COVID-19, pandemia y acúfeno / COVID-19, pandemic and tinnitus

El acúfeno es un síntoma que puede presentarse aislado o en diferentes patologías. Se describe como la percepción de un sonido o percepción auditiva fantasma no producida por una vibración o estímulo acústico externo, que es inaudible para el entorno. La COVID-19 causada por el virus SARS-CoV-2, es una enfermedad que ha mostrado diversidad en su expresión, severidad, síntomas y secuelas. El acúfeno es una condición relacionada con el sistema auditivo que ha sido estudiada durante la pandemia por COVID-19 y se ha podido observar un incremento en la incidencia y/o exacerbación de la percepción de este síntoma, en donde se involucran múltiples factores que se vuelven importantes de considerar.

Tinnitus is a symptom that can occur in isolation or in different pathologies. It is described as the perception of a sound, or as a phantom auditory perception that is not produced by a vibration or external acoustic stimulus, which is inaudible to the environment. COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a disease that has shown diversity in its expression, severity, symptoms and sequelae. Tinnitus is a condition related to the auditory system that has been studied during the COVID-19 pandemic, and an increase in the incidence and/or exacerbation of the perception of this symptom has been observed, involving multiple factors that become important to consider.

Depression and anxiety in perinatal period: prevalence and risk factors in an Italian sample.

Accumulating evidence suggests that pregnancy does not protect women from mental illness. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, sociodemographic correlates, and the risks factors for perinatal depression and anxiety. Five hundred ninety women between 28th and the 32nd gestational weeks were recruited and submitted to a sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychological interview. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI-Y) were also administered in antenatal period and 3 months postnatally. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) was used to diagnose mood and anxiety disorders. Three months after delivery, EPDS was administered by telephone interview. Women with an EPDS score ≥10 were 129 in antenatal period (21.9%) and 78 in postnatal period (13.2%). During pregnancy 121 women (20.5%) were positive for STAI-Y state and 149 women (25.3%) for STAI-Y trait. The most important risk factors for antenatal depression are: foreign nationality, conflictual relationship with family and partner, and lifetime psychiatric disorders. The principal risk factors for postnatal depression are: psychiatric disorders during pregnancy and artificial reproductive techniques. Psychiatric disorders, during and preceding pregnancy, are the strongest risk factors for antenatal state and trait anxiety. Antenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms appear to be as common as postnatal symptoms. These results provide clinical direction suggesting that early identification and treatment of perinatal affective disorders is particularly relevant to avoid more serious consequences for mothers and child.

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy study of alkyl hydroxamic acid and alkyl hydroxamate isomers.

The isomeric structures of alkyl hydroxamic acid, as well as its potassium salt, sodium salt, and an alcohol complex, have been characterized in the solid, liquid, and gaseous states by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy provides insight into the long-standing debate over the isomeric composition of hydroxamates in the solid state and in an aqueous basic solution. IR and Raman results are not consistent with the enol isomer existing in the solid or liquid states of octyl or decyl hydroxamic acid, potassium hydroxamate, and sodium hydroxamate. The infrared and Raman spectra of these compounds provide clear and convincing evidence regarding their chemical structure, mainly from amide-type carbonyl, NH bending, and OH/NH stretching bands. Vibrational spectroscopy is sensitive to polar (FT-IR) and non-polar (FT-Raman) vibrations and the influence of ionic and hydrogen bonding on these vibrations, and these abilities are particularly useful for characterizing keto versus enol and trans versus cis conformations in alkyl hydroxamic acid and its salts. Evolved gas analysis (EGA) in a nitrogen gas environment of alkyl hydroxamic acid and its salts is also discussed. EGA data reveal that water is not incorporated into the solid-state crystal structure of alkyl hydroxamic acid or the potassium salt; however, the sodium salt form is found to have a stable hydrate conformer that is shown to affect the Z isomer (NH trans to carbonyl, OH cis to carbonyl) IR absorbance bands. EGA data also indicates results that could be of interest to bio-pharmaceutical applications involving nitric oxide donation.