Development of a Predictive Model for Skin-to-Skin Contact Immediately after Birth: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model for the establishment of skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during the last trimester of 2022 and the first trimester of 2023 with women who had given birth in Spain. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health variables referring to the mother and the newborn, as well as the Bond and Attachment questionnaire (VAMF, for its name in Spanish) for the analysis of the mother-child bond and attachment, were administered. A multivariate analysis was performed, and areas under the ROC curve (AUC) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) and the predictive characteristics of these models were estimated. In total, 1077 women participated. The prevalence of early skin-to-skin contact after delivery was 50.2% (468) in the derivation cohort and 49.8% (464) in the validation cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that prematurity, type of delivery, and birth experience were statistically significant, so they were included in the model (p ≤ 0.05). The predictive ability (AUC ROC) was good in both the derivation cohort, yielding 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.95), and in the validation cohort, yielding 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85-0.93). This study developed a predictive model identifying factors facilitating early skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her newborn immediately after birth.

Factors related to a disturbance in the mother-child bond and attachment.

INTRODUCTION: Establishing an adequate bond and attachment between a mother and child is essential for preventing pathologies and developing this relationship in the future. PURPOSE: To identify the factors related to a disturbance of the mother-child bond or attachment. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with women with a biological child between 6 weeks and 18 months of age. The Mother-Child Bond-Attachment Questionnaire (VAMF, for its name in Spanish) was administered to measure the bond and postnatal attachment together with a questionnaire containing sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health variables referring to the mother and the newborn. RESULTS: 1114 women participated. The multivariate analysis showed that skin-to-skin contact (aOR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.90) and breastfeeding (aOR = 0.55; 95% IC: 0.35, 0.86) reduce the probability of presenting a bond disturbance. Anxiety during pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium (aOR = 3.95; 95% CI: 2.57, 6.05) and postpartum complications (aOR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.48) increase the chance of having a bond disturbance. Skin-to-skin contact (aOR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38, 1.00), breastfeeding (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.80,) and an older age of the infant (months) (aOR = 0.77: 95% CI: 0.72, 0.82) reduces the probability of presenting an attachment disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: Skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding are associated with a lower probability of impaired bonding and attachment. Anxiety states during pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium, and complications after childbirth increase the probability of developing a bond disorder. The older the age of the infant, the lower the frequency of having an impaired attachment. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Identifying the factors associated with the establishment of the mother-child bond and attachment is essential for the development of prevention strategies and early identification of cases that may present alterations and avoid their consequences on the health of the mother and child.

La apendicitis aguda no aumenta el riesgo de cáncer de colon derecho en mayores 45 años

Objetivo: El objetivo principal consistió en determinar si en nuestra población existía una diferencia en la tasa de diagnóstico de cáncer de colon derecho para los pacientes mayores de 45 años en los 36 meses siguientes, tras apendicitis aguda en comparación con un grupo control. Pacientes y Métodos: Estudio de cohortes retrospectivo con un grupo expuesto de 300 pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de apendicitis aguda y un grupo control de 300 pacientes intervenidos de patología benigna entre enero de 2014 y agosto 2017. Se han realizado referencias cruzadas entre las historias clínicas electrónicas y la base de datos del Registro de Cáncer de Granada. Resultados: Se presentaron 2/300 pacientes (0,7%) mientras que en el grupo control, se presentaron 4/300 (1,3%). Antes estos hallazgos, no existe un mayor riesgo de desarrollar un carcinoma colon en los pacientes con apendicitis (p > 0,05). Discusión: La apendicitis aguda puede tratarse de la primera manifestación de carcinoma de colon derecho, sin embargo, en nuestra revisión no encontramos dicha asociación en nuestra población.

