Assessing the Dynamics of the Mental Health Apple and Android App Marketplaces.

Barriers to mental health care, including stigma, costs, and mental health professional shortages, have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Smartphone apps have the potential to increase scalability and improve access to mental health information, support, and interventions. However, evaluating these apps and selecting ones for use in care remain challenging, especially as apps are often updating and changing. Recommending apps requires knowledge of how stable apps are as the experience of one user several months ago may or may not be the same. A sample of 347 apps of the 650 apps on the M-health Index and Navigation Database (MIND) https://mindapps.org were reviewed between September 1, 2021, and January 5, 2022. Apps were selected by time since their last review, with updates occurring on average approximately 4 months from the last review. Eleven trained app evaluators reviewed apps across 105 evaluation criteria in 9 categories. Results were compared to initial ratings, identifying the changes that occurred. The average app updates every 433 days, though 19% were updated in the last 3 months and some nearly weekly. Changes in privacy and features made up the highest percentage of changes, both at 38%. The most frequently observed privacy-related change was increased privacy policy reading level. Functionality parameters changed in 28% of apps. The most common functionality change was the removal of an accessibility feature. Clinical foundations changed in 18% of apps and 9% added supporting studies. Cost structure changed in 17% of apps, with 10% adding a fee for use of the app. Engagement features changed in 17% of the apps, with additions and removals of validated assessments or screeners most common. The dynamic nature of the app stores is reflected in app privacy, features, and functionality. These changes, reflected by the increased reading levels required to understand privacy policies, the decrease in accessibility features, and the additions of fees to access mobile apps, reflect the need to constantly review apps and understand how they are evolving. Patient and clinicians should use the most recent and updated possible when evaluating apps.

Microbial and viral-like rhodopsins present in coastal marine sediments from four polar and subpolar regions.

Rhodopsins are broadly distributed. In this work, we analyzed 23 metagenomes corresponding to marine sediment samples from four regions that share cold climate conditions (Norway; Sweden; Argentina and Antarctica). In order to investigate the genes evolution of viral rhodopsins, an initial set of 6224 bacterial rhodopsin sequences according to COG5524 were retrieved from the 23 metagenomes. After selection by the presence of transmembrane domains and alignment, 123 viral (51) and non-viral (72) sequences (>50 amino acids) were finally included in further analysis. Viral rhodopsin genes were homologs of Phaeocystis globosa virus and Organic lake Phycodnavirus. Non-viral microbial rhodopsin genes were ascribed to Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus and Cryptophyta and Fungi. A rescreening using Blastp, using as queries the viral sequences previously described, retrieved 30 sequences (>100 amino acids). Phylogeographic analysis revealed a geographical clustering of the sequences affiliated to the viral group. This clustering was not observed for the microbial non-viral sequences. The phylogenetic reconstruction allowed us to propose the existence of a putative ancestor of viral rhodopsin genes related to Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi. This is the first report about the existence of a phylogeographic association of the viral rhodopsin sequences from marine sediments.

Molecular characterisation of anthropogenic sources of sedimentary organic matter from Potter Cove, King George Island, Antarctica.

Although relatively recent, human activities in Antarctica, such as growing tourism, fishery activities, and scientific operations, have affected some areas of this continent. These activities eventually release pollutants, such as petroleum and its derivatives and sewage, into this environment. Located on King George Island (25 de Mayo Island), Potter Cove (62°14'S, 58°39'W) is home to the Argentine Carlini research station. To evaluate the anthropogenic impacts surrounding Potter Cove, sediment samples were collected and analysed for sewage and fuel introduction via the determination of organic markers. The highest concentrations were found in the central portion of the fjords, where fine sediments are deposited and the accumulation of organic molecules is favoured. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were mainly derived from biogenic sources, evidenced by the predominance of odd short-chain n-alkanes. Anthropogenic impacts were evidenced primarily by the presence of PAHs, which were predominantly related to petrogenic sources, such as vessel and boat traffic. Sewage marker concentrations were much lower than those found in other Antarctic regions. These results indicate that oil hydrocarbons and sewage inputs to Potter Cove may be considered low or only slightly influential.

Draft genome sequence of Bizionia argentinensis, isolated from Antarctic surface water.

A psychrotolerant marine bacterial strain, designated JUB59(T), was isolated from Antarctic surface seawater and classified as a new species of the genus Bizionia. Here, we present the first draft genome sequence for this genus, which suggests interesting features such as UV resistance, hydrolytic exoenzymes, and nitrogen metabolism.

Peripheral substitution of a near-IR-absorbing soluble phthalocyanine using "click" chemistry.

