Clinical characterization of brief psychotic disorders triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicenter observational study.

This study aimed to characterize the clinical profile of patients with brief psychotic disorders (BPD) triggered by the psychosocial distress derived from the COVID-19 crisis. A multicenter study was conducted from March 14 to May 14, 2020 (the peak weeks of the pandemic in Europe). All consecutive patients presenting non-affective psychotic episodes with a duration of untreated psychosis of less than 1 month and whose onset was related to the COVID-19 crisis were recruited, but only those patients meeting Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria for "BPD with marked stressors" (DSM-5 code: 298.8) during follow-up were finally included. Patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline and summarized with descriptive statistics. During the study period, 57 individuals with short-lived psychotic episodes related to the emotional stress of the COVID-19 pandemic were identified, of whom 33 met DSM-5 criteria for "BPD with marked stressors". The mean age was 42.33 ± 14.04 years, the gender distribution was almost the same, and the majority were rated as having good premorbid adjustment. About a quarter of the patients exhibited suicidal symptoms and almost half presented first-rank schizophrenia symptoms. None of them were COVID-19 positive, but in more than half of the cases, the topic of their psychotic features was COVID-19-related. The coronavirus pandemic is triggering a significant number of BPD cases. Their risk of suicidal behavior, their high relapse rate, and their low temporal stability make it necessary to closely monitor these patients over time.

Validation of diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and stroke in electronic medical records: a primary care cross-sectional study in Madrid, Spain (the e-MADVEVA Study).

OBJECTIVES: To validate the diagnoses of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke recorded in electronic medical records (EMR) and to estimate the population prevalence of both diseases in people aged ≥18 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional validation study. SETTING: 45 primary care centres. PARTICIPANTS: Simple random sampling of diagnoses of AMI and stroke (International Classification of Primary Care-2 codes K75 and K90, respectively) registered by 55 physicians and random age-matched and sex-matched sampling of the records that included in primary care EMRs in Madrid (Spain). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and overall agreement were calculated using the kappa statistic. Applied gold standards were ECGs, brain imaging studies, hospital discharge reports, cardiology reports and neurology reports. In the case of AMI, the ESC/ACCF/AHA/WHF Expert Consensus Document was also used. Secondary outcomes were the estimated prevalence of both diseases considering the sensitivity and specificity obtained (true prevalence). RESULTS: The sensitivity of a diagnosis of AMI was 98.11% (95% CI, 96.29 to 99.03), and the specificity was 97.42% (95% CI, 95.44 to 98.55). The sensitivity of a diagnosis of stroke was 97.56% (95% CI, 95.56 to 98.68), and the specificity was 94.51% (95% CI, 91.96 to 96.28). No differences in the results were found after stratification by age and sex (both diseases). The prevalence of AMI and stroke was 1.38% and 1.27%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The validation results show that diagnoses of AMI and stroke in primary care EMRs constitute a helpful tool in epidemiological studies. The prevalence of AMI and stroke was lower than 2% in the population aged over 18 years.

The Aging Imageomics Study: rationale, design and baseline characteristics of the study population.

Biomarkers of aging are urgently needed to identify individuals at high risk of developing age-associated disease or disability. Growing evidence from population-based studies points to whole-body magnetic resonance imaging's (MRI) enormous potential for quantifying subclinical disease burden and for assessing changes that occur with aging in all organ systems. The Aging Imageomics Study aims to identify biomarkers of human aging by analyzing imaging, biopsychosocial, cardiovascular, metabolomic, lipidomic, and microbiome variables. This study recruited 1030 participants aged ≥50 years (mean 67, range 50-96 years) that underwent structural and functional MRI to evaluate the brain, large blood vessels, heart, abdominal organs, fat, spine, musculoskeletal system and ultrasonography to assess carotid intima-media thickness and plaques. Patients were notified of incidental findings detected by a certified radiologist when necessary. Extensive data were also collected on anthropometrics, demographics, health history, neuropsychology, employment, income, family status, exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular status. In addition, several types of samples were gathered to allow for microbiome, metabolomic and lipidomic profiling. Using big data techniques to analyze all the data points from biological phenotyping together with health records and lifestyle measures, we aim to cultivate a deeper understanding about various biological factors (and combinations thereof) that underlie healthy and unhealthy aging.

Minador en albahaca Ocimum basilicum L. y su parasitoide

La albahaca es una planta de distribución mundial, de uso cotidiano en la preparación de comidas. En Venezuela, aspectos sobre insectos plagas de la albahaca y de sus controladores naturales, son desconocidos. El presente trabajo ofrece información sobre una mosca minadora y un parasitoide que se encontraron en muestras de plantas, con signos de daños foliares, provenientes de huertos familiares, aledaños al Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, de los municipios Girardot e Iragorry, las cuales, fueron colocadas en cámaras de cría, para la emergencia de los adultos; una vez que emergieron fueron capturados y debidamente montados para su identificación. Como resultado, se capturaron adultos de un díptero y una avispa parasitoide, que fueron identificados como Calycomyza hyptidis y Opius sp. Este parasitoide constituye el primer registro de asociación parasítica sobre C. hyptidis en albahaca. Todos los adultos fueron depositados en el Museo de Insectos de Interés Agrícola (MIIA).

