Speech rhythm alterations in Spanish-speaking individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Rhythm is the speech property related to the temporal organization of sounds. Considerable evidence is now available for suggesting that dementia of Alzheimer's type is associated with impairments in speech rhythm. The aim of this study is to assess the use of an automatic computerized system for measuring speech rhythm characteristics in an oral reading task performed by 45 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared with those same characteristics among 82 healthy older adults without a diagnosis of dementia, and matched by age, sex and cultural background. Ranges of rhythmic-metric and clinical measurements were applied. The results show rhythmic differences between the groups, with higher variability of syllabic intervals in AD patients. Signal processing algorithms applied to oral reading recordings prove to be capable of differentiating between AD patients and older adults without dementia with an accuracy of 87% (specificity 81.7%, sensitivity 82.2%), based on the standard deviation of the duration of syllabic intervals. Experimental results show that the syllabic variability measurements extracted from the speech signal can be used to distinguish between older adults without a diagnosis of dementia and those with AD, and may be useful as a tool for the objective study and quantification of speech deficits in AD.

Can the Acoustic Analysis of Expressive Prosody Discriminate Schizophrenia?

Emotional states, attitudes and intentions are often conveyed by modulations in the tone of voice. Impaired recognition of emotions from a tone of voice (receptive prosody) has been described as characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the ability to express non-verbal information in speech (expressive prosody) has been understudied. This paper describes a useful technique for quantifying the degree of expressive prosody deficits in schizophrenia, using a semi-automatic method, and evaluates this method's ability to discriminate between patient and control groups. Forty-five medicated patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were matched with thirty-five healthy comparison subjects. Production of expressive prosodic speech was analyzed using variation in fundamental frequency (F0) measures on an emotionally neutral reading task. Results revealed that patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly more pauses (p < .001), were slower (p < .001), and showed less pitch variability in speech (p < .05) and fewer variations in syllable timing (p < .001) than control subjects. These features have been associated with «flat¼ speech prosody. Signal processing algorithms applied to speech were shown to be capable of discriminating between patients and controls with an accuracy of 93.8%. These speech parameters may have a diagnostic and prognosis value and therefore could be used as a dependent measure in clinical trials.

Can the acoustic analysis of expressive prosody discriminate schizophrenia?

Emotional states, attitudes and intentions are often conveyed by modulations in the tone of voice. Impaired recognition of emotions from a tone of voice (receptive prosody) has been described as characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the ability to express non-verbal information in speech (expressive prosody) has been understudied. This paper describes a useful technique for quantifying the degree of expressive prosody deficits in schizophrenia, using a semi-automatic method, and evaluates this method’s ability to discriminate between patient and control groups. Forty-five medicated patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were matched with thirty-five healthy comparison subjects. Production of expressive prosodic speech was analyzed using variation in fundamental frequency (F0) measures on an emotionally neutral reading task. Results revealed that patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly more pauses (p < .001), were slower (p < .001), and showed less pitch variability in speech (p < .05) and fewer variations in syllable timing (p < .001) than control subjects. These features have been associated with «flat» speech prosody. Signal processing algorithms applied to speech were shown to be capable of discriminating between patients and controls with an accuracy of 93.8%. These speech parameters may have a diagnostic and prognosis value and therefore could be used as a dependent measure in clinical trials (AU)

No disponible

Rate of detection of advanced neoplasms in proximal colon by simulated sigmoidoscopy vs fecal immunochemical tests.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We compared the ability of biennial fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) and one-time sigmoidoscopy to detect colon side-specific advanced neoplasms in a population-based, multicenter, nationwide, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: We identified asymptomatic men and women, 50-69 years old, through community health registries and randomly assigned them to groups that received a single colonoscopy examination or biennial FIT. Sigmoidoscopy yield was simulated from results obtained from the colonoscopy group, according to the criteria proposed in the UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Trial for colonoscopy referral. Patients who underwent FIT and were found to have ≥75 ng hemoglobin/mL were referred for colonoscopy. Data were analyzed from 5059 subjects in the colonoscopy group and 10,507 in the FIT group. The main outcome was rate of detection of any advanced neoplasm proximal to the splenic flexure. RESULTS: Advanced neoplasms were detected in 317 subjects (6.3%) in the sigmoidoscopy simulation group compared with 288 (2.7%) in the FIT group (odds ratio for sigmoidoscopy, 2.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.93-2.70; P = .0001). Sigmoidoscopy also detected advanced distal neoplasia in a higher percentage of patients than FIT (odds ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 2.20-3.10; P = .0001). The methods did not differ significantly in identifying patients with advanced proximal neoplasms (odds ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.76; P = .44). This was probably due to the lower performance of both strategies in detecting patients with proximal lesions (sigmoidoscopy detected these in 19.1% of patients and FIT in 14.9% of patients) vs distal ones (sigmoidoscopy detected these in 86.8% of patients and FIT in 33.5% of patients). Sigmoidoscopy, but not FIT, detected proximal lesions in lower percentages of women (especially those 50-59 years old) than men. CONCLUSIONS: Sigmoidoscopy and FIT have similar limitations in detecting advanced proximal neoplasms, which depend on patients' characteristics; sigmoidoscopy underperforms for women 50-59 years old. Screening strategies should be designed on the basis of target population to increase effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00906997.

