Estudi de l’ansietat i l’estrès en la població d’estudiants de Balears. Relació amb el rendimient acadèmic

Es van seleccionar un total d’onze instituts públics. Un total de 471 alumnes de segon de batxillerat van participar en l’estudi. Es van utilitzar qüestionaris d’estrès i ansietat validats. També es van fer entrevistes amb orientadores, tutores i caps d’estudis per obtenir informació del rendiment acadèmic dels alumnes i obtenir dades sobre la presència d’alumnes amb problemàtica de tipus personal i familiar. Els resultats mostren un increment molt significatiu de l’ansietat estat (reacció de caràcter situacional) al final de curs en comparació amb el principi de curs i una ansietat tret (ansietat general, característica de personalitat) que es manté constant al llarg del curs. En el cas de l’estrès, s’hi veu un increment significatiu tant en el cas de l’estrès recent com de l’estrès general. Les dones presenten uns nivells d’ansietat i estrès significativament superiors als nivells dels homes. S’observa que nivells elevats d’ansietat es relacionen de manera significativa amb un pitjor rendiment acadèmic. Ara bé, les dones no obtenen un pitjor rendiment que els homes malgrat que tenen un nivell d’ansietat més elevat que ells. Pel que fa a la relació entre l’estrès i el rendiment acadèmic, els resultats són significatius únicament al principi de curs. Sembla que cert nivell d’estrès pot ser positiu per al rendiment o, almenys, no interfereix en aquest rendiment. Pel que fa al component emocional de l’ansietat, s’ha observat que té una inuència negativa en tots els casos. Aquells alumnes que presenten problemes personals o familiars manifesten un nivell d’ansietat tret, ansietat estat, estrès recent i estrès general superior respecte d’aquells alumnes que no presenten problemes personals o familiars. També presenten un pitjor expedient acadèmic.Se seleccionaron un total de once institutos públicos. Un total de 471 alumnos de segundo de bachillerato participaron en el estudio. Se utilizaron cuestionarios de estrés y ansiedad validados. También se realizaron entrevistas con orientadoras, tutoras y jefes de estudios para obtener información del rendimiento académico de los alumnos y obtener datos sobre la presencia de alumnos con problemática de tipo personal y familiar. Los resultados muestran un incremento muy significativo de la ansiedad estado (reacción de carácter situacional) al final de curso con respecto al principio de curso y una ansiedad rasgo (ansiedad general, característica de personalidad) que se mantiene constante a lo largo del curso. En el caso del estrés hay un incremento significativo tanto en el caso del estrés reciente como del estrés general. Las mujeres presentan unos niveles de ansiedad y estrés significativamente superiores a los niveles de los hombres. Se observa que niveles elevados de ansiedad se relacionan de manera significativa con un peor rendimiento académico. Sin embargo las mujeres no obtienen un peor rendimiento que los hombres a pesar de tener un mayor nivel de ansiedad que ellos. Al considerar la relación entre el estrés y el rendimiento académico, los resultados son significativos únicamente al principio del curso. Parece que cierto nivel de estrés puede ser positivo para el rendimiento o, por lo menos, no interfiere en este rendimiento. En relación con el componente emocional de la ansiedad, se ha observado que ejerce una influencia negativa en todos los casos. Aquellos alumnos que presentan problemas personales o familiares mani!estan un nivel de ansiedad rasgo, ansiedad estado, estrés reciente y estrés general superior respecto a aquellos alumnos que no presentan problemas personales o familiares. También presentan un peor expediente académico

Spiritual Flavours: Reflections on using creative practice to explore food and religion in a multi-faith suburb

