Dietary ratio of linoleic to alpha-linolenic acid affects the reproductive performance of Japanese quail.

1. This study was conducted to assess the effects of different dietary omega 6:3 ratios fed to male and female Japanese quail breeders on incubation performance, chick quality and progeny performance.2. A completely randomised design was used, with five diets containing different ratios of vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid (LA from soybean oil) or α-linolenic acid (ALA from linseed oil) with LA/ALA ratios of 13.75:1, 10.69:1, 7.63:1, 4.57:1 and 1.48:1 with 12 cage replicates containing six birds each.3. There was a quadratic effect of the LA/ALA ratio on total hatchability (p < 0.011), fertile hatchability (p = 0.046) and total mortality (p = 0.046). There was no effect on fertility (p > 0.05). The LA/ALA ratios of 1.48 and 13.75 fed to both hens and cockerels or hens resulted in greater fertility, as measured by the number of days after copulation during which fertile eggs were laid and the number of points of hydrolysis on the perivitelline membrane. A decreasing linear effect (p < 0.0001) was observed on chick length and an increasing linear effect on body weight at 1 day of age. There were no effects on progeny performance.4. The LA/ALA ratio affected yolk mineral matter (p = 0.009), crude protein (p = 0.091), chick mineral matter (p < 0.038) and ether extract (p < 0.0001) contents. Maternal diet affected the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and chick liver, indicating that dietary contents were transferred to eggs and chicks.5. Fertile egg production increased with lower LA/ALA ratios. Therefore, linseed oil can be used together with soybean oil to formulate diets for female Japanese quail obtain LA/ALA ratios between 4:1 and 10:1.

Laboratory realization of relativistic pair-plasma beams.

Relativistic electron-positron plasmas are ubiquitous in extreme astrophysical environments such as black-hole and neutron-star magnetospheres, where accretion-powered jets and pulsar winds are expected to be enriched with electron-positron pairs. Their role in the dynamics of such environments is in many cases believed to be fundamental, but their behavior differs significantly from typical electron-ion plasmas due to the matter-antimatter symmetry of the charged components. So far, our experimental inability to produce large yields of positrons in quasi-neutral beams has restricted the understanding of electron-positron pair plasmas to simple numerical and analytical studies, which are rather limited. We present the first experimental results confirming the generation of high-density, quasi-neutral, relativistic electron-positron pair beams using the 440 GeV/c beam at CERN's Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator. Monte Carlo simulations agree well with the experimental data and show that the characteristic scales necessary for collective plasma behavior, such as the Debye length and the collisionless skin depth, are exceeded by the measured size of the produced pair beams. Our work opens up the possibility of directly probing the microphysics of pair plasmas beyond quasi-linear evolution into regimes that are challenging to simulate or measure via astronomical observations.

Supplementing flaxseed meal with sucrose, flaxseed oil, or both: Effect on milk enterolactone, ruminal microbiota profile, production performance, and nutrient utilization in dairy cows.

