Socioeconomic Disparity Trends in Cancer Screening Among Women After Introduction of National Quality Indicators.

PURPOSE: Primary care physicians have an important role in encouraging adequate cancer screening. Disparities in cancer screening by socioeconomic status (SES) may affect presentation stage and cancer survival. This study aimed to examine whether breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening rates in women differed by SES and age, and whether screening rates and SES disparities changed after introduction of a primary care-based national quality indicator program. METHODS: This repeated cross-sectional study spanning 2002-2017 included all female Israeli residents in age ranges appropriate for each cancer screening assessed. SES was measured both as an individual-level variable based on exemption from copayments and as an area-level variable using census data. RESULTS: In 2017, the most recent year in the study period, screening rates among 1,529,233 women were highest for breast cancer (70.5%), followed by colorectal cancer (64.3%) and cervical cancer (49.6%). Women in the highest area-level SES were more likely to undergo cervical cancer screening compared with those in the lowest (odds ratio = 3.56; 99.9% CI, 3.47-3.65). Temporal trends showed that after introduction of quality indicators for breast and colorectal cancer screening in 2004 and 2005, respectively, rates of screening for these cancers increased, with greater reductions in disparities for the former. The quality indicator for cervical cancer screening was introduced in 2015, and no substantial changes have occurred yet for this screening. CONCLUSIONS: We found increased uptake and reduced socioeconomic disparities after introduction of cancer screening indicators. Recent introduction of a cervical cancer screening indicator may increase participation and reduce disparities, as has occurred for breast and colorectal cancer screening. These findings related to Israel's quality indicators program highlight the importance of primary care clinicians in increasing cancer screening rates to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.

Examining Implementation Outcomes of Sit Down and Play, a Primary Care-Based Intervention, in a Large Urban Primary Care Clinic.

OBJECTIVES: Economical, operational, and employment strains present challenges for widespread implementation of parent-directed interventions. We designed Sit Down and Play (SDP) with the aim of creating a brief primary care-based program that encourages positive parenting practices through take-home play activities. To develop a sustainable model of implementation in real-world settings, we explored the use of university student volunteers as a potential solution for employment strains. Guided by Proctor and colleagues' implementation outcome framework, this study focused on understanding the following implementation outcomes: acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and service penetration. Exploratory analysis on the limited-efficacy of the program on parental behavior was also assessed. METHODS: Student facilitators were trained utilizing a train-the-trainer model. During the study period, facilitators delivered SDP to caregivers attending their well-child visits (WCVs) in a primary care clinic serving predominantly low-income families. Implementation data was gathered from clinic records, student facilitator surveys, and caregiver surveys. RESULTS: Student facilitators delivered SDP interventions to 99/146 (67.8%) eligible families. Caregivers overwhelmingly found the program helpful (M = 4.70, SD = 0.82), enjoyable (M = 4.88, SD = 0.32), and were highly satisfied with individuals who delivered it (M = 4.97, SD = 0.16). Student facilitators successfully delivered the program with high fidelity. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Implementation findings suggest that delivery of SDP by student volunteers combined with the use of a train-the-trainer model is a feasible model to integrate strategies that support positive parenting behaviors into existing systems, such as the primary care setting. This study yields promising results that suggest the benefit of utilizing university partnerships with healthcare settings for wider dissemination and adaptations for other subgroups and contexts.

Comparación de características clínicas de sobrevivientes y no sobrevivientes a SARS-CoV-2 en un hospital de segundo nivel.

No disponible.

Patching the Pathway and Widening the Pipeline: Models for Developing a Diverse Early Childhood Workforce in Chicago.

