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Within the framework of attachment theory and of motivation goal theory, this study explored the relation between quality of attachment strategies and quality of motivational strategies in a sample of young adolescents. Specifically, this study examined patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions as they related to representations of attachment and motivational functioning in situations that challenge or threaten three psychological needs (emotional security, competence, and autonomy). Forty-four students, aged 11 to 14 years, responded to imagined stressful situations in order to: (a) assess attachment strategies; (b) identify and assess students' motivational strategies in stressful classroom circumstances; (c) assess motivational strategies of students with high and low control and agency beliefs; and (d) examine the relations between attachment and motivational strategies. Four distinct action patterns were identified: flexible action, rigid action, passive behavior, and disorganized behavior. Significant relations were found between control beliefs and motivational strategies, as well as a trend toward relations between attachment and motivational strategies, suggesting that secure adolescents show more constructive motivational strategies and less disorganized strategies when compared to insecure adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) is crucial for plant water deficit (WD) acclimation, but how the interplay between ABA and guard cell (GC) metabolism aids plant WD acclimation remains unclear. Here, we investigated how ABA regulates GC metabolism and how this contributes to plant WD acclimation using tomato wild type (WT) and the ABA-deficient sitiens mutant. These genotypes were characterized at physiological, metabolic, and transcriptional levels under recurring WD periods and were used to perform a 13 C-glucose labelling experiment using isolated guard cells following exogenously applied ABA. ABA deficiency altered the level of sugars and organic acids in GCs in both irrigated and WD plants and the dynamic of accumulation/degradation of these compounds in GCs during the dark-to-light transition. WD-induced metabolic changes were more pronounced in sitiens than WT GCs. Results from the 13 C-labelling experiment indicate that ABA is required for the glycolytic fluxes toward malate and acts as a negative regulator of a putative sucrose substrate cycle. The expression of key ABA-biosynthetic genes was higher in WT than in sitiens GCs after two cycles of WD. Additionally, the intrinsic leaf water use efficiency increased only in WT after the second WD cycle, compared to sitiens. Our results highlight that ABA deficiency disrupts the homeostasis of GC primary metabolism and the WD memory, negatively affecting plant WD acclimation. Our study demonstrates which metabolic pathways are activated by WD and/or regulated by ABA in GCs, which improves our understanding of plant WD acclimation, with clear consequences for plant metabolic engineering in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

This study is the first to explore the psychosocial experience of young Portuguese adults at genetic risk for hereditary amyloid transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (hATTR-PN). The work focuses on the developmental peculiarities of their experience with the disease. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adults coming for pre-symptomatic testing (PST) at a single genetics outpatient center in Portugal. The data were analyzed qualitatively. The main findings suggest that four themes mark the psychosocial experience of the young adults interviewed. The first refers to the development of psychological representations, namely beliefs, mental representations, and social perceptions about hATTR-PN. The second regards the experienced and anticipated psychosocial impacts, namely, suffering, anxiety, and relief related to the disease. The third is related to using strategies such as performing PST, strategies focused on emotional regulation and the meaning of hATTR-PN, and social strategies to deal with these impacts over time. Finally, the fourth aspect concerns the perceived and expected support for the participants' needs provided by social contexts, that is, family and genetic counseling. In a period of life also marked by qualitatively different characteristics and developmental tasks from other life cycle stages (e.g., identity explorations, instability, and independent decision-making), experience with the disease can add psychosocial challenges to young adults at risk for hATTR-PN. Genetic counseling practices and health policies can be optimized to respond to the psychosocial needs of young adults. Future research should deepen the understanding of the psychosocial experience of individuals and families with late-onset hATTR-PN to improve the clinical response in this population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to assess the impact of incorporating calcium glycerophosphate (CaGP) and sodium fluoride (NaF) in addition to 35% hydrogen peroxide concerning the enamel mechanical and morphological properties., Methods: Specimens of bovine enamel were chosen based on their initial surface hardness (SHi) and subsequently divided into five gel groups (n=12): 1) 35% Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) Gel; 2) HP + 0.1% NaF Gel (HP/NaF); 3) HP + 0.25% CaGP Gel (HP/CaGP); 4) HP + 0.1% NaF + 0.25% CaGP Gel (HP/NaF/CaGP) and 5) HP Blue 35% Gel (HP Blue). The bleaching gels were applied thrice, for 40 min, at intervals of 7 days each. After 21 days, the final surface hardness (SHf), integrated hardness (IH), Polydispersity Index (PdI) and Zeta Potential (Zp), surface roughness (Ra, after and before), and surface/structural analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were determined. The data were submitted to ANOVA (one-way and two-way) followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test (α=0.05)., Results: The addition of NaF to HP reduced demineralization by 11.5% in relation to HP (p<0.05). The NaF/CaGP association reduction is 22.8 and 20% higher in comparison to HP/NaF/CaGP and HP Blue, respectively. The IH when the PH/NaF/CaGP bleaching gel was applied, was 14% higher compared to HP and HP Blue groups., Conclusions: It can be concluded that the association of NaF and CaGP with the 35% hydrogen peroxide gel (HP/NaF/CaGP) significantly changed tooth enamel demineralization in terms of surface, depth, roughness, and enamel morphology., (©Operative Dentistry, 2024.)

