Comparative features between recombinant lipases CALA-like from U. maydis and CALA from C. antarctica in thermal stability and selectivity.

OBJECTIVES: Ustilago maydis lipase A (UMLA) expressed in Pichia pastoris was compared with Candida antarctica lipase A (CALA) to study its biochemical properties such as thermostability and selectivity. RESULTS: UMLA had similar behavior to its homologue CALA regarding the effect of pH and temperature on enzymatic activity, substrate preference and selectivity. Both lipases were active on insoluble triglycerides as well as natural oils and hydrolyzed preferably esters with short and medium acyl and alkyl chains. Both enzymes were slightly selective for the (S)-glycidyl butyrate enantiomer and had a remarkable preference for the sn-2 position of triglycerides. The optimal activity was 40 and 50 °C for UMLA and CALA, respectively. However, temperature had a greater effect on the stability of UMLA compared to CALA, observing a half-life at 50 °C of 2.07 h and 12.83 h, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: UMLA shares some biochemical properties with CALA such as the sn-2 preference on triglyceride hydrolysis and transesterification. However, the high thermostability attributed to CALA was not observed in UMLA; this can be due to the lack of stabilization via AXXXA motifs in helices and fewer proline residues at the surface.

Maladaptive Consequences of Mental Intrusions with Obsessive, Dysmorphic, Hypochondriac, and Eating-disorders Related Contents: Cross-cultural Differences.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Unwanted mental intrusions (UMIs) with contents related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), and Eating Disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent, independently of the cultural and/or social context. Cognitive-behavioral explanations for these disorders postulates that the escalation from common UMIs to clinically relevant symptoms depends on the maladaptive consequences (i.e., emotions, appraisals, and control strategies) of experiencing UMIs. This study examines, from a cross-cultural perspective, the cognitive-behavioral postulates of the maladaptive consequences of having UMIs. METHOD: Non-clinical 1,473 participants from Europe, the Middle-East, and South America completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts to assess the maladaptive consequences of experiencing highly disturbing OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs-related UMIs. RESULTS: Findings revealed main effects for both the country and the consequences associated with the four UMI contents. Interaction effects between the consequences of each UMI content and the sample location were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive-Behavioral models for OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs should be implemented along with socio-cultural variables that increase the understanding of the role of these variables in the phenomenology of UMIs and their associated consequences.

INTRODUCCIÓN/OBJETIVO: Las intrusiones mentales no deseadas (IM) de contenidos relacionados con el Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC), el Trastorno Dismórfico Corporal (TDC), la Ansiedad por la Enfermedad (AE), y los Trastornos Alimentarios (TAs) son muy prevalentes, independientemente de la cultura y/o el contexto social. Las explicaciones cognitivo-conductuales de esos trastornos postulan que la escalada de IM normales a síntomas clínicamente relevantes depende de las consecuencias desadaptativas (i.e., emociones, valoraciones y estrategias de control) de las IM. Este estudio examina los planteamientos sobre dichas consecuencias desde una perspectiva transcultural. MÉTODO: 1.473 participantes de Europa, Oriente Medio y Suramérica completaron el Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Desagradables para evaluar las consecuencias desadaptativas de experimentar IM muy molestas con contenidos de TOC, TDC, AE y TAs. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron efectos principales tanto para el país como para las consecuencias asociadas con los cuatro contenidos de IM, así como efectos de interacción entre las consecuencias de cada modalidad de IM y la localización de la muestra. CONCLUSIONES: Los modelos cognitivo-conductuales sobre el TOC, el TDC, la AE y los TAs deben complementarse con variables socioculturales que aumenten la comprensión del papel de esas variables en la fenomenología de las IM y sus consecuencias asociadas.

Suicide Presentations to an Emergency Department Pre and During the COVID Lockdown, March-May 2020, in Spain.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown may affect suicide risk and behavior. We compared suicide-related presentations during the national quarantine with pre-COVID data. This observational incidence study compared all suicide-related presentations at the University Hospital Reina Sofia emergency department (ED) in Cordoba, Spain, for the lockdown period from 15 March to 15 May 2020, with the same period in 2019. Descriptive and inferential analyses of case characteristics between 2019 and 2020 periods were conducted, and a multivariable logistic regression model developed. Results: Despite a decrease in overall ED cases during the lockdown, the number of suicide-related presentations stayed the same and represented a significantly larger proportion of cases in comparison to the pre-COVID period (0.42 vs. 0.87%, in 2019 and 2020, respectively; p < .001). The number presenting alone more than doubled during the COVID lockdown, increasing to 42.9% compared with 19.4% in 2019 (p = .002). An increase in presentations with a family history of suicide was also found. Conclusions: Suicide cases represented an increased proportion of ED cases during the lockdown. Presenting to ED alone, having a family history of suicide, habitual drug consumption, and hospital admission to ICU differentiated cases between pre and during COVID periods. These findings should be considered in light of the second wave and further implementation of lockdown measures.

