Developing a brief tele-psychotherapy model for COVID-19 patients and their family members

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting the mental health of COVID-19 patients and family members. Given the restrictions limiting in person contact to reduce the spread of the virus, a digital approach is needed to tackle the psychological aftermath of the pandemic. We present the development of a brief remote psychotherapy program for COVID-19 patients and/or their relatives. Methods: We first reviewed the literature on psychotherapeutic interventions for COVID-19 related symptoms. Based on this evidence, we leveraged ongoing clinical experiences with COVID-19 survivors and family members to design an intervention model that could be disseminated and integrated into the workflow of the mental health system. Results: This 8-session model -inspired by constructivist and hermeneutic-phenomenological therapies- serves COVID-19 patients during hospitalization, remission and recovery. This model can also be delivered to people dealing with the COVID-19 hospitalization/discharge of a family member, or the loss of a family member due to COVID-19. Conclusion: We described a remote psychotherapeutic approach to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic psychological aftermath. To date, the approach seems feasible and highly customizable to patients' needs. Studies are underway to test its preliminary efficacy. Once proven efficacious, this treatment model could provide a blueprint for future tele-psychology wide-scale interventions

Stigma on Mental Health among High School Students: Validation of the Italian Version of the Attribution Questionnaire-27 (AQ-27-I) in a High School Student Population

The purpose of this study was to describe the psychometric characteristics of the AQ-27-I in a high school student population. Students aged between 17 and 20 years and attending the fourth and fifth year of a scientific high school in Milan were approached at the school and were asked to fill in an anonymous socio-demographic form and the AQ-27-I. Cronbach’s alpha was used to estimate the instrument reliability and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted and compared to the original English version factor structure. The AQ-27-I demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87 and only one subscale (Personal responsibility) with an alpha lower than 0.60. Fit indices were very positive for the Dangerousness Model supporting the factor structure and paths of the original version. The Personal Responsibility Model, on the other hand, showed some weakness, concerning the process dynamics of the model. The results obtained are similar with those from other studies carried out in Italy and other countries. The questionnaire can be used for the quantitative description of stereotypes, emotions and behaviors associated with stigma in mental health in high school student populations

Voltammetric Sensor Based on Waste-Derived Carbon Nanodots for Enhanced Detection of Nitrobenzene

Carbon dots (CDs) samples were synthesized from orange peel waste (OPW) via a simple and eco-friendly hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and electrochemical (EC) bottom-up synthesis integrated approach. The comprehensive chemical-physical characterization of CDs samples, carried out by various techniques such as TEM, EDX, XRD, FT-IR, underlined their morphological and microstructural features. The CDs exhibited attractive electrochemical properties, and thus an electrochemical sensor by modifying a screen printed carbon electrode (CDs/SPCE) for the detection of nitrobenzene (NB) in water was developed. Electroanalytical performances of CDs/SPCE sensor using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) demonstrated its high sensitivity (9.36 μAμM^(-1)cm(^-2)) towards NB in a wide linear dynamic range (0.1–2000 μM) and a low limit of detection (LOD=13 nM). The electrochemical sensor also shown high selectivity, long-term stability, and repeatability. This paper might open the way to a new synergistic HTC-EC approach for the synthesis of CDs from waste biomass material and their advanced application in highly efficient electrochemical sensors

Health Related Quality of Life in Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Purpose: To quantify the health related quality of life in primary immunodeficiency patients. Materials and Methods: We used generic health status and general psychological health questionnaires to determine the range of issues that needed to be considered in examining the burden of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Results: The health status of patients with CVID was lower than that observed in normal subjects. Overall, Role-Physical and General Health scales correlated with a poorer clinical status. Surprisingly, the duration of disease did not influence health status. Being female, older, General Health Questionnaire-positive and alexithymic proved to be major risk factors associated with a poor health status. Patients with chronic lung disease and chronic diarrhea had the lowest values on the Medical Outcome Study, Short Form SF-36 (SF-36) scales. Disease severity perception was associated with the General Health Questionnaire and alexithymia status. Limitations in daily activities as a result of lower physical health were the major problems facing common variable immunodeficiency patients. Conclusion: Our data underlined the importance of conducting a periodical health related quality of life assessment on patients with primary antibody deficiencies and, moreover, stressed the necessity of providing psychological support to at risk patients. © Yonsei University College of Medicine 2012

