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This study sheds light on the value systems of the middle-class metropolitan older adults living alone, on the ageing self and the person's relationship to the surrounding society based on eight interviews. Ageing research has emphasized the traditional features of elderly care in India including its collectivist values rooted in filial piety and the extended family as well as embracement of disengagement influenced by the Hindu texts on two phases in later life: "hermit" and "renunciate". Increased social and geographical mobility, however, challenges traditional family systems. Using the example of the urban middle-class older adults living alone, this study explored whether living alone constitutes a challenge to the norms that previous research associated with Indian elderly care. Using abductive phenomenographic analysis the study found that the understandings of older adults in the study show great reflexivity concerning key aspects of their lives. Although the life conditions of older adults living alone deviated in many aspects from dominant traditional norms of filial piety and a care regime based on strong intergenerational interdependence, their responses and reflections mirrored assemblages of values deeply rooted in Hindu Vedic philosophy of the Ashramas and perceptions of independence, autonomy and self-reliance associated with Western "productive" aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enclosure movement was a significant element of the agricultural revolution in Sweden. Legislation from 1749 onwards, opened up for Storskifte, which reduced the number of plots per owner, but did not touch the villages' common field or housing structures. The edicts of Enskifte (1803–1807) and Laga skifte (1827), however, made possible the final dissolution of the open-field system. According to the Laga skifte legislation one single landowner applying for enclosure, could force the entire village to enclose. Nonetheless, the process was not complete even by the 1890s. Previous research has emphasised the importance of the enclosures for economic development and/or as a factor in income redistribution. It has, however, not fully explained why some villages enclosed early and others late. We investigate this question by using a newly constructed database containing all villages in the county of Västmanland. Furthermore, by using a Cox Proportional Hazards model, a random sample of 100 villages is followed over time to estimate which factors accelerated or decelerated the enclosure process. The major conclusions are that concentration of ownership and cost factors decreased the probability for enclosure while complex land-use patterns and real GDP-per capita growth increased the probability of enclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers developing questionnaire measures of personality, motivation, and self-regulation constructs related to students' achievement and persistence in STEM or other fields rarely have examined whether the items on the measures used are functioning differently across groups, which is necessary for accurate group comparison. The present study assessed differential item functioning (DIF) in two frequently-used measures of such constructs, the Grit-S, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), and a new measure of long-term grit, using a sample of 1,146 ninth and tenth-grade students in the U.S.A. We also assessed gender and racial differences in the patterns of the relationships among the latent constructs, something rarely reported in the literature. Differences in such patterns indicate that the concurrent validity of the construct scores could vary across different groups. Results indicated that numerous items exhibited gender DIF on the Grit-S but not on the MSLQ or long-term grit measure. There were fewer DIF items across racial groups. Patterns of relations among the variables, in general, were weaker for females than males. There were fewer racial groups differences in the patterns of correlations. We discuss the implications of the DIF findings for future research on group comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land fragmentation is a growing issue in New Zealand, however, no consistent or regular national monitoring has been established. A methodology for assessing land fragmentation was applied nationally for the first time, revealing that the greatest proportion of fragmentation occurred on land used for diffuse rural residence (>0.40 to ≤2.0 ha) and small parcels (>2.0 to ≤8.0 ha) with a 128% and 73% increase, respectively, between 2002 and 2019. In New Zealand, the most highly productive land (Land Use Capability (LUC) class 1, 2 and 3) is most impacted by continued fragmentation with 38%, 28% and 17% of baseline area, respectively, occupied by medium sized parcels or smaller (≤40.0 ha) with a dwelling in 2019. Impacts were greatest for Auckland with 40%, 44% and 25% of the region's LUC 1, 2 and 3 land, respectively, occupied by small sized parcels or smaller with a dwelling, increasing to 64%, 67% and 47%, respectively, when including parcels ≤ 40.0 ha. Protection of LUC class 1 and 2 land, particularly, requires national attention. This metric provides an opportunity to evaluate land fragmentation and development over time that could serve both the assessment of policy performance and environmental reporting at national and regional levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses how far co-creation methodologies can be applied to policy-making innovation in the platform economy. The driving question is how co-creation collaboration-based policy-making can increase diversity and strengthen the participation of actors. The analysis is based on a three-year case study on the platform economy in Barcelona, describing how co-creation dynamics contributed to the participatory definition of local public policies and agenda. The methodology is based on participatory design techniques, involving participant observation and content analysis. Results indicate that co-creation can increase participation diversity aligning academic, economic, and social viewpoints in policy innovation from a quadruple helix perspective. In addition, collaboration schemes assist in engaging a wide diversity of participants in the policy ideation process which, in this case, resulted in 87 new policy