In the last decades, genetics has experienced significant technological advancements worldwide. However, in Portugal, serious limitations persist, compromising the functioning of healthcare in medical genetics. This study aimed to promote sharing and discussion among genetic medical professionals, to outline concrete actions to address gaps in clinical practice. Three focus groups were conducted with 19 specialists in medical genetics. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method to extract the main themes from the discussions. From the analysis, four conceptual themes emerged: (i) framing Portuguese genetic services in light of the European context; (ii) improvement of medical genetics education and population literacy; (iii) transforming of medical genetics services; and (iv) operationalizing the change. The results demonstrated that increasing training resources and strengthening multiprofessional teams by hiring more genetic professionals, such as clinical geneticists, molecular geneticists, and other genetic specialists, is crucial to enhancing the responsiveness of genetic services. Integrating medical genetics into all specialties and primary care, as well as updating the national network of medical genetics, are critical points for increasing equity and enabling healthcare to be provided more fairly. Including other medical genetics professionals such as genetic counsellors, nurses and psychologists also plays a significant role in providing comprehensive and quality care. This collaborative approach aims to provide effective genetic assistance and enhance the adequacy of genetic healthcare. The findings are compiled as recommendations to support the profession moving forward that can be applied to other healthcare contexts worldwide., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A simple procedure for determination of Al, Cr, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn using diluted organic acid in the preparation of shrimp (Macrobrachium amazonicum) and crab samples (Ucides cordatus) was proposed in this study. Determinations were performed using microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometer (MIP OES). The contents of elements were evaluated after solubilization of samples in 50% formic acid (v v -1 ) and subsequent heating in bath with stirring and heating at 90 °C. The accuracy of the proposed procedure was assessed using certified fish protein reference material (DORM-4) and the recovery percentages ranged from 91 to 117%. Microwave-assisted acid decomposition was used for a comparison of results with the procedure proposed using diluted formic acid, and the values obtained for all analytes were statistically equal at 95% confidence level. Cr levels were below the limit of detection. Potassium (7917-19,644 mg kg -1 ), Mg (1319-5376 mg kg -1 ), and Zn (43-307 mg kg -1 ) were the most abundant elements in the crustacean species studied can be considered good sources of these constituents for human diet. The proposed procedure using diluted formic acid was considered simple and suitable to determine Al, Cr, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn concentrations in crustaceans using MIP OES., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In recent decades, genetics has undergone important technological advances. The rapid shift to genomics has made a strong impact on health systems around the world. In Portugal, this huge increase in consultations and typologies of genetic tests has joined the serious limitations of the few existing genetics services. The following study aims to characterize the current state of the network of genetics services in Portugal regarding its functioning, main challenges, and opportunities. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted, corresponding to 83.33% of the directors of the public genetics services of the National Health Service. Four thematic categories emerged from the analysis: (1) specialty and technical developments, (2) structural difficulties, (3) potentialities, and (4) future directions. The developments are due to the emergence of more comprehensive genetic applications, specific protocols and patient referral standards, and accreditation of services. The main difficulties encountered in the functioning of the services were difficulty in obtaining funding, lack of human resources, service overload, and lack of exclusive time for training and research. The potentialities mentioned were the establishment of multidisciplinary teams and the best articulation with specialists from other areas. Among the various future directions pointed out, better management of patients' waiting lists, the importance of research, the simplification of test request procedures, and the creation of specialized units inside the genetic services, were reported. The results showed several gaps in the practice of medical genetics that should be addressed with the development of public policies for the recognition and restructuring of medical genetics in health care., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This work presents a long-term follow-up (300 days) of rats after a single intravenous injection of DMSA-coated magnetite nanoparticles (DMSA-MNP). The animals were systematically evaluated by hematological, biochemical, and ultrasound examinations, monitoring the same animal over time. In addition, oxidative stress evaluation, DMSA-MNP biodistribution, computerized tomography for ex vivo organs, and histopathology analysis were performed at the end of the experiment period. Overall, DMSA-MNP administration did not cause serious damage to the rats' health over the course of 300 days post-administration. All animals presented hematological parameters within the normal limits, and no alterations on serum creatinine, urea, ALT, and AST were related to DMSA-MNP administration. Liver and spleen showed no important alterations in any of the examinations. The kidneys of treated animals displayed intermittent pelvis dilation at ultrasound analysis, but without damage to the organ parenchyma after 300 days. The lungs of treated animals presented a light interalveolar septal thickening, but the animals did not present any clinical respiratory symptom. Nanoparticles were not detected in the vital organs of treated animals 300 days after administration. This work represents the first assessment of the long-term effects of DMSA-MNP and goes a step further on the safety of its use for biomedical applications.

