Spanish version of the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS): psychometric properties and relation to obsessive beliefs.

Objectives: Our main goal was to provide the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) in a non-clinical sample (n = 237) and in adult patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (n = 110). We also examined the association between OC symptom dimensions and obsessive beliefs.

Methods: The psychometric properties involved four steps: reliability, structural validity, convergent and discriminant validity and diagnostic sensitivity.

Familial predictors of obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions (contamination/cleaning and symmetry/ordering) in a nonclinical sample.

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition, which can be expressed as various symptom dimensions, including contamination/cleaning and symmetry/ordering. Previous research suggests that these obsessive-compulsive (OC) dimensions may show specific associations with certain traits such as disgust sensitivity and "not just right" experiences (NJREs), but whether a familial association between these variables exists is unknown.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to test whether parental disgust sensitivity and NJREs predicted contamination/cleaning and symmetry/ordering respectively in the offspring.

The Symptom Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R) is able to discriminate between simulation and fibromyalgia.

This study assessed the ability of the Symptom Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R) to discriminate between two groups of fibromyalgia patients (those who were about to begin a treatment including the explicit aim of returning to work and those who were initiating a legal procedure to obtain permanent disability compensation) and two groups of healthy volunteers (medical students and psychology graduates), who were asked to produce a symptomatic resemblance to a chronic pain disorder. Logistic regression analyses were applied to the SCL-90-R subscales and individual probabilistic indices of simulation were calculated. Results showed that the SCL-90-R was able to discriminate between healthy subjects and both groups of patients with a high sensitivity and specificity.

Are obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions familial in nonclinical individuals?

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition, which can be expressed as various potentially overlapping symptom dimensions. In clinical samples, some of these dimensions are associated with increased familial risk for OCD and appear to be familial (intercorrelated within pairs of affected family members), whereas others are not. The goal of this study was to determine whether obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom dimensions are familial in a nonclinical sample.

Temporal stability of obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions in an undergraduate sample: a prospective 2-year follow-up study.

The temporal stability of obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions was studied in a nonclinical student sample. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory--Revised was administered twice to 132 undergraduate students during a 2-year period. There were no significant changes in symptom dimension scores between the baseline and follow-up, except for the Obsessing scale.

[Impact of media coverage on cardiac emergency care: the Bussunda case].

Introduction: Social turmoil associated with catastrophes such as flooding, earthquakes or air raids bring about an increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction. Premature death of media personalities with a strong public appeal may cause similar phenomena.

Objective: To analyze the impact of this media coverage on the emergency service at a Heart Hospital in Brazil (InCor).

Dramatic decline in acute hepatitis B infection and disease incidence rates among adolescents and young people after 12 years of a mass hepatitis B vaccination programme of pre-adolescents in the schools of Catalonia (Spain).

The aim of the study was to describe the impact of hepatitis B vaccination and disease incidence in adolescents and young people 12 years after the launching of a mass hepatitis B vaccination of pre-adolescents in schools. Vaccination coverage was assessed using administrative and serological data. Infection trends were evaluated by means of seroepidemiological surveys.

[Smoking prevalence in Catalonia (Spain), 1982-1998: a gender perspective].

Background: We aimed at describing the smoking prevalence trend among the Catalan population (Spain) from 1982 to 1998, based on a gender perspective analysis.

Subjects And Method: Data obtained from the surveys carried out by the Catalan Department of Health in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998 were analysed. Variables included were those related to smoking status, number of daily cigarettes, age and sex of the interviewed, type of tobacco smoked, age at which the first experience with smoking took place and smoking duration.

Seroepidemiology of varicella-zoster virus infection in Catalonia (Spain). Rationale for universal vaccination programmes.

With the aim of designing a strategy for vaccination against varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the results of a seroepidemiological survey on VZV infection carried out in a sample of the population of Catalonia are presented. Representative samples from schoolchildren (30 schools) and adults (97 municipal areas) were obtained by random cluster sampling. In the study, 883 children and 1253 adults were included.

