG-I pectin has excellent health benefits, but its raw materials are relatively scarce, and its complex structure often breaks down its side-chain structure during the extraction process. In this study, the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of a branched-chain-rich pectin gained from watermelon peel were demonstrated, and the structure-function relationships of RG-I-enriched pectin and emulsification properties were investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-performance anion exchange chromatography, high-performance gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and methylation analyses reveal it as acetylated, low-methoxylated pectin, rich in RG-I side chains (MW: 1991 kDa, RG-I = 66.17%, methylation degree: 41.45%, (Ara + Gal)/Rha: 20.59%). RPWP outperforms commercial citrus pectin in emulsification and stability, significantly preventing lipid oxidation in emulsions. It also exhibits free radical scavenging abilities, contributing to its effectiveness in preventing lipid oxidation. Emulsions made with RPWP show higher viscosity and form a weak gel network (G' > G″), enhancing stability by preventing phase separation. These findings position watermelon peel as a good source of RG-I pectin and deepen our understanding of RPWP behavior in emulsion systems, which may be useful in the food and pharmaceutical fields.

Reciprocal developmental pathways between future-related thinking and symptoms of adolescent depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

Adolescence is a time when important decisions about the future are made and vulnerability to mental health problems increases. We reviewed longitudinal studies examining the reciprocal pathways between future-related thinking (hopelessness, hope, optimism/positive future expectations) and adolescent depression and anxiety symptoms. Evidence from 22 studies (N = 10,682) found that negative future-related thinking predicted subsequent depression (r = 0.27, p < .001), an effect still significant after controlling for baseline depression (r = 0.23, p < .001). Higher hopelessness (r = 0.34, p < .001), lower hope (r = 0.16, p < .001), and reduced optimism/positive future expectations (r = 0.18, p < .001) were associated with subsequently increased depressive symptoms. Negative future-related thinking also predicted later increased anxiety symptoms (r = 0.15, p = .021). Concerning the reciprocal pathway, depressive symptoms were associated with later negative future-related thinking (r = 0.32, p < .001), which remained after baseline levels of future-related thinking were controlled (r = 0.07, p = .02). There were insufficient studies to infer reciprocal links between anxiety and future-related thinking. Our analyses provided evidence of a reciprocal developmental relationship between depressive symptoms and future-related thinking, implying a negative cycle. Identifying precursors of this cycle could provide the basis for depression prevention in adolescents and promote better decision-making about the future.

Links between mental health problems and future thinking from the perspective of adolescents with experience of depression and anxiety: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are common during adolescence and could have detrimental impacts on young people's ability to make and implement plans for their future. However, to the best of our knowledge, no other study has adopted a qualitative approach in investigating these effects from the perspective of adolescents with lived experiences of depression and anxiety. We sought to understand how young people perceive and interpret the impact of mental health conditions on their thinking about the future. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 adolescents aged 16-19 years in the UK (median age = 19, IQR = 1.5), who had a history of protracted periods of clinical or subclinical depression and/or anxiety. They were asked to reflect on how their ability to think about the future and the content of the future-related thinking was impacted during periods of poor mental health, compared with periods of feeling well. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Five domains were identified. First, the impact of mood on future thinking capability focuses on reduced ability and motivation to engage in future thinking. Second, the impact of mood on images, thoughts, and feelings about the future includes the emotional valence of future-related thoughts, their vividness, structure, and the extent to which they intimated subjective feelings of control (i.e., agency). Third, social influences focuses on social factors that might ameliorate or exacerbate future thinking. Fourth, reflections on personal worries and expectations about the future captures personal interpretations of past worries and hopes and how future thinking affected mood. Finally, personal coping refers to how young people cope with the negative emotions that come with future thinking. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a nuanced and granular account of how depression and anxiety impacted young people's future thinking based on their lived experiences. By highlighting the different ways that variations in future thinking were experienced as a function of depression and anxiety, our analysis highlighted new factors that should be considered in studies of adolescent mental health risk, which could inform the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Young people's future thinking and mental health: The development and validation of the Adolescent Future Thinking Rating Scale.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to develop and validate a new scale of future thinking and adolescent mental health-the Adolescent Future Thinking Rating Scale (AFTRS). METHODS: A provisional AFTRS was developed from interviews with 19 adolescents. It was completed by three samples: exploratory (n = 161) aged 16-21 years, who also completed established measures of future thinking, cognitive risk factors, depression and anxiety; replication (n = 209) aged 16-25 years; and test-retest (n = 102) aged 17-23 years. The reliability, convergent, predictive, and discriminant validity were examined. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analyses identified the AFTRS-18 and AFTRS-12. Both had three sub-scales: (i) Concerns about Maladaptive Future Thinking, (ii) Future Positivity, and (iii) Ability to Visualise the Future. Established future thinking measures were combined into two factors: Negative Future Emotions (Cognitive Triad Inventory-View of Future and Beck's Hopelessness Scale) and Immediacy Preference (Consideration of Future Consequences and Quick Delay Questionnaire). The AFTRS-18 and AFTRS-12 were similarly associated with both factors and with depression/anxiety. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high. CONCLUSIONS: The AFTRS-12 and AFTRS-18 are reliable and valid measures of the three key dimensions of adolescent future thinking and mental health. The first subscale remained significant in predicting depression and anxiety after controlling for general cognitive risks.