Student mental health services and programs: access, information and offers on sites of federal higher education institutions

The institutional websites of universities are important tools for students to access information regarding the institution. It is expected that the information distributed on the sites is easily accessible and contains complete information. Care for students' mental health is considered a very important subject, but little explored and/or invested. This study aims to problematize and discuss the student mental health services found through the information presented on the institutional websites of universities and to evaluate the ease of access to information. Eleven federal universities in the southern region of Brazil were chosen by convenience sample, being a qualitative research where the descriptive and interpretive method was used with the help of virtual ethnography for data construction. Throughout the research, it was noticed a difficulty in finding information about mental health support and complete information about the services studied. During the study, there was a question about the need to think about student mental health beyond the biomedical bias centered on cognitive difficulties and/or possible illnesses in the academic environment. There is an urgent need to create proposals for prevention and promotion of university mental health, expanding the fields of action of school psychologists.Os sites institucionais das universidades são ferramentas importantes para que os estudantes acessem as informações referentes à instituição. Espera-se que as informações distribuídas nos sites sejam de fácil acesso e contemplem informações completas. Considera-se o cuidado com a saúde mental discente um assunto muito importante, mas pouco explorado e/ou investido. Esse estudo tem por objetivo problematizar e discutir sobre os serviços de saúde mental discente encontrados através das informações apresentadas nos sites institucionais das universidades e avaliar a facilidade de acesso às informações. Foram escolhidas 11 universidades federais da região sul do Brasil por amostra de conveniência, sendo uma pesquisa qualitativa onde foi utilizado o método descritivo e interpretativo com o auxílio da etnografia virtual para construção dos dados. Ao longo da pesquisa, percebeu-se uma dificuldade em encontrar informações sobre suporte à saúde mental e informações completas sobre os serviços estudados. Durante o estudo houve o questionamento sobre a necessidade de pensar a saúde mental discente além do viés biomédico centralizado em dificuldades cognitivas e/ou possíveis adoecimentos no meio acadêmico. Existe uma urgência de criar propostas de prevenção e promoção à saúde mental universitária ampliando os campos de atuação do psicólogo escolar

The impact of modern migrations on present-day multi-ethnic Argentina as recorded on the mitochondrial DNA genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genetic background of Argentineans is a mosaic of different continental ancestries. From colonial to present times, the genetic contribution of Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans has superposed to or replaced the indigenous genetic 'stratum'. A sample of 384 individuals representing different Argentinean provinces was collected and genotyped for the first and the second mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable regions, and selectively genotyped for mtDNA SNPs. This data was analyzed together with additional 440 profiles from rural and urban populations plus 304 from Native American Argentineans, all available from the literature. A worldwide database was used for phylogeographic inferences, inter-population comparisons, and admixture analysis. Samples identified as belonging to hg (hg) H2a5 were sequenced for the entire mtDNA genome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phylogenetic and admixture analyses indicate that only half of the Native American component in urban Argentineans might be attributed to the legacy of extinct ancestral Argentineans and that the Spanish genetic contribution is slightly higher than the Italian one. Entire H2a5 genomes linked these Argentinean mtDNAs to the Basque Country and improved the phylogeny of this Basque autochthonous clade. The fingerprint of African slaves in urban Argentinean mtDNAs was low and it can be phylogeographically attributed predominantly to western African. The European component is significantly more prevalent in the Buenos Aires province, the main gate of entrance for Atlantic immigration to Argentina, while the Native American component is larger in North and South Argentina. AMOVA, Principal Component Analysis and hgs/haplotype patterns in Argentina revealed an important level of genetic sub-structure in the country.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Studies aimed to compare mtDNA frequency profiles from different Argentinean geographical regions (e.g., forensic and case-control studies) should take into account the important genetic heterogeneity of the country in order to prevent false positive claims of association in disease studies or inadequate evaluation of forensic evidence.</p

Gastrointestinal Ultrasound in Functional Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract - EFSUMB Consensus Statement

