Emotion dysregulation and neuroticism as moderators of group Unified Protocol effectiveness outcomes for treating emotional disorders.

BACKGROUND: The personality dimension neuroticism and difficulties in emotional regulation (ER) are two variables closely related to the onset, course, and maintenance of emotional disorders (EDs). The Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) is a treatment specifically designed to address neuroticism by training in adaptive ER skills and has been shown to be effective in reducing difficulties in ER. However, the specific impact of these variables on treatment outcomes is not entirely clear. The aim of the present study was to explore the moderating role of neuroticism and difficulties in ER regarding the evolution of depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life. METHODS: This secondary study included 140 participants diagnosed with EDs, who received the UP in group format as part of an RCT being conducted in different Spanish Public Mental Health Units. RESULTS: The results of this study found that high scores in neuroticism and difficulties in ER were associated with greater severity of depression and anxiety symptomatology, and with poorer quality of life. In addition, difficulties in ER moderated the efficacy of UP regarding anxiety symptoms, and quality of life. No moderating effects were found for depression (p > 0.5). LIMITATIONS: We only evaluated two moderators that may influence UP effectivenes; other key moderators should be analyzed in future. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of specific moderators affecting transdiagnostic interventions outcomes will allow the development of personalized interventions and provide useful information to improve the psychopathology and well-being of people with EDs.

Parir en palacio: Obstetricia de las reinas españolas / Giving birth in the palace: Obstetrics of Spanish queens

El parto siempre ha sido un hecho muy importante en la vida de la mujer por el riesgo y repercusión social que entraña, pero si la parturienta es una reina, la trascendencia es enorme. Las soberanas, pese al riesgo que corrían tanto ellas como el vástago, tenían que parir hijos y cuantos más mejor. En este trance siempre han contado con la ayuda de matronas y comadres, aplicando para ello los conocimientos obstétricos clásicos [Fragmento de texto] (AU)

Recurrent pericardial effusion as initial manifestation of primary diffuse pericardial malignant mesothelioma

The case of a 61-year-old woman who presented a recurrent symptomatic pericardial effusion and a malignant cardiac tamponade six months prior to the detection of a mediastinal anterior mass is described. Diffuse malignant pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed after mediastinal mass biopsy. The patient underwent further oncological evaluation followed by chemotherapy (AU)

[Oral itraconazole for treatment of a candida parapsilosis endophthalmitis case]. / Itraconazol oral en el tratamiento de un caso de endoftalmitis por candida parapsilosis.

CLINICAL CASE: A case of exogenous Candida parapsilosis endophthalmitis was treated first with oral fluconazol and later with intravenous Anfotericin without success. A subsequent therapy using topical fluconazole and oral itraconazole appeared to be effective in controlled the infection. DISCUSSION: Current elective treatment for fungal endophthalmitis is Anfotericine B i.v. An alternative therapy are the azoles. In the reported case itraconazole was used, although its intraocular penetration and effectiveness have not yet been satisfactorily demonstrated. The clinical response in this case leads to the possibility that intraocular oral itraconazole penetration can be sufficient to control infection in cases where the causal fungi is sensitive.

Early socio-political and environmental consequences of the Prestige oil spill in Galicia.

The controversial form in which the oil industry is run has once more caused a huge disaster--this one affecting the Galician coastal environment and economy. Oil-spill clean-up operations have been managed in Europe with some success but with considerable economic, environmental and social costs. The oil industry often avoids fully or even partially compensating those affected. The lack of both political will and political power has let the culprit (the oil industry) off the hook. This paper considers the spill of the Prestige to assess whether the balance of power between affected people and the oil industry can be changed. The paper examines the growing awareness of environmental issues among ordinary people in Spain, through the massive involvement of volunteers concerned with the damage done to the environment and to the livelihoods of fishing communities in Galicia. To understand these growing public concerns and the strength of opinion, the paper examines the details of the decisions taken by the central Spanish and local governments and the way these have informed the clean-up operations, the character of the oil companies involved and the feeling of impotence in the face of such disasters. The conclusion here is that the operations of the oil industry should be tightly regulated through EU legislation, and that this can come about as a result of organised political pressure from those affected by the oil spill, from the mass of volunteers, as well as from public opinion at large.

[Anterior stromal puncture for recurrent corneal erosion]. / Micropunciones del estroma anterior corneal como tratamiento de la erosión corneal recidivante.

