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To estimate the within-households association between change in income over time and food purchases in a national panel of households. The need to shift towards healthy and sustainable diets is widely recognized, thus the importance of identifying the factors that influence food purchase decisions.
Design:
Longitudinal observational study; for each of the 33 food items queried, we ran a conditional logistic fixed-effect regression model to evaluate the association between change in income per-capita and food purchases (yes/no) during the past week, adjusted by covariates.
Setting:
Mexican Family Life Survey
Participants:
6,008 households that participated in the survey for at least two of the three available waves of study (2002, 2005, and 2009).
Results:
Within-households, the odds ratio (95% CI) of purchasing the food in the past week for an increase in 1 SD of income was 1.09 (1.02, 1.16) for rarer fruits (other than bananas, apples, and oranges); 1.11 (1.04, 1.18) for beef; 1.06 (1.00, 1.13) for canned tuna/sardines; 1.09 (1.02, 1.18) for fish/shellfish; 1.08 (1.02, 1.16) for discretionary packaged products, and 1.15 (1.08, 1.23) for soft drinks. There were some differences by urban/rural area or SES; mainly, those with lower SES had increased odds of purchasing the food item in more cases (10 out of 33 food items).
Conclusions:
households’ income growth can have mixed effects on the healthiness and sustainability of food purchases. Public policies to improve the food environment and nutrition education are necessary to enhance the positive and counteract the negative effect of income.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a mental health crisis in adolescents. To evaluate resource needs, we attempted to collect data from Children’s Health Fund’s national network of pediatric practices working in resource-limited settings.
Methods
Data could not be collected largely due to other disaster response priorities for our network. Using a STROBE flowchart, we characterize the inability to collect data, provide insight into network challenges, and offer this report as a case example for the limitations in collecting data during disaster response.
Results
Only 2 of 24 programs had the capacity and the data to participate. Causes of non-participation included shifting work toward other aspects of disaster response, limiting collection of data, or lack of human resources to extract it.
Conclusions
Disaster disproportionately affects under-resourced communities. The lack of resources impairs disaster response due to conflicting priorities in those working within these communities.
The January 6th insurrection at the U.S. capital was an eye-opening moment for many Americans. With the 2024 election cycle in swing, members of the Democratic Party are using January 6th as a rallying call for the need to protect democracy. But were the events of January 6th viewed equally among liberals? We argue that the events of January 6th resonate for a particular demographic well-informed liberal White voters. We argue that liberal minority voters will feel the racial undertones of January 6th more than White liberals. Furthermore, we examine how voters of different races viewed the events of January 6th and how views on race relations impact their perceptions of January 6th. We find that White liberals are less angry about race relations in the aftermath of January 6th, and while they viewed January 6th as an insurrection and blamed Trump and Republicans in Congress for their role, they are less likely to say that racism and White Supremacy motivated the insurrectionists. This paper indicates that race plays a key role in political perceptions, even among those who hold similar political ideologies.
Cannabis use and familial vulnerability to psychosis have been associated with social cognition deficits. This study examined the potential relationship between cannabis use and cognitive biases underlying social cognition and functioning in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), their siblings, and controls.
Methods
We analyzed a sample of 543 participants with FEP, 203 siblings, and 1168 controls from the EU-GEI study using a correlational design. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of clinical group, lifetime cannabis use frequency, and potency of cannabis use on cognitive biases, accounting for demographic and cognitive variables.
Results
FEP patients showed increased odds of facial recognition processing (FRP) deficits (OR = 1.642, CI 1.123–2.402) relative to controls but not of speech illusions (SI) or jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias, with no statistically significant differences relative to siblings. Daily and occasional lifetime cannabis use were associated with decreased odds of SI (OR = 0.605, CI 0.368–0.997 and OR = 0.646, CI 0.457–0.913 respectively) and JTC bias (OR = 0.625, CI 0.422–0.925 and OR = 0.602, CI 0.460–0.787 respectively) compared with lifetime abstinence, but not with FRP deficits, in the whole sample. Within the cannabis user group, low-potency cannabis use was associated with increased odds of SI (OR = 1.829, CI 1.297–2.578, FRP deficits (OR = 1.393, CI 1.031–1.882, and JTC (OR = 1.661, CI 1.271–2.171) relative to high-potency cannabis use, with comparable effects in the three clinical groups.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest increased odds of cognitive biases in FEP patients who have never used cannabis and in low-potency users. Future studies should elucidate this association and its potential implications.
