The Effectiveness of Advanced Practice Nurses with Respect to Complex Chronic Wounds in the Management of Venous Ulcers

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced practice nurses with respect to complex chronic wounds (APN-CCWs) in the care of patients with venous ulcers. A multicentric, quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted without a control group in the sanitary management areas where the APN-CCW program is being piloted. The intervention consisted of a mass training of clinical nurses from the participating districts on the proper management of injuries and the use of compression therapy. The data were collected through a specifically constructed questionnaire with questions regarding descriptive variables of injuries and their treatment. A total of 643 professionals responded (response rate of 89.1%), attending to a total population of 707,814 inhabitants. An increase in multilayer bandage use by 15.67%, an increase in elastic bandage use by 13.24%, and a significant decrease in the referral of patients to consultation with hospital specialists was achieved, from 21.08% to 12.34%. The number of patients referred to the APNs was 13.25%, which implied a resolution rate of 94.08% of their injuries. In conclusion, the coordination by the APN-CCWs in patients with venous ulcers was effective in improving the continuity of care, in the optimization of resources, and in their care role

Technical Note: Design of a large variable temperature chamber for heat stress studies in rabbits

[EN] One of the major constraint factors for rabbit production consists of the environmental conditions and especially high temperatures that negatively affect reproduction and growth performance. For this reason, several studies have addressed the effects of heat stress and possible solutions to alleviate its impact on rabbit performance. This article describes the design and operating features of a large temperature chamber (13x4.7x3.1 m) configured to house 42 rabbits. The probes consisted of temperature sensor model DS2438 and humidity sensor model HIH-5031. The system was controlled by an Arduino platform programmed by its Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software. The system takes a decision every minute: it connects the heating if the temperature is lower than programmed and connects exhaust fans if the temperature is over the programmed setting. To renew the indoor air, every 5 min the system switches off the heating and switches on the exhaust fans for 15 sec. Two experiments (with and without animals) were carried out to test the temperature control accuracy. Firstly, without animals, two tests were performed: (i) adjusting the temperature of the climatic chamber to the control house temperature plus 10ºC and (ii) based on daily minimum (32ºC) and maximum (37ºC) temperatures. Secondly, with animals, does were maintained (i) between a daily minimum (32ºC) and maximum (37ºC) for 48 h and (ii) between a daily minimum (25ºC) and maximum (35ºC) temperatures for 105 d. Mortality rates were noted in both tests. The results of comparing the measured temperature deviation from programmed temperature reported a coefficient of determination of 0.9850 and 0.9947, for plus 10ºC and 32-37ºC curves, respectively. In the animal tests, the determination coefficients were 0.9926 and 0.9928 for programmed curve in the range of 32 to 37ºC and 0.9859, 0.9900 and 0.9901 for programmed curve in the range of 25 to 35ºC. Survival of females in the temperature chamber was as expected for reproductive rabbit does: 100 and 82% in the 2 and 105 d trials, respectively. Results indicate that the chamber provided precise temperature control for the development of heat stress studies in rabbits.This work was supported by the Spanish Research Project (CICYT AGL2008-03274) and the Spanish "Ministry of Science and Innovation" HAR2010-21944-C02-01 and HAR2010-21944-C02-02.García Diego, FJ.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Marco Jiménez, F. (2011). Technical Note: Design of a large variable temperature chamber for heat stress studies in rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 19(4). https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2011.938SWORD19

Interpersonal perceptions of adverse peer experiences in first-grade students

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify which adverse peer experiences better predict perceived negative peer relationships among elementary school first graders according to sex. The peer experiences examined were peer rejection, peer victimization, and mutual antipathy; the interpersonal perceptions studied were perceived peer victimization, dyadic meta-perception of peer disliking, and loneliness. Methods: The participants were 809 children (Mage = 6.4 years, SD = 0.32; ngirls = 412, 50.9%) enrolled in 35 first-grade classes from 15 schools in 4 Spanish regions: Valencia, n = 276, 34.1%; Balearic Islands, n = 140, 17.3%; Andalusia, n = 199, 24.6%; Castile-Leon, n = 194, 24%. We calculated sex differences in peer experiences and interpersonal perceptions by means of one-way ANOVA for means differences and Fisher’s r-to-z transformation for correlations differences. We used a multilevel regression analysis (nesting variables: class and region) to determine whether the associations between each peer experiences and each perception were unique. Results: Each adverse peer relationship predicted each interpersonal perception differentially. Peer victimization was a good predictor of the three interpersonal perceptions, and the only predictor of perceived peer victimization. Peer rejection predicted loneliness, whereas mutual antipathies predicted dyadic meta-perception of peer disliking, although more so among girls. A significant effect at region level was found but not at class level. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that research should take into account the different levels of the social peer system when analyzing peer experiences within the classroom context. The study contributes to sensitize teachers about the greater responsiveness of 6-year-old girls to adverse peer experiences, and it could be useful for designing interventions that would help children oppose rejection and empower active bystanders to fight against peer mistreatment.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España EDU2012-35930Universitat Jaume I P1-1A2012-0