Abdominal ultrasonography and intestinal ultrasonography are widely used as first diagnostic tools for investigating patients with abdominal symptoms, mainly for excluding organic diseases. However, gastrointestinal ultrasound (GIUS), as a real-time diagnostic imaging method, can also provide information on motility, flow, perfusion, peristalsis, and organ filling and emptying, with high temporal and spatial resolution. Thanks to its noninvasiveness and high repeatability, GIUS can investigate functional gastrointestinal processes and functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGID) by studying their behavior over time and their response to therapy and providing insight into their pathophysiologic mechanisms. The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) has established a Task Force Group consisting of GIUS experts, which developed clinical recommendations and guidelines on the role of GIUS in several acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases. This review is dedicated to the role of GIUS in assisting the diagnosis of FGID and particularly in investigating patients with symptoms of functional disorders, such as dysphagia, reflux disorders, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. The available scientific evidence of GIUS in detecting, assessing, and investigating FGID are reported here, while highlighting sonographic findings and its usefulness in a clinical setting, defining the actual and potential role of GIUS in the management of patients, and providing information regarding future applications and research.publishedVersio

COVID-19 : high-resolution computed tomography findings in the first 64 patients admitted to the Hospital of Cremona, the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe

Purpose: In December 2019, a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified as being responsible for the pulmonary infection called COVID-19. On 21 February 2020, the first autochthonous case of COVID-19 was detected in Italy. Our goal is to report the most common chest computed tomography (CT) findings identified in 64 patients, in the initial phase of COVID-19. Methods: Sixty-four chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) examinations performed at the Radiology Unit of the Hospital of Cremona, from 22 to 29 February 2020, of 64 patients during first week of hospitalization for COVID-19 were retrospectively evaluated. All cases were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2. Image analysis was independently conducted by 2 radiologists with 10 years and 1 year of experience in chest imaging. The inter-observer agreement was obtained by applying a Cohen’s κ test. Results: The average age of patients was 67.1 years (± 12.2); men 42 (66%). HRCT was performed on the 5th (± 1.5) day of hospitalization. More frequently, the initial CT changes of the lung show more or less extensive areas of ground-glass, as single pattern or with parenchymal consolidations. Coronavirus lung involvement appears very frequently multi-lobar, bilateral, and it concerns both subpleural and central regions. An excellent agreement (κ: 0.88-1, CI: 0.79-1.01, p < 0.05) concerning CT findings between the 2 operators was reached. Conclusions: Our data suggest that detection of the most frequent pulmonary CT-scan changes, in the early stages of COVID-19, can be performed, with excellent agreement, among readers with different experience, and consequently attribute their exact diagnostic value, in an appropriate clinical and environmental exposure setting

SIRM-SIN-AIOM: appropriateness criteria for evaluation and prevention of renal damage in the patient undergoing contrast medium examinations-consensus statements from Italian College of Radiology (SIRM), Italian College of Nephrology (SIN) and Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM)

The increasing number of examinations and interventional radiological procedures that require the administration of contrast medium (CM) in patients at risk for advanced age and/or comorbidities highlights the problem of CM-induced renal toxicity. A multidisciplinary group consisting of specialists of different disciplines-radiologists, nephrologists and oncologists, members of the respective Italian Scientific Societies-agreed to draw up this position paper, to assist clinicians increasingly facing the challenges posed by CM-related renal dysfunction in their daily clinical practice.The major risk factor for acute renal failure following CM administration (post-CM AKI) is the preexistence of renal failure, particularly when associated with diabetes, heart failure or cancer.In accordance with the recent guidelines ESUR, the present document reaffirms the importance of renal risk assessment through the evaluation of the renal function (eGFR) measured on serum creatinine and defines the renal risk cutoff when the eGFR is &lt; 30&nbsp;ml/min/1.73&nbsp;m2 for procedures with intravenous (i.v.) or intra-arterial (i.a.) administration of CM with renal contact at the second passage (i.e., after CM dilution with the passage into the pulmonary circulation).The cutoff of renal risk is considered an eGFR &lt; 45&nbsp;ml/min/1.73&nbsp;m2 in patients undergoing i.a. administration with first-pass renal contact (CM injected directly into the renal arteries or in the arterial district upstream of the renal circulation) or in particularly unstable patients such as those admitted to the ICU.Intravenous hydration using either saline or Na bicarbonate solution before and after CM administration represents the most effective preventive measure in patients at risk of post-CM AKI. In the case of urgency, the infusion of 1.4% sodium bicarbonate pre- and post-CM may be more appropriate than the administration of saline.In cancer patients undergoing computed tomography, pre- and post-CM hydration should be performed when the eGFR is &lt; 30&nbsp;ml/min/1.73&nbsp;m2 and it is also advisable to maintain a 5 to 7&nbsp;days interval with respect to the administration of cisplatin and to wait 14&nbsp;days before administering zoledronic acid.In patients with more severe renal risk (i.e., with eGFR &lt; 20&nbsp;ml/min/1.73&nbsp;m2), particularly if undergoing cardiological interventional procedures, the prevention of post-CM AKI should be implemented through an internal protocol shared between the specialists who treat the patient.In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using gadolinium CM, there is a lower risk of AKI than with iodinated CM, particularly if doses &lt; 0.1&nbsp;mmol/kg body weight are used and in patients with eGFR &gt; 30&nbsp;ml/min/1.73&nbsp;m2. Dialysis after MRI is indicated only in patients already undergoing chronic dialysis treatment to reduce the potential risk of systemic nephrogenic fibrosis

