Enhancing the Assessment of Coercive Control in Spanish Femicide Cases: A Nationally Representative Qualitative Analysis

Purpose Coercive control is a power dynamic central to intimate partner violence (IPV) and consists of tactics to limit one’s partner’s autonomy through constraint, regulation of everyday life, isolation, pursuit, and intimidation and physical force. Such tactics may potentially signal a risk for future lethal or near lethal violence; hence, proper evaluation may enhance the utility of clinical femicide risk assessments. The goal of this study is to explore coercive control behaviors preceding partner femicides in Spain with the intention to provide guidance for its assessment by first responders and law enforcement. Methods Researchers from the Department of State for Security of the Ministry of Interior collected a nationally representative sample of 150 femicides (2006–2016). Qualitative data included 958 semi-structured interviews with victims and offenders’ social networks, which provided information about relationship dynamics leading up to the murders. Additionally, 225 interviews with law enforcement and occasionally offenders were used to corroborate and contextualize victim and offender social networks. Results Qualitative analysis indicated four indicators of coercive control (i.e., microregulation and restriction, victim isolation, surveillance and pursuit, and physical violence), which were present in 85% of the cases. While these indicators were commonly present, their manifestation varied based on relationship history and victims’ responses. Conclusion The findings suggest that incorporating coercive control indicia into clinical femicide risk assessments is useful and may enhance their accuracy

Structural connectivity and subcellular changes after antidepressant doses of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 in the rat: an MRI and immuno-labeling study

Ketamine has rapid and robust antidepressant effects. However, unwanted psychotomimetic effects limit its widespread use. Hence, several studies examined whether GluN2B-subunit selective NMDA antagonists would exhibit a better therapeutic profile. Although preclinical work has revealed some of the mechanisms of action of ketamine at cellular and molecular levels, the impact on brain circuitry is poorly understood. Several neuroimaging studies have examined the functional changes in the brain induced by acute administration of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 (a GluN2B-subunit selective antagonist), but the changes in the microstructure of gray and white matter have received less attention. Here, the effects of ketamine and Ro 25-6981 on gray and white matter integrity in male Sprague-Dawley rats were determined using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). In addition, DWI-based structural brain networks were estimated and connectivity metrics were computed at the regional level. Immunohistochemical analyses were also performed to determine whether changes in myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofilament heavy-chain protein (NF200) may underlie connectivity changes. In general, ketamine and Ro 25-6981 showed some opposite structural alterations, but both compounds coincided only in increasing the fractional anisotropy in infralimbic prefrontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus. These changes were associated with increments of NF200 in deep layers of the infralimbic cortex (together with increased MBP) and the dorsal raphe nucleus. Our results suggest that the synthesis of NF200 and MBP may contribute to the formation of new dendritic spines and myelination, respectively. We also suggest that the increase of fractional anisotropy of the infralimbic and dorsal raphe nucleus areas could represent a biomarker of a rapid antidepressant response.Funding: Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación (PI13/00038, PI16/00217 and PI19/00170 to A.A.) that were co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (‘A way to build Europe’); Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria d’ Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esport (GV/2018/049 to A.B-S.); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (RTI2018-097534-B-I00 to F.P.-C.). Funding from the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III is also acknowledged

La toma de posesión de las villas del Infantado de Huete por el condestable Álvaro de Luna en 1442

The aim of this paper is concerned with establishing a conceptual framework for the study of the ritual side of transmissions of power in late medieval Castilian manors. We will consider the influence of the ethics and aesthetics of feudalism on the elements that express the consent of the involved communities during these ceremonies, as well as on aspects of the contractual nature inherent in the relationship between rulers and ruled in the context of the lordship. A crucial difference can be established between various acts of possession depending on the various kinds of attitudes shown by the communities towards the new lord, ranging from mere passive obedience to eventual hints of actual negotiations. It is also considered here if the latter is the case of the communities within the Infantado de Huete toward their new lord, Constable Álvaro de Luna, in 1442.En este trabajo se propone un marco conceptual para el estudio de las ceremonias de toma de posesión señoriales en la Castilla bajomedieval. Se considera el influjo de la ética y la estética de lo feudal sobre los elementos que expresan el consentimiento de las comunidades durante dichas ceremonias, así como sobre los aspectos de naturaleza contractual inherentes a la relación entre gobernantes y gobernados en el contexto del señorío. Se establece una diferencia crucial entre diversos tipos de tomas de posesión, dependiendo de las distintas actitudes que en ellas adoptan las comunidades hacia el nuevo señor, yendo éstas desde la mera obediencia pasiva hasta sugerir posibles contextos de negociación propiamente dicha, y este último caso se ilustra con el ejemplo de los actos de la toma de posesión de las villas del Infantado de Huete por el condestable Álvaro de Luna en 1442