Aim: The main objective was to determine whether in our population there was a difference in the rate of right colon cancer diagnosis for patients over 45 years of age in the 36 months following acute appendicitis compared to a control group. Patients and Methods: Retrospective cohort study with an exposed group of 300 patients with histological diagnosis of acute appendicitis and a control group of 300 patients operated on for benign pathology between January 2014 and August 2017. Electronic medical records and the Granada Cancer Registry database were cross-referenced. Results: 2/300 patients (0.7%) presented while 4/300 (1.3%) presented in the control group. Given these findings, there is no increased risk of developing colon carcinoma in patients with appendicitis (p > 0.05). Discussion: Acute appendicitis may be the first manifestation of right colon carcinoma, however, in our review we found no such association in our population.

Rare earth elements as statistical sentinels of pollution and paleoenvironments?: Application to a highly polluted estuary in southwestern Spain.

Multivariate analyses have been applied to the REE contents of three cores collected in the Tinto estuary, SW Spain, an extremely polluted area. Results indicate an extremely correlation between all REE, which behave as a single variable. A slight natural pollution peak and three anthropogenic pollution peaks are identified, related with the first mining activities, the Roman period and a recent intensive mining accompanied by a heavy industrial pollution. In all these peaks, the increase of Cu is parallel to that of MREE, which are configured as the best indicators of pollution among REE. Statistical analyses clearly differentiate four groups, each consisting of samples from different environments. Although grain size and this strong pollution alter the study of REE as environmental indicators, it is possible to recognise groups of samples with a common origin or to identify the surface extent of a given pollution peak.

Did a 3800-year-old Mw ~9.5 earthquake trigger major social disruption in the Atacama Desert?

Early inhabitants along the hyperarid coastal Atacama Desert in northern Chile developed resilience strategies over 12,000 years, allowing these communities to effectively adapt to this extreme environment, including the impact of giant earthquakes and tsunamis. Here, we provide geoarchaeological evidence revealing a major tsunamigenic earthquake that severely affected prehistoric hunter-gatherer-fisher communities ~3800 years ago, causing an exceptional social disruption reflected in contemporary changes in archaeological sites and triggering resilient strategies along these coasts. Together with tsunami modeling results, we suggest that this event resulted from a ~1000-km-long megathrust rupture along the subduction contact of the Nazca and South American plates, highlighting the possibility of Mw ~9.5 tsunamigenic earthquakes in northern Chile, one of the major seismic gaps of the planet. This emphasizes the necessity to account for long temporal scales to better understand the variability, social effects, and human responses favoring resilience to socionatural disasters.

Mechanical Performance of 3D-Printed Biocompatible Polycarbonate for Biomechanical Applications.

Additive manufacturing has experienced remarkable growth in recent years due to the customisation, precision, and cost savings compared to conventional manufacturing techniques. In parallel, materials with great potential have been developed, such as PC-ISO polycarbonate, which has biocompatibility certifications for use in the biomedical industry. However, many of these synthetic materials are not capable of meeting the mechanical stresses to which the biological structure of the human body is naturally subjected. In this study, an exhaustive characterisation of the PC-ISO was carried out, including an investigation on the influence of the printing parameters by fused filament fabrication on its mechanical behaviour. It was found that the effect of the combination of the printing parameters does not have a notable impact on the mass, cost, and manufacturing time of the specimens; however, it is relevant when determining the tensile, bending, shear, impact, and fatigue strengths. The best combinations for its application in biomechanics are proposed, and the need to combine PC-ISO with other materials to achieve the necessary strengths for functioning as a bone scaffold is demonstrated.

