Possible impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on suicide behavior among patients in Southeast Serbia.

Individuals with serious mental illness are more affected by emotional reactions, including suicidal behavior due to COVID-19 and psychosocial consequences of pandemic. The current cross-sectional study aimed to explore the possible association of COVID-19 and suicidal behavior (suicide ideation and attempt) before and during pandemic-associated lockdown in Serbia. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 104 adult psychiatric inpatients admitted at Psychiatric Clinic, University Clinic Center Nis, Serbia, after ending lockdown and compared the obtained results with 181 adult psychiatric inpatients admitted during the same period in 2019 and 2018. Suicide ideation were more frequent in 2020 comparing with 2019 and 2018 (25 vs 12.5%, vs 9.41%; p < 0.05). Around 28% of patients with suicide attempts were exposed daily to the information related to COVID-19 coming from social media, while this frequency was significantly lower, only 7.55% (p < 0.1), among patients with no suicide ideation or attempts. Adjustment disorder was more frequent among patients with suicide attempts in comparison to the patients with suicide ideation (32 vs 11%), especially in patients without suicide ideation and attempts (32 vs 0%, p < 0.001). Of all studied patients with suicide attempts during 2020, 60% were not in the previous psychiatric treatment before admission.

Risk Factors and Predictive Value of Depression and Anxiety in Cervical Cancer Patients.

Background and Objectives: Women with cervical cancer may experience depression or anxiety, influencing their quality of life and even their adherence to cancer treatments. This study aimed to explore and measure the levels of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from cervical cancer and to identify the possible predictors among known risk factors such as age, cancer stage, smoking status, number of partners, use of contraceptives, and annual gynecological visits. Materials and Methods: In total, 59 patients with cervical cancer were included. A consecutive sampling method was used to select participants in this research. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Zung Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Zung Depression Scale (SDS). The subjects were divided into three groups, according to the stage of cancer. Results: Scores of depression and anxiety were increased in all recruited cervical cancer patients. A significant correlation was found between disease stage and the scores of depression (p = 0.002) and anxiety (p = 0.016). More severe depressive symptoms correlated to a more advanced stage of the disease. A multiple linear regression showed that disease stage and annual visits to the gynecologist are the risk factors associated with higher depression scores. Conclusions: Patients diagnosed with cervical cancer are a vulnerable group for the development of the psychiatric disorders and they require screening programs, which could potentially detect candidates for co-psychiatric and/or psychotherapeutic treatment. They demand particular attention because anxiety and depression are associated with the significant burden of the underlying disease and unfavorable survival rates.

A new, innovative, and safe treatment in vitiligo: Results of a randomized, double-blinded, parallel-group study.

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting around 1% of the population worldwide. No existing treatment is giving fully satisfactory results. Further investigations are welcomed for innovative and safe treatments bringing better results. This trial aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerance of various treatment protocols on vitiligo lesions. Four randomized groups of 10 patients with vitiligo covering 8% to 14% of skin surface, except hands and feet were assigned during 8 weeks to (a) UVB microphototherapy 300 to 320 nm (Bioskin-) 1 x week; (b) VITILSI- gel 2 x day; (c) VITILSI- gel 2xday + Bioskin- 1 x week; and (d) placebo 2 x day. Efficacy of the treatment was assessed by planimetry, comparing the photographs of the patients taken at baseline and after 8-week treatment. After completion of the treatment, the increase of the pigment area was 28% in G1 (Bioskin-), 19% in G2 (VITILSI-), 41% in G3 (Bioskin- + VITILSI-) and null in G4. No subject stopped the treatment and no side effect was observed. It was demonstrated that the gel under study was able per se to induce repigmentation in vitiligo lesions and that the results were significantly better when combined with NB-UVB. The protocols used in this trial resulted safe and efficient.