Objectives: Teachers' stress can affect their occupational health and negatively impact classroom climate and students' well-being. This study aims to evaluate the proximal and distal effects of a mindfulness-based program, specially developed to promote teachers' social-emotional competencies (SEC), across teachers, classroom climates, and students' outcomes., Methods: The study followed a randomized trial design with two data collection points (pretest and posttest). Participants in the experimental group (EG) included 123 elementary school teachers, their 1503 students, and these students' parents (1494), while the control group (CG) comprised 105 elementary school teachers, their 947 students, and these students' parents (913). A mixed data collection strategy was used that included teachers' and students' (self-) report, observational ratings of teachers' classroom behaviors, and parents' reports on students., Results: After the intervention, EG teachers, compared to CG teachers, reported a significant increase in mindfulness and emotional regulation competencies, self-efficacy, and well-being and a decrease in burnout symptoms. Similarly, a significant improvement was found in EG teachers' classroom behaviors related to students' engagement. Additionally, significant improvements were also found in EG students' perceptions of the quality of their teachers' involvement in classroom relationships, self-reported effect, and social competencies perceived by their parents., Conclusions: These findings further the knowledge on the role played by mindfulness-based SEC interventions in reducing teachers' burnout symptoms and cultivating their SEC and well-being, in promoting a nurturing classroom climate and also in promoting the SEC and well-being of students., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-021-01635-3., Competing Interests: Competing InterestThe authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021.)

The present study evaluated revascularization time of fresh and cryopreserved cat ovarian tissue after transplantation to subcutaneous tissue. Ovaries of five cats were used and eight pieces of ovarian tissue were taken from each pair of ovaries. Immediately after removal, three pieces were transplanted and one fixed for fresh control. The remaining four pieces were cryopreserved and, after thawing, one was fixed for cryopreservation control and three were transplanted. Grafts were recovered on days 2 (D2), 4 (D4) and 6 (D6) post-transplantation. Blood vessels were identified by immunohistochemistry and doppler ultrasound. Immunohistochemistry showed that the percentages of total tissue area occupied by blood vessels were similar (P > 0.05) in fresh and cryopreserved tissues. In both cases, blood vessel area was significantly higher (P < 0.05) on D4 and D6 compared to D0. Ultrasound analysis showed vascularization improvement on the periphery of grafts from D2 to D4 and from D4 to D6, both in fresh and cryopreserved tissue samples. Nonetheless, there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the percentage of morphologically normal follicles (MNF) after transplantation compared to non-transplanted tissue (D0), both for fresh and cryopreserved samples. Moreover, the number of follicles found in samples was considerably smaller after grafting. In conclusion, revascularization of ovarian tissue autotransplanted to subcutaneous tissue in domestic cats occurs within 4 days after transplantation, both for fresh and cryopreserved tissue. However, large follicular loss has been observed in the first days post-transplantation, especially in cryopreserved tissues.

Parenting stress is generally associated with poorer psychological adjustment in caregivers and children with chronic illness. Although parenting stress in pediatric cancer has been previously demonstrated, few studies have investigated this problem when treatments end. The present study aimed to describe disease-related parenting stress in the post-treatment phase of pediatric cancer, and to analyze the role of parents' age and education, family functioning, and perceived child vulnerability in predicting disease-related parenting stress. The study comprised 56 parents of children with cancer, in the post-treatment phase, who completed a clinical and demographic questionnaire, as well as the Pediatric Inventory for Parents, assessing parenting stress, the Child Perceived Vulnerability Scale, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-Version IV. Results revealed that the level of disease-related parenting stress in the post-treatment phase was still significant. Emotional stress scores were especially high, further showing that parents' concerns in this phase focus mainly on the long-term impact of the disease and treatments, involving intense feelings of fear and uncertainty. A model with four predictors was tested using regression analysis, which explained 57% of parenting stress variance. More specifically, findings indicated that parental age and education significantly predicted parenting stress, accounting for over one-third of the variance in this outcome. Family functioning and perceived child vulnerability explained an additional 18% of parenting stress. Findings of this study suggest that even when treatment ends, there is still the need for continued support in order to assist parents' ability to deal with the implications of having a child who had cancer. Importantly, special attention should be given in clinical practice to the family functioning and to parents' beliefs about their child's vulnerability.

