Research and Scientific Production in COVID - 19 in Argentina: Analysis of Bibliometric Data

The analysis of bibliometric data from scientific journals is a tool of Technological Surveillance and Strategic Intelligence that the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Argentina has been adapting for the identification of research trends and scientific production at national and international level. The present work is the synthesis of the scientific effort of Argentina, carried out in the years 2020 and 2021, as a contribution to the generation of responses with evidence and knowledge, by the health system and public policy, to the management of the pandemic. Which organizations have the most publications? What are the main topics of interest? Who funds the research? and What are the topics of interest of private enterprise? are some of the questions and answers that are investigated in this work. © 2022 IEEE.

Psychosis secondary to indomethacin. A case report

Introduction: Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment used in various inflammatory diseases, is one of the drugs that has been related to the appearance of psychotic symptoms as a side effect. Objective(s): Point out the importance of knowing the possible psychiatric symptoms that some drugs can cause as a side effect. Method(s): Description of a clinical case and bibliography review. Result(s): We present the case of a 71-year-old woman, with no previous mental health history, who is referred by her primary care physician due to the presence of auditory hallucinations and selfreferential ideas. As a somatic history, the patient presented Rheumatoid Arthritis under control by rheumatology and acoustic neuroma, under control by neurosurgery. Treatment with Risperidone was started, up to 2 mg, which helped control her symptoms. After an exhaustive study of her situation, the possibility that her symptoms were a side effect of her usual treatment was raised. It was evidenced that the patient had taken a higher dose of Indomethacin than prescribed by the rheumatologist, reason why its daily intake was suspended, and subsequently an improvement and even suppression of symptoms was seen. Later, due to a misunderstanding, the drug was reintroduced, and symptoms appeared again. Conclusion(s): The appearance of psychotic symptoms has been related to the intake of various drugs, including Indomethacin. It is essential to carry out a differential diagnosis if psychotic symptoms appear in the subject.

Evaluation of Optimal Methylprednisolone Dose in Patients with Covid 19

Background. Optimal dose of methylprednisolone in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 is unclear. In our hospital, the use of 250-500 mg/day of methylprednisolone was frequent in the first wave of the pandemic. Lower dose were recommended in our protocol since September 2020. The aim was to evaluate the impact of methylprednisolone dose in the outcome of patients with moderate or severe COVID-19. Methods. This is a retrospective and observational study. Inclusion criteria: SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed by PCR, admission to our hospital between March 2020 and February 2021, SatO2 < 94% or SatO2/FiO2 < 447. Two treatment groups were compared: patients treated with 0.5-1.5 mg/kg/day (group 1) and patients treated with more than 1.5 mg/kg/day (group 2). The primary outcome analyzed was orotracheal intubation (OTI) or death from any cause at 28 days after admission. Differences in demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics between treatment groups were analyzed. Variables with P < 0.1 were included in a binary logistic regression model, calculating a propensity score for assigning each patient to group 1 treatment. Bivariate analysis was performed to identify variables associated with worst outcome. Finally, Cox regression was performed including treatment group, propensity score as covariate and all the variables with P< 0.05 in the bivariate analysis. Results. 285 patients were included, 197 in group 1 and 88 in group 2. The median age was 73 years, 52,3% were male. Mortality or OTI at 28 days was 24,9%. There was a higher proportion of patients in group 1 with COPD (9,6% vs 1.1%, P< 0.01), dyspnea (60.4% vs 45.5%, P=0.01), sepsis (22.8% vs 13.6%, P=0.07). Patients in group 2 had more impaired consciousness (18.2% vs 8.6%, P=0.02). The median of lymphocytes count was lower in group 1 (900 vs 1025, P=0.01). There were no differences in the primary outcome between treatment groups (26.1% in the group 2 vs 24.4% in the group 1, P=0.7). Conclusion. The use of high dose of methylprednisolone compared with intermediate dose is not associated with a better outcome in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19.

Drug-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia, as an adverse effect to a vaccine against COVID-19, description of 1 case and review of the literature

Drug-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a hematological disorder in which an immune destruction of red blood cells by antibodies occurs. Frequent agents that produce this disorder are antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents;cases associated with different vaccines have been reported, including COVID-19 vaccines. We report a AHAI probably induced by the COVID-19 Vaxzevria vaccine.

