Computational Tracking of Mental Health in Youth: Latin American Contributions to a Low-Cost and Effective Solution for Early Psychiatric Diagnosis

The early onset of mental disorders can lead to serious cognitive damage, and timely interventions are needed in order to prevent them. In patients of low socioeconomic status, as is common in Latin America, it can be hard to identify children at risk. Here, we briefly introduce the problem by reviewing the scarce epidemiological data from Latin America regarding the onset of mental disorders, and discussing the difficulties associated with early diagnosis. Then we present computational psychiatry, a new field to which we and other Latin American researchers have contributed methods particularly relevant for the quantitative investigation of psychopathologies manifested during childhood. We focus on new technologies that help to identify mental disease and provide prodromal evaluation, so as to promote early differential diagnosis and intervention. To conclude, we discuss the application of these methods to clinical and educational practice. A comprehensive and quantitative characterization of verbal behavior in children, from hospitals and laboratories to homes and schools, may lead to more effective pedagogical and medical intervention

Prevalência da infecção por papilomavírus humano, herpes simplex tipo 1 e 2 e Chlamydia trachomatis em um segmento da população feminina da grande Natal/RN

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the largest public health problems, especially in developing countries. The acquisition of these infections during early sexual activity is common and many infections have a benign course. However, in some pathogens remain in the state of latency can be reactivated and cause productive infection that may progress to severe forms. In addition, some of them are transmitted vertically resulting in congenital infection, causing immediate damage or long-term child. The classic risk factors for sexually transmitted agents are: early onset of sexual and reproductive health, multiple sexual partners throughout life, use of oral contraceptives and co-infections with different pathogens. We present the results of a cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of genital infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in a segment of the female population of the metropolitan area Christmas, among those who enrolled voluntarily sought, Basic Health Units for the examination of cancer screening cervix in the period 2008 to 2010. All participants, a total of 261 women answered a standard questionnaire by which identified the socio-demographic characteristics, classical risk factors for STDs, reproductive and sexual activity and smoking. Of each patient were obtained two samples, one for the completion of the Pap test for detection of cellular changes and the other processed for DNA extraction and analyzed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to detect the three pathogens studied. The population of the study was composed of sexually active women aged between 13 and 79 years, mean 38.7 years, most of them being married, low education levels and low incomes. The majority (87%) had normal results on cytology and only 2.7% had low-grade cytological abnormalities. Prevalence rates were 37.9% for HPV, 4.6% for CT and 26% for HSV. HPV prevalence was higher in women under 25, unmarried and in those who had multiple sexual partners. Women with simultaneous infection by HSV-1 and 2 had higher prevalence of HPV infection. The prevalence of HSV infection showed no association whatsoever with the risk factors analyzed and HSV-1 was the predominant type among the cases of genital HSV infection. The overall prevalence of C. Trachomatis was relatively low, thus providing greater value in younger women aged less than or equal to 20 years

Perfil periodontal de pacientes portadores de alterações endócrino-metabólicas

Objective- Convinced that periodontium, many times, can show alterations in human health, the aim of these studies was to investigate the periodontal situation in patients with endocrine-metabolic disorders such as, Berardinelli-Seip Syndrome, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and acromegaly. Methods- Eight patients with Berardinelli-Seip Syndrome, 16 acromegalics, 30 hypothyroids, 30 hyperthyroids, and a control group with 35 patients were evaluated. Clinical attachment loss, probing depth, gingival bleeding index, gingival overgrowth and Index of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth were measured in each patient. All ethical aspects were rigidly observed, being the study conducted after its approval by the University of Fortaleza Research Ethics Committee. Results- The presence of periodontitis was marked in hyperthyroids and in patients with Berardinelli-Seip Syndrome. Hypothyroids showed not much presence of periodontitis, while all acromegalics presented absence of periodontitis. Conclusions- The protective effect of periodontitis in acromegalic patients is a new finding, whose mechanisms are not yet clear, but may be related to the anabolic effects of growth hormone. The presence of periodontitis in Berardinelli-Seip Syndrome may occur due the early onset of diabetes. In hyperthyroids, the high prevalence of periodontitis could be linked to thyroid hormones effects on bone, explaining also the minor prevalence in hypothyroids

Um estudo sobre o perfil sexual e reprodutivo das adolescentes de um serviço de referência no município de Natal/RN

Adolescence is seen as a phase of life marked by a series of physical and behavioral changes, which leads to certain risk situations, such as early sexual activity, pregnancy and the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases. Based on this statement, this research aimed generally: meet the sexual and reproductive adolescents of a reference service in Natal profile. Specifically describe the socioeconomic, sexual and reproductive individual and family characteristics of the population in question, but also verify possible association between pregnancy and age of onset of sexual activity with the socioeconomic aspects. The sectional study conducted in the database from the records of 463 adolescents seeking care in a referral center in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the period March 2011 to June 2012. The data collected were subjected to analysis by Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 17.0. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, with absolute numbers and percentages was used, and its presentation by means of distribution and frequency tables. Results showed that the parents of these adolescents (65.7% - father; 57.8% - mother), had primary education; family income less than two minimum wages (66.2%); any type of chemical dependency in the family (33.5%) and presence of domestic violence (20.6%). A higher probability of pregnancy was verified when the mother had only primary education (26.3%), persons other than the father or mother contributed to family income (33.3%) and (26%) when there was substance abuse in the family early onset of sexual activity was observed when the mother had primary education (57.3%), persons other than the father or mother contributed to family income (63.1%) and the use of drugs / alcohol as a problem family (67.6%). It was concluded that such vulnerabilities appear as a reflection of the low social status of these young people, aggravated by emotional inheritance that is offered to every individual from birth. These findings may perhaps, support public health surveillance policies for adolescents in several areas