With the growing appreciation of the importance of early learning experiences for children's healthy development, attention to the cultivation and maintenance of a qualified workforce has steadily increased. Such a workforce must have not just the knowledge and skills related to child development and early learning, but also be linguistically and culturally prepared to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse child and family population. To ensure a highly qualified workforce, programs and policymakers must attend to both the "pipeline" through which new early childhood educators (ECEs) enter the workforce and the "pathways" by which ECEs work toward and obtain the necessary education and credentials for different roles within the field. In line with the aims of this special issue, this paper leverages the first-person account style to describe barriers to and creative solutions for the development of practitioners in low-resourced communities in Chicago, with the goal of informing practice and policy. We describe three prior and ongoing partnership programs between community-based organizations and institutions of higher education, each tailored to support a unique population in the ECE pipeline on the pathway for increased educational attainment and credentialing. Each program is grounded in a specific community of Chicago, a diverse city with a sizable population of children raised in non-English speaking homes. Each program addresses specific needs of the communities they serve, especially around the recruitment, retention, and promotion of bilingual ECEs. Program administrators and community members describe each programs' goals, development, and key components unique to their target population as well as key takeaways. We conclude with an overview of critical components that we identified across these programs in order to create pathways for change within the workforce and the communities they serve.

[Impact of contraception counseling on choice of combined hormonal methods in Colombia]. / Impacto de la asesoría sobre anticoncepción en la selección de métodos hormonales combinados en Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the impact of informed contraceptive counseling on choice of contraceptive method. METHODS: Multicenter descriptive study using before-and-after evaluation in nine cities in Colombia. Women considering use of self-administered combined hormonal methods at the time of consultation were invited to participate. They were asked about contraceptive method use and preference, following signing of informed consent. Later, they were given standardized medical advice on contraception and then asked again about contraceptive preference and reasons for their choice. RESULTS: The study enrolled 858 women. At the beginning of the study, 538 (62.7%) women were using the combined pill and 281 (32.8%) were not using any contraceptive method. Before receiving counseling, women showed a preference for the pill (62.7%), followed by the intravaginal ring (28.4%), and transdermal patch (14%). After counseling, preferences were as follows: pill (40.8%), intravaginal ring (31.5%), and transdermal patch (11.3%). After counseling, 32.5%, 26.8%, and 7.5% of those considering the pill, patch, and ring, respectively, changed their intended choice. Region of origin, employment status, desire to conceive a child in the future, and having a stable relationship showed a statistical relationship to choice of method. However, age, number of children, and level of education were not determining factors. CONCLUSIONS: Medical advice has an impact on choice of self-administered combined hormonal contraceptives, which helps women to use the method of their choice and improves adherence to the method in accordance with its particular conditions.

Xylazine abuse, the growing risk: A review of its effects, upsurge use and associated fatalities in the USA and Puerto Rico.

In the last decade, the opioid overdose epidemic has been exacerbated by the emerging drug of abuse, xylazine. This veterinary anesthetic, an alpha-2 agonist, not only potentiates the fatal effects of opioids but also causes toxic endothelial effects. This review aims to assess the impact of xylazine use and overdoses within the context of the opioid crisis as a public health issue. The research used data from scientific publications, state health reports, and analyses from the Institute of Forensic Sciences of Puerto Rico. The databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus were searched for relevant publications. The search strategy employed two groups of terms: the drug of interest (xylazine) and types of exposure (drug use, overdose, substance abuse, etc.). The initial search in PubMed was then extrapolated, and the search terms were adjusted for appropriate database syntax. According to the most recent publications and CDC data in the USA, approximately 95 % of fentanyl overdose cases involve xylazine, while the other 5 % of overdose cases are attributed solely to xylazine, predominantly administered intravenously. In the last four years, more than 4000 overdose deaths have been related to xylazine use; the northeastern United States had reported the most significant number of deaths. This number changes daily as reanalysis results and new data are published. Less than 50 % of states perform tests for xylazine detection or maintain statistical monitoring of overdoses related to this drug. The absence of testing impedes emergency room physicians from making accurate diagnoses, increasing the likelihood of fatal overdoses. This review highlights five major concerns: (1) The recognition of intoxication as a primary concern and the unavailability of alpha-2 antagonists for treatment. (2) The challenges in the clinical setting linked to xylazine abuse and its co-administration with substances like fentanyl and its analogs. (3) The necessity for robust government statistical resources for the unification and dissemination of critical overdose and emerging drug abuse detection information. (4) The need for effective rehabilitation programs, including psychosocial support and treatment interventions, to respond to this public health crisis. (5) The urgency for further research to understand the prevalence, toxic effects of chronic or acute use, and the clinical implications in xylazine users, including the development of alpha-2 antagonists for treatment. We conclude that addressing these concerns is crucial to working with the xylazine abuse situation.

