The interplay among acorn abundance and rodent behavior drives the spatial pattern of seedling recruitment in mature Mediterranean oak forests

The patterns of seedling recruitment in animal-dispersed plants result from the interactions among environmental and behavioral variables. However, we know little on the contribution and combined effect of both kinds of variables. We designed a field study to assess the interplay between environment (vegetation structure, seed abundance, rodent abundance) and behavior (seed dispersal and predation by rodents, and rooting by wild boars), and their contribution to the spatial patterns of seedling recruitment in a Mediterranean mixed-oak forest. In a spatially explicit design, we monitored intensively all environmental and behavioral variables in fixed points at a small spatial scale from autumn to spring, as well as seedling emergence and survival. Our results revealed that the spatial patterns of seedling emergence were strongly related to acorn availability on the ground, but not by a facilitationeffect of vegetation cover. Rodents changed seed shadows generated by mother trees by dispersing most seeds from shrubby to open areas, but the spatial patterns of acorn dispersal/predation had no direct effect on recruitment. By contrast, rodents had a strong impact on recruitment as pilferers of cached seeds. Rooting by wild boars also reduced recruitment by reducing seed abundance, but also by changing rodent's behavior towards higher consumption of acorns in situ. Hence, seed abundance and the foraging behavior of scatter-hoarding rodents and wild boars are driving the spatial patterns of seedling recruitment in this mature oak forest, rather than vegetation features. The contribution of vegetation to seedling recruitment (e.g. facilitation by shrubs) may be context dependent, having a little role in closed forests, or being overridden by directed seed dispersal from shrubby to open areas. We warn about the need of using broad approaches that consider the combined action of environment and behavior to improve our knowledge on the dynamics of natural regeneration in forests

Comparative differential proteomic analysis of minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Minimal change disease (MCD) and primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are glomerular diseases characterized by nephrotic syndrome. Their diagnosis requires a renal biopsy, but it is an invasive procedure with potential complications. In a small biopsy sample, where only normal glomeruli are observed, FSGS cannot be differentiated from MCD. The correct diagnosis is crucial to an effective treatment, as MCD is normally responsive to steroid therapy, whereas FSGS is usually resistant. The purpose of our study was to discover and validate novel early urinary biomarkers capable to differentiate between MCD and FSGS. Forty-nine patients biopsy-diagnosed of MCD and primary FSGS were randomly subdivided into a training set (10 MCD, 11 FSGS) and a validation set (14 MCD, 14 FSGS). The urinary proteome of the training set was analyzed by two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry. The proteins identified were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in urine samples from the validation set. Urinary concentration of alpha-1 antitrypsin, transferrin, histatin-3 and 39S ribosomal protein L17 was decreased and calretinin was increased in FSGS compared to MCD. These proteins were used to build a decision tree capable to predict patient's pathology. This preliminary study suggests a group of urinary proteins as possible non-invasive biomarkers with potential value in the differential diagnosis of MCD and FSGS. These biomarkers would reduce the number of misdiagnoses, avoiding unnecessary or inadequate treatments. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12882-017-0452-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Cancer Patients and Anxiety: A Gender Perspective

The complexity of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer means that it is often associated with anxiety symptoms. The aim of our study was to further our understanding of the oncological process and the presence of anxiety symptoms, from a gender perspective. A cross-sectional study was performed, examining 402 medical records obtained by simple random sampling of oncology patients at a hospital in northern Spain from July 2012 to July 2014. Data collection took place between February and May 2015. Psychiatric and sociodemographic variables were gathered, as well as pain variables and information regarding the oncological process. The data analysis included a descriptive univariate analysis and a bivariate analysis, and a logistic regression model was performed. Our results suggest that women with cancer suffer more anxiety symptoms than men with cancer. Women with anxiety symptoms represented 76.5% of all patients with anxiety. The OR of suffering anxiety symptoms between women and men was 2.43 (95% CI 1.05?5.63) (p = 0.04). A greater incidence of anxiety symptoms was found in patients with cancer pain and oncological treatment with biological therapy. Our results suggest that the gender perspective is necessary in the management of mental health in patients with cancer. Nonetheless, further studies are necessary to confirm our finding

Contribución de los ítems a los patrones atípicos de respuesta : cálculo del índice de precaución modificado sin el ítem

Amb el suport del Consell Superior d'Avaluació de CatalunyaAl diseñar una prueba de conocimientos conviene tener en cuenta que sus elementos, los ítems, han de tener diferentes niveles de dificultad. Cada persona debería ser capaz de superar la dificultad de los ítems hasta un determinado umbral que debería determinar su nivel de conocimiento. En términos generales, se espera que las personas evaluadas contesten correctamente a las preguntas fáciles y fallen las difíciles. Cuando esta pauta de respuesta se rompe de forma repetida, las respuestas son atípicas y dan lugar a puntuaciones que no se corresponden con el verdadero nivel evaluado. Las respuestas atípicas pueden evaluarse con indicadores, como el índice de precaución modificado (IPM). Este índice se basa en la covariación del patrón de respuestas, codificados como 1 (respuesta correcta) y 0 (respuesta incorrecta) con el vector de dificultades de los ítems. Los ítems más difíciles acertados correctamente o los más fáciles respondidos incorrectamente, tienen un gran peso en la identificación de una pauta de respuesta como atípica. El conocimiento de los ítems que están implicados en una pauta atípica es de gran interés en las evaluaciones formativas, esto es, cuando se aprovecha la información que ofrece dicha pauta para proporcionar retroalimentación acerca del proceso de aprendizaje y proporcionar elementos de mejora del mismo. El índice IPM puede calcularse con la instrucción Cstar del paquete Perfit de R (Tendeiro, 2015). Para identificar los ítems implicados en patrones atípicos, hemos programado una rutina en R que permite calcular el IPM sin el ítem. Los valores del IPM que disminuyen cuando se elimina un determinado ítem del análisis, señalan a ese ítem como contribuyente de una pauta de respuesta atípica. Por el contrario, los valores que aumenten al eliminar un ítem apuntan a ítems que no contribuyen a una pauta de respuesta atípica. El trabajo se ilustra con un ejemplo el funcionamiento de la rutina

Hunger and Satiety Peptides: Is There a Pattern to Classify Patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome?

Hyperphagia is one of the main problems of patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) to cope with everyday life. The underlying mechanisms are not yet well understood. Gut-brain hormones are an interrelated network that may be at least partially involved. We aimed to study the hormonal profile of PWS patients in comparison with obese and healthy controls. Thirty adult PWS patients (15 men; age 27.5 ± 8.02 years; BMI 32.4 ± 8.14 kg/m2 ), 30 obese and 30 healthy controls were studied before and after eating a hypercaloric liquid diet. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), leptin, total and active ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and amylin were determined at times 00 , 300 , 600 and 1200 . Cluster analysis was used. When considering all peptides together, two clusters were established according to fasting hormonal standardized concentrations. Cluster 1 encompassed most of obese (25/30) and healthy controls (28/30). By contrast, the majority of patients with PWS were located in Cluster 2 (23/27) and presented a similar fasting profile with hyperghrelinemia, high levels of leptin, PYY, GIP and GLP-1, compared to Cluster 1; that may reflect a dysfunction of these hunger/satiety hormones. When peptide behavior over the time was considered, PP concentrations were not sustained postprandially from 60 min onwards in Cluster 2. BDNF and amylin did not help to differentiate the two clusters. Thus, cluster analysis could be a good tool to distinguish and characterize the differences in hormone responses between PWS and obese or healthy controls

Relationship of Binge Drinking with Impairments Affecting Memory and Executive Function among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Spain

Binge drinking (BD) is a common practice among college students. Alcohol consumption may affect brain structures that continue to develop in early adulthood. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship of BD with impairments affecting memory and executive function among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students (aged 18?30 years) enrolled for the academic year 2018?2019 at the Faculty of Nursing of the University of Cantabria (Spain). Data collection included sociodemographic and academic information, together with alcohol and drug use information, collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. A battery of validated tests was used to gather neuropsychological variables. A total of 142 participants were included, of which 88.03% were women. Up to 38.03% were classified as BD. No differences were found in memory tests. Regarding executive function, better performance in the Stroop Color andWord Test was observed in non-BD but the results were not statistically significant. In conclusion, no relationship was found between memory and executive function and BD, although better performance in executive function, specifically inhibitory control, was observed in non-BD

Excessive alcohol consumption and binge drinking in college students

Background: Binge drinking (BD) refers to a pattern of alcohol consumption characterized by the consumption of large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time followed by periods of abstinence. This drinking pattern is prevalent worldwide, mainly among young people. Excessive alcohol consumption is the spectrum of consumption patterns that may have or have had health consequences, and includes the concepts of risky alcohol use, harmful alcohol use and alcohol dependence according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), the latter two are currently grouped into alcohol use disorder (AUD) according to the fifth edition of the DSM (DSM-5). Due to the high prevalence of BD among young people, especially university students, as well as the important consequences of its practice, a study was conducted to evaluate excessive alcohol consumption and its relationship with the practice of BD in university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students (aged 18-30 years) enrolled in the academic year 2018-2019 at the Faculty of Nursing at a university in northern Spain. Data collection included sociodemographic information, and alcohol use information, collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. To measure the excessive alcohol consumption, this study used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Results: A total of 142 participants were included, of which 88.03% were women. Up to 38.03% were classified as BD. Up to 14.77% of non-BD participants and 66.67% of BD participants were classified as risky drinkers (AUDIT Total geq 8 in men or geq 6 in women) (p < 0.001). Up to 3.41% of the non-BD and 24.07% of the BD were drinkers with harmful alcohol use and probable alcohol dependence (AUDIT Total geq 13) (p < 0.001). A total of 5.68% of non-BD and 42.59% of BD were AUD drinkers (AUDIT Total geq 9 in males or geq 8 in females) (p < 0.001). In addition, statistically significant differences were found between the BD and non-BD groups in the responses to each of the AUDIT items, as well as in the total score and also in the scores of the three domains of the questionnaire. Conclusions: Excessive alcohol consumption is frequent among university students, especially among those who practice BD