Risky sexual relationships, reckless driving or initiating drug use are examples of health-related risk behaviours that are often related to poor emotional abilities (emotional identification, emotional understanding, facilitating thought and emotional regulation). However, the mechanisms by which this relationship operates have been relatively little studied. It is well known that certain personality traits such as impulsivity and sensitivity to reward are strongly related to risk-taking behaviour.
Objectives
The aim of this work was to explore the role of these two traits in the relationship between each of the different abilities/ branches of emotional intelligence and health risk behaviour, as well as to identify the emotional ability that best predicts this relationship.
Methods
A community sample of 250 participants (Mage = 23.60; 72% women) was used to measure levels of emotional intelligence in each of its branches (through the performance-based ability test MSCEIT), and levels of health risk behaviour, impulsivity and sensitivity to reward.
Results
The results supported the existence of a negative relationship between the four emotional abilities and health risk-taking. Mediation analyses that included all four MSCEIT branches as predictors revealed an indirect effect of the “managing” branch on risk-taking, being the most important branch in predicting health-related risk-taking, due to its effects through impulsivity and sensitivity to reward.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that a strong negative relationship exists between emotional management ability and health risk-taking, highlighting that the emotional components of impulsivity and levels of sensitivity to reward have been shown to be among the mediating factors underlying this relationship. Further experimental research is needed to confirm the role of emotional intelligence, and in particular emotional management, as a protective factor for risk-taking behaviour.
Pre-service teachers must confront emotionally demanding situations associated with the profession, and they must be prepared for it. Previous literature has shown that two variables are important for managing mental health in this population: emotional intelligence (EI) and mindset. EI is the ability to perceive, facilitate, understand, and manage emotions, while mindset refers to beliefs about the malleability of various life domains. According to their mindsets, those who believe that attributes are malleable are called incremental theorists, and those who believe attributes are fixed are entity theorists.
Objectives
This study aimed to explore the influence of intelligence and EI mindset on self-report and ability EI in a sample of 224 female pre-school pre-service teachers (M= 21.27, SD = 4.72).
Methods
Participants completed a questionnaire battery, including intelligence mindset, EI mindset, the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, the Trait Meta-Mood scale, and paternal and maternal educational status.
Results
The results showed that incremental EI theories — but not intelligence — were related to higher scores on self-report and ability EI. Specifically, being an incremental theorist of EI predicted 11% and 20% of the variance in global EI and the managing branch of ability EI, respectively
Conclusions
These results suggest that EI mindset training programs could be implemented and evaluated to explore their impact on the EI of female pre-service teachers
Burnout was reclassified in 2019 as an occupational phenomenon in ICD-11. The new condition includes the classic tridimensional definition with symptoms in areas of fatigue/energy depletion, mental distance/cinism and sense of ineffectiveness/lack of accomplishment.
Objectives
To evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of psychiatrists regarding new ICD-11 burnout definition.
To analyse the frequency of burnout symptoms in the psychiatric consultations and among the psychiatrists as healthcare professionals.
Methods
An online survey (designed with Microsoft® Forms) was sent in June 2023 to psychiatrists from three regions of Spain, contacted form local scientific societies. Psychiatrists, currently working, had to consent and answer a brief survey (average time: 2 min 32 sec) of 9 questions regarding the definition of burnout, their experience in clinical practice, their own symptoms and symptoms observed in colleagues.
Results
164 psychiatrists answered, 114 females (69.5%), mean age: 43.61 ± 11.28 years. 48.2% assured they had never used the term Burnout or the ICD codes Z73.0/QD85, whereas a 9.1% used them frequently in clinical practice. 58.5% considered burnout just a condition related to work and a 38.4% either a syndrome or a disorder.
Most psychiatrists referred that their patients exhibited symptoms of the three dimensions. Fatigue was the most common, attended frequently by 79.5% of the surveyed, followed by ineffectiveness (73.1%) and cinism (65.3%).
