Smooth actions of connected compact Lie groups with a free point are determined by two vector fields

Consider a smooth action of a compact connected Lie group G on a connected manifold M. Assume the existence of a point of M whose isotropy group has a single element (a free point). Then we prove that there exist two complete vector field such that their group of automorphisms equals G regarded as a group of diffeomorphisms of M (the existence of a free point implies that the action of G is effective). Moreover, some examples of effective actions with no free point where this result fails are exhibited.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA The first author was partially supported AEI (Spain) grant PID2020-118452GB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The second author was partially supported by AEI (Spain) grant PID2020-118753GB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, and by PAIDI 2020 (Andalusia) grant PROYEXCEL-00827

Geographical variations in the risk of adverse birth outcomes in Spain

The objective of this study was to describe the spatial risk-patterns of prematurity and low birth weight in Spain. A descriptive spatial analysis of births registered in the Spanish Vital Statistics during 2004–2008 using municipalities as the observation unit was carried out. Besag-York-Mollié autoregressive spatial models were adjusted using the Integrated Nested Laplace approximation to calculate relative risks and posterior probabilities of having very and moderate preterm or low weight newborns. Results were represented in maps to assess geographic risk-patterns. Spatial analysis shows geographical variations in the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes in Spain highlighting three main high-risk zones, namely, municipalities in Asturias, Madrid City and Murcia. The specific risk patterns identified on each zone suggests some differences regarding the potential underlying risk factors and specific areas for future research. A differential exposure during pregnancy to some risks potentially related to industry or agriculture and other contextual factors could underlie an unequal vulnerability to adverse reproductive outcomes in some Spanish regions.Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI081330); Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SEJ 2005/07679); CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.S

Teamwork, a competence to be promoted at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Alcalá

Incluye cuestionario en el Anexo I: "ENCUESTA: ACTIVIDAD DE TRABAJO EN EQUIPO"El Grupo de Innovación Docente en Ciencias Ambientales analizó la competencia «trabajo en equipo» en la Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales de la Universidad de Alcalá. Para ello realizó una encuesta al profesorado de la Licenciatura y del Grado, para obtener información sobre el tipo de actividades que los docentes llevaron a cabo relacionadas con esta competencia. Se recibieron encuestas sobre 28 asignaturas, 17 de asignaturas del Grado y 11 de la Licenciatura. En el 88% de las asignaturas del Grado de las que se tuvo información se realizó alguna actividad de trabajo en equipo, porcentaje que ascendió al 91% en la Licenciatura. El 71% de los profesores de Grado encuestados y el 64% de los de la Licenciatura consideraron que los estudiantes no saben desarrollar adecuadamente esta competencia. El 65% de los profesores del Grado y el 74% de los de la Licenciatura opinan que la adquisición de conocimientos utilizando este método con respecto a la clase magistral es mejorThe «Environmental Sciences Teaching Innovation Group» analyzed the teamwork competence of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the University of Alcalá. Thus, a survey among lecturers was carried out to obtain information regarding the activities they implemented to promote this competence. 28 questionnaires were received, 17 from the from Degree in Environmental Sciences and 11 from the from Licenciatura (five-year studies) subjects. Teamwork was used in 88% of the Degree subjects from which we obtained information, whereas this percentage rose to 91% in Licenciatura studies. 71% of the surveyed lecturers of the Degree and 64% of Licenciatura studies believe that students do not use teamwork adequately. 65% of the lecturers of the Degree and 74% of Licenciatura studies consider that learning with this method is better than standard lecturin

Teamwork, a competence to be promoted at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Alcalá