[Classification of caesarean sections by 10 Robson groups in a second level hospital]. / Clasificación de cesáreas por 10 grupos de Robson en hospital de segundo nivel.

Background: In recent years, cesarean section (CS) rates have increased alarmingly. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposes to use the Robson classification system as a global standard, which contributes to a better analysis of CS indications, making it possible to establish strategies to reduce them. Objective: To analyze the classification of CS by Robson groups from July to September 2020 at the Hospital General de Zona No. 4 (District General Hospital [DGH] No. 4), in Celaya, Guanajuato. Material and methods: Retrospective study which included 160 records of women undergoing CS. Robson's group classification was used, and descriptive statistics and cluster analysis were performed to better understand the classification groups. Results: The average age was 27.6 ± 5.6 years. 53.1% had secondary school; 46.9% was a housewife; 46.3% was laborer; 42.8% were cohabitating; 50% had 1 or more births; 42.5% previous CS; 96.9% 1 fetus; 91.9% cephalic presentation; 78.8% 37 weeks of gestational age or more. Robson's group 5 (previous CS) had the highest percentage (42.5%), followed by group 2 (primiparous) with 20.6%, and group 10 (premature) 13.1%. Cluster analysis formed 3 groups, where cluster 1 and 3 contained group 5 of Robson's classification. Conclusions: DGH No. 4 must carry out the necessary strategies so that women with a previous cesarean section can have a vaginal delivery, without compromising the well-being of the mother-child pair, in addition to interventions to avoid primary CS, because women in group 1 and 2 will potentially belong to group 5, in the next obstetric event.

Introducción: recientemente las tasas de cesárea han aumentado de manera alarmante. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) propone utilizar el sistema de clasificación Robson como estándar global, lo cual contribuye a un mejor análisis de las indicaciones de cesárea y posibilita el establecimiento de estrategias para reducirlas. Objetivo: analizar la clasificación de cesáreas por grupos de Robson de julio a septiembre de 2020 en el Hospital General de Zona (HGZ) No. 4, en Celaya, Guanajuato. Material y métodos: estudio retrospectivo que incluyó 160 expedientes de mujeres sometidas a cesárea. Se utilizó la clasificación por grupo de Robson y se usó estadística descriptiva y análisis de clúster para entender mejor los grupos de clasificación. Resultados: la edad promedio fue 27.6 ± 5.6 años; 53.1% tenía secundaria; 46.9% era ama de casa; 46.3% obrera; 42.8% vivía en unión libre; 50% tuvo 1 o más partos; 42.5% cesárea previa; 96.9% un feto; 91.9% presentación cefálica, y 78.8% 37 semanas de gestación o más. El grupo 5 de Robson (cesárea previa) tuvo el mayor porcentaje (42.5%); el grupo 2 (primigestas) tuvo 20.6%, y el grupo 10 (prematuros) 13.1%. El análisis de clúster creó 3 agrupaciones, donde el clúster 1 y 3 contuvieron el grupo 5 de la clasificación de Robson. Conclusiones: el HGZ No. 4 debe establecer estrategias necesarias para que las mujeres con cesárea previa puedan tener un parto vaginal sin comprometer el bienestar del binomio madre-hijo, además de intervenciones para evitar la cesárea primaria, dado que las mujeres del grupo 1 y 2 potencialmente formarán parte del grupo 5 en el próximo evento obstétrico.

COVID-19 Long-Term Effects: Is There an Impact on the Simple Reaction Time and Alternative-Forced Choice on Recovered Patients?

A comparative single-evaluation cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate cognitive damage in post-COVID-19 patients. The psychophysics tests of Two-Alternative Forced Choice (2AFC) and Simple Reaction Time (SRT), under a designed virtual environment, were used to evaluate the cognitive processes of decision-making, visual attention, and information processing speed. The population under study consisted of 147 individuals, 38 controls, and 109 post-COVID patients. During the 2AFC test, an Emotiv EPOC+® headset was used to obtain EEG signals to evaluate their Focus, Interest, and Engagement metrics. Results indicate that compared to healthy patients or recovered patients from mild-moderate COVID-19 infection, patients who recovered from a severe-critical COVID infection showed a poor performance in different cognitive tests: decision-making tasks required higher visual sensitivity (p = 0.002), Focus (p = 0.01) and information processing speed (p < 0.001). These results signal that the damage caused by the coronavirus on the central nervous and visual systems significantly reduces the cognitive processes capabilities, resulting in a prevalent deficit of 42.42% in information processing speed for mild-moderate cases, 46.15% for decision-making based on visual sensitivity, and 62.16% in information processing speed for severe-critical cases. A psychological follow-up for patients recovering from COVID-19 is recommended based on our findings.

