Kinship care in Chile: experiences of grandparents and grandchildren

In Chile, grandparents make up by far the largest proportion of foster carers. Research on the topic is mainly from Western countries and it has been predominantly quantitative. Research carried out in Chile is about children in formal kinship care placements, and little is known about those in informal arrangements. Research on children’s perspectives of kinship care is also scarce. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of grandparents and their grandchildren, living in both formal and informal kinship care arrangements in Chile. In-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with grandparents and their grandchildren, separately, in two Chilean locations. The sample included 18 families comprising grandparents (N= 20) and grandchildren between 7 and 16 years of age (N=21). To facilitate the interviews with children, visual methods and interactive approaches were used. Thematic and narrative analysis were used as a complementary way of analysing the data The thesis applies concepts of care as a social process. Grandmothers are the main carers of the children, and they had to negotiate the normative positions of being both parents and grandparents. They expressed positive feelings about being their grandchildren’s carers and saw it as a second chance to do things differently and make up for their previous parenting mistakes. Grandchildren mainly felt positively about their lives with their grandparents. They felt thankful to their grandparents for taking care of them. However, they also showed their concerns about the future and felt anxious about the grandparents’ health. With time and through practices of care and love the grandparents become their grandchildren’s parents, and grandchildren become their grandparent’s children. These processes of becoming created conflict and contradictions for the grandmothers and the grandchildren, especially in relation to the place of the birth mothers in these children’s lives

Drying niches of aquatic macroinvertebrates identify potential biomonitoring indicators in intermittent and ephemeral streams

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) compose the majority of draining networks on Earth, supporting a unique fraction of biodiversity. Despite their high ecological value, IRES are increasingly threatened by global change and require appropriate biomonitoring and restoration tools. However, indices and indicators used in routine biomonitoring programs are often confounded by drying effects. This occurs because most pollutionsensitive taxa are lost over drying gradients, limiting the utility of current biomonitoring tools in IRES. To address this challenge, there is a need to evaluate which taxa should be used to calculate biomonitoring metrics and indicators over the different portions of the drying gradient. Here, using high-resolution drying data from 33 unpolluted streams, we explored the drying preferences of macroinvertebrates to identify their potential as biomonitoring indicators in IRES. To do this, we characterized macroinvertebrate drying niches and identified those with drying resistance and sensitivity preferences. Next, we evaluated the capacity of functional traits to predict drying specialization and affinity. Finally, to identify potential biomonitoring metrics and indicators for IRES, we evaluated how drying influenced the density, relative abundance and richness of taxa in drying sensitive and drying-resistant niches. Our results identified three macroinvertebrate groups with drying resistant niches (partly tolerant, generalist and specialist taxa) and one group of drying-sensitive taxa. We also found that functional traits had a limited capacity to represent differences in drying niches, with shredding trophic preferences and body size showing the strongest correlations. In addition, we observed that the density, relative abundance and richness of drying-resistant taxa were less influenced by drying intensity than those of drying-sensitive taxa. Finally, we found that some pollution-sensitive taxa with partial (e.g., Lepidostoma), moderate (e.g., Corduliidae) or high drying tolerance (e.g., Nemoura) can serve as potential indicators in IRES. Taken together, our results demonstrate that characterizing drying niches can be a useful strategy for developing biomonitoring tools in IRES and for highlighting the limitations of taxonomic and trait-based approaches

Pangenome Analysis Reveals Novel Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition System and Phenazine Biosynthesis Operons in Proteus mirabilis BL95 That Are Located in An Integrative and Conjugative Element.

