The moderating role of hair cortisol in the association of early and recent stress with stress-related phenotypes

Background: Increased hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) have been found in clinical samples of schizophrenia, first episode psychosis and clinical risk for psychosis, but evidence of such is scarce in schizotypy. High HCC are supposed to reflect elevated chronic stress. However, HCC were not directly associated with adversity measures and stress-related phenotypes in previous research. This study tested whether HCC moderated the association between a comprehensive range of psychosocial stressors with several stress-related phenotypes in a sample of nonclinical young adults. It was expected that stressors, either distal (i.e., early-life) or recent, would be associated with subclinical features, particularly for those with elevated HCC, reflecting the effects of a potential biological sensitization to stress. Methods: The sample comprised 132 nonclinical young adults belonging to the Barcelona Longitudinal Investigation of Schizotypy Study (BLISS). Participants completed a questionnaire of childhood adversity and two complementary measures of recent life events, tapping threatening vs. more general life events. Both the frequency and subjective impact (positive vs. negative) of general life events were also assessed. Psychotic (i.e., schizotypy, suspiciousness) and non-psychotic (i.e., depression, anxiety) subclinical features as well as appraisals of perceived stress were examined. Hierarchical linear regressions and simple slope analyses were computed. Results: HCC moderated the effects of both early and recent stress on suspiciousness as well as the effects of recent life events on perceived stress, such that those with higher HCC presented increased suspiciousness and perceived stress at higher levels of stress exposure. Positive, but not negative, recent life events were associated with decreased perceived stress and depression, and these associations were moderated by low HCC, indicating a buffering effect for those with a non-impaired HPA axis. Conclusion: In line with the neural diathesis-stress model, results highlight the role of the interplay between the HPA axis and exposure to stressful experiences in exacerbating psychosis features and extend evidence to the nonclinical expression of the psychosis continuum. In addition, findings support the protective effect of positive experiences in decreasing stress appraisals and affective disturbances, which is consistent with emerging research about the relevance of positive factors in reducing the likelihood of psychopathological outcomes

A Systematic Approach to Subtribe Loliinae (Poaceae: Pooideae) Based on Phylogenetic Evidence

Loliinae (Poaceae, Pooideae) encompass a large group of genera closely related to Festuca, the largest genus in the subtribe, which as traditionally circumscribed has been shown to be highly paraphyletic. In this investigation we combined molecular and morphological data representing 20 genera of Loliinae and closely related subtribes. Combined analysis of nucleotide sequences from the nuclear ITS and chloroplast trnL–F regions and structural characters recovered a consensus topology that shows Loliinae to be monophyletic and possessing two main clades—the fine-leaved Festuca clade that includes Ctenopsis, Micropyrum, Narduroides, Psilurus, Vulpia, and Wangenheimia, and the broad-leaved Festuca clade that includes Lolium and Micropyropsis. The presence of morphologically intermediate, unresolved, or poorly supported taxa (Castellia, Festuca subgen. Subulatae and subgen. Leucopoa p.p., and Festuca sect. Amphigenes p.p.) among the two groups points to a potential evolutionary trend from ancestral broad-leaved taxa to the more recently evolved fine-leaved taxa. Alternate classifications are evaluated for subtribes Loliinae, Cynosurinae, Dactylidinae, and Parapholiinae. We propose to maintain a paraphyletic Festuca as presently circumscribed and not to divide the polyphyletic Vulpia and Festuca infrageneric taxa until more phylogenetic data become available

Body of regulations of the practice of school management in Spain

The Education Act of 2006 (LOE) orders the compulsory assessment of headmasters of public schools at the end of their management period. The result of this evaluation will have, at least, economical consequences. This Act also states that the regional education authorities will be in charge of the development of such assessments. So has been done, and, as a result, nowadays there are as many evaluation programmes as autonomous communities. This article researches and compares the legal regulations in force that rule these evaluations in every autonomous community and finally shows that, in spite of its common origin and purpose, the systems, methods and evaluation processes which are used by the regional authorities differ greatly from each others. This analysis also draws some conclusions that could be taken into account to improve the evaluation process of headmasters

Marco normativo de la evaluación del desempeño de la función directiva escolar en España