When reporting their own symptoms, only 16.5% psychiatrists referred not suffering any symptom. The most frequently involved was fatigue (66.5%), then ineffectiveness (56.1%) and cinism (41.5%). 28,7% reported concomitant symptoms of the three dimensions.
70.7% recognized fatigue symptoms in their colleagues, 61% ineffectiveness, 72.6% cinism and 45,5% recognized symptoms from the three dimensions. Only a 7.3% did not identify any of them.
A younger age was related to higher probability of suffering cinism (T:2.546; p=0.012) and ineffectiveness (T:2.900; p=0.004) and to a higher probability of recognizing cinism (T=3,293; p=0,001) an ineffectiveness in others (T=2.355; p=0.020)
Females showed a higher frequency of ineffectiveness symptoms (61.4% vs 44%; χ2:4.274; p=0,029).
Image:
Image 2:
Image 3:
Conclusions
Psychiatrists’ concept of burnout is diverse but the main construct is convergent with ICD definition, not a medical illness but a condition related to work.
The three classic dimensions of burnout are common in clinical conditions and also in the laboral environment of psychiatrists themselves. Psychiatrists tend to recognized more easily burnout in other colleagues, particularly cinism symptoms. Cinism and ineffectiveness appear to be related to younger age that can be associated to an imbalance between work demands and individual resources.
These results highlight the challenge of preventing, detecting and addressing burnout syndrome in psychiatric services.
Exercise and other lifestyles are key treatment strategies to improve diabetes outcome, prevent cardiovascular risk and may also result in further results in quality if life and emotional symptoms.
Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness of an exercise intervention program for people with diabetes or cardiovascular risk.
To evaluate the influence of previous metal health and quality of life status in the results.
Methods
61 people with a type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular risk factors were recruited from health primary health centers in Ponferrada (EL Bierzo), including patients from the mental health association. After informed consent they were included in a 20 week, twice a week supervised walking training program to improve exercise and other lifestyles. A poster used for advertisement of the adtivity (“the way/walk to change diabetes”) is displayed in image 1). Baseline and after 20 weeks BMI and Waist perimeter were assessed, quality of life was evaluated with EQ-5D-5L and WHO-5 scales and the weekly steps walked were recorded previously and after the intervention with the subject usual mobile device.
Differences in the variables were compared with Paired Ts and repeated ANCOVAs measures adjusted by gender, age and initial steps.
Results
46 subjects (75.4%) completed more than 90% of the sessions and 3 more 70-90%. The 19.7% that did not complete had worse scores in SF-12 Role Physical (t 2.261, p=0.041) and Role Emotional (t:2.048, p=0.045) and Mental Component Summary (t:2,313; p=0,036) and WHO5 Total Score (t:2.101; p=0,040) at Baseline. Main reasons for dropout (Image 2) were health related problems (50%) and adherence to exercise and motivation problems (31.25%).
Those who completed the training improve number of weekly steps (baseline: 42022,92 +- 18836,35, final: 66448.06 +-28914,58; t:5.038; p<0.001), BMI (29.45 +-4.66 to 28.25 +-4.09 kg/m2; t:5.629; p<0.001), waist (from 107,34 + 9.98 to 102,88 +9,79 cm; t:6,840; p<0.001) and the EoQ-5D-EL VAS (form 72.88 to 82.42; t:6.122; p<0.001, image 3). The increase in the steps correlated directly with the improvement in the EoQ VAS (r:0.308; p=0.033).
Image:
Image 2:
Image 3:
Conclusions
Exercise and lifestyle supervised intervention programs appear to be useful to improve physical health, wellbeing, emotional symptoms and quality of life in people with diabetes and cardiovascular risk.
Factors associated to higher dropout rates were previous limited quality of life scores and mental health worse status. These could be related with limited motivation and adherence to the program and may be of interest to develop specific strategies for these high-risk groups.
Studies focused on the long-term effect of the program are warranted.
Schizophreniform Disorder is described pretty similar to schizophrenia, but with the difference of the symptoms duration which have to last for at least 1 month but less than 6 months. Patients have to be back at their baseline functional level once the disorder has resolved. This is a heterogeneous group of patients who have either a disorder similar to schizophrenia or something closer to a mood disorder.
