Predictores de la calidad de vida en personas mayores europeas: un modelo multigrupo basado en SHARE

The objective of this research is to analyze several predictors of quality of life in aging people in different European regions. This is a cross-sectional study with the sixth wave of the SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe). Several sociodemographic and economic indicators were utilized, as well as the CASP-12 (QoL), EURO-D (depressive symptoms) and SPHEU (self-perceived health). Analysis were performed by structural equation modelling techniques. Ten multigroup models were estimated. Results showed significative difference in the predictive capacity in all variables except for chronic diseases. The best predictor of quality of life in all European regions was absence of depression, followed by income, and self-perceived health. No significative differences among the predictive capacity of the number of chronic diseases was found among the assessed groups, although, perceiving ones’ health as good and being able to make ends meet were heavy predictors of quality of life.El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar los predictores de la calidad de vida en personas mayores en diferentes regiones europeas. Se trata de un estudio transversal con la sexta olea del proyecto SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe). Se utilizaron varios indicadores sociodemográficos y económicos, así como el CASP- 12 (QoL), EURO-D (síntomas depresivos) y SPHEU (salud autopercibida). Los análisis se realizaron mediante técnicas de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales. Se estimaron diez modelos multimuestra. Los resultados mostraron diferencia significativa en la capacidad predictiva en todas las variables excepto en las enfermedades crónicas. El mejor predictor de la calidad de vida en todas las regiones europeas fue la ausencia de depresión, seguido de los ingresos y la salud autopercibida. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre la capacidad predictiva del número de enfermedades crónicas entre los grupos evaluados, aunque tener una buena salud se muestra como un factor importante para la calidad de vida. Nuestros resultados sugieren que, aunque la calidad de vida podría predecirse de manera desigual por diferentes factores en las cuatro regiones europeas, todos coinciden en estos tres factores principales: ausencia de depresión, ingresos y salud autopercibida. Estos hallazgos podrían ser útiles para desarrollar políticas personalizadas dirigidas a los principales factores para la mejora de la calidad de vida con el fin de promover un envejecimiento exitoso.

Method Effects Associated to Item Valence: Evidence From the 10-Item Big-Five Inventory in Older Adults

The objective of this study is to analyze the factor structure of the BFI-10 considering item valence effects when applied to measure older adults. Likewise, this study aims to estimate the factorial structure, internal consistency of the scale, to assess the nomological validity, and the association of the Big Five traits with age. 75,078 participants with mean age of 68.27 from the 7th Wave of the SHARE study were included. Confirmatory Factor Analyses, omega coefficients and Pearson correlations were estimated. The best-fit model identified a five-factor structure with two valence effects, internal consistency ranged from .26 to .64, the nomological network showed that loneliness is negatively associated to neuroticism and positively with the other four traits, and the opposite direction in the associations with the five traits and satisfaction and quality of life. Consciousness, Extraversion and Openness have been found as dimensions that tend to decrease with age

Propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Capital Psicológico (PCQ-12) en estudiantes de secundaria dominicanos

This research aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the 12-item Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12) in secondary school students from the Dominican Republic. The questionnaire was completed by a total of 708 students aged 11 to 19 (M = 15.49 years; SD = 1.58), with 64.7% being females. Through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFAs), the different dimensionalities proposed in the previous literature were tested and the structure of four factors with a second-order factor was retained. Next, the reliability of the dimensions was studied and problems in optimism were identified, especially, in resilience. The second-order structure showed to be invariant to the students’ gender, supporting its absence of gender bias. Consequently, the present study supports the use of the scale to measure the Psychological Capital as a second-order construct, but calls for the development of research that improves the measuring of resilience.El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Capital Psicológico PCQ-12 en estudiantes de educación secundaria de República Dominicana. El cuestionario fue completado por un total de 708 estudiantes de entre 11 y 19 años (M = 15.49 años; DT = 1.58) entre los cuales el 64.7% fueron mujeres. Mediante Análisis Factoriales Confirmatorios (AFCs), se pusieron a prueba las distintas dimensionalidades propuestas en la literatura previa y se retuvo la estructura de cuatro factores con un factor de segundo orden. A continuación, se estudió la fiabilidad de las dimensiones y se identificaron problemas en las dimensiones de optimismo y, especialmente, resiliencia. La estructura de segundo orden mostró ser invariante al género de los estudiantes, lo que respaldó su ausencia de sesgo de género. Consecuentemente, se respalda el uso de la escala para la medición del Capital Psicológico como constructo de segundo orden y se invita al desarrollo de investigaciones que mejoren la medición de la resiliencia

Effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship intention and related outcomes in educational contexts: a meta-analysis

Although some meta-analyses have investigated the effect of Entrepreneurship Education (EE), they mixed studies with high and low methodological quality. Thus, their results might overestimate the impact. This paper aims to examine the efficacy of the EE in student samples, attending to studies with a pre-posttest design and a control group. The results showed small effect sizes for EE in increasing Entrepreneurship Intention (EI) and Self-efficacy. Moreover, meta-regression confirmed that the duration of intervention programs predicted larger effect sizes for the EI. Finally, the practical implications of other potential moderator variables are discussed

Solution-based synthesis and processing of Sn- and Bi-doped Cu3SbSe4 nanocrystals, nanomaterials and ring-shaped thermoelectric generators

