Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern elicited by the comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine in nursing home residents.

Immunosenescence may impact the functionality and breadth of vaccine-elicited humoral immune responses. The ability of sera to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) from Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon variants of concern (VOCs) relative to the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 strain was compared in Comirnaty COVID-19-vaccinated elderly nursing home residents, either SARS-CoV-2 naïve (n = 22) or experienced (n = 8), or SARS-CoV-2 naïve younger individuals (n = 18) and non-vaccinated individuals who recovered from severe COVID-19 (n = 19). In all groups, except that including SARS-CoV-2-experienced nursing home residents, some participants lacked NtAb against one or more VOCs, mainly the Beta variant (15-20%). Serum NtAb titers were lowest against the Beta variant followed by Gamma, Delta and Epsilon variants. Overall, fold change reduction in NtAb titers relative to the ancestral strain was greatest for the Beta variant (6.7-19.4) followed by Gamma (4.8-16.0), Epsilon (2.9-13.4), and Delta (3.5-6.5) variants, although subtle differences were observed for Beta, Epsilon and Delta variants across comparison groups. In summary, older age, frailty, and concurrence of co-morbidities had no major impact on the serum NtAb activity profile against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

B- and T-cell immune responses elicited by the Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine in nursing-home residents.

OBJECTIVES: The immunogenicity of the Comirnaty® vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been adequately studied in elderly people with comorbidities. We assessed antibody and T-cell responses targeted to the S protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) following full vaccination in nursing-home residents. METHODS: Sixty nursing-home residents (44 female, age 53-100 years), of whom ten had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 18 healthy controls (15 female, age 27-54 years) were recruited. Pre- and post-vaccination blood specimens were available for quantification of total antibodies binding the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and for enumeration of SARS-CoV-2 S-reactive IFN-γ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The seroconversion rate in (presumably) SARS-CoV-2-naïve nursing-home residents (41/43, 95.3%) was similar to that in controls (17/18, 94.4%). A booster effect was documented in post-vaccination samples of nursing-home residents with prior COVID-19. Plasma antibody levels were higher (p < 0.01) in recovered nursing-home residents (all 2500 IU/mL) than in individuals across the other two groups (median 1120 IU/mL in naïve nursing-home residents and 2211 IU/ml in controls). A large percentage of nursing-home residents had SARS-CoV-2 S-reactive IFN-γ CD8+ (naïve 31/49, 63.2%; recovered 8/10, 80%) or CD4+ T cells (naïve 35/49, 71.4%; recovered 7/10, 70%) at baseline, in contrast to healthy controls (3/17, 17.6% and 5/17, 29%, respectively). SARS-CoV-2 IFN-γ CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses were documented in 88% (15/17) and all control subjects after vaccination, respectively, but only in 65.5% (38/58) and 22.4% (13/58) of nursing-home residents. Overall, the median frequency of SARS-CoV-2 IFN-γ CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in nursing-home residents decreased in post-vaccination specimens, whereas it increased in controls. CONCLUSION: The Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine elicits robust SARS-CoV-2 S antibody responses in nursing-home residents. Nevertheless, the rate and frequency of detectable SARS-CoV-2 IFN-γ T-cell responses after vaccination was lower in nursing-home residents than in controls.

La intervención de la psiquiatría en el tratamiento de los niños difíciles en Uruguay (1930-1950) / A intervenção da psiquiatria no tratamento das crianças difíceis no Uruguai (1930-1950) / The intervention of psychiatry in the treatment of difficult children in the Uruguay (1930-1950)

Resumen: El artículo presenta y discute la intervención de la psiquiatría en el abordaje de los niños difíciles, entendidos como aquellos que mostraban conductas desviadas: eran inquietos, distraídos, apáticos o indisciplinados. Preocupada por la infancia como futuro de la nación, la psiquiatría intentó detectar estos niños mediante la aplicación de test e implementar medidas correctivas para encauzarlos. Estos acontecimientos se analizan a partir de la noción de medicalización, entendida como la expansión del saber médico a otros campos no médicos así como la definición de problemas como desviaciones. Este proceso se debió a la consolidación de la psiquiatría en el período y por una demanda sociopolítica para atender comportamientos que podrían atentar contra el progreso social.

Resumo: O artigo apresenta e discute a intervenção da psiquiatria na abordagem das crianças difíceis, sendo aqueles que mostravam condutas desviadas tais como desassossego, apatia ou falta de disciplina. Preocupada pela infância como futuro da nação, a psiquiatria tentou caracterizar essas crianças por meio do uso de testes e desenvolver medidas corretivas para canalizá-los. Estes acontecimentos analisam-se a partir da noção de medicalização, entendida como a expansão do saber médico a diversos campos não médicos bem como a definição de problemas como desvios. Este processo ocorreu pela consolidação da psiquiatria nesse período e por uma demanda sociopolítica de atender comportamentos que poderiam atentar contra o progresso social.

Abstract: The article presents and discusses the intervention of psychiatry in the approach of difficult children, understood as those that showed deviant behaviors: they were restless, distracted, apathetic or undisciplined. Concerned about childhood as the future of the nation, psychiatry tried to detect these children through the application of tests and implement corrective measures to channel them. These events will be analyzed from the notion of medicalization, understood as the expansion of medical knowledge to various non-medical fields as well as the definition of problems as deviations. This process was due to the consolidation of psychiatry in the period and a sociopolitical demand to address behaviors that could threaten social progress.

Eugenesia y medicalización del crimen a inicios del siglo XX en Uruguay / Eugenics and medicalization of crime at the early 20 th century in Uruguay

Resumen El artículo analiza las relaciones entre eugenesia y medicalización del crimen en Uruguay hacia fines del siglo XIXy primeras tres décadas del siglo XX. La perspectiva adoptada parte de la consideración de la conversión del crimen y de otros comportamientos socialmente problemáticos en objeto de la medicina psiquiátrica como parte de procesos más amplios de gestión biopolítica de la vida social en contextos urbanos. En ese sentido, se examinan algunas peculiaridades del caso uruguayo en lo que concierne a las relaciones entre eugenesia y medicalización del crimen, destacándose la inexpresiva alusión al factor racial y la importancia superlativa atribuida a los «vicios sociales¼ y, en particular, al consumo de alcohol como elemento disgenésico y criminogénico susceptible de poner en riesgo la composición y calidad de la población.

Abstract The article analyzes the relationship between eugenics and medicalization of crime in Uruguay between the end of the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century. The perspective adopted starts from the consideration of the conversion of crime and other socially problematic behaviors in a psychiatric matter, as part of broader processes of biopolitical management of social life in urban contexts. In that sense, some peculiarities of the Uruguayan case are examined concerning the relationship between eugenics and medicalization of crime, standing out the inexpressive allusion to the racial factor and the extreme importance attributed to the "social addictions" and, in particular, to the alcohol consumption as a reproductive and criminogenic element susceptible to put at risk the composition and quality of the population.