Self-management of primary dysmenorrhea-related pain: cross-sectional study on non-pharmacological interventions.

Aim: Different nonpharmacological strategies are adopted to decrease primary dysmenorrhea (PD)-related pain. The present study aimed to verify women's use of nonpharmacological methods for pain and compare them with evidence from the literature. Materials & methods: A two-step study was conducted, comprising an online survey with 9144 women to assess nonpharmacological strategies for relieving PD-related pain, and a literature review on PubMed of verify the evidence of nonpharmacological methods. Results: Many women reported using heat therapy (61.5%), tea (42.4%) and massage (30.9%) to alleviate menstrual pain. However, the literature on these methods is limited. Conclusion: Several nonpharmacological methods are used by women to relieve PD-related pain and studies with low bias risk are needed to prove their effectiveness.

What is this article about This article explores how women manage menstrual pain, known as primary dysmenorrhea (PD), using non-drug methods. The study investigates the common self-care techniques women employ to ease their pain and compares these practices with scientific evidence.What were the results? The study found that many women use non-drug methods such as heat therapy (61.5%), tea (42.4%) and massage (30.9%) to relieve menstrual pain. Despite their popularity, sometimes the scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of these methods is limited.What do these results mean? These results indicate that while women frequently use various self-care methods to manage menstrual pain, there is a need for more high-quality scientific studies to confirm whether these methods are truly effective. This highlights a gap between common practices and scientific effectiveness.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and measurement properties of the dysmenorrhea symptom interference (DSI) scale-Brazilian version.

BACKGROUND: The Dysmenorrhea Symptom Interference (DSI) scale is a reliable, valid, and responsive tool to assess the interference of menstrual pain in the physical, mental, and social activities of women. OBJECTIVE: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the DSI scale into Brazilian-Portuguese (DSI-BrPt) and investigate the measurement properties of this version in on- and off-menses versions. METHODS: The original (United States) scale was translated and culturally adapted following existing guidelines. Measurement properties of the DSI-BrPt were investigated in 1387 women with dysmenorrhea. Reliability was analyzed via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and test-retest reliability. Furthermore, structural validity, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), cross-cultural validity, construct validity (correlation with WHODAS 2.0 and SPS-6 scores questionnaires), and floor and ceiling effects were determined. RESULTS: No significant adaptations were needed during the translation process of the DSI-BrPt. The values of Cronbach's α were adequate (α ≥0.87) for the unidimensional scale. The test-retest reliability was considered adequate (ICC >0.78) and there was no systematic error for both on-menses and off-menses versions. Moreover, the DSI had a positive and strong correlation with WHODAS 2.0. There were no floor and ceiling effects neither for the total sample, nor among off-menses, or on-menses women. CONCLUSION: The DSI-BrPt scale has been translated and cross-culturally adapted successfully. The DSI-BrPt scale presented adequate measurement properties. The scale is valid and reliable, and, therefore, an adequate tool for monitoring dysmenorrhea symptoms in Brazilian women during and between menses.

From unbiased to maximal-entropy random walks on hypergraphs.

Random walks have been intensively studied on regular and complex networks, which are used to represent pairwise interactions. Nonetheless, recent works have demonstrated that many real-world processes are better captured by higher-order relationships, which are naturally represented by hypergraphs. Here we study random walks on hypergraphs. Due to the higher-order nature of these mathematical objects, one can define more than one type of walks. In particular, we study the unbiased and the maximal entropy random walk on hypergraphs with two types of steps, emphasizing their similarities and differences. We characterize these dynamic processes by examining their stationary distributions and associated hitting times. To illustrate our findings, we present a toy example and conduct extensive analyses of artificial and real hypergraphs, providing insights into both their structural and dynamical properties. We hope that our findings motivate further research extending the analysis to different classes of random walks as well as to practical applications.

Measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures for women with dysmenorrhea: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea, or menstrual pain, is a subjective experience, and can only be assessed by patient-reported outcomes. These instruments should be reliable, valid and responsive. AIM: To identify and critically appraise the available evidence for the measurement properties of specific patient-reported outcome measures used for dysmenorrhea. METHODS: The PRISMA statement was used to report this systematic review. Databases searched were PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar (April 2021; updated on February 2023). Original studies with primary data collection, with no restriction on language and publication date that reported psychometric properties of one or more dysmenorrhea-related patient-reported outcome measure. The literature searches, selection of studies, data extraction and assessment of the risk of bias were performed independently by two reviewers and followed the COSMIN guidelines. RESULTS: Thirty studies were analysed in this review, and 19 patient-reported outcome measures were evaluated. The instruments varied in relation to the measured construct and measurement properties (validity, reliability and responsiveness). The methodological quality of the studies and the quality of evidence of the patient-reported outcome measures were variable. Among the 13 studies that reported the development of patient-reported outcome measures, most had inadequate methodological quality, and the overall rating was insufficient or inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: The Dysmenorrhea Symptom Interference (DSI) scale was the only identified patient-reported outcome measure that has the potential to be recommended because of its sufficient rating combined with moderate quality of evidence for content validity. Future studies should further evaluate the measurement properties of the existing patient-reported outcome measures, or develop new patient-reported outcome measures following the COSMIN methodology. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Not applicable as this is a systematic review. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO protocol: CRD42021244410. Registration on April 22, 2021.

Lasing from a Large-Area 2D Material Enabled by a Dual-Resonance Metasurface.

Semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have gained significant attention as a gain medium for nanolasers, owing to their unique ability to be easily placed and stacked on virtually any substrate. However, the atomically thin nature of the active material in existing TMD lasers and the limited size due to mechanical exfoliation presents a challenge, as their limited output power makes it difficult to distinguish between true laser operation and other "laser-like" phenomena. Here, we present room temperature lasing from a large-area tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayer, grown by a wafer-scale chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The monolayer is placed on a dual-resonance dielectric metasurface with a rectangular lattice designed to enhance both absorption and emission, resulting in an ultralow threshold operation (threshold well below 1 W/cm2). We provide a thorough study of the laser performance, paying special attention to directionality, output power, and spatial coherence. Notably, our lasers demonstrated a coherence length of over 30 µm, which is several times greater than what has been reported for 2D material lasers so far. Our realization of a single-mode laser from a CVD-grown monolayer presents exciting opportunities for integration and the development of real-world applications.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese and measurement properties of the WaLIDD score.

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is the pain related to menstruation; to screen for the symptoms, a working ability, location, intensity of days of pain, and dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score was created. The purpose of this work was to culturally adapt and assess the measurement properties of the WaLIDD score for dysmenorrhea in Brazilian women. Methods: In this cross-sectional online study, we evaluated women with and without dysmenorrhea. Criterion validity and construct validity were assessed, respectively, by the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve and correlations with the bodily pain and social functioning domains of medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), self-report of absenteeism and Stanford Presenteeism Scale for presenteeism. Test-retest reliability and measurement errors were assessed, respectively, by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland and Altman Graph. Results: 430 women completed the test, 238 (55.4%) women had dysmenorrhea, and 199 (46.3%) answered the questionnaire twice for the retest. The cutoff points ≥4, ≥5, and ≥5 could discriminate between women with and without dysmenorrhea, absenteeism, and presenteeism related to dysmenorrhea, respectively. Correlations between SF-36 - pain and social functioning domains and WaLIDD score were weak to strong and negative. For WaLIDD total Score, ICC was 0.95 and the limits of agreement were -1.54 and 1.62. Conclusion: WaLIDD score is a short, valid and reliable instrument to screen and predict dysmenorrhea and could predict absenteeism and presenteeism related to dysmenorrhea in Brazilian women.

Phase noise matching in resonant metasurfaces for intrinsic sensing stability.

Interferometry offers a precise means of interrogating resonances in dielectric and plasmonic metasurfaces, surpassing spectrometer-imposed resolution limits. However, interferometry implementations often face complexity or instability issues due to heightened sensitivity. Here, we address the necessity for noise compensation and tolerance by harnessing the inherent capabilities of photonic resonances. Our proposed solution, termed "resonant phase noise matching," employs optical referencing to align the phases of equally sensitive, orthogonal components of the same mode. This effectively mitigates drift and noise, facilitating the detection of subtle phase changes induced by a target analyte through spatially selective surface functionalization. Validation of this strategy using Fano resonances in a 2D photonic crystal slab showcases noteworthy phase stability (σ<10-4π). With demonstrated label-free detection of low-molecular-weight proteins at clinically relevant concentrations, resonant phase noise matching presents itself as a potentially valuable strategy for advancing scalable, high-performance sensing technology beyond traditional laboratory settings.