Breastfeeding at 1, 3 and 6 Months after Birth According to the Mode of Birth: A Correlation Study.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is a determinant of child and maternal health. However, evidence is limited on how mode of birth influences breastfeeding. Research aim: To examine the mode of birth and breastfeeding duration and the type of lactation at one, three and six months after birth in XXX, during 2017. METHODS: Correlation study on breastfeeding duration and type of lactation during the six months after birth, and mode of birth, in a randomised sample. Women ≥18 years of age with term singleton infants, were included. Collected data through interviews and hospital records. Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses were conducted. SPSSv21 and α = 0.05 were used. RESULTS: Breastfeeding duration was shorter in women with greater parity (-0.055 **) (p < 0.01) and epidural analgesia (0.057 **) (p < 0.01), and longer in mothers with episiotomy (-0.267 **) (p < 0.01). Episiotomy was associated with breastfeeding at one month (0.112 **) (p < 0.01), and at six months (0.347 *) (p < 0.01). The prevalence of breastfeeding was lower in women who received epidural analgesia at three months (-0.140 **) (p < 0.01) and higher at six months (0.013 **) (p < 0.01). The percentages of breastfeeding at three months were significantly greater in women with no perineal tears (2.1) (p < 0.05). At six months, small rates of breastfeeding were found in women with greater parity (0.051 **) (p < 0.01). No significant association was detected, neither between the type of lactation and the mode of birth, nor between breastfeeding duration and the mode of birth. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural analgesia, episiotomy, perineal tears and parity influence the type of lactation and duration of breastfeeding during the six months after birth. The results suggest no association between the type of lactation and the mode of birth or between breastfeeding duration and the mode of birth.

Decreased Consumption of Added Fructose Reduces Waist Circumference and Blood Glucose Concentration in Patients with Overweight and Obesity. The DISFRUTE Study: A Randomised Trial in Primary Care.

The relationship between fructose intake and insulin resistance remains controversial. Our purpose was to determine whether a reduction in dietary fructose is effective in decreasing insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR). This field trial was conducted on 438 adults with overweight and obese status, without diabetes. A total of 121 patients in a low fructose diet (LFD) group and 118 in a standard diet (SD) group completed the 24-week study. Both diets were prescribed with 30-40% of energy intake restriction. There were no between-group differences in HOMA2-IR. However, larger decreases were seen in the LFD group in waist circumference (-7.0 vs. -4.8 = -2.2 cms, 95% CI: -3.7, -0.7) and fasting blood glucose -0.25 vs. -0.11 = -0.14 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.028, -0.02). The percentage of reduction in calorie intake was similar. Only were differences observed in the % energy intake for some nutrients: total fructose (-2 vs. -0.6 = -1.4, 95% CI: -2.6, -0.3), MUFA (-1.7 vs. -0.4 = -1.3, 95% CI: -2.4, -0.2), protein (5.1 vs. 3.6 = 1.4, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.7). The decrease in fructose consumption originated mainly from the reduction in added fructose (-2.8 vs. -1.9 = -0.9, 95% CI: -1.6, -0.03). These results were corroborated after multivariate adjustments. The low fructose diet did not reduce insulin resistance. However, it reduced waist circumference and fasting blood glucose concentration, which suggests a decrease in hepatic insulin resistance.

Umbilical cord separation time, predictors and healing complications in newborns with dry care.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the umbilical cord separation time, predictors, and healing complications from birth until the newborn was one month old. DESIGN: A quantitative longitudinal observational analytical study by stratified random sample was adopted. SETTING: Public health system hospitals in southern Spain and at newborns' homes. PARTICIPANTS: Between April 2016 and December 2017, the study included 106 neonates born after 35-42 weeks of gestation whose umbilical cord was cured with water and soap and dried later as well as newborns without umbilical canalisation whose mothers enjoyed a low-risk pregnancy. METHODS: The data collection procedure comprised two blocks: from birth to the time of separation of the umbilical cord and from cord separation to the first month of life of the newborn. Umbilical cord separation time was measured in minutes; socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were measured by means of questionnaires, and the external diameter of the umbilical cord was measured using an electronic stainless-steel calliper and trailing roller. RESULTS: The mean umbilical separation time: 6.61 days (±2.33, IC 95%:6.16-7.05). Incidence of omphalitis was 3.7%; granuloma was 8.6%. Separation time predictors were wetting recurrence, birth weight, intrapartum antibiotics, birth season, and Apgar < 9 (R2 = 0.439 F: 15.361, p <0.01). CONCLUSION: The findings support the World Health Organization recommendations: dry umbilical cord cares is a safe practice that soon detaches the umbilical cord, taking into account the factors studied that will vary the length of time until the umbilical cord is separated.

