Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Musicoterapia como alternativa terapéutica en la depresión

Se realizó un estudio de intervención con procedimientos cuali-cuantitativos, en el Hospital Psiquiátrico Diurno de Las Tunas, en el período comprendido entre los meses de septiembre de 2013 hasta junio de 2014. El objetivo estuvo encaminado a diseñar un instrumento psicoterapéutico, MUSITHERAP-1, para disminuir los niveles de depresión en los pacientes allí asistidos. La muestra quedó conformada por diez pacientes, diagnosticados con niveles depresivos leves y moderados. Para la evaluación de la propuesta se utilizó el juicio de expertos, el inventario de depresión Beck, autoescala de depresión Zung y Conde, inventario de depresión Rasgo-Estado y el autorreporte vivencial. Entre los principales resultados se obtuvo el predominio en los pacientes de mujeres trabajadoras, el grupo de edades entre 41 y 53 años. La intervención terapéutica con música grabada tuvo efectos beneficiosos en la depresión media y moderada, según mostraron todos los instrumentos aplicados. Se diseñó MUSITHERAP-1, como instrumento de apoyo musicoterapéutico para el tratamiento de pacientes con síntomas depresivo

Deficiencies in assessment tools prepared by teachers of the University of Medical Sciences of Las Tunas

Background: learning assessment is a process inherent to the development of the educational-teaching process. One of its purposes is to judge the degree of fulfillment of the aims formulated in the curricula, so it is necessary to prepare assessment tools with the required quality.Objective: to identify the main deficiencies in the assessment tools for the professional teaching, prepared by the teachers of the University of Medical Sciences of Las Tunas.Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the aforementioned university, during the first semester of the academic year 2019-2020, on the deficiencies identified in the first control of the assessment tools. The universe was made up of 647 assessment tools for the midterm and final theoretical exams. The data were processed according to descriptive statistics.Results: out of the total controlled assessment tools, 41,4 % presented difficulties in their elaboration. The questions with the highest frequency of errors were those for the development of long answers with 61,7 % in the final exams and 67,4% in midterms, followed by test-type questions in 51,3 % of the final exams and 56,5 % of the midterms. Regarding the question component, the greatest difficulties were presented in the key and grading standards, 38,3 % and 58,7 % in final and midterm exams, respectively.Conclusions: there are still difficulties in the elaboration of the assessment tools in the final and midterm exams.</p