Presenteeism and associated factors among women with menstrual symptoms.

PURPOSE: Menstrual characteristics can affect a woman's productivity at work and college, but studies in a general population of adult women are scarce. In addition, it is important to know which menstrual symptoms are most associated with presenteeism in women to promote specific health actions. The present study aimed to assess menstrual symptoms associated with presenteeism in adult women. METHODS: Online cross-sectional study in which menstrual characteristics, including menstrual flow, age of menarche, menstrual pain and cycle duration were assessed by a self-report questionnaire. The menstrual pain intensity was assessed by Numerical Rating Scale, and the presenteeism, by the Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6 (SPS-6). Women were divided in two groups, with and without presenteeism, based on the SPS-6 cutoff point. Data were analyzed by binary logistic regression and presented as odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: Among the 430 women who participated in the study, 44.2% were classified as with presenteeism. Women with severe menstrual flow were more likely to have presenteeism (OR = 2.12) compared with women with mild and moderate menstrual flow. The higher menstrual pain intensity the higher the chances of a woman presenting with presenteeism (OR = 1.29). CONCLUSIONS: These menstrual characteristics (intensity of menstrual flow and menstrual pain) seem to affect women's productivity at work and/or college, and should be assessed in research and clinical practice. Thus, public policies on women's health can be carried out based on these results.

Men's mental health in a university community during the COVID-19 pandemic / Saúde mental masculina em uma comunidade universitária durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract Objective This study aims to identify associations between sociodemographic characteristics and mental health, behaviors, and perceptions among men in a Brazilian university community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method A total of 862 subjects participated, responding to an online questionnaire with sociodemographic questions, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and the Psychological Well-Being scale. Results The results indicate that sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the mental health, behaviors, and perceptions of the participants. Variables such as age, race, occupation, marital status, and living arrangements during the period of social distancing relate in different ways to levels of anxiety, stress, and depression, as well as psychological well-being, in addition to behaviors and perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The results highlight the need to consider the specificities of the male population facing the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasize the importance of investing in health actions that consider the influence of the process of social construction of masculinities.

Resumo Objetivo Esse estudo tem por objetivo identificar associações de características sociodemográficas com a saúde mental, comportamentos e percepções entre homens de uma comunidade universitária brasileira durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Método Participaram 862 sujeitos, os quais responderam a um formulário online com questões sociodemográficas e às escalas de Depressão Ansiedade e Estresse e a Escala de Bem-Estar Psicológico. Resultados Os resultados apontam que características sociodemográficas mostram-se associadas à saúde mental, comportamentos e percepções dos participantes. Variáveis como faixa etária, raça/cor, ocupação, estado civil e moradia, durante o período de distanciamento, estão relacionadas de maneiras diferentes a níveis de ansiedade, estresse e depressão, bem como, de bem-estar psicológico, além dos comportamentos e percepções durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Conclusão Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de se considerar as singularidades da população masculina diante da pandemia de COVID-19 e ressaltam a importância do investimento em ações em saúde que considerem a influência do processo de construção social das masculinidades.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese and measurement properties of the WaLIDD score

Abstract Objective: Dysmenorrhea is the pain related to menstruation; to screen for the symptoms, a working ability, location, intensity of days of pain, and dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score was created. The purpose of this work was to culturally adapt and assess the measurement properties of the WaLIDD score for dysmenorrhea in Brazilian women. Methods: In this cross-sectional online study, we evaluated women with and without dysmenorrhea. Criterion validity and construct validity were assessed, respectively, by the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve and correlations with the bodily pain and social functioning domains of medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), self-report of absenteeism and Stanford Presenteeism Scale for presenteeism. Test-retest reliability and measurement errors were assessed, respectively, by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland and Altman Graph. Results: 430 women completed the test, 238 (55.4%) women had dysmenorrhea, and 199 (46.3%) answered the questionnaire twice for the retest. The cutoff points ≥4, ≥5, and ≥5 could discriminate between women with and without dysmenorrhea, absenteeism, and presenteeism related to dysmenorrhea, respectively. Correlations between SF-36 - pain and social functioning domains and WaLIDD score were weak to strong and negative. For WaLIDD total Score, ICC was 0.95 and the limits of agreement were −1.54 and 1.62. Conclusion: WaLIDD score is a short, valid and reliable instrument to screen and predict dysmenorrhea and could predict absenteeism and presenteeism related to dysmenorrhea in Brazilian women.