measures, with contributions from more than 300 people of different backgrounds and perspectives. The case study demonstrates the value of a cycle of collaboration going beyond mere symbolic engagement or citizen support to public policy-making. It further shows the importance of combining co-creation with methods of action research, strategic planning and knowledge management, as well as with face-to-face interactions and online channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portal hypertensive polyps (PHPs) are incompletely characterized lesions that can be found in the distal stomach of patients with portal hypertension. We aimed to delineate clinical factors associated with the appearance of these rare polyps. We conducted a cross-sectional study of a cohort with 513 cirrhotic patients comparing patients with and without PHP using descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression. To address the problem of missing values, in particular for HVPG and liver stiffness, we used multiple imputation of missing values. The prevalence of macroscopically diagnosed PHP was 3.3% (95% confidence interval 2.0 − 5.4%). In 53% of cases, the correct classification was missed on index gastroscopy. Patients with PHP were older at gastroscopy (65 years vs. 59), had higher hepatic venous pressure gradients (HVPG, 28 mmHg vs. 19 mmHg), higher transient elastography (TE) measurements (50.7 kPa vs. 21.8 kPa) and more often had previous rubber band ligations (RBL, 64.7% vs. 25.8%). The multivariable logistic regression on the outcome macroscopically diagnosed PHP estimated an odds ratio (OR) for HPVG of 1.13 (CI 0.95–1.34), increased liver stiffness of 1.03 (1.00 − 1.07) and previous RBL of 3.84 (1.24 − 11.88), respectively. The prevalence of PHPs in the stomach was higher than assumed in previous studies and misclassification was commonly observed. The appearance of these rare polyps is associated with previous RBL and may correlate with severity of PH. Thus, PHPs may be regarded as marker for relevant PH, but clinical significance of these polyps is still uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quasi-experimental study analyses the effects of an awareness intervention programme with five different branches designed to improve the attitudes of physical education (PE) students towards the inclusion of classmates with disabilities. The contact (yes/no) and its frequency (×1 vs. ×3) with para-athletes, the duration of the programme (1 vs. 6/7 sessions), and the provision of teaching strategies and materials (yes/no) were manipulated. The study involved 603 students aged 14‒19 from five public educational centres in southern Spain. Attitudes were assessed pre- and post-intervention with the Spanish version of the Children's Attitude towards Integrated Physical Education (general and specific subscales) and the Scale of Attitudes towards Students with Disabilities in PE. The three groups having contact with para-athletes during the interventions improved in the three attitude variables (p < 0.05; −0.20 < d < −0.24). Pairwise comparisons of the improvement ratios also revealed several positive effects of the intervention duration and provision of teaching strategies (p < 0.05; −0.07 < d < 0.18). These findings could assist PE teachers in educating students to improve their knowledge and attitudes towards people with disabilities, having different strategies and resources to conduct awareness interventions based on para-sports in their regular PE classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A change detection analysis utilizing Very High-resolution (V.H.R.) satellite imagery was performed to evaluate the changes in coastal vegetation in La Parguera, southwestern Puerto Rico, attributable to the increased influx of pelagic Sargassum and its accumulations in cays, bays, inlets and near-shore environments. Imagery was co-registered, corrected for atmospheric effects and masked for water and land. A Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (N.D.V.I.) was used to evaluate the changes in coastal vegetation. N.D.V.I. was used to calculate the differences from 2010 baseline imagery to potential hurricane plus Sargassum impacts (2018 image) and potential Sargassum impacts (2020 image). Results show a total decrease in N.D.V.I. from 2010 to 2020 of 28%, or 3,687,493 m2, and these changes were also observed in true colour images. Total decrease in values in N.D.V.I. was higher from 2018 to 2020, especially for the Isla Cueva site (233,807 m2), and were consistent with the field observations and drone surveys conducted since 2018 in the area. Areas prone to Sargassum accumulation were also identified. This approach provides a quantifiable method to evaluate Sargassum impacts to the coastal vegetation and benthic composition using change detection of V.H.R. images and to separate these effects from other extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Russian Arctic, alarming trends (shortage of nomadic Indigenous women, high reproductive loss, child mortality rates) indicate long-term changes towards demographic decline. This study aimed at comparing some indicators of the reproductive health (childbirth rates, number of pregnancies, pregnancy loss) of Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in the exploration of cultural and social factors influencing reproductive behaviour. A multidisciplinary approach draws on methods of medicine, sociology and health economics. It includes data of the women's reproductive health collected from surveys of 879 women (of whom 627 were Indigenous) during expeditions to the settlements and the tundra of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in 2013–2019. In the tundra, 66.7% of registered Indigenous women's pregnancies resulted in childbirth, 7.8% in induced abortions, 25.5% in spontaneous miscarriage. More than three children were delivered by 59.1% of Indigenous women. Most Indigenous families suffered from high pregnancy loss. Marriage between close relatives was 27.0%. Child mortality equalled 24.4%, three times higher than in the population of the settlements and eight times higher than in families immigrating from other regions. The survival of Indigenous peoples significantly depends on women's reproductive health and sufficient medical service that requires targeted policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of