Comparing body image and risky eating behavior between Mexican and German women / Comparando imagen corporal y conducta alimentaria de riesgo entre mujeres mexicanas y alemanas

Abstract . Body dissatisfaction is regarded as a powerful risk factor for dietary restraint and bulimic behavior among women. Objective. To compare Mexican and German women's body image and eating risk factors by developing structural models to find similarities or differences between the two samples. Participants. The non-random sample of N = 404 (Mexican: 175; German: 229) medical and nursing students (total Mage = 20.6, SD = 0.86) answered standardized scales (EAT and EDI) and a culture-free 10-silhouette scale on body dissatisfaction. Hypothesis. The main hypothesis proposed that Mexican women will show a stronger relationship between body dissatisfaction and restrained diet than the German women will. Results. The findings confirmed this hypothesis by showing that in the relationship dissatisfaction-dieting, the Mexican group obtained the highest values of the correlation and determination coefficients, compared to the German group. Discussion. Mexican women underestimated their body size, and it could be that body size underestimation lessens social pressure. It is concluded that whether this may be seen as a contradictory result or as a cognitive-defensive strategy in order to minimize the pressure experienced must be decided with further investigation.   Key words: Mexican and German women, body image, restrained eating, risk factors for eating disorders, structural models. Resumen. La insatisfacción corporal es un poderoso factor de riesgo para dieta restringida y conducta bulímica en mujeres. Objetivo. Comparar imagen corporal y conducta alimentaria de riesgo en mujeres mexicanas y alemanas mediante el desarrollo de modelos estructurales detectando al mismo tiempo similitudes y diferencias. Participantes. La muestra no aleatoria de N = 404 estudiantes de medicina y enfermería (175 mexicanas y 229 alemanas) con una Media total = 20.6 años (DE = 0.86) respondió a escalas estandarizadas (EAT y EDI) y a una escala de insatisfacción corporal de 10 siluetas libre de influencia cultural. Hipótesis. Las mexicanas mostrarán una relación más fuerte entre insatisfacción corporal y dieta restringida que las alemanas. Resultados. Los hallazgos confirman la hipótesis, mostrando que el grupo mexicano obtuvo los coeficientes (de correlación y de determinación) más altos en la relación insatisfacción-dieta. Discusión. Las mexicanas subestiman el tamaño de su cuerpo y se asume que dicha subestimación podría tener como propósito disminuir la presión social. Se concluye que si esto puede interpretarse como un resultado contradictorio o como una estrategia cognitivo defensiva para minimizar la presión experimentada debe decidirse con nuevas investigaciones.   Palabras clave: Mujeres mexicanas y alemanas, imagen corporal, dieta restringida, factores de riesgo en trastornos alimentarios, modelos estructurale

Psychometric Properties of The Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS) In Ecuadorian Population

The objective of the present study was to analyze the psychometric properties of validity and reliability of the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS) in Ecuadorian university students, since a cultural validation of the instrument has not been found in Ecuador. The study population consisted of a non-probabilistic sample of 600 participants (59.6% women and 40.4% men, M = 21 years, SD = 2.82). The factorial structure was examined with the method of extraction by Parallel Analysis of unweighted least squares (ULS) and of prominent rotation. In both, internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and composite reliability. Like the original version, both subscales have a factorial structure of one dimension and are considered good in terms of reliability, which concludes that the scale meets the criteria of validity and reliability in Ecuador

Combining MRI and clinical data to detect high relapse risk after the first episode of psychosis

Detecting patients at high relapse risk after the first episode of psychosis (HRR-FEP) could help the clinician adjust the preventive treatment. To develop a tool to detect patients at HRR using their baseline clinical and structural MRI, we followed 227 patients with FEP for 18–24 months and applied MRIPredict. We previously optimized the MRI-based machine-learning parameters (combining unmodulated and modulated gray and white matter and using voxel-based ensemble) in two independent datasets. Patients estimated to be at HRR-FEP showed a substantially increased risk of relapse (hazard ratio = 4.58, P < 0.05). Accuracy was poorer when we only used clinical or MRI data. We thus show the potential of combining clinical and MRI data to detect which individuals are more likely to relapse, who may benefit from increased frequency of visits, and which are unlikely, who may be currently receiving unnecessary prophylactic treatments. We also provide an updated version of the MRIPredict software

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

Multiancestry analysis of the HLA locus in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases uncovers a shared adaptive immune response mediated by HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes

Across multiancestry groups, we analyzed Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associations in over 176,000 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus controls. We demonstrate that the two diseases share the same protective association at the HLA locus. HLA-specific fine-mapping showed that hierarchical protective effects of HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes best accounted for the association, strongest with HLA-DRB1*04:04 and HLA-DRB1*04:07, and intermediary with HLA-DRB1*04:01 and HLA-DRB1*04:03. The same signal was associated with decreased neurofibrillary tangles in postmortem brains and was associated with reduced tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid and to a lower extent with increased Aβ42. Protective HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes strongly bound the aggregation-prone tau PHF6 sequence, however only when acetylated at a lysine (K311), a common posttranslational modification central to tau aggregation. An HLA-DRB1*04-mediated adaptive immune response decreases PD and AD risks, potentially by acting against tau, offering the possibility of therapeutic avenues

Cross-cultural study: Risk factors for dietary restraint in Mexican and German men

Dietary restraint is, together with other risk factors, part of an integrative etiological theory that contemplates direct and mediational mechanisms by which risk factors (ideal and actual figures, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness and body mass index) might work together to promote dieting and risky eating behaviors. To gain a better understanding of the risk factors associated with dieting, it was proposed to identify similarities and differences between Mexican and German cultures, and to develop structural models by comparing the interrelations of dieting risk factors. The sample (N = 221) was formed of medical and nursing male students, who completed a survey assessing these risk factors. There were 73 Mexicans and 148 Germans. The mean age of the total sample was M = 20.8 years (SD = 0.71). It was found that Mexican men displayed a higher body mass (t (177) = -4.2 p= .000) and were more dissatisfied with their body (t (184)=-2.9, p=.004), and also showed higher restrictive dieting (t (190) = 2.2, p= .03) than German men did. The hypothesized role of the body dissatisfaction factor was confirmed in both Mexican and German models, body dissatisfaction showed a direct link with dieting (body dissatisfaction predicts dieting), as well as a mediate one between body mass and dieting, and between ideal figure and dieting (dieting is indirectly predicted by body mass or by ideal figure through body dissatisfaction). The relevance of this study is increased by the fact that it is a cross-cultural study, involving Mexican and German samples

Discriminatory power and correct classification of the Scale of Risk Factors Associated with Eating Disorders / Capacidad discriminante y clasificación correcta de la Escala de Factores de Riesgo Asociados con Trastornos de la Alimentación (EFRATA-II)

Abstract Objective. The objective of this study was to establish the discriminant ability and the power of a correct classification (of the new cases) of the Scale of Risk Factors Associated with Eating Disorders (RFAED II), in its two versions for boys and girls Participants. The total non random sample was formed by N = 934 students of public schools which was divided in n1 = 474 girls and  n2 = 460 boys (x̅ = 10.6, D E.80). Results. The discriminant analysis with Mahalanobis D method, showed a 100% of a correct classification of all the cases. The dimension of overeating for psychological compensation, in children was the most important, followed by the dimension of chronic and restricted diet.  Discussion. The instrument  proposed in this study is a good indicator of the risk factors for eating behavior in preadolescents, and it represents a good contribution to the development of prevention programs on Eating Disorders. Key Words: Discriminant analysis, Instrument of classification, estimation of risk factors , anomalous eating behavior, Mexican school children.  Resumen. Objetivo. Establecer la capacidad discriminante y  de clasificación correcta  de la Escala  de Factores de Riesgo Asociados con Trastornos Alimentarios (EFRATA_II), en sus versiones, para niños y niñas. Participantes. La muestra no aleatoria  quedó formada por N = 934 estudiantes de escuelas públicas: 474 niñas  y 460 niños con edad promedio de x̅= 10.6 (DE = 80). Resultados. El Análisis Discriminante con el método D de Mahalanobis, arrojó una clasificación correcta del 100% de los casos en alto y bajo riesgo.  La dimensión de  sobreingesta alimentaria por compensación psicológica  en niños y niñas fue la más relevante, seguida por la  de dieta crónica y restringida. Discusión. La EFRATA II o es un indicador adecuado para la estimación de  factores de riesgo  en  la conducta alimentaria de  preadolescentes y representa una aportación valiosa en el desarrollo de programas preventivos para Trastornos de la Alimentación. Palabras clave: Análisis discriminante, Instrumento de clasificación, estimación de factores de riesgo; Conducta alimentaria anómala, preadolescentes mexicanos

Capacidad Discriminante y Clasificación Correcta de la Escala de Factores de riesgo Asociados con Trastornos de la alimentación (EFRATA-II).

El objetivo del estudio fue establecer la capacidad discriminante y de clasificación correcta de la Escala de Factores de Riesgo Asociados con Trastornos Alimentarios (EFRATA-II), para niños y niñas. La muestra no aleatoria quedó formada por 934 estudiantes de escuelas públicas: 474 niñas y 460 niños con edad promedio de 10.6 años (DE = .80). El análisis discriminante, con el método D de Mahalanobis, arrojó una clasificación correcta de 100% de los casos en alto y bajo riesgo. La dimensión de sobre ingesta alimentaria por compensación psicológica fue la más relevante, seguida por la de dieta crónica y restringida. La EFRATA-II es un indicador adecuado para la estimación de factores de riesgo en la conducta alimentaria de preadolescentes, y representa una aportación valiosa en el desarrollo de programas preventivos para trastornos de la alimentación