The effects of cognitive remediation on cognitive abilities and real-world functioning among people with bipolar disorder: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by cognitive impairments that are known to predict psychosocial functioning and quality of life. While cognitive remediation (CR) was originally developed to directly target cognitive symptoms in traumatic brain injury and psychotic illnesses, the efficacy of CR in BD has begun to emerge only in the last decade. Functional Remediation (FR) is an integrated intervention that has been developed to restore psychosocial functioning by means of ecological neurocognitive techniques that involve psychoeducation about cognitive dysfunctions and their impact on the general functioning. Because of the heterogeneity of treatment targets and mechanisms of actions, here we aim to illustrate the effects induced by existing CR/FR approaches in BD. METHODS: In this systematic review, we evaluated cognitive and functional outcomes after CR/FR in studies conducted in BD. RESULTS: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria: 3 RCTs that compared CR/FR to one or more control condition (n\u202f=\u202f354), 5 secondary analyses that further examined data from these trials, 2 single-arm studies, and 1 naturalistic study. While features such as the use of computerized training tools and a group-based format recurred across studies, CR/FR paradigms targeting different cognitive and functional domains showed specificity of training focus to outcomes. Effect sizes were in the medium-large range, suggesting that patients with BD respond to treatment at or above the level reported in psychotic patients. Integrated approaches that combined cognitive exercises with group-based experiences were associated with both cognitive and functional improvements. CONCLUSIONS: In this review, we found support for the use of CR/FR paradigms in patients with BD with evidence of cognitive and functional improvements. The scarcity of currently published RCTs as well as of data examining mechanisms of action and neural correlates limits the generalizability of our findings

Disentangle the neural correlates of attachment style in healthy individuals

Since its development and theorisation in the 60s, attachment theory has greatly influenced both clinical and developmental psychology suggesting the existence of complex dynamics based on the relationship between an infant and its caregiver, that affects personality traits and interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Many studies have been conducted to explore the association between attachment styles and psychosocial functioning and mental health. By contrast, only a few studies have investigated the neurobiological underpinnings of attachment style, showing mixed results. Therefore, in this review, we described current evidence from structural and functional imaging studies with the final aim to disentangle the neural correlates of attachment style in healthy individuals. Overall, different attachment styles have been correlated with volumetric alterations mainly in the cingulate cortex, amygdala, hippocampus and anterior temporal pole. Consistently, functional imaging studies suggested patterns of activations in fronto-striatal-limbic circuits during the processing of social and attachment-related stimuli. Further studies are needed to clarify the neurobiological signature of attachment style, possibly taking into consideration a wide range of demographic, psychosocial and clinical factors that may mediate the associations between the style of attachment and brain systems (e.g., gender, personality traits, psychosocial functioning, early-life experience)

Electrochemical bottom-up synthesis of biomass-derived carbon dots for promoting Knoevenagel condensation

Natural raw materials such as biomass and plant wastes are the most interesting feedstocks for the synthesis of carbonaceous nanomaterials due to their high availability, environmental compatibility, and affinity with Green Chemistry principles. Carbon dots (CDs), a new type of carbon nanomaterials, perform an important role in this matter by serving in the development of environmentally friendly catalysts. In this study, CDs were synthesized in good yields by using the electrochemical bottom-up synthesis starting from the liquid phase that is separated during the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process involving orange peel waste (OPW). The electrochemical setup was also optimized to synthesize CDs based on 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, which represents one of the main components of the liquid phase obtained by HTC. The comprehensive optical and chemo-physical characterization of CDs samples carried out by several techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD, PL, TGA, and FTIR, highlighted their distinctive morphological and microstructural features. The obtained CDs were successfully employed to catalyse the Knoevenagel condensation, showing excellent results in terms of yield and reproducibility. In addition, the sustainable nature of the CDs was demonstrated by recycling the catalysts up to five cycles without significant activity loss

Short-Term Psychodinamic Psychotherapy with Mentalization-Base Techniques in Major Depressive Disorder patients: Relationshionship among alexithymia, reflective functioning, and outcome variables- A Pilot study

Objectives. In depressed patients, recent advances have highlighted impairment in mentalizing: identifying and interpreting one’s own or other’s mental states. Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) has proven to be effective in reducing symptoms and improving relational/functional abilities in these subjects. Therefore, the first aim of our study was to evaluate effectiveness of STPP with Mentalization-Based Techniques (STMBP) on their clinical outcomes and the second, to investigate Reflective Functioning and alexithymia concerning treatment outcomes in depressed subjects. Design. Abaselineevaluationofreflectivefunctioning,alexithymiaanddepressionwas conducted before an STMBP treatment. Patients were re-tested successively after 40 weeks (T1) and in a follow-up after 1 year at the end of the treatment (T2). Methods. A total of 24 patients principally diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) underwent a STMBP conducted by two expert therapists. Global Assessment Functioning (GAF), Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) data were collected at the baseline (T0) by two clinical therapists, along with RF scores rated by two trained raters. HAM-D, TAS-20 and GAF follow-ups were conducted at the end of the treatment after 40 weeks (T1) and after 1-year follow-up (T2). Results. ResultshighlightedanimprovementofbothHAM-DandTAS-20scoresinour sample. Moreover, a negative correlation between RF and TAS-20 was found. Both HAM- D and RF at T0 influenced depressive outcomes at the end of the treatment