Changes in zebrafish testicular gene expression induced by follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh) or anti-Mullerian hormone (Amh) suggested that Amh inhibition and Fsh stimulation of spermatogenesis involved up and downregulation, respectively, of prostaglandin (PG) signaling. We found that Sertoli cells contacting type A undifferentiated (Aund) and differentiating (Adiff) spermatogonia expressed a key enzyme of PG production (Ptgs2); previous work showed that Sertoli cells contacting Adiff and B spermatogonia and spermatocytes showed ptges3b expression, an enzyme catalyzing PGE2 production. In primary testis tissue cultures, PGE2, but not PGD2 or PGF2α, reduced the mitotic activity of Adiff and their development into B spermatogonia. Vice versa, inhibiting PG production increased the mitotic activity of Adiff and B spermatogonia. Studies with pharmacological PG receptor antagonists suggest that an Ep4 receptor mediates the inhibitory effects on the development of spermatogonia, and cell-sorting experiments indicated this receptor is expressed mainly by testicular somatic cells. Combined inhibition of PG and steroid production moreover reduced the mitotic activity of Aund spermatogonia and led to their partial depletion, suggesting that androgens (and/or other testicular steroids), supported by PGE2, otherwise prevent depletion of Aund. Androgens also decreased testicular PGE2 production, increased the transcript levels of the enzyme-catabolizing PGs and decreased PGE2 receptor ptger4b transcript levels. Also Fsh potentially reduced, independent of androgens, PGE2 production by decreasing ptges3b transcript levels. Taken together, our results indicate that PGE2, via Ep4 receptors, favors self-renewal in conjunction with androgens and, independent of Fsh and androgens, inhibits differentiating divisions of spermatogonia.

Retinoic acid (RA) is crucial for mammalian spermatogonia differentiation, and stimulates Stra8 expression, a gene required for meiosis. Certain fish species, including zebrafish, have lost the stra8 gene. While RA still seems important for spermatogenesis in fish, it is not known which stage(s) respond to RA or whether its effects are integrated into the endocrine regulation of spermatogenesis. In zebrafish, RA promoted spermatogonia differentiation, supported androgen-stimulated meiosis, and reduced spermatocyte and spermatid apoptosis. Follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh) stimulated RA production. Expressing a dominant-negative RA receptor variant in germ cells clearly disturbed spermatogenesis but meiosis and spermiogenesis still took place, although sperm quality was low in 6-month-old adults. This condition also activated Leydig cells. Three months later, spermatogenesis apparently had recovered, but doubling of testis weight demonstrated hypertrophy, apoptosis/DNA damage among spermatids was high and sperm quality remained low. We conclude that RA signaling is important for zebrafish spermatogenesis but is not of crucial relevance. As Fsh stimulates androgen and RA production, germ cell-mediated, RA-dependent reduction of Leydig cell activity may form a hitherto unknown intratesticular negative-feedback loop., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2019. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate three digestion procedures using a diluted oxidant mixture of nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water for determination of Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn in shrimp and crab samples from Northern Brazil by microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry. The efficiency of the digestion procedure was evaluated by comparing the residual carbon content, residual acidity, and elemental concentrations obtained in the samples. Digestion procedure 2 (4 mL HNO 3  + 4 mL H 2 O 2  + 4 mL H 2 O) was chosen due the adequate residual carbon content (5.85%) and low residual acidity (2.94 mol L -1 ). The recoveries obtained using the certified reference material (DORM-4) varied from 90 to 105%. High contents of K and Mg were found in the studied crustaceans. Also, it can give an excellent contribution to the recommended daily intake of Cu and Zn, indicating that these foods can be considered a good source of these minerals for the human diet.

