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The use/abuse of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has become a topic of great interest in recent years. With advances in technology, today’s population spends a great deal of screen time (ST) making watching television (TV), using computers, smartphones, or playing video games a central component of their daily lives. These studies have analyzed the psychological impact of technological exposure or abuse, such as aggressive behaviors, anxiety, depression and other mental problems.
Objectives
The main objective of this study is to explore the differences between men and women and the abusive use of social networks, technologies, pathological gambling and other addiction problems in primary care.
Methods
This study is an observational study conducted within the framework of primary care in the Spanish region of Aragon. The population of the study were participants of 35-74 years old, had been receiving care from the Aragon Health Service. Recruitment is shown at figure 1. Sociodemographic, quality of life, personal factors on health behaviour, social support, lifestyle patterns and chronic comorbid pathology variables were collected during the period 2021–2023. The project was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragon Nº PI20/302. The comparisons by sex were carried out using a Student T-test or chi squared test to analyse differences.
Results
There are significant differences in the abuse of new technologies between men and women. 25.20% of men (CI 95% 18.26-33.25) compared to 13.41% of women (CI 95% 8.85-19.25) make abusive use of the Internet, with statistically significant differences. In the same way, men present greater abuse of video games (6.25% of men (CI 95% 3.0-11.45) compared to 3.05% of women (CI 95% 1.17-6.55).
Analysing the differences by sex in dependence if it is an urban or rural population. Significant differences in the abuse of new technologies between men and women are present in the urban population, while in the rural population these differences are not observed
Image:
Conclusions
Gender modifies the ways in which technologies are used, so that men have a more problematic use of video games and the Internet than women. On the other hand, in relation to emotional symptoms, it was observed that women presented more anxiety and less satisfaction with life than men. The evaluation of abuse of new technologies cts should be incorporated into health services to improve people’s ability their self-care, the level of knowledge of managing their disease and their physical, mental and social health.
We present the case of a 34-year-old female patient, 35 weeks pregnant and previously diagnosed with delusional disorder.
Objectives
Somatic personal history: NAMC. intrinsic asthma. Cutaneous psoriasis.
Personal psychiatric history: In psychiatric follow-up since childhood, due to eating problems. Subsequently by adaptive pictures, with anxiety and dysfunctional personality traits intermittently. She resumes contact again in February 2017 presenting frank delusional clinic. Father diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Personal data: 34-year-old woman, married, with a 6-year-old son.
Methods
Current illness: The patient presents active delusional symptoms of about 3 years of evolution, she reports that she knows that there are people in her neighborhood who want to harm her and have guns with which they are constantly shooting to kill her "I hear the shots every day, I have the windows covered with metal plates and I cannot go out with my son, nor to the park, nor to do the shopping”. When she began the delusional symptoms, she was prescribed treatment with olanzapine without response, later with paliperidone palmitate, without response, and then with oral aripiprazole and depot 400mg once a month, with partial response. Prior to the current pregnancy, treatment with clozapine was considered, which the patient accepted but did not tolerate and had to be withdrawn.
Results
Evolution: The patient then remains in treatment with depot aripiprazole, with a partial response and less behavioral repercussion of the delusional content, but with a torpid evolution and tending to chronicity. During this course the patient accidentally becomes pregnant again. The doses of benzodiazepines that she was previously taking to control anxiety and sleep were lowered, maintaining treatment with depot aripiprazole, reducing the dose to 300mg monthly. The pregnancy has proceeded normally to date, with close controls by the gynecology service and monthly visits to psychiatry clinics.
In this case, the need arises to maintain depot antipsychotic treatment in a patient with a severe mental disorder during pregnancy, given the serious consequences of delusional content on the patient’s functioning and thus be able to preserve stability at this level during pregnancy.
One of the most important aspects of genetic evaluation (GE) is the definition of contemporary groups (CG), commonly defined as animals of the same sex born in the same herd, year and season. The objective of this study was to use an aridity index (AI) to classify season and evaluate the implications on the GE of Braunvieh cattle. A data set with 32 777 and 22 448 birth weight (BW) and weaning weight adjusted to 240 days (WW) records, respectively, was used to compare two methods of classification of climatic seasons to be used in the definition of CG for GE models. The first method considered rain season criterion (RC), and the second method is a proposed classification using an AI. Both methods were compared using two approaches. The first approach examined differences in mixed models using the RC and AI season to select the best model for BW and WW, evaluated by different goodness of fit measures. The second approach considered fitting a GE model including the season classifications into the CG structure. Lower probability values for season effect and better goodness of fit measures were obtained when the season was classified according to the AI. Results showed that although differences are small, the AI allows a better model fitting for live-weight traits than RC and revealed a re-ranking effect on expected progeny differences data. Further analysis with other traits would demonstrate the extended utility of AI indicators to be considered for fitting models under a climatic change environment.
