Cognitive training via mobile app for addressing eating disorders' cognitions in adolescents: a randomized control trial protocol.

During adolescence, individuals are particularly vulnerable to developing eating disorders (EDs). To address the dysfunctional beliefs linked to these disorders, a new mobile app has been developed. This app, called GG eating disorders-Adolescents (GGED-AD), was created based on CBT to help adolescents work on their self-dialogue related to the core beliefs of eating disorders. The objective is to present the protocol for a randomized controlled trial to explore the efficacy of GGED-AD.Methods The study will be carried out in adolescents aged 13 to 16 from an educational center in the Valencian Community. The participants will be randomized into two groups: the experimental group will use the GGED-AD app during 14 consecutive days for approximately 5 min each day; and the control group will use a neutral app (GGNEUTRAL) during the same time. Both groups will complete instruments that assess dysfunctional beliefs related to eating disorders, eating symptoms, symptoms of depression and anxiety, body satisfaction and self-esteem before and after the intervention. A follow-up will be conducted one month later.Results A decrease in the degree of ascription to dysfunctional beliefs associated with eating disorders and eating symptomatology is expected, as well as an increase in body satisfaction and the self-esteem of the participants of the experimental group.Discussion The app in this study could help tackle and prevent ED-related symptoms in adolescents.Trial registration NCT06039514.

A mobile app to challenge obsessional beliefs in adolescents: a protocol of a two-armed, parallel randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a crucial stage for the development of OCD symptoms that, in most cases, persist into adulthood. This requires designing preventive strategies tailored to this population. Therefore, we aim to describe the study protocol that will be used to examine the effectiveness of a mobile health application to challenge obsessional beliefs in adolescents. METHODS: A two-armed randomized controlled trial will be conducted on an adolescent sample from the general population. The experimental group will use the intervention module (GGOC-AD) of a mobile app on the GGtude platform for 14 days whereas the control group will use a non-active module (GGN-AD) of said app. Primary outcome measures will be obsessional beliefs and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and secondary measures will be self-esteem and emotional symptoms. Three assessment points will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. A linear multiple regression model with an intention to treat approach will be used. The expected total sample size will be 55 participants. DISCUSSION: We expect that the intervention group will show a reduction in obsessional beliefs and OCD-symptoms at post and follow-up in comparison with the control group. Additionally, we expect that the app will improve participants' self-esteem. This study could provide an accessible mobile health tool to prevent OCD-related symptoms in adolescents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06033391 . Registered September 4, 2023.

Intervenciones de mHealthpara reducir el impacto del consumo de sustancias en jóvenes: una revisión sistemática / mHealthinterventions to reduce the impact of substance use on youths: a systematic review

El objetivo de la presente revisión sistemática fue examinar las características de las interven-ciones centradas en reducir el consumo de sustancias, sus potenciales consecuencias negativas o incrementar el uso de estrategias de protección en jóvenes impartidas a través de medios tecnológicos. Las intervenciones fueron categorizadas según el formato de implementación (i. e., mensajes, páginas webs o apps). Se identificaron 29 intervenciones. Las intervenciones por mensajes y páginas web impactaron positivamente en las tres variables dependientes analiza-das. Ninguna de las intervenciones por apps mostró cambios significativos. La mayoría de las in-tervenciones estuvieron dirigidas a estudiantes universitarios y centradas en el consumo de al-cohol. Esto destaca la necesidad de desarrollar y evaluar intervenciones dirigidas a población no-universitaria y centradas en sustancias diferentes al alcohol. La síntesis proporcionada po-dría ser útil para guiar el diseño de intervenciones mediadas por tecnologías para reducir el impacto del consumo de sustancias en jóvenes. (AU)

The aim of the present systematic review was to examine the characteristics of mHealth in-terventions focused on reducing substance use, negative consequences or increasing protective behavioural strategies use in young adult population. Interventions were categorized accord-ing to the format of implementation (i. e., messages, web page or apps). We identified 29 in-terventions. Interventions delivered by messages and web pages impacted on the three de-pendent variables analysed. None of the interventions delivered by app showed significant changes. Most of the interventions were intended for college students and focused on alcohol consumption. Our results stand out the need to develop and evaluate interventions for non-college population and focused on substances different to alcohol. The evidence provided could be a useful for designing mHealth interventions focused on reduce substance use among young people. (AU)