The Education Act of 2006 (LOE) orders the compulsory assessment of headmasters of public schools at the end of their management period. The result of this evaluation will have, at least, economical consequences. This Act also states that the regional education authorities will be in charge of the development of such assessments. So has been done, and, as a result, nowadays there are as many evaluation programmes as autonomous communities. This article researches and compares the legal regulations in force that rule these evaluations in every autonomous community and finally shows that, in spite of its common origin and purpose, the systems, methods and evaluation processes which are used by the regional authorities differ greatly from each others. This analysis also draws some conclusions that could be taken into account to improve the evaluation process of headmasters.La Ley Orgánica de Educación establece la obligatoriedad de realizar una evaluación de los directores y directoras de centros educativos públicos al final de su mandato cuyos resultados tendrán, al menos, consecuencias de carácter económico. Esta Ley determina, igualmente, que son las Administraciones educativas las encargadas de desarrollar tal evaluación; y así lo han hecho, de tal forma que en la actualidad se cuenta con tantas propuestas como Comunidades. En este artículo se analiza y compara el marco normativo que regula la evaluación final del desempeño de los directores y directoras en las 17 Comunidades Autónomas españolas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que, a pesar de su origen y finalidad comunes, existe una importante disparidad en los mecanismos, procedimientos y criterios establecidos en cada Administración. También del análisis se derivan algunas sugerencias que deberían tenerse en cuenta para mejorar dicha evaluación

Examining the Relationship Between Hair Cortisol With Stress-Related and Transdiagnostic Subclinical Measures

Background: Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) provide a retrospective examination of long-term cortisol production as a measure of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, one of the major neural systems implicated in mediating the effects of stress on mental illness. However, evidence about the relationship between HCC with stressors and symptoms is scattered. In the present study, we aimed to examine the association between HCC and a wide range of stress-related and transdiagnostic subclinical measures in a sample of non-clinical young adults with a wide distribution of schizotypy. Methods: A total sample of 132 non-clinical young adults recruited at college and technical schools oversampled for schizotypy scores were assessed on distal and proximal stressful experiences, appraisals of stress, traits and symptoms of the affective, psychosis and dissociation spectrums, as well as stress-buffering measures, and provided 3 cm-hair samples. Results: No significant associations were found between HCC and any of the stress-related and subclinical measures. Only suspiciousness and disorganization showed a trend for a positive association with HCC but the magnitude was small. Conclusions: The present findings support previous studies indicating an overall lack of concordance between a broad range of stress-related and (sub)clinical phenotypic measures with hair cortisol. This study examined for the first time the relationship of HCC with the non-clinical expression of the psychosis spectrum, that is, schizotypy, which complements previous studies on clinical high risk and established psychosis and offers a promising strategy for studying possible HPA dysfunctions characterizing the subclinical psychosis continuum without the confounds associated to clinical psychosis

SIMBOSPROST: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy: A multicentre, cross-sectional study

AimTo assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and osteoporosis in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) treated with radical radiotherapy (RT) with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).BackgroundWorldwide, the prevalence of MetS is estimated to range from 20% to 25% of the adult population. However, prevalence rates are much higher in PCa patients (pts) who undergo ADT.Materials and methodsMulticentre cross-sectional study of 270 pts in Spain with PCa. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the duration of ADT (6, 12–18, ≥24 months) and compared to a control group without ADT. MetS was defined according to NCEP ATP III criteria. Osteoporosis was assessed by DEXA.ResultsA total of 270 pts, treated from November 2011 to October 2012, were included. Of these, 122 pts (47%) fulfilled the criteria for MetS. The median age of this group was significantly higher (71.3 vs. 69.38 years, p[[ce:hsp sp="0.25"/]]=[[ce:hsp sp="0.25"/]]0.028). MetS prevalence was 50% in the control group. In pts who received ADT, prevalence was 44.8% after 6 months of ADT, 45.3% after 12–18 months, and 50% after ≥24 months (pns). Most pts (168/270; 62%) underwent DEXA. Of those tested, 78 (46.4%) had osteopenia and only 11 (6.5%) had osteoporosis.ConclusionsThe prevalence of MetS in pts with PCa treated with radical RT was higher (47%) than in the general population. However, there were no significant differences in the duration of ADT administration. The prevalence of osteoporosis was low. These findings suggest that the prevalence of MetS in PCa patients may be higher than previously reported

