Importance of methodological pluralism in deriving counterfactuals for evidence-based conservation.

Most protected area impact research that uses counterfactuals draws heavily on quantitative methods, data, and knowledge types, making it valuable in producing generalizations but limited in temporal scope, historical detail, and habitat diversity and coverage of ecosystem services. We devised a methodological pluralistic approach, which supports social science qualitative methods, narratives, mixed methods, and interdisciplinarity, to fully unlock the potential of counterfactuals in ensuring a place-based and detailed understanding of the socioecological context and impacts of protected areas. We applied this approach to derive possible counterfactual conditions for the impact of a montane protected area on 40 years of vegetation change in the Cape Floristic Region-a global biodiversity hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa. We incorporated diverse methods, knowledge, and information sources, drawing on before-after protected area comparisons for inside and outside the protected area. A significant increase in shrubland vegetation (17-30%) was observed and attributed primarily to a decline in frequent burning for grazing. This also occurred outside the protected area and was driven by socioeconomic drivers and not by concerns over biodiversity conservation or land degradation. Had the protected area not been established the area would have seen intensification of cultivation and increased road networks, buildings, and water storage in dams. Our approach increased historical temporal coverage of socioecological change and contextualized assumptions around causality. Protected area impact evaluation should reengage in place-based research that fully incorporates pluralism in methodologies for constructing counterfactuals in a way that builds regional and global understanding from the local level upward. We devised 10 key principles for deriving counterfactuals grounded in methodological pluralism, covering aspects of collaboration, cocreation, inter- and transdisciplinarity, diverse values and lived experiences, multiple knowledge types, multiple possible causal mechanisms, social science qualitative methods, perceptions, perspectives, and narratives.

Importancia del pluralismo metodológico en la derivación de situaciones contrafactuales para la conservación basada en evidencias Resumen La mayoría de las investigaciones sobre el impacto de las áreas protegidas que usan situaciones contrafactuales se basan en gran medida en métodos cuantitativos, datos y tipos de conocimiento, por lo que son muy valiosas para producir generalizaciones, pero limitadas en el enfoque temporal, el detalle histórico y la diversidad de hábitats y cobertura de los servicios ambientales. Diseñamos una estrategia metodológica pluralista, la cual apoya los métodos cualitativos de las ciencias sociales, narrativas, métodos mixtos e interdisciplinarios para utilizar por completo el potencial de las situaciones contrafactuales para asegurar un conocimiento detallado y basado en el lugar del contexto socio ecológico y el impacto de las áreas protegidas. Aplicamos esta estrategia para derivar las posibles condiciones contrafactuales del impacto de un área protegida montañosa sobre 40 años de cambio de vegetación en el reino florístico del Cabo ­ un punto caliente de biodiversidad y Sitio de Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO en Sudáfrica. Incorporamos varios métodos, conocimientos y fuentes de información a partir de las comparaciones antes­después dentro y fuera del área protegida. Observamos un incremento significativo en la vegetación del matorral (17­30%), el cual atribuimos principalmente en la disminución de la quema frecuente para el pastoreo. Esto también ocurrió fuera del área protegida y fue causado por factores socioeconómicos y no por preocupación por la conservación de la biodiversidad o por la degradación del suelo. De no haberse establecido el área protegida, la zona habría sufrido una intensificación de cultivos y un incremento de carreteras, edificios y almacenamiento de agua en presas. Nuestra estrategia incrementó la cobertura histórica temporal del cambio socio­ecológico y contextualizó las suposiciones sobre la causalidad. La evaluación del impacto del área protegida debe volver a la investigación basada en el lugar que incorpora de lleno el pluralismo en la metodología para construir situaciones contrafactuales de una forma que genere conocimiento regional y global a partir del nivel local y hacia arriba. Diseñamos diez principios clave para derivar las situaciones contrafactuales basados en el pluralismo metodológico, la cobertura de los aspectos de colaboración, creación conjunta, inter­ y transdisciplinariedad, valores diversos y experiencias vividas, varios tipos de conocimiento, diferentes mecanismos causales posibles, métodos cualitativos de las ciencias sociales, percepciones, perspectivas, historias y narrativas.

Comparison of urgent and early endoscopy for acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in high-risk patients.

