[Effect of the VOLANTIN resilience promotion program on children with an alternative residential system]. / Efectos de la implementación del programa de promoción de la resiliencia "VOLANTÍN" en niños(as) con sistema de cuidados alternativo residencial.

INTRODUCTION: Internationally, there are resilience promotion programs applied to children in residential alterna tive care with favorable results. The application of the resilience promotion program "VOLANTÍN" has shown to be effective in different groups of school-age children, favoring the development of resilience. OBJECTIVE: To describe the results of the implementation of the "VOLANTÍN' program on the level of resilience, self-concept, and emotional symptoms in children aged 7-12 years in resi dential alternative care (foster care). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: descriptive, longitudinal study. The "VO LANTÍN" program was implemented in a sample of 15 foster children between 7-12 years old. The variables measured were the "Escala de Resiliencia Escolar" (ERE), the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale, the Anxiety Self-report for Children and Adolescents (AANA), and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) at the beginning, at the end, and 3 months after the end of the program, and then were analyzed statistically by nonparametric test. RESULTS: At the beginning, the end, and three months after the program implementation, there was a significant increase in the total sco res of ERE (p0.045), subscales "networks-models" (p0.002) and "external resources" (p0.018); and Self-concept (p0.005), subscales "behavior" (p0.045) and "popularity" (p0.03). AANA total scores decreased significantly (p0.004) as well as the subscales "panic/somatic" (p0.025) and "generalized anxiety" (p0.009). CDI scores decreased, but not significantly. CONCLUSION: The application of the resilience promotion program "VOLANTÍN' increased resilience and self-concept scores and decrea sed anxious symptoms in children aged 7-12 years.

Construcción y validación de una escala breve de capacidades de resiliencia en niños(as) respondida por madres, padres y cuidadores (ECR-P/9-12) / Construction and validation of a brief scale of resilience skills for children answered by mothers, fathers, and caregivers (ECR-P/9-12)

Resumen Introducción: La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo elaborar y analizar las propiedades psicométricas de una escala breve de Capacidades de Resiliencia para niños(as) contestada por madres, padres y cuidadores (ECR-P/9-12). Método: Se siguió un diseño instrumental de cuatro fases: (1) construcción de ítems, (2) Validez de contenido, (3) Entrevistas cognitivas y; (4) Análisis de propiedades psicométricas. Resultados: Inicialmente se construyeron 345 preguntas, las que fueron reducidas a ocho a partir de los resultados de las entrevistas cognitivas y la evaluación Inter-jueces. Los ítems fueron aplicados vía online a 267 apoderados de la Región Metropolitana. El análisis factorial mostró indicadores satisfactorios de bondad del ajuste para el modelo de un factor (RMSEA=0,071; CFI=0.980; TLI=974) y una consistencia interna adecuada (α=0,723), quedando la escala constituida finalmente por siete ítems. Conclusión: La ECR-P constituye una herramienta válida y confiable para la evaluación de capacidades de resiliencia en la infancia, constituyendo un aporte para la promoción, prevención e intervención en salud mental.

Introduction: The present research aimed to elaborate and analyze the psychometric properties of a brief scale of Resilience Capacities for children answered by mothers, fathers and caregivers (ECR-P / 9-12). Method: A four-phase instrumental design was followed: (1) item construction, (2) content validity, (3) cognitive interviews and; (4) analysis of psychometric properties. Results: 345 questions were initially constructed, reduced to eight thereafter from the results of the cognitive interviews and the Inter-judge evaluation. The items were applied online to 267 parents and caregivers in the Metropolitan Region. The factor analysis showed satisfactory indicators of goodness of fit for the one-factor model (RMSEA = 0.071; CFI = 0.980; TLI = 974) and adequate internal consistency (α = 0.723), leaving the scale finally made up of seven items. Conclusion: The ECR-P constitutes a valid and reliable tool for the evaluation of resilience capacities in childhood, constituting a contribution for the promotion, prevention and intervention in mental health.

Nutritional profiles in a public health perspective: a critical review.

Nutritional profiling is defined as 'the science of categorizing foods according to their nutritional composition' and it is useful for food labelling and regulation of health claims. The evidence for the link between nutrients and health outcomes was reviewed. A reduced salt intake reduces blood pressure, but only a few randomized controlled trials have verified the effect of salt on overall and cardiovascular mortality. Evidence linking a reduced fat intake with cardiovascular mortality and obesity is generally non-significant. Studies that have examined the relationship between obesity and diet have produced contrasting results. A simulation exercise that demonstrated that the impact of a reduced salt and fat intake on overall mortality would be negligible in the European population was carried out. Consideration of the literature and the results of this simulation exercise suggest that the introduction of nutritional profiles in Europe would be expected to have a very limited impact on health outcomes.