This practice-related doctoral research comparatively investigates the relationship between food and religious material practices of several faith communities in Ealing, a suburb in West London. These include a Synagogue, a Sri Lankan Hindu Temple, a mosque, a Sikh Gurdwara, an Anglican church, a multicultural Roman Catholic church and an ethnically diverse Pentecostal church. The research is centred around the development of an arts project, Spiritual Flavours, which comprises a photographic series, a twenty-eight-minute film and a recipe photobook. Whilst the photographic series uses a formal approach to explore the spatial arrangements of commensality within religious buildings, the photobook and the film focus on personal narratives, bringing together a diverse range of intimate experiences of food and spirituality across both domestic and worship spaces. The film also produces a rhythmic and multi-sensory experience by creating visual and sonic synchronies and asynchronies across the three main protagonists through the use of the split-screen technique and the creative mixing of sounds of cooking and prayer. With a very interdisciplinary approach, drawing from visual cultures, cultural studies, and social sciences, the thesis analyses the kinds of knowledge that each of these visual elements produce individually and combined. Here, it specifically draws on literatures on material religion, on food, memory and the senses, and on performativity, to explore the centrality of food in everyday religious practices in ways that are inseparable from the material practices involved in the creative process itself. This forms the basis for further analysis of the way the project produces ‘multifaith’ understandings of culinary religious practices as sensory, affective and embodied (spiritual) practices; as well how these intersect with other personal and socio-cultural dimensions, such as experiences of migration, identity, home and community. This research also develops an original exploration of the opportunities and challenges of visual practice as research practice. It contributes to understandings of participatory creative methodologies in how its outputs produce new multi-faith relationships and disseminate research knowledge that is accountable and meaningful to the participants and communities involved, as well as wider audience

Research directions for kidney stone disease

Kidney stone disease poses a major burden to patients and healthcare systems around the world. The formation of kidney stones may occur over months or years, but many patients are diagnosed at a late stage, suffer excruciating pain, and require surgical intervention to physically remove the stones. The prevalence of kidney stones has increased during recent decades to over 10% in many developed countries, suggesting a link with environmental and behavioral factors. Recurrence rates are also high. In terms of their impact and scale, kidney stones are an ongoing pandemic. The causes and mechanisms of kidney stone formation are diverse and often unknown, resulting in varied compositions and different anatomical locations being affected. A better understanding of these processes could enable earlier diagnoses through more sensitive and scalable biomarkers, as well as more effective preventives and therapeutics

Factors affecting calcium oxalate dihydrate fragmented calculi regrowth

BACKGROUND: The use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) to treat calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) renal calculi gives excellent fragmentation results. However, the retention of post-ESWL fragments within the kidney remains an important health problem. This study examined the effect of various urinary conditions and crystallization inhibitors on the regrowth of spontaneously-passed post-ESWL COD calculi fragments. METHODS: Post-ESWL COD calculi fragments were incubated in chambers containing synthetic urine varying in pH and calcium concentration: pH = 5.5 normocalciuria (3.75 mM), pH = 5.5 hypercalciuria (6.25 mM), pH = 6.5 normocalciuria (3.75 mM) or pH = 6.5 hypercalciuria (6.25 mM). Fragment growth was evaluated by measuring increases in weight. Fragment growth was standardized by calculating the relative mass increase. RESULTS: Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals formed on COD renal calculi fragments under all conditions. Under pH = 5.5 normocalciuria conditions, only COM crystals formed (growth rate = 0.22 ± 0.04 μg/mg·h). Under pH = 5.5 hypercalciuria and under pH = 6.5 normocalciuria conditions, COM crystals and a small number of new COD crystals formed (growth rate = 0.32 ± 0.03 μg/mg·h and 0.35 ± 0.05 μg/mg·h, respectively). Under pH = 6.5 hypercalciuria conditions, large amounts of COD, COM, hydroxyapatite and brushite crystals formed (growth rate = 3.87 ± 0. 34 μg/mg·h). A study of three crystallization inhibitors demonstrated that phytate completely inhibited fragment growth (2.27 μM at pH = 5.5 and 4.55 μM at pH = 6.5, both under hypercalciuria conditions), while 69.0 μM pyrophosphate caused an 87% reduction in mass under pH = 6.5 hypercalciuria conditions. In contrast, 5.29 mM citrate did not inhibit fragment mass increase under pH = 6.5 hypercalciuria conditions. CONCLUSION: The growth rate of COD calculi fragments under pH = 6.5 hypercalciuria conditions was approximately ten times that observed under the other three conditions. This observation suggests COD calculi residual fragments in the kidneys together with hypercalciuria and high urinary pH values may be a risk factor for stone growth. The study also showed the effectiveness of specific crystallization inhibitors in slowing calculi fragment growth

