Construção e validação de uma escala de resiliência comunitária ameaças naturais

Background: The effects caused by natural phenomena have been increasing, aggravating the vulnerability of exposed populations. It is necessary to measure the resilience capacity of the community to face this type of adverse situations. The objective of the study was the construction and validation of a self-report scale of community resilience. Method: The items were based on the proposal of Twigg (2007) and Suárez-Ojeda (2001). The AIKEN V and semi-confirmatory analysis (McDonald, 2005) were used to validate the instrument. There was a sample of 290 participants with an age range of 18 to 78 years, from the municipalities of Jojutla and Yautepec in the State of Morelos (Mexico). Results: A final unidimensional scale made up of 16 items was obtained, internal consistency Ω = .924. Conclusions: This scale can be useful for those working in integrated disaster risk management.Antecedentes: Los efectos ocasionados por los fenómenos de origen natural han ido en aumento, agravando la vulnerabilidad de las poblaciones expuestas. Resulta necesario medir la capacidad de resiliencia de la comunidad para hacer frente a este tipo de situaciones adversas. El objetivo del estudio fue la construcción y validación de una escala de autoinforme de resiliencia comunitaria. Método: Los ítems se basaron en la propuesta de Twigg (2007) y Suárez-Ojeda (2001). Para la validación del instrumento se empleó la V de Aiken y el análisis semi-confirmatorio (McDonald, 2005). Se contó con una muestra de 290 participantes con un rango de edad de 18 a 78 años, de los municipios de Jojutla y Yautepec del Estado de Morelos (México). Resultados: Se obtuvo una escala final unidimensional conformada por 16 ítems, consistencia interna Ω = .924. Conclusiones: Esta escala puede ser de utilidad para quienes trabajan en la gestión integral de riesgos de desastres.Antecedentes: Os efeitos causados por fenômenos naturais vêm aumentando, agravando a vulnerabilidade das populações expostas. É necessário mensurar a capacidade de resiliência da comunidade para lidar com esse tipo de situação adversa. O objetivo do estudo foi a construção e a validação de uma escala de autorrelato de resiliência comunitária. Método: Os itens foram baseados na proposta de Twigg (2007) e Suárez-Ojeda (2001). Para validação do instrumento, utilizou-se o V do AIKEN e a análise semiconfirmatória (McDonald, 2005). A amostra foi de 290 participantes, com faixa etária de 18 a 78 anos, dos municípios de Jojutla e Yautepec do Estado de Morelos (México). Resultados: Obteve-se uma escala final unidimensional composta por 16 itens, consistência interna Ω = 0,924. Conclusões: Esta escala pode ser útil para quem trabalha na gestão integral do risco de desastres

Perinatal exposure to pesticides alters synaptic plasticity signaling and induces behavioral deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Increasing evidence from animal and epidemiological studies indicates that perinatal exposure to pesticides cause developmental neurotoxicity and may increase the risk for psychiatric disorders such as autism and intellectual disability. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain largely elusive. This work was aimed at testing the hypothesis that developmental exposure to different classes of pesticides hijacks intracellular neuronal signaling contributing to synaptic and behavioral alterations associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Low concentrations of organochlorine (dieldrin, endosulfan, and chlordane) and organophosphate (chlorpyrifos and its oxon metabolite) pesticides were chronically dosed ex vivo (organotypic rat hippocampal slices) or in vivo (perinatal exposure in rats), and then biochemical, electrophysiological, behavioral, and proteomic studies were performed. All the pesticides tested caused prolonged activation of MAPK/ERK pathway in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, some of them impaired metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD). In the case of the pesticide chlordane, the effect was attributed to chronic modulation of MAPK/ERK signaling. These synaptic alterations were reproduced following developmental in vivo exposure to chlordane and chlorpyrifos-oxon, and were also associated with prototypical behavioral phenotypes of NDD, including impaired motor development, increased anxiety, and social and memory deficits. Lastly, proteomic analysis revealed that these pesticides differentially regulate the expression of proteins in the hippocampus with pivotal roles in brain development and synaptic signaling, some of which are associated with NDD. Based on these results, we propose a novel mechanism of synaptic dysfunction, involving chronic overactivation of MAPK and impaired mGluR-LTD, shared by different pesticides which may have important implications for NDD.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was supported by the Intertalentum Postdoctoral Program (Marie Curie cofund UAM-UE, EU project 713366) for V.B. and by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2017-86983-R, PID2020-117651RB) and from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PCIN-2016– 095) for J.A.E.. V.B. was also recipient of the 2019 Eduardo Gallego postdoctoral fellowship from Fundación Francisco Cobos. M.I.C. was recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Economy (IJCI-2015–25507). E.LM. was recipient of a predoctoral fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPU18/02838).S

El impacto de las escuelas de campo en la seguridad alimentaria y sostenibilidad de los sistemas campesinos de montaña en San José de Cusmpa (Nicaragua)