Experiences and outcomes following diagnosis of congenital foetal anomaly and medical termination of pregnancy: A phenomenological study.

AIM: To determine and describe the experiences of pregnant women who receive a diagnosis of chromosomopathy and/or foetal malformation during a prenatal check-up and who decide to legally terminate the pregnancy. BACKGROUND: When a pregnancy is terminated, the woman must cope with frustrated motherhood. The psychological consequences of this will largely depend on the care and support provided by health professionals. When a congenital anomaly is diagnosed, a patient-centred communication helps understanding, influences adaptation to the new situation and ensures the person concerned has sufficient (autonomy or independence or ability) to make appropriate decisions. METHODS: A qualitative study, based on a phenomenological approach, was carried out through nonparticipant observation and semi-structured interviews with 27 obstetric patients. NVivo 11 software was used, and content analysis was performed. The manuscript was developed using the COREQ guidelines to inform qualitative studies. RESULTS: The clinical relationship may be affected by communication problems such as patients' perceptions of scarce emotional involvement by obstetricians, by poor psychosocial support during the termination of the pregnancy and by insufficient follow-up after discharge. CONCLUSION: Nurses are in a privileged position to promote the empowerment of affected women. It is necessary to improve aspects related to the privacy of patients and the awareness and training of the interdisciplinary team in interpersonal communication. Post-loss follow-up is recommended to assess individual needs, thus facilitating an optimal approach to ease the grieving process. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: During the prenatal diagnosis, the existence of a fetal anomaly is emphasized, but support and follow up of the mother may be neglected; therefore, exhaustive knowledge about the obstetric history, the state of health and the expectations of patients is as important as a multidisciplinary team trained in counseling strategies and with a comprehensive care plan that covers all areas, especially those that control maternal emotions.

Silver and copper as pollution tracers in Neogene to Holocene estuarine sediments from southwestern Spain.

Estuaries are very sensitive ecosystems to human activities and the natural evolution of their drainage basins located upstream. Pollution derived from human activities, such as historical mining or recent industrial wastes, can significantly affect their environmental quality. This paper analyzes the silver and copper contents of four cores extracted in two estuaries of SW Spain. Its chronology and vertical evolution allow to differentiate the effects of several pollution episodes (natural, Roman, 19th-20th centuries) on its different sedimentary environments in the last 6 million years. Possible future applications are included in the fields of environmental management or even education.

Is It Possible to Become a Nurse in a Refugee Camp?

The history of the Western Sahara has been marked by several events that have contributed to the protracted refugee situation in which the Sahrawi people have found themselves since 1975: the Spanish colonization and the subsequent decolonization process, the armed struggles between the indigenous population and the states of Morocco and Mauritania to occupy Western Saharan territory, assassinations and repression of the Sahrawi population, and the economic interests of external agents with regards to mineral resources. Twenty-five years ago, in the hostile environment of the Sahrawi refugee camps, a nursing school was founded. Essentially depending on foreign aid, this school has been responsible for training nursing professionals to meet the healthcare needs of the population. The aim of this paper is to provide an approach to the origin and evolution of nursing education for the Sahrawi refugee camps. The Sahrawi are the only refugee camps in the world to host such nursing schools.

Is it possible to become a midwife in a refugee camp?

The historical backdrop of Western Sahara has meant that, for the last 43 years, part of its indigenous population has survived in refugee camps located in the Algerian desert. International aid from abroad has become the main source of sustenance for all people living in this hostile environment. Since the beginning of this type of settlement, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has been concerned with creating the necessary infrastructures to meet the health needs of the people living in these conditions. As a result, the Ahmed Abdel-Fatah School of Nursing was created in the Sahrawi refugee camps, which began to train midwives to care for women during the stages of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum in 2002. The aim of this paper is to provide an approach to the origin and evolution of midwifery education for the Sahrawi refugee camps, in the only school of nursing that exists worldwide in a refugee camp.