Simulation training of caregivers at hospital discharge of patients with chronic diseases: an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE: to identify evidence about the use and effects of clinical simulation for preparing caregivers for discharging patients with chronic conditions. METHODS: an integrative peer review in the Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ScienceDirect and Virtual Health Library databases, from July to September 2022. RESULTS: 3,218 studies were identified, with a final sample consisting of four national and two international articles. Using simulation as an educational technology contributed to caregiver preparation in home care. In most studies, using clinical simulation included using other strategies to complement training: expository dialogued class, conversation circle and audiovisual resources. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: simulation proved to be efficient for training caregivers, with the active participation of family members and nurses in health education actions.

Robustness and Complexity of Directed and Weighted Metabolic Hypergraphs.

Metabolic networks are probably among the most challenging and important biological networks. Their study provides insight into how biological pathways work and how robust a specific organism is against an environment or therapy. Here, we propose a directed hypergraph with edge-dependent vertex weight as a novel framework to represent metabolic networks. This hypergraph-based representation captures higher-order interactions among metabolites and reactions, as well as the directionalities of reactions and stoichiometric weights, preserving all essential information. Within this framework, we propose the communicability and the search information as metrics to quantify the robustness and complexity of directed hypergraphs. We explore the implications of network directionality on these measures and illustrate a practical example by applying them to a small-scale E. coli core model. Additionally, we compare the robustness and the complexity of 30 different models of metabolism, connecting structural and biological properties. Our findings show that antibiotic resistance is associated with high structural robustness, while the complexity can distinguish between eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms.

Relationship Involving Sexual Function, Distress Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, and Female Genital Self-Image.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship involving sexual function (SF), the distress symptoms caused by pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and female genital self-image (GSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed the GSI, SF and PFD distress symptoms by the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) respectively. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 216 women (age: 50.92 ± 16.31 years) who participated in the study, 114 were sexually active in the previous 4 weeks. In the total sample (p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.097) and among sexually active women (p = 0.010; adjusted R2 = 0.162), the distress symptoms caused by pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were related to the GSI. Among sexually active women, sexual desire also was related to the GSI (p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.126). CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study provide additional knowledge about female GSI and suggest that SF and POP distress symptoms should be investigated together with the GSI in the clinical practice.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação entre a função sexual (FS), o incômodo provocado pelos sintomas de disfunção do assoalho pélvico (DAP) e a autoimagem genital (AIG) feminina. MATERIAIS E MéTODOS: A AIG, a FS e incômodo causado pelos sintomas de DAP foram avaliados pela Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS), pelo Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) e pelo Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), respectivamente. Os dados foram analisados por regressão linear múltipla. RESULTADOS: Das 216 mulheres (idade: 50,92 ± 16,31 anos) que participaram do estudo, 114 eram sexualmente ativas nas últimas 4 semanas. Na amostra total (p < 0,001; R2 ajustado = 0,097) e entre as mulheres sexualmente ativas (p = 0,010; R2 ajustado = 0,162), o incômodo provocado pelos sintomas de prolapso de órgãos pélvicos (POP) relacionou-se à AIG. Entre as mulheres sexualmente ativas, o desejo sexual também se relacionou à AIG (p < 0,001; R2 ajustado = 0,126). CONCLUSãO: Os achados deste estudo fornecem conhecimento adicional sobre a AIG feminina e sugerem que a FS e o incômodo causado pelos sintomas de POP devem ser investigados juntamente com a AIG na prática clínica.

Factors Associated with Satisfaction with Male Genital Self-Image in Brazil.

Male genital self-image (GSI) refers to how men feel about their genitals. Studies suggest that GSI is influenced by several psychosocial and physical factors, such as frequency of sexual activities, anxiety, and sexual dysfunctions. In Brazil, no studies have investigated the factors associated with satisfaction with male GSI. This is a cross-sectional and online study conducted with Brazilian men over 18 years of age. The Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS), Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) were used. Body appreciation and frequency of sexual activity were included as confirmatory variables and other variables were explored as factors associated with GSI. Data were analyzed by binary logistic and multiple linear regression, according to the MGSIS cut-off point for satisfaction with male GSI and total score of MGSIS, respectively. A total of 1,235 men (M = 26.14, SD = 7.28 years) participated in the study. The mean of the total MGSIS score was 23.02 (SD = 4.45; absolute range, 7-28) points, with 62.11% of men being classified as satisfied with GSI. Men satisfied with GSI were more likely to have a partner, higher body appreciation, lower body mass index (BMI), and not have phimosis (excess skin covering the penis, making it difficult to expose the glans). Satisfaction with GSI of Brazilian men was associated with relationship status, body appreciation, BMI, and phimosis.