The phylum Platyhelminthes shares a unique population of undifferentiated cells responsible for the proliferation capacity needed for cell renewal, growth, tissue repair and regeneration. These cells have been extensively studied in free-living flatworms, whereas in cestodes the presence of a set of undifferentiated cells, known as germinative cells, has been demonstrated in classical morphology studies, but poorly characterized with molecular biology approaches. Furthermore, several genes have been identified as neoblast markers in free-living flatworms that deserve study in cestode models. Here, different cell types of the model cestode Mesocestoides corti were characterized, identifying differentiated and germinative cells. Muscle cells, tegumental cells, calcareous corpuscle precursor cells and excretory system cells were identified, all of which are non-proliferative, differentiated cell types. Besides those, germinative cells were identified as a population of small cells with proliferative capacity in vivo. Primary cell culture experiments in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), Echinococcus hydatid fluid and hepatocyte conditioned media in non-reductive or reductive conditions confirmed that the germinative cells were the only ones with proliferative capacity. Since several genes have been identified as markers of undifferentiated neoblast cells in free-living flatworms, the expression of pumilio and pL10 genes was analysed by qPCR and in situ hybridization, showing that the expression of these genes was stronger in germinative cells but not restricted to this cell type. This study provides the first tools to analyse and further characterise undifferentiated cells in a model cestode.
The Congress of Deputies should supposedly represent the entire Spanish population and the Spanish Constitution provides mechanisms to ensure geographic representation in the lower house. However, the mobility of the members of parliament (MPs) across constituencies can generate territorial representation imbalances. Based on the territorial component of descriptive representation, this article analyses the unequal geographic representation of autonomous communities in the Congress. A descriptive statistical assessment was conducted based on MPs’ autonomous community of birth, the autonomous community for which they have a seat, the role played by political parties, and the way in which territorial representation occurs within the hyper elite. Special attention was paid to the representation of peripheral regions and to the drivers of overrepresentation (and underrepresentation) of some regions in the Congress. It was observed that—with few exceptions—territorial peripheries include more native MPs, export fewer MPs, and are generally underrepresented in the Congress and within the hyper elite. In contrast, the Basque Country (an exception), Madrid, and other central territories are overrepresented in the Congress. Finally, four models of descriptive territorial representation were identified, which correspond to Spain’s different territorial tensions.
The aim was to analyse invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) serotypes in children aged ⩽17 years according to clinical presentation and antimicrobial susceptibility. We conducted a prospective study (January 2012–June 2016). IPD cases were diagnosed by culture and/or real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Demographic, microbiological and clinical data were analysed. Associations were assessed using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 253 cases, 34.4% were aged <2 years, 38.7% 2–4 years and 26.9% 5–17 years. Over 64% were 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes. 48% of the cases were diagnosed only by real-time PCR. Serotypes 3 and 1 were associated with complicated pneumonia (P < 0.05) and non-PCV13 serotypes with meningitis (OR 7.32, 95% CI 2.33–22.99) and occult bacteraemia (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.56–8.76). Serotype 19A was more frequent in children aged <2 years and serotypes 3 and 1 in children aged 2–4 years and 5–17 years, respectively. 36.1% of cases were not susceptible to penicillin and 16.4% were also non-susceptible to cefotaxime. Serotypes 14, 24F and 23B were associated with non-susceptibility to penicillin (P < 0.05) and serotypes 11, 14 and 19A to cefotaxime (P < 0.05). Serotype 19A showed resistance to penicillin (P = 0.002). In conclusion, PCV13 serotypes were most frequent in children aged ⩽17 years, mainly serotypes 3, 1 and 19A. Non-PCV13 serotypes were associated with meningitis and occult bacteraemia and PCV13 serotypes with pneumonia. Non-susceptibility to antibiotics of non-PCV13 serotypes should be monitored.
Dual diagnosis patients are characterized by low rates of adherence and treatment compliance. During last years new resources have dedicated to these patients where substance use and mental disorder are treated simultaneously.
