“Family Connections”, a DBT-Based Program for Relatives of People with Borderline Personality Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Focus Group Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the family environment due to the difficulties that have been generated by job losses, deaths, increase rates of family and domestic violence, poor mental health outcomes, and estrangement in personal relationships. “Family Connections” (FC) is an internationally renowned DBT-based program that supports the families and caregivers of people with borderline personality disorder. The study took place at a Specialized Health Centre in Spain. A focus group with seven participants was organized for people who had previously attended an FC group. The participants were asked about their experiences during the confinement periods that was caused by COVID-19 as well as their experiences and opinions on relatives, skills practiced, their need to and the advantages of attending the group, and satisfaction with the FC group. The qualitative research web program Dedoose was used for the thematic analysis of the data. The results showed that the participants experienced various experiences during confinement; validation and radical acceptance were determined to be the most useful skills; the importance of professionals and the content as well as the sincerity of attendees and having a safe space were determined to be the greatest benefits of the programs; and the participants all indicated great satisfaction of the program. This study allowed us to explore the experiences of family members of people with BPD with their loved ones during the confinement period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the use of the FC program skills in the family environment during confinement, and we analyzed the acceptability and satisfaction with the FC program

Tratamiento de la imagen corporal en los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria desde la terapia online.

La insatisfacción corporal es uno de los factores predisponentes de los trastornos de conducta alimentaria (TCA) y las distorsiones perceptivas del tamaño corporal es un criterio diagnóstico de estos. Actualmente, se han desarrollado intervenciones online para reducir los factores de riesgo de los TCA. El objetivo de este trabajo es llevar a cabo una revisión de la literatura científica sobre el tratamiento de la imagen corporal en los TCA desde la terapia online y poner de manifiesto los avances generados. Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos PsycNET, Scopus y Web of Science. La búsqueda se centró en revisar los programas de intervención para TCA con TIC en el tratamiento de la imagen corporal en TCA. Se encontraron 9 artículos cuyos resultados indican la existencia de diversos programas online como eBody Project, Student Bodies, Set Your Body Free y Healthy Body Image sobre imagen corporal. Los resultados indican, por un lado, que eBody Project y Student Bodies se asocian a una reducción significativa de síntomas de TCA y, por otro lado, Healthy Body Image y Set Your Body Free mostraron mejoras ligeramente significativas en el tratamiento de la imagen corporal para bulimia y trastorno por atracón. La investigación es escasa y presenta muchas limitaciones. Es necesario continuar investigando sobre programas de tratamiento online para la imagen corporal y los TCA ya que el uso de Internet cuenta con múltiples ventajas

Spanish adaptation of the Burden Assessment Scale in family caregivers of people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder

Bakground. Caregiving is a strong source of stress and leads the family caregiver to experience the burden of being responsible for the care of a severely mentally ill family member. The Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) assesses burden in family caregivers. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the BAS in a sample of family caregivers of people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Methods. Participants were 233 Spanish family caregivers (157 women and 76 men aged between 16-76 years old, M = 54.44, SD = 10.09) of people diagnosed with BPD. The BAS, the Multicultural Quality of Life Index, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 were used. Results. An exploratory analysis resulted in a three-factor 16-item model (Disrupted Activities; Personal and Social Dysfunction; Worry, Guilt, and Being Overwhelmed) with an excellent fit (χ²(101) = 56.873, p = 1.000, CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.000, RMSEA = .000, SRMR = .060), good internal consistency (ω = .93), a negative correlation with quality of life, and a positive correlation with anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusion. The model obtained for the BAS is a valid, reliable, and useful tool for assessing burden in family caregivers of relatives diagnosed with BPD

Secretion into Milk of the Main Metabolites of the Anthelmintic Albendazole Is Mediated by the ABCG2/BCRP Transporter