Implementing Project-Based Learning as an Effective Alternative Approach for Chemistry Practical Courses Online

Actions taken to control the propagation of COVID-19 forced most activities to switch into an online environment. Education was no exception. In most of the cases the transition turned out well, and online education proved to be a good alternative to the traditional model. However, in the case of practical courses, the situation is quite different because students do not acquire the abilities they would obtain by practical experience. A project-based learning (PBL) approach has been evaluated at the Chemical Sciences Department of Universidad La Salle Mexico as an alternative to practical courses. Two different experiences are depicted. Their structure and implications are explained, as well as the student and teachers' appreciation. It was observed that the strategy showed good results, by demonstrating qualitatively that students appropriated the knowledge of the courses, and although students struggled to adapt to the work, they were motivated. PBL was demonstrated to be effective in developing soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem and conflict solving. Although this approach may not substitute for the practical experience, it proved to be a good alternative to instill students with abilities that are necessary in the practical field. ©

Inmune status on haemodialysis pattients affected with covid19 infection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: End-stage renal disease patients on haemodialysis (HD) seem more likely to develop severe COVID19 disease. Over the course of COVID disease, we observed a poor tolerance to HD sessions with a marked tendency of clinical deterioration over them. The objective is to evaluate changes on immunological system over HD session on patients affected with COVID19 compared with patients without COVID19. METHOD: Fourteen HD patients were studied including 9 confirmed COVID19 infection and 5 healthy controls. Predialysis and postdialysis blood samples were compared to study alterations on immune status. We identified cytoKines by Luminex (CCL2, CXCL10, IL1Ra, IL10, IL12p70, TNFa, IL17Ra, IL6, IL7) and adaptive lymphocyte subsets (CD4/CD8 naïve, CD4/CD8 MC, CD4/CD8 MP, CD19, CD56). Monocyte subsets (CD14+CD16-, CD14+CD16+, CD14-CD16+) were detected from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), as well as immune activation (CD11b, HLA-DR, CD86) and migration factors (CCR2, CCR5). The supernatant of isolated CD14+ cells after 4-hour stimulation with LPS where analysed by Luminex to measure cytokines (CCL2, CXCL10, GM-CSF, IL10, IL12p70, IL17Ra, IL6, IL7, TNFa). RESULTS: Patients with COVID19 presented predialysis: (1) higher plasmatic levels of IL12p70, TNFa e IL7, (2) lymphopenia and neutrophilia, (3) higher percentage of intermediate monocytes and lower of non-classical, (4) lower membrane expression of CCR2, HLA-DR y CD86 over Cd14+ cells, and (5) higher production of CCL2, GMCSF, IL10, IL12p70 y IL17Ra by LPS stimulated monocytes compared with patients without COVID19. When analysed the fold-change between pre and postdialysis values, patients with COVID19 infection present a: (a) higher plasmatic levels of IL6, IL1Ra, CCL2 e CXCL10, (b) reductions of total lymphocites, (c) higher membrane expression of CCR2, CD33 y CD86 on CD14+ cells, and (d) higher production of TNFa, GM-CSF, IL10, IL17, IL6 e IL7 by LPS stimulated monocytes compared with patients without COVID19. No differences on lymphocite subset were found. CONCLUSION: The clinical deterioration on COVID19 infected patients over HD session could be related with monocyte activation and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion.

E-Assessment in E-Learning Degrees: Comparison vs. Face-to-Face Assessment through Perceived Stress and Academic Performance in a Longitudinal Study

Featured Application This study aimed to compare online exams with their classroom counterparts by comparing academic achievement and student perception of difficulty, stress and fairness. This assessment is prerequisite if university education is to be less dependent on the face-to-face experience throughout the educational process. The COVID-19 pandemic has become both a challenge and an opportunity to implement certain changes in the world of education. One of the most important differences has been online evaluation, which had, until now, been marginal in most prestigious universities. This study compared the academic achievement of the last cohort that performed classroom assessment and the first group that was graded for an official degree using synchronous online evaluation. Other variables measured were the self-assessment of students in this second group, in order to understand how it affected their perception of the process using three different indicators: stress, difficulty, and fairness. Nine hundred and nineteen students participated in the study. The results indicate that online assessment resulted in grades that were 10% higher while enjoying the same degree of validity and reliability. In addition, stress and difficulty levels were also in line with the on-site experience, as was the perception that the results were fair. The results allow us to conclude that online evaluation, when proctored, provides the same guarantees as desktop exams, with the added bonus of certain advantages which strongly support their continued use, especially in degrees with many students who may come from many different locations.

Neuroinvasive hypothesis in a case of atypical delirium in a patient with pneumonia caused by COVID-19

Objective: Delirium is the most frequent neuropsychiatric complication in patients with a severe condition caused by COVID-19. We present an atypical case from a clinical and phenomenological point of view, and we reflect on the involved etiological mechanisms. Clinical case: 55-year-old male, active physician, first admitted into the conventional hospitalization unit and is clinically stable after being admitted into the Intensive Care Unit for pneumonia caused by severe COVID-19. He presents an atypical delirium with very significant memory and language disorders, which are measured psychometrically, while maintaining a good attention and alertness level. The rest of the complementary tests carried out are normal or not very conclusive. Results: The evolution during his admission is good and the recovery complete after one month of being discharged from the hospital. Conclusions: The atypical presentation and clinical evolution of this framework of delirium allow us to raise the question of the direct neuroinvasive role of COVID-19 in this case. © 2020 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Psiquiatría y Sociedad Española de Psiquiatría Biológica