Perception of professional skills acquired in online learning among electronic engineering students

The article aims to analyze the perception of professional skills acquired in online learning among electronic engineering students. The research method is qualitative, with a descriptive approach, since it focuses on analyzing the statistics of the students' perception (frequency of satisfaction levels). Initially, the reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach's Alpha, obtaining a consistency coefficient of 0.967 and 0.932, in the academic semesters 2020-I and 2020-II, respectively. The data collected by means of a virtual questionnaire were processed in the SPSS software transformed into the Likert scale. The results obtained show a high perception among electronic engineering students in reference to the professional skills they have acquired. There is an increase in satisfaction from 66.78% (2020-I) to 74.26% (2020-II) between the first and second academic semester, despite the abrupt and unexpected change in the teaching-learning modality, in the second semester achieved a greater adaptation of this process. However, the online learning method should continue to be improved so that students perceive with greater satisfaction that they possess the skills to solve problems and cases related to the specialty) and the skills to master practical professional skills

Enhancing the Assessment of Coercive Control in Spanish Femicide Cases: A Nationally Representative Qualitative Analysis

Purpose Coercive control is a power dynamic central to intimate partner violence (IPV) and consists of tactics to limit one’s partner’s autonomy through constraint, regulation of everyday life, isolation, pursuit, and intimidation and physical force. Such tactics may potentially signal a risk for future lethal or near lethal violence; hence, proper evaluation may enhance the utility of clinical femicide risk assessments. The goal of this study is to explore coercive control behaviors preceding partner femicides in Spain with the intention to provide guidance for its assessment by first responders and law enforcement. Methods Researchers from the Department of State for Security of the Ministry of Interior collected a nationally representative sample of 150 femicides (2006–2016). Qualitative data included 958 semi-structured interviews with victims and offenders’ social networks, which provided information about relationship dynamics leading up to the murders. Additionally, 225 interviews with law enforcement and occasionally offenders were used to corroborate and contextualize victim and offender social networks. Results Qualitative analysis indicated four indicators of coercive control (i.e., microregulation and restriction, victim isolation, surveillance and pursuit, and physical violence), which were present in 85% of the cases. While these indicators were commonly present, their manifestation varied based on relationship history and victims’ responses. Conclusion The findings suggest that incorporating coercive control indicia into clinical femicide risk assessments is useful and may enhance their accuracy.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.2022-2

Carotenoids as Natural Colorful Additives for the Food Industry

The application of natural colorants is increasing in the food industry because they are considered safer and healthier than some synthetic pigments. Natural colorants can improve the organoleptic properties of foodstuffs, provide additional benefits such as enhance their nutritional value and/or extend shelf-life. Plants, fungi, bacteria or algae naturally produce different natural colorants, including carotenoids. These compounds are classified into two main groups: pure hydrocarbon carotenes (α- and β-carotenes, lycopene) and oxygenated derivatives of xanthophylls (lutein, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, fucoxanthin, cryptoxanthin, etc.). Carotenoids have been related with beneficial properties like antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor or antimicrobial, so they are a natural and healthy alternative to the use of synthetic colorants. Thus, it is critical to optimize their extraction, by utilizing novel and green techniques, and their stability through encapsulation processes. This chapter aims to review natural sources of carotenoids, strategies to efficiently extract and produce them and their potential application as food colorants

Estrategias y dinámicas reflexivas para el fomento del aprendizaje significativo en los estudiantes de Psicología de la Instrucción

Este proyecto propone la elaboración y análisis de estrategias y dinámicas de aula diseñadas para fomentar la construcción del conocimiento y el aprendizaje reflexivo de los contenidos de la Psicología de la Instrucción desde una perspectiva más significativa. Dicha asignatura es de carácter básico y obligatorio y se desarrolla en el segundo curso del Grado de Magisterio en Educación Primaria. Para realizar la investigación se eligió una metodología de trabajo dinámica, participativa y colaborativa, contando con distintas herramientas de comunicación on-line como la Dropbox, el campus virtual y el correo electrónico, así como la participación en cuatro reuniones presenciales. Finalmente, el equipo diseñó numerosas estrategias reflexivas como activación de esquemas, organizadores previos, analogías, imágenes/metáforas, búsqueda de ejemplos significativos, reglas mnemotécnicas, vídeos, diálogo estructurado entre otras, para trabajar con los alumnos de grado. Se señalan las dificultades encontradas durante la realización de la investigación, las propuestas de mejora, así como, la proyección futura del equipo de trabajo y la difusión de los resultados de la red

<i>Gaia</i> Data Release 1. Summary of the astrometric, photometric, and survey properties