Vínculos amorosos y sexuales en la adolescencia / Loving and sexual relationships in adolescents

En el presente artículo se exponen los aspectos más relevantes que organizan y orientan en la actualidad el comportamiento amoroso y sexual de los adolescentes. Los adolescentes pueden ir estableciendo relaciones de pareja según la etapa evolutiva en que se encuentren y según parámetros culturales vigentes. Sin embargo, es posible distinguir algunas perturbaciones en el establecimiento de los vínculos que puede manifestarse en sintomatología ansiosa o conducir a mayores dificultades en el futuro, incluyendo algunos factores de riesgo de salud mental y sexual y trastornos psíquicos. La seguridad y estabilidad de los vínculos afectivos, el compromiso de la familia y la contención del medio en el cual crecen los adolescentes constituyen elementos centrales para una sana evolución de los vínculos de pareja y de una sexualidad responsable.

This text aims to put forward the relevant aspects underpinning adolescent loving and sexual behavior at present time. Adolescents may build couple relationships according to developmental stage and cultural parameters, although some bonding disturbances may be distinguished by anxiety symptoms or future problems in mental and sexual health and by psychic disorders. Attachment safety and stability, family engagement and environmental support represent central issues for healthy couples and responsible sexuality.

A celebration of wine: wine IS medicine.

Wine describes a diverse commodity class composed of the yeast fermentation products of the must, or juice, pressed from grapes, the fruit of genus Vitis, but both in animal and human studies, wine demonstrates beneficial properties that are independent from the presence of alcohol. These benefits for health are mostly associated with polyphenols, and are absorbable from wine but poorly from unfermented grape juice. Dealcoholised wine is providing all the benefits without the toxicity, and is very affordable; improvements in the organoleptic quality of dealcoholised wine(s) as well as massive distribution are current challenges.

Facial clefting in an Arab town in Israel.

To study the prevalence of cleft palate and cleft lip with or without cleft palate in an Israeli Arab town, questionnaires were sent to the parents of 1375 pupils in grades 1 and 2 in all seven primary schools in the town of Taibe, and 1281 responded. The information requested included data about siblings and members of the parental generation to give a total of 16 174, and the presence of consanguinity and history of exposure to medication, radiation, smoking or alcohol during pregnancy. There were four affected individuals among the index cases, of whom two had cleft palate only and two cleft lip with cleft palate, giving prevalence rates for each of these of 1.56/1000. Adding to these the number of affected siblings gave a total of 10 affected individuals; two with cleft palate only (0.39/1000) and eight with cleft lip with or without cleft palate (1.56/1000). Among the parental generation, of 16 reported affected individuals, two had cleft palate only (0.18/1000) and 14 cleft lip with or without cleft palate (1.26/1000). The overall prevalence rate for all 26 affected individuals was 1.6/1000; four of these had cleft palate only (0.24/1000) and 22 had cleft lip with or without cleft palate (1.36/1000). There were no cases whose mothers had been exposed to medication, radiation, smoking or alcohol during pregnancy. The effect of consanguinity was not significant (P < 0.92). This study shows that the prevalence of facial clefting in an Israeli Arab community is consistent with that in the general population worldwide.

Prevalence of Behçet's disease in an Arab community in Israel.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of Behçet's disease (BD) in an Israeli Arab town (Taibe). METHODS: Questionnaires about the occurrence and prevalence of aphthous ulcers were distributed randomly to the parents of children attending a paediatric centre in Taibe. The parents were asked whether they or any of their children aged between 10 and 20 years had recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Any who had had more than four aphthous episodes (each episode lasting more than seven days) during the previous year were invited for an extensive interview and examination by a rheumatologist or a paediatrician. RESULTS: A total of 4876 subjects were included in this survey, of whom six (one male, five female) were diagnosed as having BD. Of these six, two were siblings (a brother and a sister). Five had skin lesions, four had visual involvement, and all had genital ulcers and joint symptoms; one in two patients had a positive pathergy test. Five of the six carried HLA-B5 antigens. The results showed a prevalence of 12/10,000 in Taibe. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of BD found in our survey is high and concurs with that found in other Mediterranean and Asian countries.

Fine mapping places the gene for arthrogryposis multiplex congenita neuropathic type between D5S394 and D5S2069 on chromosome 5qter.

