Environmental Attitudes in The Lord of the Rings

Este trabajo analiza los tipos de relaciones que se dan entre los personajes de El señor de los anillos, novela escrita por J. R. R. Tolkien (1954-55), y el medioambiente. Se consideran las experiencias de Tolkien como amante de la naturaleza en un país cada vez más industrializado; no obstante, teniendo en cuenta que su intención como escritor se basaba en la ‘aplicabilidad’, o la libertad del lector para interpretar las obras fantásticas en su propio contexto, se analiza la obra desde un punto de vista ecocrítico, interpretando la Tierra Media como una civilización abocada al fracaso debido a la industrialización descontrolada y la subsiguiente devastación de la tierra. Desde esta perspectiva, este trabajo dibuja paralelismos entre el mundo fantástico del autor y nuestro mundo real y presente, estableciendo similitudes entre los dos en términos de sostenibilidad, medioambiente y limitación de los recursos naturales. Así, comparando los comportamientos hacia el medioambiente de los hobbits, los elfos, los ents y Tom Bombadil, en contraste con aquellos de Saruman, Sauron, los orcos y Gollum, el lector puede observar los peligros derivados del abuso y maltrato del mundo natural, que constituye uno de los problemas más serios y alarmantes de nuestra sociedad

Depresión y ansiedad en pacientes hospitalizados en el servicio de Medicina Interna del Hospital Escuela Universitario de Honduras

Antecedentes y objetivo: La hospitalización no siempre es bien asimilada por los pacientes, generan-do síntomas de depresión y ansiedad. Considerando esto, el presente estudio analizó la prevalencia de síntomas de depresión y ansiedad, y su relación, en pacientes del servicio de Medicina Interna del Hospital Escuela Universitario (HEU), en Honduras. Además, se compararon los puntajes de ansiedad y depresión en base al sexo, presencia de hábitos tóxicos y experiencias previas de hospitalización de los informantes. Materiales y métodos: La investigación se enmarcó en un enfoque cuantitativo, no experimental, de corte trasversal. Tomando una muestra de 92 pacientes de las salas de Medicina Interna del HEU. La información se recolectó por medio del Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente-9 (PHQ-9), la Escala del Trastorno de Ansiedad Generalizada-7 (GAD-7) y una ficha de datos sociodemográficos. Resultados: El 67.4% de los pacientes presentó algún grado de sintomatología depresiva, siendo prevalentes los síntomas moderados (29.3%). El 51.1% de los pacientes presentaba ansiedad, predo-minando los síntomas leves (29.3%). Existe relación moderada, pero significativa, entre la depresión y la ansiedad de los evaluados. No se encontró diferencia significativa en los puntajes de depresión y ansiedad según el sexo del informante, la presencia de hábitos tóxicos o las experiencias previas de hospitalización. Conclusiones: Es necesario que los entes de salud pública realicen abordajes integra-les, en donde no sólo se enfatice el componente fisiológico, sino, además, el bienestar psicológico en pacientes no-psiquiátricos hospitalizadosBackground and purpose: Hospitalization is not always well assimilated by individuals, producing anxiety and depression. However, these psychological reactions in hospitalized patients may be unde-restimated and not considered in treatment or recuperation processes. Considering this, the purpose of this study was to analyze the dynamic between depression and anxiety in patients of the Internal Medicine department of the Hospital Escuela Universitario (HEU), in Honduras. Additionally, anxie-ty and depression scores were compared regarding the respondent’s sex, toxic habits, and previous hospitalizations. Materials and methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional research method was used, taking a simple random sample of 92 patients from the Internal Medicine rooms of the HEU. Anxiety was measured through the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire (GAD-7) and depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9), demographic data was also collected by the researchers. Results: 67.4% of the patients presented some degree of depressive symptoms, particularly at a moderate level (29.3%). On the other hand, 51.1% of the patients presen-ted anxiety -at some level- with moderate symptoms being the most predominant (29.3%). Results suggest a moderate significant statistic relationship between depression and anxiety scores. No statis-tically significant difference was found in depression and anxiety scores regarding the respondent’s sex, presence of toxic habits or history of previous hospitalizations. Conclusions: Public health services should promote holistic approaches which not only rely on a physiological perspective, but also on the psychological wellbeing of non-psychiatric hospitalized patient

Fatores psicológicos associados ao risco de suicídio em estudantes universitários em Honduras