Incluye cuestionario en el Anexo I: "ENCUESTA: ACTIVIDAD DE TRABAJO EN EQUIPO"El Grupo de Innovación Docente en Ciencias Ambientales analizó la competencia «trabajo en equipo» en la Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales de la Universidad de Alcalá. Para ello realizó una encuesta al profesorado de la Licenciatura y del Grado, para obtener información sobre el tipo de actividades que los docentes llevaron a cabo relacionadas con esta competencia. Se recibieron encuestas sobre 28 asignaturas, 17 de asignaturas del Grado y 11 de la Licenciatura. En el 88% de las asignaturas del Grado de las que se tuvo información se realizó alguna actividad de trabajo en equipo, porcentaje que ascendió al 91% en la Licenciatura. El 71% de los profesores de Grado encuestados y el 64% de los de la Licenciatura consideraron que los estudiantes no saben desarrollar adecuadamente esta competencia. El 65% de los profesores del Grado y el 74% de los de la Licenciatura opinan que la adquisición de conocimientos utilizando este método con respecto a la clase magistral es mejorThe «Environmental Sciences Teaching Innovation Group» analyzed the teamwork competence of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the University of Alcalá. Thus, a survey among lecturers was carried out to obtain information regarding the activities they implemented to promote this competence. 28 questionnaires were received, 17 from the from Degree in Environmental Sciences and 11 from the from Licenciatura (five-year studies) subjects. Teamwork was used in 88% of the Degree subjects from which we obtained information, whereas this percentage rose to 91% in Licenciatura studies. 71% of the surveyed lecturers of the Degree and 64% of Licenciatura studies believe that students do not use teamwork adequately. 65% of the lecturers of the Degree and 74% of Licenciatura studies consider that learning with this method is better than standard lecturin

Land- and water-based exercise intervention in women with fibromyalgia: the al-andalus physical activity randomised controlled trial

Background The al-Andalus physical activity intervention study is a randomised control trial to investigate the effectiveness of a land- and water-based exercise intervention for reducing the overall impact of fibromyalgia (primary outcome), and for improving tenderness and pain-related measures, body composition, functional capacity, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, fatigue, sleep quality, health-related quality of life, and cognitive function (secondary outcomes) in women with fibromyalgia. Methods/Design One hundred eighty women with fibromyalgia (age range: 35-65 years) will be recruited from local associations of fibromyalgia patients in Andalucía (Southern Spain). Patients will be randomly assigned to a usual care (control) group (n = 60), a water-based exercise intervention group (n = 60) or a land-based exercise intervention group (n = 60). Participants in the usual care group will receive general physical activity guidelines and participants allocated in the intervention groups will attend three non-consecutive training sessions (60 min each) per week during 24 weeks. Both exercise interventions will consist of aerobic, muscular strength and flexibility exercises. We will also study the effect of a detraining period (i.e., 12 weeks with no exercise intervention) on the studied variables. Discussion Our study attempts to reduce the impact of fibromyalgia and improve patients' health status by implementing two types of exercise interventions. Results from this study will help to assess the efficacy of exercise interventions for the treatment of fibromyalgia. If the interventions would be effective, this study will provide low-cost and feasible alternatives for health professionals in the management of fibromyalgia. Results from the al-Andalus physical activity intervention will help to better understand the potential of regular physical activity for improving the well-being of women with fibromyalgia.This study was supported by the Consejeria de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte (CTCD-201000019242-TRA), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (I + D + I DEP2010-15639, grants: BES-2009-013442, BES-2011-047133, RYC-2010-05957, RYC-2011-09011), the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation (20090635), the Spanish Ministry of Education (AP-2009-3173), Granada Research of Excelence Initiative on Biohealth (GREIB), Campus BioTic, University of Granada, Spain and European University of Madrid. Escuela de Estudios Universitarios Real Madrid. 2010/04RM

Obstacles and opportunities for monitoring ethnicity-based inequalities in maternal health care: Lessons from Mexico.

BackgroundMonitoring and reducing inequalities in health care has become more relevant since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs bring an opportunity to put the assessment of inequalities by ethnicity on the agenda of decision-makers. The objective of this qualitative study is to know how current monitoring is carried out and to identify what factors influence the process in order to incorporate indicators that allow the evaluation of inequalities by ethnicity.MethodsWe conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with key informants from the health ministry, monitoring observatories, research centers, and international organizations, involved in maternal health care monitoring in Mexico. Our analysis was interpretative-phenomenological and focused on examining experiences about monitoring maternal health care in order to achieve a full picture of the current context in which it takes place and the factors that influence it.ResultsThe obstacles and opportunities pointed out from the participants emerge from the limitations or advantages associated with the accuracy of evaluation, availability of information and resources, and effective management and decision-making. Technicians, coordinators, researchers or decision-makers are not only aware of the inequalities but also of its importance. However, this does not lead to political decisions permitting an indicator to be developed for monitoring it. As for opportunities, the role of international organizations and their links with the countries is crucial to carry out monitoring, due to political and technical support.ConclusionsThe success of a monitoring system to help decision-makers reduce inequalities in health care depends not only on accurate evaluations but also on the context in which it is implemented. Understanding the operation, obstacles and opportunities for monitoring could be a key issue if the countries want to advance towards assessing inequalities and reducing health inequities with the aid of concrete policies and initiatives

