Risk assessment of psychiatric complications in infectious diseases: CALCulation of prognostic indices on example of COVID-19.

Introduction: Factors such as coronavirus neurotropism, which is associated with a massive increase in pro-inflammatory molecules and neuroglial reactivity, along with experiences of intensive therapy wards, fears of pandemic, and social restrictions, are pointed out to contribute to the occurrence of neuropsychiatric conditions. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of COVID-19 inflammation-related indices as potential markers predicting psychiatric complications in COVID-19. Methods: A total of 177 individuals were examined, with 117 patients from a temporary infectious disease ward hospitalized due to COVID-19 forming the experimental group and 60 patients from the outpatient department showing signs of acute respiratory viral infection comprising the validation group. The PLR index (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) and the CALC index (comorbidity + age + lymphocyte + C-reactive protein) were calculated. Present State Examination 10, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were used to assess psychopathology in the sample. Regression and Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, establishment of cutoff values for the COVID-19 prognosis indices, contingency tables, and comparison of means were used. Results: The presence of multiple concurrent groups of psychopathological symptoms in the experimental group was associated (R² = 0.28, F = 5.63, p < 0.001) with a decrease in the PLR index and a simultaneous increase in CALC. The Area Under Curve (AUC) for the cutoff value of PLR was 0.384 (unsatisfactory). For CALC, the cutoff value associated with an increased risk of more psychopathological domains was seven points (sensitivity = 79.0%, specificity = 69.4%, AUC = 0.719). Those with CALC > 7 were more likely to have disturbances in orientation (χ² = 13.6; p < 0.001), thinking (χ² = 7.07; p = 0.008), planning ability (χ² = 3.91; p = 0.048). In the validation group, an association (R²McF = 0.0775; p = 0.041) between CALC values exceeding seven points and the concurrent presence of pronounced anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments was demonstrated (OR = 1.52; p = 0.038; AUC = 0.66). Discussion: In patients with COVID-19, the CALC index may be used for the risk assessment of primary developed mental disturbances in the context of the underlying disease with a diagnostic threshold of seven points.

Computational psychiatry approach to stigma subtyping in patients with mental disorders: explicit and implicit internalized stigma.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric stigma has potentially controversial effects on patients health-related behaviors. It appears that both stigmatization and motivation in psychiatric patients are heterogeneous and multi-dimensional, and that the relationship between stigma and treatment motivation may be more complex than previously believed. AIM: To determine psychiatric stigma subtypes as they relate to treatment motivation among inpatients with various mental disorders. METHODS: Sixy-three psychiatric inpatients were examined by the Treatment Motivation Assessment Questionnaire (TMAQ) and the Russian version of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale (ISMI). K-Means cluster and dispersion analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Cluster 3 (25 subjects) was the least stigmatized. Cluster 1 (18 subjects) showed an explicit stigma. Cluster 2 (20 subjects) showed an implicit stigma that took the form of the lowest treatment motivation compared to other clusters. Implicitly stigmatized patients, in contrast to explicitly stigmatized individuals, showed a decline in 3 out of 4 TMAQ factors (Mean dif.=1.051.67). CONCLUSION: Cooperation with doctors, together with reliance on ones own knowledge and skills to cope with the disorder, might be the way to overcome an internalized stigma for patients with mental disorders.

The Mind-Body Problem in the Context of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Objective: This study is to determine the possible pathophysiological parameters associated with the development of anxiety and impaired consciousness in patients with acute coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods: Descriptive pathophysiological and pathopsychological data was collected from 89 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 across 7 infectious hospitals, where 14 trainees in psychiatry and neurology collected data from December 2020 to June 2021. Contingency tables and logistic regression analyses were made to reveal associations and to detect predictors of patients' states of anxiety or impaired consciousness. Results: Anxiety and impaired consciousness were observed in 28 patients (31.50%); 22 (25.00%) presented with anxiety symptoms, and 7 (7.90%) had impaired consciousness. The degree of their association was low (Fisher's exact = 0.675 (df = 1), P = .495). Different pathophysiological mechanisms were shown to determine the development of anxiety or impaired consciousness within COVID-19. Predictors of anxiety were oxygen saturation (OR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.54; P = .021), cardiovascular disorders (OR = 0.14; 95% CI, 0.04-0.52; P = .003), disorders of the nervous system (OR = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.84; P = .038), and urogenital system (OR = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.87; P = .035). The predictive power of the model was 80.23% (P ≤ .001). The development of impaired consciousness was associated with age (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.21; P = .025) and C-reactive protein level (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.99-1.04; P = .060), and the predictive power of the model was 94.52% (P ≤ .001). Conclusion: The prevalence of psychopathological disorders associated with acute COVID-19 was high: n = 28 (31.50%) for anxiety and impaired consciousness. Moreover, a 1.00% increase in the saturation index was associated with a 1.3-fold increase in the patient's risk of developing anxiety. Thus, anxiety symptoms may be considered within a personality rather than an infectious-inflammatory response to COVID-19.

