The romantic relationships of adopted adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: There is a gap in the literature on the romantic relationships of adopted adolescents. To address this issue, the present study has three aims: (1) to explore differences between adopted and non-adopted adolescents in terms of their involvement in and the length of their romantic relationships; (2) to explore the quality of these relationships; and (3) to analyze associations between affective relationships and well-being in both groups. METHOD: The sample comprised 276 adopted (64.5% girls; mean age 16.3 years, 73.9% international adoptees) and 276 non-adopted (48.3% girls; mean age 16.3 years) adolescents, all of whom participated in the Spanish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. RESULTS: Similar romantic relationship rates and lengths were found among adoptees and non-adoptees, as well as between international and domestic adoptees. Adoptees reported more emotional support and conflicts in their romantic relationships than their non-adopted peers. Finally, associations between the quality of the romantic relationships and well-being were similar for both groups, with more conflicts being linked to lower levels of well-being, and more emotional support and affection correlating with higher levels of well-being. DISCUSSION: The data suggest more similarities than differences between adopted and non-adopted adolescents. However, although this indicates that romantic relationships are yet another example of recovery for adopted boys and girls, further research is required, with larger and more diverse samples from multiple countries, to explore the differences observed in more detail.

Stress of school performance among secondary students: The role of classroom goal structures and teacher support.

With concern growing about the increasing levels of school stress among secondary school students, examining its associations with students' perceptions of important elements in classroom climate can offer valuable scientific information. However, there is minimal research about the role of perceived classroom goal structures and teacher support in school stress. In addition, most research on classroom goal structure has not made a distinction between performance-approach structures and performance-avoidance structures, which may have different effects on school stress. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of classroom goal structures and teacher support in students' stress linked to school performance. We also examined the potential moderating effect of teacher support in the association between classroom goal structures and stress. Our sample consisted of 4768 secondary school students aged 11-17 years (Mage = 13.74; 47.9% boys) from 54 schools in Andalusia, Spain. Consistent with the study's aims, hierarchical multilevel multiple regression was used to examine the relationships between mastery goal structure, performance-approach goal structure, performance-avoidance goal structure, and teacher support on our stress of school performance outcome. After controlling for gender, age, and previous academic achievement, performance-avoidance goal structure was significantly associated with higher levels of stress of school performance (p < .01). Furthermore, perceived classroom goals and teacher support tended to work together, with the role of performance-approach goal structure being dependent on the levels of mastery goal structure and teacher support (p < .05). Practical implications from these findings and future research directions are discussed.

Thirty-four years of Landsat monitoring reveal long-term effects of groundwater abstractions on a World Heritage Site wetland.

Wetlands are among the most biodiverse yet endangered ecosystems on Earth. Despite being the most important wetland in Europe, the Doñana National Park (southwestern Spain) is no exception, and the increase of nearby groundwater abstractions for intensive agriculture and human supply has raised international concerns about the conservation of this iconic wetland. It is thus needed to assess wetlands' long-term trends and responses to global and local factors to make informed management decisions. In this paper, we used 442 Landsat satellite images to analyze the historical trends and drivers of the date of desiccation and maximum flooded area in 316 ponds located in Doñana National Park during a 34-year period (1985-2018) and found that 59 % of the ponds studied are currently desiccated. The use of Generalized Additive Mixed Models (GAMMs) showed inter-annual variation in rainfall and temperature as the most important factors determining pond flooding. However, GAMMS also showed that intensive agriculture and the nearby tourist resort were related to the desiccation or shrinking of ponds all over Doñana, finding that the strongest negative flooding anomalies (i.e. ponds flooding less than explained by climate alone) were located in proximity to pumping areas. These results suggest that current levels of groundwater exploitation may be unsustainable and require urgent measures to control abstractions to ensure the integrity of the Doñana pond network, and the persistence of >600 wetland-dependent species.

Bullying, cyberbullying, and adoption: What is the role of student-teacher connectedness?