Dry care versus chlorhexidine cord care for prevention of omphalitis. Systematic review with meta-analysis / Cura a seco versus cura com clorexidina para prevenção da onfalite. Revisão sistemática com metanálise / Cura seca frente a cura con clorhexidina para prevención de onfalitis. Revisión sistemática con metaanálisis

ABSTRACT Objective: to compare the effect of dry care and the application of chlorhexidine to the umbilical cord of newborns at risk of developing omphalitis. Method: systematic review with meta-analysis. Clinical trials comparing dry care with the application of clorexidine to evaluate omphalitis were selected. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. Results: the joint analysis of the studies shows a significant decrease in the risk of omphalitis in the chlorhexidine group compared to the dry care group (RR=0.58, CI: 0.53-0.64). However, in the analysis by subgroups, chlorhexidine umbilical cord care did not reduce the risk of omphalitis in hospital births (RR=0.82, CI: 0.64-1.05), in countries with a low infant mortality rate (RR=0.8, CI: 0.5-1.28), or at chlorhexidine concentrations below 4% (RR=0.55, CI: 0.31-1). Chlorhexidine acted as a protective factor at a concentration of 4% (RR=0.58, CI: 0.53-0.64), when applied in cases of home births (RR=0.57, CI: 0.51-0.62), in countries with a high infant mortality rate (RR=0.57, CI: 0.52-0.63). Conclusion: dry cord care is effective in countries with low infant mortality rate and in hospital births. However, 4% chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care protects against omphalitis in home births, in countries with a high infant mortality rate.

RESUMO Objetivo: comparar o efeito da cura a seco e da aplicação de clorexidina no cordão umbilical de recém-nascidos em risco de desenvolver onfalite. Método: revisão sistemática com metanálise. Foram selecionados os ensaios clínicos que comparavam a cura a seco com a aplicação de clorexidina para avaliar a onfalite. A qualidade metodológica foi avaliada com Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. Resultados: a análise conjunta dos estudos mostra uma redução significativa do risco de onfalite no grupo da clorexidina em comparação com a cura a seco (RR=0,58; IC 0,53-0,64). Entretanto, na análise por subgrupos, a cura com clorexidina não reduziu o risco de onfalite em nascimentos hospitalares (RR=0,82; IC: 0,64-1,05), nos países com baixa taxa de mortalidade infantil (RR=0,8; IC: 0,5-1,28), ou com concentrações de clorexidina abaixo de 4% (RR=0,55; IC: 0,31-1). A clorexidina atuou como fator de proteção na concentração de 4% (RR=0,58; IC: 0,53-0,64), aplicada em nascimentos no domicílio (RR=0,57; IC: 0,51-0,62), em países com taxas de mortalidade infantil elevadas (RR=0,57; IC: 0,52-0,63). Conclusão: a cura a seco é eficaz em países com baixa taxa de mortalidade infantil e em nascimentos no contexto hospitalar. No entanto, a cura com clorexidina 4% protege contra a onfalite nos nascimentos domiciliares, em países com elevada mortalidade infantil.

RESUMEN Objetivo: comparar el efecto de la cura seca y de la aplicación de clorhexidina en el cordón umbilical de los recién nacidos en el riesgo de desarrollo de onfalitis. Método: revisión sistemática con metaanálisis. Se seleccionaron ensayos clínicos que compararan la cura seca con la aplicación de clorhexidina evaluando la onfalitis. Calidad metodológica evaluada con Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. Resultados: el análisis conjunto de los estudios muestra una reducción significativa del riesgo de onfalitis en el grupo de clorhexidina en comparación con cura seca (RR=0,58; IC: 0,53-0,64). Sin embargo, en el análisis por subgrupos, la cura con clorhexidina no aportó reducción del riesgo de onfalitis en nacimientos hospitalarios (RR=0,82; IC: 0,64-1,05) en países con baja tasa de mortalidad infantil (RR=0,8; IC: 0,5-1,28), ni a concentraciones de clorhexidina inferiores al 4% (RR=0,55; IC: 0,31-1). La clorhexidina actuó como factor protector a concentraciones del 4% (RR=0,58; IC: 0,53-0,64), aplicada en nacimientos en el hogar (RR=0,57; IC: 0,51-0,62), en países con elevada mortalidad infantil (RR=0,57; IC: 0,52-0,63). Conclusión: la cura seca es eficaz en países con baja tasa de mortalidad infantil y nacimientos en ámbito hospitalario. Sin embargo, la cura con clorhexidina al 4% protege de onfalitis en nacimientos en el hogar, en países con elevada mortalidad infantil.