Objective: To compare motivational interviewing (MI) with conventional care regarding the health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of adolescents with overweight/obesity., Methods: RCT with parallel design, involving two groups: intervention group (MI group [MIG]) and control group (conventional intervention group [CIG]). The intervention included three 30-minute interviews 3 months apart., Outcome: Change in Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) scores. A mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess group versus time interactions., Results: Eighty-three participants finished the protocol (82% girls). MIG participants showed a significant average increase (+4.7) on the Psychosocial (t[41] = -2.388, p = .022, d = .37) and Emotional Subscales (+5.1) (t[41] = 5.733, p < .001, d = .88). CIG participants showed a significant average decrease on the Psychosocial (-6.1) (t[40] = 5.733, p < .001, d = .90), Emotional (-14.1) (t[40] = 7.249, p < .001, d = 1.13) and Social Subscales (-3.8) (t[40] = 3.782, p = .001, d = .59) and on the Total Score (-4.4) (t[40] = 3.535, p = .001, d = .55) CONCLUSION: MI improved HRQoL among overweight adolescents participating in a weight management program., Practice Implications: MI increases HRQoL and has the potential to benefit weight management programs for adolescents., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an effective method to promote weight loss that can be delivered by non-mental health providers. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether MI was superior to conventional counseling to improve the anthropometric outcomes of adolescents with obesity/overweight. It was a controlled cluster randomized trial with parallel design in a school setting. The study included two groups: Motivational Interviewing Group (MIG) and control group (Conventional Intervention Group, CIG). Students participated in three face-to-face 30-min interviews, 3 months apart. Outcomes were BMI z-score, abdominal circumference, percentages of fat mass and muscle mass, and blood pressure. Sessions were coded with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) manual. Mixed repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to assess the group versus time interaction. Effect sizes were calculated for each ANOVA with eta-squared measures (η 2 ). Eighty-three adolescents finished the protocol. While MIG participants showed a significant improvement in all anthropometric scores at 6 months, CIG participants showed an unfavorable change in those variables.Conclusion: Our results provide additional evidence of the short-term usefulness of a school-based MI intervention on anthropometric outcomes of adolescents with obesity/overweight, demonstrating that pediatricians can play an important role in the prevention and management of pediatric obesity.Trial registration: The study is called IMAGINE and is registered in Clinicaltrials.gov with the number NCT02745795. What is Known: • Although MI has been recognized as an effective counseling style for behavioral change in weight loss, there are few reports about the anthropometric outcomes of interventions with adolescents being treated for obesity/overweight. • Our study showed significant positive changes in anthropometric variables (BMI z-score, abdominal circumference, percentage of fat mass, percentage of muscular mass, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) after only three face-to-face sessions over 6 months. What is New: • MI delivered by non-mental health providers in a school setting seems to have short-term usefulness in a program aiming the treatment of obese/overweight adolescents.

Introduction: The lack of tools for quality assessment of genetic counselling is recognized in national and international studies. The correlation of quality of healthcare practice with greater satisfaction of patients and affected families is also well established. The present study describes the development and validation of the first Portuguese scale for quality assessment of genetic counselling practice. It encompasses a proposal of a new tool for the evaluation of the process by professionals., Material and Methods: The definition of an initial pool of items and their organization was based on a literature review and identification of the main genetic counselling dimensions as well as the theoretical dimensions of the Reciprocal Engagement Model. After a pre-test validation the scale was submitted to psychometric validation using a sample of 30 participants who evaluated 81 genetic counselling sessions., Results: Based on statistical and empirical criteria the best items were selected. The final 50 items- version comprises five dimensions: education, counselees' characteristics and decision-making, therapeutic relationship, effects of the process on the counselees and services organization., Discussion: Results showed consistent psychometric properties of the scale supported on theoretical and practice concepts of genetic counseling. The reduced number of participants involved in psychometric validation is a limitation of the study, which reflected the reduced number of professionals in genetic healthcare services., Conclusion: The scale proposed at this study is a novel and multidimensional instrument that aimed to contribute to the improvement of genetic counselling practice in Portugal.

Background: Understanding children's views of illness and health is vital to a child-centred approach in patient education and care. Paediatric healthcare providers should incorporate children's views of health and illness to enable children and their families to participate in self-management plans and achieve better health outcomes. However, there is limited scientific knowledge regarding the views of children with specific diseases., Method: This comparative study investigated whether and in what ways the experience of having different chronic diseases influenced children's views of being ill and healthy. The participants were 82 children aged 8-13 years diagnosed with a chronic disease (31 had asthma, 27 had diabetes and 24 had cancer). A group of 81 healthy children participated as a comparison group. The 'draw-and-write' technique was used to collect the children's views, and the data were analysed using a previously validated coding system (inter-rater agreement of 93%) and subsequently quantified for the examination of any differences in relation to illness., Results: Statistically significant differences were found in all dimensions of the children's conceptions of health and illness according to whether they had a chronic condition (effect sizes calculated with Cohen's d ranged from 0.35 to 1.22). Globally, the chronically ill children expressed a narrower definition of being healthy and ill than their healthy peers. Moreover, the comparison among the children with asthma, diabetes and cancer showed differences that seemed to reflect their specific experiences with their type of chronic disease and the associated treatments (effect sizes calculated with Eta-squared ranged from 0.07 to 0.25)., Conclusions: This study's findings can be used to guide education and clinical services tailored to ill children suffering from different chronic conditions., (© 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.)

