Set and setting predict psychopathology, wellbeing and meaningfulness of psychedelic experiences: a correlational study.

BACKGROUND: In psychedelic therapy, the importance of set and setting is a fundamental but under-researched assumption. The aim of this study is to correlate variables of set (psychedelic use motivation) and setting (psychedelic use location and type of companion) with psychopathology, wellbeing and personality variables. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A sample of 1022 participants of the Spanish-speaking population was collected through an online survey. A novel instrument, the Psychedelic Use Scale (PUS), was developed to measure substance use variables of LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, DMT, 5-Meo-DMT, ketamine, Salvia divinorum, ibogaine and MDMA. Various personality, well-being and psychopathology instruments were implemented to measure outcome variables. RESULTS: Growth motivations, natural settings and presence of significant others predicted less psychopathology, greater wellbeing and meaningfulness of psychedelic experiences, whereas problematic motivations predicted greater psychopathology, lower wellbeing and did not predict meaningfulness of psychedelic experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, we suggest experimental hypotheses for future clinical trials and longitudinal studies with potential clinical implications.

Aggregative Behaviour of Spiny Butterfly Rays (Gymnura altavela, Linnaeus, 1758) in the Shallow Coastal Zones of Gran Canaria in the Eastern Central Atlantic.

The presence of spiny butterfly rays, Gymnura altavela, in waters less than 20 m deep off the Canary Islands shows marked seasonality, with relatively high abundances in the summer and autumn. Large aggregations of sometimes hundreds of individuals, primarily females, appear in specific shallow areas of the archipelago and seem to be associated with the seasonal variation in water temperature. This seasonal pattern of presence or absence in shallow areas suggests that spiny butterfly rays migrate into deeper waters or other unknown areas during the rest of the year. G. altavela shows sexual dimorphism; in our study, females were larger and more abundant than males, with a sex ratio of 1:18.9. The species' estimated asymptotic length, L∞, was 183.75 cm and thus close to the common length reported for the species (200 cm). The von Bertalanffy growth constant (k) oscillated between 0.210 and 0.310 year-1, as similarly described for the species in the Western North Atlantic off the U.S. coast. From June to November, the seawater temperature oscillated between 19 and 24 °C, and massive aggregations of females occurred at 22-24 °C and in a few specific sandy beaches on the islands. Spiny butterfly rays, mostly females, show a preference for aggregating in shallow waters during summertime, probably conditionate to mating or breeding behaviour.

Mindfulness Prevents Depression and Psychopathology in Elderly People with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: This longitudinal study addressed whether mindfulness practice prevents psychological and behavioral symptoms, especially mood disorders, in Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of depression in the course of AD and to determine which non-pharmacological treatment (NPT) is most effective in preventing psychopathological symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal, non-inferiority and equivalence randomized clinical trial, repeated-measures design, with a control group and three experimental treatments: mindfulness, cognitive stimulation, and relaxation. Each experimental group performed three weekly sessions for two years. The pharmacological treatment of all participants was donepezil (10 mg). Participants were patients with probable AD without diagnosed depression from the public neurology services of the Canary Health Service, Spain. Psychological evaluation was performed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). The statistical analysis included only patients who attended at least 75% of the sessions. A nonparametric, repeated-measures analysis was performed with Kruskal-Wallis H test and between-group differences with Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.008). Effect size was calculated with partial eta-squared. RESULTS: The results showed significant differences with large effect sizes (η2p>0.14) between mindfulness and the rest of the experimental groups as well as the control in the GDS, HDRS, and NPI-Q scales. CONCLUSION: Compared to the other experimental groups, only mindfulness prevented the onset of depression and other psychopathologies in early-stage AD. Based on its effectiveness in maintaining cognitive functions and preventing psychopathology, we recommend mindfulness as the first-choice NPT for mild to moderate AD.

Preliminary assessment of the impact of Covid-19 Pandemic in the small-scale and recreational fisheries of the Canary Islands.

Covid-19 pandemic has affected worldwide in many different ways. Fisheries around the world are not an exception due to the long-term isolation and the non-activities period suffered. To do an evaluation of its impact on the fishing sectors in the Canary Islands, 87 online and phone questionnaires were carried out between July and September 2020, conducting the interviews to artisanal fishermen, fishmongers, recreational charter boats fishermen and tackle shops along the archipelago. Both, the artisanal and recreational fishing sectors have been affected by this pandemic, but in an unequal manner. The drop of the demand of fresh fishing products in the islands markets due to the closure of hotels, restaurants and other services, and the highly significant decreasing in the number of tourists, provoked an estimated income loss for the artisanal fishermen about the 40% on average, but the majority of vessels continued their activities during the pandemic, with very limited effects on direct employment. However, the fishmonger's activity apparently was not affected and increased their monthly income in relation to the previous year. Likewise, the infeasibility of fishing charter companies due to the great reduction in the number of tourists contrasted with the significant increase in the number of recreational fishing licenses immediately after the confinement ended. Even though that fishing tackle shops increased sales by over 60% in relation to the similar period of the year before, only 4.4% of these shops declared not to have had economic losses.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios as markers of erythropoietin resistance in chronic haemodialysis patients: a multicentre cross-sectional study. / Índices plaquetas-linfocito y neutrófilo-linfocito como marcadores de resistencia a la eritropoyetina en pacientes en hemodiálisis crónica: estudio transversal-multicéntrico.

