The importance of developmental assets to mental health in Norwegian youth

In the present study, we examined the importance of developmental assets to prolonged sadness (i.e., being sad most of the time or all the time for no reason in the last month) and suicide attempt. Cross–sectional data on items measuring developmental assets as well as prolonged sadness and suicide attempt were collected from high school students in Norway (N = 591, 55% girls). The findings from independent t–tests indicated that youth with poor mental health reported less developmental assets relative to their peers who did not report such problems. In logistic regression, asset categories, such as Positive identity and Personal assets, were significantly associated with poor mental health (especially prolonged sadness) after adjusting for other asset categories and demographic factors, such as age, sex, and parents' educational background. The influence of Empowerment and Family assets, which was significant when only the assets were assessed, was no longer significant when demographic variables were also considered. While more research on factors that can promote youth mental health is needed, our findings suggest that policies and programmes that ensure that youth have access to the necessary developmental resources and opportunities may also be empowering youth, enhancing their mental health, and consequently, facilitating their active involvement in their community.publishedVersio

Dynamics of the phytoplankton community of an Argentine Pampean wetland in relation to water environmental variables

Background. Shallow lakes are an essential component of the Argentine Pampean wetlands. The Sauce Grande shallow lake is a typical water body of the Argentine Pampean wetlands, based on its shallow characteristics and its homogeneity in terms of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Phytoplankton is dominant in the turbid shallow lake and is sensitive to internal fluctuations in the water body and prevailing environmental conditions that affect its abundance and distribution. Goals. We conducted a temporal and spatial analysis of the distribution and abundance of the phytoplankton community in the Sauce Grande shallow lake (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), from April to September 2012, in order to study the influence of physicochemical variables of the water on phytoplankton. Methods. We undertook Cluster Analysis (CA), Principal Component Analyses (PCA) and Spearman correlations between the biotic and physicochemical variables recorded at two sites of the shallow lake. Results. The multivariate analysis showed that certain water physicochemical factors (conductivity, depth, pH, turbidity, and temperature) profoundly influenced the phytoplankton dynamics, giving rise to a seasonal succession of community species, with a clear dominance of Cyanobacteria. The Spearman correlation showed that Cyanobacteria relate positively and significantly to conductivity whereas Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta relate negatively and significantly to temperature, pH, conductivity, and salinity. Chlorophyta was the group with the highest number of recorded taxa while Cyanobacteria constituted the largest group, the most abundant species being Synechocystis salina Wislouch. Conclusions. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that the phytoplankton community of the Sauce Grande shallow lake is highly susceptible to changes in water environmental conditions, in particular to water level fluctuations, and to conductivity, pH, and temperature.Background. Shallow lakes are an essential component of the Argentine Pampean wetlands. The Sauce Grande shallow lake is a typical water body of the Argentine Pampean wetlands, based on its shallow characteristics and its homogeneity in terms of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Phytoplankton is dominant in the turbid shallow lake and is sensitive to internal fluctuations in the water body and prevailing environmental conditions that affect its abundance and distribution. Goals. We conducted a temporal and spatial analysis of the distribution and abundance of the phytoplankton community in the Sauce Grande shallow lake (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), from April to September 2012, in order to study the influence of physicochemical variables of the water on phytoplankton. Methods. We undertook Cluster Analysis (CA), Principal Component Analyses (PCA) and Spearman correlations between the biotic and physicochemical variables recorded at two sites of the shallow lake. Results. The multivariate analysis showed that certain water physicochemical factors (conductivity, depth, pH, turbidity, and temperature) profoundly influenced the phytoplankton dynamics, giving rise to a seasonal succession of community species, with a clear dominance of Cyanobacteria. The Spearman correlation showed that Cyanobacteria relate positively and significantly to conductivity whereas Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta relate negatively and significantly to temperature, pH, conductivity, and salinity. Chlorophyta was the group with the highest number of recorded taxa while Cyanobacteria constituted the largest group, the most abundant species being Synechocystis salina Wislouch. Conclusions. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that the phytoplankton community of the Sauce Grande shallow lake is highly susceptible to changes in water environmental conditions, in particular to water level fluctuations, and to conductivity, pH, and temperature

Determinación de la actividad desintegrante en tabletas, de almidones obtenidos de plantas nativas colombianas, modificados químicamente por carboximetilación: achira (Canna edulis) y arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza)