Uno de los principales problemas a los que se enfrentan las comunidades rurales en los países en vías de desarrollo en el ámbito agrícola es la falta de acceso a la asistencia técnica y la capacitación entre de los pequeños agricultores. La disponibilidad de alimentos en Nicaragua es el 72% de la media del Suministro de Energía Alimentaria (SEA), aunque en las zonas de montaña esta cifra baja al 65% del SEA nacional. Este trabajo analiza el impacto que las escuelas de campo para agricultores (ECAs) están teniendo sobre la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, así como su relación con el margen bruto agrario y la diversificación de cultivos y usos del suelo en las comunidades rurales de montaña de San José de Cusmapa. En 2010 se realizaron 80 encuestas semiestructuradas y se midieron indicadores ecológicos, económicos y sociales. La formación y capacitación proporcionada por las ECAs a lo largo del tiempo, ha resultado tener un efecto positivo sobre el incremento de la agrobiodiversidad, que se asociada a una mejora en el suministro de energía y nutrientes en la dieta. También se ha observado un efecto positivo en el margen bruto agrario de las familias en ECAs con más de cuatro años de actividad

Impact of COVID19 pandemic on the incidence of health-care associated Clostridioides difficile infection

Objective: To investigate the impact of COVID19 pandemic on the incidence of health-care associated Clostridioides difficile infection (HA-CDI). Methods: Retrospective study conducted in the Hospital Universitario de Valme (HUV) and the Hospital General Universitario de Alicante (HGUA) in Spain between January 2019 and February 2021. The study period was divided into non-COVID19 period (2019 and months from 2020 to 2021 with 30 hospi talized COVID19 patients) and COVID19 period (months from 2020 to 2021 with >30 COVID19 patients). HA-CDI incidence rates (IR) were calculated as the number of new CDI cases per 10.000 occupied bed days (OBD) and antimicrobial consumption by means of the defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 OBD. Results: During the COVID19 period, HA-CDI IR in the HUV was 2.6 per 10.000 OBD, which was lower than what was observed during the non-COVID19 period (4.1 per 10.000 OBD; p ¼ 0.1). In the HGUA, HA CDI IR during COVID19 period was 3.9 per 10.000 OBD, which was not significantly different to the IR observed during the non-COVID19 period (3.7 per 10.000 OBD; p ¼ 0.8). There was a slight increase in the total antibiotic consumption during COVID19 period in both hospitals, with significant increases of certain high-risk antibiotics as cephalosporins. Conclsusions: HA-CDI incidence has not increased during the COVID19 pandemic in two tertiary centers in Spain, in spite of a slightly higher antibiotic consumption during the COVID19 period in both hospitals. These findings suggest that, in the presence of strict infection control measures, hospital antibiotic consumption might have a lower impact than expected on HA-CDI

From olive leaves to spherical nanoparticles by one-step RESS process precipitation

In this work, spherical nanoparticles to be used in cosmetic, agro food or pharmaceutical industries have been directly precipitated from olives leaves in one-step RESS process. The leaves were brought into contact with supercritical CO2, and a fraction of the compounds from the flavone and flavonol families that can be found in the leaves were dissolved; then, by depressurizing the vessel, these compounds formed particles in the nanometer range. A complete factorial design was generated to thoroughly determine the influence from the main parameters on the RESS process with respect to the precipitated nanoparticles and their heterogeneity. Their antioxidant activity was also evaluated. Different pressures (250-350 bar), temperatures (60 and 100 degrees C), leaves sample weights (2 and 4 g) and cosolvent volumes, namely ethanol (9 and 18 mL), were studied as the main parameters that could affect the solvation and precipitation of the particle with active compounds in the leaves. Other parameters such as contact time (1 h) or nozzle size diameter (100 mu m) remained unchanged. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by means of the radical scavenging method using the radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazole (DPPH). Spherical particles with diameters in the range of 55 nm to 4 mu m were obtained. Lower pressures and higher temperatures seemed to result in a reduction of the mean particle size. Greater volume of cosolvent is also recommended to reduce mean particle size. However, lower pressure, temperature and volume of cosolvent seems to promote a greater homogeneity of the particles. By means of chromatographic analyses, the main compounds, responsible for the antioxidant activity, such as oleuropein, quercetin or apigenin among others were identified

Critical thinking in nursing: scoping review of the literature

This article seeks to analyse the current state of scientific knowledge concerning critical thinking in nursing. The methodology used consisted of a scoping review of the main scientific databases using an applied search strategy. A total of 1518 studies published from January 1999 to June 2013 were identified, of which 90 met the inclusion criteria. The main conclusion drawn is that critical thinking in nursing is experiencing a growing interest in the study of both its concepts and its dimensions, as well as in the development of training strategies to further its development among both students and professionals. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that critical thinking has been investigated principally in the university setting, independent of conceptual models, with a variety of instruments used for its measurement. We recommend (i) the investigation of critical thinking among working professionals, (ii) the designing of evaluative instruments linked to conceptual models and (iii) the identifi- cation of strategies to promote critical thinking in the context of providing nursing car