Studies on the cognitive working mechanism of smoking cessation in high-risk populations are few and much needed, and identifying long-term psychosocial factors to smoking cessation are relevant to improve intervention for cardiac patient groups. This longitudinal study followed patients who smoked and suffered an acute coronary syndrome from hospitalization to 12 months after clinical discharge. Questionnaires were administered to assess nicotine dependence, behavioral dependence, autonomous self-regulation, perceived competence, social support, anxiety, depressive symptoms and meaning in life at baseline, six months and twelve months after clinical discharge. The results showed that anxiety (F(2, 62) = 28.10, p < .001, η p 2 = .48) and depressive symptoms (F(2, 62) = 10.42, p < .001, η p 2 = .25) decreased over time, whereas meaning in life (F(2, 61) = 44.77, p < .001, η p 2 = .59) and social support increased (t(63) = -4.54, p < .001, 95% IC[-11.05, 4.29], η2 =.25). Smoking dependence was negatively predicted by change in perceived competence (B = -2.25, p = .011, 95% IC[.02, .60]) and positively by change in depressive symptoms (B =.37, p = .042, 95% IC[1.01, 2.05]) 12 months after clinical discharge. Nicotine dependence (t(17) = 2.76, p = .014, 95% IC[.39, 2.94], η2 =.31) and the number of cigarettes smoked per day (t(17) = 4.48, p < .001, 95% IC[5.49, 15.29], η2 =.54) decreased over time, whereas behavioral dependence increased among smokers (t(17) = -2.37, p = .030, 95% IC[-4.30, 2.54], η2 =.25). This study suggests that long term abstinence in cardiac patients may be enhanced by psychological interventions addressing perceived competence, depressive symptoms and behavioral dependence.

Fsh-mediated regulation of zebrafish spermatogenesis includes modulating the expression of testicular growth factors. Here, we study if and how two Sertoli cell-derived Fsh-responsive growth factors, anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh; inhibiting steroidogenesis and germ cell differentiation) and insulin-like growth factor 3 (Igf3; stimulating germ cell differentiation), cooperate in regulating spermatogonial development. In dose response and time course experiments with primary testis tissue cultures, Fsh up-regulated igf3 transcript levels and down-regulated amh transcript levels; igf3 transcript levels were more rapidly up-regulated and responded to lower Fsh concentrations than were required to decrease amh mRNA levels. Quantification of immunoreactive Amh and Igf3 on testis sections showed that Fsh increased slightly Igf3 staining but decreased clearly Amh staining. Studying the direct interaction of the two growth factors showed that Amh compromised Igf3-stimulated proliferation of type A (both undifferentiated [A und ] and differentiating [A diff ]) spermatogonia. Also the proliferation of those Sertoli cells associated with A und spermatogonia was reduced by Amh. To gain more insight into how Amh inhibits germ cell development, we examined Amh-induced changes in testicular gene expression by RNA sequencing. The majority (69%) of the differentially expressed genes was down-regulated by Amh, including several stimulators of spermatogenesis, such as igf3 and steroidogenesis-related genes. At the same time, Amh increased the expression of inhibitory signals, such as inha and id3, or facilitated prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) signaling. Evaluating one of the potentially inhibitory signals, we indeed found in tissue culture experiments that PGE 2 promoted the accumulation of A und at the expense of A diff and B spermatogonia. Our data suggest that an important aspect of Fsh bioactivity in stimulating spermatogenesis is implemented by restricting the different inhibitory effects of Amh and by counterbalancing them with stimulatory signals, such as Igf3., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of motivational interview (MI) with conventional care on the depression scale scores of adolescents with obesity/overweight. It was a controlled cluster randomized trial with parallel design, including two groups: intervention group [Motivational Interview Group (MIG)], control group [Conventional Intervention Group (CIG)]., Intervention: three face-to-face 30min' interviews three months apart (only MIG interviews were based on MI principles)., Outcomes: change in Children Depression Inventory (CDI) scores. We used a mixed repeated-measures ANOVAs analysis to assess the group vs time interaction. Effect size was calculated for ANOVA with difference of means of the total score (DOMTS). CDI scores were compared by a paired t-test. Eighty-three (84%) adolescents finished the intervention. There was a significant time vs group interaction both groups. While in the CIG scores significantly increased, in the MIG the scores significantly decreased. The DOMTS was significantly different between the two groups. We concluded that MI showed a positive effect on depression scale scores over time relatively to conventional intervention., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To validate the Portuguese version of the Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavioral Questionnaire (GNSBQ)., Methods: This manuscript represents 2 studies. In the first, the free-translated Portuguese version of GNSBQ, currently in use, was administered to 124 healthy smokers for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). In the second, a forward-backward translation was developed to achieve a proper cultural and linguistic adaptation, which allowed creating a new Portuguese version of the GNSBQ. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was then performed, including 120 healthy smokers who completed this new version., Results: In the first study, the results from performing a CFA were not acceptable, although the scale was internally consistent. The second study showed that the new Portuguese version of GNSBQ presented reliability and 2 cor-related factors retrieved from the EFA., Conclusion: The new Portuguese version of the second study will contribute to an improved assessment of behavioral dependence in that population.