INTRODUCTION: The platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratios are emerging markers of inflammation. Erythropoietin resistance is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease and is influenced by inflammation, among other factors. Therefore, it would be reasonable to expect a relationship between these markers and erythropoietin resistance. METHODS: Multicentre cross-sectional study. The records of the haemodialysis sessions of 534 patients belonging to four of our dialysis centres were studied. 137 patients were excluded, so the final number of patients studied was 397. NLR, PLR and the erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) were calculated. RESULTS: The ERI was divided into quartiles and compared with the mean NLR and PLR of the four groups, with these differences being statistically significant (p=0.00058). In the regression analysis, the NLR value was able to predict ERI significantly (p<0.0001) (R2=0.029). The PLR value also predicted ERI significantly (p<0.0001) (R2=0.103). The ability of PLR to predict erythropoietin resistance was measured with the area under the ROC curve (AUC=0.681) (95% CI, 0.541-0.821). A PLR cut-off point of 125.5 would result in a sensitivity of 80.95% and 42.82% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Both PLR and NLR could be considered acceptable markers of erythropoietin resistance. The PLR was a better predictor for the ERI than the NLR.

Distribution and health risk assessment of cadmium, lead, and mercury in freshwater fish from the right bank of Senegal River in Mauritania.

Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) and Oreochromis niloticus (Tilapia fish) from the right North bank of the Senegal River in Mauritania (Rosso, Boghé, and Kaédi) were sampled during 1-year monitoring and tested for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) levels. Fishing from the Senegal River is an essential source of food for the local population and these two species are the most common. Muscle presents higher Hg concentrations than liver and gills for both species. Gill Hg concentrations from Kaédi are higher than Boghé and Rosso for both species. The Cd levels measured in gills were low in the different locations and revealed high variation throughout the 1-year study. No significant differences were observed between concentrations of Cd in Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus parts. Statistical treatment did not show a considerable variation of Pb concentration between the different parts, revealing lower levels in gills from Boghé than the ones from Kaédi and Rosso. The associated human health risk was calculated from the concentration levels using the target hazard quotient (THQ) approach. Even though all the THQ values and the hazard index were lower than 1 for the determined trace metals when the exposure frequency was not greater than three times a week, eating frequency in the studied locations sometimes is greater than five, thus posing a health risk, especially at Kaédi and Boghé.

Historical photographs of captures of recreational fishers indicate overexploitation of nearshore resources at an oceanic island.

In this study, we used a historical collection of photographs taken by recreational fishers from 1940 to 2014, at the island of Gran Canaria, to show both a significant decrease in the mean total length of Epinephelus marginatus and a concurrent change in the composition of captures. Before 1980, the mean total length of fish caught and photographed was c. 100 cm, while after 2009 this was typically < 40 cm. Before 1980, the predominant captured species was E. marginatus (an apex predator), but currently the majority of catches are of omnivorous species, in particular the parrotfish, Sparisoma cretense and seabreams Diplodus spp. Overall, integration of these results indicates a qualitative and quantitative variation in captures of recreational fishers, probably as a sign of change in ecological balances and the overfished status of many target species.

Diagnostic Usefulness of the Protein Energy Wasting Score in Prevalent Hemodialysis Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether the score proposed by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism to define the protein energy wasting (PEW) syndrome has diagnostic validity in patients undergoing dialysis. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 468 prevalent hemodialysis patients from Canary Islands, Spain. Individual PEW syndrome criteria and the number of PEW syndrome categories were related to other objective markers of PEW using linear and logistic regression analyses: subjective global assessment, handgrip strength, bioimpedance-assessed body composition, and levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. RESULTS: Study participants (34% women) had a median age of 66 years, 37 months of maintenance dialysis, and 50% were diabetics. About 23% of patients had PEW (≥3 PEW categories), and 68% were at risk of PEW (1-2 PEW categories). Low prealbumin was the most frequently found derangement (52% of cases), followed by low albumin (46%), and low protein intake (35%). Across higher number of PEW syndrome categories, patients showed a longer dialysis vintage and had lower creatinine, triglycerides, and transferrin (P for trend <.001 for all). All nutritional assessments not included in the PEW definition worsened across higher number of PEW categories. In multivariable regression analyses, there was a linear inverse relationship between muscle and fat mass as well as handgrip strength with the number of PEW syndrome categories. Likewise, the proportion of subjective global assessment-defined malnutrition and serum concentration of C-reactive protein gradually increased despite adjustment for confounders (P for trend <.05 for all). CONCLUSION: The PEW score reflects systemic inflammation, malnutrition and wasting among dialysis patients and may thus be used for diagnostic purposes.