Objectives
The aim of this study is to describe sociodemographic and psychopatology features of dual diagnosis outpatient.
Methods
All subjects in the study were outpatients at dual diagnosis program at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain during 2007 to 2008. These patients were following up until December 2009. Sociodemographic data, psychiatric diagnosis and substance abuse were assessed by using EuropASI, SCID-I y SCID-II and by reviewing their medical histories.
Results
A total of 90 patients were recruited for this study during 2007–2008 and were followed one year. 62,5% of them remain until the end of the treatment. 67,9% were men, medium age was 37 years old (± 1.4). Most of them live with their own families (57,1%) and their marital status was single (48,2%). In this sample the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis was Major Depressive Disorder (36,4%) followed by Psychotic Disorder (36,2%). The most abused substance was cocaine (33,9%) followed by cannabis (26,8%), alcohol (16,1%), heroin (17,9%). More of 60% were polydrug.
Conclusions
The patients who maintained inculcation with the outpatient program of dual diagnosis were men with medium level of academic level and good family and social environment.
It is well known that mental illneses are associated with higher prevalence of somatic disorders when compared to the general population. We observed that, at the time of admission to the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) at our Hospital, many patients have associated urinary tract infection.
Objectives:
To determine the characteristics of patients that present with urinary tract infection on admission to the APU
Methods:
From all admissions to the APU during 2011, patients with urinalysis, sediment and culture suggesting urinary tract infection were recruited for this study.
Results:
83 out of the 229 patients admitted to the APU had urinary tract infection at the moment of admission. Most common psychiatric diagnoses in patients with urinary tract infection were: mood disorders (37.35%), psychotic disorders (22.89%) and personality disorders (14.46%) Of these 83 patients, 72.29% had a history of previous psychiatric admissions and 91.67% had a new admission with an associated urinary tract infection.
Figure
[readmissions]
Conclusions:
A high percentage of patients admitted to our APU have recurrent urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections may play a negative impact on their psychopathological evolution and may be associated with the need for hospital admission.
Dysthymia is defined as a chronic mood disorder that persists for at least two years in adults, and one year in adolescents and children. It is important to distinguish it from other types of depression, as early as possible. The therapeutic management of dysthymia is similar to the one used in major depressive disorder.
Objectives
We report the case of a female patient aged 45, diagnosed with depressive disorder not otherwise specified since she was 20. Her psychopathological progress has gradually become aggravated, having now longer periods of depressive mood and an important tendency towards isolation.
Methodology
The patient is admitted to the Psychiatric Day Hospital presenting with important depressive symptoms. After various antidepressants were withdrawn, lithium salts were introduced. It is then that the patient starts improving her mood.
Results
– Dysthymia (F34.1).
– Mixed and other personality disorders (F61.0).
Conclusions
In spite of having an appropriate pharmacological, unfortunately, antidepressants improve dysthymia just in 50–70% of patients. Antidepressants resistant dysthymia cases have been studied. In those cases, it has been necessary to add lithium or thyroxine. This confirms that, when it comes to this disorder, there are many neurochemical mechanisms involved, given the positive response to the combination of drugs, notwithstanding the severity of the adverse effects.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
In prospective and controlled studies followed up until adult age of patients diagnosed with ADHD in their childhood, the most frequent comorbid disorders were major depressive disorder, personality disorder (borderline and antisocial), substance use disorder and, less frequently, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Objectives
We report the case of a male patient aged 60, diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder from his adolescence. His psychopathological progress has become aggravated over the years. Nowadays, he presents an important restlessness, which has led him to social isolation and family claudication.
Methodology
Our patient is admitted to the Psychiatric Day Hospital with an appropriated treatment for his OCD (sertraline and aripiprazole). After several days under observation, we used the scales ASRS-V1.1 y WURS finding results that suggested adult ADHD. Extended release methylphenidate was prescribed, with a fast improving of our patient's symptoms of restlessness, insecurity and impulsion phobia. He was discharged from the Centre for Psychosocial Rehabilitation showing a good evolution.
Results
– Anankastic personality disorder (F60.5);
– Dependent personality disorder (F60.7);
– Hyperkinetic disorders (F90).