The present study aimed to clarify the nature and dimensions of achievement goals and to examine structural differences in students' goals across school levels. Participants were 134 students from 5th and 6th grades, and 423 students from 7th to 9th grades. A variety of achievement goals were assessed, including mastery goals and several performance-related goals representing three main dimensions: competition, self-presentation, and valence. Two alternative models were tested, using confirmatory factor analysis. For middle-school students a three factor model with presentation, competition, and simple evaluation/mastery goals, was found χ²(132, N = 134) = 160.9, p < .001; CFI = .94; RMSEA = .04, 95%CI [.02 - .06]. In the junior-high sample, one avoidance factor, one competition factor, and a simple evaluation/mastery factor, best fitted the data χ²(114, N = 423) = 269.8638 p < .001; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .06, 95%CI [.05 - .07] thus suggesting that distinct dimensions organize younger and older students' motivation. However, common to both grade levels was the existence of (a) separate but low incidence competition goals, and (b) simple evaluation goals, which encompass neither self-presentation nor competition, and are closely linked to mastery goals. Moreover, significant differences were found in the relative importance attached by students to the different types of goals (p < .001 for all comparisons), both at middle-school F(2, 266) = 220.98; p < .001; η2 = .624) and at junior-high school F(2, 820) = 464.4; p < .001; η2 = .531.

Background: Although intervention with suicidal patients is one of the hardest tasks in clinical practice, little is known about health professionals' perceptions about the difficulties of working with suicidal patients., Aims: The aims of this study were to: (1) describe the difficulties of professionals facing a suicidal patient; (2) analyze the differences in difficulties according to the sociodemographic and professional characteristics of the health professionals; and (3) identify the health professionals' perceived skills and thoughts on the need for training in suicide., Method: A self-report questionnaire developed for this purpose was filled out by 196 health professionals. Exploratory principal components analyses were used., Results: Four factors were found: technical difficulties; emotional difficulties; relational and communicational difficulties; and family-approaching and logistic difficulties. Differences were found between professionals who had or did not have training in suicide, between professional groups, and between the number of patient suicide attempts. Sixty percent of the participants reported a personal need for training and 85% thought it was fundamental to implement training plans targeted at health professionals., Conclusion: Specific training is fundamental. Experiential and active methodologies should be used and technical, relational, and emotional questions must be included in the training syllabus.

A child's oncological or chronic disease is a stressful situation for parents. This stress may make it difficult for appropriate management strategies aimed at promoting the child's wellbeing and helping him or her cope with a disease to be adopted. In particular, this study focuses on the possible connections between the variable national cultural influences and the parental strategies used to cope with a child's severe disease by comparing the experiences of Italian and Portuguese mothers. The study investigates differences and cross-cultural elements among the coping strategies used by Italian and Portuguese mothers of children with oncological or chronic disease. Two groups of mothers took part: 59 Italian mothers (average age 37.7 years; SD=4.5) and 36 Portuguese mothers (average age 39.3 years; SD=4.6). The tool used was the Italian and the Portuguese versions of the COPE inventory that measures five coping strategies: Social Support, Avoidance Coping, Positive Aptitude, Religious Faith and Humor, Active Coping. There were statistically significant differences between Portuguese and Italian mothers regarding Social Support (F(3, 94)=6.32, P=0.014, ɳ(2)=0.065), Religious Faith and Humor (F(3, 94)=20.06, P=0.001, ɳ(2)=0.18, higher values for Portuguese mothers) and Avoidance Coping (F(3, 94)=3.30, P=0.06, ɳ(2)=0.035, higher values for Italian mothers). Regarding child's disease, the only statistically significant difference was in Religious Faith and Humor (F(3, 94)=7.49, P=0.007, ɳ(2)=0.076, higher values for mothers of children with chronic disease). The findings of specific cultural transversalities provide the basis for reflection on important factors emerging on the relationship between physicians and parents. In fact, mothers' coping abilities may allow health workers involved in a child's care not only to understand how parents face a distressful event, but also to provide them with professional support.