Association of 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' with a vegetative disorder of celery in Spain and development of a real-time PCR method for its detection.

A new symptomatology was observed in celery (Apium graveolens) in Villena, Spain in 2008. Symptomatology included an abnormal amount of shoots per plant and curled stems. These vegetative disorders were associated with 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' and not with phytoplasmas. Samples from plant sap were immobilized on membranes based on the spot procedure and tested using a newly developed real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to detect 'Ca. L. solanacearum'. Then, a test kit was developed and validated by intralaboratory assays with an accuracy of 100%. Bacterial-like cells with typical morphology of 'Ca. Liberibacter' were observed using electron microscopy in celery plant tissues. A fifth haplotype of 'Ca. L. solanacearum', named E, was identified in celery and in carrot after analyzing partial sequences of 16S and 50S ribosomal RNA genes. From our results, celery (family Apiaceae) can be listed as a new natural host of this emerging bacterium.

El Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre y la Psicología española en la transición (1973-1984): una relación poco estudiada / Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre and Spanish psychology in the transition (1973-1984): an understudied relationship

El presente trabajo está destinado a subrayar la importancia histórica del Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre, una institución privada que hizo de soporte a la psicología española en un periodo muy delicado de su historia. Según tratamos de argumentar en este artículo, a partir del análisis de fuentes primarias, el Instituto pudo participar activamente en la promoción del atractivo que la psicología estaba ya despertando en un número cada vez mayor de potenciales consumidores. En efecto, en el momento en que España vivía su transición política desde la dictadura hacia la democracia, en el momento en que la propia psicología transitaba hacia su consolidación académica, científica y profesional, el Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre organizó un variado conjunto de actividades que coadyuvaron a fomentar el interés por el conocimiento psicológico. Sin embargo, y este es el centro de interés del trabajo, su labor ha pasado incomprensiblemente desapercibida para la mayor parte de los historiadores que se han dedicado al análisis institucional de la historia de la psicología en España (AU)

The aim of this paper is to show the historical importance of the Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre for the development of psychology in Spain. The Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre was a private institution which gave support to Spanish psychology in a very crucial moment of its history. As identified in the analysis of primary sources, the Institute promoted the attractiveness of psychology in a growing number of potential customers. Indeed, while Spain was going through a political transition from dictatorship to democracy, and psychology was striving for its academic, scientific and professional consolidation, the Instituto de Ciencias del Hombre organized a number of activities which greatly contributed to stimulate an interest in psychological knowledge. The work of the Instituto, however, has gone inexplicably unnoticed by most of the historians devoting themselves to the institutional analysis of Spanish psychological history (AU)

Risk of advanced proximal neoplasms according to distal colorectal findings: comparison of sigmoidoscopy-based strategies.