The cross-cultural and transdiagnostic nature of unwanted mental intrusions.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Unwanted mental intrusions (UMIs), typically discussed in relation to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), are highly prevalent, regardless of the specific nationality, religion, and/or cultural context. Studies have also shown that UMIs related to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Illness anxiety/Hypochondriasis (IA-H), and Eating Disorders (EDs) are commonly experienced. However, the influence of culture on these UMIs and their transdiagnostic nature has not been investigated. METHOD: Participants were 1,473 non-clinical individuals from seven countries in Europe, the Middle-East, and South America. All the subjects completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts, which assesses the occurrence and discomfort of four UMI contents related to OCD, BDD, IA-H, and EDs, and symptom questionnaires on the four disorders. RESULTS: Overall, 64% of the total sample reported having experienced the four UMIs. The EDs intrusions were the most frequently experienced, whereas hypochondriacal intrusions were the least frequent but the most disturbing. All the UMIs were significantly related to each other in frequency and disturbance, and all of them were associated with clinical measures of OCD, BDD, IA-H, and EDs. CONCLUSIONS: UMIs are a common phenomenon across different cultural contexts and operate transdiagnostically across clinically different disorders.

INTRODUCCIÓN/OBJETIVO: Las intrusiones mentales no deseadas (IM), clásicamente estudiadas en relación con el trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC), tienen una prevalencia elevada independientemente de la nacionalidad, religión, y/o el contexto cultural. Las investigaciones muestran que también es habitual experimentar IM sobre contenidos relacionados con el trastorno dismórfico corporal (TDC), la ansiedad por la enfermedad/hipocondría (AE-H) y los trastornos alimentarios (TCA). Sin embargo, la influencia de la cultura sobre estas IM y su naturaleza transdiagnóstica no se han investigado. MÉTODO: Participaron 1.473 personas de siete países de Europa, Oriente Medio y Suramérica. Todas completaron el Cuestionario de Pensamientos Intrusos Desagradables, que evalúa la ocurrencia y malestar asociados a cuatro contenidos de IM relacionados con TOC, TDC, AE-H y TCA, y cuestionarios sobre síntomas de los cuatro trastornos. RESULTADOS: El 64% de la muestra total había experimentado las cuatro modalidades de IM. Las IM-TCA fueron las más frecuentes y las hipocondríacas las menos, pero las más molestas. Todas las IM mantuvieron relaciones entre sí, tanto en frecuencia como en molestia, y todas se asociaron con las medidas clínicas de TOC, TDC, AE-H y TCA. CONCLUSIONES: Las IM son una experiencia habitual en diferentes contextos culturales y operan de modo transdiagnóstico en trastornos clínicamente distintos.

Benefit Finding in Cardiac Patients: Relationships with Emotional Well-Being and Resources after Controlling for Physical Functional Impairment.

Benefit finding (BF) is defined as the individual's perception of positive change as a result of coping with an adverse life event. The beneficial effects of BF on well-being could be because BF favors the improvement of resources like self-efficacy, social support and effective coping. The main objective of this longitudinal 8 week study was to explore, in a sample of cardiac patients (n = 51), the combined contribution of BF and these resources to the positive affect. Moreover, we wanted to check whether these resources were derived from BF or, on the contrary, these resources were antecedents of BF. Results showed that after controlling for functional capacity, only effective coping could predict the positive affect at Time 1 (ß = .32, p < .05), while the BF predicted it at Time 2 (ß = .23, p < .001). Only social support predicted BF (ß = .26, p < .05), but not the opposite. We discussed the desirability of promoting these processes to improve the emotional state of cardiac patients.

A retrospective analysis of myelodysplastic syndromes with thrombocytosis: reclassification of the cases by WHO proposals.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) show occasionally thrombocytosis, common feature of myeloproliferative diseases (MPD), with the overlapping of both disorders. Classically, thrombocytosis has been associated with some MDS subtypes: refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), 5q- syndrome and those MDS with 3q chromosome rearrangements. The recent WHO classification recognises an unclassifiable MDS/MPD category including some of these disorders. Our aim is to determine the frequency of presentation, subtype classification and chromosome abnormalities of MDS with thrombocytosis diagnosed in our institution. Between 1990 and 2003 we studied 317 SMD patients according to FAB and WHO revised classifications and identified 22 cases presenting thrombocytosis associated with dysplasia, that are analysed in this article.