Proteus mirabilis is a leading cause of urinary tract infections and a common commensal of the gastrointestinal tract. Our recent study (JB) showed that P. mirabilis strain BL95 employs a novel contact-dependent killing system against enteric bacteria in the mouse gut and in vitro. To uncover the genetic determinants of this system, we performed whole-genome sequencing of BL95 and compared it with 98 complete genomes of P. mirabilis. BL95 carries 56 coding sequences (CDSs) not found in other P. mirabilis. Over half of these unique genes are located on a novel integrative conjugative element (ICE) named ICEPm2, inserted in tRNA-Phe and exclusive to BL95. ICEPm2 has integration, conjugation, and DNA replication modules nearly identical to ICEPm1 (common in P. mirabilis), but ICEPm2 of BL95 carries two unique operons for P. mirabilis-a phenazine biosynthesis and a contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) system. ICEPm2 is absent in the P. mirabilis (AR_0156) closest to BL95 and it is present in the genomes of several Escherichia coli from mouse intestines, indicating its recent horizontal mobilization. BL95 shares over 100 genes of five different secretion systems with other P. mirabilis, mostly poorly studied, making a large pool of candidate genes for the contact-dependent growth inhibition

Terapia de Grupo Multifamiliar para población LGTBIQ+

El trabajo presentado a continuación es una propuesta de intervención mediantela implementación de la terapia de grupo multifamiliar, para población LGTBIQ+ quesufre rechazo en su contexto familiar. En primer lugar, se presenta una breveintroducción y justificación sobre la problemática, para posteriormente exponer losobjetivos, metodología y diseño del programa, finalizando con una conclusión.<br /

Diversity mediates the responses of invertebrate density to duration and frequency of rivers annual drying regime

Predicting the impacts of global change on highly dynamic ecosystems requires a better understanding of how communities respond to disturbance duration, frequency and timing. Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams are dynamic ecosystems that are recognized as the most common fluvial ecosystem globally. The complexity of the drying process can give rise to different annual and antecedent hydrological conditions, but their effect on aquatic communities remains unclear. Here, using aquatic invertebrates from 33 streams across a flow-intermittence gradient, we assessed how annual (drying duration and frequency) and recent drying characteristics (duration of the last dry period and flowing duration since the last rewetting) affect the density and diversity metrics of communities and trophic groups while controlling for other key abiotic factors (dissolved oxygen and altitude). We characterized invertebrate communities using taxonomy and functional traits to capture biological features that increase vulnerability to drying. In addition, using structural equation modelling (SEM), we evaluated pathways by which drying characteristics directly impact invertebrate density and whether diversity indirectly mediates such relationships. We show that drying frequency drove reductions in diversity at the community level and within trophic groups, whereas both the drying duration and frequency had a negative influence on density metrics. Reductions in taxonomic richness were linked to increased annual drying duration, whereas functional diversity declined in response to annual drying frequency. Filterer, predator and shredder trophic groups exhibited the strongest negative responses to drying. Recent drying characteristics had a minor effect on density and diversity metrics. Our SEM results demonstrated that diversity mediates the negative impacts of annual drying duration and frequency on invertebrate density through reductions in their taxonomic richness and functional diversity. Our results underscore the importance of considering multiple drying characteristics together with the interdependence of density and diversity to better anticipate drying responses in freshwater ecosystems. Keywords: biodiversity-ecosystem functioning, drying, flow intermittence, functional traits, intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams, Mediterranean stream

Protein removal from waste brines generated during ham salting through acidification and centrifugation

[EN] The salting step in food processes implies the production of large quantities of waste brines, having high organic load, high conductivity, and other pollutants with high oxygen demand. Direct disposal of the residual brine implies salinization of soil and eutrophication of water. Since most of the organic load of the waste brines comes from proteins leaked from the salted product, precipitation of dissolved proteins by acidification and removal by centrifugation is an operation to be used in waste brine cleaning. The aim of this study is optimizing the conditions for carrying out the separation of proteins from waste brines generated in the pork ham salting operation, by studying the influence of pH, centrifugal force, and centrifugation time. Models for determining the removal of proteins depending on the pH, centrifugal force, and time were obtained. The results showed a high efficacy of the proposed treatment for removing proteins, suggesting that this method could be used for waste brine protein removal. The best pH value to be used in an industrial process seems to be 3, while the obtained results indicate that almost 90% of the proteins from the brine can be removed by acidification followed by centrifugation. A further protein removal from the brine should have to be achieved using filtrating techniques, which efficiency could be highly improved as a consequence of the previous treatment through acidification and centrifugation. Practical Application Waste brines from meat salting have high organic load and electrical conductivity. Proteins can be removed from the waste brine by acidification and centrifugation. The total protein removal can be up to 90% of the initial content of the waste brine. Protein removal is highly dependent on pH, centrifugation rate, and time.We would like to thank the Spanish Government (MCYT) and the EU (FEDER program) for the financial support of the project (AGL2004-05064-C02).Gutiérrez-Martínez, MDR.; Muñoz Guerrero, HP.; Alcaina-Miranda, MI.; Barat Baviera, JM. (2014). Protein removal from waste brines generated during ham salting through acidification and centrifugation. Journal of Food Science. 79(3):326-332. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12373S32633279