predictors for severe disease progression is key for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and identify the early predictors for severe outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Spain. This was an observational, retrospective cohort study (BIOCOVID-Spain study) including COVID-19 patients admitted to 32 Spanish hospitals. Demographics, comorbidities and laboratory tests were collected. Outcome was in-hospital mortality. For analysis, laboratory tests values were previously adjusted to assure the comparability of results among participants. Cox regression was performed to identify predictors. Study population included 2873 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Nine variables were independent predictors for in-hospital mortality, including creatinine (Hazard ratio [HR]:1.327; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.040-1.695, p =.023), troponin (HR: 2.150; 95% CI: 1.155-4.001; p =.016), platelet count (HR: 0.994; 95% CI: 0.989-0.998; p =.004) and C-reactive protein (HR: 1.037; 95% CI: 1.006-1.068; p =.019). This is the first multicenter study in which an effort was carried out to adjust the results of laboratory tests measured with different methodologies to guarantee their comparability. We reported a comprehensive information about characteristics in a large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, focusing on the analytical features. Our findings may help to identify patients early at a higher risk for an adverse outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) is a multifocal inflammatory neuropathy. Although the exact etiopathogenesis of the latter is unknown, the literature reports frequent associations with immunological events such as different infectious diseases. Our case reveals a rarely described etiology of NA. NA is mainly a clinical diagnosis. The etiology shown in our case study is interesting for the scientific community, because CMV is an ubiquitous disease. NA is frequently under-recognized and misdiagnosed. This is particularly common in the early phase of the disease, when neurologic signs have not yet developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the structure of epistemological beliefs and its relation with the spontaneous formation of study groups in a sample of biomedical engineering students. The sophistication of the beliefs as well as the size and distribution of spontaneous small groups were measured for subjects in three different academic years: junior, intermediate and senior. Through principal components analysis, a four-factor structure was found for the epistemological beliefs, additionally validated with confirmatory factor analysis. The spontaneous small groups were determined by a clustering algorithm with data from a survey applied to 151 participants. Using parametric and non-parametric methods, it was found that the size of the group for junior students was positively correlated to naive beliefs about the source of knowledge. For senior students, however, both size and number of groups were inversely correlated to the passiveness in learning. These results are discussed in the frame of the interplay between group praxis and mental representations in the learning process. In addition, general differences were encountered between learners in spontaneous small groups and lone learners concerning the belief about the speed of learning, which also showed an overall difference across gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity (PA) significantly improves physical health and clinical symptoms across mental disorders. Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) are trained to lead PA interventions for people with mental illness, but referrals to AEPs are low. Aims: To determine the knowledge and attitudes of delegates attending the 2017 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) conference toward physical health monitoring and exercise interventions for people with mental illness. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of RANZCP delegates investigated knowledge and attitudes toward PA for people with mental illness, self-reported PA, and their understanding of AEP's role within mental health settings. A subgroup of delegates underwent fitness assessments. Results: Seventy-three delegates completed surveys and 24 underwent fitness assessments. Delegates demonstrated good knowledge regarding associations between PA and cardiovascular disease risk. Delegates were less knowledgeable of AEP's role within mental health settings. Forty-six participants (63%) did not meet the Australian recommended guidelines for PA. No association between referrals to AEPs and self-reported PA or fitness measures were evident. Conclusions: Promoting PA participation for mental health professionals, coupled with education on the important role AEPs play in the multidisciplinary treatment of mental health consumers is vital to improve health outcomes for this vulnerable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we provide the results of preliminary archaeological and epigraphic research undertaken at the site of Lacanjá Tzeltal, Chiapas. Field research conducted in 2018, in collaboration with local community members, has allowed us to identify this archaeological site as the capital of a kingdom known from Classic period Maya inscriptions as "Sak Tz'i'" (White Dog). Because all previously known references to the kingdom came from looted monuments or texts found at other Maya centers, the location of the Sak Tz'i' kingdom's capital has been the subject of ongoing modeling and debate among scholars. Here we synthesize prior epigraphic and archaeological research concerning Sak Tz'i', highlighting past efforts to locate the kingdom's capital. We then discuss the results of preliminary survey, mapping, and excavations of Lacanjá Tzeltal, and present the first drawing and decipherment of Lacanjá Tzeltal Panel 1, the sculpture crucial for centering this "lost" Maya kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced transport costs and income growth in industrialising European countries changed the market conditions for European farmers in the late nineteenth century. Grain prices fell while dairy prices rose. It has been claimed that these price changes hit large grain farmers with vested interests in grain trade particularly hard, while owner-occupiers and smallholders fared better and with help of developing cooperative associations, came out as successful commercial agriculturalists by switching to intensive branches, foremost dairying. Recent research on the Danish case, shows, however, that change was initiated on large elite estates with long-term dairy traditions. The literature on the Swedish case indicates, that larger farms switched to intensified fodder production quicker than smaller farms did, while in the early twentieth century smaller farms played an un-proportionally large role on the dairy market. Using individual farm data from two East-central Swedish parishes in 1878/80, 1895/96 and 1910/11, it is shown, that larger farms tended to modernise crop rotations and switch towards dairy production earlier than small farms did. Smaller farms caught up, and by 1910 their land use was about as strongly adapted to commercial dairy production as larger farms' land use was. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are useful quantitative approaches in situations with highly variable data quantities, contexts, and sampling strategies? How can paleoethnobotanical findings be interpreted without over-representing data or selling results short? Described here are several major issues and potential solutions. The four sites of the study are located northwestern Honduras, a region with fairly hostile environments for paleoethnobotanical preservation. For this reason, several types of botanical residues are combined to provide a more holistic picture of past ethnobotanical practices. In some cases, these data prove to be complementary, while in others, they are corroborative. This article includes tactics for integrating multiple sample protocols, multiple and overlapping diagnostic elements, multiple and overlapping clade categories, multiple and overlapping samples in a single locus, multiple and overlapping formation processes, and multiple and overlapping cultural practices. In each section, the issue, sampling strategies, quantitative approaches, and a few results are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment is a key component of the education process and strategies involving peer-feedback are considered beneficial to student learning. This study aims to analyse the benefits giving and receiving feedback have for students' development of cognitive and metacognitive, affective and professional competences. One-hundred and eighty-eight students enrolled in teacher education answered a survey. Results indicate that, after providing feedback, the students perceived a better learning experience and an increased sense of commitment to their own learning and their colleagues' progress. A key finding from this study was the role of students in their own learning. As most participants recognised, providing feedback helped them improve their learning, which is a clear indicator that students want to adopt an active role in their own learning and consider their involvement critical in the design of teaching and learning experiences. To achieve the greatest advantages, feedback must be accompanied by tutoring and mentoring to ensure positive connections with the task, address doubts and clarify the comments received. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis use remains an important concern in modern societies, adolescence being the critical period when the adolescents start to use cannabis. This study is aimed at extending and validating the Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ), which was previously developed in Spain and based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, in Italy, Portugal, and Romania. There are existing questionnaires which assess cannabis use problems and several risk factors; however, there is a need for a questionnaire based on a proven theory to assess interventions. A total of 3447 adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years old from Italy (43.14%), Portugal (23.90%), and Romania (32.96%) participated in this study. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The scores were validated against cannabis use and the risk of experiencing problems related to cannabis use. The cut-off points were calculated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The reliability index, α ordinal, indicated good reliability on the scales of attitudes, perceived behavioral control and intention. The results confirmed the four dimension structure of CUIQ. The invariance tests indicated that the structure and measurement of the scales were equivalent in all countries. The cut-off points showed good classification capability, especially for intention and attitudes. The CUIQ allows comparative studies addressed to study underlying psychological processes in adolescents’ decisions to use cannabis as well as to assess interventions aimed to reduce the problem of cannabis use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The onset and maintenance of cannabis use have been explained with reference to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). At the same time, personal values play an important role in determining appropriate behaviour during social interactions, and cannabis use is no exception. Combining Schwartz’s Theory of Human Values and the TPB offers a framework for identifying the relationship between adolescents’ personal values structure and cannabis use. The two main aims of this study are to: (1) test a predictive model that combines these two theories to explore the interaction of cultural and personal variables that influence cannabis use during adolescence; and (2) analyse the moderation effect of four European countries on the proposed model.  