[Psychotherapeutic consultation at work: associations between company size and psychosomatic health].

Background: The utilization of psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A) has so far been investigated in large enterprises (LEs). These differ structurally from small(est) and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Differences in the user profiles of a PT‑A with regard to psychosomatic health, work-related self-efficacy, and work ability depending on company size have hardly been investigated.

[Implementation of psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A): expectations, announcement, and use : Results of the friaa-study].

Introduction: Psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A) offers easily accessible, short-term support for employees experiencing psychological stress. The aim of the study was to evaluate aspects of the implementation regarding announcement, access, and use of the PT‑A.

Methods: The study was conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) called "Early Intervention in the Workplace".

Matrine and Oxymatrine: evaluating the gene mutation potential using in silico tools and the bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test).

The quinolizidine alkaloids matrine and its N-oxide oxymatrine occur in plants of the genus Sophora. Recently, matrine was sporadically detected in liquorice products. Morphological similarity of the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra with Sophora species and resulting confusion during harvesting may explain this contamination, but use of matrine as pesticide has also been reported.

Genotoxicity assessment: opportunities, challenges and perspectives for quantitative evaluations of dose-response data.

Genotoxicity data are mainly interpreted in a qualitative way, which typically results in a binary classification of chemical entities. For more than a decade, there has been a discussion about the need for a paradigm shift in this regard. Here, we review current opportunities, challenges and perspectives for a more quantitative approach to genotoxicity assessment.

Use of transcriptomics in hazard identification and next generation risk assessment: A case study with clothianidin.

Toxicological risk assessment is essential in the evaluation and authorization of different classes of chemical substances. Genotoxicity and mutagenicity testing are of highest priority and rely on established in vitro systems with bacterial and mammalian cells, sometimes followed by in vivo testing using rodent animal models. Transcriptomic approaches have recently also shown their value to determine transcript signatures specific for genotoxicity.

First onset of treatment of patients with eating disorders and treatment course: Results of data from a German health insurance company.

Objective: This study examines, inpatient treatment costs, and typical treatment courses of patients with an eating disorder using secondary data.

Method: The data were provided by a German health insurance company (data from 4.2 million members from 2004 to 2010; corresponds to a market share of 6% of all statutorily insured persons in Germany).

Alkenylbenzenes in Foods: Aspects Impeding the Evaluation of Adverse Health Effects.

Alkenylbenzenes are naturally occurring secondary plant metabolites, primarily present in different herbs and spices, such as basil or fennel seeds. Thus, alkenylbenzenes, such as safrole, methyleugenol, and estragole, can be found in different foods, whenever these herbs and spices (or extracts thereof) are used for food production. In particular, essential oils or other food products derived from the aforementioned herbs and spices, such as basil-containing pesto or plant food supplements, are often characterized by a high content of alkenylbenzenes.

[Providing Rapid Help for Mental Strain at the Workplace: Psychosomatic Consultation in the Workplace].

Background: Psychosomatic consultation in the workplace (PSIW) is an offer for employees who are under mental and psychosomatic strain. Core elements are early diagnosis and short-term psychotherapy with the aim of improving the care for mentally stressed employees. This article provides a characterization of patients and presents initial data on the effects of short-term psychotherapy.

Early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation of employees with common mental disorders by using psychotherapeutic consultation at work: study protocol of a randomised controlled multicentre trial (friaa project).

Background: Common mental disorders are one of the leading causes for sickness absence and early retirement due to reduced health. Furthermore, a treatment gap for common mental disorders has been described worldwide. Within this study, psychotherapeutic consultation at work defined as a tailored, module-based and work-related psychotherapeutic intervention will be applied to improve mental health care.

Parasitism in Gambusia affinis: Fitness Effects in an Incipient Matrotroph.

Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish) serves as a host for a variety of larval and adult parasites. Gambusia affinis is also an incipient matrotroph, exhibiting adjustments in post-fertilization provisioning to some offspring within a brood using recently acquired resources. Nutrient transfer to embryos is expected to limit the loss of embryo mass during development resulting in larger offspring.

(Q)SAR tools for the prediction of mutagenic properties: Are they ready for application in pesticide regulation?

The assessment of human health risks resulting from the presence of metabolites in groundwater and food residues has become an important element in pesticide authorisation. In this context, the evaluation of mutagenicity is of particular interest and a paradigm shift from exposure-triggered testing to in silico-based screening has been recommended in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Guidance on the establishment of the residue definition for dietary risk assessment. In addition, it is proposed to apply in silico predictions when experimental mutagenicity testing is not possible due to a lack of sufficient quantities of the pesticide metabolite.

Variation in Helminth Parasite Component Communities of Gambusia affinis.

In north-central Texas streams, seasonal changes in ambient temperature and rainfall result in dynamic variation in microhabitat structure, affecting the distribution and abundance of hosts. Since the complex life cycles of parasites require the presence and interaction of multiple hosts, the seasonal variations in microhabitats could influence parasite component communities within these ecosystems. Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish) serves as a host for a variety of larval and adult parasites.

Methyleugenol DNA adducts in human liver are associated with SULT1A1 copy number variations and expression levels.

Methyleugenol is a rodent hepatocarcinogen occurring in many herbs and spices as well as essential oils used for flavoring. Following metabolic activation by cytochromes P450 (CYPs) and sulfotransferases (SULTs), methyleugenol can form DNA adducts. Previously, we showed that DNA adduct formation by methyleugenol in mouse liver is dependent on SULT1A1 expression and that methyleugenol DNA adducts are abundant in human liver specimens.