Se modificaron químicamente mediante reacción de carboximetilación y reticulación,almidones nativos de fuentes vegetales no tradicionales, como lo son las plantas de achira (Canna edulis) y arracacha (Arracacia Xanthorrhiza). Se utilizó para ello, ácido monocloroacético y trimetafosfato de sodio,como reactivos principales,con el fin de obtener materiales con una mayor afinidad por el agua, que permitieran potenciar los mecanismos principales de acción de los excipientes de sintegrantes utilizados en la industria farmacéutica. Se realizó la caracterización fisicouímica, farmacotécnica e instrumental de los ocho almidones en estudio. Los resultados indican que los almidones modificados de achira y arracacha carboximetilados y carboxireticulados presentan una mayor afinidad por el agua, absorción de la misma, capacidad de hinchamiento y menor tiempo de desintegración,en comparación con los almidones nativos y del material utilizado como referencia, almidón de maiz.El almidón de achira carboxireticulado, resultó ser el material dentro de la investigación como desintegrante en tabletas,con mayor actividad,con base en la prueba de desintegración realizada, con una diferencia significativa en su comportamiento en relación con los otros materiales potencialmente promisorios, lo que afirma su potencial e innovadora utilidad como excipiente farmacéutico dentro de formulaciones orales y/o perorales sólidas de liberación inmediata, ya que poseelas características ideales para un buen desintegrante: buena capacidad de hidratación, baja solubilidad y pobre capacidad de formación de geles.Abstract: Native starches from non-traditional vegetable sources, such as achira plants (Canna edulis) and arracacha (Arracacia Xanthorrhiza), were modified chemically by carboxymethylation and cross-linking reactions. For this purpose, monochloroacetic acid and sodium trimetaphosphate were used as main reagents, in order to obtain materials with a greater affinity for water, which could allow to enhance the main mechanisms of action of the disintegrating excipients used in the pharmaceutical industry.The physicochemical, pharmacotechnical and instrumental characterization of eight different starches were carried out. The results indicated that the modified achira and arracacha starches with carboxymethylation and cross-linking reactions had a greater affinity for water, water absorption, swelling capacity and less disintegration time, in comparison with the native starches and the material used as a reference, cornstarch.The carboxy-cross-linked modified achira starch was found to bethe material within the research with the greater activity based on the disintegration test carried out, with a significant difference in its behavior in relation to the other potentially promising materials, which affirms its potential and innovative useas a pharmaceutical excipient within oral and / or peroral solid formulations of immediate release, since it possesses the ideal characteristics for a good disintegrant: good hydration capacity, low solubility and poor capacity of gel formation.Maestrí

Productividad, estado trófico y dinámica fitoplanctónica en la laguna Sauce Grande y su afluente homónimo (pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The shallow lake Sauce Grande is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires province. It is a widening of the Sauce Grande River that flows in and out of the lake. The aim of this study is to estimate for the first time the primary productivity (PP) of this lake and to contrast the physiochemical variables, phytoplankton structure and trophic status with those of its main tributary. Monthly samplings (April-September 2014) were performed in the middle basin of the river and on the coast of the lake. We recorded in situ physical and chemical parameters with a multisensor Horiba U-10. Phytoplankton samples were collected with a plankton net for the qualitative study and with plastic bottles for quantitative analysis.The greatest physicochemical differences corresponded to turbidity and conductivity with values of 581.3 NTU and 9 mS/cm for the lake and 17.7 and 1.7, for the river. The average PP in the lake was 252.1 mg C/m3.h. Cyanobacteria were the most abundant taxonomic group in both systems, although its abundance was greater in the shallow lake. The Carlson index, based on the concentration of chlorophyll a and total phosphorus, identifies the lake as eutrophic, while the river was classified as oligo-mesotrophic according to the same variables. Our results suggest that the Sauce Grande Lake is an autotrophic system with a highly productive metabolism. The remaining production becomes biomass and accumulates within the system, in the form of high levels of phytoplankton abundance, in particular a massive proliferation of Cyanobacteria

The Importance of Positive Psychological Strengths in Well-Being and Adjustment of Romanian Emerging Adults: A Pattern and Variable-Oriented Approach