Is HLA the cause of the high incidence of type 1 diabetes in the Canary Islands? Results from the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC).

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Canary Islands is the highest reported so far in Spain, and among the highest worldwide. The HLA region accounts for approximately half the genetic risk of type 1 diabetes. Our aim was to assess distribution of high-risk and protective HLA haplotypes in the Canarian families included in the T1DGC, as compared to the rest of Spain. METHODS: The T1DGC study, an international project to study the genetics and pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, enrolled more than 3000 families with type 1 diabetes worldwide. Spain provided 149 of these families, of whom 42 were from Tenerife and Gran Canaria. HLA was genotyped centrally using a PCR-based, sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe system. Haplotypes were reconstructed using the deterministic algorithm alleHap in the R programming environment. Based on prior T1DGC results in Caucasian population, haplotypes DRB1*0405-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302, DRB1*0401-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302, DRB1*0301-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201, DRB1*0402-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 and DRB1*0404-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 were considered high-risk. DRB1*0701-DQA1*0201-DQB1*0303, DRB1*1401-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0503, DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602, DRB1*1101-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301, DRB1*1104-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301, DRB1*1303-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301, DRB1*1301-DQA1*0103-DQB1*0603 and DRB1*0403-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 were considered protective. The distribution of protective, high-risk, and other haplotypes in the (first two) affected siblings and unaffected parents from Canarian and non-Canarian Spanish families was compared (Chi-square test). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the regions in distribution of the HLA haplotypes in the affected siblings or in the non-affected parents. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes in the Canarian population does not appear to be explained by a greater prevalence of high-risk class II HLA haplotypes in families with the disease. However, sample size limits the differences that can be detected in this study.

[Mindfulness-based stimulation in advanced Alzheimer's disease: A comparative, non-inferiority, clinical pilot study]. / Estimulación basada en mindfulness en la enfermedad de Alzheimer avanzada: ensayo clínico piloto comparativo de equivalencia.

INTRODUCTION: A longitudinal study was conducted in order to analyze the feasibility, safety, and effects of the practice of mindfulness, relaxation and cognitive stimulation on the evolution of Alzheimer's disease, with the aim of testing the equivalence of these interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were a total of 168 participants with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) treated with donepezil. In the present article, the 21 participants with advanced AD who completed a follow-up period of 24 months are presented. The participants were grouped into three experimental groups (mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive stimulation) and one control group. Each group carried out three weekly sessions with bi-annual follow-up measurements (cognition: CAMCOG and MMSE; functionality: RDRS; psychopathology: NPI). Non-parametric analyses were performed. RESULTS: The cognitive function and functionality scores showed no significant differences between the groups. However, the scores in cognitive function of the mindfulness group and the cognitive stimulation group did not decrease in an intra-group analysis. In NPI, there were significant differences between the mindfulness group and the control group by the end of the study (P<.017). CONCLUSION: The data showed that the treatment with donepezil in combination with mindfulness or cognitive stimulation presented a better clinical evolution than the pharmacological treatment alone or combined with relaxation. These data suggest that these therapeutic alternatives should be investigated further, and that the non-pharmacological treatments should be recommended in clinical practice in order to control the evolution of AD in the long term. In order to confirm these findings, a larger study is necessary.

Probabilistic risk assessment of common booster biocides in surface waters of the harbours of Gran Canaria (Spain).

The presence of booster biocides in the aquatic environment has been associated with a risk to non-target species due to their proven toxicity. The aim of the present study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of common booster biocides in different harbours of the island of Gran Canaria (Spain) and evaluate, by means of a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), the ecological risk posed by these compounds. With these objectives, a monitoring campaign was conducted between January 2008 and May 2009, collecting a total of 182 seawater samples. Four common booster biocides (TCMTB, diuron, Irgarol 1051 and dichlofluanid) were monitored. Diuron levels ranged between 2.3 and 203 ng/L and Irgarol 1051 between 2.4 and 146.5 ng/L. The ecological risk associated with these levels was always low, however, with probabilities of exceeding the 10th percentile of autotroph toxicity below 3.5%.