Copper-based chalcogenides that comprise abundant, low-cost, and environmental friendly elements are excellent materials for a number of energy conversion applications, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and thermoelectrics (TE). In such applications, the use of solution-processed nanocrystal (NC) to produce thin films or bulk nanomaterials has associated several potential advantages, such as high material yield and throughput, and composition control with unmatched spatial resolution and cost. Here we report on the production of Cu3SbSe4 (CASe) NCs with tuned amounts of Sn and Bi dopants. After proper ligand removal, as monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopies, these NCs were used to produce dense CASe bulk nanomaterials for solid state TE energy conversion. By adjusting the amount of extrinsic dopants, dimensionless TE figures of merit (ZT) up to 1.26 at 673 K were reached. Such high ZT values are related to an optimized carrier concentration by Sn doping, a minimized lattice thermal conductivity due to efficient phonon scattering at point defects and grain boundaries, and to an increase of the Seebeck coefficient obtained by a modification of the electronic band structure with the Bi doping. Nanomaterials were further employed to fabricate ring-shaped TE generators to be coupled to hot pipes and which provided 20 mV and 1 mW per TE element when exposed to a 160 °C temperature gradient. The simple design and good thermal contact associated with the ring geometry and the potential low cost of the material solution processing may allow the fabrication of TE generators with short payback times.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Physical Model Tests on Spar Buoy for Offshore Floating Wind Energy Conversion

ABSTRACT: The present paper describes the experiences gained from the design methodology and operation of a 3D physical modelexperiment aimed to investigate the dynamic behaviour of a spar buoy floating offshore wind turbine. The physical model consists in a Froude-scaled NREL 5MW reference wind turbine (RWT) supported on the OC3-Hywind floating platform. Experimental tests have been performed at Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) offshore wave basin within the European Union-Hydralab+ Initiative, in April 2019. The floating wind turbine model has been subjected to a combination of regular and irregular wave attacks and different wind loads. Measurements of displacements, rotations, accelerations, forces response of the floating model and at the mooring lines have been carried out. First, free decay tests have been analysed to obtain the natural frequency and the modal damping ratios of each degree of freedom governing the offshore. Then, the results concerning regular waves, with orthogonal incidence to the structure, are presented. The results show that most of longitudinal dynamic response occurs at the wave frequency and most of lateral dynamic response occurs at rigid-body frequencies.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654110, HYDRALAB+

Factors associated with the clinical outcome of patients with relapsed/refractory CD19+acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with ARI-0001 CART19-cell therapy

The prognosis of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains poor, particularly for those relapsing after allogeneic hema-topoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Novel agents such as inotuzumab ozogamicin or blinatumomab achieve increased response rates, but these are generally transient unless followed by alloHCT. Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) targeting CD19 have shown promising results in R/R ALL, and one of these products (tisagenlecleucel) has been approved for the treatment of patients with R/R ALL up to 25 years of age

β–Lactam TRPM8 Antagonist RGM8-51 Displays Antinociceptive Activity in Different Animal Models

Transient receptor potential melastatin subtype 8 (TRPM8) is a cation channel extensively expressed in sensory neurons and implicated in different painful states. However, the effectiveness of TRPM8 modulators for pain relief is still a matter of discussion, since structurally diverse modulators lead to different results, depending on the animal pain model. In this work, we described the antinociceptive activity of a β–lactam derivative, RGM8-51, showing good TRPM8 antagonist activity, and selectivity against related thermoTRP channels and other pain-mediating receptors. In primary cultures of rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, RGM8-51 potently reduced menthol-evoked neuronal firing without affecting the major ion conductances responsible for action potential generation. This compound has in vivo antinociceptive activity in response to cold, in a mouse model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy. In addition, it reduces cold, mechanical and heat hypersensitivity in a rat model of neuropathic pain arising after chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve. Furthermore, RGM8-51 exhibits mechanical hypersensitivity-relieving activity, in a mouse model of NTG-induced hyperesthesia. Taken together, these preclinical results substantiate that this TRPM8 antagonist is a promising pharmacological tool to study TRPM8-related diseases

Assessing the clinical benefit, safety, and patient-reported outcomes with the use of the PAHcare™ digital platform in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a pilot study

IntroductionDigital health interventions, particularly mobile health platforms, have shown promise in supporting patients with respiratory conditions, but their application in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains limited. We aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential clinical benefit of the novel PAHcare™ digital platform as a patient-centred intervention for PAH management through a prospective, single-arm, multicenter pilot study conducted on 53 patients diagnosed with PAH who used the platform for 6 months.MethodsThe primary objective was to assess the impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) through questionnaires. Secondary objectives included evaluating clinical outcomes, including disease progression, PAH signs and symptoms, the 6-min walking test, and the patient’s symptom perception. Additionally, we assessed patient satisfaction and engagement with the PAHcare™ platform, interaction with health coaches, retention, costs and healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU), and safety through monitoring device incidents.ResultsMinimal changes in HRQoL and clinical outcomes were observed over 6 months. A noteworthy 92.4% of patients actively used the platform in the first month, maintaining high usage throughout the study. Patient satisfaction was substantial, with more than half of the patients expressing excellence in service quality, willingness to reuse the platform, and fulfilment of their needs. Health coach interaction was high, with 76% of patients initiating contact within the first week. User retention rates were 70%, with prevalent ongoing usage and interaction with healthcare professionals even after the study. In terms of HCRU and costs, the study showed no significant changes in PAH-related hospital admissions, clinical visits, or tests. Finally, the low number of device-related incidents indicated platform safety.ConclusionThis pilot study provides compelling evidence supporting the feasibility and acceptability of the PAHcare™ digital platform to empower patients to manage their disease and significantly enhance their overall experience with PAH