Transition to adulthood in countries that have seen recent historical structural changes in society as well as changes in what it means to be an adult represents important contexts for investigations of ways in which positive development and transition to adulthood are experienced. Situated in such context, this cross-sectional study aimed to (1) describe profiles of positive psychological strengths, as measured by the Five Cs of positive youth development (PYD) and (2) document how identified profiles might differ in relation to other aspects of positive and problematic development. Participants were 272 Romanian emerging adults attending university (76% female; aged 19–29 years old, Mage = 21 years old). Latent class analysis was performed to identify patterns of psychological strengths using the Five Cs theory of positive youth development. Pairwise Wald chi square difference tests were then conducted to determine if the identified Five Cs profiles were associated with significant differences in other key outcomes. Findings indicated that, a two-class model emerged as the best fitting model, and in this model, Class 1 was similar to Class 2 on strengths of competence, confidence, and connection. However, the two classes were distinguishable by caring and character, with Class 2, the numerically more common profile (89%), being elevated on character and caring relative to Class 1 (which was a less frequently occurring profile, 11%). This finding highlights the importance of examining the diversity of positive development, even within the same theoretical framework. Further results indicated that the two identified classes showed similarities in problematic behaviors as well as in purpose in life and psychological complaints. Other group difference tests by profile/class indicated that Class 2 was higher in general and social well-being relative to Class 1, with a trend in the same direction for hope. However, an unexpected finding was that Class 2 was also elevated in somatic complaints relative to Class 1. These are important findings not only because of the contribution to the generalizability of the Five Cs theory and measure but also because of the implications of the findings to research, policy, and practice in the Romanian context and beyond.publishedVersio

Caracterización del fitoplancton y estado trófico de la laguna Sauce Grande (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina) en el otoño de 2010

The composition and abundance of the phytoplankton in the Sauce Grande Shallow Lake were studied during the autumn of 2010. Three sampling sites were established: In the output Sauce Grande River (E1), at the entrance of the Sauce Grande River in the water body (E2) and in the deepest sector of the water body (E3). Sixty taxa were identified, belonged to Chlorophyta (50%), Heterokontophyta (27%), Cyanobacteria (20%) and Dinophyta/Euglenophyta (3%). Phytoplankton abundance ranged between 84500 and 340600 ind/ml. No differences were observed in total phytoplankton abundances among sampling stations, but significant differences among sampling dates were found. Planctonema lauterbornii Schmidle (Chlorophyta) was the dominant species with abundances up to 70600 ind/ml. Several salinity indicators (as Chaetoceros muelleri, Cyclotella aff. meneghiniana and Protoperidinium achromaticum) and eutrophication indicators (as Microcystis aeruginosa and Pediastrum boryanum) were registered. Besides, representatives of Cyanobacteria putative toxic-bloom producers (as species of Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Aphanocapsa and Microcystis) were identified. This shallow lake is classified as eutrophic according to Carlson TSI based on chlorophyll a. The high phytoplankton abundance and the low Secchi disk readings allow defining the Sauce Grande Shallow Lake as “turbid” and phytoplankton dominated.Fil: Ferrer, Nora Cristina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Cony, N. L.. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Forneron, Claudia Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Piccolo, Maria Cintia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentin

Evolución del estado trófico y estructura del fitoplancton de un lago somero de la región pampeana: laguna Sauce Grande (Pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina)

La laguna Sauce Grande está ubicada en el suroeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, con el río Sauce Grande como afluente y efluente de la misma. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el estado trófico y las características de la comunidad del fitoplancton de esta laguna. Las muestras de fitoplancton se recolectaron mensualmente y también se midieron los parámetros físico-químicos. El estado trófico del cuerpo de agua se estimó con el índice de estado trófico de Carlson (TSI) basado en la concentración de clorofila a. Bacillariophyta fue el grupo de algas más ampliamente representado en número de taxones para todo el período estudiado. A su vez, Cyanobacteria fue el grupo dominante con Synechocystis salina Wislouch como la especie dominante. La concentración de clorofila a osciló entre 64,6 y 769,4 mg/m3. La abundancia total de fitoplancton varió de 1,6 × 106 a 5,2 × 106 ind /ml y el biovolumen varió de 9,4 × 107 a 1,4 × 109 μm³/ml. La concentración de clorofila a se correlacionó significativamente con la abundancia de fitoplancton, pero no se correlacionó significativamente con el biovolume. Además, el TSI (Cl a) de Carlson osciló entre 70 y 97. En consecuencia, el lago somero Sauce Grande se clasificó como hipertrófico para el período estudiado 2012-2013, mientras que el estado del cuerpo de agua se determinó como eutrófico para el otoño de 2010.Sauce Grande shallow lake is located in the Southwest of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, with the river Sauce Grande as both affluent and effluent of it. The aim of this work was to evaluate the trophic state and the characteristics of the phytoplankton community of this shallow lake during an annual cycle. Phytoplankton samples were collected monthly and also physico-chemical parameters were measured. The trophic state of the water body was estimated with Carlson Trophic State Index (TSI) based on chlorophyll a concentration. Bacillariophyta was the algal group most widely represented in number of taxa for the entire studied period. In turn, Cyanobacteria was the dominant group with Synechocystis salina Wislouch as the dominant species. Chlorophyll a concentration ranged between 64.6 and 769.4 mg/m3. The total phytoplankton abundance ranged from 1.6×106 to 5.2×106 ind/ml and the biovolume varied from 9.4×107 to 1.4×109 μm³/ml. The chlorophyll a concentration was significantly correlated with phytoplankton abundance but it was not significantly correlated with biovolume. Besides, Carlson’s TSI (Cl a) ranged from 70 to 97. Accordingly, the Sauce Grande shallow lake was classified as hypertrophic for the studied 2012-2013 period, whereas the status of the water body was determined as eutrophic for the autumn of 2010

