Profile changes in admissions to a psychiatric hospitalisation unit over 15 years (2006-2021), considering the impact of the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2.

The objective of this current work was to explore whether modification of the diagnostic criteria upon the publication of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had influenced the diagnostic and sociodemographic profiles of mental health admissions. For that purpose, we designed an observational, longitudinal, and retrospective study of the data recorded in the discharge reports of the Brief Hospitalization Unit at Castellon (Spain), between January 2006 and December 2021. The sample consisted of 7,037 participants, with a mean age of 42.1 years. The mean age of admissions, number of women, and presentation of affective disorders, addictions, and dementias all increased significantly during the DSM-5 period. Beyond diagnoses, the reduction in readmissions before the pandemic could be attributed to the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics. In contrast, the pandemic did not change the percentage of readmissions or the volume of admissions. Also, during the pandemic period, the significant results obtained indicate that the average stay was reduced, affective disorders decreased, and addictions increased. Therefore, clinicians should consider these diagnostic and sociodemographic fluctuations when adapting clinical care, taking into account gender perspective, ageing of patients and increasing of dual and affective disorders.

Caracterización de autores que publicaron en la "Revista ANACEM" durante el periodo 2007 - 2018 / Characterization of authors who published in "Revista ANACEM" during 2007 - 2018

INTRODUCCIÓN: La producción científica ocupa un lugar importante en la formación de estudiantes de medicina. Siendo el objetivo de la Revista ANACEM la promoción temprana de la formación científica de los futuros profesionales médicos, es importante conocer quiénes publican en la revista y sus afiliaciones universitarias. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar a los autores de la revista ANACEM entre los años 2007 y 2018. Material y método: Estudio retrospectivo. La población estudiada fueron todos los autores con publicaciones en la revista ANACEM, excluyendo publicaciones dentro del mismo Volumen. Datos obtenidos directamente de los números publicados por ANACEM digitalmente. Se utilizó el programa Microsoft Excel® para el análisis estadístico. Resultados: Los Volúmenes 5, 6 y 7 fueron los que tuvieron más autores de pregrado. En la totalidad de los Volúmenes la mayoría de los autores fueron hombres, tanto estudiantes como docentes. Un 52,1% de los autores de pregrado fueron internos; mientras que la mayoría de los docentes, 43,7%, fueron médicos especialistas. La Universidad de Concepción fue la universidad con mayor cantidad de autores de pregrado y de docentes. Un 51,8% de los docentes informó afiliación a un hospital. La nacionalidad más común fue la chilena, con un 90,1% de la totalidad de los autores. Discusión: Se vio un aumento en la cantidad de autores de pregrado hasta el Volumen N°7, con un descenso posterior. Se atribuyó el cambio en la cantidad de autores a problemas en la gestión y divulgación de la revista. Las afiliaciones universitarias no fueron informadas siempre por los docentes. Las otras categorías siguen patrones esperados.

INTRODUCTION: Scientific production has an important place in the training of medical students, but there is no clear pictureof the authors in the ANACEM journal. For this reason, it is important to know who publishes in the magazine and their affiliations. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the authors of the ANACEM journal between 2007 and 2018. Material and method: Retrospective study. The population studied were all authors with publications in the ANACEM journal, excluding repeating publications within the same volume. The data was obtained directly from the numbers published by ANACEM digitally. The software used for statistical analysis was Microsoft Excel®. Results: Volumes 5, 6 and 7 had the most undergraduate authors. When analyzing all volumes, the majority of both student authors and professional authors were men. 52.1% of undergraduate authors were interns; while 43.7% of tutors were medical specialists. The university with the largest number of authors was Universidad de Concepción. 51.8% of professional authors reported affiliation to a hospital. The most common nationality was Chilean, with 90.1% of all authors. Discussion: There was an increase in the number of undergraduate authors up to volume n°7, with a subsequent decrease. Changes in the number of authors were attributed to problems in management and divulgation of the journal. Affiliation to universities was not always informed by professionals. The other categories follow expected patterns.

Presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum DNA in the brain of wild birds.

Toxoplasma gondii infections are prevalent in many avian species and can cause mortality in some bird hosts. Although T. gondii has been isolated from various species of birds, the role of many different species of wild birds in the epidemiology of T. gondii remains unknown. Neospora caninum, a closely related parasite to T. gondii, has been recently confirmed to infect domestic chickens and wild birds such as house sparrows (Passer domesticus). The present study reports the presence of T. gondii and N. caninum DNA by PCR in brain tissues of 14 species of wild birds from Spain. From a total of 200 samples analyzed, 12 samples (6%) were positive for T. gondii [5 Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius), 5 magpies (Pica pica), 1 black kite (Milvus migrans) and 1 Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)], while 3 samples (1.5%) were positive for N. caninum [2 magpies and 1 common buzzard (Buteo buteo)]. This is the first report of detection of T. gondii in magpies, griffon vulture and black kite and of N. caninum in common buzzard and magpies, extending the list of natural intermediate hosts for T. gondii and N. caninum infections to these species.

Monocyte-derived dendritic cells from HCV-infected patients transduced with an adenovirus expressing NS3 are functional when stimulated with the TLR3 ligand poly(I:C).

Dendritic cells (DC) transfected with an adenovirus encoding hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protein (AdNS3) induce potent antiviral immune responses when used to immunize mice. However, in HCV infected patients, controversial results have been reported regarding the functional properties of monocyte-derived DC (MoDC), a cell population commonly used in DC vaccination protocols. Thus, with the aim of future vaccination studies we decided to characterize MoDC from HCV patients transfected with AdNS3 and stimulated with the TLR3 ligand poly(I:C). Phenotypic and functional properties of these cells were compared with those from MoDC obtained from uninfected individuals. PCR analysis showed that HCV RNA was negative in MoDC from patients after the culture period. Also, phenotypic analysis of these cells showed lower expression of CD80, CD86, and CD40, but similar expression of HLA-DR molecules as compared to MoDC from uninfected individuals. Functional assays of MoDC obtained from patients and controls showed a similar ability to activate allogeneic lymphocytes or to produce IL-12 and IL-10, although lower IFN-alpha levels were produced by cells from HCV patients after poly(I:C) stimulation. Moreover, both groups of MoDC induced similar profiles of IFN-gamma and IL-5 after stimulation of allogeneic T-cells. Finally, migration assays did not reveal any difference in their ability to respond to CCL21 chemokine. In conclusion, MoDC from HCV patients are functional after transduction with AdNS3 and stimulation with poly(I:C). These findings suggest that these cells may be useful for therapeutic vaccination in chronic HCV infection.

Reacción inflamatoria abdominal postquirúrgica: experimento aleatorio, ciego y controlado en modelo animal,Departamento de cirugia y Patología Hospital Roosevelt, Laboratorio de Cirugía Experimental Facultad de Medicina Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala / Post-surgical abdominal inflammatory reaction Randomized, blind controlled experiment in an animal model Surgical Departament and Pathology Section, Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala City, Experimental Surgery Laboratory of the Medical School of Francisco Marroquín University

Introducción: la reacción inflamatoria (RI) es una secuencia compleja de acontecimientos que ocurren en los tejidos de los seres vivos luego de lesión celular. Se puede manifestar objetivamente para el cirujano mediante la presencia de hallazgos macroscópicos abdominales observados durante la cirugía (1,2,3). El objetivo del presente estudio fue evidenciar la reacción inflamatoria en el abdomen de la rata expuesta a: bilis, clips de titanio y fragmentos de gasa. Material y métodos: se realizó un modelo experimental en el Laboratorio de Cirugía de la Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Se utilizaron 100 ratas de la especie Wistar a las cuales les fueron asignadas en forma aleatoria cifras numéricas para clacificarlas así...

Quantum conductance steps in solutions of multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

We have prepared solutions of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in Aroclor 1254, a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls. The solutions are stable at room temperature. Transport measurements were performed using a scanning-tunneling probe on a sample prepared by spin coating the solution on gold substrates. Conductance steps were clearly seen. A histogram of a high number of traces shows maximum peaks at integer values of the conductance quantum G(0)=2e(2)/h, demonstrating ballistic transport at room temperature along the carbon nanotube over distances longer than 1.4 microm.

Decremental atriofascicular accessory pathway with bidirectional conduction: delineation of atrial and ventricular insertion by radiofrequency current application.

A 17-year-old girl with a corrected complex congenital heart disease and recurrent episodes of supraventricular tachycardia was referred for catheter ablation. Electrophysiologic studies revealed the presence of an accessory pathway (AP) with bidirectional conduction and decremental properties. We demonstrated a course parallel to the node-His AV conduction system. Transient abolition of the bidirectional conduction through the AP was obtained by radiofrequency application to the ventricular insertion located in the distal right bundle branch and to the atrial insertion, located in the mid-anterior atrial septum. Radiofrequency application at the low anterior atrial septum, above the His bundle, successfully abolished AP conduction without affecting AV nodal conduction. Demonstration of the course and insertions of the AP, its bidirectional decremental conduction properties, and the association with a complex congenital heart disease are exceptional and interesting findings and raise the possibility of an accessory AV node with a parallel conduction pathway to the right bundle branch.