BACKGROUND: Screening for colorectal cancer with sigmoidoscopy benefits from the fact that distal findings predict the risk of advanced proximal neoplasms (APNs). This study was aimed at comparing the existing strategies of postsigmoidoscopy referral to colonoscopy in terms of accuracy and resources needed. METHODS: Asymptomatic individuals aged 50-69 years were eligible for a randomized controlled trial designed to compare colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical test. Sigmoidoscopy yield was estimated from results obtained in the colonoscopy arm according to three sets of criteria of colonoscopy referral (from those proposed in the UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Screening for COlon REctum [SCORE], and Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention [NORCCAP] trials). Advanced neoplasm detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and number of individuals needed to refer for colonoscopy to detect one APN were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify distal findings associated with APN. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: APN was found in 255 of 5059 (5.0%) individuals. Fulfillment of UK (6.2%), SCORE (12.0%), and NORCCAP (17.9%) criteria varied statistically significantly (P < .001). The NORCCAP strategy obtained the highest sensitivity for APN detection (36.9%), and the UK approach reached the highest specificity (94.6%). The number of individuals needed to refer for colonoscopy to detect one APN was 6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4 to 7), 8 (95% CI = 6 to 9), and 10 (95% CI = 8 to 12) when the UK, SCORE, and NORCCAP criteria were used, respectively. The logistic regression analysis identified distal adenoma ≥10 mm (odds ratio = 3.77; 95% CI = 2.52 to 5.65) as the strongest independent predictor of APN. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas the NORCCAP criteria achieved the highest sensitivity for APN detection, the UK recommendations benefited from the lowest number of individuals needed to refer for colonoscopy.

Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo del paciente con dispepsia. Actualización 2012 / Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with dyspepsia. Update 2012

La finalidad de la Guía de Práctica Clínica (GPC) sobre el Manejo del Paciente con Dispepsia es generar unas recomendaciones acerca del manejo óptimo de la dispepsia en el ámbito de la atención primaria y especializada ambulatoria. Su objetivo principal es ayudar a optimizar el proceso diagnóstico, identificando a los pacientes con bajo riesgo de tener una patología orgánica grave (fundamentalmente tumoral), los cuales podrían ser manejados de forma segura sin necesidad de realizar pruebas diagnósticas invasivas y/o derivaciones al especialista. La importancia de este objetivo radica en la necesidad de no dejar de diagnosticar a los pacientes con un cáncer esófago-gástrico, tratar correctamente la úlcera péptica y, a la vez, reducir las endoscopias negativas para, en definitiva, utilizar de manera adecuada los recursos sanitarios disponibles. En esta GPC se revisan las posibles estrategias iniciales en el paciente con dispepsia no investigada, valorando la posible decisión de iniciar o no un tratamiento empírico o de investigar la existencia de una lesión que justifique los síntomas. Asimismo, en esta GPC se aborda la dispepsia funcional, la cual engloba a todos los pacientes con dispepsia sin una causa orgánica objetivable a través de la endoscopia. En esta GPC también se presentan las recomendaciones para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la úlcera péptica y de la infección por Helicobacter pylori (AU)

The aim of the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the Management of Patients with Dyspepsia is to generate recommendations on the optimal approach to dyspepsia in the primary care and specialized outpatient setting. The main objective of this CPG is to help to optimize the diagnostic process, identifying patients with a low risk of a serious organic disease (mainlytumoral), who could be safely managed without the need for invasive diagnostic tests and/or referral to a specialist. The importance of this aim lies in the need to accurately diagnose patients with esophagogastric cancer and correctly treat peptic ulcer while, at the same time, reduce negative endoscopies in order to appropriately use the available healthcare resources. This CPG reviews the initial strategies that can be used in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and evaluates the possible decision to begin empirical therapy or to investigate the existence of a lesion that could explain the symptoms. This CPG also discusses functional dyspepsia, which encompasses all patients with dyspepsia with no demonstrable cause on endoscopy. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection are also made. To classify the scientific evidence and strengthen the recommendations, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group) system has been used (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/) (AU)

Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo del paciente con dispepsia. Actualización 2012 / Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with dyspepsia. Update 2012

La finalidad de la Guía de Práctica Clínica (GPC) sobre el Manejo del Paciente con Dispepsia es generar unas recomendaciones acerca del manejo óptimo de la dispepsia en el ámbito de la atención primaria y especializada ambulatoria. Su objetivo principal es ayudar a optimizar el proceso diagnóstico, identificando a los pacientes con bajo riesgo de tener una patología orgánica grave (fundamentalmente tumoral), los cuales podrían ser manejados de forma segura sin necesidad de realizar pruebas diagnósticas invasivas y/o derivaciones al especialista. La importancia de este objetivo radica en la necesidad de no dejar de diagnosticar a los pacientes con un cáncer esófago-gástrico, tratar correctamente la úlcera péptica y, a la vez, reducir las endoscopias negativas para, en definitiva, utilizar de manera adecuada los recursos sanitarios disponibles. En esta GPC se revisan las posibles estrategias iniciales en el paciente con dispepsia no investigada, valorando la posible decisión de iniciar o no un tratamiento empírico o de investigar la existencia de una lesión que justifique los síntomas. Asimismo, en esta GPC se aborda la dispepsia funcional, la cual engloba a todos los pacientes con dispepsia sin una causa orgánica objetivable a través de la endoscopia. En esta GPC también se presentan las recomendaciones para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la úlcera péptica y de la infección por Helicobacter pylori. Para clasificar la evidencia científica y la fuerza de las recomendaciones se ha utilizado el sistema GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group) (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/)(AU)