Lipid-based nanovesicles for nanomedicine

Molecular self-assembly has enabled the fabrication of biologically inspired, advanced nanostructures as lipid-based nanovesicles (L-NVs). The oldest L-NVs, liposomes, have been widely proposed as potential candidates for drug delivery, diagnostic and/or theranostic applications and some liposome-based drug products have already stepped from the lab-bench to the market. This success is attributed to their ability to encapsulate both hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic molecules, efficiently carry and protect them within the body and finally deliver them at the target site. These positive features are also coupled with high biocompatibility. However, liposomes still present some unsolved drawbacks, such as poor colloidal stability, short shelf-life, restricted and expensive conditions of preparation because of the inherent nature of their fundamental constituents (phospholipids). The new tools available in the self-assembly of controlled molecules have significantly advanced the field of L-NV design and synthesis, and nonliposomal L-NVs have been recently developed; this new generation of nanovesicles can represent a paradigm shift in nanomedicine: they may complement liposomes, showing their advantages and overcoming most of their drawbacks. Clearly, being still young, their rocky way to the clinic first and then to the market has just started and it is still long, but they have all the potentialities to reach their objective target. The purpose of this review is to first present the large plethora of L-NVs available, focusing on this new generation of non-liposomal L-NVs and showing their similarities and differences with respect to their ancestors (liposomes). Since the overspread of a nanomaterial to the market is also strongly dependent on the availability of technological-scale preparation methods, we will also extensively review the current approaches exploited for L-NV production. The most cutting-edge approaches based on compressed fluid (CF) technologies will be highlighted here since they show the potential to represent a game-change in the production of L-NVs, favouring their step from the bench to the market. Finally, we will briefly discuss L-NV applications in nanomedicine, looking also for their future perspectives.This work was financially supported by MINECO (DGI), Spain, grants BE-WELL CTQ2013-40480-R, TERARMET (RTC-2014-2207-1), QUATFORFRAG (RTC-2014-2183-5) and UNDERLIPIDS (RTC-2015-3303-1), and by AGAUR, Generalitat de Catalunya, “Grant 2014-SGR-17“. N.G. acknowledges the European Commission (EC) (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-Initial Training Networks (ITN) ‘‘NANO2FUN’’ Project No. 607721) for their Postdoctoral contract. The authors appreciate support from LIPOCELL project financed by CIBER-BBN and Praxis Pharmaceuticals and also acknowledge the financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, through “Acciones CIBER”. The Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008–2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.Peer reviewe

Productividad, estado trófico y dinámica fitoplanctónica en la laguna Sauce Grande y su afluente homónimo (pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The shallow lake Sauce Grande is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires province. It is a widening of the Sauce Grande River that flows in and out of the lake. The aim of this study is to estimate for the first time the primary productivity (PP) of this lake and to contrast the physiochemical variables, phytoplankton structure and trophic status with those of its main tributary. Monthly samplings (April-September 2014) were performed in the middle basin of the river and on the coast of the lake. We recorded in situ physical and chemical parameters with a multisensor Horiba U-10. Phytoplankton samples were collected with a plankton net for the qualitative study and with plastic bottles for quantitative analysis.The greatest physicochemical differences corresponded to turbidity and conductivity with values of 581.3 NTU and 9 mS/cm for the lake and 17.7 and 1.7, for the river. The average PP in the lake was 252.1 mg C/m3.h. Cyanobacteria were the most abundant taxonomic group in both systems, although its abundance was greater in the shallow lake. The Carlson index, based on the concentration of chlorophyll a and total phosphorus, identifies the lake as eutrophic, while the river was classified as oligo-mesotrophic according to the same variables. Our results suggest that the Sauce Grande Lake is an autotrophic system with a highly productive metabolism. The remaining production becomes biomass and accumulates within the system, in the form of high levels of phytoplankton abundance, in particular a massive proliferation of Cyanobacteria.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse