Validity and Reliability of an Inertial Device for Measuring Dynamic Weight-Bearing Ankle Dorsiflexion

A decrease in ankle dorsiflexion causes changes in biomechanics, and different instruments have been used for ankle dorsiflexion testing under static conditions. Consequently, the industry of inertial sensors has developed easy-to-use devices, which measure dynamic ankle dorsiflexion and provide additional parameters such as velocity, acceleration, or movement deviation. Therefore, the aims of this study were to analyze the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of an inertial device for measuring dynamic weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion. Sixteen participants were tested using an inertial device (WIMU) and a digital inclinometer. Ankle dorsiflexion from left and right ankle repetitions was used for validity analysis, whereas test-retest reliability was analyzed by comparing measurements from the first and second days. The standard error of the measurement (SEM) between the instruments was very low for both ankle measurements (SEM 0.05) even though a significant systematic bias (~1.77°) was found for the right ankle (d = 0.79). R2 was very close to 1 in the left and right ankles (R2 = 0.85–0.89) as well as the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC > 0.95). Test-retest reliability analysis showed that systematic bias was below 1° for both instruments, even though a systematic bias (~1.50°) with small effect size was found in the right ankle (d = 0.49) with WIMU. The ICC was very close to 1 and the coefficient of variation (CV) was lower than 4% in both instruments. Thus, WIMU is a valid and reliable inertial device for measuring dynamic weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion

Alimentación responsable en la escuela pública. Una experiencia de eco-comedor autogestionado. (CEIP "Gómez Moreno. Albayzín. Granada)

At CEIP Gomez Moreno Infant and Primary School –a recognised state school in Granada’s Albayzin neighbourhood–, a group of parents, strongly committed to a Universal and Public education system as a tool to correct social inequalities, has taken on the direct management of complementary and extracurricular school services, in order to give back to society applying the specific skills and qualifications of the school community from a democratic and civic participation perspective. Among the services comprehensively and voluntarily managed by the parents’ association (AMPA in Spanish), the most successful one having the highest impact on the educational community is the school’s dining hall service, which includes the use of local and organic produce, as opposed to a general process currently taking place in Andalusia by which catering services subsidiary to large business groups are being widely implemented, leading to the indirect privatization of this public service. The results: the forceful assertion of public education, both inside and outside the community context, by means of a daily dining service with an on site kitchen serving locally sourced and organic meals; high levels of satisfaction from its users; the achievement of parents’ empowerment, as co-responsible citizens for the proper functioning of the public education service in the path towards excellence; and the contribution to the consolidation of sustainable social models.En el Centro de Educación Infantil y Primaria (CEIP) Gómez Moreno, colegio público de referencia para el barrio del Albayzín de Granada, un grupo de madres y padres, en claro compromiso por la Escuela Pública y Universal, correctora de las desigualdades sociales, asumen la gestión directa de los servicios complementarios y extraescolares del centro, como forma de revertir a la sociedad la cualificación específica de los componentes de la comunidad educativa en su entorno vivencial desde criterios de participación ciudadana y democrática. Entre los servicios gestionados de forma integral y voluntaria desde la asociación de madres y padres del alumnado (AMPA), el de mayor éxito y repercusión ante la comunidad educativa es el del comedor escolar, en el que se incorpora el consumo de alimentos locales y de producción ecológica, eludiendo el proceso generalizado en la comunidad autónoma andaluza de implantación de servicios de restauración filiales de grandes grupos empresariales que posibilitan la privatización indirecta del servicio público. Como resultado, la contundente acreditación de la Escuela Pública, dentro y fuera de su contexto comunitario, con un servicio de comedor con cocina diaria, elaborada con productos ecológicos y de cercanía, con altos niveles de satisfacción de sus usuarios, logrando el empoderamiento de madres y padres, como ciudadanía, en la co-responsabilización del funcionamiento del servicio público educativo, hacia su excelencia, incidiendo en la consolidación de modelos sociales sostenibles

Analysis of professionals and family foster care on advantages and difficulties of visits between foster children and their biological families

