PENGARUH RELAKSASI OTOT PROGRESIF TERHADAP KECEMASAN PADA WANITA PASANGAN USIA SUBUR (WPUS) PENDERITA HIV/AIDS

HIV / AIDS is an infectious disease that attacks the immune system. HIV / AIDS cases are still a health problem in the world, because the disease trend is still increasing. Negative stigma and discriminatory can cause high psychological distress and feelings of anxiety. Excessive anxiety will cause feelings of uncertainty, guilt, depression, and helplessness, anxiety, phobias, illusions and hallucinations, thus affecting the quality of life. This study aims to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation therapy on anxiety levels in women of reproductive age couples (WPUS) with HIV / AIDS. The research method used a quasi-experimental with One group pretest-posttest design. The sample was 10 people with HIV / AIDS. Data obtained using HARS and analyzed the T-dependent test with a significance test of p value 0.05 (95% CI). The results showed that the average anxiety index before progressive muscle relaxation therapy was 29.90 (severe anxiety), the average anxiety index after progressive muscle relaxation therapy was 16.50 (mild anxiety). The results of the analysis showed that there was an effect of progressive muscle relaxation therapy on the anxiety level of WPUS suffering from HIV / AIDS (p Value = 0.000). It is hoped that this progressive muscle relaxation therapy can be used to reduce the anxiety level of women of reproductive age couples (WPUS) suffering from HIV / AIDS through health education and demonstration of progressive muscle relaxation therapy movement.

Risk and protective factors for anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic

Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and an anxiety-provoking event. There are few studies to identify potential risk and protective factors related to anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We collected information on demographic data and lifestyles by a web-based survey of 19,802 participants from 34 provinces in China during COVID-19 pandemic. Level of anxiety was evaluated using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. We used ordinal multivariable logistic regression to estimate the associations of anxiety level with potential risk and protective factors. We further developed a new score to simplify the assessment of anxiety during COVID-19 crisis. Results Among 19,802 participants, we found that those who were front-line medical personnel, suffered from chronic disease, with present symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection or contact history had 112, 93, 40 and 15% increased risk of higher anxiety level; while those with knowledge about personal protective measures or wore masks had 75 and 29% lower risk of higher anxiety level respectively. We developed a risk score by calculating the sum of single score of 17 factors. Each one increase of the risk score was associated with a 297% increase in anxiety index score. In categorical analysis, low risk (the risk score between 1 to 2), the moderate risk group (the risk score of 3) and high risk group (the risk score ≥ 4) had − 0.40 (95% CI: − 1.55, 0.76), 1.44 (95% CI: 0.27, 2.61) and 9.18 (95% CI: 8.04, 10.33) increase in anxiety index score, and 26% (95% CI: − 7, 72%), 172% (95% CI: 100, 270%), and 733% (95% CI: 516, 1026%) higher risk of anxiety respectively, when compared with the very low risk group (the risk score of 0). The AUC was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.72, 0.74) for the model fitted the developed risk score, with the cut-off point of 3.5. Conclusions These findings revealed protective and risk factors associated with anxiety, and developed a simple method of identifying people who are at an increased risk of anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic.

Survey of German medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: attitudes toward volunteering versus compulsory service and associated factors

Due to the spread of COVID-19, a key challenge was to reduce potential staff shortages in the healthcare sector. Besides recruiting retired healthcare workers, medical students were considered to support this task. Commitment of medical students in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated using an online survey, with particular focus on their burdens and anxieties. This survey was distributed to students within a 2-week period in April and May 2020. Ultimately, 1241 participants were included in the analysis. During the pandemic, 67.9% (65.3% to 70.5%) of the participants reported that they had volunteered. Furthermore, 88.9% (86.9% to 90.5%) stated that they were against compulsory recruitment in this context. Students who volunteered (committed students) had a significantly lower anxiety index than non-committed students. Additionally, students were more concerned about infecting other patients and relatives than themselves. Higher levels of anxiety were related to lower levels of commitment. A mandatory assignment during the pandemic was rejected by the students and does not seem to be necessary due to the large number of volunteers.