Considerations on the physical and mechanical properties of lime-stabilized rammed earth walls and their evaluation by ultrasonic pulse velocity testing

This study examines the influence of moulding moisture content on the compressive strength, dry density and porosity of a rammed earth wall, using ultrasound as a complementary technique. Non-parametric and multivariate statistical techniques were applied to analyse the behaviour of variables with a sufficiently large population. The statistical analysis demonstrated that excessive or insufficient moulding moisture content directly determines the physical-mechanical properties of such walls. Ultrasound was confirmed as a valid technique for assessing the quality of a wall, since its response, albeit with certain limitations, was consistent with physical-mechanical properties

LPS Auto-Calibration Algorithm with Predetermination of Optimal Zones

Accurate coordinates for active beacons placed in the environment are required in Local Positioning Systems (LPS). These coordinates and the distances (or differences of distances) measured between the beacons and the mobile node to be localized are inputs to most trilateration algorithms. As a first approximation, such coordinates are obtained by means of manual measurements (a time-consuming and non-flexible method), or by using a calibration algorithm (i.e., automatic determination of beacon coordinates from ad hoc measurements). This paper presents a method to calibrate the beacons’ positions in a LPS using a mobile receiver. The method has been developed for both, spherical and hyperbolic trilateration. The location of only three test points must be known a priori, while the position of the other test points can be unknown. Furthermore, the paper describes a procedure to estimate the optimal positions, or approximate areas in the coverage zone, where the test-points necessary to calibrate the ultrasonic LPS should be placed. Simulation and experimental results show the improvement achieved when these optimal test-points are used instead of randomly selected ones

Niños y niñas en relación: amistades,enemistades y grupos en clave de género

Para este trabajo se han analizado las relaciones y grupos de interacción de 774 niños y niñasde 1º de Educación Primaria, una edad apenas contemplada en los estudios de redes sociales, pres-tando atención a las diferencias relacionadas con el sexo.Maccoby (1998) hacía referencia a niños y niñas como “dos mundos separados”. El estudio delas redes sociales infantiles en las últimas décadas muestra evidencias diversas de que la estructu-ra relacional difiere sustancialmente con el género. Niños y niñas interactúan entre sí con poca fre-cuencia como amigos o miembros de un mismo grupo. Así, las díadas de amistad más frecuentesson del mismo sexo, igual que ocurre con los grupos de juego. Por otra parte, las niñas suelen inte-ractuar en grupos de menor tamaño y los niños en grupos más numerosos. (Rose y Rudolph, 2006).Los resultados que se presentan en esta comunicación confirman estas diferencias en las afiliacio-nes de niños y niñas desde temprana edad, resaltándose la relevancia de seguir explorando lascaracterísticas propias de las afiliaciones entre niñas, entre niños y, aunque menos prevalentes, lasafiliaciones mixtas.¿Y qué ocurre con las relaciones conflictivas? El análisis de las díadas de enemistad muestra un patrón distinto para las díadas de aversión mutua, siendo las enemistades mixtas más frecuen-tes que las amistades entre niños y niñas. Otros estudios encuentran interacciones más negativasentre niños y niñas y sesgos perceptivos negativos hacia compañeros de juego de otro sexo(Rodkin, Pearl, Farmer y Van Acker, 2003; Underwood, Schockner y Hurley, 2001). Estos resultadossugieren que la baja prevalencia de amistades y grupos mixtos no implica necesariamente unaausencia de mirada hacia ese otro mundo del que habla Maccoby, sino interacciones menos satis-factorias. Se concluye que las enemistades pueden constituir un buen escenario para comprenderlas relaciones intergénero en la infancia, complementando el análisis de las relaciones e interaccio-nes positivas entre niños y niñasBoysandgirlsandrelationships.Friendships,enmitiesandgroupsfromagenderperspec-tive.In this work we analyzed the relationships and interaction groups of 774 children in 1stgradeelementary school, an age rarely present in social network studies, with a focus in gender differ-ences.Maccoby (1998) referred to boys and girls as “two separate worlds”. Children social networksstudies of the last decades show diverse evidence that the relational structure differs substantiallywith gender. Boys and girls interact with each other infrequently as friends or members of the samegroup. Thus, the most frequent friendships dyads are same-sex, and the same applies for play-groups. On the other hand, girls usually interact in smaller groups and children in larger ones (Roseand Rudolph, 2006). The results presented in this communication confirm these differences in theaffiliations of boys and girls from a young age, highlighting the importance of continuing to explorethe characteristics of affiliations between girls, between boys and, although less prevalent, mixedaffiliations.And what happens in negative relationships? The analysis of the enmity dyads shows that thedyads of mutual aversion display a different pattern, being the mixed enmities between boys andgirls more frequent than the friendship. Other studies find more negative interactions between boysand girls and negative perceptual biases towards other-sex playmates (Rodkin et al., 2003;Underwood, Schockner and Hurley, 2001). These results suggest that the low prevalence of friend-ships and mixed groups does not necessarily imply an absence of a look towards the other world asMaccoby said, but rather less satisfactory interactions. We conclude that enmity can be a good set-ting for understanding cross-gender relations in childhood, and complementing the analysis of pos-itive relationships and interactions between boys and girl

Meta-percepción social en primer curso de Educación Primaria: diferencias de género

Ser consciente de las atracciones y rechazos que uno suscita en los compañeros-as de clase esesencial para poder ajustar el propio comportamiento durante las interacciones con los iguales. Elobjetivo de este estudio es conocer los errores de subestimación y sobreestimación que cometenlos niños y niñas al identificar los iguales que los aceptan o los rechazan. Los errores pueden ser decuatro tipos: subestimación positiva y negativa, sobreestimación positiva y negativa. La subestima-ción consiste en omitir mencionar que un determinado compañero nos ha nominado, positivamen-te o negativamente. A la inversa, la sobreestimación consiste en creer que un determinado compa-ñero-a nos ha nominado, positivamente o negativamente, cuando en realidad no lo ha hecho. La muestra estudiada se compone de 809 niños-as (51.3% chicas), que respondieron a un cues-tionario de nominaciones sociométricas al inicio de primer curso de educación primaria (Edadmedia: 6.4 años). Los niños y niñas fueron clasificados sociométricamente en promedios-as, prefe-ridos-as, rechazados-as, controvertidos-as e ignorados-as.Los resultados indican altos porcentajes de errores de metapercepciones sociales, tanto en los chicos como en las chicas. Sin embargo, se observan diferencias de género: las niñas tienen menossubestimación negativa que los niños. Además, las frecuencias de errores cometidos por chicos ychicas varían en función del tipo sociométrico. En general, en los cuatro tipos de errores, los por-centajes de errores cometidos por las chicas son más bajos que en los chicos, independientemen-te de su tipo sociométrico.A esta corta edad, parece que las chicas perciben más, o saben interpretar mejor, las pistassociales que los chicos. Más concretamente, parece que las chicas son más sensibles a las mues-tras de rechazo de los compañeros-as, lo que hace que fallan menos que los chicos en omisión derechazadores.Socialmetaperceptioninfirstgradeprimaryeducation.Genderdifferences.Being aware ofthe attraction and rejection that one arouses in classmates is essential to be able to adjust one’sbehavior during peer interactions. The objective of this study is to know the errors of underestima-tion and overestimation that children make when identifying the peers who accept or reject them.These errors can be of four types: positive and negative underestimation, positive and negative over-estimation. To underestimate is to omit mentioning being nominated by a certain peer, positively ornegatively. Inversely, overestimation consists in believing that one has been nominated by a certainpeer, positively or negatively, when in reality that peer has not done so.The sample used consisted of 809 children (51.3% girls), who answered a sociometric nomi-nations questionnaire at the beginning of first grade of primary education (Average age: 6.4 years).Boys and girls were classified sociometrically into average, preferred, rejected, controversial andneglected children.The results indicate high percentages of errors of social metaperceptions, both in boys and girls.However, gender differences are observed: girls display less negative underestimation than boys. Inaddition, the frequencies of errors committed by boys and girls vary depending on the sociometrictype. In general, in the four types of errors, the percentages of errors committed by girls are lowerthan those committed by boys, regardless of their sociometric status.At this young age, it seems that girls perceive more accurately, or know better how to interpretsocial cues than boys. More specifically, it seems that girls are more sensitive to peer rejectionsigns, which makes them fail less than boys in omission of rejecters