A series of near-IR-absorbing soluble phthalocyanines (Pcs) with eight alkyne moieties as side chains of the chromophore have been synthesized. One of these Pcs has been used as a scaffold for functional group modification using alkyne-azide click chemistry with various azides. This led to a small library of Pcs with photo and thermal crosslinkable, dendritic, and hydrophilic moieties starting from a single Pc molecule. A patterned thin film was fabricated by photocrosslinking one of these Pc derivatives.

Bizionia argentinensis sp. nov., isolated from surface marine water in Antarctica.

A marine bacterial strain, designated strain JUB59(T), was isolated from surface seawater in Antarctica and subsequently characterized. Cells were found to be Gram-negative, non-motile rods forming butyrous, shiny, yellowish orange colonies on marine agar. Growth occurred at 2-28 degrees C (optimally at 22-25 degrees C) but not at 30 degrees C; Na+ ions were required, but 9 % NaCl (w/v) was not tolerated. Phylogenetic analysis, based on comparisons of the complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of the novel isolate with the sequences of closely related strains, showed that strain JUB59(T) belonged to the family Flavobacteriaceae, representing a novel species of the genus Bizionia. The highest levels of sequence similarity were found with respect to Bizionia myxarmorum ADA-4(T) (97.4 %) and Bizionia algoritergicola APA-1(T) (97.1 %). However, the DNA-DNA relatedness of strain JUB59(T) with respect to these two strains was low (15.9-17.3 and 19.3-22.1 %, respectively). The predominant fatty acids of strain JUB59(T) were iso-15 : 1omega10c (18.1 %), iso-15 : 0 (17.3 %), anteiso-15 : 0 (13.9 %), iso-17 : 0 3-OH (9.2 %), 15 : 0 (6.0 %) and iso-16 : 0 3-OH (5.3 %). The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, an aminolipid, an amino-positive phospholipid and two unidentified lipids. MK-6 was the major respiratory quinone (>90 %) and the DNA G+C content was 34 mol%. On the basis of the data obtained, strain JUB59(T) represents a novel species of the genus Bizionia, for which the name Bizionia argentinensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JUB59(T) (=DSM 19628(T)=CCM-A-29 1259(T)).

Relationship between insulin resistance and gonadotropin dissociation in obese and nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To test the interdependence between insulin resistance (IR) and gonadotropin dissociation (GD) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Cross-sectional prospective study. SETTING: Clinical research center. PATIENT(S): Thirty-two PCOS patients aged 19-34 years; 16 obese (BMI > or = 27) and 16 nonobese (BMI < 27). INTERVENTION(S): A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a 100-microg i.v. GnRH test were performed on different days. Blood was taken at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes in each test. Serum glucose, insulin, LH, and FSH were measured. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Area under the curve was calculated for glucose, insulin, and glucose-to-insulin ratio (GIR), and for LH, FSH, and LH-FSH ratio. RESULT(S): Glucose, insulin, and GIR were not modified significantly during the GnRH test, nor LH, FSH and LH-FSH ratio throughout the OGTT. There were no significant differences in GIR response of patients with and without GD, nor in LH-FSH ratio of patients with and without IR, after OGTT and GnRH test. However, obese patients with IR had a significantly larger (P<.04) area under the curve for LH-FSH ratio than those without IR after GnRH test, but not after OGTT test. CONCLUSION(S): Insulin resistance and GD do not appear to be related events in PCOS, suggesting that each one might be determined by different genetic disorders. However, IR can affect GD after chronic stimulation in obese patients.

Causas de aceptación y no aceptación de métodos anticonceptivos en el postaborto inmediato / Acceptance and non-acceptance of contraceptive methods in immediate

Objetivo. Determinar las causas que motivan la aceptación o no aceptación de algún método anticonceptivo en el postaborto. Material y métodos. Se aplicaron 191 encuestas a pacientes en el postaborto inmediato en el Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia No. 4 "Luis Castelazo Ayala" del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social; se integraron dos grupos: aceptantes (n=75) y no aceptantes (n=116), los cuales para su análisis se compararon mediante la prueba t de Student y contraste de proporciones. Resultados. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las características generales de cada grupo, tales como edad, edad a la menarca, edad de inicio de vida sexual, edad de unión, edad al primer embarazo, escolaridad, número de embarazos, edad gestacional del último embarazo que culminó en aborto, uso previo de métodos de planificación familiar y su experiencia con los mismos, causas de suspensión del uso de anticonceptivos, si deseaban un nuevo embarazo o no y el tiempo probable de espera para embarazarse nuevamente. En las aceptantes al 100 por ciento se les ofreció el método anticonceptivo, de ellas, 45.33 por ciento recibió información sobre el método más adecuado, 75 por ciento consideró la explicación satisfactoria. En las no aceptantes, sólo se dio información a 26.72 por ciento (p<0.05) que fue insuficiente en 100 por ciento (p<0.05) de los casos. En 20.68 por ciento el método no fue ofrecido (p<0.05). Se informó de alguna contraindicación médica en sólo 6.03 por ciento de los casos. Los métodos anticonceptivos de las aceptantes fueron dispositivo intrauterino en 64 por ciento, hormonales inyectabas en 16.00 por ciento, hormonales orales 13.33 por ciento, oclusión tubaria bilateral en 5.33 por ciento y preservativo en 1.33 por ciento. La cobertura anticonceptiva en este periodo fue de 39.27 por ciento. Conclusiones. La cobertura anticonceptiva en el postaborto inmediato puede incrementarse ofreciéndola en forma sistemática a todas las pacientes antes de que se les practique el procedimiento quirúrgico (en este caso legrado uterino instrumental). La información que se otorgue debe ser clara y suficiente para disipar dudas y temores, para ofrecer el mejor método anticonceptivo de acuerdo con las expectativas reproductivas de cada paciente basados en una aceptación libre, informada y voluntaria.