Assessment of Biomass Energy Potential and Forest Carbon Stocks in Biscay (Spain)

The aim of this research is to identify, quantify and characterize the potential available forest biomass of Pinus radiata D. Don and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. across Biscay province in northern Spain. In order to do this, we have used information from the National Inventories of Spain to quantify the amount of carbon dioxide accumulated in the forests of Biscay by means of stratum-species-based forestry statistics. The total biomass and biomass fractions have been estimated using two different methods: allometric biomass equations (ABE) and biomass expansion factors (BEF). The second objective is to develop a methodology to quantify and produce a cartography of the prospective energy production of residual biomass from the most representative forest species of Biscay. For this purpose, we have used a Geographic Information System (GIS) computer tool. We have found that the stock of carbon accumulated in the main forest species in Biscay in 2014 amounts to 8.2 Tg (ABE) and 6.63 Tg (BEF) equivalent to 30 and 24.3 Tg of CO2, respectively. The quantity of forestry biomass residue (FBR) obtained has been estimated as 52,214 Mg.year(-1) dry matter. This amount means a prospective energy supply of 947,000 GJ.year(-1).This work has been supported by the Office of Research of the University of the Basque Country grant by Project NUPV08/22, by Project SAI10/147-SPE10UN90and by Project NUPV10/10. The authors acknowledge gratefully the technical and personalsupport provided by Jose Miguel Edeso, Aitor Bastarrica and Leyre Torre for drawing the figures

Risk factors for sexual and erectile dysfunction in HIV-infected men: the role of protease inhibitors

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in a cohort of HIV-infected men in a stable clinical state, the effect of exposure to antiretroviral therapy on sexual dysfunction and to identify the risk factors.Design: This is a cross-sectional, observational study.Methods: HIV-infected men without hepatitis C virus coinfection were included if they were antiretroviral therapy-naive (naive group), on current treatment with an enhanced protease inhibitor (protease inhibitor group) or on current treatment with two to three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors along with one nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and never having received treatment with protease inhibitor (nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor group). Erectile dysfunction was defined as an ejection fraction of 25 or less (International Index of Erectile Function-15).Results: Ninety patients were included, with an age of 42 +/- 8.2 years and CD4 cell count of 465 cells/microl [P25-75 361-676]: 18.9% in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention class C and 72.2% with undetectable viral load. Seventy-six patients (84.4%) were receiving antiretroviral therapy, 39 (43.3%) in the protease inhibitor group. The prevalence of lipodystrophy was 31.5%. Forty-seven (53.4%) patients had an erectile dysfunction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that there was an independent association between the patients' age (per decade; odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.04-4.5, P = 0.04) and greater duration of exposure to protease inhibitor (per year; odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.12-2.4, P = 0.01). Older age, depression and lipodystrophy, combined with the duration of exposure to protease inhibitor, determined a lower score on various sexual dysfunction domains (P < 0.05).Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction in HIV-infected men, with age and the duration of exposure to protease inhibitor being the only identifiable risk factors

Development and psychometric properties of the nursing critical thinking in clinical practice questionnaire

Background and aim: A complex healthcare environment, with greater need for care based on the patient and evidence-based practice, are factors that have contributed to the increased need for critical thinking in professional competence. At the theoretical level, Alfaro-LeFevre () put forward a model of critical thinking made up of four components. And although these explain the construct, instruments for their empirical measurement are lacking. The purpose of the study was to develop and validate the psychometric properties of an instrument, the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire (N-CT-4 Practice), designed to evaluate the critical thinking abilities of nurses in the clinical setting. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A pool of items was generated for evaluation by a panel of experts who considered their validity for the new instrument, which was finally made up of 109 items. Following this, validation was carried out using a sample of 339 nurses at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Reliability was determined by means of internal consistency and test-retest stability over time, although the validity of the construct was assessed by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The content validity index of the N-CT-4 Practice was .85. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole instrument was .96. The intraclass correlation coefficient was .77. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the instrument was in line with the four-dimensional model proposed by Alfaro-LeFevre (2016). Linking evidence to action: The psychometric properties of theN-CT-4 Practice uphold its potential for use in measuring critical thinking and in future research related with the examination of critical thinking

Evaluación de la sostenibilidad de la agricultura de subsistencia en San José de Cusmapa, Nicaragua

La agricultura familiar está representada por 2,5 mil millones de personas(Sumpsi, 2011) y produce más del 70% de los alimentos del planeta(Banco Mundial, 2008; Trueba y MacMillan, 2011). En Nicaragua el 44,1% de la población vive en áreas rurales (1) (INIDE, 2006), la economía campesina y familiar representa cerca del 50% del valor bruto de la producción agropecuaria (García Ruiz, 2011). La agricultura familiar, tiene una gran incidencia sobre la conservación de los recursos naturales y las tradiciones socioculturales (Clapp, 1998; Altieri y Nicholls, 2000)