Determinants of Stress Levels and Behavioral Reactions in Individuals With Affective or Anxiety Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Russia.

Introduction: Individuals with affective and anxiety disorders are among those most vulnerable to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This study aims to analyze the determinants of stress levels and protective behavioral strategies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Russian-speaking people with affective or anxiety disorders (AADs). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional online survey, the psychological distress and behavioral patterns of respondents with self-reported AAD (n = 1,375) and without disorders (n = 4,278) were evaluated during three periods of restrictive measures in Russia (March-May 2020). Distress levels were verified using the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM-25). Results: Stress levels among respondents with AAD were higher at all study periods than for those with no mental disorder (Cohen's d 0.8-1.6). The stress level increased (Cohen's d = 0.4) in adolescents (16-18 years) with AAD and remained the same in those without disorders; in youths (19-24 years) with and without disorders, an increase (Cohen's d = 0.3) and a decrease (Cohen's d = 0.3) in the stress were observed, correspondingly; the stress in adults (25-44 years) with disorders did not change and decreased in those without disorders (Cohen's d = 0.4). Individuals with bipolar disorders demonstrated lower stress than individuals with depressive (Cohen's d = 0.15) and anxiety disorders (Cohen's d = 0.27). Respondents with depressive and bipolar disorders employed fewer protective measures simultaneously and were less likely to search for information about COVID-19. Conclusion: The presence of affective or anxiety disorders is associated with a more acute response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apparently, the type of mental disorder influenced stress levels and protective behavior patterns.

Mental State of Inpatients With COVID-19: A Computational Psychiatry Approach.

Background: The overload of healthcare systems around the world and the danger of infection have limited the ability of researchers to obtain sufficient and reliable data on psychopathology in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome with the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and specific mental disturbances remains poorly understood. Aim: To reveal the possibility of identifying the typology and frequency of psychiatric syndromes associated with acute COVID-19 using cluster analysis of discrete psychopathological phenomena. Materials and Methods: Descriptive data on the mental state of 55 inpatients with COVID-19 were obtained by young-career physicians. Classification of observed clinical phenomena was performed with k-means cluster analysis of variables coded from the main psychopathological symptoms. Dispersion analysis with p level 0.05 was used to reveal the clusters differences in demography, parameters of inflammation, and respiration function collected on the basis of the original medical records. Results: Three resulting clusters of patients were identified: (1) persons with anxiety; disorders of fluency and tempo of thinking, mood, attention, and motor-volitional sphere; reduced insight; and pessimistic plans for the future (n = 11); (2) persons without psychopathology (n = 37); and (3) persons with disorientation; disorders of memory, attention, fluency, and tempo of thinking; and reduced insight (n = 7). The development of a certain type of impaired mental state was specifically associated with the following: age, lung lesions according to computed tomography, saturation, respiratory rate, C-reactive protein level, and platelet count. Conclusion: Anxiety and/or mood disturbances with psychomotor retardation as well as symptoms of impaired consciousness, memory, and insight may be considered as neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 and should be used for clinical risk assessment.