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) is a heterogeneous symptom complex characterized by non-progressive joint contractures from birth that involve more than one part of the body. In 1997, our group investigated a large Israeli Arab inbred kindred that showed autosomal recessive inheritance of AMC neuropathic type, and we mapped the gene to 5qter between markers D5S1456 and D5S498. Haplotype sharing studies revealed complete homozygosity in all affected individuals with marker D5S394, thus providing significant statistical evidence in favor of linkage. In this study, we have undertaken further fine mapping of this region of chromosome 5qter, and have examined several additional markers. All the affected individuals showed complete homozygosity for the marker D5S394, and also for three additional markers that are telomeric to marker D5S394 and situated 31766 bp, 58016 bp, and 58516 bp, respectively, from it. Analysis of the recombinant individuals has enabled us to narrow down the critical region to a distance of.442 Mb between markers D5S394 and D5S2069.

Phenotypic expression of tissue mosaicism in a 45,X/46,X,dicY(q11.2) female.

We describe a girl who presented at the age of 11 years with short stature. She had female external genitalia and some clinical features of Turner syndrome. At laparotomy a uterus and Fallopian tubes and small gonad-like tissue masses in the region of the Fallopian fimbria were found. The tissue masses were removed and histological examination revealed no organized testicular or ovarian morphology. Remnants of Fallopian tubes, epididymis, and clusters of Leydig cells were seen but no Sertoli cells were found. Endocrine studies showed levels of sex hormones consistent with primary gonadal failure. G-banding analysis of 16 blood lymphocytes revealed the karyotype 46,X,dicY(q11.2) in all cells. Varying proportions of X and Y centromeres in blood lymphocytes, skin fibroblasts, and in the incompletely formed Wolffian and Müllerian duct derivatives were demonstrated by FISH. Molecular studies confirmed the absence of most of the long arm of the Y chromosome and an intact short arm. The SRY gene was shown to be present, but we presume that due to the mosaicism the dose was insufficient to allow normal testicular development.

Fragile-X carrier screening and the prevalence of premutation and full-mutation carriers in Israel.

Fragile-X syndrome is caused by an unstable CGG trinucleotide repeat in the FMR1 gene at Xq27. Intermediate alleles (51-200 repeats) can undergo expansion to the full mutation on transmission from mother to offspring. To evaluate the effectiveness of a fragile-X carrier-screening program, we tested 14,334 Israeli women of child-bearing age for fragile-X carrier status between 1992 and 2000. These women were either preconceptional or pregnant and had no family history of mental retardation. All those found to be carriers of premutation or full-mutation alleles were offered genetic counseling and also prenatal diagnosis, if applicable. We identified 207 carriers of an allele with >50 repeats, representing a prevalence of 1:69. There were 127 carriers with >54 repeats, representing a prevalence of 1:113. Three asymptomatic women carried the fully mutated allele. Among the premutation and full-mutation carriers, 177 prenatal diagnoses were performed. Expansion occurred in 30 fetuses, 5 of which had an expansion to the full mutation. On the basis of these results, the expected number of avoided patients born to women identified as carriers, the cost of the test in this study (U.S. $100), and the cost of lifetime care for a mentally retarded person (>$350,000), screening was calculated to be cost-effective. Because of the high prevalence of fragile-X premutation or full-mutation alleles, even in the general population, and because of the cost-effectiveness of the program, we recommend that screening to identify female carriers should be carried out on a wide scale.

Ectodermal dysplasia, ectrodactyly and macular dystrophy (EEM syndrome) in siblings.

We report a brother and sister with ectodermal dysplasia, ectrodactyly, and macular dystrophy (the EEM syndrome). Both children had abnormalities of the hands and the hair, and bilateral macular degeneration. The clinical picture in both is similar to, but less severe than, that described in the previously reported cases of this rare syndrome. Even though the parents are not related, they are both of Jewish Yemenite origin, and the possibility of a common ancestor cannot be ruled out. This would suggest autosomal recessive inheritance. The clinical picture in these patients suggests either variable expression or genetic heterogeneity in the EEM syndrome and further delineates the clinical and genetic spectrum of this condition.

Unique phospholipid metabolism in mouse heart in response to dietary docosahexaenoic or alpha-linolenic acids.

