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There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions (MBIs) in improving mental and physical health, but the molecular mechanisms of these benefits remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that MBIs reverse expression of genes involved in inflammatory reactions that are induced by stress. This systematic review was conducted to examine changes in gene expression that occur after MBIs and to explore how these molecular changes are related to health. We searched PubMed throughout September 2016 to look for studies that have used gene expression analysis in MBIs (i.e., mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation). Due to the limited quantity of studies, we included both clinical and non-clinical samples with any type of research design. Eighteen relevant studies were retrieved and analyzed. Overall, the studies indicate that these practices are associated with a downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B pathway; this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases. However, it is unclear how the effects of MBIs compare to other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition due to the small number of available studies. More research is required to be able to understand the effects of MBIs at the molecular level.

IntroductionAnxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in children and adolescents and can lead to significant impairment. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with exposure is the first-line treatment, yet approximately half of treated youth do not achieve full remission. Dysfunctional cognitions—negative automatic thoughts, maladaptive beliefs and distorted interpretations—are considered key targets of CBT, but evidence in youth is mixed and underpowered. This study will examine whether change in dysfunctional cognitions mediates treatment outcome in anxiety, OCD and PTSD symptoms and whether this association varies across individual characteristics.Methods and analysisAn individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) of randomised controlled trials of CBT for youth aged 5–18 years with anxiety disorders, OCD or PTSD will be conducted. The search strategy includes the databases APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Web of Science Core Collection from inception to 8 September 2025. It is supplemented by screening reference lists, trial registries, grey literature and outreach to relevant research groups. Eligible trials must include at least one validated measure of dysfunctional cognitions administered at minimum pre- and post-treatment, and clinical outcomes assessed at post-treatment and follow-up. The two primary outcomes are (1) child-reported symptom severity and (2) clinician-rated clinical severity. Data will be harmonised for dysfunctional cognition scores, moderators (age, gender, socioeconomic status, comorbidity), and primary outcomes. One-stage Bayesian mixed-effects models will examine whether changes in dysfunctional cognitions predict improvements in primary outcomes and whether these effects are moderated by individual characteristics. Missing data will be addressed using multiple imputation within the Bayesian framework, and study-level heterogeneity will be modelled using random intercepts and slopes.Ethics and disseminationAll datasets will be de-identified and managed under General Data Protection Regulation standards. Each included trial will have ethical approval permitting data sharing and reuse, and the secondary analysis of the shared datasets has been approved by the University of Amsterdam. Findings will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed publication, scientific conferences and open sharing of analysis scripts and harmonisation procedures.PROSPERO registration numberCRD420251139130.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA species that have been shown to have roles in multiple processes that occur in higher eukaryotes. They act by binding to specific sequences in the 3’ untranslated region of their target genes and causing the transcripts to be degraded by the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). MicroRNAs have previously been reported to demonstrate altered expression in several aging phenotypes such as cellular senescence and age itself. Here, we have measured the expression levels of 521 small regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in spleen tissue from young and old animals of 6 mouse strains with different median strain lifespans by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression levels of 3 microRNAs were robustly associated with strain lifespan, after correction for multiple statistical testing (miR-203-3p [β-coefficient = −0.6447, p  = 4.8 × 10 −11 ], miR-664-3p [β-coefficient = 0.5552, p  = 5.1 × 10 −8 ] and miR-708-5p [β-coefficient = 0.4986, p  = 1.6 × 10 −6 ]). Pathway analysis of binding sites for these three microRNAs revealed enrichment of target genes involved in key aging and longevity pathways including mTOR, FOXO and MAPK, most of which also demonstrated associations with longevity. Our results suggests that miR-203-3p, miR-664-3p and miR-708-5p may be implicated in pathways determining lifespan in mammals.

There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions (MBIs) in improving mental and physical health in various clinical and non-clinical populations, but there are several gaps that remain poorly understood. The aim of this thesis was to expand the literature on MBIs by answering three major questions: Are changes in gene expression a mechanism of MBIs? Do MBIs work for prisoners with personality disorders? What participant baseline characteristics influence the response to meditation? To answer the first question related to gene expression as mechanisms of MBIs, we searched PubMed throughout September 2016 to look for studies that have used gene expression analysis in MBIs (i.e., mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation). Due to the limited quantity of studies, we included both clinical and non-clinical samples with any type of research design. Eighteen relevant studies were retrieved and analysed. Overall, the studies indicate that these practices are associated with a downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) pathway; this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases. However, it is unclear how the effects of MBIs compare to other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition due to the small number of available studies. More research is required to be able to understand the effects of MBIs at the molecular level. To answer the second question related to the effects of MBIs on prisoners with personality disorders, we recruited thirty prisoners with personality disorders who score high on psychopathy and have more than two personality disorders. They were assigned to a mindfulness intervention (n=10), to a yoga intervention (n=10), or to a wait-list control group (n=10) using stratified random sampling. Both mindfulness and yoga interventions were held at the same time and lasted three hours per day on five consecutive days. At baseline and after the intervention, we measured inflammation-related gene expression; resting state brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG); risk-taking and attention with cognitive tasks; event-related potentials (ERPs) related to the attention task; and stress, emotion regulation and mindfulness with questionnaires. Thirty participants were included in intention-to-treat analysis. We expected that both yoga and mindfulness will improve self-regulation (i.e., executive attention, emotion regulation and self-awareness), reduce stress and risk-taking behaviour, downregulate inflammatory-related gene expression and increase alpha and theta power. By using intent-to-treat analysis, we found no significant effects of interventions on any of these measures (p>.05). We found that mind-body interventions do not benefit prisoners with personality disorders and we assume that non-significant results are likely due to several methodological factors; a lockdown on the final day of the interventions, the length of the interventions and insufficient statistical power. The third question is related to individual differences in responding to meditation. While meditation classes, in particular mindfulness meditation classes, have become increasingly popular and more readily available, their outcomes vary. Some people reap benefits of the classes and become dedicated long-term practitioners, while others see no effect or might even experience adverse effects. If we would be able to distinguish positive responders from null and negative responders based on their individual characteristics, then those who would benefit the most could be targeted, while a different evidence-based technique could be applied to those for whom meditation would be contra-indicated. This personalised approach would not only save resources, but also help prevent harm. Surprisingly, there is no comprehensive study on this topic and only a limited number of studies have included data on how different people respond to meditation. In this chapter, we adopt a multilevel approach to evaluate extant evidence on the relationship between meditation and individual differences across four sources of variability: personality and other psychological variables, biological variables, illness severity in patients, and demographic factors. This thesis contributes to the current literature by providing evidence that gene expression changes are a mechanisms of health benefits associated with MBIs. Furthermore, it suggests that prisoners with personality disorders do not respond to short and intensive MBIs and it synthesises heterogeneous evidence from previous studies that examined baseline participant variables that influence the response to meditation.

Background Regenerative medicine is strictly dependent on stem cells as a source for a high diversity of somatic cells. However, the isolation of such from individuals suffering from severe genetic skin blistering diseases like epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is often associated with further organ damage. Methods Stem cells were isolated from 112 urine samples from 21 different healthy donors, as well as from 33 urine samples from 25 donors with EB. The cultivation of these cells was optimized by testing different media formulations and pre-coating of culture vessels with collagen. The identity of cells was confirmed by testing marker expression, differentiation potential and immune-modulatory properties. Results We provide here an optimized protocol for the reproducible isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from urine, even from small volumes as obtained from patients with EB. Furthermore, we offer a basic characterization of those urine-derived stem cells (USCs) from healthy donors, as well as from patients with EB, and demonstrate their potential to differentiate into chondrocytes, osteoblasts and adipocytes, as well as their immune-modulatory properties. Conclusions Thus, USCs provide a novel and non-invasive source of stem cells, which might be applied for gene-therapeutic approaches to improve medical conditions of patients with EB.

The aim of this study was to examine the reciprocal relations between teachers’ work engagement and their emotions, both positive and negative, and experienced in relation to their students, by implementing a two-wave panel design. The predictive role of self-efficacy with respect to teachers’ emotions and work engagement was also explored. The study included a sample of 941 teachers from various state schools in Croatia. A cross-lagged analysis demonstrated the reciprocal nature of the relationship between emotions and work engagement. Teachers who reported higher levels of positive emotions of joy, pride and love at first time point, tended to be more engaged in their work at subsequent assessment. The association between negative emotions and work engagement showed the opposite direction—teachers who experienced more anger, fatigue, and hopelessness in the first measurement point, were also less engaged at second time of assessment. Furthermore, teachers who were more engaged in their work in the first time point, also reported about lower levels of negative emotions but higher levels of positive emotions 6 months later. At last, teachers with higher perceived self-efficacy are more engaged in their work, experience more joy, pride and love, and less anger, fatigue and hopelessness, towards their students. However, these effects did not hold upon control of baseline levels of emotions and work engagement.

Silver nanoparticles represent a threat to biota and have been shown to cause harm through a number of mechanisms, using a wide range of bioassay endpoints. While nanoparticle concentration has been primarily considered, comparison of studies that have used differently sized nanoparticles indicate that nanoparticle diameter may be an important factor that impacts negative outcomes. In considering this, the aim of the present study was to determine if different sizes of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs; 10, 20, 40, 60 and 100 nm) give rise to similar effects during embryogenesis of Mediterranean sea urchins Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus, or if nanoparticle size is a parameter that can modulate embryotoxicity and spermiotoxicity in these species. Fertilised embryos were exposed to a range of AgNP concentrations (1–1000 µg L−1) and after 48 h larvae were scored. Embryos exposed to 1 and 10 µg L−1 AgNPs (for all tested sizes) showed no negative effect in both sea urchins. The smaller AgNPs (size 10 and 20 nm) caused a decrease in the percentage of normally developed A. lixula larvae at concentrations ≥50 µg L−1 (EC50: 49 and 75 μg L−1, respectively) and at ≥100 µg L−1 (EC50: 67 and 91 μg L−1, respectively) for P. lividus. AgNPs of 40 nm diameter was less harmful in both species ((EC50: 322 and 486 μg L−1, for P. lividus and A. lixula, respectively)). The largest AgNPs (60 and 100 nm) showed a dose-dependent response, with little effect at lower concentrations, while more than 50% of larvae were developmentally delayed at the highest tested concentrations of 500 and 1000 µg L−1 (EC50(100 nm); 662 and 529 μg L−1, for P. lividus and A. lixula, respectively. While AgNPs showed no effect on the fertilisation success of treated sperm, an increase in offspring developmental defects and arrested development was observed in A. lixula larvae for 10 nm AgNPs at concentrations ≥50 μg L−1, and for 20 and 40 nm AgNPs at concentrations >100 μg L−1. Overall, toxicity was mostly ascribed to more rapid oxidative dissolution of smaller nanoparticles, although, in cases, Ag+ ion concentrations alone could not explain high toxicity, indicating a nanoparticle-size effect.

The aim of this study was to examine unique contributions of different dimensions of students' temperament (self-control, positive affectivity and negative affectivity), students' emotional regulation, students' adjustment problems (the presence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms), and students' perception of parental behavior of their mothers and fathers (parental dimensions of emotionality, acceptance and rejection) in explaining their school success. The sample consisted of 553 students (275 girls and 278 boys) mean age of 13 years. By using hierarchical regression analysis, the results obtained in the subsample of boys revealed a significant and unique contribution of students' temperament, emotional regulation and parental behavior in explaining the variability of school success. Boys who are more prone to anger but are less fearful, who regulate their emotions effectively, and who perceive to be accepted by their mothers and fathers, have higher levels of school success. On the subsample of girls, only emotional regulation has a significant and positive contribution in the explanation of their school success; girls who regulate their emotions effectively have higher grades. Keywords: school success, temperament, emotion regulation, adjustment problems, parental behavior Cilj je ovog istrazivanja bio utvrditi zaseban doprinos dimenzija temperamenta (samokontrole, pozitivne i negativne afektivnosti), emocionalne regulacije, problema u prilagodbi (internaliziranih i eksternaliziranih problema) te percepcije roditeljskog ponasanja majki i oceva (emocionalnosti, prihvacanja i odbacivanja) u objasnjenju skolskog uspjeha ucenika. Istrazivanjem je obuhvaceno 553 djece (275 ucenica i 278 ucenika) prosjecne dobi od 13 godina. Provedbom hijerarhijske regresijske analize na uzorku djecaka utvrdeno je da temperament, emocionalna regulacija i kontrola te roditeljsko ponasanje ostvaruju znacajne samostalne doprinose objasnjenju varijabiliteta skolskog uspjeha djecaka. Bolji skolski uspjeh postizu djecaci koji su podlozniji ljutnji, manje bojazljivi, efikasnije reguliraju vlastite emocije te percipiraju da ih majke i ocevi vise prihvacaju. Na poduzorku djevojcica jedino je emocionalna regulacija i kontrola imala znacajan i pozitivan doprinos objasnjenju skolskog uspjeha; djevojcice koje uspjesnije reguliraju vlastite emocije uspjesnije su u skoli. Kljucne rijeci: skolski uspjeh, temperament, emocionalna regulacija, problemi u prilagodbi, roditeljsko ponasanje

The starting point of this study was the assumption that work in a supportive working environment increases work motivation and thus contributes to job satisfaction and in preventing burnout. The main objective of the study was to examine the role of perceived support from the principal and work motivation (work engagement and self-efficacy) in explaining job satisfaction and burnout in Croatian primary school teachers. The study included a total of 1,892 primary school teachers, working in lower (class-teachers, N = 856) and higher grades (subject-teachers, N = 1036), employed in 101 primary schools in the Republic of Croatia. Male teachers comprised 12% of the total sample. The average age of participants was 41.7 years (SD = 10.2), and length of service was 15.7 years (SD = 10.7). The results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that the perceived support from principals and used measures of work motivation significantly contributed to the explanation of job satisfaction and two measures of burnout (emotional exhaustion and alienation), while the demographic variables used explained the small percentage of criterion measures' variance. In conclusion, support from the principal, as well as self-efficiency and work engagement of teachers, has an important role in the prevention of job dissatisfaction and burnout in teachers.