Developing digital educational materials for nursing and sustainability: The results of an observational study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited European literature on nursing and sustainability; nursing students are poorly prepared on the connections between resources, climate change, sustainability, and health, so they must acquire knowledge and develop skills and competencies in this field. The use of digital technologies and teaching via E-learning has grown, and has been widely adopted as a learning method for nursing. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current study was to test and evaluate digital educational materials on environmental sustainability and health, in the context of university nursing education in different European countries. DESIGN: An observational cross-sectional design. SETTINGS: University of Plymouth, University of Jaén, and University of Esslingen for Nursing Degree Studies. PARTICIPANTS: 299 nursing students: 161 students from University of Jaén; 106 from Plymouth; and 32 from Esslingen. 22 professional evaluators with different profiles were recruited: Teachers, Clinical professionals, Delphi Experts, and Technical Experts. METHODS: We conducted a piloting and validation process. The materials were designed and adapted to the NurSusTOOLKIT Sustainability Literacy and Competency framework. Evaluation was developed by professionals and students. We used the Spanish Standard for the assessment of Digital Educational Material Quality at University level questionnaire. All students provided informed consent prior to taking part in the learning and evaluation. RESULTS: The overall evaluations of materials by students and professionals were 7.98±1.28 and 8.50±1.17, respectively. The Ability to generate learning was scored higher among students (mean difference: 0.84; 0.22-1.47; p=0.008). In the overall assessment by students, statistically significant differences were found between the three universities (Welch: 11.69, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Students, professionals, and technical experts considered the materials to be very good quality, especially regarding the quality of contents, format, and design. For students, these materials can generate reflection and learning regarding environmental and health issues during nursing training.

[Effectiveness of individual supported employment for people with severe mental disorders]. / Efectividad de una estrategia de apoyo individualizado al empleo para personas con trastornos mentales graves.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of an individual placement and support (IPS) strategy in people with severe mental disorders in Tenerife Island (Spain). METHODS: Patients of Community Mental Health Services with severe mental disorders were randomly assigned to two groups. One of them received IPS (n=124), and the control group (n=75) was advised in the usual job search. Patients were followed up for an average of 3.4 years and an analysis was made of how many patients worked at least one day, working hours, wages, the number of contracts and the number of hospital admissions. Non-parametric methods were used to compare the results (Mann-Whitney U test). RESULTS: The percentage of patients who worked at least one day was 99% in the IPS group compared with 75% in the control group; they worked on average 30.1 weeks per year vs 7.4; the monthly salary was € 777.9 vs € 599.9; the number of contracts per person was 3.89 vs 4.85, and hospital admissions were 0.19 vs 2.1. CONCLUSIONS: The IPS strategy is effective for the labour integration of people with severe mental illness getting them to work longer, have higher wages and fewer hospital admissions.