Bundle-branch reentry and the postpacing interval after entrainment by right ventricular apex stimulation: a new approach to elucidate the mechanism of wide-QRS-complex tachycardia with atrioventricular dissociation.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of bundle-branch reentry ventricular tachycardia (BBR-VT) by the standard approach is challenging, and this may lead to nonrecognition of this tachycardia mechanism. Because the postpacing interval (PPI) after entrainment has been correlated with the distance from the pacing site to the reentrant circuit, BBR-VT entrainment by pacing from the right ventricular apex (RVA) should result in a PPI similar to the tachycardia cycle length (TCL). This factor may differentiate BBR-VT from other mechanisms of wide-QRS-complex tachycardia with AV dissociation, such as myocardial reentrant VT (MR-VT) or AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), in which the circuit is usually located away from the RVA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Transient entrainment by RVA pacing was attempted in 18 consecutive BBR-VTs and finally achieved in 13. Results were compared with those found in 59 consecutive MR-VTs and 50 consecutive AVNRTs. The mean PPI-TCL difference was significantly (P:<0.0001) shorter in the BBR-VT group (9+/-11 ms) than in the MR-VT (109+/-48 ms) and the AVNRT (150+/-29 ms) groups. No BBR-VT showed a PPI-TCL >30 ms (range -12 to 24 ms). Except for 2 MR-VTs, no MR-VT (range 21 to 211 ms) or AVNRT (range 100 to 215 ms) showed a PPI-TCL <30 ms. CONCLUSIONS: A PPI-TCL >30 ms, after entrainment by RVA stimulation, makes BBR-VT unlikely. Conversely, a PPI-TCL <30 ms is suggestive of BBR-VT but should lead to further investigation by use of conventional criteria.

[Cardioinhibitory vagal response not related to pain, and induced by radiofrequency application during ablation of right posteroseptal accessory pathway]. / Respuesta vagal cardioinhibidora, no mediada por dolor, secundaria a la aplicación de radiofrecuencia durante la ablación de una vía accesoria posteroseptal derecha.

Inappropriate sinus tachycardia is the most common arrhythmia induced by radiofrequency energy delivery in the posteroseptal area. It has been suggested that this could be secondary to parasymphathetic nerve injury. We report a patient with extreme sinus bradycardia and PR interval prolongation induced by radiofrequency energy delivered in the coronary sinus ostium area, but not related to any other stimulus. The most probable mechanism of the disorder was transient stimulation of the vagal afferent nerve fibers located in this anatomical area.

[Oblique orientation of the accessory pathway demonstrated by radiofrequency application]. / Demostración del trayecto cruzado de una vía accesoria mediante aplicación de radiofrecuencia.

Activation mapping of atrial and ventricular insertion has suggested an oblique orientation of some accessory pathways. However, this aspect has not been demonstrated by radiofrequency application. This report presents two patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and an accessory pathway with bidirectional conduction and oblique orientation. The accessory pathway oblique orientation was demonstrated by transient and permanent conduction abolition following radiofrequency application in two separate ventricular and atrial sites. These findings may explain the failure to ablate accessory pathway by radiofrequency application in the ventricular side of the mitral annulus guided by retrograde atrial activation occasionally observed in patients with a concealed accessory pathway.

Ablation of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia by bipolar radiofrequency current application between the left aortic sinus and the left ventricle.

BACKGROUND: Failure to ablate idiopathic ventricular outflow tract tachycardia by radiofrequency current is not uncommon and suggests that non-standard approaches may be required to map and suppress idiopathic ventricular tachyarrhythmias in some patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Left and right ventricular activation and pace mapping proved inadequate for radiofrequency application in a patient with idiopathic ventricular outflow tract tachycardia. Presystolic activity was recorded at the left aortic sinus of Valsalva, and the QRS complex recorded at this location during pacing showed few differences compared with that recorded during tachycardia. Radiofrequency current application at this site transiently suppressed the tachycardia. Following new mapping of the left ventricle outflow tract, radiofrequency application just below the aortic valve in close proximity to the previous aortic application site transiently abolished the arrhythmia. Finally, bipolar radiofrequency application between the distal electrode of the aortic catheter and the distal electrode of a second catheter placed in the left ventricular subaortic area permanently suppressed the tachycardia. CONCLUSION: Bipolar radiofrequency application between the aortic sinus of Valsalva and the left ventricle could be an alternative approach in occasional patients with idiopathic ventricular outflow tract tachycardia resistant to conventional left ventricular and aortic root unipolar radiofrequency application.