Conclusions
Seventy-five percent of adults diagnosed with ADHD have comorbid disorders that should be used as severity rates, since they may cover up the ADHD symptoms or complicate the response to treatment. Adults with ADHD present high score on the scales “social maladjustment” and an often concomitant and polymorphic psychiatric pathology, object of varied diagnoses.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Hoarding disorder is described in the DSM-5 as a new clinical entity whose essential characteristic is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, arguing reasons of utility, aesthetics, attachment or strong fear of losing Information.
Objectives
We present the case of an 11-year-old male patient brought to the Health Mental office when his mother found in the school bag debris that he had collected from the garbage, and useless objects in a bedroom drawer. The patient recognizes the nonsense of his behaviour but is unable to get rid of these objects but he allows his mother to do it. He had lowered school performance and showed irritable, shy and solitary, difficulties to sleep and cried often without apparent reason. They also noted since six months before, strange movements with the neck and eyes.
Methods
After ruling out, underlying organic pathology, we started treatment with sertraline 50 mg, aripiprazole 2.5 mg and cognitive behavioural therapy, with complete disappearance of symptoms including the movement disorder.
Hoarding behaviour of strange objects is very unusual in Hoarding Disorder but more common in the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In this case report, we consider the possibility of both disorders.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Suicide is the deliberate act of take off life to itself. According to WHO, more than one million people commit suicide every year.
Goals
Compare data of suicide attempts between 1996 and 2014 in the University Hospital of Valladolid. Influence of the economic crisis on suicide data. Expose the risk factors. Provide prevention strategies.
Material and methods
We have performed a study of epidemiological surveillance collecting descriptive data of suicide attempts; using the same methodology as in 1996. The variables studied were: sex, age, day, month, residence, method, personal status, education, employment status, religious believes, family history of suicide, psychiatric history and family and personal psychiatric history.
Results
Increase in the rate of suicide attempts 27%. Distribution by sex is similar, but in 2014, a higher proportion was observed in males. The percentage of women is significantly higher than that of men in the group of teenagers (10–19 years old) (20% women vs. 4.5% of men; P = 0.005); 83.5% have a psychiatric diagnosis (54.2% of them have a depressive disorder). Unemployment and economic problems stand out as environmental stressors in 2014. The main suicide method used in Valladolid is the hanging, and the second method used is the precipitation.
Conclusions
The primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies are very important. Suicide is the major cause of mortality in the young age group (15–24 years old). Mortality in the general population has been on a downward trend; but suicide rates per 100,000 population has remained stable over the last decade.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Opioids are the most powerful drugs commercialised for acute and chronic pain relief. The main emerging problem in our midst is the abuse and addiction to synthetic opioids iatrogenically established in general population.
Objectives
We report the case of a female patient aged 48 admitted to the Acute Psychiatric Unit after a suicide attempt. She refers she finds herself more irritable and depressed since she began a treatment with oxycodone after she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She has lost a lot of weight, is not able to get to sleep and has become socially isolated.
Methodology
During the first few days, the patient is uncooperative and shows a marked self-referentiality and verbalises delusional ideation related to her immediate surroundings. Once the treatment with opioids was withdrawn and we had prescribed paliperidone ER, she seemed more cooperative and calmed. She was discharged from the Psychiatric Day Hospital showing a good evolution.
Results
Paranoid personality disorder (F60); mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids (F11); recurrent depressive disorder, current episode moderate (F33.1); fibromyalgia (M79.7).
Conclusions
The use of synthetic opioids (tramadol, fentanyl, oxycodone) in easy-to-use formats (patches, pills, dispersible tablets, lollipops) and their dissemination in pain treatment, is leading to an increase of problems related to it, both their side effects (psychotic symptoms) and the generation of misuse and addiction. We should pay greater attention to the prescription of opioids to patients with dysfunctional personality traits.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
There is a low prevalence of eating disorders among men. In many cases, the disorder arises as a means of avoiding psychosocial maturation. Various psychiatric comorbidities such as depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder are frequently found in these patients.
Objectives
To analyze psychiatric symptoms in relation to a case of anorexia nervosa.
Methods
Pubmed revision on clinical presentation of anorexia nervosa in male. Review of patient medical records.
Results
A 23-years-old male with diagnosis of restricting anorexia nervosa was treated and followed since 2012. In July 2015, the patient, who was clinically stabilized for a year, had decreased gradually intake. Suddenly he showed a decreased consciousness, followed by an absence of response and mutism that motivated hospital admission. The diagnosis was dissociative stupor. A research in women with eating disorders shows a prevalence of pathological dissociation between 4.8 and 48.6%. After recovering a normal consciousness, he presented clinical features of anorexia nervosa according DSM 5 criteria. The patient remained two months until he reached his previous BMI (17) to continue an outcome treatment. Despite of several years of specific treatment for anorexia nervosa, both parents and patient still did not accept the diagnosis. Cultural constructions of eating disorders as a “women's illness” mean that men may fail to recognise their disorder.
