Metallothionein suppresses Ang II-induced NOX-dependent nitrosative damage and cell death in both nondiabetic and diabetic hearts early in the time course of injury and prevents the late development of Ang II-induced cardiomyopathy.

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Results of numerous studies have demonstrated a positive relation between religiosity and marital well-being. In this study, the authors examined direct effects on marital satisfaction of religious homogamy, prayer for spousal well-being, and forgiveness. They also examined the degree to which religiosity buffered against risks to marital well-being. The results indicated significant positive linear relations between each indicator of religiosity and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, religiosity moderated, or buffered against, the negative effects of risk factors; specifically, religious homogamy buffered against previous divorce; prayer buffered against having a high-stress marriage; and spousal forgiveness buffered

Marital satisfaction, marital adjustment, and problem areas experienced during the early months of marriage were examined using a sample of 1,010 newlywed husbands and wives. Results revealed that between 8% and 14% percent of newlyweds already scored in the distressed range on measures of marital satisfaction and adjustment, respectively. For both husbands and wives, the most problematic areas in the early months of marriage were balancing employment and marriage and debt brought into marriage. However, protective factors in the marriage, including respect, appreciation, commitment, mutual affection, and trust, were the strongest predictors of marital satisfaction and adjustment. Implications for future research and family life education are proposed.

In patients with hemochromatosis, cardiac dysfunction may appear years after they have reached a state of iron overload. We hypothesized that cumulative iron-catalyzed oxidant damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) might explain the cardiomyopathy of chronic iron overload. Mice were given repetitive injections of iron dextran for a total of 4 weeks after which the iron loaded mice had elevated cardiac iron, modest cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction. qPCR amplification of near-full-length (~16 kb) mtDNA revealed >50% loss of full length product, whereas amounts of a qPCR product of a nuclear gene (13 kb region of beta globin) were unaffected. Quantitative rtPCR analyses revealed 60-70% loss of mRNA for proteins encoded by mtDNA with no change in mRNA abundance for nuclear encoded respiratory subunits. These changes coincided with proportionate reductions in complex I and IV activities and decreased respiration of isolated cardiac mitochondria. We conclude that chronic iron overload leads to cumulative iron-mediated damage to mtDNA and impaired synthesis of mitochondrial respiratory chain subunits. The resulting respiratory dysfunction may explain the slow development of cardiomyopathy in chronic iron overload and similar accumulation of damage to mtDNA may also explain the mitochondrial dysfunction observed in slowly progressing diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders.

This article explores the relationship between religiosity, denominational homogamy, religiosity homogamy, and marital adjustment. Using a statewide sample of spouses in first marriages (N = 1,394) and remarriages (N = 601), the authors find that within-group differences in religiosity, denominational homogamy, and religiosity homogamy are not as prevalent for spouses in remarriages. Overall, husbands and wives in first marriages who are very religious have significantly higher marital adjustment scores than spouses who are less religious. Similarly, husbands and wives in first marriages who share the same religious denomination report higher marital adjustment scores than spouses who report different denominations. For spouses in both first marriages and remarriages, those who report that they are “both religious” have higher marital adjustment scores than spouses where both partners are not religious, or where only the wife is religious. Possible reasons for the within-group similarities and differences are explored, particularly for spouses in remarriages.

A growing body of literature has examined relations among qualities of character—or marital virtues—and marital outcomes. Results of past research have suggested positive relations between qualities such as generosity, kindness, and forgiveness, and marital well‐being. We expand on previous research by examining relations between three qualities of character and marital satisfaction with 1,513 respondents randomly selected from three states. Specifically, we examined the effects of participants' perceptions of their partners' humility, compassion, and positivity on their own marital satisfaction. Results indicated statistically significant, positive associations between each of these qualities and marital satisfaction, although results vary by gender. Furthermore, a statistically significant interaction effect suggested that spousal humility may be a protective factor against marital stress among women. Implications for practice and program development are discussed.

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