Integrating curriculum-based dynamic assessment in computerized adaptive testing: Development and predictive validity of the EDPL-BAI battery on reading competence

In recent decades, there have been significant changes in the conceptualization of reading as well as in the perception of how this activity should be assessed. Interest in the analysis of reading processes has led to the emergence of new explanatory models based primarily on the contributions of cognitive psychology. In parallel, there have been notable advances in measurement procedures, especially in models based on Item Response Theory (IRT), as well as in the capacity and performance of specific software programs that allow data to be managed and analyzed. These changes have contributed significantly to the rise of testing procedures such as computerized adaptive tests (CATs), whose fundamental characteristic is that the sequence of items presented in the tests is adapted to the level of competence that the subject manifests. Likewise, the incorporation of elements of dynamic assessment (DA) as the prompts are gradually offered allows for obtaining information about the type and degree of support required to optimize the subject’s performance. In this sense, the confluence of contributions from DA and CATs offers a new possibility for approaching the assessment of learning processes. In this article, we present a longitudinal research developed in two phases, through which a computerized dynamic adaptive assessment battery of reading processes (EDPL-BAI) was configured. The research frame involved 1,831 students (46% girls) from 13 public schools in three regions of Chile. The purpose of this study was to analyze the differential contribution on reading competence of dynamic scores obtained in a subsample composed of 324 (47% girls) students from third to sixth grade after the implementation of a set of adaptive dynamic tests of morpho-syntactic processes. The results achieved in the structural equation modeling indicate a good global fit. Individual relationships show a significant contribution of calibrated score that reflects estimated knowledge level on reading competence, as well as dynamic scores based on the assigned value of graduated prompts required by the students. These results showed significant predictive values on reading competence and incremental validity in relation to predictions made by static criterion tests