Being a Myeloproliferative Patient in COVID-19 Era: The Mytico Study

IntroductionThe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting social distancing, determined a reduction in access to care and limitations of individual freedom, with a consequent strong impact on quality of life (QoL), anxiety levels and medical management of onco-hematological people. In particular, in the case of patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), concern about SARS-CoV-2 infection added to the burden of symptoms (BS) which already weights on the QoL of these patients. We designed a cross-sectional survey in order to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on status of anxiety, BS and QoL in MPN patients.MethodsWe analyzed the anxiety levels using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS); BS modifications were studied using the 18 items of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form [MPN-SAF].Results132 people answered to the survey: 27 (20.4%) patients achieved a moderate to marked anxiety index value: this group described a greater worsening of symptoms than the rest of the cohort (p <0.0001). Women showed a higher level of anxiety than men (p = 0.01). A trend for lower level of anxiety was reported by patients who performed habitual physical activity (p = 0.06). A total of 98 (74.2%) patients described worsening of their symptoms during the quarantine period; 94 (71.2%) patients had postponed appointments or visits: they showed a significant worsening of their BS (p =0.01).ConclusionThis study first showed that the COVID-19 quarantine had a significant negative impact on the level of anxiety and BS in MPN patients. We identified female gender, absence of physical activity, the need for frequent visit to the hospital and the absence of a direct access to healthcare staff as the main factors associated to a higher anxiety index and worst BS.

PM2.5 exposure and anxiety in China: evidence from the prefectures

Background Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health concerns today. While numerous factors are known to affect anxiety disorders, the ways in which environmental factors aggravate or mitigate anxiety are not fully understood. Methods Baidu is the most widely used search engine in China, and a large amount of data on internet behavior indicates that anxiety is a growing concern. We reviewed the annual Baidu Indices of anxiety-related keywords for cities in China from 2013 to 2018 and constructed anxiety indices. We then employed a two-way fixed effect (FE) model to analyze the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and anxiety at the prefectural level. Results The results indicated that there was a significant positive association between PM2.5 and anxiety index. The anxiety index increased by 0.1565258 for every unit increase in the PM2.5 level (P < 0.05), which suggested that current PM2.5 levels in China pose a considerable risk to mental health. Conclusion The enormous impact of PM2.5 exposure indicates that the macroscopic environment can shape individual mentality and social behavior, and that it can be extremely destructive in terms of societal mindset.

Risk and Protective Factors for Anxiety Disorder During COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic and an anxiety-provoking event. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify potential risk and protective factors related to anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: We collected information on demographic data and lifestyles by conducting a web-based survey of 19,802 participants from 34 provinces in China during COVID-19 pandemic. Level of anxiety was evaluated using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. We used ordinal multivariable logistic regression to estimate the associations of anxiety level with potential risk and protective factors, and further developed a new score to simplify the assessment of anxiety disorder during COVID-19 crisis.Results: Among 19,802 participants (mean [SD] age, 25.3 [8.1], years; 10,121 [51.1%] men), we found that those who were front-line medical personnel, suffered from chronic diseases, with present symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infection or contact history had 112%, 93%, 40% and 15% increase risk of higher anxiety level; while those with knowledge about personal protective measures or wore masks had 75% and 29% lower risk of higher anxiety level respectively. We developed a risk score by calculating the sum of single score of 17 factors. Each one increase of the risk score was associated with a 297% increase in anxiety index score. In categorical analysis, low risk (the risk score between 1 to 2), the moderate risk group (the risk score of 3) and high risk group (the risk score ≥4) had a -0.40 (95% CI: -1.55, 0.76), 1.44 (95% CI: 0.27, 2.61) and 9.18 (95% CI: 8.04, 10.33) increase in anxiety index score, and a 26% (95% CI: -7%, 72%), 172% (95% CI: 100%, 270%), and 733% (95% CI: 516%, 1026%) higher risk of anxiety disorder respectively, when compared with the very low risk group (the risk score of 0). The AUC was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.74) for the model fitted the developed risk score, with the cut-off point of 3.5.Conclusions: These findings revealed protective and risk factors associated with anxiety disorder, and propose a practical and simple method of identifying people who are at an increased risk of anxiety disorder during COVID-19 pandemic.

Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) attenuates obesity and anxious/depressive-like behaviours induced by ovariectomy

While several pieces of evidence link obesity and mood disorders in menopause, the mechanisms involved are not yet fully understood. We have previously demonstrated that Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) both attenuated diet-induced obesity of male rats and restored serotonin-induced hypophagia in ovariectomized female rats. The present study aimed at exploring whether GbE treatment ameliorates ovariectomy-related obesity and anxious/depressive-like behaviours. Wistar female rats were either ovariectomized (OVX) or sham-operated (Sham). After 2 months, either 500 mg/kg of GbE or vehicle were administered daily by gavage for 14 days. Anxious/depressive-like behaviours were assessed by the Elevated Plus Maze and the Forced Swim Tests, respectively. Ovariectomy caused high visceral adiposity, hyperleptinemia, and hypercholesterolemia, and increased the anxiety index (p = 0.048 vs. Sham + GbE) while it decreased the latency to immobility (p = 0.004 vs. Sham). GbE treatment in OVX rats improved body composition, adiponectin levels and blood lipid profile. It also reduced the anxiety index (p = 0.004) and increased the latency to immobility (p = 0.003) of OVX rats. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that leptin (p = 0.047) and total cholesterol levels (p = 0.022) were associated with anxious-like behaviours while body adiposity (p = 0.00005) was strongly associated with depressive-like behaviours. The results showed that GbE therapy was effective in attenuating the deleterious effects of ovariectomy on body composition, lipid profile, and anxious/depressive-like behaviours. Further studies are warranted to better understand the therapeutic potential of GbE in menopause.

Psychoactive effects of “Enoant” and “Resveratrol” in Wistar rats of both sexes

The effect of two supplements containing resveratrol (“Resveratrol” and “Enoant”) on the psycho-emotional state of animals with an initial index of anxiety and depression above 0.5 was studied. For this, the “Elevated plus maze” (EPM) and “Forced swim test” (FST) were used. “Resveratrol” significantly reduces the index of depressivity (ID) in males on the 7th and 14th days of application, in females – only on the 14th day. No significant influence on the anxiety index (AI) was found in both sexes. “Enoant” significantly reduces the ID in males on the 7th day, but not on the 14th day, while no significant differences were observed in females. However, unlike “Resveratrol”, “Enoant” significantly reduces the AI on the 14th day in rats of both sexes.

Voluntary commitment of medical students during the COVID-19-pandemic

IntroductionDue to the spreading of COVID-19, one key challenge was to reduce potential staff shortages in the healthcare sector. Besides a reactivation of retired healthcare workers, medical students were considered to support this task. We herein analysed the commitment of medical students during the COVID-19-pandemic as well as their burdens and anxieties.MethodsVia an online survey, medical students in Germany were asked regarding these themes. The survey period took place during a two-week period in April and Mai 2020. 1241 questionnairs were included in the analysis.Results67.9% [65.3; 70.5] of the participants reported that they volunteered during the pandemic. Simultaneously, 88.9% [86.9; 90.5] of the participants stated to be against a compulsory recruitment in this context. Students who volunteered showed a significantly lower anxiety index than students, who did not volunteer. Concerns about transferring the virus to patients or relatives were significantly higher than concerns about the students’ own infection.ConclusionThe results of this survey study suggest that the majority of students are working voluntary during the pandemic. They declared mostly that they had adequate opportunities to protect themselves. Finally, their biggest fear was to infect other patients, relatives, or friends.

Changes in Hippocampal Androgen Receptor Density and Behavior in Sprague-Dawley Male Rats Exposed to a Low-Pressure Blast Wave

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exposure of a low-intensity blast wave on androgen receptor (AR) density in the hippocampus and the potential influence on behavioral and cognitive responses. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either a blast exposed group (n = 27) or an unexposed (control) group (n = 10). Animals were treated identically, except that rats within the control group were not exposed to any of the characteristics of the blast wave. Behavior measures were conducted on day seven post-exposure. The rats were initially assessed in the elevated plus maze followed by the acoustic startle response paradigm. Spatial memory performance using the Morris water-maze test was assessed at 8-days post-exposure, for seven consecutive days. Following all behavioral tests AR immunofluorescence staining was performed in different hippocampal subregions. Results: A significant elevation in anxiety index (p < 0.001) and impaired learning (p < 0.015) and spatial memory (p < 0.0015) were noted in exposed rats. In addition, a significant attenuation of the AR was noted in the CA1 (p = 0.006) and dentate gyrus (p = 0.031) subregions of the hippocampus in blast exposed animals. Correlational analyses revealed significant associations between AR and both anxiety index (r = –.36, p = 0.031) and memory (r = –0.38, p = 0.019). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that exposure to a low-pressure blast wave resulted in a decrease in AR density, which was associated with significant behavioral and cognitive changes.