Objectives
To analyze clinical, psychopathological and epidemiological characteristics of schizophreniform disorder and also review causes, incidence, prevalence, diagnostic, therapeutic tools and the importance of maintaining the treatment, because of the abandonment of the treatment, which is a predictor of relapses.
Methods
A review of the main impact literature concerning schizophreniform disorder is done during the last five years: prevalence, incidence, pathogenesis and its relationship with other psychiatric disorders encoded in DSM-V are studied.
Results
The etiology is unknown. Psychotic symptoms can be treated with antipsychotics for 3 to 6 months. They usually respond faster than patients with schizophrenia (75% vs 20% respond within 8 days).
Conclusions
The disease has a favorable prognosis, and has similarities with mood disorders. However, some data suggest a close relationship to schizophrenia. In support of the relationship with mood disorders, patients have more affective symptoms and a better outcome than patients with schizophrenia.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is defined as a mental disorder of multifactorial etiology, which presents with mood disturbance, mainly sadness associated with loss of interest or pleasure. Light therapy (LT) is a therapeutic intervention consisting of daily exposure to a light source. This study aims to evaluate the effects of LT on anxious-depressive symptomatology and sleep in a sample of patients diagnosed with depression.
Objectives
This study aims to evaluate the effects of LT on anxious-depressive symptomatology and sleep in a sample of patients diagnosed with depression.
Methods
Prospective case-control study, in which the cases are outpatients diagnosed with MDD and the controls are healthy individuals. Both groups underwent LT sessions and were assessed by means of validated scales, anxiety and depression symptoms before and after LT sessions, as well as changes in sleep patterns through a sleep measuring device.
Results
11 cases and 18 controls were included in the study. Of the participants, 62.1% were female and 37.9% were male. The mean age of the sample was 54.03 □ 11.55 years. There were significant case differences in the pre and post LT scores of the depression scale. There were no significant differences in the changes in superficial, deep and total sleep and in the anxiety scale scores.
Conclusions
In the sample analysed, LT has significant effects on the cases at the level of the depression scale.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Renal vascular resistance (RVR) is the opposition to blood flow by renal arteries. At the population level, dietary salt increases RVR and blood pressure (BP), which are associated with cardiovascular disease. Recent data indicate exogenous ketones may offset adverse cardiorenal effects of salt. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Our registered clinical trial (NCT05545501) is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Participants are being randomized to three 10-day conditions: A) control; B) high salt; C) high salt and ketone supplementation. Ten participants are enrolled (target 30 participants). Renal blood velocity (RBV) in the renal and segmental arteries will be measured in the decubitus position using Doppler ultrasound during a 3-minute baseline and 3-minute cold pressor test. We will measure brachial BP with an automated oscillometric BP monitor. RVR will be calculated as mean BP divided by RBV. Statistical analyses will include ANOVA and correlations with α set at ≤ 0.05. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate attenuated RBV and increased BP during the cold pressor test, particularly following high salt loading, leading to greater RVR. We hypothesize ketone supplementation will attenuate the high salt induced increase in RVR during the cold pressor test. In addition to RVR we will examine renal vascular conductance which is the ease with which blood flows through arteries, calculated as RBV divided by mean BP. Additional hemodynamics such as heart rate and systolic and diastolic BP will be reported and correlated with primary outcomes. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Dietary salt plays a role in hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease, which are leading causes of death. Ketone supplementation may be a promising approach to counteract the detrimental effects of high dietary salt and improve cardiovascular health in adults.
Boduch-Grabka and Lev-Ari (2021) showed that so-called “native” British-English speakers judged statements produced by Polish-accented English speakers as less likely to be true than statements produced by “native” speakers and that prior exposure to Polish-accented English speech modulates this effect. Given the real-world consequences of this study, as well as our commitment to assessing and mitigating linguistic biases, we conducted a close replication, extending the work by collecting additional information about participants’ explicit biases towards Polish migrants in the UK. We did not reproduce the original pattern of results, observing no effect of speaker accent or exposure on comprehension or veracity. In addition, the measure of explicit bias did not predict differential veracity ratings for Polish- and British-accented speech. Although the current pattern of results differs from that of the original study, our finding that neither comprehension nor veracity were impacted by accent or exposure condition is not inconsistent with the Boduch-Grabka and Lev-Ari (2021) processing difficulty account of the accent-based veracity judgment effect. We explore possible explanations for the lack of replication and future directions for this work.