Pathological mineralization of calcium phosphate

Based on the study of non-infected calcium phosphate renal calculi, solid concretions formed in simulated body fluid and calcific deposits formed in human aortic valves, two different mechanisms of hydroxyapatite (HAP) formation are described. In a mechanism, the formation of spherical HAP particles takes place via aggregation of Posner’s clusters present in the liquid, after reaching a certain size gradually settled in the liquid and became incorporated into developing concretion. In the other mechanism, the microcolumnar HAP crystals were nucleated on randomly distributed detritus of organic origin embedded in the compact phase. Keywords: Biological hydroxyapatite, formation mechanism, renal calculi, aortic valve, body fluidBasándonos en estudios de los cálculos renales no infecciosos, concreciones sólidas obtenidas in vitro utilizando fluidos biológicos simulados y depósitos calcificados formados en válvulas aórticas humanas, se describen dos mecanismos diferentes que explican el desarrollo de la hidroxiapatita (HAP). En uno de los mecanismos, la formación de nanopartículas esféricas de HAP tiene lugar a través de la agregación de macroespecies de Posner presentes en el líquido, que a su vez se agrupan mediante nucleación superficial formando concreciones de mayor tamaño. En el otro mecanismo, la formación de cristales microcolumnares de HAP tiene lugar mediante procesos de nucleación heterogénea sobre detritus de materia orgánica localizados en espacios confinados y poco irrigados. Palabras clave: Hidroxiapatita biológica, mecanismo de formación, cálculo renal, vávula aórtica, fluido biológic

A brief history of a restless vision: seismological research in Venezuela

Seismological research in Venezuela has managed to survive in the Twentieth century in spite of having produced only two catalogues for public consultation in a period of sixty years, the last of them being published in 1999. However, great investigators, national and foreign, gave their best years to scientific knowledge. Through their restlessness and attitudes, the perspective of the science of earthquakes was constructed. Watching through their eyes, and by means of the 1812 earthquakes, the most controversial and important in this country, the history of the Venezuelan seismology is revealed in this paper. Amidst discussions and ruins, opening footpaths on destructive earthquakes, Venezuelan seismology began to build its own vision

Estudio de la influencia de la ansiedad y el estrés en el rendimiento académico vs. la influencia del rendimiento académico en los niveles de ansiedad y estrés

Amb l'objectiu de conèixer més bé la relació entre ansietat/estrès i rendiment acadèmic, es varen avaluar un total de 471 estudiants que cursaven segon de batxillerat en instituts públics de Palma, Calvià i s’Arenal. Amb aquesta finalitat es varen utilitzar qüestionaris validats d'ansietat i estrès: l'STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire) i el PSQ (Perceived Stress Questionnaire). Ambdós qüestionaris es varen passar a principi i a final de curs. També es varen realitzar entrevistes amb els orientadors, tutors i/o caps d'estudis dels alumnes avaluats, amb la finalitat d'obtenir informació sobre el seu rendiment acadèmic. Es va valorar la influència de l’ansietat i l’estrès en el rendiment acadèmic i la influència de l’expedient acadèmic en els nivells d’ansietat i estrès amb la finalitat d’estudiar la direcció de la relació (observar si existeix una relació unidireccional o bidireccional). Els resultats indiquen (de manera estadísticament significativa) que el grup d’alumnes que presenta nivells inferiors d’ansietat mostra un expedient acadèmic més bo que els alumnes amb grau d’ansietat més alt, els quals presenten un expedient acadèmic més dolent. En el cas de l’estrès, els resultats són significatius únicament a principi de curs, quan existeix relació entre estrès i rendiment acadèmic (com més elevat és l’estrès, més dolent resulta l’expedient acadèmic), però no a final de curs, quan el nivell d’estrès no influeix de manera significativa en el rendiment acadèmic. D’altra banda, en valorar la influència de l’expedient acadèmic en els nivells d’ansietat i estrès, sobretot s'observen diferències en l’ansietat-tret (quan més bo és l'expedient acadèmic és quan l’ansietat-tret és més baixa) i en l’estrès general (subjectes que tenen un expedient més bo presenten menys estrès general). En el cas de l’ansietat-estat, només s’observen diferències a final de curs (els alumnes amb molt bon expedient acadèmic presenten nivells inferiors d'ansietat respecte dels altres grups de manera estadísticament significativa i els alumnes amb un mal expedient presenten nivells superiors d’ansietat). En el cas de l’estrès recent, només a principi de curs i de manera molt ajustada existeixen diferències significatives en els expedients acadèmics (a final de curs no apareixen diferències estadísticament significatives, no hi ha relació entre les notes acadèmiques i el nivell d’estrès). En conclusió, respecte de la discussió de si és l'ansietat/estrès el que influeix en un mal rendiment acadèmic o bé és el mal rendiment acadèmic el que influeix en nivells d'ansietat/estrès, encara que s’observa que la relació existeix en els dos sentits, les dades donen suport de manera clara al fet que els nivells d’ansietat i estrès elevats afecten de manera negativa el rendiment; no obstant això, quan s'observa la relació inversa, el rendiment acadèmic no es relaciona de manera tan significativa amb nivells més alts d'ansietat-estat o estrès recent, però sí que existeix una relació entre un mal rendiment acadèmic i la manifestació de nivells elevats d'ansietat/estrès com un tret propi de l’individu.In order to know the relationship between anxiety/stress and academic performance were assessed a total of 471 students enrolled in last course in state secondary schools from Palma, Calvia and Arenal (Spain). For this purpose were used validated questionnaires of anxiety and stress, STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire) and PSQ (Perceived Stress Questionnaire). Both questionnaires were passed at the beginning and end of the year. Were also conducted interviews with the guidelines and/or tutors and/or heads of studies of the students surveyed, with the purpose of obtaining information about their academic performance. We evaluated the influence of anxiety and stress on academic achievement and influence of record on levels of anxiety and stress in order to study the direction of the relationship (to see if there is a unidirectional or bidirectional link). The results indicate that (in a statistically significant way) the group of students presenting lower levels of anxiety shows a better academic record than those students with higher anxiety, which, in turn, have a worse academic record. In the case of stress, the results are significant only at the beginning of the course, when there is a relation between stress and academic performance (the higher the stress, the worse appears to be the academic record), but not at the end of the course, when the level of stress doesn’t significantly influence academic performance. Furthermore, in assessing the influence of the academic record in the levels of anxiety and stress, we especially observed differences in trait-anxiety (the better the academic record, the lower trait-anxiety) and general stress (subjects who have a better academic record they have lower stress). For the anxiety-state, differences are observed only at the end of the course (students with good academic record have lower levels of anxiety than the other groups, in a statistically meaningful way, and students with a poor academic record have higher levels of anxiety). In the case of the recent stress, only at the beginning of the academic year, there are significant differences in academic records (at the end of the course, differences are not statistically significant, there is no relationship between the academic marks and the level of stress). In conclusion, on the discussion of whether the anxiety/stress influences the poor academic performance or whether poor academic performance influences the levels of anxiety/stress, while noting that the relationship exists in both directions, data support clearly that high levels of anxiety and stress adversely affect academic performance; however, when noting the inverse relationship, academic performance is not so significantly associated with higher levels of state-anxiety or situational stress, but we can state that there is a relationship between poor academic performance and the existence of high levels of anxiety/stress as a feature peculiar to the individual