Contact between a foster child and birth parents play an important role in relation to the foster child’s wellbeing. The main aim of this study is to give voice to social workers and foster families about contact visits. This research is part of a project financed by the regional government of Andalusia (Spain) (SEJ-7106) regarding contact visits in foster care. Two focus groups were organized, one with 8 social workers from four foster care agencies and another with 8 foster carers (4 were recruited through the Association of Foster Families in Andalusia and 4 through fostering agencies). Access to foster care agencies and foster families was obtained through the official Andalusian Child Protective Services (SPM). The focal groups were audio-recorded. Transcripts (of the two focus groups gave rise to primary documents for the hermeneutic unit under study. All this information was exported from an Excel database to the ATLAS.ti v7.0 software. The transcripts were examined using an inductive method of open coding in order to identify themes among participants’ responses. Results show that both groups agreed on the utility of visits to maintain the children’s attachment to their birth family, to bring a greater sense of continuity to the children’s life story, to enhance the psychological wellbeing of the foster children and to know the real situation of their birth family. In relation to the difficulties remarked in the course of the visits, one of the issues mentioned by both groups refers to a lack in the coordination among the social workers, the SPM and the foster families involved. The other issue brings together several complaints to the SPM, such as the fact of not providing information about taking decisions regarding the future of the child; the lack of support and preparation of the foster carers, the children and the birth families about visits; as well as the shortage of social workers and economic aids provided by the SPM. The conclusions of this study highlight the need to improve contact visits by developing intervention strategies targeted at all those involved (foster children, family foster care, birth family and social workers). These findings have important implications for practice.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The voice of birth families to improve visits in foster care

In foster care, contact visits with birth families play an important role in relation to the child’s wellbeing, and they may impact on placement outcomes. However, the views of birth parents with respect to such visits have largely been unexplored. This research is part of a project financed by the regional government of Andalusia (SEJ-7106) regarding contact visits in foster care. This study aims to give voice to parents and gather their views about contact visits, including how they might be improved. Participants were 23 birth families who had contact visits with 35 children in non-kinship foster care. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted in order to explore two key aspects: the parents’ opinions regarding the contact visits and the main areas they felt needed improving. The interviews were transcribed and the transcripts were examined using an inductive method of open coding to identify themes among participants’ responses. The main themes to emerge concerned their general view of contact visits and the organization of visits. The paper discusses the study’s implications of the findings for practice.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Thermal deterioration of the trans-/cis-ratio of bittering agents of commercial beers

Producción CientíficaThe use of reduced isomerised hop extracts to achieve both bitterness and light stability became very popular during the last decade. Changes during storage in four hop extracts and seven commercial lager beers are studied using HPLC and spectrophotometric techniques. The degradation of the iso-α-acids and tetrahydro iso-α-acids as a function of time is represented by the ratio, in percentage, of the sum of trans-isomer concentration to the sum of the cis-isomer concentration (T/C). The results provided conclusive evidence that the gradual decreased of bitterness intensity in beer was due to the degradation of iso-α-acids, notably to the instability of the trans-iso-α-acids. When the beers were stored for 14 days at 45◦C the decrease of the T/C average varied from 8.6 to 14.0%, except in lemon beer, in which case, T/C decreased 36.9%. The results allowed us to infer that in open storage and/or warm conditions the deterioration of beer was critical above 35◦C. On the other hand, the results showed that tetrahydro iso-α-acids remained unaltered

Boina/sombrero: una dicotomía social y simbólica en la España del siglo XX

Este artículo explora la dimensión simbólica de la boina y el sombrero en la historia social del siglo xx español. El uso de un amplio material principalmente iconográfico y hemerográfico —fotografías, viñetas de prensa, carteles publicitarios, filmaciones y crónicas periodísticas— permite reconstruir la lucha de clases alegórica que libraron la boina como representante habitual de las clases populares y el sombrero como exponente del estilo de vida de las clases medias y altas, al menos hasta mediados del siglo xx, en que se inició su decadencia. El artículo aborda además dos variables de gran importancia en el desarrollo de esta dicotomía indumentaria: el factor generacional y de género en la adopción de actitudes transgresoras identificadas con el llamado sinsombrerismo. Aunque el hilo conductor del artículo es la relación de poder y sumisión que gira en torno a la boina y al sombrero, plantea asimismo algunos casos significativos en los que la adopción de tal o cual prenda respondía a un principio electivo de su portador, y no, como era habitual, a la función socialmente selectiva que solía llevar aparejado el uso de estas prendas

Vulnerables.