[Immunohistochemical profile of renal cell tumours]. / Perfil inmunohistoquímico de los tumores de células renales.

CONTEXT: Kidney cancer is among the 10 most frequent cancers in the world, each year about 270,000 cases are diagnosed and 116,000 people die from the disease. Approximately 90% of all solid kidney neoplasms are renal cell carcinomas. The incidence in Colombia is approximately 500-1000 cases per year. OBJECTIVE: To characterize through the use of immunohistochemical markers the different renal cell tumours diagnosed in the pathology laboratory of the San José Hospital (HSJ) and the University Infantil Hospital of San José (HUISJ) in Bogotá. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of the Hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry slides of all renal cell carcinomas diagnosed in women and men over 18 years in the pathology laboratory of the HSJ and the HUISJ from Bogotá from January 2014 to December 2016. The antibodies used were: CAIX (carbonic anhydrase), RCC (renal cell carcinoma marker), vimentin, CD10, CK7, TFE3 (transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3), CD117, CD15, CK20, cadherin and PAX8. Absolute and relative frequencies of the different markers were reported through univariate and bivariate analyses with a chi-square test. RESULTS: Comparing the expression of statistically significant markers, an immunoprofile resulted for clear cell carcinoma (CRCC) versus RCC chromophobe (ChRCC) as follows: CRCC positive markers: CAIX, vimentin, CD15, CD10, cadherin and negative markers: CK7, CD117; ChRCC positive markers: CK7, CD117, CD10, cadherin and CAIX negative markers: vimentin, CD15. The PAX8 marker was positive or negative in both tumors. CONCLUSION: Five markers demonstrated utility and validity to differentiate between histological subtypes of CRCC and ChRCC. We propose the combination of markers (CAIX, CK7, vimentin, CD15 and CD117) for the differential diagnosis between CRCC versus ChRCC.

External membrane vesicles from Helicobacter pylori induce apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells.

The Helicobacter pylori infection of gastric mucosa is one of the most common infectious diseases and is associated with a variety of clinical outcomes, including peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori-induced damage to gastric mucosal cells is controlled by bacterial virulence factors, which include VacA and CagA. Outer membrane vesicles are constantly shed by the bacteria and can provide an additional mechanism for pathogenicity by releasing non-secretable factors which can then interact with epithelial cells. The present report shows that external membrane vesicles are able to induce apoptosis not mediated by mitochondrial pathway in gastric (AGS) epithelial cells, as demonstrated by the lack of cytochrome c release with an activation of caspase 8 and 3. Apoptosis induced by these vesicles does not require a classic VacA+ phenotype, as a negative strain with a truncated and therefore non-secretable form of this protein can also induce cell death. These results should be taken into account in future studies of H. pylori pathogenicity in strains apparently VacA-.

She's supporting them; who's supporting her? Preschool center-level social-emotional supports and teacher well-being.

Preschool teachers across the country have been charged to prepare children socially and emotionally for kindergarten. Teachers working in preschool centers are supporting children's social and emotional learning (SEL) within a rich ecology of emotion and social relationships and the present study considers how the supports implemented for children's SEL at the center-level are associated with teachers' psychological health and workplace experiences. Hierarchical linear models were constructed using data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2009 cohort. Results indicate that although teachers work in individual classrooms, they share common perceptions at the center-level of their workplace climate, access to support, and, although to a lesser extent, experience commonalities in psychological health and job satisfaction. Furthermore, in centers that had implemented more supports for children's SEL (including access to mental health consultants, classroom curriculum, and training and resources for teachers) teachers were less depressed, more satisfied with their jobs, felt more supported in managing challenging behavior, and viewed the workplace climate of their center as more positive. Findings are discussed in light of the national efforts to increase and retain a high-quality early childhood workforce.

