A Moment of Mindfulness: Computer-Mediated Mindfulness Practice Increases State Mindfulness

Three studies investigated the use of a 5-minute, computer-mediated mindfulness practice in increasing levels of state mindfulness. In Study 1, 54 high school students completed the computer-mediated mindfulness practice in a lab setting and Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) scores were measured before and after the practice. In Study 2 (N = 90) and Study 3 (N = 61), the mindfulness practice was tested with an entirely online sample to test the delivery of the 5-minute mindfulness practice via the internet. In Study 2 and 3, we found a significant increase in TMS scores in the mindful condition, but not in the control condition. These findings highlight the impact of a brief, mindfulness practice for single-session, computer-mediated use to increase mindfulness as a state

Mindfulness at Work: Positive Affect, Hope, and Optimism Mediate the Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness, Work Engagement, and Well-Being

Mindfulness has been described as a state of awareness characterized by refined attentional skills and a non-evaluative attitude toward internal and external events. Recently it has been suggested that higher levels of mindfulness may be beneficial in the workplace and first programs aiming to increase mindful awareness in occupational settings have been introduced. The current study underpins these developments with empirical evidence regarding the involved psychological processes, by investigating the relationship between dispositional mindfulness, work engagement and well-being in 299 adults in fulltime employment. As hypothesized, the results confirm that self-reported mindfulness predicts work engagement and general well-being. Furthermore, these relationships are mediated by positive job-related affect and psychological capital (hope, optimism, resiliency, and self-efficacy). Investigating mindfulness and psychological capital as multi-faceted concepts by means of structural equation modeling yielded a more precise picture. The ability to step back from automatic, habitual reactions to distress turned out to be the mindfulness facet most central for predicting work engagement and well-being. Furthermore, mindfulness exerts its positive effect on work engagement by increasing positive affect, hope, and optimism, which on their own and in combination enhance work engagement (full mediation). Well-being, on the other hand, is directly influenced by mindfulness, which exerts additional indirect influence via positive affect, hope and optimism (partial mediation). Although exploratory in nature, the results identify non-reactivity and non-judging as important mindfulness skills in the workplace

The influence of a short-term mindfulness meditation intervention on emotion and visual attention

It has been suggested that mindfulness meditation (MM) improves psychological wellbeing via the focusing and broadening of attention. Whilst studies show that short term MM interventions can improve focused attention there is little evidence to support the broadening of attention. The current study investigated the influence of a short-term MM intervention on emotion and the scope of visual attention. Seventy participants completed a global-local processing task separated into three blocks of trials, with a ten minute break between each one. During the breaks a MM group engaged in a breath counting task and a control group engaged in a task of their choosing. Response times to global and local targets and a measure of self-reported emotional affect were recorded for each block. Mindfulness had no impact on attention however both positive and negative affect decreased for the MM group across the course of the experiment. The results suggest that MM can reduce the focus on negative (and positive) thoughts, indicating possible changes to focused attention, yet a short-term intervention is not sufficient to broaden attentio

Injury enhances TLR2 function and antimicrobial peptide expression through a vitamin D–dependent mechanism

An essential element of the innate immune response to injury is the capacity to recognize microbial invasion and stimulate production of antimicrobial peptides. We investigated how this process is controlled in the epidermis. Keratinocytes surrounding a wound increased expression of the genes coding for the microbial pattern recognition receptors CD14 and TLR2, complementing an increase in cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide expression. These genes were induced by 1,25(OH)(2) vitamin D(3) (1,25D3; its active form), suggesting a role for vitamin D(3) in this process. How 1,25D3 could participate in the injury response was explained by findings that the levels of CYP27B1, which converts 25OH vitamin D(3) (25D3) to active 1,25D3, were increased in wounds and induced in keratinocytes in response to TGF-β(1). Blocking the vitamin D receptor, inhibiting CYP27B1, or limiting 25D3 availability prevented TGF-β(1) from inducing cathelicidin, CD14, or TLR2 in human keratinocytes, while CYP27B1-deficient mice failed to increase CD14 expression following wounding. The functional consequence of these observations was confirmed by demonstrating that 1,25D3 enabled keratinocytes to recognize microbial components through TLR2 and respond by cathelicidin production. Thus, we demonstrate what we believe to be a previously unexpected role for vitamin D(3) in innate immunity, enabling keratinocytes to recognize and respond to microbes and to protect wounds against infection

Estudo da correlação entre molusco contagioso e dermatite atópica em crianças A study of the correlation between molluscum contagiosum and atopic dermatitis in children

FUNDAMENTOS: É bastante divulgado, sem a fundamentação científica necessária, que a infecção por molusco contagioso tende a ser mais frequente e de maior intensidade nos pacientes acometidos por dermatite atópica. Tal fato motivou a realização deste trabalho. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a prevalência de associação de dermatite atópica e molusco contagioso; avaliar se, nos pacientes com dermatite atópica, a infecção por molusco contagioso é mais recorrente e/ou disseminada e se a ocorrência de eczema perimolusco, prurido e/ou infecção é mais prevalente que nos pacientes sem dermatite atópica. MÉTODOS: Avaliaram-se 284 crianças de ambos os sexos, com diagnóstico de molusco contagioso e/ ou dermatite atópica. RESULTADOS: Apenas 13,4% dos pacientes apresentavam ambas as doenças. O número de áreas anatômicas afetadas por molusco contagioso, a ocorrência de eczema perimolusco e prurido foram maiores nos pacientes com dermatite atópica associada. Não houve diferença significativa de frequência de infecção secundária associada às lesões de molusco contagioso nos pacientes com e sem dermatite atópica. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência da ocorrência de dermatite atópica e molusco contagioso associados foi baixa. Não houve diferença significativa na recorrência da infecção por molusco contagioso e na quantidade de lesões nos pacientes com e sem dermatite atópica. O número de áreas anatômicas afetadas por lesões de molusco contagioso, a presença de eczema perimolusco e de prurido foram maiores nos pacientes com dermatite atópica. Não houve diferença significativa na ocorrência de infecção bacteriana secundária nos grupos com e sem dermatite atópica<br>BACKGROUND: Although no scientific evidence has yet been published, it is widely understood that molluscum contagiosum tends to be more common and more intense in patients with atopic dermatitis. This lack of evidence led to the development of the present study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of the association between atopic dermatitis and molluscum contagiosum; to evaluate whether molluscum contagiosum is more likely to be recurrent and/or disseminated in patients with atopic dermatitis and whether the occurrence of eczema surrounding the molluscum contagiosum lesions, pruritus and/or infection is more prevalent in these patients compared to patients without atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 284 children of both sexes with a diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum and/or atopic dermatitis were evaluated. RESULTS: Only 13.4% of the patients had both conditions. The number of anatomical areas affected by molluscum contagiosum and the occurrence of surrounding eczema and pruritus was greater in the patients who also had atopic dermatitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of secondary infection associated with the molluscum contagiosum lesions between the patients who had atopic dermatitis and those who did not. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis associated with molluscum contagiosum was low. There was no statistically significant difference in the recurrence rates associated with molluscum contagiosum or in the number of lesions between the patients who had atopic dermatitis and those who did not. The number of anatomical areas affected by the molluscum contagiosum lesions and the presence of surrounding eczema and pruritus were higher in the patients with atopic dermatitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of secondary bacterial infection between the groups with and without atopic dermatiti