Mental health of medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant changes in the everyday functioning of the general population, as well as medical workers. Medical personnel, especially those in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, could have increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The objective of this study was to explore the mental health status of medical personnel in Serbia during the pandemic by assessing stress levels, symptoms of anxiety, and depression. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted as an online-based survey, in the period from 8 April to 14 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 1678 participants, and the snowball sampling technique was used to reach healthcare professionals. The level of stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed among medical personnel in Serbia by the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Beck Depression Inventory IA (BDI-IA), and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 1678 participants completed the survey, with a mean age of 40.38 ± 10.32 years, of which 1,315 (78.4%) were women, and 363 (21.6%) were men. Out of these, 684 (40.8%) participants were medical personnel, and 994 (59.2%) were people of other professions. Frontline medical personnel reported higher scores on all measurement tools than second-line medical personnel (e.g., mean PSS scores: 19.12 ± 5.66 versus 17.53 ± 5.71; p = .006; mean GAD-7 scores: 8.57 ± 6.26 versus 6.73 ± 5.76; p = .001; mean BDI-IA scores: 9.25 ± 8.26 versus 7.36 ± 7.28; p = .006). Binary logistic regression showed that the probability of developing more severe anxiety symptoms doubles in frontline medical personnel. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that frontline medical personnel is under an increased psychological burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, having higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than second-line medical personnel. Adequate measures should be taken to relieve this burden and preserve the mental health of frontline medical personnel.

Chemical and mechanical characterization of hyaluronic acid hydrogel cross-linked with polyethylen glycol and its use in dermatology.

Hydrogels based on hyaluronic acid are used to restore volume, hydration, and skin tone, as well as to correct scars, asymmetries or defects of the soft tissue. Hyaluronic acid is often chemically crosslinked with different crosslinking agents in order to improve its mechanical and biological properties. Here we focused on defining the chemical and mechanical characterization of a new hydrogel with specific characteristics: hyaluronic acid polyethylene glycol (PEG)-crosslinked with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid (28 mg/mL), manufactured by MatexLab Spa, via Carlo Urbani 2, ang Via Enrico Fermi, Brindisi, Italy. We made a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the content of sodium hyaluronate in the hydrogel after polymerization and sterilization processes and also evaluated histologically the bio integration of these hydrogels in the cutaneous soft tissues. The results suggest that hyaluronic acid hydrogel PEG-crosslinked have great bio integration, great chemical and mechanical properties, compared with other products available on the market, that are cross-linked with different cross-linking agents. The nontoxicity and nonimmunogenicity of PEG guarantee the lack of allergic and immunological reactions. The PEG-crosslinking technology guarantees a high duration time of the implanted hydrogel because of more resistant physiological degradation.

A new medical imaging technique for diagnosing dermatologic diseases: A clue to treatment choices.

Recently, it has been shown that DNA could emit some waves which carry main information about its evolution. Using this idea, we design a new method to image the behavior of skin cells, especially melanocytes, and diagnose their damage. In this method, we make use of a circuit which is formed from DNAs within the damaged melanocytes, a graphene sheet, DNAs within the healthy cells, and a scope. To amplify exchanged waves between hexagonal and pentagonal manifolds of DNAs, we induce some defects in the graphene sheets and replace some hexagonal molecules by pentagonal ones to build a structure similar to the structure of DNAs. We show that unprotected exposure to UVA and UVB damages the DNA in melanocyte cells, producing genetic defects, or mutations, that can lead to exchanged waves between cells and the emergence of a current in our circuit. By analyzing the evolution of this current, we can estimate the rate of destruction in melanocytes, and predict the emergence of cancer.

5-Alpha reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia: Shifting paradigms, current concepts, comparative efficacy, and safety.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a multifactorial disease that carries a significant psychological burden with it. Dihydrotestosterone, the main pathogenic androgen in AGA, is produced by conversion of testosterone, which is catalyzed by the 5-alpha reductase (5-AR) isoenzyme family. Finasteride and dutasteride are inhibitors of these enzymes. Finasteride, which is a single receptor 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (5-ARI), acts by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dutasteride, a dual receptor DHT blocker, has a higher potency than its predecessor, finasteride. This review corroborates the evidence of superiority of dutasteride over finasteride, and its comparable safety profile concerning fertility, teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity.

Remodeling of collagen constituting interlobular septa of subcutaneous adipose tissue following microwaves application.

In this study, the application of a recently introduced device based on electromagnetic energy transfer by microwaves for fat reduction, permitted to study specifically the modifications of thick fibrous collagen interlobular septa in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, related to the formation of large clusters of adipocytes. The use of Picrosirius red staining associated with circularly polarized microscopy gave evidence of appreciable modifications of the fibrous connective tissue forming septa. Compact fibrotic bundles of collagen I forming interlobular septa appeared reduced or dissolved, in part substituted by the increase of more diffuse and finely reticular collagen III. Remodeling of fibrous collagen, which formed bridles involved in the appearance at the surface of the skin of dimpling/orange peer pattern typical of cellulite, was observed.