Creating a Collaborative Platform for the Development of Community Interventions to Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases

Chronic diseases, also known as non-communicable diseases (NCD) are one of the most important public health problems of our time. Many of these diseases can be reduced by achieving healthy lifestyles. Community interventions are very useful in reducing these types of diseases since they have a direct impact over daily conditions and are adjustable to the complex situations that they carry. This article describes the process of the creation of a collaborative platform for the design and implementation of community interventions to prevent NCDs. This platform includes six non-governmental organizations who have aligned their prevention and health promotion objectives to develop joint community interventions. The intervention levels approach, based on the socio-ecological model has been the basic model to structure the working groups of the platform. Dealing with institutional differences, complexity and variability of contexts, defining the roles and responsibilities and managing the resources are key elements to have in mind to achieve good relations and functional partnerships to design and implement effective community interventions at different levels. Institutional recognition, support and planning based on local priorities are also key elements for these kinds of platforms to be successful, sustainable and, therefore, have an impact on people’s health

Uneven chances of breastfeeding in Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>No large scale studies on breastfeeding onset patterns have been carried out in Spain. This work aims to explore the prevalence and the risk factors for not initiating breastfeeding in hospitals from Catalonia (CAT) and Valencia (V), two regions accounting approximately for 30% of the annual births in Spain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The prevalence of not initiating breastfeeding was calculated by maternal/neonatal characteristics and type of hospital, and logistic regression models were used to estimate crude and adjusted risks of not breastfeeding in each region.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Prevalence of breastfeeding initiation was 81.7% and 82.5% in Catalonia and Valencia, respectively. We identified conspicuous regional differences in the adjusted-risk of not breastfeeding, especially for multiple [CAT = 3.12 (95% CI: 2.93, 3.31), V = 2.44 (95% CI: 2.23, 2.67)] and preterm and low birth weight deliveries [very preterm and very low birth weight: CAT = 7.61 (95% CI: 6.50, 8.92), V = 4.03 (95% CI: 3.13, 5.19); moderate preterm and moderate low birth weight: CAT = 4.28 (95% CI: 4.01, 4.57), V = 2.55 (95% CI:2.34, 2.79)].</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest the existence of regional variations in breastfeeding initiation in Spain. Taking into account the known short and long-term benefits of breastfeeding it is recommended that further research should explore these differences in order to prevent potential inequities in neonatal, child and adult health.</p

Population cardiovascular health and urban environments: the Heart Healthy Hoods exploratory study in Madrid, Spain

Abstract Background Our aim is to conduct an exploratory study to provide an in-depth characterization of a neighborhood’s social and physical environment in relation to cardiovascular health. A mixed-methods approach was used to better understand the food, alcohol, tobacco and physical activity domains of the urban environment. Methods We conducted this study in an area of 16,000 residents in Madrid (Spain). We obtained cardiovascular health and risk factors data from all residents aged 45 and above using Electronic Health Records from the Madrid Primary Health Care System. We used several quantitative audit tools to assess: the type and location of food outlets and healthy food availability; tobacco and alcohol points of sale; walkability of all streets and use of parks and public spaces. We also conducted 11 qualitative interviews with key informants to help understanding the relationships between urban environment and cardiovascular behaviors. We integrated quantitative and qualitative data following a mixed-methods merging approach. Results Electronic Health Records of the entire population of the area showed similar prevalence of risk factors compared to the rest of Madrid/Spain (prevalence of diabetes: 12 %, hypertension: 34 %, dyslipidemia: 32 %, smoking: 10 %, obesity: 20 %). The food environment was very dense, with many small stores (n = 44) and a large food market with 112 stalls. Residents highlighted the importance of these small stores for buying healthy foods. Alcohol and tobacco environments were also very dense (n = 91 and 64, respectively), dominated by bars and restaurants (n = 53) that also acted as food services. Neighbors emphasized the importance of drinking as a socialization mechanism. Public open spaces were mostly used by seniors that remarked the importance of accessibility to these spaces and the availability of destinations to walk to. Conclusion This experience allowed testing and refining measurement tools, drawn from epidemiology, geography, sociology and anthropology, to better understand the urban environment in relation to cardiovascular health