First-episode psychotic disorders comprise a heterogeneous phenotype with a complex etiology involving numerous common small-effect genetic variations and a wide range of environmental exposures. We examined whether a family of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (FH-Sz) interacts with an environmental risk score (ERS-Sz) regarding the outcome of patients with non-affective first episode psychosis (NAFEP).
Methods:
We included 288 patients with NAFEP who were evaluated after discharge from an intensive 2-year program. We evaluated three outcome measures: symptomatic remission, psychosocial functioning, and personal recovery. We analyzed the main and joint associations of a FH-Sz and the ERS-Sz on the outcomes by using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) approach.
Results:
A FH-Sz showed a significant association with poor symptomatic remission and psychosocial functioning outcomes, although there was no significant interaction between a FH-Sz and the ERS-Sz on these outcomes. The ERS-Sz did not show a significant association with poor symptomatic remission and psychosocial functioning outcomes, even though the magnitude of the interaction between ERS-Sz and FH-Sz with the later outcome was moderate (RERI = 6.89, 95% confidence interval −16.03 to 29.81). There was no association between a FH-Sz and the ERS-Sz and personal recovery.
Conclusions:
Our results provide further empirical support regarding the contribution of FH-Sz to poor symptomatic remission and poor psychosocial functioning outcomes in patients with NAFEP.
Radiocarbon (14C) dating of sediment deposition around Antarctica is often challenging due to heterogeneity in sources and ages of organic carbon in the sediment. Chemical and thermochemical techniques have been used to separate organic carbon when microfossils are not present. These techniques generally improve on bulk sediment dates, but they necessitate assumptions about the age spectra of specific molecules or compound classes and about the chemical heterogeneity of thermochemical separations. To address this, the Rafter Radiocarbon Laboratory has established parallel ramped pyrolysis oxidation (RPO) and ramped pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) systems to thermochemically separate distinct carbon fractions, diagnose the chemical composition of each fraction, and target suitable RPO fractions for radiocarbon dating. Three case studies of sediment taken from locations around Antarctica are presented to demonstrate the implementation of combined RPO-AMS and Py-GC-MS to provide more robust age determination in detrital sediment stratigraphy. These three depositional environments are good examples of analytical and interpretive challenges related to oceanographic conditions, carbon sources, and other factors. Using parallel RPO-AMS and Py-GC-MS analyses, we reduce the number of radiocarbon measurements required, minimize run times, provide context for unexpected 14C ages, and better support interpretations of radiocarbon measurements in the context of environmental reconstruction.
At present, no production of zeolites is ongoing in Colombia; thus, because of the high demand in the industrial sector, ~2500 tons is imported annually from other countries such as Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. In order minimize the need for these costly imports, the present study sought to evaluate the viability of producing low-silica zeolites through the hydrothermal synthesis of a Colombian kaolin, which contains quartz (40%) and iron-oxide impurities. The kaolin was subjected to a milling process to reduce the particle size to the order of 11 μm, and was heat treated to transform it to metakaolin. Optimization of the synthesis variables (Na2O/SiO2 and H2O/Al2O3 ratios, time, and temperature) was accomplished by applying an experimental design based on the ‘Response Surface Methodology’ technique. The degree of crystallinity and the cation exchange capacity (CEC) were used as response variables. The CEC was determined from the NTC 5167 standard. In addition, the mineralogical composition and the zeolite microstructure were evaluated using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results indicated that synthetic type A zeolites with a CEC value of 442 cmol(+)/kg can be obtained from the Colombian kaolin, with the following optimal processing conditions: Na2O/SiO2 molar ratio of 2.7, H2O/Al2O3 molar ratio of 150, temperature = 66°C, and processing time = 8 h. Note that this value (442 cmol(+)/kg) is greater than that reported for an imported commercial zeolite (408 cmol(+)/kg) of the same type, which is currently being used in industry in Colombia. The nationwide availability of the raw material and the quality of the final product present opportunities to make this material available to the Colombian market.
