Animal-assisted psychotherapy for young people with behavioural problems in residential care

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP) programme on clinical symptoms, personal adjustment and adaptive skills in a group of adolescents in residential care who had experienced childhood trauma and who presented mental health problems and difficulties adapting to the care home environment. The 87 participants (Mage = 15.17, SD = 1.53) were divided into two groups: a treatment group (25 girls and 27 boys; Mage = 15.00, SD = 1.55) and a control group (9 girls and 26 boys; Mage = 15.42, SD = 1.50). The programme consisted of 34 sessions involving both group (23 sessions) and individual (11 sessions) AAP. The Behaviour Assessment System for Children (BASC) was used to evaluate clinical and adaptive dimensions of behaviour and personality. The results indicated that, in comparison with controls, the young people who took part in the AAP programme reported a significant improvement on two measures of internalising symptoms, namely depression and sense of inadequacy. Although no significant differences were observed in relation to externalising symptoms, the adolescents who received the AAP programme showed improved social skills in terms of their ability to interact satisfactorily with peers and adults in the care home environment, as well as a more positive attitude towards teachers at school. These results suggest that AAP may be a promising treatment for young people who have experienced childhood trauma and who subsequently find it difficult to adapt to the residential care settingThis work was supported by the Basque Government [grant number IT892-16

Effect of load distribution and variable depth on shear resistance of slender beams without stirrups

The shear resistance of elements without stirrups has mainly been investigated by test setups involving simply supported beams of constant thickness subjected to one- or two-point loading, and most of the formulas included in codes have been adjusted using this experimental background. It is a fact, however, that most design situations involve constant or triangular distributed loading (such as retaining walls or footings) on tapered members. Furthermore, there seems to be few shear tests involving cantilever structures subjected to distributed loading. These structures, which are common in everyday practice, fail in shear near the clamped end, where the shear forces and bending moments are maximum (contrary to simply supported beams of tests, where shear failures under distributed loading develop near the support region for large shear forces but limited bending moments). In this paper, a specific testing program undertaken at the Poly- technic University of Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain, in close collab- oration with Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, is presented. It was aimed at investigating the influence of load distribution and tapered beam geometrics on the shear strength. The experimental program consists of eight slender beams without stirrups. Four specimens had a constant depth, whereas the others had variable depths (maximum depth of 600 mm [23.6 in.]). Each specimen was tested twice: one side was tested first under point loading, and then (after repairing) the other side was tested under either uniform loading or triangular loading. The setup allowed direct comparisons between point and distributed loading. The experimental results showed a significant influence of the type of loading and of tapered geometries on the shear strength. On the basis of these results, and using the funda- mentals of the critical shear crack theory, a consistent physical explanation of the observed failure modes and differences in shear strength is provided. Also, comparisons to current design provisions (ACI 318-08 and EC2) are discussed

Involvement of residues of the ϕ29 terminal protein intermediate and priming domains in the formation of a stable and functional heterodimer with the replicative DNA polymerase

Bacteriophage ϕ29 genome consists of a linear double-stranded DNA with a terminal protein (TP) covalently linked to each 5′ end (TP-DNA) that together with a specific sequence constitutes the replication origins. To initiate replication, the DNA polymerase forms a heterodimer with a free TP that recognizes the origins and initiates replication using as primer the hydroxyl group of TP residue Ser232. The 3D structure of the DNA polymerase/TP heterodimer allowed the identification of TP residues that could be responsible for interaction with the DNA polymerase. Here, we examined the role of TP residues Arg158, Arg169, Glu191, Asp198, Tyr250, Glu252, Gln253 and Arg256 by in vitro analyses of mutant derivatives. The results showed that substitution of these residues had an effect on either the stability of the TP/DNA polymerase complex (R158A) or in the functional interaction of the TP at the polymerization active site (R169A, E191A, Y250A, E252A, Q253A and R256A), affecting the first steps of ϕ29 TP-DNA replication. These results allow us to propose a role for these residues in the maintenance of the equilibrium between TP-priming domain stabilization and its gradual exit from the polymerization active site of the DNA polymerase as new DNA is being synthesized

Involvement of phage ϕ29 DNA polymerase and terminal protein subdomains in conferring specificity during initiation of protein-primed DNA replication

To initiate ϕ29 DNA replication, the DNA polymerase has to form a complex with the homologous primer terminal protein (TP) that further recognizes the replication origins of the homologous TP-DNA placed at both ends of the linear genome. By means of chimerical proteins, constructed by swapping the priming domain of the related ϕ29 and GA-1 TPs, we show that DNA polymerase can form catalytically active heterodimers exclusively with that chimerical TP containing the N-terminal part of the homologous TP, suggesting that the interaction between the polymerase TPR-1 subdomain and the TP N-terminal part is the one mainly responsible for the specificity between both proteins. We also show that the TP N-terminal part assists the proper binding of the priming domain at the polymerase active site. Additionally, a chimerical ϕ29 DNA polymerase containing the GA-1 TPR-1 subdomain could use GA-1 TP, but only in the presence of ϕ29 TP-DNA as template, indicating that parental TP recognition is mainly accomplished by the DNA polymerase. The sequential events occurring during initiation of bacteriophage protein-primed DNA replication are proposed