Effect of consuming a grape seed supplement with abundant phenolic compounds on the oxidative status of healthy human volunteers

et al.[Background]: Diverse enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants provide protection against reactive oxygen species in humans and other organisms. The nonenzymatic antioxidants include low molecular mass molecules such as plant-derived phenols. [Aim of study]: This study identified the major phenolic compounds of a grape seed extract by HPLC and analyzed the effect of consumption of biscuits enriched with this extract on the urinary oxidative status of healthy subjects by measurement of urine redox potential. [Methods]: The major phenolic compounds were characterized in a red grape seed extract separated by HPLC with detection by a photodiode array (PDA), fluorescence (FL) and quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS). A nutritional study in a healthy volunteers group was done. Each volunteer ate eight traditional biscuits with no red grape seed extract supplementation. The second day each volunteer ate eight traditional biscuits supplemented with 0.6 % (wt/wt) of grape seed extract. An overnight urine sample was obtained for each treatment. The redox potential was measured at 25 °C using a potentiometer in each urine sample. [Results]: Epicatechin, catechin, procyanidin dimers B1 to B4, and the procyanidin trimer C2 were the major phenolic components in the extract. Epicatechin gallate and procyanidin dimers B1-3-G and B2-3′-G were the major galloylated flavan-3-ols. The forty-six healthy volunteers each shown a reduction of the urine redox potential after the treatment by traditional biscuits supplemented with the grape seed extract. [Conclusions]: This simple dietary intervention significantly reduced (33 %) the urine redox potential, reflecting an overall increase in antioxidant status. Incorporation of plant-derived phenols in the diet may increase anti-oxidative status.This work was supported by grant CTQ2010-18271 from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Gobierno de España), by FEDER funds (European Union), and by grant 9/2011 from the Conselleria d’Educació, Cultura i Universitat (Govern de les Illes Balears). CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain, also provided support.Peer Reviewe