Albendazole (ABZ) is an anthelmintic with a broad-spectrum activity, widely used in human and veterinary medicine. ABZ is metabolized in all mammalian species to albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO), albendazole sulfone (ABZSO2) and albendazole 2-aminosulphone (ABZSO2-NH2). ABZSO and ABZSO2 are the main metabolites detected in plasma and all three are detected in milk. The ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) is an efflux transporter that is involved in the active secretion of several compounds into milk. Previous studies have reported that ABZSO was in vitro transported by ABCG2. The aim of this work is to correlate the in vitro interaction between ABCG2 and the other ABZ metabolites with their secretion into milk by this transporter. Using in vitro transepithelial assays with cells transduced with murine Abcg2 and human ABCG2, we show that ABZSO2 and ABZSO2-NH2 are in vitro substrates of both. In vivo assays carried out with wild-type and Abcg2−/− lactating female mice demonstrated that secretion into milk of these ABZ metabolites was mediated by Abcg2. Milk concentrations and milk-to-plasma ratio were higher in wild-type compared to Abcg2−/− mice for all the metabolites tested. We conclude that ABZ metabolites are undoubtedly in vitro substrates of ABCG2 and actively secreted into milk by ABCG2.S

Effect of dietary macronutrients on the expression of cholecystokinin, leptin, ghrelin and neuropeptide Y in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

Endocrine factors released from the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, adipose tissue and other peripheral organs mediate the regulation of food intake. Although many studies have evaluated the effect of fed-to-starved transition on the expression of appetite-related genes, little is known about how the expression of appetite-regulating peptides is regulated by the macronutrient composition of the diet. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of diet composition and nutritional status on the expression of four peptides involved in food intake control in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata): neuropeptide Y (NPY), ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and leptin. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR showed that high protein/low carbohydrate diets stimulated the expression of CCK and ghrelin in the intestine and leptin in the adipose tissue, while downregulation of ghrelin and NPY mRNA levels was observed in the brain. Opposite effects were found for the expression of the four genes in fish fed low protein/high carbohydrate diets or after long-term starvation. Our findings indicate that the expression pattern of appetite-regulating peptides, particularly CCK and ghrelin, is modulated by the nutritional status and diet composition in S. aurata

Effect of diet composition and ration size on key enzyme activities of glycolysis-gluconeogenesis, pentose phosphate pathway and amino acid metabolism in liver of Sparus aurata

The effects of diet composition and ration size on the activities of key enzymes involved in intermediary metabolism were studied in the liver of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). Highcarbohydrate, low-protein diets stimulated 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase (EC 2.7.1.11), pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44) enzyme activities, while they decreased alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) activity. A high degree of correlation was found between food ration size and the activity of the enzymes 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase, pyruvate kinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (positive correlations) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) (negative correlation). These correlations matched well with the high correlation also found between ration size and growth rate in starved fish refed for 22 d. Limited feeding (5 g/kg body weight) for 22 d decreased the activities of the key enzymes for glycolysis and lipogenesis, and alanine aminotransferase activity. The findings presented here indicate a high level of metabolic adaptation to both diet type and ration size. In particular, adaptation of enzyme activities to the consumption of a diet with a high carbohydrate level suggests that a carnivorous fish like Sparus aurata can tolerate partial replacement of protein by carbohydrate in the commercial diets supplied in culture. The relationship between enzyme activities, ration size and fish growth indicates that the enzymes quickly respond to dietary manipulations of cultured fish

Ivermectin reduces secretion of meloxicam into milk by inhibition of ABCG2 transporter in sheep

[EN] The ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) is an efflux protein involved in the bioavailability and secretion into milk of several compounds including anti- inflammatory drugs. The aim of this work was to determine the effect in sheep of an ABCG2 inhibitor, such as the macrocyclic lactone ivermectin, on the secretion into milk of meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used in veterinary medicine, and recently reported as an ABCG2 substrate in mice. In vitro meloxicam transport assays in ovine ABCG2-transduced cells have shown that meloxicam is a substrate of ovine ABCG2 and that ivermectin is an efficient inhibitor of in vitro transport of meloxicam mediated by ovine ABCG2. In addition, the role of ovine ABCG2 in secretion into milk of meloxicam was corroborated using Assaf lactating sheep coadministered with ivermectin. Animals were administered subcutaneously with meloxicam (0.5 mg/kg) with or without ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg). A significantly lower concentration of meloxicam in milk was detected when ivermectin was coadministered, revealing a major role of ABCG2 in the secretion into milk of meloxicam and a relevant drug-drug interaction affecting this process. These results will contribute to the understanding of the potential factors that modulate the transfer of anti-inflammatory drugs into milk, opening their potential use in lactating ruminants, and the effect of drug coadministration on the presence of milk residues of these compounds.S

