Experiences of patients with chronic low back pain plus comorbid depressive symptoms in a videoconference group acceptance and commitment therapy or behavioral activation treatment for depression: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To explore the experiences of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) plus comorbid depressive symptoms who received a remote synchronous videoconference group form of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD). METHODS: A qualitative study (IMPACT-Q) was nested within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to assess the efficacy and the cost-utility/cost-effectiveness of two therapies in the management of CLBP and depression. Fifty-five patients with CLBP plus depression were selected from the RCT. Twelve focus group sessions, each approximately 60-90 min long, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by six coders through a thematic analysis (deductive and inductive) based on a descriptive phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Patients perceived behavioral, affective, and cognitive improvements after completing group sessions. Overall, psychotherapy was perceived as a safe and non-judgmental place to express emotions and feel understood. The main barriers reported were lack of human contact and loss of social interaction. In contrast, ease of access, flexibility in the ability to connect from anywhere, avoidance of the need to travel, and savings in time and money were key facilitators to increase attendance and adherence to therapy. CONCLUSION: This study provided support for the acceptability of videoconference-delivered ACT or BATD in patients with CLBP plus comorbid depressive symptoms.

Overall, patients reported behavioral, affective, and cognitive improvements after Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression group sessions.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression delivered via videoconference platform were perceived as a facilitator for therapy attendance rather than a barrier.The findings indicate that group therapy on videoconferencing is perceived favorably as an alternative for managing patients with chronic pain and comorbid depression.Technical and social aspects of implementing videoconferencing therapies should be improved, as well as guidelines for adequate support for patients and therapists should also be provided.

Matrix-iron interactions in carbon-embedded iron oxide nanoparticles.

This study deals with the interaction between iron oxide nanoparticles and a carbon-rich source (pitch) during the carbonization process, resulting in a carbon material of high added value. The iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by different procedures in order to obtain Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 with different particle sizes. The results show that the presence of iron oxide modifies the thermal behaviour of the pitch, especially in the temperature range of 400-500 degrees C when the pre-graphitic order in the carbon matrix is formed. The crystalline microstructure of the materials changes from domains to mosaics when iron oxide is added. The oxidation state of the iron is also modified during carbonization due to the presence of the carbon.

Preparation of low toxicity pitches by thermal oxidative condensation of anthracene oil.

This article describes a novel industrial procedure for producing new pitches of low toxicity from anthracene oil, a byproduct of coal tar distillation. The procedure involves oxidative treatment in order to polymerize and condense the anthracene oil components followed by thermal treatment and distillation in order to obtain a pitch with the desired parameters. This sequence (oxidative treatment/thermal treatment/distillation) was repeated four times under reaction conditions of increasing severity in four cycles of anthracene oil processing to obtain the four pitches. The pitches had similar characteristics to those of standard binder coal tar pitches (e.g., softening point and wetting capacity). Because of the inherent composition of the parent anthracene oil, the pitches were found to be totally free of solid particles, i.e., primary quinoline insolubles and metals. The gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy results revealed a consecutive decrease in toxicity with successive cycles of anthracene oil processing. Thus, the benzo[a]pyrene content decreased from 11.2 mg/g for the pitch in cycle one to 1.5 mg/g for the pitch with four processing cycles. The carcinogenicity of the pitches, evaluated on the basis of benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalency factors, also followed the same tendency. The final carcinogenity values are nearly all lower than those of standard binder coal tar pitches.