Microhabitat Selection and Eyefluke Infection Levels in the Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis).

Several trematode species infect the eyes of fish as second intermediate hosts. In most cases the definitive host is a piscivorous bird. Studies of a few species have shown an increase in transmission due to decreased visual acuity of the fish host.

Simultaneous detection of multiple DNA adducts in human lung samples by isotope-dilution UPLC-MS/MS.

Recent studies have demonstrated that various DNA adducts can be detected in human tissues and fluids using liquid chromatography connected to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). However, the utility of a single DNA adduct as a biomarker in risk assessment is debatable because humans are exposed to many genotoxicants. We established a method to measure DNA adducts derived from 16 ubiquitous genotoxicants and developed an analytical technique for their simultaneous quantification by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS.

Formation of hepatic DNA adducts by methyleugenol in mouse models: drastic decrease by Sult1a1 knockout and strong increase by transgenic human SULT1A1/2.

Methyleugenol--a natural constituent of herbs and spices--is hepatocarcinogenic in rodent models. It can form DNA adducts after side-chain hydroxylation and sulfation. We previously demonstrated that human sulfotransferases (SULTs) 1A1 and 1A2 as well as mouse Sult1a1, expressed in Salmonella target strains, are able to activate 1'-hydroxymethyleugenol (1'-OH-ME) and 3'-hydroxymethylisoeugenol (3'-OH-MIE) to mutagens.

Abundance of DNA adducts of methyleugenol, a rodent hepatocarcinogen, in human liver samples.

Methyleugenol is a genotoxic carcinogen in mice and rats, the liver being the primary target tissue. Methyleugenol occurs in fennel and many herbs and spices. Furthermore, methyleugenol-containing plant extracts and chemically prepared methyleugenol are used as flavoring agents.

Optimized enzymatic hydrolysis of DNA for LC-MS/MS analyses of adducts of 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate and methyleugenol.

Mass spectrometric analyses of DNA adducts usually require enzymatic digestion of the DNA to nucleosides. The digestive enzymes used in our laboratory included a calf spleen phosphodiesterase, whose marketing was stopped recently. Using DNA adducted with bioactivated methyleugenol and 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate-each forming dA and dG adducts-we demonstrate that replacement of calf spleen phosphodiesterase (Merck) with bovine spleen phosphodiesterase (Sigma-Aldrich) leads to unchanged results.

Inter-rater reliability of the ICPC-2 in a German general practice setting.

Questions: Three- and four-digit International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) is not a reliable classification system in primary care. The reliability of the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2) as an alternative coding system has not yet been investigated in a German general practice setting.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected during a one year period in a general practice setting.

Metabolism of methyleugenol in liver microsomes and primary hepatocytes: pattern of metabolites, cytotoxicity, and DNA-adduct formation.

Methyleugenol (1) is a constituent of many foods, in particular of herbal spices, and is used as flavoring agent in foodstuffs and as fragrance in cosmetics. 1 has been found to be carcinogenic in rodents, its metabolite, 1-hydroxymethyleugenol (2) acting as proximate DNA-binding carcinogen. We incubated 1 with liver microsomes of rat, bovine, and human origin.

Primary care research - trade-off between representativeness and response rate of GP teachers for undergraduates.

Principles: Low response rates are common in primary care research. Our study examines the representativeness of respondents in a survey among general practitioners (GPs). One special aim was to evaluate the representativeness of the subgroup of GP teachers for undergraduates (GPTUs) and to investigate the option of a panel of GPTUs.

Dyspnea as the reason for encounter in general practice.

Background: Dyspnea is a common reason for consulting a physician. Data from the primary care setting on the epidemiology, management, and underlying causes of dyspnea have seldomly been published. The present study is aimed to explore the consultation prevalence of dyspnea, frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, accompanying symptoms and results of encounter or diagnoses of patients with dyspnea in a day-to-day primary care setting.

Pruritus as reason for encounter in general practice.

Background: Pruritus is a common reason for consulting the general practitioner. Data from a primary care setting have seldom been published. The goal of the recent investigation was to characterize the consultation prevalence of pruritus, frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, accompanying symptoms and results of encounter or diagnoses of patients with pruritus.

Identification of human and murine sulfotransferases able to activate hydroxylated metabolites of methyleugenol to mutagens in Salmonella typhimurium and detection of associated DNA adducts using UPLC-MS/MS methods.

Methyleugenol, a secondary metabolite present in many herbal spices, is carcinogenic in various tissues of mice and rats but negative in standard in vitro mutagenicity tests. Several observations indicate that hydroxylation followed by sulfation is an important activation pathway in the carcinogenicity and DNA adduct formation by methyleugenol and other alkenylbenzenes in animal models. However, sulfation is not taken into account in standard in vitro tests.

Migration as an escape from parasitism in New Zealand galaxiid fishes.

Parasite avoidance is increasingly considered to be a potential driving factor in animal migrations. In many marine and freshwater benthic fish, migration into a pelagic environment by developing larvae is a common life history trait that could reduce exposure to parasites during a critical window of developmental susceptibility. We tested this hypothesis on congeneric fish (family Galaxiidae, genus Galaxias) belonging to a closely related species complex sampled from coastal streams in southeastern New Zealand.