OBJECTIVE: Data regarding early (within 24h) and urgent endoscopy (within 12h) in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NV-UGIB) revealed conflicting results. This study aimed to investigate the impact of endoscopy timing on the outcomes of high-risk patients with NV-UGIB. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 2020 to February 2021, consecutive high-risk (Glasgow-Blatchford score ≥12) adults admitted to the emergency department with NV-UGIB were analyzed retrospectively. The primary composite outcome was 30-day mortality from any cause, inpatient rebleeding, need for endoscopic re-intervention, need for surgery or angiographic embolization. RESULTS: 240 patients were enrolled: 152 (63%) patients underwent urgent endoscopy (<12h) and 88 (37%) patients underwent early endoscopy (12-24h). One or more components of the composite outcome were observed in 53 (22.1%) patients: 30 (12.5%) had 30-day mortality, rebleeding occurred in 27 (11.3%), 7 (2.9%) underwent endoscopic re-intervention, and 5 (2.1%) required surgery or angiographic embolization. The composite outcome was similar between the groups. Multivariate analysis showed only hemodynamic instability on admission (OR: 3.05, p=0.006), and the previous history of cancer (OR: 2.42, p=0.029) were significant in predicting composite outcome. In terms of secondary outcomes, the endoscopic intervention was higher in the urgent endoscopy group (p=0.006), whereas the number of transfused erythrocyte suspensions and the length of hospital stay was higher in the early endoscopy group (p=0.002 and p=0.040, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Urgent endoscopy leads to a significant reduction in the length of hospitalization and the number of transfused erythrocyte suspensions in NV-UGIB, which can contribute to patient satisfaction, reduce healthcare expenditure, and improve hospital bed availability. The composite outcome and its sub-outcomes were the same among both groups.

[How to assess Person-Centered Care according to professionals? A Delphi study]. / ¿Cómo valorar la atención centrada en la persona según los profesionales? Un estudio Delphi.

OBJECTIVES: To know the perspective of professionals on aspects and dimensions that should be an indispensable part of Person-Centered Care (PCA). DESIGN: Delphi Technique. LOCATION: Primary Care. PARTICIPANTS: 74 medical experts specializing in family and community medicine (FM), teaching tutors, psychologists and sociologists distributed throughout the national territory (January-June 2015). METHODS: They responded to three questionnaires: first, on aspects that a FP should take into account to carry out PCA in all its dimensions. In the second, they asked about the degree of agreement with each item and dimension in which it was classified. The responses were prioritized in a third questionnaire (Likert scale, score range 1-10). RESULTS: The response rate (RR) to the 1st questionnaire was 54.05%, obtaining 84 items, the most frequent Respect and Comprehensive Attention. The 2nd questionnaire with RR = 48.6%, obtained 52 items with a degree of agreement greater than 75%. The RR of the 3rd questionnaire was 52.7%, obtaining 21 items with a score> 9. The highest values corresponded to essential aspects of PCA: respect, comprehensive care, biopsychosocial approach, patient autonomy, and participation in decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: New dimensions were identified: Prevention and health promotion, Resource Management and Clinical Competence, added to those previously described: Biopsychosocial perspective, Doctor as a person, Patient as a person, Doctor-patient relationship and Shared Power and Responsibility. Respect, comprehensive care, the biopsychosocial approach, the patient's autonomy and their participation in decision-making, are the most valued aspects among those selected by the participating professionals.

Short-term psychodynamic infant-parent interventions at Child health centers: Outcomes on parental depression and infant social-emotional functioning.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrate efficacy of parent-infant psychotherapy, but its applicability and effectiveness in public health care are less known. The method followed is Naturalistic study evaluating Short-term Psychodynamic Infant-Parent Interventions at Child Health Centers (SPIPIC) in Stockholm, Sweden. One hundred distressed mothers with infants were recruited by supervised nurses. Six therapists provided 4.3 therapy sessions on average (SD = 3.3). Sessions typically included the mothers, often with the baby present, while fathers rarely attended sessions. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE) were distributed at baseline and at 3 and 9 months later. Data from a nonclinical group were collected simultaneously to provide norm data. Multilevel growth models on the mothers' questionnaire scores showed significant decreases over time on both measures. Nine months after baseline, 50% achieved a reliable change on the EPDS and 14% on the ASQ: SE. Prepost effect-sizes (d) were 0.70 and 0.40 for EPDS and ASQ: SE, figures that are comparable to results of other controlled studies. Psychotherapists integrated with public health care seem to achieve good results when supporting distressed mothers with brief interventions in the postnatal period. SPIPIC needs to be compared with other modalities and organizational frameworks.

Los ensayos controlados al azar demuestran lo eficaz de de la sicoterapia progenitor-infante, pero su aplicabilidad y efectividad en el cuidado de la salud pública menos conocidas. Método: Estudio naturalista de evaluación de la Intervención Sicodinámica a Corto Plazo entre Infante y Progenitor en Centros de Salud Infantil (SPIPIC) en Estocolmo, Suecia. Se reclutaron 100 madres afligidas con infantes a través de enfermeras supervisadas. Seis terapeutas proveyeron 4.3 sesiones de terapia en promedio (SD = 3.3). Las sesiones típicamente incluyeron a las madres, a menudo con su bebé presente, mientras que los papás raramente asistieron a las sesiones. Se distribuyeron la Escala de Depresión Postnatal de Edimburgo (EPDS) y el Cuestionario de Edades y Estados: Socio-emocional (ASQ: SE) al punto de partida inicial básico, y a los tres y nueve meses después. Simultáneamente se recogió información de un grupo no clínico con el fin de proveer información de la norma. Resultados: Modelos de crecimiento de niveles múltiples basados en los puntajes de cuestionarios de las madres mostraron significativas bajas a lo largo del tiempo en ambas medidas. Nueve meses después del punto de partida inicial básico, el 50% logró un cambio confiable en la EPDS y 14% en el ASQ; SE. Los tamaños del efecto anterior y posterior (d) fueron 0,70 y 0.40 para la EPDS y el ASQ: SE, lo cual es comparable con resultados estudios controlados. Conclusiones: Los sicoterapeutas integrados con el cuidado de salud pública parecen lograr buenos resultados cuando apoyan a madres afligidas con intervenciones breves perinatalmente. La SPIPIC necesita ser comparada con otras modalidades y marcos de trabajo organizacionales.

Les essais contrôlés randomisés démontrent l'efficacité de la psychothérapie parent-nourrisson mais son application et son efficacité pour le soin de santé publique sont moins connues. Méthode: étude naturelle évaluant l'Intervention Psychodynamique Nourrisson-Parent à Court Terme dans des Centres de Santé de l'Enfant (SPIPIC) à Stockholm en Suède. Cent mères en détresse avec des nourrissons ont été recrutées par des infirmières supervisées. Six thérapeutes ont offerts 4,3 séances thérapeutiques en moyenne (SD = 3,3). Les séances ont typiquement inclus les mères, souvent avec le bébé présent, alors que les pères sont rarement venus aux séances. L'échelle de dépression postnatale d'Edinbourg (EPDS) et le ASQ: SE, questionnaire Etapes et Ages sur le développement socio-développemental et comportemental a été distribué au départ, à trois mois et à neuf mois plus tard. Des données d'un groupe non-clinique ont été collectées simultanément afin d'offrir des données de normes. Résultats: des modèles de croissance multiniveau sur les scores aux questionnaires des mères ont fait preuve de baisses importantes au fil du temps sur les deux mesures. Neuf mois après le départ, 50% ont fait preuve d'un changement important pour ce qui concerne l'EPDS et 14% pour ce qui concerne l'ASQ: SE. Les effets pré-post observés (d) étaient de 0,70 et 0,40 pour l'EPDS et l'ASQ: SE, comparable aux résultats d'études de contrôle. Conclusions: les psychothérapeutes intégrés avec un soin de santé publique semblent être parvenus à de bons résultats alors qu'ils soutenaient les mères en détresse avec de brèves interventions périnatales. Le SPIPIC doit être comparé à d'autres modalités et d'autres structures organisationnelles.

Assessing ADHD symptoms in clinical public practice: Is a reliable final diagnosis possible?

INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rates vary between 1% and 20% depending on the type of diagnosis guide used, the test used in the assessment, psychosocial factors, and professional in charge of the assessment. GOAL: to describe and compare current clinical ADHD assessment processes in public health system in two cohorts and analyze variables related to final diagnosis. DESIGN: Descriptive, multicenter, longitudinal (retrospective-prospective). LOCATION: primary care (PC) centers in Oviedo, Asturias (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: a Spanish clinical ADHD symptomatic sample (n=134) from two cohorts (2004 and 2009). VARIABLES: clinical professional in charge of ADHD assessment (PC, mental health professional [MH], neuropediatrician [NP]), type of test used in the assessment, confirmation/disconfirmation of ADHD diagnosis, and final diagnosis. RESULTS: the use of symptoms checklists and the assessments in charge of primary care (PC) and neuropediatrician (NP) professionals show an upward trend from 2004 to 2009. ADHD final diagnosis shows low inter-professional (NP-MH) reliability (kappa=0.39). Final diagnoses for the same symptoms are different depending on the professional (NP or MH). DISCUSSIONS: the professional in charge of the assessment appears to be a relevant variable for the final diagnosis. ADHD diagnosis criteria seem not to be clear. This data suggests that ADHD diagnosis must be used with caution to ensure good quality clinical standards when assessing and treating ADHD symptoms. Assessments supported by symptoms checklists and performed by NP or PC could be contributing factors to an ADHD over-diagnosis tendency.