Flaxseed is the richest source of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, which is converted by ruminal microorganisms primarily to the mammalian lignan enterolactone. Our objective was to investigate the effect of diets containing soybean meal or flaxseed meal (FM) supplemented with sucrose, flaxseed oil, or both on milk enterolactone concentration and yield, diversity and relative abundance of ruminal bacterial taxa, ruminal fermentation profile, production performance, milk fatty acid (FA) yield, and nutrient utilization in dairy cows. Sixteen Holstein cows [8 multiparous (4 ruminally-cannulated) and 8 primiparous] averaging (mean ± SD) 134 ± 54.1 DIM and 679 ± 78.9 kg of BW in the beginning of the study were assigned to treatment sequences in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each experimental period lasted 25 d with 18 d for diet adaptation and 7 d for data and sample collection. Diets were formulated to contain a 60:40 forage:concentrate ratio and included (DM basis): 1) 8% soybean meal and 23% ground corn (SBM), 2) 15% FM, 10.7% ground corn, and 5% sucrose (FLX+S), 3) 15% FM, 15.4% ground corn, and 3% flaxseed oil (FLX+O), and 4) 15% FM, 10.2% ground corn, 5% sucrose, and 3% flaxseed oil (FLX+SO). Compared with SBM, the concentration and yield of milk enterolactone increased in cows fed the FM diets, but did not differ among FLX+S, FLX+O, and FLX+SO. The relative abundances of the phyla Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobiota, and Actinobacteriota and those of the bacterial genera Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group, Anaeromusa-Anaeroarcus, WCHB1-41, and p-251-o5 decreased, whereas Prevotella and NK4A214 group increased when comparing SBM against at least 1 diet containing FM. Furthermore, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota and those of Prevotella, Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group, Acetitomaculum, Lachnospiraceae unclassified, NK4A214 group, and Anaeromusa-Anaeroarcus changed (increased or decreased) across the FLX+S, FLX+O, and FLX+SO diets. However, all these changes in the relative abundance of the ruminal bacterial taxa were not conclusively associated with the effect of diets on milk enterolactone. Diets did not affect ruminal pH and concentrations of NH3-N and total VFA. Dry matter intake and yields of milk, milk fat, and milk true protein all decreased in cows fed FLX+O or FLX+SO. Yields of milk total odd-chain FA, branched-chain FA, total < 16C FA, and total 16C FA all decreased with feeding FLX+O and FLX+SO. The apparent total-tract digestibilities of DM and OM were lowest in the FLX+S and FLX+O diets, with CP and ADF digestibilities lowest in cows receiving FLX+S or FLX+O, respectively. Urinary excretion of total N was lowest with feeding SBM. Contrarily, diets did not affect the urinary excretion of total purine derivatives. In brief, despite the effect of diets on the relative abundance of several ruminal microbiota phyla and genera, we were unable to conclusively associate these changes with increased milk enterolactone in FM-containing diets versus SBM.

Biological effects of a copper-based fungicide on the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

The increased consumption of pesticides can have a negative environmental impact by increasing the essential metals to toxic levels. Bordasul® is a commonly used fungicide in Brazil and it is composed of 20% Cu, 10% sulfur, and 3.0% calcium. The study of fungicides in vivo in non-target model organisms can predict their environmental impact more broadly. The Drosophila melanogaster is a unique model due to its ease of handling and maintenance. Here, the potential toxicity of Bordasul® was investigated by assessing the development, survival, and behavior of exposed flies. Exposure to Bordasul® impaired the development (p < 0.01) and caused a significant reduction in memory retention (p < 0.05) and locomotor ability (p < 0.001). Fungicides are needed to assure the world's food demand; however, Bordasul® was highly toxic to D. melanogaster. Therefore, Bordasul® may be potentially toxic to non-target invertebrates and new environmentally-safe biofertilizers have to be developed to preserve the biota.

Dysgeusia increases the risk for death and other side effects during antineoplastic systemic treatment for solid tumors: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy (QT) is a systemic treatment using a combination of antineoplastic drugs, orally or intravenously, that inhibit tumor growth and fast-growing normal cells. Due to its nonspecificity, chemotherapy can cause a series of adverse effects, such as altered taste (dysgeusia), associated with malnutrition and, consequently, other adverse effects in the gastrointestinal tract and increased mortality risk. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of dysgeusia on the incidence of other adverse effects and overall survival during antineoplastic chemotherapy (chemotherapy). MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Electronic Health Record system of the Cancer Institute of Ceará over two years. Before the CT session, the multi-professional team evaluated the patient for the presence and severity of adverse effects (AE), using scores from the CTCAE v5.0 scale. Dysgeusia scores were collected and associated with clinical pathological data, with other adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, oral mucositis, anorexia, constipation), and with overall survival. Chi-square and Mantel-Cox log-rank tests were used. RESULTS: Of 5744 patients evaluated, dysgeusia presented a frequency of 50.6%, being directly associated with female gender (p=0.001), overweight (p=0.022), high tumor stages (p=0.009), a combination of adjuvant and neoadjuvant (p=0.010) and four-year survival (p=0.030). Dysgeusia frequency was directly associated with diarrhea (p<0.001), anorexia (p<0.001), oral mucositis (p<0.001), nausea (p<0.001), constipation (p<0.001) and vomiting (p<0.001), and inversely associated with fatigue (p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Dysgeusia during CT increases the risk of other adverse effects and negatively impacts prognosis.