A New Method to Quantify Ifosfamide Blood Levels Using Dried Blood Spots and UPLC-MS/MS in Paediatric Patients with Embryonic Solid Tumours.

Ifosfamide blood concentrations are necessary to monitor its therapeutic response, avoiding any adverse effect. We developed and validated an analytical method by UPLC-MS/MS to quantify ifosfamide in dried blood spots (DBS). Blood samples were collected on Whatman 903® filter paper cards. Five 3 mm disks were punched out from each dried blood spot. Acetonitrile and ethyl acetate were used for drug extraction. Chromatographic separation was carried out in an Acquity UPLC equipment with a BEH-C18 column, 2.1 x 100 mm, 1.7 µm (Waters®). The mobile phase consisted in 5 mM ammonium formate and methanol:acetonitrile (40:48:12 v/v/v) at 0.2 mL/min. LC-MS/MS detection was done by ESI+ and multiple reaction mode monitoring, ionic transitions were m/z1+ 260.99 > 91.63 for ifosfamide and 261.00 > 139.90 for cyclophosphamide (internal standard). This method was linear within a 100-10000 ng/mL range and it was accurate, precise and selective. Ifosfamide samples in DBS were stable for up to 52 days at -80°C. The procedure was tested in 14 patients, ages 1 month to 17 years (9 males and 5 females), with embryonic tumours treated with ifosfamide, alone or combined, at a public tertiary referral hospital. Ifosfamide blood levels ranged from 11.1 to 39.7 µmol/L at 12 hours after the last infusion, while 24-hour levels ranged from 0.7-19.7 µmol/L. The median at 12 hours was 19.5 µmol/L (Q25 14.4-Q75 29.0) and 3.8 µmol/L (Q25 1.5-Q75 9.9) at 24 hours, p<0.001. This method is feasible to determine ifosfamide plasma levels in paediatric patients.

A 13-month multicenter clinical experience of a low-dose monophasic oral contraceptive containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene in Latin American women.

This prospective, multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the contraceptive reliability, cycle control and tolerability of a 21-day oral contraceptive regimen containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene in four Latin American countries (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia). Participants took trial medication daily for 21 days. Contraceptive efficacy, cycle control and tolerability were evaluated over a period of 13 cycles. Efficacy data gathered from 5,109 treatment cycles were obtained from 393 participants. The trial medication proved to be an effective contraceptive and provided good cycle control. One pregnancy because of poor compliance was recorded. This resulted in a study Pearl index of 0.25. Forty-six percent of Latin American women reported one intracyclic spotting bleeding episode and 37.6% reported one intracyclic breakthrough bleeding (medium/excessive bleeding) episode during cycles 2-4 (primary target). Overall, intracyclic bleeding was reported in 41%. Overall, there was a trend towards a lower incidence of spotting in all the countries and this difference had statistical significance between Argentina and the others three countries (p < 0.05) during cycles 2-4. This trend was also apparent with respect to breakthrough bleeding, but again the difference did not achieve statistical significance. The discontinuation rate because of adverse events was low (3%); no serious adverse events were reported. More than 78% of the women in the four countries maintained constant body weight or lost weight (2 kg) during the study. The treatment effect on blood pressure was negligible. There were no appreciable changes in mean laboratory values over the course of the study.

Xylazine as a drug of abuse and its effects on the generation of reactive species and DNA damage on human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Human xylazine (XYL) abuse among addicts has received great interest due to its potential toxic effects upon addicts and the need to understand the mechanism of action associated with the potential health effects. XYL is an alpha-2 agonist restricted to veterinarian applications, without human medical applications. Our previous work demonstrated that XYL and its combination with cocaine (COC) and/or 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) induce cell death through an apoptotic mechanism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of xylazine on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) as well as DNA damage on endothelial cell. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were treated with XYL (60 µM), COC (160 µM), 6-MAM (160 µM), camptothecin (positive control, 50 µM), XYL/COC (50 µM), XYL/6-MAM (50 µM), and XYL/COC/6-MAM (40 µM) for a period of 24 hours. Generation of intracellular ROS, RNS, and DNA fragmentation were analyzed using a fluorometric assay. Results reveal that XYL and 6-MAM increase levels of ROS; no induction of RNS production was observed. The combination of these drugs shows significant increase in DNA fragmentation in G2/M phase, while XYL, COC, and 6-MAM, without combination, present higher DNA fragmentation in G0/G1 phase. These findings support that these drugs and their combination alter important biochemical events aligned with an apoptotic mechanism of action in HUVEC.

Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud: percepción de los adolescentes obesos, no obesos y sus padres / Quality of life related to health: perception of obese, non-obese adolescents and their parents

Resumen

Introducción: la obesidad y el sobrepeso son factores de riesgo para desencadenar enfermedades crónicas. Los adolescentes obesos son más susceptibles que los no obesos a presentar síntomas de ansiedad, disminución del rendimiento escolar, aislamiento social, baja autoestima y depresión.

Objetivo: comparar la percepción de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) en adolescentes obesos, en no obesos y en los padres de ambos.

Metodología: estudio descriptivo y transversal, en una muestra de 98 adolescentes (de 13 a 18 años), 57 de ellos con obesidad y 41 sin obesidad, además de sus respectivos padres. Se midió peso, talla e índice de masa corporal (IMC) y se utilizó el cuestionario The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL" 4.0). Se hizo el análisis estadístico con U de Mann-Whitney y r de Pearson para IMC y CVRS.

Resultados: en la dimensión física y psicosocial los adolescentes no obesos y sus padres tuvieron una mejor percepción que los adolescentes obesos y sus padres. En el grupo de adolescentes obesos existió correlación significativa entre el IMC y la función escolar (r = 0.310 y p = 0.049).

Conclusión: en términos de percepción global de la CVRS, hubo diferencias en la percepción entre los grupos. La mejor percepción se presentó en el grupo de adolescentes no obesos y sus padres.

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity and overweight are risk factors that may lead to the development of chronic diseases; obese adolescents are more susceptible than non-obese to present symptoms of anxiety, decreased school performance, social isolation, low self-esteem and depression.

Objective: To compare the perception of quality of life related to health (HRQOL) in obese and non-obese adolescents and their parents.

Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study, in a sample of 98 adolescents (13-18 years of age), 57 of them with obesity and 41 without obesity, as well as their parents. Weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were measured and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory questionnaire (PedsQL" 4.0) was used. The analysis was made with Mann-Whitney U and Pearson's r tests for BMI and HRQoL.

Results: in the physical and psychosocial dimension non-obese adolescents and their parents had better perception than obese adolescents and their parents. In the group of obese adolescents there was a significant correlation between the BMI and the school function (r = 0.310 and p = 0.049).

Conclusion: In terms of global perception of HRQoL, there were differences in perception between the groups. The group of non-obese adolescents and their parents had the best perception.

Study on simple reaction and choice times in patients with type I diabetes.

A study on simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time in patients having diabetes is described in this paper. The study was applied to fourteen patients with type I diabetes, as well as to fourteen non-diabetic persons. The research is based on two visual signal perception experiments, both implemented on a computer based environment. The SRT experiment consisted on measuring participants' reaction times to a light change event in a simulated traffic light scenario. The choice reaction time was studied through the performance indexes (d') achieved by participants in a two alternative forced experiment, where a known visual signal is identified from two noisy images. According to the obtained results, the diabetic patients' SRTs were an average of 24% longer than the reaction time of non-diabetic persons, in the same way a significant average difference of 41% was obtained in the efficient index d' too. A positive correlation of 0.6594 between the time periods since diabetes has been diagnosed and the average SRTs of diabetic patients was obtained, also significant correlation differences between age of all experiments participants and resulting variables, SRTs and d', were observed; for instance the correlation factor between participants' ages and their average SRTs was -0.8529 for diabetic patients, meanwhile a value of -0.2905 was obtained for non-diabetic persons. The evidence suggests that the time period since diabetes has been diagnosed notably affects motor and sensorial systems maturity, and consequently conduction speed of sural and peroneal nerves.

Simultaneous determination of xylazine, free morphine, codeine, 6-acetylmorphine, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in postmortem blood by UPLC-MS-MS.

Xylazine, a veterinary sedative, has been found as an adulterant of heroin in street drugs in Puerto Rico. It was found in combination with free morphine and 6-acetylmorphine, codeine, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in postmortem cases at the Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences (PRIFS). Xylazine is not approved for human use because it has been proven harmful. Currently, three separate analyses are required to determine all the aforementioned drugs at the PRIFS's toxicology laboratory. To reduce analysis time consumption, sample volume, run time, sample preparation and cost, a high-throughput ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of xylazine, free morphine, 6-acetylmorphine, codeine, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in 0.25 mL postmortem blood by protein precipitation, fulfilling confirmation criteria with three transitions for each compound with acceptable relative ion intensities. Linearity was established between 10-1,000 ng/mL. Total run time was 2.5 min. Limit of detection was 1 ng/mL for cocaine and xylazine, 2 ng/mL for 6-acetylmorphine and 10 ng/mL for free morphine, codeine and benzoylecgonine. The intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy was less than 15.6%. Process efficiencies ranged from 35.9 to 123.4% and recoveries from 59.9 to 110.1%. The developed method was successfully applied to casework.

Impacto de la asesoría sobre anticoncepción en la selección de métodos hormonales combinados en Colombia / Impact of contraception counseling on choice of combined hormonal methods in Colombia

OBJETIVO: Determinar el impacto de la asesoría anticonceptiva informada sobre la elección de método anticonceptivo. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo multicéntrico de evaluación antes y después en nueve ciudades de Colombia. Se invitó a participar mujeres que consideraban usar métodos hormonales combinados de autoadministración al momento de la consulta. Se indagó sobre el uso y preferencia de método anticonceptivo, previa firma del consentimiento informado. En una etapa posterior, se brindó asesoría médica estandarizada en anticoncepción y, a continuación, se preguntó nuevamente por la preferencia de método anticonceptivo y las motivaciones para su elección. RESULTADOS: Ingresaron 858 mujeres al estudio. Al inicio del estudio, 538 (62,7%) mujeres usaban píldora combinada y 281 (32,8%) no utilizaban ningún método anticonceptivo. Antes de recibir asesoría, las mujeres mostraron una preferencia por la píldora (62,7%), seguida por el anillo intravaginal (28,4%) y el parche transdérmico (14%). Luego de la asesoría, la preferencia fue la siguiente: píldora (40,8%), anillo intravaginal (31,5%) y parche transdérmico (11,3%). También luego de la asesoría, 32,5 %, 26,8% y 7,5% de las que consideraban usar píldora, parche y anillo, respectivamente, cambiaron su intención de uso. La región de origen, el estatus laboral, el deseo de concebir un hijo en el futuro y tener una relación estable presentaron una relación estadística con la selección del método, pero la edad, el número de hijos o el grado de escolaridad no fueron factores determinantes. CONCLUSIONES: La asesoría médica tiene impacto en la selección del anticonceptivo hormonal combinado autoadministrado, lo que ayuda a las mujeres a utilizar el método de su preferencia y presentar una mejor adherencia al método acorde a sus condiciones particulares.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the impact of informed contraceptive counseling on choice of contraceptive method. METHODS: Multicenter descriptive study using before-and-after evaluation in nine cities in Colombia. Women considering use of self-administered combined hormonal methods at the time of consultation were invited to participate. They were asked about contraceptive method use and preference, following signing of informed consent. Later, they were given standardized medical advice on contraception and then asked again about contraceptive preference and reasons for their choice. RESULTS: The study enrolled 858 women. At the beginning of the study, 538 (62.7%) women were using the combined pill and 281 (32.8%) were not using any contraceptive method. Before receiving counseling, women showed a preference for the pill (62.7%), followed by the intravaginal ring (28.4%), and transdermal patch (14%). After counseling, preferences were as follows: pill (40.8%), intravaginal ring (31.5%), and transdermal patch (11.3%). After counseling, 32.5%, 26.8%, and 7.5% of those considering the pill, patch, and ring, respectively, changed their intended choice. Region of origin, employment status, desire to conceive a child in the future, and having a stable relationship showed a statistical relationship to choice of method. However, age, number of children, and level of education were not determining factors. CONCLUSIONS: Medical advice has an impact on choice of self-administered combined hormonal contraceptives, which helps women to use the method of their choice and improves adherence to the method in accordance with its particular conditions.