[Questionnaires of person centered care in primary care. A systematic review]. / Cuestionarios de atención centrada en la persona en atención primaria. Una revisión sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the acknowledged importance of 'Person Centered Care' (PCC), there are obvious limitations for its determination and measurement due to the difficulty of its exact definition. The objective of our review is to identify valid tools that measure the PCC or some of its aspects in the field of Primary Health Care. DESIGN: Systematic review DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, PSYCinfo, IME-Biomedicine, LILACS and TESEO until May 31, 2018. SELECTION OF STUDIES: The inclusion criteria were: validation studies of questionnaires, systematic reviews of validation or other descriptive studies, all of which were carried out in the context of the Primary Health Care and that measured aspects of the PCC in professionals and/or patients. Two investigators independently reviewed the articles and their discrepancies were resolved by a third investigator. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were collected on the measured ACP aspects, target population, type of questionnaire, and data on validity and reliability. RESULTS: 1,415 articles were located, to which 54 additional references were subsequently added via cross references. Finally, there were 75 articles that fulfilled all the criteria and there were 39 which had the tools identified and classified according to the dimensions analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the difficulty of measuring PCC as a whole, most of the articles refer only to one of its aspects or dimensions, with the patient's perspective prevailing over that of the professional. All these tools are, nevertheless, an important starting point for future questionnaires that attempt an integral approach to the PCC.

[Diabetic patient control in Primary Care: Influence of service portfolio and other factors]. / Control del paciente diabético en Atención Primaria: influencia de cartera de servicios y otros factores.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the type of follow-up according to Service Portfolio and other associated factors, in the reduction of HbA1c levels in people with a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and poor initial control. DESIGN: Analytical observational study of a cohort under routine clinical practice conditions. LOCATION: 262 Primary Health Care Centres in Madrid. PARTICIPANTS: 1,838 individuals older than 18 years with a new diagnosis of type 2 DM and initial HbA1c levels ≥ 7%, or ≥ 8.5% if older than 75 years. INTERVENTIONS: The exposure variable was the type of follow-up according to Portfolio, categorised as minimum, medium, and optimal, according to the number of interventions performed and periodicity of type of therapeutic-pharmacological plan. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: A study was made of the comorbidity, therapeutic-pharmacological plan, diet - exercise advice and deprivation index. The main outcome was the difference between the final and initial HbA1c. RESULTS: After 2 years of follow-up there was a mean decrease in HbA1c by -1.7 percentage points (95% CI: -1.6;-1.8), which was 0.36 points higher in patients with optimal follow-up: -2.1 (95% CI: -1.7;-2.4). The factors associated with a decrease in HbA1c were the optimal follow-up -0.29 (95% CI: -0.5;-0.1), the medium follow-up -0.26 (95% CI: -0.5; -0.0), and the initial HbA1c value -0.9 (95% CI: -0.9; -0.9. The factors associated with the increase were insulin treatment and living in socially disadvantaged areas. CONCLUSIONS: Glycaemic control was improved in patients with a new diagnosis of diabetes in which optimal follow-up is performed as proposed in the Service Portfolio.

Using social-network research to improve outcomes in natural resource management.

The conservation and management of natural resources operates in social-ecological systems in which resource users are embedded in social and environmental contexts that influence their management decisions. Characterizing social networks of resource users can be used to inform understanding of social influences on decision making, and social network analysis (SNA) has emerged as a useful technique to explore these relationships. We synthesized how SNA has been used in 85 studies of natural resource management. We considered how social networks and social processes (e.g., interactions between individuals) influence each other and in turn influence social outcomes (e.g., decisions or actions) that affect environmental outcomes (e.g., improved condition). Descriptive methods were used in 58% of the studies to characterize social processes, and 42% of the studies compared multiple networks or multiple points in time to assess social or environmental outcomes. In 4 studies, authors assessed network interventions intended to affect social processes or environmental outcomes. The heterogeneity in case studies, methods, and analyses preclude general lessons. Thus, to structure and further learning about the role of social networks in achieving environmental outcomes, we created a typology that deconstructs social processes, social outcomes, and environmental outcomes into themes and options of social and ecological measures within each. We suggest shifts in research foci toward intervention studies to aid in understanding causality and inform the design of conservation initiatives. There is a need to develop clearer justification and guidance around the proliferation of network measures. The use of SNA in natural resource management is expanding rapidly; thus, now is the time for the conservation community to build a more rigorous evidence base to demonstrate the extent to which social networks can play a role in achieving desired social and environmental outcomes.

Changes in area and number of nature reserves in China.

Nature reserves (NR) are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Over the past 60 years, the rapid expansion of NRs in China, one of the world's megadiverse countries, has played a critical role in slowing biodiversity loss. We examined the changes in the number and area of China's NRs from 1956 to 2014 and analyzed the effect of economic development on the expansion of China's NRs from 2005 to 2014 with linear models. Despite a continuing increase in the number of NRs, the total area of China's NRs decreased by 3% from 2007 to 2014. This loss resulted from downsizing and degazettement of existing NRs and a slowdown in the establishment of new ones. Nature reserves in regions with rapid economic development exhibited a greater decrease in area, suggesting that downsizing and degazettement of NRs are closely related to the intensifying competition between economic growth and conservation. For example, boundary adjustments to national NRs, the most strictly protected NRs, along the coast of China's Yellow Sea, a global biodiversity hotspot with a fast-growing economy, resulted in the loss of one-third of the total area. One of the most important ecosystems in these NRs, tidal wetlands, decreased by 27.8% because of boundary adjustments and by 25.2% because of land reclamation. Our results suggest conservation achievement, in terms of both area and quality, are declining at least in some regions in the Chinese NR estate. Although the designation of protected areas that are primarily managed for sustainable use has increased rapidly in recent years in China, we propose that NRs with biodiversity conservation as their main function should not be replaced or weakened.

Cambios en la Superficie y el Número de Reservas Naturales en China Resumen Las reservas naturales (RN) son la piedra angular de la conservación de la biodiversidad. Durante los últimos 60 años, la rápida expansión de las RN en China, uno de los países megadiversos, ha jugado un papel crítico en la reducción de la pérdida de biodiversidad. Examinamos los cambios en el número y superficie de las RN en China de 1956 a 2014 y analizamos el efecto del desarrollo económico en la expansión de las RN en China de 2005 a 2014 mediante modelos lineales. A pesar del incremento continuo en el número de RN, la superficie total de RN en China decreció en 3% de 2007 a 2014. Esta pérdida resultó de la reducción y cambio de registro de RN existentes y una desaceleración en el establecimiento de RN nuevas. Las reservas naturales en regiones con desarrollo económico rápido presentaron una mayor disminución en la superficie, lo que sugiere que la reducción y cambio de registro de RN están relacionados cercanamente con la intensificación de la competencia entre crecimiento económico y conservación. Por ejemplo, ajustes en los límites de RN nacionales, las RN más estrictamente protegidas, a lo largo de la costa del Mar Amarillo, un sitio de importancia para la biodiversidad global con una economía en rápido crecimiento, resultó en la pérdida de un tercio de la superficie total. Uno de los ecosistemas más importantes en estas RN, humedales mareales, decreció en 27.8% debido a ajustes en los límites y en 25.2% debido a la reclamación de tierras. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los logros de conservación, en términos tanto de área como de calidad, están declinando en las RN de China. Aunque la designación de áreas protegidas administradas primariamente para un uso sustentable ha incrementado rápidamente en años recientes en China, proponemos que las RN cuya principal función es la conservación de la biodiversidad no deben ser reemplazadas o debilitadas.

The association between patient-therapist MATRIX congruence and treatment outcome.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the association between patient-therapist micro-level congruence/incongruence ratio and psychotherapeutic outcome. Method: Nine good- and nine poor-outcome psychodynamic treatments (segregated by comparing pre- and post-treatment BDI-II) were analyzed (N = 18) moment by moment using the MATRIX (total number of MATRIX codes analyzed = 11,125). MATRIX congruence was defined as similar adjacent MATRIX codes. Results: the congruence/incongruence ratio tended to increase as the treatment progressed only in good-outcome treatments. Conclusion: Progression of MATRIX codes' congruence/incongruence ratio is associated with good outcome of psychotherapy.

The role of emotion in psychotherapeutic change for medically unexplained symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence of the contribution of emotional processes to the emergence, maintenance, and experience of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) suggests that clinical approaches which target these processes could be beneficial. In this study, qualitative methods were used to examine patients' perspectives and subjective experiences of emotional processes in the context of a psychotherapy assessment and treatment service for MUS provided in a hospital emergency department (ED). METHODS: Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with ED patients presenting with MUS who received a course of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy treatment. RESULTS: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed with three superordinate themes emerging: Barriers to examining emotional processes; reflections on the therapeutic process; psychological change; and improved well-being. Obstacles to clinical engagement in treatment for MUS were described in relation to patients' and therapists' ability to identify, address, and utilize emotion processes. Specific elements of this work were identified as integral components of the psychotherapy change process for MUS. CONCLUSIONS: Directly observing the physical effects of emotional experiencing in MUS provides sensory evidence that can enable patients to make mind-body connections. Psycho-emotional processes warrant further study to explore the applicability to other conceptual models for assessing and treating MUS. Clinical and methodological significance: In this article, we highlight that Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS) are a priority area for both physical and mental health care services. We present findings relevant to the effectiveness of a novel psychotherapy innovation within a hospital emergency department (ED). The use of interpretative phenomenological analysis to study the experiences of ED clients with MUS offers an established qualitative method for exploring the processes underlying therapeutic change. The results provide new insights around obstacles to engagement alongside potential solutions when addressing the psychological needs of clients with MUS. Although emotion processes have been described as a potentially important change process for MUS and in psychotherapy more generally, little empirical research has studied these two areas collectively.

Psychotherapist trainees' professional self-doubt and negative personal reaction: Changes during cognitive behavioral therapy and association with patient progress.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined psychotherapist trainees' experiences of "professional self-doubt" (PSD) and "negative personal reaction" (NPR) during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and their associations with patients' symptoms and interpersonal problems. METHOD: Forty therapists treating 621 patients were analyzed. Patients' symptoms and interpersonal problems were collected repeatedly during therapy. Data about patients' interpersonal problems were available only for 106 patients and 18 therapists. Therapists' difficulties were assessed as trait-based (one assessment across all patients) and as state-based (repeated assessments for each individual patient) difficulties. Multilevel models were performed. RESULTS: None of the trait-based difficulties correlated with the change of the patients' symptoms. Yet, more NPR at the trait-level predicted a more favorable change, whereas higher PSD at the trait-level showed an opposite effect on change of patients' interpersonal problems. Regarding state-based difficulties, PSD as well as NPR decreased significantly over the course of CBT. Patients whose therapists' experienced PSD to increase during CBT were at risk of a less favorable patient progress regarding symptoms, whereas the change of interpersonal problems was not significantly associated with changes in therapists' difficulties. CONCLUSION: Patients' progress is associated with therapists' experiences of difficulties. Yet, trait- and state-based difficulties lead to different results.

Factores predictores del estado libre de cálculos en la primera ureteroscopia flexible con litotricia láser.

INTRODUCTION: Flexible ureteroscopy and laser fragmentation (FURSL) is a minimally invasive modality for surgical treatment of renal stones. Inadequate selection of patients for this treatment generates a cost-effectiveness unbalance. OBJECTIVE: To know the stone-free rate predictors in a single surgical time in patients undergoing FURSL. METHOD: Retrospective cohort of patients undergoing FURSL. Global and gender-categorized univariate and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed to identify stone-free predictors at first FURSL. RESULTS: Stone-free rate at first FURSL was 73.62%. Predictors in males were patient age and stone size, density and multiplicity; in females, body mass index and multiplicity of stones. CONCLUSIONS: Stone-free rate predictors at first FURSL are different in males and females. Women with overweight and obesity probably have easy-to-fragment and easy-to-extract stones associated with uric acid.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La ureteroscopia flexible con litotricia láser (URSLL) es una modalidad mínimamente invasiva de tratamiento quirúrgico de cálculos renales. La selección inadecuada de pacientes para este procedimiento genera un desbalance de costo-efectividad. OBJETIVO: Conocer los factores predictores de estado libre de litos en un solo tiempo quirúrgico en pacientes sometidos a URSLL. MÉTODO: Cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes sometidos a URSLL. Se realizó un análisis univariado y multivariado (regresión logística) de los predictores de estado libre de cálculos en la primera URSLL, global y categorizado por sexo. RESULTADOS: EL estado libre de cálculos en la primera URSLL fue de 73.62 %. Los predictores de estado libre de cálculos en hombres fueron edad y tamaño, densidad y multiplicidad del cálculo; en las mujeres, el índice de masa corporal y la multiplicidad del cálculo. CONCLUSIONES: Los factores pronósticos de estado libre de cálculos en la primera URSLL son distintos en hombres y mujeres. Las mujeres con obesidad y sobrepeso probablemente tengan cálculos de fácil fragmentación y extracción asociados con ácido úrico.