A desire for hastened death is commonly expressed by cancer patients. Although efforts to define and explore this issue have been undertaken, no standardized approach exists to address these desires.
Case description
Ms. J expressed a wish for accelerated death and subsequently experienced unexpected clinical decline resulting in a quick, natural death. Our team experienced a mixture of both emotional distress and awe after witnessing the pragmatic approach our patient had to her impending decline, that we felt was worthy of further exploration.
Conclusion
Most clinicians lack formal training in communication, potentially making cases like Ms. J’s highly distressing. Clinicians should feel comfortable addressing and potentially inquiring about patients’ desire to hasten death. While our initial reaction might be to correct this desire, we propose reframing this expression as an opportunity to explore more about our patients.
Attention of the research community on childhood cancer has grown exponentially over the last 5 decades (Robinson & Hudson, 2014). With research attention growing rapidly, cure rates have increased just as dramatically, with survivorship well over 80% (Ward, et al., 2014). With survivorship on the rise, research has turned to the examination of late effects in survivors of childhood cancer, especially neuropsychological late effects (Krull, et al., 2018). Late effects, functional impairment, and the awareness of one’s own impairment can create several lasting issues in a survivor’s life (Oeffinger, et al., 2010). The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility and functionality of a group intervention for this population.
Participants and Methods:
Participants were recruited from a pediatric cancer institute in southern California. To be considered for inclusion, participants must have completed curative treatment for childhood cancer, not be currently undergoing treatment for childhood cancer, be free of any severe and persistent mental illnesses, and have access to a stable internet connection (for Zoom sessions). This study examined the impact of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group intervention protocol on survivors of childhood cancer. Specifically, this study explored a strategy to identify early neuropsychological late effects and a strategy to improve these impacts. The group intervention was conducted via Zoom (www.zoom.us) which provided an opportunity to continue to provide this service in the wake of COVID-19. Data was collected at baseline and at the completion of the group intervention. This data focused on the functional and perceived impacts of neuropsychological sequelae in these participants, as well as the changes as related to the group intervention.
Results:
Data did not show any significant changes from baseline to follow-up in this population. The lack of significance was likely due to a severely truncated sample size. Despite the lack of significant findings, data appears to trend negatively. Although these findings do not provide conclusive evidence for this ACT-based group as an intervention for neuropsychological late effects in survivors of childhood cancer, the data suggested some interesting trends which will be explored further in this presentation.
Conclusions:
The results of this study help to further explore the importance of attention to neuropsychological symptoms and issues in survivors of childhood cancer, especially within the first few years following the completion of treatment. As survivorship continues to increase, it will be of utmost importance to continue to examine the impact of neuropsychological late effects and how the field of neuropsychology can best serve this population. This study was severely limited by a small sample size, a single clinician providing the protocol, and a truncated timeline. Further research will examine the impact of this study protocol in a larger sample size, which will likely increase the ability to reject the null hypothesis. In addition, future research must also be conducted to better explore strategies of early and consistent neuropsychological intervention in this population.
Previous research has found that trauma is a risk factor for developing early-onset psychosis (EOP), both exhibiting widespread structural abnormalities and social cognitive dysfunction (Hoy et al., 2012; Nair et al., 2020; Rotiker et al., 2018). However, few studies have investigated the association between trauma, neural architecture, and social behaviors. The current study examines whether trauma exposure moderates the association between cortical volume and thickness and social cognition in EOP.
Participants and Methods:
T1-weighted whole-brain magnetic resonance data were acquired on a 3T Siemens scanner for 23 adolescents with EOP aged 12-21 years (M = 16.12), and 20 age-matched controls (M = 17.22). Cortical volume and thickness were calculated using the Freesurfer software suite (v5.3; Reuter et al., 2012). Based on prior research, bilateral structures of interest included the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), insula, precuneus, and superior frontal cortex. Social measures included the WebCNP Emotion Recognition (KER40) and Emotion Differentiation Test (MED36) accuracy score (Gur et al., 2010), The Awareness of Social Inference Test Total Score (TASIT; McDonald et al., 2003), and Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd Edition (SRS-2; Constantino & Gruber, 2012). Trauma exposure was assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview Diagnostic (controls n = 5; EOP n = 9; First et al., 2015). Pearson’s correlations and independent t-tests were used to examine the relationship between cortical measurements and social cognition. Additionally, PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2018) was used to examine if trauma history statistically moderated the relationship between cortical measurements and social cognition performance.