Basil is a plant with worldwide distribution, used daily in the preparation of meals. In Venezuela, aspects of basil pesto insects and their natural controllers are unknown. The present work offers information on a leafminer fly and a parasitoid that were found in samples of plants with signs of foliar damage, coming from family orchards near the Henri Pittier National Park, from the Girardot and Iragorry municipalities of Aragua state, which were placed in breeding chambers for the emergence of adults, once they emerged they were captured and properly mounted for identification. As a result, adults of a diptera and a parasitoid wasp were identified as Calycomyza hyptidis and Opius sp. This parasitoid constitutes the first record of a parasitic association on C. hyptidis on basil. All the adults were deposited in the Museum of Insects of Agricultural Interest (MIIA).

Asociación entre los niveles de déficit de base y la aparición de disfunción orgánica múltiple en pacientes con preeclampsia severa admitidas en la clínica gestión salud SAS (Cartagena) entre el 1 de enero de 2014 hasta 31 diciembre 2016 / Association between the levels of base deficit and the appearance of multiple organic dysfunction in patients with severe preeclampsia admitted in the clinic management health s.a.s (Cartagena) between January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016

Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre el déficit de base y Disfunción Orgánica Múltiple Metodología: Estudio transversal analítico realizado en pacientes con preeclampsia severa de la Clínica Gestión Salud S.A.S (Colombia), entre el 1ero de enero 2014 y el 31 de Dic 2016. Los datos fueron obtenidos de fuente secundaria; el déficit de base (DB), se obtuvo desde los reportes de gases arteriales o venosos; el diagnóstico de Disfunción Orgánica Múltiple (DOM), se hizo conforme a los criterios del Ministerio de Protección Social (MPS) de Colombia para Morbilidad Materna Extrema. Se utilizó estadística paramétrica y no paramétrica; el nivel de significancia fue p<0,05. Resultados: Resultados: Un total de 72 pacientes fueron incluidas; la edad promedio fue de 25,55 años ± 7,66. El 72,22% desarrolló DOM. Las disfunciones más frecuentes fueron vasculares (73,61%) y hepáticas (70,83%). El 16,67% presentó eclampsia y el 47,22% desarrolló síndrome de HELLP. No hubo desenlaces fatales. El promedio del déficit de base fue de -5,26 ± 3,99. Las pacientes con déficit de base ≤ -5, tuvieron mayor frecuencia de DOM (84,21%; p = 0,008175), de disfunción hepática (92,11%; p = 0,0000269), de disfunción de la coagulación (65,79%; p = 0,002048) y de síndrome de HELLP (73,68%; p = 0,000001985). Un análisis de regresión logística mostró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre desarrollo de DOM y déficit de base ≤ -5. En general estos resultados son concordantes con la literatura. Conclusión: El DB mayor se asocia con mayor probabilidad de desarrollar DOM

Objective: To evaluate the association between the base deficit and Multiple Organic Dysfunction Methodology: Analytical cross-sectional study carried out in patients with severe preeclampsia of the Clínica Gestión Salud S.A.S (Colombia), between January 1ero, 2014 and December 31, 2016. Data were obtained from a secondary source; the base deficit (DB) was obtained from the reports of arterial or venous gases; The diagnosis of Multiple Organic Dysfunction (DOM) was made in accordance with the criteria of the Ministry of Social Protection (MPS) of Colombia for Extreme Maternal Morbidity. Parametric and non-parametric statistics were used; the level of significance was p <0,05.Results: A total of 72 patients were included; the average age was 25.55 years ± 7.66. 72.22% developed DOM. The most frequent dysfunctions were vascular (73.61%) and hepatic (70.83%). 16.67% presented eclampsia and 47.22% developed HELLP syndrome. There were no fatal outcomes. The average base deficit was -5.26 ± 3.99. Patients with a base deficit ≤ -5 had a higher frequency of DOM (84.21%, p = 0.008175), liver dysfunction (92.11%, p = 0.0000269), coagulation dysfunction ( 65.79%, p =0.002048) and HELLP syndrome (73.68%, p = 0.000001985). A logistic regression analysis showed statistically significant association between DOM development and baseline deficit ≤ -5. In general, these results are concordant with the literature. Conclusion: The greater DB is associated with greater probability of developing DOM. Conclusion: DB values lower than -5, that is, having a higher DB is associated with an increase in the probability of having DOM. Hepatic dysfunction, coagulation dysfunction and HELLP syndrome are also more frequent in this group of patients