Role of sialylation in determining the pharmacokinetics of neutrophil inhibitory factor (NIF) in the Fischer 344 rat.

1. Recombinant neutrophil inhibitory factor (NIF) is a glycoprotein. Its amino acid sequence remains constant and has a molecular weight of 28.

Structural periodicity in human articular cartilage: comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and histological findings.

Objective: To relate the vertical striations visualized in the deeper layers of articular cartilage by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to histological features.

Methods: Two knee joints recovered at post-mortem from males in their seventies with no history or visual evidence of joint disease were examined. MR images were obtained in a 4.

[Changes in seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in Catalonia in the period 1989-1996. Implications for new vaccination strategy].

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the risk factors of hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) in a representative sample of a Catalonian population obtained from 1995 to 1996 and the changes in the prevalence of this infection over the period of 1989-1996.

Subjects And Methods: The prevalence of anti-HAV was determined by an ELISA test in a randomized sample of 2,142 individuals, 884 from 6 to 14 years of age and 1,248 over the age of 15 years. The results were related to sociodemographic variables and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to establish which variables were related to the risk of infection.

Passive smoking and risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in children immediately following infection. A case-control study.

Setting: Passive smoking-related respiratory disorders in children.

Objectives: To assess the effect of passive smoking on the development of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children immediately following infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis within the family.

Design: An unmatched case-control study in which 93 contacts who became cases (active PTB diagnosed) and 95 contacts who did not became cases (tuberculin-positive children without evidence of active disease) were included.

[The efficacy of the prevaccination detection of anti-HAV in hepatitis A vaccination programs].

Background: The convenience of carrying out prevaccination detection studies of hepatitis A virus (HAV) markers depends on the relative costs of the detection and vaccination, as well as the prevalence of susceptible subjects in each population group to be vaccinated. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of the systematic prevaccination detection of anti-HAV antibodies in Catalonia, Spain.

Methods: The following formula was applied: Unit cost of detection + (1-X) x Unit cost of vaccination of anti-HAV negative subjects = group vaccination cost, with X being the threshold of prevalence of marker under which detection no longer remains efficient.

Epidemiologic study of an outbreak of clenbuterol poisoning in Catalonia, Spain.

In an investigation of 113 cases of clenbuterol poisoning in Catalonia, Spain, in 1992, more than 50 percent of those affected were found to have had symptoms of nervousness, tachycardia, muscle tremors, myalgia, and headache. There was no significant difference in the distribution of symptoms according to sex (P = 0.97).

[Cost-effectiveness of the methods of smoking cessation].

Background: The cost-effectiveness of the following methods of cessation of smoking were calculated in this study: 1) medical advice, 2) medical advice and nicotine chiclets, and 3) medical advice and nicotine patches.

Methods: The costs and effectiveness of the methods of cessation of smoking compared in terms of cost per year of life gained, deducing the costs and benefits at 5%.

Results: The cost per year of life gained was found to be 260,000 to 434,000 pesetas in males and 441,000 to 637,000 in women for medical advice, 287,000 to 479,000 in males and 486,000 to 703,000 in females for advice and nicotine chiclets and 329,000 to 549,000 in males and 557,000 to 805,000 in females for advice and nicotine patches.

[Seroepidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in pregnant women in Catalonia].

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a population of pregnant women in Catalonia and the sociodemographic variables and risk factors associated to this prevalence.

Methods: A representative sample of the pregnant women in Catalonia (n = 4,551) randomly selected by clusters (hospitals with maternity clinics) was studied. Detection of antiHCV antibodies was performed by the third generation ELISA test.

Mortality in hypertensive patients in Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (Spain).

A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 729 hypertensive patients (male and female 40 years and older) in Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain) to assess possible differences between the mortality of this group of hypertensives and the general population of the same area matched by age and sex. Patient mortality was assessed during a six year period, resulting in a mean follow-up of 2.6 years at the end of the study.