Urgencias psiquiátricas en la COVID-19: un estudio observacional durante 2019-2021 / Psychiatric emergencies in COVID-19: an observational study in 2019-2021

Introducción: En los primeros meses de la pandemia de la COVID-19 se reportó un descenso de las consultas en Urgencias Psiquiátricas (UP) en diferentes países. Este estudio describe la situación de las UP en un hospital público de Valencia (España) durante 2019-2021. Metodología: El diseño fue observacional y retrospectivo, e incluyó 1161 consultas en UP (M = 40.08 años; DT = 15.64; 51.7% mujeres). Se establecieron seis períodos temporales para la comparación: dos globales (no pandemia/pandemia) y cuatro intrapandémicos. Resultados: la media de consultas diarias fue similar entre el período anterior a la pandemia y el período pandémico; sin embargo, durante el confinamiento se dieron menos consultas/día que en el resto de los períodos intrapandemia. En la pandemia se recibieron más consultas relacionadas con el espectro psicótico y menos con los trastornos depresivos. El 30.74% de las consultas en UP de todos los períodos evaluados requirieron hospitalización psiquiátrica. Conclusiones: La situación de las UP parece estabilizarse durante el año posterior a la declaración del estado de alarma en España, aunque sigue siendo necesario examinar los factores que determinan la asistencia a UP en situaciones de emergencia. (AU)

Introduction: In the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in consultations in Psychiatric Emergencies (PE) was reported in different countries. This study describes the situation of PE in a public hospital in Valencia (Spain) during 2019-2021. Methodology: The design was observational and retrospective. 1161 PE's consultations were included (M = 40.08 years; DT =15.64; 51.7% women). Six time periods were established for comparison: two global (non-pandemic/pandemic) and four intra-pandemic periods. Results: Mean daily consultations were similar before and during pandemic. However, there were less consultations in lockdown than in post-lockdown periods. In the pandemic, more consultations were related to the psychotic spectrum and fewer to depressive disorders. Up to 30.74% of PE consultations in the examined periods required psychiatric hospitalization. Conclusions: The situation of PE seems to stabilize during the year after the declaration of the alarm state in Spain, although the factors that determine attendance in emergency situations need further attention. (AU)

Drunkenness and Regretted Online Social Risk Behaviors: The Role of Social Drinking Motives and Positive Urgency.

Background: Alcohol use and the use of social media and other forms of digital communications is characteristic of young adults. The present study prospectively examined the relationship between social drinking motives and positive urgency and the engagement in regretted online social risk behaviors while drunk (having posted on social media, called or texted someone, or been visibly drunk in a photo) among a community sample of young adults. Methods: Using a targeted sampling procedure, we accessed a baseline sample of 360 young adults aged 18-25 years old from the community. Of these, 339 (mean age: 21.1 [SD = 2.21]; female = 50.7%) completed 2-month follow-up measures. Results: Social drinking motives and the tendency to act impulsively under conditions of positive affect (i.e. positive urgency) were measured at baseline, and frequency of regretted online social risk behaviors were measured at follow-up. Results showed that baseline social drinking motives were positively associated with all three regretted online social risk behaviors examined at follow-up. Higher baseline positive urgency scores were associated with a higher frequency of regretted posting on social media and calling or texting someone while drunk at follow-up. Conclusions: Our findings support the inclusion of positive urgency and social drinking motives as key components of preventive interventions aimed at reducing potential negative consequences of using social media and other forms of digital communications while under the effects of alcohol.

Efectividad del ayuno intermitente en dos protocolos sobre perfil lipídico, composición corporal y presión arterial en adultos. Una revisión sistemática

