Effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on Visual Target Detection: A “Peripheral Bias”

Visual exploration is an omnipresent activity in everyday life, and might represent an important determinant of visual attention deficits in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The present study aimed at investigating visual search performance in AD patients, in particular target detection in the far periphery, in daily living scenes. Eighteen AD patients and 20 healthy controls participated in the study. They were asked to freely explore a hemispherical screen, covering ±90°, and to respond to targets presented at 10°, 30°, and 50° eccentricity, while their eye movements were recorded. Compared to healthy controls, AD patients recognized less targets appearing in the center. No difference was found in target detection in the periphery. This pattern was confirmed by the fixation distribution analysis. These results show a neglect for the central part of the visual field for AD patients and provide new insights by mean of a search task involving a larger field of view

Exactitud del método de monitorización de la frecuencia cardíaca en la estimación del coste energético

El método de monitorización de la frecuencia cardíaca (MFC) es utilizado para la estimación de la energía gastada. Sin embargo, una de las principales críticas a dicho método es su exactitud. Por ello que nuestro estudio se centró en cuantificar la exactitud del referido método cuando se aplica a diferentes intensidades de esfuerzo. Participaron 9 sujetos que realizaron primero una ergoespirometría para la determinación de la recta VO2-FC y otra posterior para comparar la estimación con los resultados del VO2 medido. No existen diferencias entre el VO2 estimado y medido. El porcentaje de error medio fue de 1.47%, ocurriendo el mayor porcentaje de error a la intensidad más baja. Diferenciando por sexos, ocurre que para las mujeres el VO2 se sobrestima y en los hombres se subestima. Este método es de una elevada relación beneficio/coste por lo que puede ser de gran utilidad en estudios de poblaciones

Acute effects of long-distance races on heart rate variability and arterial stiffness: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This study systematically reviewed and quantified the effects of running a long-distance race (LDR) on heart rate variability (HRV) and arterial stiffness (AS). All types of races of a distance equal to or greater than a marathon (=42.2 km) were included. A total of 2, 220 articles were identified, 52 were included in the qualitative analysis, and 48 were meta-analysed. The standardised mean difference pre- and post-race of various time-domain and frequency-domain indices of HRV, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was calculated. Regarding HRV, there was a significant decrease in most of the variables considered as markers of parasympathetic activity, indicating a shift of autonomic balance towards a reduced vagal tone. Regarding vascular variables, there was a significant drop in blood pressure and reduced AS. In conclusion, running an LDR seems to have a considerable acute effect on the autonomic nervous system, haemodynamics, and vascular properties. The observed effects could be categorised within the expected acute responses to long-lasting, strenuous exercise. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Análisis Contable y Financiero: Una Herramienta Clave Para La Eficiente Gestión Financiera Y Contable En La Empresa/Accounting and Financial Analysis: A Key Tool for Efficient Financial and Accounting Management in the Company

El análisis financiero y contable es fundamental para evaluar el rendimiento real económico, financiero y contable de una empresa, detectar dificultades y aplicar las medidas correctivas necesarias para resolverlos. La información contable que se refleja en los estados financieros como el balance general, cuenta de resultados, y el estado de flujos de efectivo en forma de datos resumidos. Sin embargo, para que los datos sean útiles para los usuarios de los estados financieros y contables, deben estar claramente analizados. Algunas de las maneras de analizar incluyen el uso de ratios, análisis de flujo de efectivo y análisis vertical y horizontal. De este contexto, en este estudio se evaluó la importancia del análisis financiero y contable como una herramienta clave para administrar la empresa eficientemente. El estudio fue analítico en el ámbito de aplicación con diseño documental basado en los fundamentos teóricos de diversos autores. Los resultados más relevantes del análisis indicaron que las empresas, privadas, instituciones públicas y de gobierno hacen hincapié en el uso de análisis de estados financieros como una herramienta para determinar la liquidez, solvencia, precio de las acciones, rentabilidad, crecimiento del negocio y pronósticos. The financial and accounting analysis is fundamental to evaluate the real economic, financial and accounting performance of a company, detect difficulties and apply the necessary corrective measures to solve them. The accounting information in the form of financial statements such as the balance sheet, income statement, and the statement of cash flows in the form of summary data. However, for the data to be useful for the users of the financial and accounting statements they must be analyzed. Some of the ways to analyze include the use of ratios, cash flow analysis and vertical and horizontal analysis. In this context, this study will evaluate the importance of financial and accounting analysis as a key tool to manage the company efficiently. The study will be analytical in the scope of application with documentary design based on the theoretical foundations of various authors. The most relevant results of the analysis indicate that companies, private, public and government institutions emphasize the use of financial statement analysis as a tool to determine liquidity, solvency, share price, profitability, business growth and forecasts. Palabras clave: contable, financiero, eficiencia, gestión, empresa. Keywords: accounting, financial, efficiency, management, company