Bullying and cyberbullying have rarely been studied among the adoptive population, although the few studies available show adopted students frequently experience these phenomena. To address this research gap, this article examined potential differences in bullying and cyberbullying between domestic adoptees, intercountry adoptees, and nonadopted students, paying separate attention to frequent and occasional victimization and perpetration experiences. In addition, the aims of the article include analyzing student-teacher connectedness in these groups and exploring its potential protective role for the aforementioned bullying and cyberbullying experiences. The sample consists of 541 adopted adolescents (67.1% intercountry adoptees and 32.9% domestic adoptees) and 582 nonadopted adolescents aged 11-18 years who had participated in the 2017/2018 edition of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Spain. Results show that the likelihood of involvement in bullying and cyberbullying (either victimization or perpetration) was lower for the nonadopted group, whereas domestic adoptees were significantly more likely to report these experiences. Furthermore, student-teacher connectedness was lower among domestic adoptees compared to their nonadopted peers. Finally, teacher connectedness was consistently associated with a lower likelihood of frequent bullying and cyberbullying victimization, and of both occasional and frequent cyberbullying perpetration. Overall, our findings are consistent with an increased risk of bullying and cyberbullying among domestic adoptees and a predominantly consistent protective role of student-teacher connectedness, although differences depending on the specific kind of experience deserve further examination in future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Terrestrial Morphotypes of Aquatic Plants Display Improved Seed Germination to Deal with Dry or Low-Rainfall Periods.

In temporary ponds, seed germination largely determines how well aquatic plant assemblages recover after dry periods. Some aquatic plants have terrestrial morphotypes that can produce seeds even in dry years. Here, we performed an experiment to compare germination patterns for seeds produced by aquatic and terrestrial morphotypes of Ranunculus peltatus subsp. saniculifolius over the course of five inundation events. During the first inundation event, percent germination was higher for terrestrial morphotype seeds (36.1%) than for aquatic morphotype seeds (6.1%). Seed germination peaked for both groups during the second inundation event (terrestrial morphotype: 47%; aquatic morphotype: 34%). Even after all five events, some viable seeds had not yet germinated (terrestrial morphotype: 0.6%; aquatic morphotype: 5%). We also compared germination patterns for the two morphotypes in Callitriche brutia: the percent germination was higher for terrestrial morphotype seeds (79.5%) than for aquatic morphotype seeds (41.9%). Both aquatic plant species use two complementary strategies to ensure population persistence despite the unpredictable conditions of temporary ponds. First, plants can produce seeds with different dormancy periods that germinate during different inundation periods. Second, plants can produce terrestrial morphotypes, which generate more seeds during dry periods, allowing for re-establishment when conditions are once again favorable.

Effects of the Argentine ant venom on terrestrial amphibians.

Invasive species have major impacts on biodiversity and are one of the primary causes of amphibian decline and extinction. Unlike other top ant invaders that negatively affect larger fauna via chemical defensive compounds, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) does not have a functional sting. Nonetheless, it deploys defensive compounds against competitors and adversaries. We estimated levels of ant aggression toward 3 native terrestrial amphibians by challenging juveniles in field ant trails and in lab ant foraging arenas. We measured the composition and quantities of toxin in L. humile by analyzing pygidial glands and whole-body contents. We examined the mechanisms of toxicity in juvenile amphibians by quantifying the toxin in amphibian tissues, searching for histological damages, and calculating toxic doses for each amphibian species. To determine the potential scope of the threat to amphibians, we used global databases to estimate the number, ranges, and conservation status of terrestrial amphibian species with ranges that overlap those of L. humile. Juvenile amphibians co-occurring spatially and temporally with L. humile die when they encounter L. humile on an ant trail. In the lab, when a juvenile amphibian came in contact with L. humile the ants reacted quickly to spray pygidial-gland venom onto the juveniles. Iridomyrmecin was the toxic compound in the spray. Following absorption, it accumulated in brain, kidney, and liver tissue. Toxic dose for amphibian was species dependent. Worldwide, an estimated 817 terrestrial amphibian species overlap in range with L. humile, and 6.2% of them are classified as threatened. Our findings highlight the high potential of L. humile venom to negatively affect amphibian juveniles and provide a basis for exploring the largely overlooked impacts this ant has in its wide invasive range.