Methods: A total of 3768 secondary school students from Spain, Italy, Romania and Portugal completed a questionnaire on personal values and the TPB applied to cannabis use intention. Direct and indirect effects were assessed using path analysis and moderation effects using multi-group analysis. Results: Collectivistic values (i.e. conformity and tradition) were associated with low cannabis intention and use, individualistic values (i.e. hedonism and power) with higher cannabis intention and use. Regarding the moderation effect of countries, the effects of attitudes on intention and cannabis use were higher among Italian participants, who also showed a high prevalence of cannabis use. Meanwhile the effect of abstinence self-efficacy was lower among Romanian and Portuguese participants, both of whom reported lower cannabis use. Conclusion: The results support the notion that personal values are background variables that affect cannabis use through the TPB variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the HEBE1 project, developed jointly by four universities, is to analyze the spaces, moments and processes involved in the empowerment of young people in order to formulate socio-educational programmes that help them and improve their lives. The articulation of the project focuses on different lines of work and action, one of which is to identify and analyze the spaces in which the empowerment of youth occurs. This article delves into the elements involved in youth empowerment by using a questionnaire administered to young people from Catalonia between the ages of 19 and 25 (n = 1067). This article presents the results obtained for these young people based on their level of empowerment and the elements that characterize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internalized homophobia has been related to mental health problems and sexual risk behaviors among nonheterosexual people. This article validates the Spanish adaptation of the Short Internalized Homonegativity Scale (SIHS). For this purpose, 347 men and 183 women completed the instrument. Exploratory factorial analysis showed three factors: public identification as homosexual (PIH), sexual comfort with homosexual people (SEXC), and social comfort with homosexual people (SOCC). These factors explained 57.96% of total variance. In addition, confirmatory factorial analysis supported this structure and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was.80 for the full scale. The three subscales ranged from.70 to.79. Convergent validity showed a positive correlation between the SIHS and depressive symptoms, and negative correlation with condom use, self-esteem, and having sex after alcohol consumption. In conclusion, the SIHS could be an accurate instrument to evaluate internalized homophobia among the Spanish population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Consider the linear second-order differential equation(1.1)wherewithor,are polynomials with complex coefficients and. Under some assumptions over a certain class of lowering and raising operators, we show that for a sequence of polynomialsorthogonal on the unit circle to satisfy the differential equation (1.1), the polynomialmust be of a specific form involving and extension of the Gauss and confluent hypergeometric series. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study aims to explore sexual compulsivity (SC) and sexual sensation seeking (SSS) in male sex workers (MSWs) compared to a group of non-MSW gay men. A total of 60 MSWs and 63 gay men answered the SC Scale and the SSS Scale. The total scales’ mean score was slightly higher in the MSW population. Still, statistical differences were observed in only two SSS items. In spite of the absence of statistical significance, MSWs presented more sexual behavior interferences on their lives and higher failure to control sexual impulses. Future interventions among MSWs should focus on sexual self-control and impulsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using barley cultivars differing widely in β-glucan content, we aimed to determine their effects on small intestinal macronutrient digestion in 24 ileorectostomised rats. The rats were fed 1 of 4 experimental diets, each containing a different barley variety, for 11 d. The diets had a content of 0, 2.1, 2.6 and 4.3 g of β-glucan/100 g. Feed intake and faecal excretion of fat, protein, starch, and non-starch polysaccharides were determined in the final 5 d of the study and apparent macronutrient digestibility calculated. Higher dietary levels of β-glucan (2.6% and 4.3%) lowered feed intake (by 15 and 19%, respectively) but final body weight was only lowered by the 4.3% β-glucan diet relative to rats fed the 0% β-glucan diet (allps < 0.05). Protein, lipid and starch digestibility was unrelated to the dietary β-glucan content. Higher dietary levels of barley β-glucan lower feed intake of ileorectostomised rats, which is independent of intestinal fermentation and unrelated to macronutrient digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is shown that modelling a catalytic reaction involving an atomic anion, such as iodide, may lead to unrealistic reaction paths because of the underestimation of the anion energy. The self-interaction error, at the origin of this feature is enhanced by the fact that electronic delocalisation, usually overestimated in DFT calculations, cannot occur in a single atom. The quantification of this error is approached by a linear transit calculation, from a transition state towards separate fragments. This is an efficient way to correct this error for GGA functionals. Interestingly the self-interaction error is shown to be less dependent of the Hartree–Fock exchange amount in hybrid functionals than expected. Unexpectedly, no significant improvement with long-range corrected functionals is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three decades after its population collapse, the sea urchin Diadema antillarum has yet to return to pre-mortality densities in most Caribbean localities. Circumstantial evidence suggests high post-settlement mortality due to predation as a potential mechanism to explain the lack of, or the slow recovery of this sea urchin. In this study we experimentally reduced the densities of two reef fish, Thalassoma bifasciatum and Halichoeres bivittatus, at one site for one year and measured the effect of their removal in the abundances and size structures of D. antillarum in relation to that of a comparable control site. We hypothesized a significant increase in urchin abundance and a reduction in mean test diameter at the experimental site with respect to the control site after the reduction in fish abundance. Overall, the density of D. antillarum did not vary significantly between control and experimental sites for the different census periods. Fish removal had a significant effect on the size structure of D. antillarum and in the mean density of the medium size classes. Results suggest that removal of these two labrids can significantly increase the relative abundance of medium-sized sea urchins and modify its population structure. Efforts