Relationship between Depressive Symptoms, Personality, and Binge Drinking among University Students in Spain

Binge drinking (BD) is a common practice among college students. Alcohol consumption has been related to depressive symptoms and certain personality factors, although less is known about the relationship of these variables with BD. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship of BD with depressive symptoms and personality in university students. We performed a cross-sectional study among students (aged 18?30 years) enrolled in the academic year 2018-2019 at the Faculty of Nursing of the University of Cantabria (Spain). Sociodemographic, academic, and alcohol and other drug use information was collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. The Beck Depression Inventory-II was used to measure depressive symptomatology and the Neo Five-Factor Inventory was used for personality. A total of 142 participants were included, 88.03% of which were women. Up to 38.03% were classified as BD. Concerning depressive symptoms, 7.41% of BD were at the moderate-severe level compared to 3.41% of non-BD (p = 0.7096). Regarding personality, the median score for extraversion of BD was 35 (Q1 = 29, Q3 = 40), 32 (Q1 = 28, Q3 = 36) in non-BD (p = 0.0062), conscientiousness scored 34 (Q1 = 30.5, Q3 = 38) points in non-BD, 31.50 (Q1 = 27, Q3 = 37) in BD (p = 0.0224). In conclusion, BD students have higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of responsibility than non-BD students. No significant differences were found between the level of depressive symptomatology between BD and non-BD students

The impact of muscle relaxation techniques on the quality of life of cancer patients, as measured by the FACT-G questionnaire

Introduction Patients with cancer frequently suffer from emotional distress, characterized by psychological symptoms such as anxiety or depression. The presence of psychological symptoms combined with the complex nature of oncology processes can negatively impact patients' quality of life. We aimed to determine the impact of a relaxation protocol on improving quality of life in a sample of oncological patients treated in the Spanish National Public Health System. Materials and methods We conducted a multicenter interventional study without a control group. In total, 272 patients with different oncologic pathologies and showing symptoms of anxiety were recruited from 10 Spanish public hospitals. The intervention comprised abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation training, according to Bernstein and Borkovec. This was followed by weekly telephone calls to each patient over a 1-month period. We collected sociodemographic variables related to the disease process, including information about mental health and the intervention. Patients' quality of life was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire. Bivariate and univariate analyses were performed, along with an analysis of multiple correspondences to identify subgroups of patients with similar variations on the FACT-G. Results Patients showed statistically significant improvements on the FACT-G overall score (W = 16806; p<0.001), with an initial mean score of 55.33±10.42 and a final mean score of 64.49±7.70. We also found significant improvements for all subscales: emotional wellbeing (W = 13118; p<0.001), functional wellbeing (W = 16155.5; p<0.001), physical wellbeing (W = 8885.5; p<0.001), and social and family context (W = ?1840; p = 0.037). Conclusions Patients with cancer who learned and practiced abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation experienced improvement in their perceived quality of life as measured by the FACT-G. Our findings support a previous assumption that complementary techniques (including relaxation techniques) are effective in improving the quality of life of patients with cancer

Does Jacobson's relaxation technique reduce consumption of psychotropic and analgesic drugsin cancer patients? A multicenter pre-post intervention study

Background: Cancer patients often suffer from emotional distress as a result of the oncological process. The purpose of our study was to determine whether practice of Jacobson?s relaxation technique reduced consumption of psychotropic and analgesic drugs in a sample of cancer patients. Methods: This was a multicenter pre?post intervention design. Participants were 272 patients aged over 18 years attending 10 Spanish public hospitals with oncological pathologies and anxiety symptoms. The intervention consisted of a protocol of abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation training developed by Bernstein and Borkovec. This was followed up by telephone calls over a 1-month period. The intervention was performed between November 2014 and October 2015. Sociodemographic variables related to the oncological process, mental health variables, and intervention characteristics were measured. Results: A reduction in the consumption of psychotropic and analgesic drugs was observed throughout the follow-up period. Improvement was observed throughout the 4-week follow-up for all the parameters assessed: anxiety, relaxation, concentration, and mastery of the relaxation technique. Conclusions: The practice of abbreviated Jacobson?s relaxation technique can help to decrease the consumption of psychotropic and analgesic drugs. Patients experienced positive changes in all the evaluated parameters, at least during the 1-month follow-up. To confirm these findings, additional long-term studies are needed that include control groups. Trial registration: ISRCTN 81335752, DOI 10.1186/ISRCTN81335752 17. Date of registration: 22/11/2016 (retrospectively registered)