Mind-Body Skills Groups for Adolescents with Depression in Primary Care: A Pilot Study

Objective: To determine acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSGs) as a treatment for depressed adolescents in primary care. Methods: A single arm clinical trial was conducted. A 10-week MBSG program was implemented in primary care. Participants completed self-report measures at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-months following the MBSGs. Measures included the Children’s Depression Inventory-2, Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Self-Efficacy for Depressed Adolescents, rumination subscale of the Children’s Response Style Questionnaire, and a short acceptability questionnaire. Results: Participants included 43 adolescents. The total depression scores significantly improved following the MBSG intervention and continued to improve significantly from post-treatment to follow-up. Mindfulness, self-efficacy, rumination, and suicidal ideation all had significant improvement following the intervention. Acceptability of the program was strong, and attendance was excellent. Discussion: Preliminary evidence suggests that MBSGs are an acceptable treatment for primary care settings and lead to improved depression symptoms in adolescents.Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center and the Herbert Simon Family Foundation (070241-00002B

Polytopic vector analysis of soil, dust, and serum samples to evaluate exposure sources of PCDD/Fs

As part of the University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study, soil, household dust, and serum samples were collected from more than 750 households in five populations around the city of Midland and in Jackson and Calhoun Counties, Michigan, USA. Polytopic vector analysis, a type of receptor model, was applied to better understand the potential sources of polychlorinated dibenzo‐ p ‐dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans found in these samples and to quantify the contributions of the sources in each matrix across populations. The results indicated that source signatures found in soil are similar to those found in dust, reflecting various combustion profiles, pentachlorophenol, and graphite electrode sludge. The profiles associated with contamination in the Tittabawassee River, likely related to historical discharges from the Dow Chemical Company facility in Midland, exhibited the largest differences among the regional populations sampled. Differences in serum source contributions among the study populations were consistent with some of the regional differences observed in soil samples. However, the age trends of these differences suggested that they are related to past exposures, rather than ongoing sources. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2191–2200. © 2012 SETACPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93658/1/1942_ftp.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93658/2/etc_1942_sm_SupplFig1.pd

Wear and corrosion interactions on titanium in oral environment : literature review

The oral cavity is a complex environment where corrosive substances from dietary, human saliva, and oral biofilms may accumulate in retentive areas of dental implant systems and prostheses promoting corrosion at their surfaces. Additionally, during mastication, micromovements may occur between prosthetic joints causing a relative motion between contacting surfaces, leading to wear. Both processes (wear and corrosion) result in a bio-tribocorrosion system once that occurs in contact with biological tissues and fluids. This review paper is focused on the aspects related to the corrosion and wear behavior of titanium-based structures in the oral environment. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of the oral environment is focused on the harmful effect that acidic substances and biofilms, formed in human saliva, may have on titanium surfaces. In fact, a progressive degradation of titanium by wear and corrosion (tribocorrosion) mechanisms can take place affecting the performance of titanium-based implant and prostheses. Also, the formation of wear debris and metallic ions due to the tribocorrosion phenomena can become toxic for human tissues. This review gathers knowledge from areas like materials sciences, microbiology, and dentistry contributing to a better understanding of bio-tribocorrosion processes in the oral environment.(undefined

Acute and chronic respiratory effects of sodium borate particulate exposures.

This study examined work-related chronic abnormality in pulmonary function and work-related acute irritant symptoms associated with exposure to borate dust in mining and processing operations. Chronic effects were examined by pulmonary function at the beginning and end of a 7-year interval. Time-specific estimates of sodium borate particulate exposures were used to estimate cumulative exposure during the study interval. Change in pulmonary function over the 7 years was found unrelated to the estimate of cumulative exposure during that interval. Exposure-response associations also were examined with respect to short-term peak exposures and incidence of five symptoms of acute respiratory irritation. Hourly measures of health outcome and continuous measures of particulate exposure were made on each subject throughout the day. Whenever a subject reported one of the irritant symptoms, a symptom intensity score was also recorded along with the approximate time of onset. The findings indicated that exposure-response relationships were present for each of the specific symptoms at several symptom intensity levels. The associations were present when exposure was estimated by both day-long and short-term (15-min) time-weighted average exposures. Associations persisted after taking account of smoking, age, and the presence of a common cold. No significant difference in response rate was found between workers exposed to different types of sodium borate dusts