Diet and fatty acid metabolism interact in yet unknown ways to modulate membrane fatty acid composition and certain cellular functions. For example, dietary precursors or metabolic products of n-3 fatty acid metabolism differ in their ability to modify specific membrane components. In the present study, the effect of dietary 22:6n-3 or its metabolic precursor, 18:3n-3, on the selective accumulation of 22:6n-3 by heart was investigated. The mass and fatty acid compositions of individual phospholipids (PL) in heart and liver were quantified in mice fed either 22:6n-3 (from crocodile oil) or 18:3n-3 (from soybean oil) for 13 wk. This study was conducted to determine if the selective accumulation of 22:6n-3 in heart was due to the incorporation of 22:6n-3 into cardiolipin (CL), a PL most prevalent in heart and known to accumulate 22:6n-3. Although heart was significantly enriched with 22:6n-3 relative to liver, the accumulation of 22:6n-3 by CL in heart could not quantitatively account for this difference. CL from heart did accumulate 22:6n-3, but only in mice fed preformed 22:6n-3. Diets rich in non-22:6n-3 fatty acids result in a fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in heart that is unusually enriched with 22:6n-3. In this study, the mass of PC in heart was positively correlated with the enrichment of 22:6n-3 into PC. The increased mass of PC was coincident with a decrease in the mass of phosphatidylethanolamine, suggesting that 22:6n-3 induced PC synthesis by increasing phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase activity in the heart.

Gustatory Evaluation of Still and Carbonated Waters: A Preference Rating Study.

We studied the sensory preference for six still waters and four carbonated waters, nonflavored, by 11 tasting experts (4 women and 7 men). Five tasters rated the still waters, four tasters rated the carbonated water, and seven tasters rated twice on each of the still waters when evaluated with a dry red wine. All ratings were performed through answering a set of questions regarding the specific taste and/or smell of the waters. All tasters and the statistician were blinded to the water brands during rating and analysis. Multidimensional preference analysis and correspondence analysis were used to portray the underlying sensory preference. Still waters with higher mineral content tended to be less favorable for drinking purposes. On the other hand, carbonated waters with more minerals (but not over a certain limit) were favorable, and still waters with higher mineral content were preferable as mouth cleaners for red wine. The methodology can be carried to the food and beverage industries, to the functional foods industry, and to medical research where the preference of patients toward certain medications is of interest.

Autosomal dominant nephritis with renal failure of non-Alport type: clinical and molecular studies.

BACKGROUND: Familial nephritis is a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by several genetic conditions such as Alport syndrome, glomerulonephritic syndromes, and unclassified nephritis without deafness or ocular defects. OBJECTIVES: To describe a family of Iraqi Jewish origin, several of whose members suffer from non-syndromic renal failure without deafness or ocular defects and where transmission is by autosomal dominant inheritance. We present the case histories of four family members and describe the molecular analysis performed in order to seek a possible linkage to one of the genes causing Alport or Alport-like syndromes. METHODS: We investigated all family members over the age of 18 for evidence of renal failure. We also extracted DNA and carried out molecular linkage analysis with polymorphic markers in each of the known loci involved in Alport and Alport-like syndromes. RESULTS: Histology of the renal biopsy specimens showed non-specific findings. Linkage was excluded for all the Alport and Alport-like syndrome loci. CONCLUSIONS: The condition suffered by several members of this family seems to represent a unique autosomal dominant type of progressive hereditary nephritis, characterized by hypertension and progressive renal failure without significant hematuria or proteinuria. The main histological changes are non-specific in the early stage of the disease. Our study rules out all the currently known genes that cause Alport syndrome as being responsible for the basic defect in this type of nephritis.

Anti-inflammatory effects of a stabilized lipid extract of Perna canaliculus (Lyprinol).

A lipid-rich extract, prepared by supercritical fluid (CO2) extraction of freeze-dried stabilized NZ green-lipped mussel powder (Lyprinol) has shown significant anti-inflammatory (AI) activity when given to animals and humans. When treated p.o. with Lyprinol, Wistar and Dark Agouti rats developed neither adjuvant-induced polyarthritis or collagen(II)-induced auto-allergic arthritis. This was achieved with doses < NSAIDs, and 200 times < of other seed or fish oils. Lyprinol subfractions inhibited LTB4 biosynthesis by PMN in vitro, and PGE2 production by activated macrophages. Much of this AI activity was associated with omega-3 PUFAs and natural antioxidants [e.g. carotenoids]. In contrast to NSAIDs, Lyprinol is non-gastro toxic in disease-stressed rats at 300 mg/kg p.o., and does not affect platelet aggregation [human, rat]. Clinical studies, either controlled or randomized, have demonstrated very significant AI activity in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), asthma, and other inflammatory conditions. Lyprinol is a reproducible, stable source of bioactive lipids with much greater potency than plant/marine oils currently used as nutritional supplements to ameliorate signs of inflammation.