The aim of the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the Management of Patients with Dyspepsia is to generate recommendations on the optimal approach to dyspepsia in the primary care and specialized outpatient setting. The main objective of this CPG is to help to optimize the diagnostic process, identifying patients with a low risk of a serious organic disease (mainly tumoral), who could be safely managed without the need for invasive diagnostic tests and/or referral to a specialist. The importance of this aim lies in the need to accurately diagnose patients with esophagogastric cancer and correctly treat peptic ulcer while, at the same time, reduce negative endoscopies in order to appropriately use the available healthcare resources. This CPG reviews the initial strategies that can be used in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and evaluates the possible decision to begin empirical therapy or to investigate the existence of a lesion that could explain the symptoms. This CPG also discusses functional dyspepsia, which encompasses all patients with dyspepsia with no demonstrable cause on endoscopy. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection are also made. To classify the scientific evidence and strengthen the recommendations, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group) system has been used (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/)(AU)

[Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with dyspepsia. Update 2012]. / Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo del paciente con dispepsia. Actualización 2012.

The aim of the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the Management of Patients with Dyspepsia is to generate recommendations on the optimal approach to dyspepsia in the primary care and specialized outpatient setting. The main objective of this CPG is to help to optimize the diagnostic process, identifying patients with a low risk of a serious organic disease (mainly tumoral), who could be safely managed without the need for invasive diagnostic tests and/or referral to a specialist. The importance of this aim lies in the need to accurately diagnose patients with esophagogastric cancer and correctly treat peptic ulcer while, at the same time, reduce negative endoscopies in order to appropriately use the available healthcare resources.This CPG reviews the initial strategies that can be used in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and evaluates the possible decision to begin empirical therapy or to investigate the existence of a lesion that could explain the symptoms. This CPG also discusses functional dyspepsia, which encompasses all patients with dyspepsia with no demonstrable cause on endoscopy. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection are also made. To classify the scientific evidence and strengthen the recommendations, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group) system has been used (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/).

[Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with dyspepsia. Update 2012]. / Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo del paciente con dispepsia. Actualización 2012.

The aim of the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the Management of Patients with Dyspepsia is to generate recommendations on the optimal approach to dyspepsia in the primary care and specialized outpatient setting. The main objective of this CPG is to help to optimize the diagnostic process, identifying patients with a low risk of a serious organic disease (mainly tumoral), who could be safely managed without the need for invasive diagnostic tests and/or referral to a specialist. The importance of this aim lies in the need to accurately diagnose patients with esophagogastric cancer and correctly treat peptic ulcer while, at the same time, reduce negative endoscopies in order to appropriately use the available healthcare resources. This CPG reviews the initial strategies that can be used in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and evaluates the possible decision to begin empirical therapy or to investigate the existence of a lesion that could explain the symptoms. This CPG also discusses functional dyspepsia, which encompasses all patients with dyspepsia with no demonstrable cause on endoscopy. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection are also made. To classify the scientific evidence and strengthen the recommendations, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group) system has been used (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org/).

Relation between temperature and mortality in thirteen Spanish cities.

In this study we examined the shape of the association between temperature and mortality in 13 Spanish cities representing a wide range of climatic and socio-demographic conditions. The temperature value linked with minimum mortality (MMT) and the slopes before and after the turning point (MMT) were calculated. Most cities showed a V-shaped temperature-mortality relationship. MMTs were generally higher in cities with warmer climates. Cold and heat effects also depended on climate: effects were greater in hotter cities but lesser in cities with higher variability. The effect of heat was greater than the effect of cold. The effect of cold and MMT was, in general, greater for cardio-respiratory mortality than for total mortality, while the effect of heat was, in general, greater among the elderly.

Guia clinica de enfermedad por reflujo gastroesofagico. Actualizacion 2008 / No disponible

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Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo de la rectorragia (actualización 2007) / No disponible

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Guía de práctica clínica sobre el manejo de las hemorroides y la fisura anal (actualización 2007) / No disponible

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