Percepção da qualidade do sono em jovens

Evaluar los hábitos y la percepción de la calidad de sueño en una muestra de jóvenes colombianos y mexicanos. Materiales y métodos: utilizando la metodología de diario de sueño se evalúa inmediatamente al despertar la calidad de sueño percibida con un cuestionario constituido por veintisiete reactivos categóricos y cuantitativos. Resultados: se evaluaron 317 estudiantes de bachillerato/preparatoria (n= 189) y de primeros semestres universitarios (n= 128) en Bogotá (n= 197) y en Ciudad de México (n= 120). De ellos 147 fueron mujeres (46,4%) y 170 fueron hombres (53,6%). El promedio de edad fue 18,6 ± 2,81 años, con una mediana y una moda de 17 años. El alfa de Cronbach obtenido de 135 mediciones en el período de estudio fue 0,86 y 0,57 con los valores promedio de veintisiete reactivos. Hubo una correlación inversa entre las horas de sueño nocturno y las siestas (r= -0,12; p= 0,029). Un 38% de los participantes no hizo siestas y durmió en promedio 7,6 horas nocturnas o más (X2= 2,78; p= 0,047). Los hombres hicieron más siestas con un 76,5%, frente a un 55,6% de las mujeres; X2= 15,26; p= 0,000). Una reducción de las horas de sueño nocturno y la necesidad de tomar siestas estuvo significativamente asociada con el género de los participantes. El promedio y la mediana de horas de sueño nocturno (7,2 horas) se usó para clasificar la población en grupo de sueño (+) con 7,3 o más y grupo de sueño (-) con 7,2 o menos. Estos grupos fueron comparados. Conclusión: la población juvenil evaluada mostró una reducción en las horas de sueño nocturno, asociado con la frecuencia de siestas y el género de los participantes.Objetivos: avaliar os hábitos ea percepção da qualidade do sono em uma amostra de jovens colombianos e mexicanos. Materiais e métodos: utilizando a metodologia diário do sono é avaliado imediatamente ao acordar, percebeu a qualidade do sono com um questionário composto por 27 reagentes categóricas e quantitativas. Resultados: foram avaliados 317 estudantes do ensino médio / alto (n= 189), e na faculdade no primeiro semestre (n= 128), em Bogotá, Colômbia (n= 197), e Cidade do México (n= 120). Destes, 147 eram mulheres (46,4%) e 170 homens (53,6%). A idade média foi de 18,6 ± 2,81 anos, com uma moda e mediana de 17 anos. Alfa de Cronbach obtido a partir de 135 medições no período do estudo foi de 0,86 e 0,57, com valores médios de 27 reagentes. Houve uma correlação inversa entre as horas de sono noturno e cochilos (r= -0,12; p= 0,029). 38% dos participantes não cochilo e dormia em média 7,6 horas da noite ou mais (X2= 2,78; p= 0,047). Os homens cochilavam mais (76,5% homens; 55,6% do sexo feminino; X2= 15,26; p= 0,000). A redução de horas de uma noite de sono e precisam tomar sestas foi significativamente associada com o gênero dos participantes. A média de horas e mediana de uma noite de sono (7,2 horas) foi usado para classificar a população em dois grupos, o sono (+) 7,3 ou mais horas, eo grupo do sono (-) 7,2 horas ou menos. Estes grupos foram comparados. Conclusões: a população de jovens testados apresentaram uma redução nas horas de sono por noite. Isto foi associado com a frequência de cochilos e gênero dos participantes.To assess sleep habits and sleep quality perception in a Colombian and Mexican youth sample. Materials and methods: following a sleep diary methodology with a questionnaire of 27 categorical and quantitative items, the assessment was done immediately upon awakening. Results: it was applied to 317 high school (n= 189) and undergrads (n= 128) in Bogotá, Colombia (n= 197) and México City, México (n= 120); 147 females (46,4%) and 170 males (53,6%). The mean age was 18,6 ± 2,81 years with a median and mode of 17 years. The Cronbach’s alpha obtained from 135 measurements during the study period was 0,86 and 0,57 from the mean values of 27 scale items. An inverse correlation was found between hours of sleep per night and number of naps (r= -0,12; p= 0,029); 38% of participants did not nap and slept on average 7,6 night hours or more (X2= 2,78; p= 0,047). The men took more naps than women (men 76,5%; women 55,6%; X2= 15,26; p= 0,000). A reduction of hours of sleep per night and the need for naps was significantly associated with participants’ gender. The mean and median hours of sleep per night (7,2 hours) was used to classify the population into two groups: sleep (+) 7,3 or more hours and sleep (-) 7,2 hours or less. These groups were compared. Conclusions: youth population evaluated showed a reduction of hours of sleep per night was found. This was associated to naps frequency and participant gender

Terapia cognitivo-conductual en las psicosis agudas

El tratamiento de las psicosis agudas era, hasta hace unos años, algo relegado al tratamiento farmacológico (a excepción del psicoanálisis). En los últimos tiempos esa tendencia ha ido cambiando y diversos estudios han puesto de manifiesto la ventaja de las intervenciones cognitivo conductuales en las fases agudas de las psicosis. A esta tendencia se ha unido un nuevo y prometedor paradigma de intervención temprana en psicosis. En el presente estudio se muestra una revisión bibliográfica de las investigaciones más relevantes publicadas hasta la fecha en torno a esta temática. Se incluyeron aquellos trabajos con un diseño controlado y aleatorio, que garantizaban requisitos de fiabilidad y validez. Los estudios muestran resultados esperanzadores, en cuanto que avalan la eficacia de la TCC como medida de tratamiento. Sin embargo, todavía se hace necesario un mayor número de investigaciones que avalen estos datos