Health risks related to illegal and on-line sale of drugs and food supplements: results of a survey on marketed products in Italy from 2011 to 2013

Objectives. The increasing illegal and on-line market of medicines and food supplements is helping the widespread diffusion of harmful counterfeit and forbidden products among consumers of developed countries. The objectives of this survey were the description of the main frauds recognized by public officers and the detection of illegal or counterfeit drugs and food supplements.Methods. Medicines and food supplements found by Police forces on the illegal market or resulting from seizures made by Italian Customs authorities were visually inspected and analysed to evaluate their quality and the presence of other undeclared substances.Results. The visual inspection and the chemical analysis revealed unsuitable packaging (mostly lacking of adequate information for consumers), absence of the declared active substances and presence of undeclared active substances. Products containing doping agents, illegal substances and active ingredients requiring medical supervision were found.Conclusion. The present work confirmed the health risk associated with assumption of medicines purchased on the Internet and from the illegal supply chain and evidenced a new threat to consumer safety related to the presence of pharmaceutical active ingredients in food supplements claiming to contain only “natural ingredients”.

Safe use of contrast media in myasthenia gravis: systematic review and updated European Society of Urogenital Radiology Contrast Media Safety Committee guidelines

Objectives: It is uncertain whether modern iodine-based or gadolinium-based contrast media (CM) administration can lead to increased symptoms in patients with myasthenia gravis. Methods: A systematic search in Medline was conducted for studies describing the symptomatology of myasthenia gravis patients before and after receiving intravenous (IV) CM and having a matched control group of myasthenia gravis patients who did not receive IV CM. Results: Three retrospective studies were selected with a total of 374 myasthenia gravis patients who received iodine-based CM and a total of 313 myasthenia gravis patients who underwent unenhanced CT and served as controls. Pooling of the data from the three retrospective studies showed that in 23 of 374 patients, increased symptoms after iodine-based CM administration were described (6.1%). Increased symptomatology also occurred in 11 of 313 patients after unenhanced CT (3.5%). When looking more deeply into the data of the three studies, conflicting results were found, as two articles did not find any relationship between CM and myasthenia gravis symptoms. The remaining study only found a significant increase in symptomatology within 1 day after CT scanning: seven patients (6.3%) in the contrast-enhanced CT group and one patient (0.6%) in the unenhanced CT group (p = 0.01). Conclusions: There is limited evidence on the relationship between CM and myasthenia gravis symptoms. In the vast majority of myasthenia gravis patients, CM are safe. Probably, in less than 5% of the patients, iodine-based CM administration may lead to increased severity of the symptoms within the first 24 h after administration. Clinical relevance statement: Be aware that intravenous administration of iodine-based contrast media can lead to an increase of symptoms in patients with myasthenia gravis within the first 24 h. This can probably happen in less than 5% of the patients. Key points: • It is unclear whether modern contrast media can lead to increased symptoms in myasthenia gravis patients after intravenous administration. • There seems to be a small risk of increased myasthenia gravis symptoms within 24 h after intravenous administration of iodine-based contrast media, probably in less than 5% of the administrations. • Gadolinium-based contrast media are safe for patients with myasthenia gravis

Waiting times between examinations with intravascularly administered contrast media: a review of contrast media pharmacokinetics and updated ESUR Contrast Media Safety Committee guidelines

The pharmacokinetics of contrast media (CM) will determine how long safe waiting intervals between successive CT or MRI examinations should be. The Contrast Media Safety Committee has reviewed the data on pharmacokinetics of contrast media to suggest safe waiting intervals between successive contrast-enhanced imaging studies in relation to the renal function of the patient

Analytical interference of intravascular contrast agents with clinical laboratory tests: a joint guideline by the ESUR Contrast Media Safety Committee and the Preanalytical Phase Working Group of the EFLM Science Committee

The Contrast Media Safety Committee of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology has, together with the Preanalytical Phase Working Group of the EFLM Science Committee, reviewed the literature and updated its recommendations to increase awareness and provide insight into these interferences