Navigating Identity Uncertainty: Identity Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have only recently begun to be explored. Among college students, who were faced with sudden and unprecedented changes and challenges, it is likely that COVID-19 detrimentally impacted the establishment of a sense of self, a key developmental task of the college years. However, no research has examined the relationships among COVID-19 related worries, identity distress, and psychological and academic adjustment. To address these gaps in the current study, we examined the prevalence of identity distress, the relationship between COVID-19 related worries and identity distress, and the direct and indirect associations between COVID-19 related worries and psychological and academic adjustment among a sample of 1627 college students (M-age = 20.51, SD = 2.21). Findings indicated that over a third of the sample reported high levels of identity distress and that COVID-19 related worries were negatively associated, both directly and indirectly through identity distress, with psychological and academic adjustment

Psychoactive substance use at an emergency department in childhood and adolescence psychiatry service in Belo Horizonte

Introdução: O uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas ilícitas por crianças e adolescentes é um problema de saúde pública que assume importância cada vez maior em todo o mundo. O aumento da prevalência do uso dessas substâncias foi acompanhado por maiores níveis de ansiedade, sintomas depressivos e outros transtornos psiquiátricos, além de aumento nas taxas de violência e mortalidade. Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência de atendimentos por uso de drogas em um Serviço de Urgência em Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência de Belo Horizonte, bem como determinar o perfil sociodemográfico desses pacientes. Metodologia: trata-se de estudo transversal realizado por meio de revisão de prontuários de pacientes que procuraram um serviço de urgência em saúde mental infantil durante o período de um ano. A análise comparativa das variáveis categóricas foi feita pelo teste qui-quadrado de Pearson ou exato de Fisher. Foi utilizado o teste t de Student de amostras independentes para a variável contínua. Resultados: Foram coletados dados de 2255 atendimentos. A prevalência do uso de substâncias psicoativas encontrada foi de 17,7% da amostra. A droga mais utilizada foi a maconha (14,1%), seguida por cocaína (7%), álcool (5,7%), tabaco (4,2%), solventes e inalantes (3,6%) e crack (1,7%). Foi observado maior consumo em homens, faixa etária 15-17 anos e etnia parda. Conclusão: Foi observada significativa prevalência no uso de drogas entre crianças e adolescentes. É possível presumir que a real prevalência seja maior, uma vez que se acredita que a porcentagem real de jovens que utilizam essas substâncias é maior que a parcela que chega ao serviço de urgência. Os resultados encontrados demonstram uma necessidade de reforçar estratégias de intervenções preventivas para essa população.Introduction: The use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs by children and teenagers is a growing public health problem worldwide. The increased prevalence of substance use was associated with higher rates of anxiety, depressive symptoms and other psychiatric disorders, as well as a rise in mortality and violence rates. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of drug-related care at a Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Department in Belo Horizonte and to determine the sociodemographic profile of these patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted through the review of medical records of patients who sought an emergency service of child mental health during the period of one year. A comparative analysis of strategic variables was performed using Pearson’s square test of Fisher’s exact test. Student’s T Test was used for continuous variable. Results: data from 2255 medical records were assessed. A prevalence of psychoactive substance use of 17.7% of the appointments was found. The most used drug was marijuana (14.1%), followed by cocaine (7%), alcohol (5.7%), tobacco (4.2%), solvents and inhalants (3.6%) and crack (1.7%). Higher consumption was observed in men, age 15-17 years and brown ethnicity. Conclusions:  A significant prevalence of drug use was observed among child and adolescents. It is possible to assume that the real prevalence is even higher, since it is believed that the real percentage of young people who use these substances is greater than the portion that arrives at emergency service. The results of this study demonstrate a necessity of reinforcing preventive intervention strategies for this population

A randomized controlled trial on the use of pessary plus progesterone to prevent preterm birth in women with short cervical length (P5 trial)

Background: Preterm birth is the leading cause of mortality and disability in newborn and infants. Having a short cervix increases the risk of preterm birth, which can be accessed by a transvaginal ultrasound scan during the second trimester. In women with a short cervix, vaginal progesterone and pessary can both reduce this risk, which progesterone more established than cervical pessary. The aim of this study is to compare the use of vaginal progesterone alone versus the association of progesterone plus pessary to prevent preterm birth in women with a short cervix. Methods: This is a pragmatic open-label randomized controlled trial that will take place in 17 health facilities in Brazil. Pregnant women will be screened for a short cervix with a transvaginal ultrasound between 18 0/7 until 22 6/7 weeks of gestational age. Women with a cervical length below or equal to 30mm will be randomized to the combination of progesterone (200 mg) and pessary or progesterone (200 mg) alone until 36 + 0 weeks. The primary outcome will be a composite of neonatal adverse events, to be collected at 10 weeks after birth. The analysis will be by intention to treat. The sample size is 936 women, and a prespecified subgroup analysis is planned for cervical length (= 25 mm). Categorical variables will be expressed as a percentage and continuous variables as mean with standard deviation. Time to delivery will be assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard analysis. Discussion: In clinical practice, the combination of progesterone and pessary is common however, few studies have studied this association. The combination of treatment might act in both the biochemical and mechanical routes related to the onset of preterm birth. Trial registration: Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry (ReBec) RBR-3t8prz, UTN: U1111–1164-2636, 2014/11/18.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [OPP1107597], the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [401615/20138]

Gas6 drives Zika virus-induced neurological complications in humans and congenital syndrome in immunocompetent mice

Zika virus (ZIKV) has the ability to cross placental and brain barriers, causing congenital malformations in neonates and neurological disorders in adults. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of ZIKV-induced neurological complications in adults and congenital malformations are still not fully understood. Gas6 is a soluble TAM receptor ligand able to promote flavivirus internalization and downregulation of immune responses. Here we demonstrate that there is a correlation between ZIKV neurological complications with higher Gas6 levels and the downregulation of genes associated with anti-viral response, as type I IFN due to Socs1 upregulation. Also, Gas6 gamma-carboxylation is essential for ZIKV invasion and replication in monocytes, the main source of this protein, which was inhibited by warfarin. Conversely, Gas6 facilitates ZIKV replication in adult immunocompetent mice and enabled susceptibility to transplacental infection. Our data indicate that ZIKV promotes the upregulation of its ligand Gas6, which contributes to viral infectivity and drives the development of severe adverse outcomes during ZIKV infection

Dictionnaire historique de la comparaison

Qu’est-ce que la comparaison ? En quoi est-elle utile au raisonnement historique, et plus généralement aux sciences humaines et sociales ? De l’histoire comparée proposée par Marc Bloch aux débats les plus récents sur l’histoire transnationale et connectée, ce dictionnaire offre un large panorama des références, des concepts, des débats, des méthodes et des outils essentiels à la mise en œuvre de la démarche comparatiste, à la fois dans l’espace et dans le temps. Ses courtes notices seront utiles à celles et ceux qu’intéresse cette approche, qu’il s’agisse de la pratiquer, de la penser ou de la critiquer, notamment en histoire moderne et contemporaine. Le classement des quatre-vingt-quatre entrées en plusieurs rubriques — » Épistémologies », « Boîte à outils », « Groupes sociaux », « Pratiques politiques », « Cultures européennes », « Lieux », « Croisements », « Temporalités » et « Collectifs » — éclaire les axes et les enjeux explorés par les auteurs ici rassemblés. Principalement historiens et historiennes, sociologues ou spécialistes de littérature, ils ont pour point commun de dialoguer avec la pensée de l’historien Christophe Charle, dont toute l’œuvre s’est efforcée de proposer une histoire sociale et culturelle comparée à l’échelle de l’Europe