Effectiveness of a low-fructose and/or low-sucrose diet in decreasing insulin resistance (DISFRUTE study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Research published to date on the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and fructose consumption is scarce, has used different methods, and has yielded sometimes contradictory results. This study aims to determine whether a low-fructose and/or low-sucrose diet supervised by a physician or nurse decreases IR compared to a standard diet. METHODS/DESIGN: This field trial is located at primary care centers. The participants are adults aged 29 to 66 years, with a Body mass Index (BMI) between 29 and 40.99 kg/m2 and without diabetes. To date, 245 participants have been assigned randomly to the low-fructose diet intervention group (LFDI) at health centers in the western health service zone of Tenerife island, and 245 to the standard-diet control group (SDC) at health centers in the eastern health service zone. Recruitment is opportunistic and is carried out by physicians and nurses at participating health centers. Initially (baseline), and after 24 weeks of intervention, dietary records, physical activity, waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and insulin concentrations (HOMA2-IR) and lipid profile are recorded; blood glucose and insulin and lipid profile are also recorded 2 h after a 75-g glucose overload. After 48 weeks (24 weeks after the intervention), fasting blood samples are again obtained and a physical examination is performed. All tests and measures are repeated and recorded except dietary records, physical activity and oral glucose overload. Low-fructose diets are designed by calculating free and total (free + fructose associated with sucrose) fructose contents in standard diets, and removing foods with a fructose content in the highest quartile for the amounts in the standard diet. Participants in both groups are prescribed a diet that contains 30 to 40% less than the participant's energy requirements. The primary endpoint is change in HOMA2-IR between baseline and week 24, and other outcomes are change in HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides , waist circumference to height ratio and BMI. The secondary endpoint is change in HOMA2-IR between week 24 and week 48 together with the outcomes noted above. Comparisons between groups for variables used to indicate IR levels are done with a Student's t test for unpaired variables or the Mann-Whitney U test if the distribution is not normal. Multivariate regression models will be used to control for confounding factors not accounted for in the study design, and for independent prognostic factors. DISCUSSION: If the dietary intervention being tested, i.e., a diet low in fructose/sucrose, is able to reduce IR, the results - if translated into regular clinical practice - could provide a hitherto unavailable tool to prevent type-2 diabetes mellitus. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN41579277 . Registered retrospectively on 15 November 2016.

Sexual and reproductive health beliefs and practices of female immigrants in Spain: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Sexuality and reproduction are two areas that have been dealt with differently over time and across cultures. Immigrant women resident in Spain, are largely of childbearing age and have some specific needs. Female immigrants have specific beliefs and behaviors which may influence how they approach to the Spanish sexual and reproductive health services. There is less visibility of the health problems presented by women immigrants. This article aims to shed light on the sexual and reproductive health beliefs and experiences of female immigrants in a region of southern Spain. METHODS: A descriptive study design with qualitative data collection and analysis methods were used. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi- structured interview guide that collected information on women's perception and beliefs about their sexual and reproductive health. Thirteen interviews were conducted in 2013 with a multi-ethnic sample of female immigrants, currently all are residing in Andalusia. Interview topics included questions about awareness and beliefs about sexuality and reproduction. Content analysis was used. RESULTS: We have found that female immigrant brings along all of her beliefs, opinions, attitudes and behaviors regarding sexuality, contraceptives, what is "correct" and what is not, etc. The sexual behavior is conditioned by the prevailing social rules of country of origin, and these rules act ambivalently. In general, knowledge of contraceptive methods was big, but there were perceptions that reproductive health was woman's domain, due to gender norms and traditional family planning geared exclusively towards women. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that women's behavior is influenced by the precepts of their origin societies. Therefore, sexual and reproductive health processes should be adapted and incorporated into our society, with special attention being paid to the immigrant population.

Emotional state of primigravid women with pregnancy susceptible to prolongation.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to know the perception of the emotional state of women with pregnancy susceptible to prolongation. METHODOLOGY: The research was conducted with qualitative descriptive methodology, founded on in-depth individual interviews of 7 gestants susceptible to prolongation, with ages between 21 and 32 years and duration of the pregnancy comprised between 40+5 and 41+4 weeks. RESULTS: The emotional state varies throughout the pregnancy; once the probable date of delivery has passed, the emotional well-being is altered by fear of pain during delivery, possible complications, and caring for the newborn, presenting a state of nervousness due to the imminent delivery. In addition, the women described the need for the presence of a companion during and after the delivery. CONCLUSION: Fear can affect negatively the subjective experience of the pregnancy during its final phase, the delivery process, and the transition to maternity in gestants with pregnancy susceptible to prolongation. These women need support and specific education from the midwife according to their individual needs.