Prospective Pilot Study of the Mastering Each New Direction Psychosocial Family Systems Program for Pediatric Chronic Illness.

Psychosocial interventions for pediatric chronic illness (CI) have been shown to support health management. Interventions that include a family systems approach offer potentially stronger and more sustainable improvements. This study explores the biopsychosocial benefits of a novel family systems psychosocial intervention (MEND: Mastering Each New Direction). Forty-five families participated in a 21-session intensive outpatient family systems-based program for pediatric CI. Within this single arm design, families were measured on five domains of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) self-report measures; Stress, Cognitive Functioning, Mental Health, Child HRQL, Family Functioning. Both survey and biological measures (stress: catecholamine) were used in the study. Results from multivariate general linear models showed positive pre-, post-, and 3-month posteffects in all five domains. The program effects ranged from small to moderate (η2  = .07-.64). The largest program effects were seen in the domains of cognitive functioning (η2  = .64) and stress (η2  = .27). Also, between disease groups, differences are noted and future implications for research and clinical practice are discussed. Conclusions suggest that the MEND program may be useful in helping families manage pediatric chronic illnesses. Study results also add to the growing body of literature suggesting that psychosocial interventions for pediatric chronic illness benefit from a family systems level of intervention.

Phenotype in patients with intellectual disability and pathological results in array CGH. / Fenotipo en pacientes con discapacidad intelectual y array-CGH patológico.

INTRODUCTION: Global developmental delay (GDD) and intellectual disability (ID) are frequent reasons for consultation in paediatric neurology departments. Nowadays, array comparative genomic hybridisation (array-CGH) is one of the most widely used techniques for diagnosing these disorders. Our purpose was to determine the phenotypic features associated with pathological results in this genetic test. METHODS: We conducted a blind study of the epidemiological, clinical, anthropometric, and morphological features of 80 patients with unexplained ID to determine which features were associated with pathological results in array-CGH. RESULTS: Pathological results were found in 27.5% of the patients. Factors associated with pathological results in array-CGH were a family history of GDD/ID (OR = 12.1), congenital malformations (OR = 5.33), having more than 3 facial dysmorphic features (OR = 20.9), and hypotonia (OR = 3.25). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with those reported by other published series. We therefore conclude that the probability of having pathological results in array-CGH increases with the presence of any of the features mentioned above in patients with ID/GDD.

Multidimensional Family Therapy: Evidence Base for Transdiagnostic Treatment Outcomes, Change Mechanisms, and Implementation in Community Settings.

This article summarizes the 30+-year evidence base of Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), a comprehensive treatment for youth substance abuse and antisocial behaviors. Findings from four types of MDFT studies are discussed: hybrid efficacy/effectiveness randomized controlled trials, therapy process studies, cost analyses, and implementation trials. This research has evaluated various versions of MDFT. These studies have systematically tested adaptations of MDFT for diverse treatment settings in different care sectors (mental health, substance abuse, juvenile justice, and child welfare), as well as adaptations according to treatment delivery features and client impairment level, including adolescents presenting with multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Many published scientific reviews, including meta-analyses, national and international government publications, and evidence-based treatment registries, offer consistent conclusions about the clinical effectiveness of MDFT compared with standard services as well as active treatments. The diverse and continuing MDFT research, the favorable, multi-source independent evaluations, combined with the documented receptivity of youth, parents, community-based clinicians and administrators, and national and international MDFT training programs (U.S.-based organization is MDFT International, www.mdft.org; and Europe-based organization is www.mdft.nl) all support the potential for continued transfer of MDFT to real-world clinical settings.

Mortality and functional status at one-year of follow-up in elderly patients with prolonged ICU stay. / Mortalidad y estado funcional al año de pacientes ancianos con ingreso prolongado en una unidad de cuidados intensivos.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mortality and functional status at one year of follow-up in patients>75 years of age who survive Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission of over 14 days. DESIGN: A prospective observational study was carried out. SETTING: A Spanish medical-surgical ICU. PATIENTS: Patients over 75 years of age admitted to the ICU. PRIMARY VARIABLES OF INTEREST: ICU admission: demographic data, baseline functional status (Barthel index), baseline mental status (Red Cross scale of mental incapacity), severity of illness (APACHE II and SOFA), stay and mortality. One-year follow-up: hospital stay and mortality, functional and mental status, and one-year follow-up mortality. RESULTS: A total of 176 patients were included, of which 22 had a stay of over 14 days. Patients with prolonged stay did not show more ICU mortality than those with a shorter stay in the ICU (40.9% vs 25.3% respectively, P=.12), although their hospital (63.6% vs 33.8%, P<.01) and one-year follow-up mortality were higher (68.2% vs 41.2%, P=.02). Among the survivors, one-year mortality proved similar (87.5% vs 90.6%, P=.57). These patients presented significantly greater impairment of functional status at hospital discharge than the patients with a shorter ICU stay, and this difference persisted after three months. The levels of independence at one-year follow-up were never similar to baseline. No such findings were observed in relation to mental status. CONCLUSIONS: Patients over 75 years of age with a ICU stay of more than 14 days have high hospital and one-year follow-up mortality. Patients who survive to hospital admission did not show greater mortality, though their functional dependency was greater.