Universidad Pablo de OlavideMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación CSO2009-06819-EUniversidad de Granada 1975-200

Propuestas de las familias acogedoras para mejorar las visitas entre los acogidos y sus familias biológicas

El objetivo general de este estudio es mejorar el funcionamiento de las visitas que mantienen los niños acogidos con su familia biológica. Para ello se pretende conocer, a través de un Grupo Focal, la opinión de las familias acogedoras. Los participantes en el Grupo Focal fueron 8 familias acogedoras de diferentes asociaciones de acogimiento familiar en Andalucía (España). Este estudio forma parte de un proyecto de investigación (SEJ-7106) sobre las visitas que mantienen los niños acogidos con su familia biológica. Se obtuvo la autorización por escrito del Servicio de Protección de Menores (SPM), las Asociaciones, y las familias acogedoras para participar en el grupo focal y grabar las sesiones. Para analizar los datos se transcribió la grabación del Grupo Focal y la información fue exportada al programa ATLAS.ti v7.0 software. Se utilizó un método inductivo de código abierto para identificar las respuestas de cada participante. Los resultados mostraron los aspectos positivos, las dificultades, y las propuestas para mejorar el funcionamiento de las visitas. Las conclusiones señalan los siguientes aspectos de mejora: ofrecer mayor información, preparación y apoyo a los niños, la familia biológica y la familia acogedora, mayor colaboración entre la familia biológica y la acogedora, mejorar el lugar donde se realizan las visitas, diversificar el tipo de contactos, adaptar la frecuencia y duración de las visitas a cada caso, tener en cuenta el deseo del niño al establecer las visitas, tener más personal y mayor financiación, y adaptar más las visitas a las necesidades específicas de cada niño.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Foster care profiles: A guide to identifying at-risk placements

Research on foster care shows a growing interest in knowing what factors exert influence on success or failure of the placements. Several studies have analysed the variables that influence the outcome of family foster care. The main variables addressed by these studies were behaviour problems and impulsivity/inattention in foster children, warmth/communication, parenting style, and level of burden in the foster parents. This study aimed to determine whether distinct profiles can be identified among foster placements with common characteristics, and also sought to define a predictive function for the success or failure of foster care. Participants included foster children and their respective foster families. The sample comprised 104 non-kinship foster children in long-term foster care (56 boys and 48 girls) whose mean age at the time of data collection was 11 years. These children were being fostered in 86 families, corresponding to 71 foster fathers and 86 foster mothers. Access to foster families and information about the foster placements was authorized and provided by the Child Protection Agency in Andalusia (Spain). A quantitative methodology was used during both the collection and the data analysis. A k-means cluster analysis identified three clusters, corresponding to high-, moderate-, and low-risk placements. The variables that formed part of these clusters were behaviour problems and impulsivity/inattention in foster children, level of burden in the foster parents, an authoritarian parenting style, and criticism/rejection by the foster parents. A discriminant analysis confirmed the differences between the three clusters and enabled us to create a function for classifying cases in each group. These results can be used to identify at-risk placements and may help to avoid situations that could undermine the foster child’s development. The findings could also be useful in terms of assessing the suitability of foster families, as well for identifying their training needs.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Acogimiento familiar de urgencia: resultados e implicaciones

Emergency foster care is a relatively new measure of protection in our country and one that is scarcely studied. The aim of this study is to perform a descriptive analysis of the status of emergency foster care since being put in place in the Province of Malaga. The sample comprised 89 children, 84 biological families and 38 foster families. The instrument used for data collection was the Data Collection Sheet. The findings are the following: a) 59.6 per cent of the children had suffered mistreatment; b) a socio-demographic profile characterized by addiction and psychopathology was found in the biological families; c) the quality and regularity of the parents’ visits to their children was superior to that found in other modalities of foster care; d) foster families had a high number of fostering and had received several children simultaneously; e) 20.3 per cent of the children had been in other previous foster care; f) the average stay in emergency foster care was 5.7 months; and g) 32.4 per cent of children were successfully reintegrated to their biological families after the emergency foster care terms were concluded.El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la situación de los Acogimientos Familiares de Urgencia desde su implantación en la provincia de Málaga, dado que es una medida de protección relativamente reciente en nuestro país y escasamente estudiada. Participaron 89 niños, 84 familias biológicas y 38 familias acogedoras de urgencia. El instrumento utilizado fue la Ficha de recogida de datos. Los resultados mostraron que: a) el 59,6 por ciento de los niños habían sufrido maltrato; b) en la familia biológica se encontró un perfil caracterizado por la toxicomanía y la psicopatología; c) la calidad y regularidad de las visitas de los padres a sus hijos fueron superiores a las encontradas en otros tipos de acogimiento; d) las familias acogedoras habían realizado un número elevado de acogimientos y habían acogido a varios niños simultáneamente; e) el 20,3 por ciento había estado en otra medida de protección previa al acogimiento de urgencia; f) la duración media de los acogimientos fue de 5.7 meses; y g) el 32,4 por ciento de los acogidos retornó con su familia biológica al finalizar el acogimiento de urgencia.