Efectos del Veneno de la Hormiga Argentina sobre los Anfibios Terrestres Resumen Las especies invasoras tienen un impacto importante sobre la biodiversidad y son una de las causas principales del declive y extinción de los anfibios. A diferencia de otras hormigas super-invasoras que afectan negativamente a animales más grandes por medio de compuestos químicos de defensa, la hormiga argentina (Linepithema humile) no tiene unaguijón funcional. Sin embargo, esta hormiga despliega compuestos defensivos contra sus competidores y adversarios. Estimamos los niveles de agresión de las hormigas hacia tres anfibios terrestres nativos exponiendo a los anfibios juveniles en pistas de hormigas en el campo y en las arenas de forrajeo de las hormigas en el laboratorio. Medimos la composición y las cantidades de toxina que presenta L. humile por medio del análisis de las glándulas pigidiales y el contenido en el cuerpo completo. Examinamos los mecanismos de la toxicidad en los anfibios juveniles cuantificando la toxina en el tejido del anfibio, buscando daños histológicos y calculando las dosis tóxicas para cada especie de anfibio. Para determinar el alcance potencial de la amenaza para los anfibios usamos bases de datos mundiales para estimar el número, distribución y estado de conservación de las especies terrestres de anfibios con distribuciones que se solapan con la de L. humile. Los anfibios juveniles que co-ocurren temporal y espacialmente con L. humile mueren al encontrarse con esta especie de hormiga en sus pistas. En el laboratorio, cuando un anfibio juvenil entró en contacto con L. humile, las hormigas reaccionaron rápidamente rociando a estos juveniles con veneno proveniente de las glándulas pigidiales. La iridomyrmecina fue el compuesto tóxico que encontramos en las glándulas pigidiales. Después de ser absorbida por la piel del anfibio, se acumuló en el cerebro, los riñones y el hígado. La dosis tóxica para los anfibios depende de la especie. A nivel mundial, se estima que 817 especies de anfibios terrestres tienen una distribución que se solapa con la de L. humile, y el 6.2% de estas especies se encuentran clasificadas como amenazadas. Nuestros hallazgos resaltan el potencial alto del veneno de L. humile para tener efectos negativos sobre los anfibios juveniles y también proporcionan una base para la exploración de los impactos de esta hormiga en su amplio rango invasivo, los cuales generalmente son ignorados.

Telomere attrition with age in a wild amphibian population.

Telomere shortening with age has been documented in many organisms, but few studies have reported telomere length measurements in amphibians, and no information is available for growth after metamorphosis, nor in wild populations. We provide both cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence of net telomere attrition with age in a wild amphibian population of natterjack toads (Epidalea calamita). Based on age-estimation by skeletochronology and qPCR telomere length measurements in the framework of an individual-based monitoring programme, we confirmed telomere attrition in recaptured males. Our results support that toads experience telomere attrition throughout their ontogeny, and that most attrition occurs during the first 1-2 years. We did not find associations between telomere length and inbreeding or body condition. Our results on telomere length dynamics under natural conditions confirm telomere shortening with age in amphibians and provide quantification of wide telomere length variation within and among age-classes in a wild breeding population.

