Changes in Caregiver Personal Support Networks: Gender Differences and Effects on Health (CUIDAR-SE Study)

Technological changes have led to important advances in medical diagnoses and treatments that prolong the informal care process. Support from the personal network of informal caregivers is an undervalued resource and the changes that have occurred over time are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in personal network support among informal caregivers and to examine the effect of these changes on self-perceived caregiver health, with a focus on differences between men and women and caregivers with high and low levels of burdenWe also investigated caregiver perceptions and explanations of changes to their support network (losses and additions and no change). Using a mixed-methods approach, data were obtained from 32 caregivers that were intentionally selected in Spain, who were interviewed twice with a one-year interval. In the quantitative phase, personal networks analysis was performed with Egonet software, which obtained data on the composition and functional content in social support from 1600 personal relationships (25 alters for each ego in the two waves). In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted in the two waves with a guide in order to explore the changes in informal support resources over time. The selected men with high levels of burden pointed out a loss of network support with more discouraging reports compared with the low-burden male caregivers. Furthermore, the selected women with low burden levels mentioned losses too; however, their reports were more positive. Women reported improved health, especially those with low burden scores in the first wave and those who did not lose support. Caregivers with a high initial burden and who lost support reported worse health, particularly men and women with a strong sense of duty toward care. Social support from personal networks is important for caregiver health and its effects are influenced by gender roles. Our findings could help by improving the relational and social capital of informal caregivers and adapting them to the new needs of formal home care systems

Effect of corrosion degree on different steel ductility parameters, based on 'Equivalent Steel' criterion

One of the meaningful effects of concrete reinforcement steel corrosion on concrete structures is the decrease of mechanical properties, specifically the ductility of steel. The term ductility of steel refers to a group of properties which determine the reinforced concrete structures (RCS) and it is necessary to take this property into account for the recalculation of structures that have been already corroded until the point to condition in many occasions the analysis methodology. The paper aims to discuss these issues

The Effectiveness of Advanced Practice Nurses with Respect to Complex Chronic Wounds in the Management of Venous Ulcers

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced practice nurses with respect to complex chronic wounds (APN-CCWs) in the care of patients with venous ulcers. A multicentric, quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted without a control group in the sanitary management areas where the APN-CCW program is being piloted. The intervention consisted of a mass training of clinical nurses from the participating districts on the proper management of injuries and the use of compression therapy. The data were collected through a specifically constructed questionnaire with questions regarding descriptive variables of injuries and their treatment. A total of 643 professionals responded (response rate of 89.1%), attending to a total population of 707,814 inhabitants. An increase in multilayer bandage use by 15.67%, an increase in elastic bandage use by 13.24%, and a significant decrease in the referral of patients to consultation with hospital specialists was achieved, from 21.08% to 12.34%. The number of patients referred to the APNs was 13.25%, which implied a resolution rate of 94.08% of their injuries. In conclusion, the coordination by the APN-CCWs in patients with venous ulcers was effective in improving the continuity of care, in the optimization of resources, and in their care role

Proposal of a new indicator to define ductility applied to corroded steel reinforcement on concrete structures = Propuesta de un nuevo indicador para definir la ductilidad aplicada a la corrosión del acero de refuerzo en estructuras de hormigón

The carbonation of concrete or the chlorides ingress in such quantity to reach the level of bars is triggers of reinforcement corrosion. One of the most significant effects of reinforcing steel corrosion on reinforced concrete structures is the decline in the ductility-related properties of the steel. Reinforcement ductility has a decisive effect on the overall ductility of reinforced concrete structures. Different Codes classify the type of steel depending on their ductility defined by the minimum values of several parameters. Using indicators of ductility associating different properties can be advantageous on many occasions. It is considered necessary to define the ductility by means of a single parameter that considers strength values and deformation simultaneously. There are a number of criteria for defining steel ductility by a single parameter. The present experimental study addresses the variation in the ductility of concrete-embedded steel bars when exposed to accelerated corrosion. This paper analyzes the suitability of a new indicator of ductility used in corroded bars

Personal support networks and informal care: differences by sex and place? (CUIDAR-SE II study)