Preventing Emotional Dysregulation: Acceptability and Preliminary Effectiveness of a DBT Skills Training Program for Adolescents in the Spanish School System

Emotional dysregulation is a key factor in the development and maintenance of multiple disabling mental disorders through a person’s lifespan. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prevent emotional dysregulation as early as possible. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training program for Emotional Problem Solving in Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) during secondary school. The sample included 93 adolescents (mean age = 12.78; SD = 0.54; and 53% female) studying in their 2nd year of secondary school in a public center in Catalonia (Spain). Measures of acceptability, difficulties of emotional regulation, mental health problems, and life satisfaction were completed before and after participation in the DBT STEPS-A program during one academic year. The majority of students rated the program as useful (64%) and enjoyed the classes (62%) and 48% of them reported practicing the newly learned skills. Statistically significant improvements were revealed in some emotional regulation-related variables, namely the number of peer problems (p = 0.003; d = 0.52) and prosocial behaviors (p < 0.001; d = −0.82). Although non-significant, the scores in the remaining outcomes indicated a general positive trend in emotional dysregulation, mental health, and life satisfaction. The adapted DBT STEPS-A was very well-accepted and helped overcome some emotional regulation difficulties in Spanish adolescents

Blended transdiagnostic group CBT for emotional disorders: a feasibility trial protocol

Emotional disorders (anxiety and depressive disorders) are a relevant public health concern associated with high prevalence, high costs, and important disability. Therefore, research priorities include designing and testing cost-effective interventions to reach everyone in need. Internet-delivered interventions for emotional disorders are effective and can help to disseminate and implement evidence-based treatments. However, although these treatments are generally effective, not all patients benefit from this treatment format equally. Blended treatments are a new form of intervention that combines the strengths of face-to-face and Internet approaches. Nevertheless, research on blended interventions has focused primarily on individual therapy, and less attention has been paid to the potential of using this format in group psychotherapy. This study aims to analyze the feasibility of blended transdiagnostic group CBT for emotional disorders. The current article describes the study protocol for this trial

Coadministration of ivermectin and abamectin affects milk pharmacokinetics of the antiparasitic clorsulon in Assaf sheep

[EN] In veterinary field, drug exposure during milk production in dairy cattle is considered a major health problem which concerns dairy consumers. The induced expression of the ABC transporter G2 (ABCG2) in the mammary gland during lactation plays a significant role in the active secretion of many compounds into milk. The main objective of this study was to determine the involvement of ABCG2 in the secretion into milk of the antiparasitic clorsulon in sheep as well as the possible effect of the coadministration of model ABCG2 inhibitors such as macrocyclic lactones on this process. Cells transduced with the ovine variant of ABCG2 were used to carry out in vitro transepithelial transport assays in which we showed that clorsulon is a substrate of the ovine transporter. In addition, ivermectin and abamectin significantly inhibited clorsulon transport mediated by ovine ABCG2. In vivo interactions were studied in Assaf sheep after coadministration of clorsulon (in DMSO, 2 mg/kg, s.c.) with ivermectin (Ivomec®, 0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) or abamectin (in DMSO, 0.2 mg/kg, s.c.). After ivermectin and abamectin treatment, no relevant statistically significant differences in plasma levels of clorsulon were reported between the experimental groups since there were no differences in the area under the plasma concentration-curve (AUC) between clorsulon treatment alone and coadministration with macrocyclic lactones. With regard to milk, total amount of clorsulon, as percentage of dose excreted, did not show statistically significant differences when macrocyclic lactones were coadministered. However, the AUC for clorsulon significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after coadministration with ivermectin (15.15 ± 3.17 μg h/mL) and abamectin (15.30 ± 3.25 μg h/mL) compared to control group (20.73 ± 4.97 μg h/mL). Moreover, milk parameters such as half- life (T1/2) and mean residence time (MRT) were significantly lower (p < 0.05) after coadministration of macrocyclic lactones. This research shows that the milk pharmacokinetics of clorsulon is affected by the coadministration of ABCG2 inhibitors, reducing drug persistence in milk.S