An Exploration of Resilience and Positive Affect among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to analyze the variation in resilience and emotional state scores in nursing students throughout the four years of training for the nursing degree. METHODS: This is a longitudinal observational study of a paired and prospective cohort of 176 nursing students who enrolled in the first year of a bachelor's degree in 2019. The study followed up with the students in 2022 and examined several sociodemographic factors, including sex, marital status, date of birth, living arrangements and occupation. Additionally, the study investigated changes in negative affect, positive affect, and resilience. RESULTS: A total of 176 students participated in the study. The study found that resilience increased from 68.24 ± 10.59 to 70.87 ± 9.06 (p < 0.001), positive affect increased from 28.16 ± 4.59 to 33.08 ± 8.00 (p < 0.001), and the negative affect score decreased from 25.27 ± 5.12 to 21.81 ± 7.85 (p < 0.001). The study also found that married individuals experienced an increase in negative affect (p = 0.03) compared to singles or those in open relationships. Furthermore, the change in resilience was greater in men than in women (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Throughout their four-year training, nursing students experience an increase in resilience and positive affect, as well as a decrease in negative affect.

Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in childhood diarrhea.

Acute diarrhea is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality attributed to infections in children under five years of age worldwide, with 1.7 million annual estimated cases and more than 500,000 deaths. Although hydroelectrolytic replacement is the gold standard in treating diarrhea, it does not interfere with the restoration of the intestinal microbiota. Several studies have searched for an adequate alternative in restructuring intestinal homeostasis, finding that treatments based on probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics are effective, which made such treatments increasingly present in clinical practice by reducing illness duration with minimal side effects. However, there are still controversies regarding some unwanted reactions in patients. The diversity of strains and the peculiarities of the pathogens that cause diarrhea require further studies to develop effective protocols for prevention and treatment. Here, we provide a descriptive review of childhood diarrhea, emphasizing treatment with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics.

Sleep deprivation induces late deleterious effects in a pharmacological model of Parkinsonism.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative, chronic and progressive disease, characterized by motor dysfunctions. Patients also exhibit non-motor symptoms, such as affective and sleep disorders. Sleep disorders can potentiate clinical and neuropathological features and lead to worse prognosis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation (SD) in mice submitted to a progressive pharmacological model of Parkinsonism (chronic administration with a low dose of reserpine). Male Swiss mice received 20 injections of reserpine (0.1 mg/kg) or vehicle, on alternate days. SD was applied before or during reserpine treatment and was performed by gentle handling for 6 h per day for 10 consecutive days. Animals were submitted to motor and non-motor behavioral assessments and neurochemical evaluations. Locomotion was increased by SD and decreased by reserpine treatment. SD during treatment delayed the onset of catalepsy, but SD prior to treatment potentiated reserpine-induced catalepsy. Thus, although SD induced an apparent beneficial effect on motor parameters, a delayed deleterious effect on alterations induced by reserpine was found. In the object recognition test, both SD and reserpine treatment produced cognitive deficits. In addition, the association between SD and reserpine induced anhedonic-like behavior. Finally, an increase in oxidative stress was found in hippocampus of mice subjected to SD, and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity was reduced in substantia nigra of reserpine-treated animals. Results point to a possible late effect of SD, aggravating the deficits in mice submitted to the reserpine progressive model of PD.

The genetic landscape of mitochondrial diseases in the next-generation sequencing era: a Portuguese cohort study.

Introduction: Rare disorders that are genetically and clinically heterogeneous, such as mitochondrial diseases (MDs), have a challenging diagnosis. Nuclear genes codify most proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, despite all mitochondria having their own DNA. The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has revolutionized the understanding of many genes involved in the pathogenesis of MDs. In this new genetic era, using the NGS approach, we aimed to identify the genetic etiology for a suspected MD in a cohort of 450 Portuguese patients. Methods: We examined 450 patients using a combined NGS strategy, starting with the analysis of a targeted mitochondrial panel of 213 nuclear genes, and then proceeding to analyze the whole mitochondrial DNA. Results and Discussion: In this study, we identified disease-related variants in 134 (30%) analyzed patients, 88 with nuclear DNA (nDNA) and 46 with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, most of them being pediatric patients (66%), of which 77% were identified in nDNA and 23% in mtDNA. The molecular analysis of this cohort revealed 72 already described pathogenic and 20 novel, probably pathogenic, variants, as well as 62 variants of unknown significance. For this cohort of patients with suspected MDs, the use of a customized gene panel provided a molecular diagnosis in a timely and cost-effective manner. Patients who cannot be diagnosed after this initial approach will be further selected for whole-exome sequencing. Conclusion: As a national laboratory for the study and research of MDs, we demonstrated the power of NGS to achieve a molecular etiology, expanding the mutational spectrum and proposing accurate genetic counseling in this group of heterogeneous diseases without therapeutic options.