Predictors of clinically significant quality of life impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Quality of life (QOL) plays an important role in independent living in Parkinson?s disease (PD) patients, being crucial to know what factors impact QoL throughout the course of the disease. Here we identified predictors of QoL impairment in PD patients from a Spanish cohort. PD patients recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort from January 2016, to November 2017, were followed up during 2 years. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) and global QoL (GQoL) were assessed with the 39-item Parkinson?s disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index (EUROHIS-QOL8), respectively, at baseline (V0) and at 24 months ± 1 month (V2). Clinically significant QoL impairment was defined as presenting an increase (PDQ-39SI) or decrement (EUROHIS-QOL8) at V2 ? 10% of the score at baseline (V0). A comparison with a control group was conducted for GQoL. GQoL did not change significantly in PD patients (N = 507; p = 0.686) or in the control group (N = 119; p = 0.192). The mean PDQ-39SI was significantly increased in PD patients (62.7 ± 8.5 years old; 58.8% males; N = 500) by 21.6% (from 16.7 ± 13 to 20.3 ± 16.4; p < 0.0001) at V2. Ninety-three patients (18.6%) presented a clinically significant HRQoL impairment at V2. To be younger (OR = 0.896; 95% CI 0.829?0.968; p = 0.006), to be a female (OR = 4.181; 95% CI 1.422?12.290; p = 0.009), and to have a greater increase in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) (OR = 1.139; 95% CI 1.053?1.231; p = 0.001) and NMSS (Non-Motor Symptoms Scale) (OR = 1.052; 95% CI 1.027?1.113; p < 0.0001) total scores from V0 to V2 were associated with clinically significant HRQoL impairment at the 2-year follow-up (Hosmer?Lemeshow test, p = 0.665; R2 = 0.655). An increase in ?5 and ?10 points of BDI-II and NMSS total score at V2 multiplied the probability of presenting clinically significant HRQoL impairment by 5 (OR = 5.453; 95% CI 1.663?17.876; p = 0.005) and 8 (OR = 8.217; 95% CI, 2.975?22.696; p = 0.002), respectively. In conclusion, age, gender, mood, and non-motor impairment were associated with clinically significant HRQoL impairment after the 2-year follow-up in PD patient

Suicidality in primary care patients who present with sadness and anhedonia: a prospective European study

Background: Sadness and anhedonia (loss of interest in activities) are central symptoms of major depression. However, not all people with these symptoms meet diagnostic criteria for major depression. We aimed to assess the importance of suicidality in the outcomes for primary care patients who present with sadness and anhedonia. Method: Cohort study of 2,599 unselected primary care attenders in six European countries followed up at 6 and 12 months. Results: 1) In patients with sadness and/or anhedonia who were not depressed at entry to the study, suicide plans (OR = 3.05; 95 % CI = 1.50–6.24; p = 0.0022) and suicide attempts (OR = 9.08; 95 % CI = 2.57–32.03; p = 0.0006) were significant predictors of developing new onset depression at 6 or 12 months. 2) In patients with sadness and/or anhedonia who met CIDI criteria for major depression at entry, suicidal ideation (OR = 2.93; 95 % CI = 1.70–5.07; p = 0.0001), suicide plans (OR = 3.70; 95 % CI = 2.08–6.57; p < 0.0001), and suicide attempts (OR = 3.33; 95 % CI = 1.47–7.54; p = 0.0040) were significant predictors of persistent depression at 6 or 12 months. Conclusions: Three questions on suicidality could help primary care professionals to assess such patients more closely without necessarily establishing whether they meet criteria for major depression.This research was funded by a grant from The European Commission, referencePREDICT-QL4-CT2002-00683. We are also grateful for part support in Europe from: the Estonian Scientific Foundation (grant number 5696); the Slovenian Ministry for Research (grant No.4369-1027); the Spanish Ministry of Health (grant FIS references: PI041980, PI041771, PI042450) and the Spanish Network of Primary Care Research, redIAPP (ISCIII-RETICS RD06/0018) and SAMSERAP group; and the UK NHS Research and Development office for providing service support costs in the UK. We are also grateful for the support from the University of Malaga (Spain) and to Carlos García from Loyola Andalucía University (Spain)

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

Monitorización, control y gestión de terminales Inmarsat C y D+.

El proyecto consistirá en la creación de una aplicación software de uso interno, basada en php y SQL, que controlará el tráfico generado por los terminales Inmarsat C y D+, operando sobre ellos en caso necesario y reportando informes diarios para su análisis. El objetivo último consiste en integrar esta herramienta en la gestión diaria de Emmi Network.Caldentey Jiménez, M. (2010). Monitorización, control y gestión de terminales Inmarsat C y D+. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/162308Archivo delegad

Raúl Prebisch (1901-1986): Un recorrido por las etapas de su pensamiento sobre el desarrollo económico

Introducción .-- 1. La etapa en la Argentina (1919-1943): preponderancia del análisis del ciclo económico y las políticas para mitigar su impacto .-- 2. La crítica a la teoría económica y el conocimiento de América Latina (1943-1949) .-- 3. La época de la CEPAL y la exportación del modelo cepalino (1950-1963) .-- 4. El regreso a la CEPAL: Prebisch y el capitalismo periférico (1976-1986) .-- 5. Prebisch y el capitalismo periférico 30 años después: vigencia de su pensamiento