[Adult height of children with idiopathic short stature treated with growth hormone therapy]. / Estatura final en niños con talla baja idiopática tratados con hormona del crecimiento.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is defined as a height of < or = 2 standard deviations (SD) from the mean for age. The use of Growth Hormone (GH) in ISS is controversial, and there are not results for adult height (AH) in Chilean patients with ISS treated with GH. The objective of the study is to compare AH in patients treated with GH with the height prediction at beginning of treatment. PATIENTS AND METHOD: AH was considered with bone age ≥ 17 in males and ≥15 in females. The height SD according to the NCHS curves at beginning and ending of treatment were used for the comparison. Height prediction (HP) was calculated by Bayley-Pinneau method. RESULTS: AH was reached by 18/47 patients with ISS treated with GH. Initial height -2.1 ± 0.85 SD (133.1±6.8 cm) and HP -1.94±0.86 SD, and were treated since 11.6 ± 1.2 years old. After one year of treatment their height was -1.64 ± 0.69 SD, and AH was -1.28 +/- 0.62 SD (163.76 +/- 7.22 cm). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that treatment with GH for ISS is effective to increase AH. Although with wide individual variability, a mean increase of 0.67±0.9 SD (+2.67 cm) was obtained in the AH. This is the first report on Adult Height in Chilean patients.

The effects of a multiple family therapy on adolescents with eating disorders: an outcome study.

Multiple Family Therapy (MFT) has gained increasing popularity in the treatment of eating disorders and many programs have been developed over the past decade. Still, there is little evidence in the literature on the effectiveness on MFT for treating eating disorders. The present study examines the effects of a particular model of Multiple Family Therapy on eating disorder symptoms, quality of life, and percentage of Expected Body Weight (%EBW) in adolescents with eating disorders (ED). Eighty-two adolescents with ED, aged between 11 and 19 years, were assessed before and after treatment using the Eating Disorders Inventory 2 (EDI-2), the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45) and %EBW. Results showed a significant increase in %EBW between the beginning and end of treatment, with a large effect size. 52.4% of patients achieved an EBW above 85%. Symptoms relative to all EDI dimensions (except for bulimia) significantly decreased during treatment. The three dimensions related to quality of life assessment also improved over the course of MFT. At the end of treatment, 70.7% of patients had a total OQ-45 score below clinical significance. This study suggests that Multiple Family Therapy may benefit adolescents with eating disorders, with improvement on several outcome measures (%EBW, ED symptoms, and quality of life). However, the lack of a comparison group entails caution when drawing conclusions.

[Design and piloting of a structured service medication dispensing process]. / Diseño y pilotaje de un proceso estructurado para el servicio de dispensación de medicamentos.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to design and pilot a protocol for the dispensing of medications service. DESIGN: Using the requirements proposed in the Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Care Consensus, a literature search was made applying qualitative consensus techniques. An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2009. SETTING: A total of 53 community pharmacies from 24 Spanish counties. PARTICIPANT: Patients who requested one or more particular medications with or without medical prescription for their own use or for someone in their care. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The personalised medication information (IPM), the problems associated with the medications (PRM), and the negative results associated with the medication (RNM), detected by the pharmacist each time medication was dispensed, as well as the perception of the pharmacist on the operability of the protocol were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 870 medications were dispensed, with 423 (48.6%) cases of lack of personalised medication information (IPM) being detected. PRM were detected in 10.11% of the dispensed medications, as well as 68 (7.81%) suspected RNM: safety (n = 35; 51.5%), effectiveness (n = 29; 42.6%) and necessity (n = 4; 5.8%). Almost two-thirds (65.21%) of the pharmacists said that the protocol is in operation. CONCLUSIONS: The designed protocol helped to detect deficiencies in the information to the patients about their medications, as well as the PRM and RNM, and is shown to be tool that is easy to use and apply.