An abridged Spanish version of Sexual Double Standard Scale: Factorial structure, reliability and validity evidence

Background/Objective Sexual double standard (SDS) has long been associated to several dimensions of sexual health. Therefore the assessment of SDS is relevant and requires self-reported measures with adequate psychometric properties. This study aims to adapt the Sexual Double Standard Scale (SDSS) into heterosexual Spanish population and examine its psychometric properties. Method: Using quota incidental sampling, we recruited a sample of 1, 206 individuals (50% women), distributed across three groups based on their age (18-34, 35-49 and 50 years old and older). Results: We performed both, Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. An abridged version was yielded, consisting of 16 items distributed into two factors (Acceptance for sexual freedom and Acceptance for sexual shyness). A second-order factor structure was also adequate, which facilitates the use of a global index for SDS. Reliability, based on internal consistency and temporal stability was good for the factors. Evidence of validity is also shown and reported. Conclusions: This adapted version of the SDSS is reliable and valid. The importance for its use to estimate the prevalence of both traditional and modern forms of this phenomenon is discussed. Antecedentes/Objetivo: El doble estándar sexual (DES) se ha asociado a distintas dimensiones de la salud sexual, por lo que su evaluación es relevante y requiere de instrumentos con ade- cuadas propiedades psicométricas. Se plantea la adaptación a población heterosexual espa ~ nola de la Sexual Double Standard Scale (SDSS) y examinar sus propiedades psicométricas. Método : Mediante un muestreo incidental por cuotas se obtuvo una muestra de 1.206 sujetos (50% mujeres), distribuidos en tres grupos en función de la edad (18-34 a ~ nos, 35-49 a ~ nos y 50 a ~ nos o más). Resultados : Mediante Análisis Factorial Exploratorio y Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio se consiguió una versión de 16 ítems distribuidos en dos factores (Aceptación de la libertad sexual y Aceptación del recato sexual), cuya combinación en un factor de segundo orden per- mite obtener un índice global de doble estándar sexual. La fiabilidad de consistencia interna y test-retest es óptima para los dos subfactores y sus medidas presentan adecuados índices de validez. Conclusiones : Esta versión adaptada de la SDSS es fiable y válida. Se discute su impor- tancia para detectar la prevalencia de DES tradicional y de expresiones más modernas de este fenómeno

Quality requirements for cross-border care in Europe: a qualitative study of patients’, professionals’ and healthcare financiers’ views

In the past decade the issue of patient mobility has emerged on the European health policy agenda. Although the volume of patients crossing borders to obtain healthcare is low, it is increasing continuously and, due to its legal, financial and medical implications, has generated considerable interest among health policy and other decision makers. However, there is little information available on the safety and patient-centredness of cross-border care and neither governments nor citizens have an explicit basis for comparing healthcare delivery in Europe. This study investigated the viewpoints of patients, professionals and healthcare financiers on the safety and patient-centredness of cross-border care. Qualitative interviews were carried out during 2005 and early 2006 with 40 patients, 30 professionals (doctors, nurses and managers) and 3 healthcare-financing bodies. Although cross-border care has become a common issue in many European countries, there remain uncertainties on the side of each of the parties addressed-patients, professionals and financiers-with regard to the provision of cross-border care. One of the most striking results of this project is the current lack of research on systematic knowledge on the quality of cross-border care. Many of the issues identified through this research may have a potential impact on the quality and safety of cross-border care and will support further investigation and help shape the health policy agenda on patients crossing borders in European Union countries

Razas autóctonas de las islas canarias: pasado, presente y futuro

We describe the means developed by official and private institutions for the conservation of Canary Breeds. We evaluate the response to concrete actions comparing the evolution of their census with presented at the Warwick Conference (1989).Se describen la evolución de las Razas autóctonas canarias y las medidas que se han de tomar de cara al futuro, tanto por organismos oficiales como por entidades particulares, para evitar el peligro de desaparición de dichas razas