El ayuno intermitente se ha popularizado como una estrategia alternativa para el control de peso y disminución de algunos parámetros bioquímicos. El propósito de esta revisión sistemática fue evaluar la efectividad del ayuno intermitente en dos protocolos: ayuno en días intermitentes (ADA) y ayuno restringido en el tiempo (ART), sobre el perfil lipídico, composición corporal y presión arterial en adultos. Método: Revisión sistemática basada en ensayos controlados aleatorios consultados en las bases de datos: Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, Proquest y PubMed. Se estudió a adultos mayores de 18 años con cualquier estado nutricional. La intervención correspondió a ayuno intermitente de al menos 16 horas. Se evaluaron riesgos de sesgos según la colaboración de Cochrane. Resultados: Se analizaron seis ensayos clínicos, encontrándose que el protocolo ADA, presente en cuatro de ellos, generó cambios en las variables: triglicéridos, c-HDL, c-LDL, colesterol total, peso, masa magra, masa grasa y presión arterial sistólica, mientras que el protocolo ART, presente en los dos restantes, provocó cambios en las variables: peso, masa grasa, masa magra, triglicéridos, colesterol total, c-LDL, c-HDL y glicemia. Conclusión: La evidencia disponible con ensayos clínicos nos permite sugerir que los protocolos ADA y ART pueden ser una dieta alternativa para adultos. Sin embargo, el ajuste calórico y una adecuada educación sobre estilos de vida saludable muestran resultados similares. Sin perjuicio a esto, el AI puede ser una alternativa para aquellos a quienes les es difícil seguir un patrón dietético con restricción calórica diaria.

Intermittent fasting has become popular as an alternative strategy for weight control and the reduction of some biochemical parameters. The purpose of this systematic review (SR) was to evaluate the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in two protocols: intermittent days fasting (ADA) and time-restricted fasting (ART), on lipid profile, body composition and blood pressure among adults. Methods: SR based on randomized controlled trials consulted in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, Library Cochrane, Clinical Trials, Proquest and PubMed. Adults over 18 years of age with any nutritional status were studied. The intervention corresponded to intermittent fasting of at least 16 hours. Risk of bias were assessed according to the Cochrane collaboration. Results: Six clinical trials were analyzed, finding that the ADA protocol, present in four of them, generated changes in the variables: triglycerides, c-HDL, c-LDL, total cholesterol, weight, lean mass, fat mass and systolic blood pressure, while the ART protocol, present in the remaining two, caused changes in the variables: weight, fat mass, lean mass, triglycerides, total cholesterol, c-LDL, c-HDL and glycemia. Conclusion: The available evidence with clinical trials allows us to suggest that the ADA and ART protocols can be an alternative diet for adults. However, caloric adjustment and adequate education on healthy lifestyles show similar results. Notwithstanding this, intermittent fasting may be an alternative for those who find it difficult to follow a dietary pattern with daily caloric restriction.

Consumo de alcohol en mujeres embarazadas y lactantes: factores de riesgo y protección asociados / Alcohol use in pregnant and breastfeeding women: associated risk and protective factors

ABSTRACT Objetivo Examinar la ocurrencia del consumo de alcohol en mujeres embarazadas o en periodo de lactancia de la provincia de Córdoba (Argentina) y los factores de riesgo/ protección que explican ese consumo. Metodología Participaron 475 mujeres (202 embarazadas y 273 lactantes) entre 18-47 años que completaron una encuesta en línea, que indagó sobre su consumo de alcohol y una serie de factores de riesgo y protección para el consumo de alcohol. Resultados El 93,1% y 68,1% de las mujeres embarazadas y lactantes indicaron que no consumían alcohol en su condición. Se observó un perfil más riesgoso en mujeres lactantes. En embarazadas, solo la percepción de riesgo permitió explicar su consumo. En lactantes, la percepción de riesgo, el consumo de convivientes, la indicación de no beber en su condición por parte de familiares/amistades y la aprobación del consumo de alcohol en otras mujeres lactantes permitieron explicar su consumo. Discusión Estos resultados ponen en evidencia la necesidad de brindar información clara y precisa sobre los riesgos asociados al consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y, especialmente, la lactancia y la necesidad de incorporar cuatro actores sociales en las campañas preventivas: los profesionales de la salud, los/las convivientes, la familia y las amistades de la mujer gestante/lactante.

ABSTRACT Objective This work examined alcohol use and risk and protective factors related among pregnant and breastfeeding women from Córdoba (Argentina). Methodology In total, 475 women (202 pregnant and 273 breastfeeding) between 18-47 years old participated. Participants completed an online survey that measured alcohol use and the occurrence of different risk and protective factors for alcohol use. Results The 93,1% of pregnant and 68,1% of breastfeeding women reported no alcohol use. A riskier profile was observed in breastfeeding women. Among pregnant women, only risk perception explained their alcohol use. Among breastfeeding women, risk perception, alcohol use of the persons they live with, the recommendation of not drinking in their condition by relatives or friends and alcohol use approval in other breastfeeding women explained their alcohol use. Discussion Our results highlight the need to provide clear and precise information about the risks associated with alcohol use during pregnancy and, specially, breastfeeding and the need to incorporate four social actors in prevention campaigns: health professionals and cohabitants, family and friends of the pregnant or breastfeeding woman.

Polymeric Composite of Magnetite Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Application in Biomedicine: A Review.

A broad spectrum of nanomaterials has been investigated for multiple purposes in recent years. Some of these studied materials are magnetics nanoparticles (MNPs). Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are MNPs that have received extensive attention because of their physicochemical and magnetic properties and their ease of combination with organic or inorganic compounds. Furthermore, the arresting of these MNPs into a cross-linked matrix known as hydrogel has attracted significant interest in the biomedical field. Commonly, MNPs act as a reinforcing material for the polymer matrix. In the present review, several methods, such as co-precipitation, polyol, hydrothermal, microemulsion, and sol-gel methods, are reported to synthesize magnetite nanoparticles with controllable physical and chemical properties that suit the required application. Due to the potential of magnetite-based nanocomposites, specifically in hydrogels, processing methods, including physical blending, in situ precipitation, and grafting methods, are introduced. Moreover, the most common characterization techniques employed to study MNPs and magnetic gel are discussed.

Maladaptive Consequences of Mental Intrusions with Obsessive, Dysmorphic, Hypochondriac, and Eating-disorders Related Contents: Cross-cultural Differences / Consecuencias negativas de las intrusiones mentales con contenidos obsesivos, dismórficos, hipocondriacos y alimentarios: diferencias transculturales

AbstractBackground/Objective: Unwanted mental intrusions (UMIs) with contents related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), and Eating Disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent, independently of the cultural and/or social context. Cognitive-behavioral explanations for these disorders postulates that the escalation from common UMIs to clinically relevant symptoms depends on the maladaptive consequences (i.e., emotions, appraisals, and control strategies) of experiencing UMIs. This study examines, from a cross-cultural perspective, the cognitive-behavioral postulates of the maladaptive consequences of having UMIs. Method: Non-clinical 1,473 participants from Europe, the Middle-East, and South America completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts to assess the maladaptive consequences of experiencing highly disturbing OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs-related UMIs. Results: Findings revealed main effects for both the country and the consequences associated with the four UMI contents. Interaction effects between the consequences of each UMI content and the sample location were also observed. Conclusions: Cognitive-Behavioral models for OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs should be implemented along with socio-cultural variables that increase the understanding of the role of these variables in the phenomenology of UMIs and their associated consequences.© 2021 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY−NC−ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by−nc−nd/4.0/).

ResumenIntroducción/Objetivo: Las intrusiones mentales no deseadas (IM) de contenidos relacio-nados con el Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC), el Trastorno Dismórfico Corporal (TDC), la Ansiedad por la Enfermedad (AE), y los Trastornos Alimentarios (TAs) son muy prevalentes, independientemente de la cultura y/o el contexto social. Las explicaciones cognitivo-conductuales de esos trastornos postulan que la escalada de IM normales a síntomas clínicamente relevantes depende de las consecuencias desadaptativas (i.e., emociones, valoraciones y estrategias de control) de las IM. Este estudio examina los planteamientos sobre dichas consecuencias desde una perspectiva transcultural. Méto-do: 1.473 participantes de Europa, Oriente Medio y Suramérica completaron el Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Desagradables para evaluar las consecuencias desadaptativas de experimentar IM muy molestas con contenidos de TOC, TDC, AE y TAs. Resultados: Se ob-tuvieron efectos principales tanto para el país como para las consecuencias asociadas con los cuatro contenidos de IM, así como efectos de interacción entre las consecuencias de cada modalidad de IM y la localización de la muestra. Conclusiones: Los modelos cogniti-vo-conductuales sobre el TOC, el TDC, la AE y los TAs deben complementarse con varia-bles socioculturales que aumenten la comprensión del papel de esas variables en la feno-menología de las IM y sus consecuencias asociadas.© 2021 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY−NC−ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by−nc−nd/4.0/)

Dysmorphic and illness anxiety-related unwanted intrusive thoughts in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) are considered normal variants of the obsessions found in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Similarly, intrusive and persistent preoccupations about appearance defects in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and images and thoughts about illness in illness anxiety disorder (IAD) are abnormal variants of the thoughts and concerns about appearance and health found in non-clinical individuals. This study examines whether patients with OCD have frequent and distressing UITs with contents related to BDD and IAD, in addition to OCD-related UITs. METHOD: Thirty-nine participants with OCD (Mage = 32.45, standard deviation [SD] = 11.57; 63% men) completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts (QUIT), designed to assess obsessional, dysmorphic and illness anxiety UITs and their associated functional consequences (emotions, appraisals, and neutralizing or control strategies). RESULTS: Up to 71% of the individuals with OCD experienced the three UIT modalities. As expected, OCD-related UITs were the most frequent, although were no differences among the three UIT contents in terms of the disturbance they caused. The OCD intrusions were the most interfering, egodystonic and dysfunctionally appraised, and they instigated more neutralizing behaviours. Nonetheless, all UITs instigate the need to do something to alleviate the discomfort caused by their intrusion and attempts to suppress them. CONCLUSION: UITs with different contents not always related to typical obsessive themes are a common experience in patients with OCD. These UITs could have detrimental consequences for the course of the disorder itself, and they should be adequately addressed in both the assessment and treatment of these patients.

Preservation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in convalescent plasma after pathogen reduction with methylene blue and visible light.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) is an experimental treatment against SARS-CoV-2. Although there has so far been no evidence of transmission through transfusion, pathogen reduction technologies (PRT) have been applied to CCP to mitigate risk of infectious disease. This study aims to assess the impact of methylene blue (MB) plus visible light PRT on the virus-neutralising activity of the specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-five plasma doses collected by plasmapheresis from COVID-19 convalescent donors were subjected to MB plus visible light PRT. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD S1 epitope IgGs antibodies were quantified by ELISA. Titres of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies (NtAbs) were measured before and after the PRT process. A Spearman's correlation was run to determine the relationship between antibody neutralisation ability and SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA ratio. Pre- and post-inactivation neutralising antibody titres were evaluated using a Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: The plasma pathogen reduction procedure did not diminish NtAbS titres and so did not cause a change in the viral neutralisation capacity of CCP. There was a strong correlation between pre-and post-PRT NtAbs and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgGs titres. DISCUSSION: Our results showed PRT with MB did not impair the CCP passive immunity preserving its potential therapeutic potency. Therefore, PRT of CCP should be recommended to mitigate the risk for transmission of transfusion-associated infectious disease. There is a good correlation between SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres determined by ELISA and the neutralising capacity. This allows blood centres to select CCP donors based on IgG ELISA titres avoiding the much more labour-intensive laboratory processes for determining neutralising antibodies.

Maladaptive Consequences of Mental Intrusions with Obsessive, Dysmorphic, Hypochondriac, and Eating-disorders Related Contents: Cross-cultural Differences.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Unwanted mental intrusions (UMIs) with contents related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), and Eating Disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent, independently of the cultural and/or social context. Cognitive-behavioral explanations for these disorders postulates that the escalation from common UMIs to clinically relevant symptoms depends on the maladaptive consequences (i.e., emotions, appraisals, and control strategies) of experiencing UMIs. This study examines, from a cross-cultural perspective, the cognitive-behavioral postulates of the maladaptive consequences of having UMIs. METHOD: Non-clinical 1,473 participants from Europe, the Middle-East, and South America completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts to assess the maladaptive consequences of experiencing highly disturbing OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs-related UMIs. RESULTS: Findings revealed main effects for both the country and the consequences associated with the four UMI contents. Interaction effects between the consequences of each UMI content and the sample location were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive-Behavioral models for OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs should be implemented along with socio-cultural variables that increase the understanding of the role of these variables in the phenomenology of UMIs and their associated consequences.

INTRODUCCIÓN/OBJETIVO: Las intrusiones mentales no deseadas (IM) de contenidos relacionados con el Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC), el Trastorno Dismórfico Corporal (TDC), la Ansiedad por la Enfermedad (AE), y los Trastornos Alimentarios (TAs) son muy prevalentes, independientemente de la cultura y/o el contexto social. Las explicaciones cognitivo-conductuales de esos trastornos postulan que la escalada de IM normales a síntomas clínicamente relevantes depende de las consecuencias desadaptativas (i.e., emociones, valoraciones y estrategias de control) de las IM. Este estudio examina los planteamientos sobre dichas consecuencias desde una perspectiva transcultural. MÉTODO: 1.473 participantes de Europa, Oriente Medio y Suramérica completaron el Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Desagradables para evaluar las consecuencias desadaptativas de experimentar IM muy molestas con contenidos de TOC, TDC, AE y TAs. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron efectos principales tanto para el país como para las consecuencias asociadas con los cuatro contenidos de IM, así como efectos de interacción entre las consecuencias de cada modalidad de IM y la localización de la muestra. CONCLUSIONES: Los modelos cognitivo-conductuales sobre el TOC, el TDC, la AE y los TAs deben complementarse con variables socioculturales que aumenten la comprensión del papel de esas variables en la fenomenología de las IM y sus consecuencias asociadas.

A longitudinal study among young adults into the predictive effect of perceived efficacy of behavioural strategies and the moderating role of drinking motives on use of protective behavioural strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Although protective behavioural strategies (PBS) have shown to be effective in minimising alcohol-related negative consequences, research on the explanatory factors of their use is very scarce. Perceived efficacy has been demonstrated to be one of the most relevant explanatory factors in the use of health-related protective behaviours. The present study prospectively examines the relationship between the perceived efficacy of PBS in reducing alcohol-related negative consequences and the use of PBS in a community-based sample of young adults. In addition, the moderating role of drinking motives in this relationship is also examined. METHODS: Prospective design with a baseline assessment and a 2-month follow up. Using a targeted sampling procedure, 339 young adults were recruited from the community [mean age: 21.1 (SD = 2.21); female = 50.7%] and completed questionnaires to measure perceived efficacy of PBS and drinking motives at baseline and PBS use at follow up. RESULTS: Perceived efficacy of PBS at baseline was positively associated with PBS use at follow up, and these relationships were weaker as social, enhancement and coping motives scores increased. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the need to include the perceived efficacy of PBS to reduce alcohol-related negative consequences in future interventions aimed at promoting PBS use. Moreover, these interventions should be personalised according to the initial levels of participants' drinking motives, incorporating elements that allow for neutralising their negative effects on PBS use (e.g. training in coping skills for those with strong coping motives).

Hydrogels Classification According to the Physical or Chemical Interactions and as Stimuli-Sensitive Materials.

Hydrogels are attractive biomaterials with favorable characteristics due to their water uptake capacity. However, hydrogel properties are determined by the cross-linking degree and nature, the tacticity, and the crystallinity of the polymer. These biomaterials can be sorted out according to the internal structure and by their response to external factors. In this case, the internal interaction can be reversible when the internal chains are led by physicochemical interactions. These physical hydrogels can be synthesized through several techniques such as crystallization, amphiphilic copolymers, charge interactions, hydrogen bonds, stereo-complexing, and protein interactions. In contrast, the internal interaction can be irreversible through covalent cross-linking. Synthesized hydrogels by chemical interactions present a high cross-linking density and are employed using graft copolymerization, reactive functional groups, and enzymatic methods. Moreover, specific smart hydrogels have also been denoted by their external response, pH, temperature, electric, light, and enzyme. This review deeply details the type of hydrogel, either the internal structure or the external response. Furthermore, we detail some of the main applications of these hydrogels in the biomedicine field, such as drug delivery systems, scaffolds for tissue engineering, actuators, biosensors, and many other applications.

Consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia: rol de profesionales de salud / Alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding: health professionals' role

Dada la prevalencia del consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia y la implicancia de esta práctica para la salud de los/as bebés, se indagó sobre la información que comparten profesionales de la salud a mujeres (embarazadas o en período de lactancia) sobre el consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional transversal mediante una encuesta en línea. Completaron la encuesta completa 86 profesionales de la salud (Medad=43.22, DS=9.10) y 32 sólo las preguntas sobre consumo y lactancia (n total para encuesta de lactancia=118 profesionales; Medad=44.5, DS=8.77). Los resultados arrojaron que la mayoría de los/as profesionales destaca la importancia de abordar el consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia, pero hay quienes permiten el consumo de alcohol durante estos períodos, a pesar de considerarse de riesgo entre moderado y alto para el/la bebé. Se concluye, entonces, que hay una necesidad de mayor formación profesional en el tema (AU)

The high prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding has been reported. The use of alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding is prejudicial for babies' health. This study inquired about the information that health professionals share with women about alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online survey. 86 health professionals (Mage=43.22, SD=9.10) completed the full survey and 32 health professionals completed only the questions about breastfeeding and alcohol use (total sample for these questions=118, Mage=44.5, SD=8.77). The results showed that almost every professional highlights the importance of approaching alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but some allow alcohol use during these periods despite the fact that a large group considered that alcohol use has moderate to high risk for the baby. The conclusions of the study are that results showed the need for more professional training on alcohol drinking risk during pregnancy and breastfeeding (AU)

Changes in Alcohol Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Adults: The Prospective Effect of Anxiety and Depression.

Health measures instantiated to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have imposed significant constraints for the population and impacted on drinking habits and mental health. This study longitudinally compared changes in alcohol consumption before and after the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact of sociodemographic and mental health variables on such changes among a community sample of young adults. Data were collected in the context of a larger, ongoing longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 305 young adults from Spain aged between 18 and 26 years (mean age = 21.27, (SD = 2.21), female = 53.4%; college students = 61.6%) who completed first (November-2019 and February-2020; i.e., before the outbreak of COVID-19) and second follow-up questionnaires (March 2021, a year after the COVID-19 outbreak). Alcohol use (quantity and drinking frequency), depression and anxiety symptoms were measured. Quantity and frequency of alcohol use decreased from the pre- to post-COVID-19 period. A decrease in drinking frequency was observed among college students, but not in noncollege peers. Although we found no effect of pre-COVID-19 anxiety on alcohol use changes, those with more depressive symptoms at the pre-COVID assessment were more resistant to decreasing their drinking quantity and frequency after the COVID-19 outbreak. This information will be of value when designing interventions aimed at reducing harmful alcohol use and highlights the role of mental health status when identifying high risk populations of young-adults during this, and future, public health crises.

Interaction between Filler and Polymeric Matrix in Nanocomposites: Magnetic Approach and Applications.

In recent years, polymer nanocomposites produced by combining nanofillers and a polymeric matrix are emerging as interesting materials. Polymeric composites have a wide range of applications due to the outstanding and enhanced properties that are obtained thanks to the introduction of nanoparticles. Therefore, understanding the filler-matrix relationship is an important factor in the continued growth of this scientific area and the development of new materials with desired properties and specific applications. Due to their performance in response to a magnetic field magnetic nanocomposites represent an important class of functional nanocomposites. Due to their properties, magnetic nanocomposites have found numerous applications in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, theranostics, etc. This article aims to provide an overview of the filler-polymeric matrix relationship, with a special focus on magnetic nanocomposites and their potential applications in the biomedical field.

ELSA cohorte 2014: clases de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y marihuana en estudiantes universitarios argentinos / ELSA 2014 Cohort: Classes of Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana Use Among Argentinian College Students / Cohort ELSA 2014: classes de consumo de álcool, tabaco e maconha em estudantes universitários argentinos

El consumo de sustancias es altamente prevalente en estudiantes universitarios de Argentina y el mundo. Diferenciar consumidores con diversos patrones de consumo de sustancias es importante para identificar aquellos más vulnerables a avanzar hacia un consumo patológico. Por ello, el objetivo fue identificar, mediante Análisis de Clases Latentes (ACL) aplicado a diferentes indicadores de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y marihuana, las clases de consumidores y observar si dichas clases diferían en la densidad de familiares con abuso de alcohol y otros indicadores de consumo. El análisis se realizó en un total de 4.497 estudiantes de primer año que completaron instrumentos para medir: 1-consumo de alcohol, 2-consecuencias negativas del consumo de alcohol y 3-historia familiar de abuso de alcohol. Así se identificaron cuatro clases de consumidores: 1-catm: Consumo Elevado de Alcohol, Consumo de Tabaco y Marihuana; 2-cmea: Consumo Moderado/Elevado de Alcohol, Sin Consumo de Otras Sustancias; 3-cmba: Consumo Moderado/Bajo de Alcohol, Sin Consumo de Otras Sustancias; y 4-sc: Sin Consumo de Sustancias. Los miembros de las clases catm y cmea reportaron niveles de consumo de alcohol significativamente más elevados que el resto de las clases. Los integrantes de catm presentaron consumo extremo de alcohol. Las clases sc y catm exhibieron mayor densidad de familiares con abuso de alcohol que las otras clases. La mayor parte de los encuestados fueron clasificados en categorías de consumo de alto riesgo, caracterizadas por co-uso de sustancias o por consumo elevado de alcohol. Estos patrones de consumo se han asociado a numerosas consecuencias negativas