to recover D. antillarum populations would be strengthened if densities of T. bifasciatum and H. bivittatus remain low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the relation of sexual orientation and gender to sexual sensation seeking. Participants were 382 individuals (200 men, 182 women) between 17 and 29 years old who completed the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale. Of the 382 participants, 52.46% self-reported heterosexual orientation, and 47.64% self-reported homosexual orientation. The results showed differences with Sexual Sensation Seeking being more frequent among heterosexuals and men. There were no differences between heterosexual and homosexual men. Heterosexual women had higher sexual sensation seeking scores than did homosexual women. These results and their possible implications for the effective development of prevention and intervention programs in affective-sexual education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury is a main cause of disability and death in developed countries, above all among children and adolescents. The intrinsic inability of the central nervous system to efficiently repair traumatic injuries renders transplantation of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDC) a promising approach towards repair of brain lesions. On the other hand, many studies have reported the beneficial effect of Lipoic acid (LA), a potent antioxidant promoting cell survival, angiogenesis and neuroregeneration. Methods: In this study, the cortex of adult mice was cryo-injured in order to mimic local traumatic brain injury. Vehicle or freshly prepared BMDC were grafted in the cerebral penumbra area 24 hours after unilateral local injury alone or combined with intra-peritoneal LA administration as a new regenerative strategy. Results: Differences were found in the process of cell proliferation, angiogenesis and glial scar formation after local injury depending of the applied treatment, either LA or BMDC alone or in combination. Conclusion: The data presented here suggest that transplantation of BMDC is a good alternative and valid strategy to treat a focal brain injury when LA could not be prescribed due to its non-desired secondary effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates life strategies of physical worker Russian men, belonging to the generation of people who were the most active group in the late Soviet period, went through the collapse of USSR and the transformation to capitalism. The historical biographic perspective allows reproducing common social experiences which have formed this generation. The in-depth biographical interviews were conducted with six men of age 46–63, single, with officially low income, who started their working lives in the public sector. The research shows the diversity of men’s alternative life strategies to adjust to the neoliberal economy established after the collapse of the USSR. The paper explores the biographies as representations of diverse forms of masculinities formed along gender, age, social position and marital status-based marginalization processes emerging in the transition context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Describe the association between parents' quality of life and the two components of asthma control in children: impairment and risk. Methods: Cross-sectional study with children between 4 and 14 years of age with active asthma recruited at primary care centers in Spain. Asthma control was assessed according to the Third National Asthma Expert Panel Report, classifying 'impairment' in three levels (well-controlled asthma, partially controlled, and poorly controlled), and 'risk' as high or low. The parents' quality of life was evaluated using the specific Family Impact of Childhood Bronchial Asthma Questionnaire instrument (IFABI-R). The association between asthma control and the parents' quality of life was analyzed using multivariate regression models adjusted for other social and family variables. Results: Data from 408 children were analyzed. The parents' quality of life was affected in the partially controlled asthma group when compared with well-controlled asthma, as showed by an increase in IFABI-R scores in all dimensions: functional 17.2% ( p < 0.001), emotional 10.4% ( p = 0.021), and socio-occupational 6.8% ( p = 0.056). The differences were higher in poorly controlled asthma compared with well-controlled asthma: functional 24.3% ( p = 0.001), emotional 18.9% ( p = 0.008), and socio-occupational 11.5% ( p = 0.036). The 'risk' component was independently associated with the parents' quality of life. Of all the elements used to assess the control, the only one independently associated with the parents' quality of life was recurrent asthma crisis. Conclusions: In asthma control, both 'impairment' and 'risk' in children are gradually associated with the parents' quality of life. The global assessment of the control surpasses the importance of each individual element used in this assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report enhancement of photovoltaic properties of highly oriented BiFeO3(BFO) thin films. The single phase rhombohedral R3c space group structure was confirmed by XRD and Raman spectra in the films grown on SrTiO3(111) substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. The films of BFO were characterized in planar geometry with top Pt electrodes having 200μm diameter, ∼40nm thickness and at a regular spacing of ∼150μm deposited by DC sputtering process. For photovoltaic studies the current voltage characteristic of as grown and poled samples were studied under the white light illumination having energy density of ∼1kW/m2. The as grown films showed open circuit voltage (Voc) of ∼3.9V which increased up to ∼17.8V on poling with 200V. This enhancement in Voc by poling was attributed to increase in net polarization due to alignment of domains in the direction of applied electric field and hence potential barriers between the domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional order dynamics and chaotics systems have been recently combined, yielding interesting behaviours. In this paper, a novel integer order hyperchaotic system is considered. Then, a fractional order hyperchaotic representation of said system is proposed using a natural fractionalization. Two different linear control methodologies to deal with the