Morphometry and morphology of fish otoliths on the coast of the state of Maranhão, Brazil.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the biometric relationships between the species Bagre bagre, Lutjanus synagris and Nebris microps and their otoliths. The relationship between the size of the otolith (length and weight) and the size of the fish (standard length and total weight) was determined using the linear regression model (y = a + bx). For the morphological description, the otoliths of three specimens were selected by standard length class (10mm). The morphological characters analyzed were chosen according to traditional literature. Three hundred eight specimens of B. bagre, 200 of L. synagris and 237 of N. microps were analyzed. Throughout the collection period, the source of the capture of individuals was the municipality of Raposa. The linear correlations for fish and otolith length for B. bagre were 0.9129 and 0.9652, respectively. For L. synagris, the coefficients were 0.8634 and 0.8672, while for N. microps, 0.9597 and 0.8636, respectively. The morphological classification of L. synagris and N. microps is of the Saggita type, and the B. bagre species is of the Lapillus type. From the data presented here, it is possible to observe that otolith morphometric and morphological data can serve as a parameter to estimate the relationship between the fish and the otolith in terms of its biomass and the length of an individual and a population.

Animal Approaches to Studying Risk Factors for Parkinson's Disease: A Narrative Review.

Despite recent efforts to search for biomarkers for the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), the presence of risk factors, prodromal signs, and family history still support the classification of individuals at risk for this disease. Human epidemiological studies are useful in this search but fail to provide causality. The study of well-known risk factors for PD in animal models can help elucidate mechanisms related to the disease's etiology and contribute to future prevention or treatment approaches. This narrative review aims to discuss animal studies that investigated four of the main risk factors and/or prodromal signs related to PD: advanced age, male sex, sleep alterations, and depression. Different databases were used to search the studies, which were included based on their relevance to the topic. Although still in a reduced number, such studies are of great relevance in the search for evidence that leads to a possible early diagnosis and improvements in methods of prevention and treatment.

Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics in childhood diarrhea

Abstract Acute diarrhea is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality attributed to infections in children under five years of age worldwide, with 1.7 million annual estimated cases and more than 500,000 deaths. Although hydroelectrolytic replacement is the gold standard in treating diarrhea, it does not interfere with the restoration of the intestinal microbiota. Several studies have searched for an adequate alternative in restructuring intestinal homeostasis, finding that treatments based on probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics are effective, which made such treatments increasingly present in clinical practice by reducing illness duration with minimal side effects. However, there are still controversies regarding some unwanted reactions in patients. The diversity of strains and the peculiarities of the pathogens that cause diarrhea require further studies to develop effective protocols for prevention and treatment. Here, we provide a descriptive review of childhood diarrhea, emphasizing treatment with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics.

Understanding the effect of sex on energy requirements of hair sheep.