nObjetivo: Comparar la composición y la funcionalidad de apoyo social de redes personales de personascuidadoras de Granada y Gipuzkoa en función del sexo y la provincia.Método: Estudio transversal con metodología de análisis de redes personales. Se seleccionó una muestrade 66 personas cuidadoras segmentada por sexo en cada provincia. Se recogieron variables de compo-sición, funcionalidad de apoyo y contenido relacional de 1650 contactos personales que conforman lasredes estudiadas. Se utilizó el software EgoNet para la recogida, el análisis y la representación gráfica delas redes. Se midió la asociación de las características de la red con el sexo (de las personas cuidadoras yde las que componen sus redes) mediante la prueba de ji al cuadrado. Se analizaron los vínculos dentrode las redes.Resultados: Las redes de las personas cuidadoras de Granada están más feminizadas que las de Gipuzkoa.Las mujeres de Gipuzkoa cuentan con redes compuestas por menos familiares que las de Granada y conmayor número de relaciones entre las personas que las apoyan. Además, cuentan con más apoyo dehombres que de mujeres en todas las tareas analizadas, excepto en atención a la enfermedad. En ambasprovincias, los hombres cuidadores presentan en sus redes más mujeres que ayudan en tareas específicasde cuidado que hombres. Solo en actividades fuera del hogar en Granada hay más hombres que ayudanque mujeres (76,1% vs. 57%; p = 0,026).Conclusión: Se aprecian diferencias según el sexo y entre provincias en la composición de las redes y enel modo en que hombres y mujeres reciben y ofrecen apoyo en el cuidado.tObjective: To compare the composition and functionality of social support of personal networks of care-givers of Granada and Gipuzkoa (Spain) according to sex and province.Method: Cross-sectional study with personal network analysis methodology. A sample of 66 caregiverssegmented by sex in each province was selected. We collected variables of composition, functional andrelational content in social support of 1,650 personal relationships of the networks studied. The EgoNetsoftware was used for the collection, analysis and graphic representation of the networks. The associationof the characteristics of the network with sex (of the caregivers and those who make up their networks)was measured, using Chi-square. The links within the networks were analyzed.Results: The networks of caregivers in Granada are more feminized than those in Gipuzkoa. The women ofGipuzkoa have less familiar networks than those of Granada and with a greater number of relationshipsamong the people who support them. They also have more support from men than women in all the tasksanalyzed, except in attention to the disease. In both provinces, male caregivers show in their networksmore women who help in specific care tasks than men. Only in activities outside the home in Granadathere are more men who help than women (76.1% vs. 57%; p = 0.026).Conclusion: Gender differences between provinces can be seen in the composition of the networks and in the way in which men and women receive and offer support in care

Influence of grain size and compaction of different solid fuels on the layer ignition temperature

The results obtained from these analyses provide some clarifications about the thermal behaviour of the products and also enough information to design some prevention measurements in these facilities to avoid or at least minimize the risk of ignition of a dust layer

Characterization of gas emissions during heating of solid products

The emission of different harmful gases during the storage of solid fuels is a common phenomenon. The gases emitted during the heating process of those combustibles are the same as those emitted during combustion, mainly CO and CO2[1]. Nowadays, measurement of these emissions is mandatory. That is why in many industrial facilities different gas detectors are located to measure these gases. But it should be also useful if emissions could be predicted and the temperatures at the beginning of the emission process could be determined

Optimization and Validation of Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air

Thermal desorption (TD) coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) is a simple alternative that overcomes the main drawbacks of the solvent extraction-based method: long extraction times, high sample manipulation, and large amounts of solvent waste. This work describes the optimization of TD-GC/MS for the measurement of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAlls) in particulate phase. The performance of the method was tested by Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1649b urban dust and compared with the conventional method (Soxhlet extraction-GC/MS), showing a better recovery (mean of 97%), precision (mean of 12%), and accuracy (+/- 25%) for the determination of 14 EPA PAHs. Furthermore, other 15 nonpriority PAHs were identified and quantified using their relative response factors (RRFs). Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied for the quantification of PAI Is in real 8 h-samples (PM10), demonstrating its capability for determination of these compounds in short-term monitoring.The authors gratefully thank the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (Ref.: GIU 13/25, GIU 16/03, and UFI 11/47) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) for financing the project PROMESHAP (Ref.: CTM 2010-20607). Inaki Elorduy wants to thank the MICINN for his doctoral grant Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio

Influence of assessment in the teaching-learning process in the higher education

The new European Higher Education Area (EHEA) involves a change in the way of understanding learning and the teacher?s work. In this field, assessment is a very important aspect in education. It influences determinedly in the process of helping and encouraging the students to learn and understand their progresses in learning. This paper shows, from the results obtained in the subject "Concrete as a Structural Material", of fourth grade in Building Degree, the factors which affect the teaching-learning process through assessmen

Gender Differences in Social Support Received by Informal Caregivers: A Personal Network Analysis Approach

Social support is an important predictor of the health of a population. Few studies have analyzed the influence of caregivers? personal networks from a gender perspective. The aim of this study was to analyze the composition, structure, and function of informal caregiver support networks and to examine gender differences. It also aimed to explore the association between different network characteristics and self-perceived health among caregivers. We performed a social network analysis study using a convenience sample of 25 female and 25 male caregivers. A descriptive analysis of the caregivers and bivariate analyses for associations with self-perceived health were performed. The structural metrics analyzed were density; degree centrality mean; betweenness centrality mean; and number of cliques, components, and isolates. The variability observed in the structure of the networks was not explained by gender. Some significant differences between men and women were observed for network composition and function. Women received help mainly from women with a similar profile to them. Men?s networks were broader and more diverse and they had more help from outside family circles, although these outcomes were not statistically significant. Our results indicate the need to develop strategies that do not reinforce traditional gender roles, but rather encourage a greater sharing of responsibility among all parties.Funding: This project has received funding from Consejería de Salud (Junta de Andalucía) (PS-0280–2016) and from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Regional Development Fund (PI16/00207