Conclusions
There is a delay of diagnosis of anorexia nervosa in men. The lack of research on men's experiences and the cultural construction of anorexia nervosa as a female problem may contribute to underdiagnose eating disorders in men.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Patients with epilepsy seem particularly liable to certain major psychiatric disorders. Prevalence of schizophrenia within an epileptic population varies between 3% and 7% (1% in general population). The aetiology is possibly multifactorial (drugs and neurosurgery).
Objectives
To study comorbidity between psychoses and epilepsy and management in the literature and in our patients.
Aims
To analyze factors that might influence the onset of psychoses within an epileptic population and how this potential association could influence our practice.
Methods
PubMed search was conducted with interest in psychoses of epilepsy, pharmacology, and comorbidity. Up to 10 variables related with factors influencing psychotic episodes that required hospital admission in three patients with epilepsy were studied.
Results
Unlike published data, our patients did not have postictal psychoses. All cases had early onset temporal lobe epilepsy with no seizure activity since diagnosis (more than 20 years). No family history of either epilepsy or psychoses. Management included lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, zonisamide, and levetiracetam in conventional doses. The psychosis, which comprised affective, schizophrenic, and confusional elements, lasted longer and was more troublesome than psychosis in non-epileptic patients. Response to neuroleptics was poorer than in non-epileptic patients with psychoses. Consultation with Neurology Unit resulted in end of treatment with zonisamide and levetiracetam.
Conclusions
Less than perfect evidence suggests the association between psychosis and epilepsy. In our patients, no postictal cases were recorded. Management showed poorer effect of neuroleptics when compared with non-epileptics, and zonisamide and levetiracetam were changed for other drugs with presumably lower association with psychoses.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a primary immunodeficiency due to micro-deletion on the large arm of chromosome 22. Patients suffer from several anomalies, including metal illness, that such the case we present, mean a warning sign for further study.
Methods
Twenty-one years-old male, with psychotic symptoms, typical of schizophrenia, behavioral disorders and mental confusion, plus epileptic episodes and psychomotor agitation. Two previous incomes with the diagnosis of psychotic disorder not otherwise specified. Treated with anti-psychotics at low doses with inter-episode stability.
We considered the possibility of a neurodevelopmental disorder, with a multidisciplinary approach, resulting in the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and velocardiofacial syndrome, which had gone unnoticed. Mean doses of clozapine, haloperidol and topiramate were used. He accepted psychiatry and other specialties follow-up, since it requires a complex and multidisciplinary approach.
Conclusions
Definition of velocardiofacial Syndrome and lack of consensus on terminology:
– syndrome 22q11.2 DS as genetic subtype of schizophrenia? Opportunity to study the pathogenesis of schizophrenia;
– the importance of a comprehensive approach to early diagnosis, clinical improvement and preventing complications.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
In areas where water is scarce, the use of regulated deficit irrigation, combined with decision support system tools, may decrease the impact of agriculture on natural water resources, as well as on energy consumption, thereby improving the profitability of farms. With this aim, the SUBSTOR-Potato model (incorporated in the DSSAT Program) was evaluated with a 2-year field test (2011 and 2012) conducted in a semi-arid area (Albacete, Spain) applying four irrigation levels (120, 100, 80 and 60% of irrigation requirements). Subsequently, the model was used for simulating the potato yield under several deficit irrigation strategies (ISs) during 30 years of a semi-arid climate (1988–2017) and determining the most profitable option. The considered ISs were deemed those most suitable from the yield and water productivity point of view by some authors. The model performance for tuber yield was satisfactory with an index of agreement >0.91 and errors between 0.71 and 3.06 × 103 kg/ha. The ISs simulated with SUBSTOR-Potato showed that slight deficit irrigation (5–10%) may increase the water productivity and profitability of the farms. Moreover, tuber formation (from onset of tuber initiation to harvest) was shown to be the most sensitive stage, therefore it is highly recommended to avoid deficit during this stage, which would cause a large reduction in yield (around 8 t/ha, depending on the level of deficit suffered by the crop).