Behavioral and Emotional Reactions of the Russian Population to the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An On-Line Survey Results.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to identify the patterns of adaptive and behavioral strategies in different population groups, also to evaluate their association with the infection prevention strategies and the distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The data were obtained from the on-line survey of 1958 respondents (mean age 31±12 years) from March 30, 2020 to April 5, 2020. 578 respondents reported a history of affective disorders; 884 respondents - a history of somatic disease. The level of anxiety distress was evaluated with the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM-25). The analysis of variance was used for statistics. p<0.05 was considered significant. The effect sizes (ES) were evaluated according to Cohen's d and Cramer's V criteria. RESULTS: The average PSM-25 score corresponded to moderate stress intensity. An increased level of psychological stress was associated with the young age of the respondents, the history of affective disorders and somatic diseases, the compliance with self-isolation, the practice of social distancing, and the use of sanitizer. Concerns about the availability of protective equipment were specifically associated with the self-isolation compliance (ES=0.1); the combination of concerns about the contagiousness of the virus (ES=0.12) and the inaccessibility of daily medications (ES=0.11) - with the principles of social distance. Moreover, the concerns about the lack of specific treatment, the danger to one's own life, the contagiousness of the virus, and the lack of protective equipment were associated with the protective behavior resulting in increased hand hygiene. The history of affective disorders was rarely associated with wearing masks and gloves, but more often - with the use of self-isolation strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological reactions of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic are specifically associated with adaptive behavior in the process of anti-epidemic measures. Respondents with affective disorders experienced specific patterns of anxiety about coronavirus infection in combination with high rates of psychological stress.

Characterization and absolute calibration of an AERONET-OC radiometer.

The Ocean Color component of the global Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET-OC) utilizes CE-318 sun photometers modified for above-water radiometry from fixed structures such as oil rigs, lighthouses, and service platforms. Primarily, AERONET-OC measurements allow determination of the water-leaving radiance required for the validation of ocean color satellite data products. One instrument from the AERONET-OC network, identified as AERONET #080, was studied in this work. A laser-illuminated integrating sphere of known radiance enabled determination of the linearity with flux and absolute radiance responsivity at multiple wavelengths within seven of the AERONET #080 filter bands. We compared the results to calibrations from the AERONET facility at the Goddard Space Flight Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. These results agree within the estimated mean comparison uncertainty of 1.88 % (k=2). We also assessed these results using calibrated lamp-illuminated integrating spheres and observed a spectral dependence to the comparison results that is unexplained.

Stress and Stigmatization in Health-Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The health-care workers showed the highest risks of the adverse psychological reactions from the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the structure and severity of psychological distress and stigmatization in different categories of health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included two phases of online survey in 1800 Russian-speaking health-care workers (March 30 - April 5 and May 4 - May 10, 2020). The Psychological Stress Scale (PSM-25) and modified Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale (Cronbach's α = 0.74) were used. Dispersion analysis was performed with P = 0.05, Cohen's d, and Cramer's V calculated (effect size [ES]). RESULTS: The psychological stress levels decreased in the second phase (ES = 0.13), while the stigma levels (ES = 0.33) increased. Physicians experienced more stress compared with nurses and paramedical personnel (ES = 0.34; 0.64), but were less likely to stigmatize SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals (ES = 0.43; 0.41). The increasing probability of contact with infected individuals was associated with higher levels of psychological stress (probable contact ES = 0.48; definite contact ES=0.97). The highest rates of contacts with COVID-19 patients were reported by physicians (χ2 = 123.0; P = 0.00, Cramer's V = 0.2), the youngest (ES = 0.5), and less experienced medical workers (ES = 0.33). CONCLUSION: Direct contact with coronavirus infection is associated with a significant increase in stress among medical personnel. The pandemic compromises the psychological well-being of the youngest and highly qualified specialists. However, the stigmatizing reactions are not directly associated with the risks of infection and are most prevalent among nurses and paramedical personnel.

Mantis: an all-sky visible-to-near-infrared hyper-angular spectropolarimeter.

In this paper, we introduce and present first results from Mantis, a pushbroom type spectropolarimeter recently acquired by the Naval Research Laboratory and built by Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc. The instrument is designed for high spatial and spectral resolution polarimetric imaging of downwelling skylight. Linear Stokes vectors are acquired over the spectral range of 382-1017 nm, with ≈0.64nm channel spacing, and each line scan consists of 2226 pixels over a 72° field of view (0.75 mrad instantaneous). Measurement of the full sky dome is achieved through the use of a high-precision motorized pan-tilt unit and systematic scanning. An automated Sun shade allows for data collection in the main solar plane without saturation of the focal plane. The uncertainty in the degree of linear polarization varies between 0.07% and 0.5%, depending on incidence angle and wavelength. The total radiometric uncertainty is 2.07% to 2.5%, of which 2% is absolute calibration error. Preliminary data analysis reveals the instrument has a large potential for remote sensing applications.