Risk and protective factors for release in outpatients with schizophrenia

eposterWe aim to determine risk and protective factors influencing relapse incidence in outpatient with schizophrenia. A longitudinal, observational study was done with outpatients with schizophrenia (F20) or schizoaffective disorder (F25)(DMS-IV and ICD-10), without hospitalization during the previous 6 months. The patients were consecutively included into the study to received oral (O-A) or long-acting injectable (depot-A) antipsychotics. Clinical stage evolution, compliance, efficacy and safety assessments (including PANSS, CGI-SSI, hospitalization rates, and adverse events) were recorded before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Results: 60 outpatients (aged 34.5±8.9, male 73%), 75% schizophrenia and 25% schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, 68.3% fewer than 15 years of schizophrenia evolution, 76.7% fewer than 5 times previous hospitalizations were treated with O-A (41.7%) or depot-A (58.3%) antipsychotics for at least one year. Depot-A treated patients showed a significant higher compliance compared to O-A patients during the all following time, lower PANSS (total, positive and negative) scores and CGI-SSI score (p<0.01), and a delayed relapse incidence and re-hospitalization to more than 1 year in the 48% of patients (relapse % depot/% oral) after 6 months 22.9%/52.0%, and after 12 months 48.6%/4.0%. Conclusion: There were protective factors which delayed relapse incidence in schizophrenia: Use of sustained-release preparations, family support. There were risk factors for occurrence of relapse in schizophrenia: cocaine, heroin and alcohol consumption, absence of family support, greater severity of patients assessed through CGI-SI, male sex, age older than 25 years and long-term evolution of the disorder.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Cu nanoparticle-loaded nanovesicles with antibiofilm properties. Part i: Synthesis of new hybrid nanostructures

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) stabilized by quaternary ammonium salts are well known as antimicrobial agents. The aim of this work was to study the feasibility of the inclusion of CuNPs in nanovesicular systems. Liposomes are nanovesicles (NVs) made with phospholipids and are traditionally used as delivery vehicles because phospholipids favor cellular uptake. Their capacity for hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and carrier capacity could be advantageous to prepare novel hybrid nanostructures based on metal NPs (Me-NPs). In this work, NVs were loaded with CuNPs, which have been reported to have a biofilm inhibition effect. These hybrid materials could improve the effect of conventional antibacterial agents. CuNPs were electro-synthesized by the sacrificial anode electrolysis technique in organic media and characterized in terms of morphology through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The NVs were prepared by the thin film hydration method in aqueous media, using phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol as a membrane stabilizer. The nanohybrid systems were purified to remove non-encapsulated NPs. The size distribution, morphology and stability of the NV systems were studied. Different quaternary ammonium salts in vesicular systems made of PC were tested as stabilizing surfactants for the synthesis and inclusion of CuNPs. The entrapment of charged metal NPs was demonstrated. NPs attached preferably to the membrane, probably due to the attraction of their hydrophobic shell to the phospholipid bilayers. The high affinity between benzyl-dimethyl-hexadecyl-ammonium chloride (BDHAC) and PC allowed us to obtain stable hybrid NVs c.a. 700 nm in diameter. The stability of liposomes increased with NP loading, suggesting a charge-stabilization effect in a novel antibiofilm nanohybrid material

MivacunaLA (MyshotLA): A Community-Partnered Mobile Phone Intervention to Improve COVID-19 Vaccination Behaviors among Low-Income, Spanish-Speaking, and Immigrant Latino Parents or Caregivers

We developed and tested MivacunaLA/MyshotLA, a community-informed mobile phone intervention, to increase COVID-19 vaccination among Latino parents/caretakers of minors in under-resourced areas of Los Angeles by addressing misinformation and building trust. We recruited Latino parents/caregivers with at least one unvaccinated child in East and South Los Angeles in the summer of 2021 and evaluated MivacunaLA as a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control group. A difference-in-difference analysis showed Latino parents/caregivers that participated in MivacunaLA (n = 246), in comparison to the control group, were 15 percentage points more likely (p = 0.04) to report vaccination of minors aged 12-17 years, and 12 percentage points more likely (p = 0.03) to report a positive intention to vaccinate minors aged 2-11 years (when COVID-19 vaccines became available). Mobile phone-delivered digital interventions using videos and culturally tailored educational material to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence can be an effective way to combat misinformation and deliver timely information to marginalized communities. Community-based participatory research approaches are crucial to advance health equity among minority communities, especially immigrant Spanish-speaking underserved communities

A Simple Entropic-Driving Separation Procedure of Low-Size Silver Clusters, Through Interaction with DNA

Synthesis and purification of metal clusters without strong binding agents by wet chemical methods are very attractive for their potential applications in many research areas. However, especially challenging is the separation of uncharged clusters with only a few number of atoms, which renders the usual techniques very difficult to apply. Herein, we report the first efficient separation of Ag2 and Ag3 clusters using the different entropic driving forces when such clusters interact with DNA, into which Ag3 selectively intercalates. After sequential dialysis of the samples and denaturalizing the DNA-Ag3 complex, pure Ag2 can be found in the dialysate after extensive dialysis. Free Ag3 is recovered after DNA denaturation

Women's attitudes towards mechanisms of action of family planning methods: survey in primary health centres in Pamplona, Spain

Background: Informed consent in family planning includes knowledge of mechanism of action. Some methods of family planning occasionally work after fertilization. Knowing about postfertilization effects may be important to some women before choosing a certain family planning method. The objective of this survey is to explore women's attitudes towards postfertilization effects of family planning methods, and beliefs and characteristics possibly associated with those attitudes. Methods: Cross-sectional survey in a sample of 755 potentially fertile women, aged 18–49, from Primary Care Health Centres in Pamplona, Spain. Participants were given a 30-item, selfadministered, anonymous questionnaire about family planning methods and medical and surgical abortion. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with women's attitudes towards postfertilization effects. Results: The response rate was 80%. The majority of women were married, held an academic degree and had no children. Forty percent of women would not consider using a method that may work after fertilization but before implantation and 57% would not consider using one that may work after implantation. While 35.3% of the sample would stop using a method if they learned that it sometimes works after fertilization, this percentage increased to 56.3% when referring to a method that sometimes works after implantation. Women who believe that human life begins at fertilization and those who consider it is important to distinguish between natural and induced embryo loss were less likely to consider the use of a method with postfertilization effects. Conclusion: Information about potential postfertilization effects of family planning methods may influence women's acceptance and choice of a particular family planning method. Additional studies in other populations are necessary to evaluate whether these beliefs are important to those populations