Correlación de los hallazgos histopatológicos con las variables ultrasonográficas del endometrio conforme al peso corporal y distribución del tejido adiposo en la posmenopausia / Correlation of histopathologic findings with ultrasonographic variables of endometrium in relation with body weight and adipose tissue distribution in postmenopause

El objetivo de este trabajo fue correlacionar los hallazgos histopatologícos y las variables ultrasonográficas del endometrio en relación al peso corporal y distribución del tejido adiposo, en dos grupos de mujeres: uno con sangrado uterino posmenopáusico y otro bajo terapia hormonal de reemplazo (THR). fueron estudiadas 31 mujeres posmenopáusicas divididas en dos grupos: I. mujeres con sangrado uterino posmenopáusico (n= 19) y II. mujeres con THR (estrógenos conjugados y clormadinona) (n= 12). En ambos grupos se realizó el mismo día ultrasonido transvaginal previo a la biopsia de endometrio (BE). La BE se tomó en el grupo I el día que acudieron a consulta refiriendo sangrado y en el grupo II en el día 21 del ciclo de THR. Se observó que en el grupo I existió correlación significativa entre el peso corporal y los hallazgos histológicos y entre la refringencia del endometrio y los hallazgos histológicos. En el grupo II hubo correlación significativa entre la distribución de tejido adiposo y la refringencia del endometrio y entre el espesor endometrial y los hallazgos histológicos. Por lo que se puede concluir que en la mujer con sangrado posmenopáusico el peso corporal influye sobre los hallazgos histológicos y la refringencia está en relación del hallazgo histológico, mientras que en aquellas con THR es más importante la distribución del tejido adiposo sobre la refringencia del endometrio y el espesor endometrial tiene relación con los hallazgos histológicos.

Treatment of endometriosis with cyproterone acetate: preliminary report

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efmfectiveness of cyproterone acetate for the treatment of endometriosis. Seven patients with dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis and idiopathic hirsutism were included. Endometriosis was laparoscopically classified as minimal in two cases, mild in two, moderate in two and severe in one patient. Cyproterone acetate was initiated at a daily dose of 10 mg orally for 20 days, followed by 10 days without medication. This sequence was repeated over a period of 6 months. Dysmenorrhea improved in all study subjects. Menstrual disorders were observed in all women, with oligomenorrhea in six patients and spotting in one. At the end of treatment, a second look laparascopy revealed minimal endometriosis in five patients and no evidence of the disease in the other two patients and without changes in the other five. These preliminary data disclose the possible therapeutic use of cyproterone acetate in endometriosis

Etiological review of hirsutism in 250 patients

Two hundred fifty women with hirsutism were studied, with a mean age of 25.5 years (ranging from 13 to 38 years). The evolution of hirsutism varied from 3 months to 13 years, being minimal in 82 patients (33 per cent), mild in 101 (40 per cent), moderate in 56 (23 per cent) and severe in the remaining 11 women (4 per cent). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was diagnosed in 134 patients (53 per cent), overweight or obesity in 45 (18 per cent), late-onset adrenal hyperplasia in five (2 per cent), ovarian tumor in two (0.8 per cent), drug-induced hirsutism and Cushing's syndrome in one patient each (0.4 per cent), and idiopathic hirsutism in 62 cases (25 per cent). Among 67 patients with moderate or severe hirsutism, testosterone was elevated in 21 (31 per cent). In 117 out of 206 (57 per cent) cases polycystic ovaries were observed by ultrasound. Fifty-four patients were treated with a combination of 2 mg cyproterone acetate and 0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol, observing improvement of hirsutism in 32 patients (59 per cent). It is concluded that PCOS is the most frequent cause of hirsutism, but an important proportion of cases without evident etiology remain classified as idiopathic hirsutism