Suicide risk is defined as the possibility of a person deliberately taking his/her own life; this is considered a self-destructive behavior with multifactorial causes. This research aimed to determine the psychological factors associated with suicide risk in university students. This was done through a quantitative, non-experimental approach. The sample consisted of 1696 undergraduate students, 54.7% female and 43.6% male students. Questionnaires were applied to evaluate meaning in life, depression, hope, loneliness, interpersonal support, and suicide risk. The results indicated that 50% of the participants reported never having suicidal thoughts. However, 26.8 % had had a passing thought about committing suicide, 9.9% had thought of a specific (but unexecuted) plan to commit suicide, 5.8% reported a previous suicide attempt without the intention of actually committing suicide, 5% had made plans to take their own life with a real intention to commit the act, and 2.4% had made at least one suicide attempt with a desire to die. Results indicate that there is a significant inverse relation between suicide risk and hope, the presence and search for a meaning in life, and interpersonal support. However, a higher suicide risk is positively correlated with loneliness and depression. These results are discussed according to their implications in clinical practice.El riesgo suicida es definido como la posibilidad de que una persona atente deliberadamente contra su vida y se considera una conducta autodestructiva de causas multifactoriales. El propósito de esta investigación fue determinar los factores psicológicos asociados al riesgo suicida en estudiantes universitarios. Esto se realizó por medio de un enfoque cuantitativo no experimental. La muestra estuvo conformada por 1696 estudiantes de pregrado, 54.7 % correspondiente al sexo femenino y 43.6 % al masculino. Se aplicaron escalas para evaluar sentido de la vida, depresión, esperanza, soledad, apoyo interpersonal y riesgo suicida. Los resultados indicaron que el 50% de la muestra reportó nunca haber tenido pensamientos suicidas.  Sin embargo, el 26.8 % tuvo un pensamiento pasajero al respecto; el 9.9 % planeó quitarse la vida, pero no lo intentó; el 5.8 % realizó un intento suicida sin intención real de concretar el acto, el 5 % hizo planes para quitarse la vida con intención real de concretar el acto; y el 2.4 % efectuó intentos suicidas con deseos de morir. Se evidenció que existe una relación inversa significativa entre el riesgo suicida y la esperanza, presencia y búsqueda de sentido de la vida y apoyo interpersonal. No obstante, los individuos con mayor riesgo suicida poseen puntajes más altos en soledad y depresión. Estos resultados se discuten desde sus implicaciones en el ejercicio clínico.O risco de suicídio é definido como a possibilidade de uma pessoa deliberadamente atentar contra sua vida, considerando-o como um comportamento autodestrutivo com causas multifatoriais. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar os fatores psicológicos associados ao risco de suicídio em estudantes universitários. Isso foi feito por meio de uma abordagem quantitativa, não experimental. A amostra foi composta por 1696 alunos de graduação, sendo 54.7% do sexo feminino e 43.6% do sexo masculino. Foram aplicadas escalas para avaliar o sentido de vida, depressão, esperança, solidão, apoio interpessoal e risco de suicídio. Os resultados indicaram que 50% da amostra relatou nunca ter tido pensamentos suicidas. No entanto, 26.8% tiveram um pensamento passageiro sobre isso, 9.9% planejaram se matar, mas não tentaram; 5.8% fizeram uma tentativa de suicídio sem real intenção de realizar o ato, 5% fizeram planos para tirar a própria vida com real intenção de realizar o ato e 2.4% fizeram tentativas de suicídio com desejo de morrer. Evidenciou-se que existe uma relação inversa significativa entre risco de suicídio e esperança, presença e busca de sentido na vida e apoio interpessoal. No entanto, indivíduos com maior risco de suicídio apresentam pontuações mais altas em solidão e depressão. Esses resultados são discutidos a partir de suas implicações na prática clínica

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Flourishing Scale in the Honduran population

Studying Flourishing is important to understand wellbeing. The current study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Flourishing Scale (FS) in the Honduran population. The primary sample consisted of 422 residents of the Central District of Honduras; this included 275 (65.17%) women and 147 men (34.83%). Their average age was 28.18 years (SD = 10.58). Findings from the Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis support a unidimensional factor structure. The FS achieved a high internal consistency with McDonald’s ω = 0.89, 95% CI [0.86, 0.91]. The average inter-item correlation was 0.48, 95% CI [0.43, 0.53]. Using Student’s t-test for paired samples, results indicate that none of the FS items varied significantly between baseline and post-test. Additionally, Spearman’s rho was used to correlate test–retest scores; this yielded a statistically significant correlation coefficient of 0.66. The Flourishing Scale had adequate convergent validity with the Subjective Happiness Scale (r = 0.70) and the PANAS-Positive Affect Subscale (r = 0.70) (p < 0.001). In contrast, it correlates inversely with the PANAS-Negative Affect Subscale (r = −0.34) and the PHQ-9 (r = −0.51). Strict measurement invariance for sex was supported. The results indicate that the Flourishing Scale has robust psychometric properties for the Honduran population. Practical implications for public policy are discussed