Differences and/or similarities in the influence of sex class for hair sheep requirements remain inconclusive. Knowledge of energy requirements allows well-formulated diets to be provided which is crucial for improving animal production. We aimed to determine the effect of sex class on the net energy requirements of growing hair sheep in a multi-study approach. We used a data set composed of individual measurements of 382 hair sheep (299 non-castrated and 83 castrated males) from 11 studies that used the methodology of comparative slaughter. Net energy requirements for maintenance (NEm) were obtained by the regression between heat production and metabolizable energy intake. The metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance (MEm) were calculated by the iterative method, and the efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for maintenance (km) was obtained by NEm divided by MEm. The net energy requirements for gain (NEg) were estimated from retained energy (RE) against empty BW gain (EBWG). The efficiency of energy use for weight gain (kg) was obtained from the relationship between RE and the energy metabolizable intake for gain, removing the intercept. There was an effect of sex on NEg and two equations were generated: NEg (MJ/day) = 1.040 (±0.04055) × EBW0.75 × EBWG0.8767(±0.03293) and NEg (MJ/day) = 1.040 (±0.04055) × EBW0.75 × EBWG0.8300(±0.03468) (R2 = 0.86; MSE = 0.0037; AIC = -468.0) for non-castrated and castrated males, respectively. Sex class did not affect kg (P > 0.05) and one kg was generated (0.29). Sex did not affect kprotein (P = 0.14) and kfat (P = 0.32), assuming an average deposition efficiency of 0.27 for protein and 0.78 for fat. The NEm and MEm did not differ (P > 0.05) between sex classes, with a value of 0.272 and 0.427 MJ/kg0.75 EBW per day, respectively. The km observed was 0.64. In conclusion, non-castrated and castrated male hair sheep have similar maintenance energy requirements although energy requirements for gain differed among them. The Committees overestimate the gain and maintenance requirements for hair sheep. Therefore, the equations generated in this study are recommended.

Virtual Active Learning to Maximize Knowledge Acquisition in Nursing Students: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students need to acquire knowledge through active methods that promote critical thinking and decision making. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there are differences in the acquisition of knowledge by nursing students between active face-to-face or virtual teaching methods. METHODS: In this comparative study, nursing students enrolled in the psychology course were divided into two groups: a face-to-face group that received active teaching methods and a virtual group. The virtual group was exposed to the Effective Learning Strategy (ELS), which included seminars based on video content through the Virtual Campus and answering questions using the H5P tool. In addition, participants engaged in reflection tasks on the content. Covariate data were collected, and knowledge tests were administered to both groups before and after the course. After three months, subjects were re-evaluated with a final exam to assess content retention. RESULTS: A total of 280 students were randomized. No differences were found in students' scores at the end of the knowledge test or in their final grades in the subject. Having study habits (b = 0.12, p = 0.03) and social support from relevant people (b = 0.09; p = 0.03) were associated with better post-intervention scores, and inversely with social support from friends (b = -0.12, p < 0.01). Final grades were inversely associated with digital safety literacy (b = -0.101, p = 0.01). No factors were associated with the scores of each group separately. CONCLUSIONS: The ELS virtual active learning model is as effective as face-to-face active learning methods for teaching psychology to first-year nursing students. This study was not registered.

The "Sniffin' Kids-PT" test: A smell test variant for Portuguese children.

OBJECTIVE: Olfactory tests tailored for children are essential, as diagnosing olfactory dysfunction at these ages can be challenging. The 16-item "Sniffin' Sticks" is reliable and easy to perform. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no validated olfactory test for the Portuguese pediatric population. This study aimed to adapt and validate the "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory test for the Portuguese pediatric population. METHODS: Between August 2020 and September 2021, 354 children aged between 6 and 17years old enrolled in the study, 336 healthy children with a normal sense of smell, and 18 anosmic children with Kallmann syndrome. The study consisted of two parts. Firstly, the "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory identification test was applied to healthy children and the odors with statistically significant low identification rates were excluded. A modified version of "Sniffin' Sticks" was defined and named "Sniffin' Kids-PT" test. Secondly, normative data were assessed and test-retest and validation tests were performed. RESULTS: Apple and Cloves odors were identified with a low rate and were excluded from the "Sniffin' Sticks" olfactory test. In the modified 14-item "Sniffin' Kids-PT", scoring <6 (from 6-8years old), <7 (from 9-11years old) or <8 (from 12-14years old and 15-17years old) was indicative of olfactory dysfunction. The test-retest reliability was good (r=0.81; P<0.001) and the differences between scores of healthy children and anosmic children were statistically significant (U213=13.00; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The modified "Sniffin' Kids-PT" is a reliable test to discriminate between normosmia and olfactory dysfunction in Portuguese children over 5years old.

Chitosan thread in the healing of the cecal wall of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) submitted to cecorrhaphy.