School Satisfaction and School Pressure in the WHO European Region and North America: An Analysis of Time Trends (2002-2018) and Patterns of Co-occurrence in 32 Countries.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine the trends between 2002 and 2018 in school pressure and school satisfaction among 15-year-old students, across countries and by gender, in the WHO European region and North America, and explore whether there are variations between countries and by gender in the co-occurrence of school pressure and school satisfaction. METHODS: Data from the 32 countries that participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC) study between 2002 and 2018 were used. Statistical analyses included t-tests, binary logistic regression analyses, and chi-square tests, as required by each of the study aims. RESULTS: School satisfaction tended to increase over the period 2002-2018 among boys, whereas school pressure increased among girls. Also, gender differences tended to dissipate in school satisfaction and generally increase in school pressure. The co-occurrence of school satisfaction and school pressure in 2017/2018 shows that the majority of students are found in the "not pressured-not highly satisfied" and "pressured-not highly satisfied" groups. There were more boys in the former group and more girls in the latter group. CONCLUSION: Few students in the 32 countries belonged to the "not pressured-highly satisfied" group, which from a public health perspective may be seen as the most desirable group. The increases in school pressure in girls from 2002 to 2018 and their overrepresentation in the pressured groups require further attention.

Opposite and synergistic physiological responses to water acidity and predator cues in spadefoot toad tadpoles.

Organisms are exposed to multiple environmental factors simultaneously to which they often respond behaviorally, morphologically and/or physiologically. Amphibian larvae are quite plastic and efficiently adjust their phenotype and physiology to the reigning local conditions. Here we tested whether the combination of predator presence and low water pH induces alterations in the morphology and physiology of spadefoot toad tadpoles. We raised Pelobates cultripes tadpoles in the laboratory in water at either pH 4 or 7, and in the presence or absence of caged dragonfly nymphs, and determined their changes in shape through geometric morphometrics to assess whether predator recognition was impaired or not at low pH. We also measured levels of plasma corticosterone, activity of four antioxidant enzymes, as well as markers of oxidative damage and redox status. We found that tadpoles altered their body shape in response to predator cues even at low pH, indicating that predator recognition was not interfered by water acidity and developmental responses were robust even under abiotic stress. Water acidity was associated with increased corticosterone levels in tadpoles, whereas predator presence consistently reduced corticosterone levels. Predator presence was linked to reduced antioxidant enzyme activity, whereas the combination of both factors resulted in negative synergistic effects on lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant capacity of tadpoles. Here we show that tadpoles detect predators even at low pH but that the development of adaptive anti-predatory morphology can magnify physiological imbalances when other stressors co-occur. These results emphasize the need to understand how multiple environmental perturbations can affect animal homeostasis.

Effects of a Game-Based Virtual Reality Video Capture Training Program Plus Occupational Therapy on Manual Dexterity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Neurorehabilitation is a fundamental aspect in the treatment approach for multiple sclerosis (MS), in which new technologies have gained popularity, especially the use of virtual reality (VR). The aim of this paper is to analyze an occupational therapy (OT) intervention compared with OT + VR (OT + VR) on the manual dexterity of patients with MS. 26 MS subjects were initially recruited from an MS patient association and randomized into two groups. The OT group received 20 conventional OT sessions distributed in two sessions per week. The OT + VR group received 20 sessions of VR interventions, twice weekly and lasting 30 minutes, consisting of VR games accessed via the online web page motiongamingconsole.com, in addition to the conventional OT sessions. Pre- and postintervention assessments were based on the Purdue Pegboard Test, the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and the Grooved Pegboard Test. Clinical improvements were found regarding the precision of movements, the execution times, and the efficiency of certain functional tasks in the Purdue Pegboard Test and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test tests in the OT + VR group. Although significant differences were not found in the manual dexterity between the OT and OT + VR groups, improvements were found regarding the precision and effectiveness of certain functional tasks.

Different effects of accelerated development and enhanced growth on oxidative stress and telomere shortening in amphibian larvae.