Phosphate control over nitrogen metabolism in Streptomyces coelicolor: direct and indirect negative control of glnR, glnA, glnII and amtB expression by the response regulator PhoP

Bacterial growth requires equilibrated concentration of C, N and P sources. This work shows a phosphate control over the nitrogen metabolism in the model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor. Phosphate control of metabolism in Streptomyces is exerted by the two component system PhoR-PhoP. The response regulator PhoP binds to well-known PHO boxes composed of direct repeat units (DRus). PhoP binds to the glnR promoter, encoding the major nitrogen regulator as shown by EMSA studies, but not to the glnRII promoter under identical experimental conditions. PhoP also binds to the promoters of glnA and glnII encoding two glutamine synthetases, and to the promoter of the amtB-glnK-glnD operon, encoding an ammonium transporter and two putative nitrogen sensing/regulatory proteins. Footprinting analyses revealed that the PhoP-binding sequence overlaps the GlnR boxes in both glnA and glnII. ‘Information theory’ quantitative analyses of base conservation allowed us to establish the structure of the PhoP-binding regions in the glnR, glnA, glnII and amtB genes. Expression studies using luxAB as reporter showed that PhoP represses the above mentioned nitrogen metabolism genes. A mutant deleted in PhoP showed increased expression of the nitrogen metabolism genes. The possible conservation of phosphate control over nitrogen metabolism in other microorganisms is discussed

Target genes and structure of the direct repeats in the DNA-binding sequences of the response regulator PhoP in Streptomyces coelicolor

Expression of genes belonging to the pho regulon in Streptomyces coelicolor is positively regulated (as shown by comparing the wild-type and a ΔphoP mutant) by binding of the response regulator PhoP to 11-nt direct repeats (DRus). These sequences have been found in over 100 genes of Streptomyces coelicolor; 20 of them were cloned and the binding of PhoPDBD to most of their promoters has been shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Deletion experiments showed that at least two DRus are required for proper binding of PhoPDBD. Deletion of 1 nt leaving a 10-nt direct repeat reduced drastically binding of PhoPDBD. Three different types of operators have been identified. Complex operators (class III) contain up to six DRus, some of them with poor conservation of the 11-nt consensus sequence, which however were protected by PhoPDBD in footprinting analyses. A cooperative binding of PhoPDBD molecules initiated at conserved core DRus appears to be the mechanism involved in binding of several PhoPDBD monomers to those complex operators. The information theory-based model that incorporates the positive or negative contribution to the binding of PhoPDBD of adjacent sequences has been used to deduce the structure of PHO boxes and the relevance of each DRu

Medical students maintain their humanistic and patient‑centred vocation throughout Medicine Degree in Spain: a study based on narratives

Narrative medicine has great educational potential in the degree of medicine. This study explores for the frst time the use of narrative medicine in relation to longitudinal evolution of medical vocation for the same group of students. In the context of the Degree in Medicine at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), students wrote narratives about what it meant to them to be a doctor at the beginning and end of their studies. The narratives of 338 students of the academic years 2012/13– 2017/18 and 2013/14–2018/19 were analysed and compared. Students mostly pursued a degree in medicine on account of humanistic motivations, which are reinforced throughout their degree. In contrast, up to 10% of students reference to have experienced vocational crises and sufered frustration, with up to 25% of the references pertaining to having made signifcant sacrifces. Students maintain and evolve their humanistic, patient-centred vision throughout their degree studies, despite the difculties they appear to encounter. We suggest that eforts must be made to include more humanistic perspectives in the medical degree to keep this trend, which may improve both the educational experience created in universities and the health care given to patient

Exploring Attitudes Toward “Sugar Relationships” Across 87 Countries: A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship

The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia

Predictors of Enhancing Human Physical Attractiveness: Data from 93 Countries

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending \u3e10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, right-wing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives

Predictors of enhancing human physical attractiveness: Data from 93 countries

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending >10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, right-wing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives