Does mindfulness mediate the association between attachment dimensions and Borderline Personality Disorder features? A study of Italian non-clinical adolescents

The aim of this study was to assess whether mindfulness mediates the association between attachment dimensions and features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in a sample of 501 Italian high-school students. Low scores on Confidence and high scores on Need for Approval and Preoccupation with Relationships attachment scales was significantly related to the number of BPD features (adjusted R(2) = .2, p < .001). Further, mindfulness scores were negatively associated with Need for Approval and Relationships as Secondary attachment scales (adjusted R(2) = .14, p < .001). Finally, mindfulness scores were negatively associated with the number of BPD features (adjusted R(2) = .15, p < .001). Mediation analyses showed that the relationship between Need for Approval and BPD was completely mediated by the mindfulness effects. Our results in non-clinical adolescents are consistent with Bateman and Fonagy's (2004) hypothesis that the link between attachment disturbances and BPD features may be mediated by deficits in mentalization, at least as these are operationalized by low mindfulness.     

Uterine artery as an arterial conduit for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in women: A role for estrogen-receptor alpha (ER-α) in the prevention of post-CABG accelerated atherosclerosis and graft disease

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is the standard of care in the treatment of advanced coronary artery disease (CAD). In order to bypass coronary occlusions, CABG surgery traditionally employs grafts from the left internal thoracic/mammary artery (LITA/IMA), radial artery (RA), and greater saphenous vein (SV). The risk of CABG failure is reported to be higher, or at best similar, for women than for men, and it relates primarily to post-operative accelerated atherosclerosis leading to graft stenosis and recurrent angina, a phenomenon known as “coronary artery bypass graft disease”. In this paper, the authors hypothesize that employing an alternative arterial conduit may help reduce the rate of post-CABG accelerated atherosclerosis in women, and propose that a uterine artery specimen be used instead. Given its greater density of estrogen-receptor alpha (ER-α) relative to other mammalian endothelial cells in the vasculature, uterine arteries may exhibit important anti-atherosclerotic properties. Theoretically, this effect may be amplified with the adjuvant administration of low-dose selective ER-α agonist modulator (SERM) therapy.