Organisms react to environmental changes through plastic responses that often involve physiological alterations with the potential to modify life-history traits and fitness. Environmentally induced shifts in growth and development in species with complex life cycles determine the timing of transitions between subsequent life stages, as well as body condition at transformation, which greatly determine survival at later stages. Here we show that spadefoot toad larvae surviving pond drying and predators experienced marked alterations in growth and development, and in their fat reserves, oxidative stress, and relative telomere length. Tadpoles accelerated development but reduced growth and consumed more fat reserves when facing pond drying. However, oxidative stress was buffered by increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and telomeres remained unchanged. Predators caused opposite effects: they reduced larval density, hence relaxing competition and allowing faster development and enhanced growth of survivors. Tadpoles surviving predators metamorphosed bigger and had larger fat bodies, increasing their short-term survival odds, but showed signs of oxidative stress and had shorter telomeres. Developmental acceleration and enhanced growth thus seemed to have different physiological consequences: reduced fat bodies and body size compromise short-term survival, but are reversible in the long run, whereas telomere shortening is non-reversible and could reduce long-term survival.

Adopciones rotas en Andalucía: caracterización y propuestas para la intervención / No disponible

La presente investigación trata de conocer la incidencia y los principales factores de riesgo asociados a las rupturas adoptivas así como realizar algunas propuestas de mejora de cara a la intervención profesional. En el estudio se analizaron los 93 casos de ruptura detectados en Andalucía en la década de 2003-2012. La incidencia acumulada de rupturas en el periodo considerado fue de 1.32%, siendo más frecuentes en la adopción nacional que en la internacional. Así mismo, los principales factores de riesgo asociados a tales rupturas fueron la presencia de problemas de conducta en el menor, la violencia intrafamiliar y los problemas de vinculación emocional. En cuanto a la intervención profesional, lo más frecuente fueron las intervenciones de asesoramiento y tratamiento familiar al inicio de la adopción, disminuyendo su presencia en los momentos de la ruptura. La intervención profesional se caracterizó por ser esporádica y realizada por profesionales no especializados en la adopción, con una baja colaboración por parte de los adoptantes y los chicos y chicas adoptados. Entre las propuestas de mejora de la intervención profesional ante estas situaciones destaca la creación de un registro que permita identificar los casos de ruptura en el sistema de protección infantil

The present study aims to apprehend the incidence and main risk factors associated with adoption breakdown, as well as to contribute some proposals to improve professional intervention. Ninety-three breakdowns in adoption detected in Andalusia during the decade 2003-2012 were analyzed. The cumulative incidence in breakdowns during that period was 1.32% of total adoption placements, being more frequent in national than international breakdowns. In addition, the presence of behavioral problems, domestic violence, and emotional bonding problems were detected as main risk factors associated with these breakdowns. Regarding professional intervention, advice and family treatment at the beginning of adoption were the most frequent procedures. Professional interventions were sporadic and made by non-specialized professionals; also, adopters and adoptees’ collaboration with the interventions was low. Among the proposals for professional intervention improvement, stands out the creation of an official register to identify adoption breakdowns in the welfare system

Reconocimiento de emociones en menores con adversidad familiar temprana / No disponible

El reconocimiento de emociones es un componente de la comprensión de emociones que se encuentra fuertemente influenciado por las experiencias de interacción social. La adversidad temprana en menores suele estar ligada a déficits en las interacciones interpersonales, lo que puede afectar al desarrollo emocional. En este trabajo se explora el reconocimiento de emociones en tres grupos de niñas y niños: un grupo de adoptados internacionalmente, otro que vive en acogimiento residencial y un grupo de comparación. Además, se analiza la influencia del tipo de emoción a identificar (positivas, negativas y ambiguas), así como la relación del reconocimiento de emociones con el apego y la inteligencia de dichos menores. Los resultados muestran diferencias entre los tres grupos, así como más dificultades en la identificación de las emociones ambiguas entre los menores adoptados y en en acogimiento residencial. Además, se encontraron relaciones significativas entre el reconocimiento de emociones y el desarrollo cognitivo para todos los grupos, mientras que la relación con el apego fue menos evidente

Emotional recognition is a component of the emotional understanding, which is strongly influenced by the experiences of social interaction. Early adversity is often linked to deficits in interpersonal situations, which could affect the emotional development. This research explores the emotional recognition in three groups of children: international adoptees, institutionalized, and a comparison group. Furthermore, it is analyzed the influences of the type of emotion to identify (positive, negative, and ambiguous), as well as the relationship between emotional recognition and attachment, and the cognitive developmental these groups of children. The results show differences between the three groups, as well as more difficulties in the identification of ambiguous emotions in adoptees and foster children. In addition, relationships between emotional recognition and cognitive development were found in all groups; however, the relationship with attachment was less clear

Stable Isotopes Reveal Trophic Partitioning and Trophic Plasticity of a Larval Amphibian Guild.

Temporary ponds are highly variable systems where resource availability and community structure change extensively over time, and consequently the food web is highly dynamic. Amphibians play a critical role both as consumers and prey in aquatic communities and yet there is still little information on the trophic status of most amphibians. More importantly, little is known about the extent to which they can alter their trophic ecology in response to changing conditions. We experimentally investigated the effects of increased amphibian density, presence of intraguild competitors, and presence of native and invasive predators (either free or caged) on the trophic status of a Mediterranean amphibian guild, using stable isotopes. We observed variations in δ13C and δ15N isotopic values among amphibian species and treatments and differences in their food sources. Macrophytes were the most important food resource for spadefoot toad tadpoles (Pelobates cultripes) and relatively important for all anurans within the guild. High density and presence of P. cultripes tadpoles markedly reduced macrophyte biomass, forcing tadpoles to increase their feeding on detritus, algae and zooplankton, resulting in lower δ13C values. Native dytiscid predators only changed the isotopic signature of newts whereas invasive red swamp crayfish had an enormous impact on environmental conditions and greatly affected the isotopic values of amphibians. Crayfish forced tadpoles to increase detritus ingestion or other resources depleted in δ13C. We found that the opportunistic amphibian feeding was greatly conditioned by intra- and interspecific competition whereas non-consumptive predator effects were negligible. Determining the trophic plasticity of amphibians can help us understand natural and anthropogenic changes in aquatic ecosystems and assess amphibians' ability to adjust to different environmental conditions.

Tratamiento sintomático y del dolor en fibromialgia mediante abordaje multidisciplinar desde Atención Primaria / Symptomatic pain and fibromyalgia treatment through multidisciplinary approach for primary care

Introducción. La fibromialgia es una enfermedad crónica de etiología desconocida, caracterizada por dolor muscular generalizado, afectando al desempeño ocupacional, familiar, social, físico y psicológico. El abordaje multidisciplinar de la enfermedad aporta mejoría en la calidad de vida y sintomatología del paciente. Objetivos. Valorar la mejoría de actividades de la vida diaria (AVD) y calidad de vida tras una intervención multidisciplinar (Atención Primaria y Terapia Ocupacional). Material y método. Estudio pretest-postest, con muestreo aleatorio simple, en 21 pacientes con fibromialgia (rango 16-55 años). La medición se realiza con la escala de Barthel (ABVD), la escala de Lawton y Brody (AIVD), cuestionario FIQ y encuestas no estandarizadas para valorar situación pre y postintervención. Se realizó una intervención sobre psicomotricidad (psicomotricidad básica, ejercicio en piscina, ejercicio al aire libre, reestructuración, desempeño ocupacional y actividad graduada e intervención en ABVD), asociando control farmacológico de su sintomatología y tratamiento. Resultados y conclusiones. Los enfermos de fibromialgia no están totalmente conformes con el tratamiento que reciben, Atención Primaria recibe una valoración de 6,89, y la Atención Hospitalaria de 5,79, mejorando los índices de Barthel y de Lawton y Brody, y el cuestionario FIQ, de forma estadísticamente significativa (p < 0,05). Tras la intervención combinada, aumenta el número de mujeres independientes en ABVD y AIVD (AU)