Results:
Significant group differences in SRS-2 scores were observed, as EOP participants scored 24.272 points higher than controls (t = 20.724, p < .001). Across both groups, there was a negative correlation between the SRS-2 score and precuneus volume (r = -.438, p = .011) and thickness (r = -.383, p = .028), TASIT total and superior frontal volume (r = -.349, p = .023), and KER40 and insular volume (r = -.437, p = .20). Further, the moderation analysis revealed that the relationships between precuneus volume and SRS-2 scores, precuneus thickness and MED36 scores, and rACC thickness and KER40 scores depended on experiencing trauma across both groups. Participants with trauma across groups had increased precuneus volume associated with higher SRS-2 scores (p = .0442). Experiencing trauma was also associated with lower precuneus cortical thickness and lower MED36 scores (p = .0172). Conversely, lack of trauma experience was associated with greater rACC thickness and higher KER40 scores (p = .0119).
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that past traumatic experiences may be a moderating factor in the relationship between atypical volume and thickness of social brain regions and social cognition. Overall, the significant interactions between trauma exposure and increased volume and thickness in both EOP and control participants were associated with increased impairment on social cognition measures. These findings emphasize the importance of accounting for the impact of early life adversities on brain development and how it may be relevant to social impairments, especially in individuals experiencing psychosis.
The Argentine shortfin squid, Illex argentinus, inhabits in the southwest Atlantic; it is a semelparous species which grows rapidly along its 1 year lifespan. The identification of its stocks is critical for sustainable fishery exploitation. Parasites have been used as biological indicators in a lower number of studies dealing with squids, therefore a validation of this methodology is necessary. The intra- and inter-cohort variability of parasite assemblages in the summer-spawning stock of I. argentinus was analysed to assess their value as indicators of stock structure. Four squid samples from the continental shelf of central Patagonia, corresponding to 3 consecutive cohorts, were examined for metazoan parasites. Results evidenced heterogeneity in terms of parasite assemblage composition and structure, dominated by short-lived gastrointestinal parasites, with a strong influence of host size, but no effect of squid sex. These changes are related to their recent habitats and diets, which change with ontogeny and migrations, clouding any interpretation of patterns when samples spatially or temporally separated are compared. Many squid species share these characteristics; therefore, it is recommended that the use of parasites as biological tags should be restricted to simultaneous sampling, while size or age must be considered for deriving proper conclusions.
Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare hematological disease whose clinical management includes caplacizumab along with plasma exchange and immunosuppression, according to international guidelines. Caplacizumab has been available in Colombia since 2022. This study seeks to determine the therapeutic classification of caplacizumab according to the methodology of the Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud.
Methods
The classification was carried out through a deliberative process following the modified Delphi technique, with a panel of experts, made up of four hemato-oncologists, a pharmaceutical chemist, and a patient. The results of effectiveness and safety obtained through a systematic review, therapeutic thresholds (clinical significance), and degree of acceptability (willingness to use the technology) were used for the classification.
Results
Fourteen effectiveness and safety outcomes were submitted for the classification process. Caplacizumab showed clinical significance for some effectiveness outcomes, was not considered inferior in terms of safety, and displayed acceptability of use. Through consensus, the panel determined that caplacizumab plus the standard regimen is superior to the standard regimen in terms of treatment response and composite outcome, and no different for the other effectiveness and safety outcomes. Likewise, in overall terms, the panel determined that caplacizumab together with the standard regimen is superior to the standard regimen.
Conclusion
Treatment with caplacizumab together with the standard regimen was considered superior to the standard regimen for the treatment of patients with aTTP, as it showed clinically significant benefits in critical outcomes for decision making, and a safety profile no different to its comparator.