The development and evaluation of synthesis materials are crucial to reducing the morbidity and magnitude of post-enterorrhaphy surgical complications. Despite the possibility of production, chitosan thread has not yet been used in enterorrhaphy, and its effects on intestinal healing have not been evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of chitosan thread on the intestinal wall repair of rabbits submitted to cecorrhaphy. For this, 42 rabbits were allocated into two groups with 21 animals. One group was submitted to cecorrhaphy with chitosan suture thread (CG) and the other with poliglecaprone suture thread (PG). The occurrence of postoperative complications, the intensity of edema, cellular response, formation of granulation tissue, as well as the deposition and maturation of collagen fibers, and the intensity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-α) expression, were evaluated during the intestinal wall repair process. The evaluations occurred on the 5th, 15th, and 25th postoperative (PO) days. The animals did not develop peritonitis, but adherence was observed in six animals from CG and seven from PG, with no difference between groups. The polymorphonuclear infiltrate showed higher intensity and higher amount of type III collagen fibers in CG on the 15th PO day. In contrast, a lower amount of type I collagen fibers was observed in CG samples on the 25th PO day. Therefore, the chitosan thread used for cecorrhaphy in rabbits results in minimal postoperative complications, presents biocompatibility, and bioactively assists the tissue repair process of the cecal wall, inducing minimal tissue reaction, stimulating the deposition of type III collagen fibers in the proliferative phase, with sustained VEGF-α expression, but with reduced deposition of type I fibers, indicating a delay in collagen maturation.

Lower adiponectin is associated with higher anthropometry and insulin resistance but not with low cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between adiposity, cardiometabolic risk and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) according to different groups of adiponectin concentration. METHODS: 255 adolescents of both sexes, aged 11-17 years old, participated. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters such as body mass, height, abdominal circumference (AC), waist circumference (WC), fat mass, fat-free mass, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-c), triglycerides (TG), glucose, insulin, adiponectin, blood pressure, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) were measured. Body mass index (BMI), z-score BMI (BMI-z), triponderal mass index (TMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), homeostasis model to assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were calculated. Adiponectin was categorized: low adiponectin concentration (LAC ≤ 5.18 µg/mL-1), intermediate (IAC = 5.18 and 7.63 µg/mL-1) and high (HAC ≥ 7.63 µg/ml-1). RESULTS: LAC showed higher BMI, BMI-z and TMI than the other groups (p < 0.05) and higher AC, WC and WHtR that the HAC (p < 0.05). IAC showed lower values of TC, LDL-c and TG, and the LAC presented the highest values of insulin, HOMA-IR and QUICKI (p < 0.05) to the IAC and HAC. HAC presented the lower VO2peak than the other groups (p < 0.01). BMI, TMI, glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR showed inverse, and QUICKI a direct and weak correlation with adiponectin (p < 0.05). No significant association was found between adiponectin and VO2peak (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The LAC group had higher means in the anthropometric variables and the worst results related to insulin resistance and sensitivity. Thus, adiponectin may play an important role in obesity and reduced concentration may be a factor in the development of obesity-associated morbidities.

A scale for assessing nursing students' emotional competence: A validation study.

BACKGROUND: The wellbeing of nursing professionals can be affected by emotionally challenging situations. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a recognised ability to manage stress, reduce work overload, and improve clinical relationships and decision making. Therefore, these emotional skills should be identified and developed throughout nursing education. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to create an observer-based emotional measurement tool to assess the level of emotional skills in university students. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. SETTING: Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 415 first- and fourth-year nursing students participated. METHODS: The Situational Emotional Response Scale (ERES) is a questionnaire for observing emotional competence in nursing practice. It underwent content validation using the Delphi method with 6 experts, resulting in a final version of 34 items. Focus group sessions were conducted with nursing students to ensure readability and appropriateness. Participants completed the ERES after viewing two clinical interaction videos, resulting in two sets of responses. Half of the responses were used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and half for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: A total of 415 nursing students participated in the study. Four factors were extracted, explaining 55.1 % of the variance. The CFA was conducted with 208 students, yielding a total of 4 factors and a variance of 55.1 %. The internal consistency of the scale was high, with Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients of 0.947 and 0.949, respectively. Test-retest reliability showed a moderate intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.604 (95 % CI: 0.503-0.688) over a 15-day interval. CONCLUSIONS: The ERES questionnaire is well grounded in the theoretical framework of emotional competence as manifested in clinical practice. The empirical evidence provided by this study suggests that the ERES is a reliable, valid, useful, and innovative instrument for measuring emotional competence in university students.