WHODAS measurement properties for women with dysmenorrhea.

BACKGROUND: There is an association of dysmenorrhea with human functioning and disability. However, no patient-reported outcome measure has been developed to assess this construct in women with dysmenorrhea. WHODAS 2.0 has been recognized as an important generic patient-reported outcome information of physical function and disability. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the measurement properties of the WHODAS 2.0 in women with dysmenorrhea. METHODS: This is an online and cross-sectional study conducted with Brazilian women aged 14 to 42 years with self-report of dysmenorrhea in the last three months. According to COSMIN, structural validity was evaluated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency by Cronbach's Alpha; measurement invariance by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis between geographic regions of Brazil; and construct validity by correlating WHODAS 2.0 to the Numerical Rating Scale for pain severity. RESULTS: One thousand three hundred and eighty-seven women (24.7 ± 6.5 years) with dysmenorrhea participated in the study. WHODAS 2.0 presented a single factor by exploratory factor analysis and adequate model by confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.924, TLI = 0.900, RMSEA = 0.038), excellent internal consistence (α = 0.892) for all items and an invariancy across geographic regions (ΔCFI ≤ 0.01 and ΔRMSEA < 0.015). Correlation between WHODAS 2.0 and numerical rating scale was positive and moderate (r = 0.337). CONCLUSION: WHODAS 2.0 has a valid structure to assess functioning and disability related to dysmenorrhea in women.

How does my pain look like? Characterizing dysmenorrhea-related pain using the body map / Como se parece a minha dor? Caracterizando a dor relacionada à dismenorreia utilizando o mapa corporal da dor

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common gynaecological disorder characterized by pain in the abdominal region without pelvic disease. Evidence suggests that PD-related pain may not be restricted to the pelvis region, hence body mapping could be helpful in assessing the subjective location, intensity, and distribution of pain areas in women with PD. The objective of this study was to characterize dysmenorrhea-related pain location and intensity using body map. METHODS: We conducted a web-based cross-sectional study for adult women to self-report menstrual pain during three menstrual cycles. Each participant was instructed through a messaging application to paint the body map after printing it and rank their pain according to the 11-point Numerical Rating Scale. RESULTS: Seventy-three women (24.1 ± 3.0 years) participated in the study. A considerable proportion of participants reported pain in the lower abdomen (90.4%) and other body areas, such as the lower back (82.1%), head (54.6%), breasts (32.9%), upper abdomen (31.5%), and legs (28.8%). CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that women with PD also present pain outside the uterine referral area during their period. In this way, body maps can help healthcare professionals to record specific regions of pain and track changes or patterns in the location or intensity pain during menses, helping to determine treatment strategies appropriate to the individual needs of each woman with PD. Therefore, we strongly recommend the clinical use of the self-report body map to evaluate menstrual pain and help health providers to improve PD symptoms in this population.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A dismenorreia primária (DP) é um distúrbio ginecológico comum caracterizado por dor na região abdominal sem doença pélvica. Evidências sugerem que a dor relacionada à DP pode não estar restrita à região da pelve, portanto, o mapeamento corporal pode ser útil para avaliar a localização subjetiva, a intensidade e a distribuição das áreas de dor em mulheres com DP. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar a localização e a intensidade da dor relacionada à dismenorreia por meio do mapa corporal. MÉTODOS: Conduziu-se um estudo transversal baseado na web para mulheres adultas para autorrelato de dor menstrual durante três ciclos menstruais. Cada participante foi instruído por meio de um aplicativo de mensagens a pintar o mapa corporal após imprimi-lo e classificar sua dor de acordo com a Escala de Avaliação Numérica de 11 pontos. RESULTADOS: Setenta e três mulheres (24,1±3,0 anos) participaram do estudo. Uma proporção considerável de participantes relatou dor na parte inferior do abdômen (90,4%) e em outras áreas do corpo, como a parte inferior das costas (82,1%), cabeça (54,6%), mamas (32,9%), parte superior do abdômen (31,5%) e pernas (28,8%). CONCLUSÃO: Os presentes achados revelaram que mulheres com DP também apresentam dor fora da área de referência uterina durante o período menstrual. Dessa forma, os mapas corporais podem ajudar os profissionais de saúde a registrar regiões específicas de dor e rastrear mudanças ou padrões na localização ou intensidade da dor durante a menstruação, ajudando a determinar estratégias de tratamento adequadas às necessidades individuais de cada mulher com DP. Portanto, recomenda-se fortemente o uso clínico do mapa corporal de autorrelato para avaliar a dor menstrual e ajudar os profissionais de saúde a melhorar os sintomas de DP nessa população.