1er Encuentro de Comisiones de Igualdad de Centros del CSIC

1er Encuentro de Comisiones de Igualdad de Centros del CSIC, 10 de diciembre 2020.-- 1 video, 1 posterEl Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), en coordinación con la Comisión de Igualdad y la Comisión Mujeres y Ciencia del CSIC, promueve el primer encuentro de las Comisiones de Igualdad de los centros del CSIC el próximo 10 de diciembre. El evento se enmarca en el proyecto europeo Leading Towards Sustainable Gender Equality Plans in Research Institutions (LeTSGEPs), que persigue la implementación de Planes de Igualdad de Género (GEP, por sus siglas en inglés) con integración del enfoque de presupuesto de género (GB, por sus siglas en inglés), en los centros de investigación y universidades del consorcio. del que forma parte el ICM-CSIC. La celebración del encuentro, que se hará de forma virtual, responde a tres objetivos. El primero es presentar a la comunidad CSIC el proyecto LeTSGEPs e informar sobre los procesos e instrumentos que está articulando el ICM en la formulación de su Plan de Igualdad con el impulso del mismo. El segundo objetivo es impulsar a la creación de la Red de Comisiones de Igualdad del CSIC como espacio para la generación de conocimiento, y la articulación e intercambio de buenas prácticas en torno los Planes de Igualdad de género bajo el liderazgo de la Comisión de Igualdad del CSIC. El último objetivo del encuentro es reflexionar sobre los mecanismos de articulación del Plan de Igualdad del CSIC con los Planes de los centros del CSIC, a partir de la experiencia del ICM. En la actualidad, un gran número de centros del CSIC cuentan con Comisiones de Igualdad o están propiciando su creación. “Con este encuentro queremos promover el intercambio de buenas prácticas entre los centros en materia de Igualdad de Género, así como contribuir a la creación de una Red de Comisiones de Igualdad de los Centros del CSIC, un objetivo marcado a nivel institucional por el CSIC”, explica la investigadora del ICM y coordinadora de LeTSGEPs Esther GarcésPrograma de la jornada: El primer bloque contará con la presencia de la presidenta del CSIC, Rosa María Menéndez, que inaugurará el evento y abordará el Compromiso del CSIC con la Igualdad de Género. A continuación, intervendrá el director del ICM, Josép Lluís Pelegrí, para explicar el trabajo que se está llevando a cabo en el instituto en materia de igualdad de género. Seguidamente, Beatriz Esteban (CSIC) y María Pilar López Sancho (CSIC) expondrán el trabajo de la Comisión de Igualdad y del Plan de Igualdad del CSIC, respectivamente; y Francisca Puertas lo hará sobre la labor de la Comisión Mujeres y Ciencia del CSIC. Cerrarán esta primera parte institucional del encuentro, Elena Torrecilla (ICM), que expondrá los proyectos de género que se están llevando a cabo con fondos de la Unión Europea; y Esther Garcés y Silvia Donoso (ICM), que presentarán el proyecto europeo LeTSGEPs, y cómo entienden desde el ICM la articulación de los Planes de Igualdad del centro con el Plan de Igualdad del CSIC. En el segundo bloque del encuentro las Comisiones de Igualdad de distintos centros del CSIC expondrán su recorrido, su trabajo, así como su experiencia previa de articulación en redes. Se contará igualmente con la experiencia de los centros que han logrado el distintivo de Igualdad del CSIC. Para avanzar en la generación de la Red de Comisiones de Igualdad de los centros del CSIC y ahondar en el intercambio de experiencias se generarán grupos de discusión que nos permitan establecer acuerdos y orientar las próximas acciones para seguir avanzando en la institucionalización de la igualdad de género en nuestros centrosLeTSGEPs Leading Towards Sustainable Gender Equality Plans in research performing organisations. This project received funding from the European Union's Horitzon 2020 Research and Innovation program under Grant Agreement nº 873072Peer reviewe

Conexión inteligente para la gestión turística desde el aula al destino (CIGTAD)

Fac. de Comercio y TurismoFac. de Trabajo SocialFALSEsubmitte