Substance use is highly prevalent among college students in Argentina and the world. Differentiating users with different patterns of substance use is important to iden-tify those at a higher vulnerability to progress towards pathological use.The aims were to identify, by means of Latent Class Analysis applied to different alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use indicators, the classes of substance use and analyze whether these classes exhibit differences in the density of relatives with a history of alcohol abuse and other alcohol use indicators. A total of 4.497 freshmen completed instruments to measure: 1- alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use, 2- alcohol related negative consequences, and 3- family history of alcohol abuse. Four classes of substance users were identified: 1- hatm: heavy alcohol use, with tobacco and marijuana use, 2- mha: moderate/high alcohol use, without other substances, 3- mla: moderate/low alcohol use, without other substances, and 4- ns: no substance use. The mem-bers of the hatm and mha classes reported significantly hi-gher levels of alcohol use than the rest of the classes. hatmmembers presented extreme binge drinking. The ns and hatm classes exhibited a higher density of relatives with a history of alcohol abuse than the other classes. Most students were classified into high-risk consumption classes, characterized by co-use of substances or by heavy alcohol use. These patterns of substance use have been associated with a variety of negative consequences

O consumo de substâncias é altamente prevalente em estudantes universitários na Argentina e no mundo. Di-ferenciar usuários com diferentes padrões de consumo de substâncias é importante para identificar aqueles mais vulneráveis à transição para um consumo pato-lógico. Para isso, o objetivo foi identificar, por meio da Análise de Classe Latente aplicada a diferentes indicadores de consumo de álcool, tabaco e maconha, as classes de consumidores, e observar se essas clas-ses diferiam na densidade de parentes com consumo abusivo de álcool e outros indicadores de consumo. A análise foi realizada comalunos do primeiro ano (n = 4.497) que completaram os instrumentos para medir: 1-consumo de álcool, 2-consequências negativas do consumo de álcool e 3-histórico familiar de abuso de álcool. Foram identificadas quatro classes de usuários: 1-catm: alto consumo de álcool, consumo de tabaco e maconha; 2-cmea: consumo moderado / alto de álcool, sem consumo de outras substâncias; 3-cmba: consumo moderado / baixo de álcool, sem consumo de outras substâncias; e 4-sc: nenhum uso de substância. Os membros das classes catm e cmea relataram níveis significativamente mais elevados de consumo de ál-cool do que o resto das classes. Os membros do catmapresentaram consumo extremo de álcool. As classes sc e catm apresentaram maior densidade de familia-res com abuso de álcool do que as demais classes. A maioria dos entrevistados foi classificada em catego-rias de consumo de alto risco, caracterizadas pelo uso concomitante de substâncias ou pelo alto consumo de álcool. Esses padrões de consumo têm sido associados a inúmeras consequências negativas.

Harm Reduction Strategies and Drug-Related Negative Consequences in the Dance Music Scene: The Moderating Role of Polysubstance Use.

INTRODUCTION: Although simultaneous polysubstance use (SPU) is associated with greater harms than concurrent polysubstance use (CPU), no previous research has examined the effectiveness of harm reduction strategies in reducing drug-related harms in people who use drugs simultaneously and whether these strategies have a differential impact on drug-related negative consequences according to SPU patterns. Objectives: to examine the relationship between SPU patterns, harm reduction strategies and drug-related consequences experienced among people who attend dance music settings, and to examine the moderating role of SPU patterns in the relationship between harm reduction strategies and drug-related negative consequences Methods: a web-based survey was used to gather data from 649 substance-using attendees at dance music settings (mean age = 26.2, 68% male). The survey collected data on: settings of last party attended, drug use, harm reduction strategies used and drug-related negative consequences experienced during last party attended. Results: Latent class analysis identified two SPU profiles: Moderate SPU and Severe SPU. Participants in the severe SPU class experienced more drug-related negative consequences at their last party in comparison with those in the moderate SPU class. Regardless of SPU pattern, avoiding binge drinking was related to fewer drug-related negative consequences, whilst avoiding mixing stimulants was related to fewer drug-related negative consequences only among those participants in the severe simultaneous polysubstance use class. Conclusions: These findings could help to inform the design of messages and tailored interventions aimed at minimizing drug-related negative consequences among people who use multiple substances in the dance music scene.