complexity which introduce such systems are proposed. Those methods are able to modify the hyperchaotic behaviour of the system and force it to move towards a fixed point; i.e. steady state. These approaches give a general framework for taming such complex systems using simple linear controllers. The main tools for analysing the controlled system are Matignon stability criterion and RouthHurwitz test. Using a reliable numerical simulation, the designed system is simulated to verify the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an analysis of Wilfredo Mattos Cintrón's seventh noir novel (novela negra),Las dos muertes de Catalino Ríos(2012), and a comparison of its poetics with that of Manuel Zeno Gandía'sLa charca(1894). The article questions the naturalist label often applied to Zeno Gandía's novel and instead views it as a nascent hardcore detective novel (protonovela negra). In comparing the two novels, it validates both Mattos Cintrón and Zeno Gandía as initiators of the noir thriller in Puerto Rico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation results in the production of free radicals. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of lipoic acid in an experimental uveitis model upon a subcutaneous injection of endotoxin into Lewis rats. The role of oxidative stress in the endotoxin-induced uveitis model is well-known. Besides, the Th1 response classically performs a central part in the immunopathological process of experimental autoimmune uveitis. Exogenous sources of lipoic acid have been shown to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Our results show that lipoic acid treatment plays a preventive role in endotoxin-induced oxidative stress at 24 h post-administration and reduced Th1 lymphocytes-related cytokines by approximately 50-60%. Simultaneously, lipoic acid treatment caused a significant reduction in uveal histopathological grading and in the protein concentration in aqueous humors, but not in cellular infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, the city of Barcelona made the controversial decision to prohibit short-term rentals of private rooms to tourists. The ban renewed the heated debate around the uses and functions of private property in the context of the contemporary tourist city, where the market of tourist accommodation has been significantly impacted by players such as Airbnb. This study aims to give an account of the controversy surrounding the ban on the short-term renting of private rooms in Barcelona by interpreting it as a reflection of the intrinsic conflicts of meanings operating in the tourist city. Accordingly, it maps and analyses the different positions voiced by the social actors involved in both the political urban arena and in the market. The main hypothesis of this work is that the controversy provoked by the decision to ban the shared homes listed by platforms such as Airbnb unmasks different ways to “make meaning of” structural issues such as urban life, housing and inequalities, tourism, digital labour and precariousness in the immediate post-pandemic scenario of the tourist city. From the epistemological point of view, the study relies on a semiotic perspective and critically analyses different textualities related to the debate around home sharing in Barcelona. These textualities articulate different themes and figures at a deeper axiological level where a clash of value systems takes place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This profile discusses the organization, goals and practices of the Spanish 15M movement. I argue that it developed as a complex, multi-layered ecosystem, mobilizing a new generation of citizens through the convergence of struggles over housing and the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement (FCM), creating a common framework for action through social networks. Primarily in and through the actions in public squares, the 15M movement also constructed further layers of mobilization, incorporating the networks and skills of previous social movements (such as those mobilizing over inter alia education, health, alternative consumption) and connecting with previous generations who had mobilized over civil liberties in transition to democracy. Furthermore, I argue that links with the Free Culture Movement had a profound effect on the genealogy of 15M—in terms of its composition, agenda, framing and organizational logic. The methodology is based on case studies of both the FCM and 15M between December 2010 and December 2011 in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research on mentoring outcomes and characteristics of various types of mentoring programs in different settings is limited. The present study sampled 39 graduate students at a small Midwestern university to evaluate peer mentoring in a graduate school setting. Mentoring function and outcome relationships as well as program characteristics were explored. As expected, mentoring functions were highly correlated with various outcomes. Results indicated psychosocial assistance, networking help, and relational outcomes were reported most among participants. Interestingly, pair compatibility and mentor preparation were not found to be essential program characteristics. Program recommendations and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is one of the 10 most problematic weeds in the world. Its control using chemical herbicides is not completely effective. Aceria malherbae is a mite used successfully as a biological agent to control field bindweed. Effective implementation of this kind of biocontrol requires high-quality production of these mites. The purpose of this study was to investigate different quality indicators for effectively rearing A. malherbae under greenhouse conditions. The indicators considered were number of gallmites (adults, immature stages, and eggs), number of developed stems per plant, and number of galls per stem. We used 25 plots with 10 pots per plot, testing a sub-sample from one-fourth of these pots. The Shewhart chart or process-behavior chart was applied to determine basic statistics (means and range) and acceptance and rejection limits. Rejection limits for inferior plots were set at 3.9 developed stems per plant, 5.2 galls per stem, 7.4 adults, 32 nymphs, and 11 eggs, per plot. We also propose for quality control that the number of developed stems per plant and the number of