Introduction. Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by widespread muscle pain, with occupational, familial, social, physical and psychological performance involvement. The multidisciplinary approach to the disease leads to improvement in quality of life and symptomatology. Objectives. To evaluate the improvement of activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life following a multidisciplinary intervention (Health Primary Care and Occupational Therapy). Materials and methods. Pretest–posttest study performed with a simple random sample of 21 patients with fibromyalgia (range 16–55 years). The measurement was performed with the Barthel scale (ADL), the scale of Lawton and Brody (IADL), the FIQ questionnaire, and no standardized surveys to assess the pre- and post-intervention situation. An intervention on motor skills (basic motor skills, pool exercise, outdoor exercise, restructuring, occupational performance and graded activity and intervention in ADL) was performed, combining pharmacological control of their symptoms and treatment. Results and conclusions. Fibromyalgia patients are not fully satisfied with their treatment; Primary Care receives a score of 6.89, and Hospital Care 5.79, improving the Barthel, Lawton and Brody and FIQ indexes, being statistically significant (P<.05). After the combined procedure the number of independent women in ADL and IADL increases (AU)

Symptomatic pain and fibromyalgia treatment through multidisciplinary approach for primary care.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by widespread muscle pain, with occupational, familial, social, physical and psychological performance involvement. The multidisciplinary approach to the disease leads to improvement in quality of life and symptomatology. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the improvement of activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life following a multidisciplinary intervention (Health Primary Care and Occupational Therapy). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pretest-posttest study performed with a simple random sample of 21 patients with fibromyalgia (range 16-55 years). The measurement was performed with the Barthel scale (ADL), the scale of Lawton and Brody (IADL), the FIQ questionnaire, and no standardized surveys to assess the pre and post intervention situation. An intervention on motor skills (basic motor skills, pool exercise, outdoor exercise, restructuring, occupational performance and graded activity and intervention in ADL) was performed, combining pharmacological control of their symptoms and treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Fibromyalgia patients are not fully satisfied with their treatment; Primary Care receives a score of 6.89, and Hospital Care 5.79, improving the Barthel, Lawton and Brody and FIQ indexes, being statistically significant (p<.05). After the combined procedure the number of independent women in ADL and IADL increases.

Multi-ethnic minority nurses' knowledge and practice of genetics and genomics.

PURPOSE: Exploratory studies establishing how well nurses have integrated genomics into practice have demonstrated there remains opportunity for education. However, little is known about educational gaps in multi-ethnic minority nurse populations. The purpose of this study was to determine minority nurses' beliefs, practices, and competency in integrating genetics-genomics information into practice using an online survey tool. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey with registered nurses (RNs) from the participating National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Organizations (NCEMNA). Two phases were used: Phase one had a sample of 27 nurses who determined the feasibility of an online approach to survey completion and need for tool revision. Phase two was a main survey with 389 participants who completed the revised survey. The survey ascertained the genomic knowledge, beliefs, and practice of a sample of multi-ethnic minority nurses who were members of associations comprising the NCEMNA. METHODS: The survey was administered online. Descriptive survey responses were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Categorical responses in which comparisons were analyzed used chi square tests. FINDINGS: About 40% of the respondents held a master's degree (39%) and 42% worked in direct patient care. The majority of respondents (79%) reported that education in genomics was important. Ninety-five percent agreed or strongly agreed that family health history could identify at-risk families, 85% reported knowing how to complete a second- and third-generation family history, and 63% felt family history was important to nursing. Conversely, 50% of the respondents felt that their understanding of the genetics of common disease was fair or poor, supported by 54% incorrectly reporting they thought heart disease and diabetes are caused by a single gene variant. Only 30% reported taking a genetics course since licensure, and 94% reported interest in learning more about genomics. Eighty-four percent believed that their ethnic minority nurses' organizations should have a visible role in genetics and genomics in their communities. CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents felt genomics is important to integrate into practice but demonstrated knowledge deficits. There was strong interest in the need for continuing education and the role of the ethnic minority organizations in facilitating the continuing education efforts. This study provides evidence of the need for targeted genomic education to prepare ethnic minority nurses to better translate genetics and genomics into practice. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Genomics is critical to the practice of all nurses, most especially family health history assessment and the genomics of common complex diseases. There is a great opportunity and interest to address the genetic-genomic knowledge deficits in the nursing workforce as a strategy to impact patient outcomes.