Predictors of Burnout in Public Library Employees

Work stress and professional burnout are recognized as concerns for public library employees, yet little research has been conducted. The purpose of the current study was to better understand burnout and the contributing factors in a state-wide sample of public library employees in Indiana. Using a web-based survey, 171 employees of public libraries reported their level of burnout (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy; Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey) and potential predictors, including levels of autonomy, co-worker support, work pressure, technology attitudes, and recovery experiences. A subset of 70 completed the burnout measures twice, allowing for predictions of change over time. Most predictors were correlated with burnout cross-sectionally, except for technology attitudes. Emotional exhaustion was positively associated with work pressure, and negatively associated with autonomy, role clarity, coworker support, and recovery experiences of relaxation, mastery, and control. Similar patterns were found for cynicism and reduced efficacy. However, over a period of approximately six months, only role clarity predicted decreased burnout (emotional exhaustion) above prior levels of burnout

Measuring Quality of Care in Community Mental Health: Validation of Concordant Clinician and Client Quality-of-Care Scales

Measuring quality of care can transform care, but few tools exist to measure quality from the client’s perspective. The aim of this study was to create concordant clinician and client self-report quality of care scales in a sample of community mental health clinicians (n = 189) and clients (n = 469). The client scale had three distinct factors (Person-Centered Care, Negative Staff Interactions, and Inattentive Care), while the clinician scale had two: Person-Centered Care and Discordant Care. Both versions demonstrated adequate internal consistency and validity with measures related to satisfaction and the therapeutic relationship. These measures are promising, brief quality assessment tools

Relationship between polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxin, polychlorinated dibenzofuran, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in vegetation and soil on residential properties

The University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study was undertaken to address concerns that the industrial discharge of dioxin-like compounds in the Midland, Michigan, USA area had resulted in the contamination of soil and vegetation in the Tittabawassee River floodplain and downwind of the incinerator in the City of Midland. The study included the analysis of 597 vegetation samples, predominantly grass and weeds, from residential properties selected through a multistage probabilistic sample design in the Midland area, and in Jackson and Calhoun Counties (Michigan), as a background comparison, for 29 polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The mean toxic equivalent (TEQ) of the house perimeter vegetation samples ranged from 4.2 to 377 pg/g. The ratio of TEQs (vegetation to soil) was about 0.3, with a maximum of 3.5. Based on a calculation of the similarity of the congener patterns between the soil and the vegetation, it appeared that the source of the contamination on the vegetation was the surrounding soil. This conclusion was supported by linear regression analysis, which showed that the largest contributor to the R 2 for the outcome variable of log 10 of the vegetation concentration was log 10 of the surrounding soil concentration. Models of vegetation contamination usually focus on atmospheric deposition and partitioning. The results obtained here suggest that the deposition of soil particles onto vegetation is a significant route of contamination for residential herbage. Thus, the inclusion of deposition of soil particles onto vegetation is critical to the accurate modeling of contamination residential herbage in communities impacted by historic industrial discharges of persistent organic compounds. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:2660–2668. © 2010 SETACPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78291/1/344_ftp.pd

Hierarchical cluster analysis of polychlorinated dioxins and furans in Michigan, USA, soils: Evaluation of industrial and background congener profiles

As part of the University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study, soil samples were collected from 766 residential properties near the Tittabawassee River between Midland and Saginaw; near the Dow Chemical Facility in Midland; and, for comparison, in the other areas of Midland and Saginaw Counties and in Jackson and Calhoun Counties, all located in the state of Michigan, USA. A total of 2,081 soil samples were analyzed for 17 polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). In order to better understand the distribution and sources of the PCDD/F congeners in the study area, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to statistically group samples with similar congener patterns. The analysis yielded a total of 13 clusters, including: 3 clusters among the soils impacted by contamination present in the Tittabawassee River sediments, a cluster comprised mainly of samples collected within the depositional area of the Dow incinerator complex, a small cluster of samples with elevated 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD), and several clusters exhibiting background patterns. The clusters related to the Tittabawassee River floodplain contamination all contained elevated PCDF levels and were differentiated from one another primarily by their relative concentrations of higher-chlorinated PCDDs, a difference likely related to both extent and timing of impacts from Tittabawassee sediments. The background clusters appear to be related to combustion processes and are differentiated, in part, by their relative fractions of TCDD. Thus, HCA was useful for identifying congener profile characteristics in both contaminated and background soil samples. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:64–72. © 2009 SETACPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64530/1/24_ftp.pd