PURPOSE: Assess the efficacy of corneal anterior stromal punctures as treatment for Recurrent Corneal Erosion (RCE) and relapse prevention. Two other treatments are compared: simple occlusion with antibiotic ointment, not manipulating the lesion and debridement of erosion previous to occlusion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study was performed on a total of 36 patients diagnosed with RCE where cases underwent different treatments and results were compared. Other general factors influencing the evolution of the illness are evaluated as well. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found comparing the effectiveness of these three treatments to decrease the risk of relapses in erosion. Presence of signs of map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy is common in RCE patients, however not associated with higher risk of relapse. The most frequent associated alteration is meibomitis. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of RCE with erosion debridement previous to occlusion results in a high rate of healing and this treatment seems better than stromal punctures since it implies less potential risks. Pathogenesis of RCE still remains obscure. Association with certain dystrophys of the epithelial basal membrane could not be demonstrated in this study. However, it is possible that the presence of meibomitis, associated with lids contamination by certain strains of staphylococcus aureus, may play an important role in RCE pathogenesis (Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol 2002; 77: 257-262).

Views of Earth's magnetosphere with the image satellite.

The IMAGE spacecraft uses photon and neutral atom imaging and radio sounding techniques to provide global images of Earth's inner magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Auroral imaging at ultraviolet wavelengths shows that the proton aurora is displaced equatorward with respect to the electron aurora and that discrete auroral forms at higher latitudes are caused almost completely by electrons. Energetic neutral atom imaging of ions injected into the inner magnetosphere during magnetospheric disturbances shows a strong energy-dependent drift that leads to the formation of the ring current by ions in the several tens of kiloelectron volts energy range. Ultraviolet imaging of the plasmasphere has revealed two unexpected features-a premidnight trough region and a dayside shoulder region-and has confirmed the 30-year-old theory of the formation of a plasma tail extending from the duskside plasmasphere toward the magnetopause.

[Stomas in pregnancy, clinical case and review of the literature]. / Estomas durante el embarazo, caso clínico y revisión de la literatura.

Stomas and pregnancy is an uncommon event and the literature in this regard is scarce, this poses significant concern on its management. Among the etiology we found the ulcerative colitis, trauma, and rectovaginal fistula, etc. The management should include a perinatologist and a specialist in colon and rectum. We should be familiarized with the potential complication as the intestinal obstruction, stoma prolapse, narrowing of the stoma and bleeding. The route delivery should be vaginal and the c-section is reserved for obstetric indications. The patient must receive education regarding stoma complications, and how to copy to live with a stoma.

First record of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) in the Dominican Republic.

Rats, Rattus norvegicus, trapped in some sections (barrios) of the city of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic showed that 5 of them from two barrios harbored the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the pulmonary artery. Macerated and digested terrestrial snails, Subulina octona, collected from the backyards of houses where the rats were trapped contained L2 and L3 larvae of the nematode. The morphology of the adult worms and the larvae was consistent with that described for A. cantonensis in the literature. This is the first report of this Oriental and Western Pacific nematode in the Dominican Republic and the fourth in the Americas. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage, a rare symptom due to another species, the American A. costaricensis, which occurs in mesenteric arterioles of rodents and humans, is in the recent literature; the patient was a 41-year old Dominican. Thus the Dominican Republic is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to have the two species of Angiostrongylus.

[Irregular antierythocytic antibodies outside of the ABO system in the perinatal period]. / Anticuerpos irregulares antieritrocitarios fuera del sistema ABO en el periodo perínatal.

Included in this study are the results of the tests done with irregular anti-erythrocytic antibodies outside of the ABO system of women in reproductive stage. In 2,623 cases considered, 279 samples positive for the antibodies were found (10.6%). In 184 cases (65.9%), the antibodies were classified as "immune irregular". The most frequently found antibodies from this group were the anti-D (63.08%), followed by the anti-c (1.07%), the anti-Kell (0.72%), anti-C, anti-E and an anti-Rh system (0.36% for each one). In 52 cases (18.6%) there were irregular "natural" antibodies, predominantly the anti-Lewis (9.68%), followed by anti-P (5.02%), the anti-I (3.2%), an anti-M and an anti-N (0.36% each one). In 43 (15.4%) cases, we were not able to identify the specificity of the antibody found. We include a discussion and a comparison of the frequency of these antibodies in our population. Based on these data, we recommend the clinician to consider the existence and specificity of the irregular anti-erythrocytic antibodies in their obstetric patients, candidates to transfusional therapy, as well as those newborn with hemolytic diseases.