Multistability, intermittency, and hybrid transitions in social contagion models on hypergraphs.

Although ubiquitous, interactions in groups of individuals are not yet thoroughly studied. Frequently, single groups are modeled as critical-mass dynamics, which is a widespread concept used not only by academics but also by politicians and the media. However, less explored questions are how a collection of groups will behave and how their intersection might change the dynamics. Here, we formulate this process as binary-state dynamics on hypergraphs. We showed that our model has a rich behavior beyond discontinuous transitions. Notably, we have multistability and intermittency. We demonstrated that this phenomenology could be associated with community structures, where we might have multistability or intermittency by controlling the number or size of bridges between communities. Furthermore, we provided evidence that the observed transitions are hybrid. Our findings open new paths for research, ranging from physics, on the formal calculation of quantities of interest, to social sciences, where new experiments can be designed.

Association between religion, mental health and social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic / Associação entre religião, saúde mental e distanciamento social na pandemia de Covid-19 / Asociación entre religión, salud mental y distanciamiento social en la pandemia Covid-19

This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the association of religiosity with behaviors and perceptions in the context of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as mental health outcomes, in a university community in Central-West Brazil. A sample of 1,796 subjects responded to an online form with socio-demographic questions and the DASS-21 and PWBS scales. Religion was associated with the frequency of interactions, perceptions of the duration of the social distancing measures, changes in emotional state and history of psychological illness. The prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress was lower among people with religion and their scores in psychological well-being were higher. (AU)

Trata-se de um estudo transversal com o objetivo de analisar a associação entre religiosidade e comportamentos e percepções frente ao distanciamento social decorrente da pandemia de Covid-19 e estado de saúde mental em uma comunidade universitária do Centro-Oeste brasileiro. Participaram do estudo 1796 sujeitos, os quais responderam a um formulário online com questões sociodemográficas e às escalas DASS-21 e EBEP. Observou-se associação entre religião e frequência de interações, percepção sobre a duração do distanciamento social e mudanças no estado emocional e histórico de alterações psicológicas. Constatou-se menor prevalência de sintomas relacionados à depressão, à ansiedade e ao estresse e maiores escores de bem-estar psicológico entre aqueles com religião. (AU)

Se trata de un estudio transversal con el objetivo de analizar la asociación entre religiosidad, comportamientos y percepciones frente al distanciamiento social resultante de la pandemia Covid-19 y el estado de salud mental en una comunidad universitaria de la región Centro-Oeste de Brasil. Participaron en el estudio 1796 sujetos, que respondieron un formulario en línea con preguntas sociodemográficas y las escalas DASS-21 y EBEP. Se observó asociación entre religión y frecuencia de interacciones, la percepción de la duración del aislamiento social y los cambios en el estado emocional y el historial de cambios psicológicos. Se observó una menor prevalencia de síntomas relacionados con la depresión, la ansiedad y el estrés, y puntuaciones más altas de bienestar psicológico entre quienes profesaban una religión. (AU)

Female Genital Self-image Scale (FGSIS): cut-off point, reliability, and validation of measurement properties in Brazilian women / Escala de autoimagem genital feminina (FGSIS): ponto de corte, confiabilidade e validação das propriedades de medida em mulheres brasileiras / Escala de autoimagen genital femenina (FGSIS): punto de corte, confiabilidad y validación de las propiedades de medición para mujeres brasileñas