Context. At about 1000 days after the launch of Gaia we present the first Gaia data release, Gaia DR1, consisting of astrometry and photometry for over 1 billion sources brighter than magnitude 20.7. Aims. A summary of Gaia DR1 is presented along with illustrations of the scientific quality of the data, followed by a discussion of the limitations due to the preliminary nature of this release. Methods. The raw data collected by Gaia during the first 14 months of the mission have been processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) and turned into an astrometric and photometric catalogue. Results. Gaia DR1 consists of three components: a primary astrometric data set which contains the positions, parallaxes, and mean proper motions for about 2 million of the brightest stars in common with the HIPPARCOS and Tycho-2 catalogues – a realisation of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) – and a secondary astrometric data set containing the positions for an additional 1.1 billion sources. The second component is the photometric data set, consisting of mean G-band magnitudes for all sources. The G-band light curves and the characteristics of ∼3000 Cepheid and RR-Lyrae stars, observed at high cadence around the south ecliptic pole, form the third component. For the primary astrometric data set the typical uncertainty is about 0.3 mas for the positions and parallaxes, and about 1 mas yr−1 for the proper motions. A systematic component of ∼0.3 mas should be added to the parallax uncertainties. For the subset of ∼94 000 HIPPARCOS stars in the primary data set, the proper motions are much more precise at about 0.06 mas yr−1. For the secondary astrometric data set, the typical uncertainty of the positions is ∼10 mas. The median uncertainties on the mean G-band magnitudes range from the mmag level to ∼0.03 mag over the magnitude range 5 to 20.7. Conclusions. Gaia DR1 is an important milestone ahead of the next Gaia data release, which will feature five-parameter astrometry for all sources. Extensive validation shows that Gaia DR1 represents a major advance in the mapping of the heavens and the availability of basic stellar data that underpin observational astrophysics. Nevertheless, the very preliminary nature of this first Gaia data release does lead to a number of important limitations to the data quality which should be carefully considered before drawing conclusions from the data

Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality

Gaia Data Release 1: Testing parallaxes with local Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars

Context. Parallaxes for 331 classical Cepheids, 31 Type II Cepheids, and 364 RR Lyrae stars in common between Gaia and the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues are published in Gaia Data Release 1 (DR1) as part of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS). Aims. In order to test these first parallax measurements of the primary standard candles of the cosmological distance ladder, which involve astrometry collected by Gaia during the initial 14 months of science operation, we compared them with literature estimates and derived new period-luminosity (PL), period-Wesenheit (PW) relations for classical and Type II Cepheids and infrared PL, PL-metallicity (PLZ), and optical luminosity-metallicity (M V -[Fe/H]) relations for the RR Lyrae stars, with zero points based on TGAS. Methods. Classical Cepheids were carefully selected in order to discard known or suspected binary systems. The final sample comprises 102 fundamental mode pulsators with periods ranging from 1.68 to 51.66 days (of which 33 with σ Ω /Ω < 0.5). The Type II Cepheids include a total of 26 W Virginis and BL Herculis stars spanning the period range from 1.16 to 30.00 days (of which only 7 with σ Ω /Ω < 0.5). The RR Lyrae stars include 200 sources with pulsation period ranging from 0.27 to 0.80 days (of which 112 with σ Ω /Ω < 0.5). The new relations were computed using multi-band (V,I,J,K s ) photometry and spectroscopic metal abundances available in the literature, and by applying three alternative approaches: (i) linear least-squares fitting of the absolute magnitudes inferred from direct transformation of the TGAS parallaxes; (ii) adopting astrometry-based luminosities; and (iii) using a Bayesian fitting approach. The last two methods work in parallax space where parallaxes are used directly, thus maintaining symmetrical errors and allowing negative parallaxes to be used. The TGAS-based PL,PW,PLZ, and M V - [Fe/H] relations are discussed by comparing the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud provided by different types of pulsating stars and alternative fitting methods. Results. Good agreement is found from direct comparison of the parallaxes of RR Lyrae stars for which both TGAS and HST measurements are available. Similarly, very good agreement is found between the TGAS values and the parallaxes inferred from the absolute magnitudes of Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars analysed with the Baade-Wesselink method. TGAS values also compare favourably with the parallaxes inferred by theoretical model fitting of the multi-band light curves for two of the three classical Cepheids and one RR Lyrae star, which were analysed with this technique in our samples. The K-band PL relations show the significant improvement of the TGAS parallaxes for Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars with respect to the Hipparcos measurements. This is particularly true for the RR Lyrae stars for which improvement in quality and statistics is impressive. Conclusions. TGAS parallaxes bring a significant added value to the previous Hipparcos estimates. The relations presented in this paper represent the first Gaia-calibrated relations and form a work-in-progress milestone report in the wait for Gaia-only parallaxes of which a first solution will become available with Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) in 2018. © ESO, 2017