Pyogenic flexor tenosynovitis: assessment and management in the emergency department setting.

Emergency departments are frequently confronted with had infections. Significant morbidity can result from hand infections when they are not appropriately diagnosed or treated. Clinical recognition, proper initial evaluation, and treatment are key to prevent functional deficit or devastated morbidity when confronted with hand infections. Pyogenic flexor tenosynovitis is an orthopedic emergency where health care outcomes depend on timely management, prompt recognition, and appropriate treatment. A case report is presented of a patient with worsening pain of a digit after a penetrating injury. The diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical findings and plain radiography.

Omnidirectional structured light in a flexible configuration.

Structured light is a perception method that allows us to obtain 3D information from images of the scene by projecting synthetic features with a light emitter. Traditionally, this method considers a rigid configuration, where the position and orientation of the light emitter with respect to the camera are known and calibrated beforehand. In this paper we propose a new omnidirectional structured light system in flexible configuration, which overcomes the rigidness of the traditional structured light systems. We propose the use of an omnidirectional camera combined with a conic pattern light emitter. Since the light emitter is visible in the omnidirectional image, the computation of its location is possible. With this information and the projected conic in the omnidirectional image, we are able to compute the conic reconstruction, i.e., the 3D information of the conic in the space. This reconstruction considers the recovery of the depth and orientation of the scene surface where the conic pattern is projected. One application of our proposed structured light system in flexible configuration consists of a wearable omnicamera with a low-cost laser in hand for visual impaired personal assistance.

Plastic changes in tadpole trophic ecology revealed by stable isotope analysis.

Amphibian larvae constitute a large fraction of the biomass of wetlands and play important roles in their energy flux and nutrient cycling. Interactions with predators and competitors affect their abundance but also their foraging behaviour, potentially leading to non-consumptive cascading effects on the whole trophic web. We experimentally tested for plastic changes in larval trophic ecology of two anuran species in response to competitors and the non-lethal presence of native and non-native predators, using stable isotope analysis. We hypothesized that tadpoles would alter their diet in the presence of competitors and native predators, and to a lesser extent or not at all in the presence of non-native predators. First, we conducted a controlled diet experiment to estimate tadpole turnover rates and discrimination factors using Pelobates cultripes and Bufo calamita. Turnover rates yielded a half-life of 15-20 days (attaining a quasi-isotopic equilibrium after 2 months), whereas discrimination factors for natural controlled diets resulted in different isotopic values essential for calibration. Second, we did an experiment with P. cultripes and Rana perezi (=Pelophylax perezi) where we manipulated the presence/absence of predators and heterospecific tadpoles using microcosms in the laboratory. We detected a significant shift in trophic status of both amphibian species in the presence of non-native crayfish: the δ(15)N values and macrophyte consumption of tadpoles increased, whereas their detritus consumption decreased. This suggests that tadpoles could have perceived crayfish as a predatory risk or that crayfish acted as competitors for algae and zooplankton. No dietary changes were observed in the presence of native dragonflies or when both tadpole species co-occurred. Stable isotopic analysis is an efficient way to assess variation in tadpoles' tropic status and hence understand their role in freshwater ecosystems. Here we provide baseline isotopic information for future trophic studies and show evidence for plastic changes in tadpoles' use of food resources under different ecological scenarios.