galls per stem be routinely counted to detect any reduced quality of mite production. The results suggest that these indicators could be used for assessing quality control in large-scale reproduction of A. malherbae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) is a cosmopolitan pest of many important crops in tropical and subtropical regions and in greenhouses worldwide. With few exceptions, P. latus is controlled with pesticides but resistance of this species to acaricides has encouraged researchers to develop biological methods to control this mite pest. In the present study, some biological parameters of Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) as a predator of the broad mite were evaluated. The functional and numerical responses of adult females of the generalist predator A. largoensis on active and inactive larvae and males of broad mite were determined in the laboratory. Predation experiments were conducted on potato leaves placed in 5.5 cm Petri dishes at 21 ± 2°C, 70 ± 5% RH and 14L:10D photoperiod for 24 h. Prey densities were: 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, or 110 per leaf. Attack coefficients and handling times were estimated using Holling's disk and Hansell's equations (Type II and Type III response, respectively). The functional response of A. largoensis to prey showed a Holling's type II response. Predator search efficiency was inversely related to prey density. These results indicate that A. largoensis is a promising candidate to be used as a biocontrol agent of P. latus in Cuban agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare histopathological and biochemical effects of the anti-TNF-alpha drugs adalimumab and infliximab in a uveitis experimental model. Methods: Histopathological evaluation was performed 24 h after endotoxin (200 μg into the footpad) and drug administration, as well as biochemical analysis of oxidative stress-related markers in the aqueous humor. Results: Severe inflammation was found in rat anterior chamber of the eye 24 h after endotoxin. Only infliximab administration partially prevented the endotoxin-induced disruption of the blood–aqueous barrier, as well as the increase in Rantes and MCP-1 concentration in aqueous humor. Both drugs ameliorated the histopathological score after endotoxin. Biochemical analysis revealed that both drugs protected against endotoxin-induced oxidative stress, restoring all markers to control levels, except infliximab, which failed to restore GSH concentration. Conclusions: Both anti-TNF-alpha drugs were effective in reducing histopathological inflammation but their mechanism of action appears to be different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the effect of docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and lutein (both compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties) on experimental diabetic retinopathy. Methods: Male Wistar rats were studied: non-diabetic controls, untreated diabetic controls, and diabetic rats were treated with DHA and lutein or the combination of DHA + insulin and lutein + insulin for 12 weeks. Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, apoptosis, and functional tests were studied to confirm biochemical and functional changes in the retina of diabetic rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione concentrations (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) were measured as oxidative stress markers. TUNEL assay and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry and electroretinogram were performed. Results: Diabetes increases oxidative stress, nitrotyrosine concentrations, and apoptosis in the retina. At 12 weeks after onset of diabetes, total thickness of retinas of diabetic rats was significantly less than that in control rats. Specifically, the thickness of the outer and inner nuclear layers was reduced significantly in diabetic rats and demonstrated a loss of cells in the GCL. These retinal changes were avoided by the administration of insulin and DHA and lutein alone or in combination with insulin. Impairment of the electroretinogram (b-wave amplitude and latency time) was observed in diabetic rats. DHA and lutein prevented all these changes even under hyperglycemic conditions. Conclusions: Lutein and DHA are capable of normalizing all the diabetes-induced biochemical, histological, and functional modifications. Specifically, the cell death mechanisms involved deserve further studies to allow the proposal as potential adjuvant therapies to help prevent vision loss in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to test the effect of lipoic acid treatment on the retina after a short diabetic insult. Diabetes was induced by alloxan and mice were divided into sub-groups; control, diabetic, diabetic+insulin and all groups received±lipoic acid (100 mg/kg body weight) for 3 weeks. GSH content, MDA concentration, GPx activity were measured and electroretinograms (ERG) were recorded. Early administration of lipoic acid to diabetic mice prevented the statistically significant decreases of GSH content and GPx activity and normalized MDA concentration. Moreover, lipoic acid restored electroretinogram b-wave amplitude of diabetic animals to control values. Lipoic acid has a protective effect on the diabetic retina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview is given on the presence and changes over time of pesticide residues in groundwater from the Valencia region, one of the most important citrus cultivation sites of southern Europe. A multiresidue LC-MS/MS method was applied for the screening of around 50 pesticides in 75 water samples collected during 2000. The herbicides simazine, terbuthylazine, bromacil, terbumeton, and diuron were the most frequently detected compounds. On the basis of compounds detected in these samples, another method that focused on 30 herbicides and relevant transformation products (TPs) was developed and applied to around 80 water samples collected during 2003. Simazine was the most frequently found compound followed by several triazine metabolites. Data for this paper show the vulnerability of groundwater in this area to herbicide applications and illustrate the importance of including pesticide TPs in environmental monitoring programmes, as four out of the five compounds most frequently detected were pesticide TPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]