ABSTRACT This study aimed to translate, create a cut-off point, and assess the measurement properties of the female genital self-image scale (FGSIS) in Brazilian women. Content, structural, and construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement errors were assessed in this online study. FGSIS cut-off point to classify satisfaction with genital self-image (GSI) was performed using the Partial Credit Model (PCM). In total, 614 women (28.92±9.80 years) participated in the study. The FGSIS had a one-factor structure and adequate measurement properties. FGSIS≥22 points classify women as satisfied with their GSI. Therefore, FGSIS is a simple, valid, and reliable measure to assess GSI in Brazilian women.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi traduzir, criar um ponto de corte e avaliar as propriedades de medida da escala de autoimagem genital feminina (FGSIS - female genital self-image scale) em mulheres brasileiras. Validade de conteúdo, estrutural e de construto, consistência interna, confiabilidade teste-reteste e erros de medida foram avaliados neste estudo online. O ponto de corte do FGSIS para classificar a satisfação com a autoimagem genital foi realizado utilizando o modelo de crédito parcial. Participaram do estudo 614 mulheres (28,92±9,80 anos). O FGSIS apresentou estrutura unifatorial e propriedades de medidas adequadas. FGSIS≥22 pontos classifica as mulheres como satisfeitas com a autoimagem genital. Conclui-se que o FGSIS é uma medida simples, válida e confiável para avaliar a autoimagem genital em mulheres brasileiras.

RESUMEN El objetivo de este estudio fue traducir, crear un punto de corte y evaluar las propiedades de medición de la escala de autoimagen genital femenina (FGSIS - female genital self-image scale) para mujeres brasileñas. En este estudio se evaluaron, en línea, la validez de contenido, estructural y de construcción, la consistencia interna, la confiabilidad test-retest y los errores de medición. El punto de corte del FGSIS para clasificar la satisfacción con la autoimagen genital se realizó mediante el modelo de crédito parcial. En el estudio participaron 614 mujeres (28,92±9,80 años). El FGSIS mostró una estructura unifactorial y adecuadas propiedades de medición. FGSIS≥22 puntos clasifica a las mujeres como satisfechas con su autoimagen genital. Se concluye que el FGSIS es una medida sencilla, válida y confiable para evaluar la autoimagen genital de mujeres brasileñas.

Relationship Involving Sexual Function, Distress Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, and Female Genital Self-Image / Relação entre função sexual, incômodo dos sintomas de disfunção do assoalho pélvico e autoimagem genital feminina

Abstract Objective To assess the relationship involving sexual function (SF), the distress symptoms caused by pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and female genital self-image (GSI). Materials and Methods We assessed the GSI, SF and PFD distress symptoms by the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) respectively. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression. Results Among the 216 women (age: 50.92 ± 16.31 years) who participated in the study, 114 were sexually active in the previous 4 weeks. In the total sample (p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.097) and among sexually active women (p = 0.010; adjusted R2 = 0.162), the distress symptoms caused by pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were related to the GSI. Among sexually active women, sexual desire also was related to the GSI (p < 0.001; adjusted R2 = 0.126). Conclusion The findings of the present study provide additional knowledge about female GSI and suggest that SF and POP distress symptoms should be investigated together with the GSI in the clinical practice.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar a relação entre a função sexual (FS), o incômodo provocado pelos sintomas de disfunção do assoalho pélvico (DAP) e a autoimagem genital (AIG) feminina. Materiais e Métodos A AIG, a FS e incômodo causado pelos sintomas de DAP foram avaliados pela Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS), pelo Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) e pelo Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), respectivamente. Os dados foram analisados por regressão linear múltipla. Resultados Das 216 mulheres (idade: 50,92 ± 16,31 anos) que participaram do estudo, 114 eram sexualmente ativas nas últimas 4 semanas. Na amostra total (p < 0,001; R2 ajustado = 0,097) e entre as mulheres sexualmente ativas (p = 0,010; R2 ajustado = 0,162), o incômodo provocado pelos sintomas de prolapso de órgãos pélvicos (POP) relacionou-se à AIG. Entre as mulheres sexualmente ativas, o desejo sexual também se relacionou à AIG (p < 0,001; R2 ajustado = 0,126). Conclusão Os achados deste estudo fornecem conhecimento adicional sobre a AIG feminina e sugerem que a FS e o incômodo causado pelos sintomas de POP devem ser investigados juntamente com a AIG na prática clínica.