The present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the student form (Grades 7 to 12) of the Social Skills Questionnaire authored by Gresham and Elliott (1990), on a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Participants included 573 students, both female and male, aged 14 to 19. Reliability was assessed through Cronbach's alpha and was .87 for the total scale, ranging from.58 to .72 for the subscales. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the main adjustment indices presented unexpected values. A principal components analysis indicated that several items of the cooperation subscale correlated with other factors. Adequate adjustment indices were found when cooperation was removed from the model. Semantic dualities due to cultural factors and difficulties assuming the cooperation dimension as an independent dimension might explain the results observed. The reorganization of the SSQ offers a reliable and valid instrument for research within the Portuguese population.

The unicellular, halotolerant, green alga, Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyceae) has the unique ability to adapt and grow in a wide range of salt conditions from about 0.05 to 5.5M. To better understand the molecular basis of its salinity tolerance, a complementary DNA (cDNA) library was constructed from D. salina cells adapted to 2.5M NaCl, salt-shocked at 3.4M NaCl for 5h, and used to generate an expressed sequence tag (EST) database. ESTs were obtained for 2831 clones representing 1401 unique transcripts. Putative functions were assigned to 1901 (67.2%) ESTs after comparison with protein databases. An additional 154 (5.4%) ESTs had significant similarity to known sequences whose functions are unclear and 776 (27.4%) had no similarity to known sequences. For those D. salina ESTs for which functional assignments could be made, the largest functional categories included protein synthesis (35.7%), energy (photosynthesis) (21.4%), primary metabolism (13.8%) and protein fate (6.8%). Within the protein synthesis category, the vast majority of ESTs (80.3%) encoded ribosomal proteins representing about 95% of the approximately 82 subunits of the cytosolic ribosome indicating that D. salina invests substantial resources in the production and maintenance of protein synthesis. The increased mRNA expression upon salinity shock was verified for a small set of selected genes by real-time, quantitative reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). This EST collection also provided important new insights into the genetic underpinnings for the biosynthesis and utilization of glycerol and other osmoprotectants, the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, reactive oxygen-scavenging enzymes, and molecular chaperones (heat shock proteins) not described previously for D. salina. EST discovery also revealed the existence of RNA interference and signaling pathways associated with osmotic stress adaptation. The unknown ESTs described here provide a rich resource for the identification of novel genes associated with the mechanistic basis of salinity stress tolerance and other stress-adaptive traits., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As part of a larger research project aimed to understand the impact of asthma in the psychological adjustment of children, this study focuses in the identification of factors associated with this process. The sample of this study consisted of 89 children, aged 8 to 12 with physician diagnosed asthma. To assess children's adjustment, the Portuguese versions of the following instruments were used: School-age Temperament Inventory (McClowry, 1995) Schoolagers Coping Strategies Inventory (Ryan-Wenger, 1990); Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - PedsQL (Varni, Seid & Kurtin, 2001); The Self-perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985), Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991); Social Skills Rating System (Gresham & Elliot, 1990). The results revealed that negative reactivity predicts the level of anxiety/depression, task persistence and perceived coping efficacy predicts social skills and that self-esteem is a significant predictor of the perceived quality of life. A significant proportion of shared variance was also found what seems to confirm the existence of multi-determination in the process of adjustment. The main conclusion is that two dimensions of temperament (negative reactivity and task persistence), as well as perceived coping efficacy and self-esteem, play a significant role in influencing the psychological adjustment of children with asthma.

In this article we describe the implementation of a linearly weighted average reference montage. This montage differs from the commonly used source derivation montage in that the reference includes all the scalp electrodes of the 10-20 system; and it differs from all other montages implemented thus far in that the weighting of the reference electrodes is based on directly measured interelectrode distances. Using EEG and computer generated signals we have been able to demonstrate that the weighted average reference montage combines topographic selectivity and accuracy in the display of both focal and regional background changes. In comparison to the source derivation montage, ectopic peaks and troughs of localized potential fields are less prominent and interhemispheric symmetry is better preserved. In comparison to the common average reference montage the frequent prominent ectopic displacement of high amplitude (e.g., vertex waves) or widespread potentials (e.g., alpha background activity) is suppressed. We believe that the spatial filtering characteristics of the weighted average reference montage, which are intermediate between those of the common average reference montage and the source derivation and Laplacian montages, will make it a useful alternative for topographic analysis. Our results also indicate that actual scalp measurements should be used to calculate reference electrode weighting factors because such measurements yield values that are substantially different from those derived from other methods of estimation presented thus far. A weighted average montage derived from pooled scalp measurements can be easily implemented using the weighting factors provided herein.