The Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine: a contemporary osteological collection housed in Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.

ABSTRA: Osteological collections are an important resource for the development of methods to assist in the study of skeletal remains in archeological and/or forensic contexts. The aim is to describe the current characteristics of the Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine and its historical context. The Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid consists of 138 male and 95 female individuals, born between 1880 and 1980 and deceased between 1970 and 2009. The minimum age of the sample is perinatal and the maximum age is 97 years. The collection is an essential tool for forensic research, given that its population characteristics can be extrapolated to those of present-day Spain. Access to this collection offers unique teaching opportunities as well as provides the information necessary to develop various lines of research.

Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Time and Physical Activity with Arterial Stiffness and Vascular Aging in the General Spanish Population, Analyzed by Sex.

Background: In this study we analyzed the association between physical activity and sedentary lifestyle with vascular aging in Spanish populations aged 35-75 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed, in which 501 subjects aged 35-75 years were recruited. Physical activity and sedentary time were measured with an accelerometer (Actigraph GTX3) for a week. We measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) by a Sphygmo Cor® device and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) by ultrasound (Sonosite Micromax®). The vascular aging index (VAI) was calculated as described in the literature. Vascular aging was defined considering the 25th and 75th percentiles by age and sex of cfPWV and VAI, presence of vascular injury, type-2 diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension. Individuals were classified into three groups: healthy, normal, and early vascular aging. Results: The mean age of the sample was 55.90 ± 14.24 years, 50% being women. Total physical activity was negatively associated with cfPWV ( ß = -0.454) and VAI ( ß = -1.845). Similarly, the number of steps per day obtained a negative association with cfPWV ( ß = -0.052) and VAI ( ß = -0.216), while sedentary time showed a positive association with cfPWV ( ß = 0.028) and VAI ( ß = 0.117). In the analysis by sex, the results showed similar values. The odds ratio (OR) of total physical activity of subjects classified as early vascular aging (EVA) with regarding those classified as healthy vascular aging (HVA) was 0.521 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.317 to 0.856) for cfPWV, and 0.565 (95% CI 0.324 to 0.986) for VAI. In terms of the number of steps per day, the OR was 0.931 (95% CI 0.875 to 0.992) for cfPWV and 0.916 (95% CI 0.847 to 0.990) for VAI and for sedentary time the OR was 1.042 (95% CI 1.011 to 1.073) for cfPWV and 1.037 (95% CI 1.003 to 1.072) for VAI. The OR of subjects classified as vigorous physical activity was 0.196 (95% CI 0.041 to 0.941) using cfPWV and 0.161 (95% CI 0.032 to 0.820) using VAI. In the analysis by sex, the results showed an association in men when cfPWV was used and an association in women when VAI was used to define vascular aging. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the more time spent performing physical activity and the less sedentary time, the lower the arterial stiffness and the probability of developing early vascular aging. Clinical Trial Registration: The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (number: NCT02623894).

Trend changes in the incidence of benign parotid tumours in the last 30 years in a Spanish population.

PURPOSE: To study the demographics and clinical characteristics of benign parotid tumours, focusing on the evolution of the incidence of Warthin tumour (WT) in recent years. METHODS: A retrospective observational study is designed of patients diagnosed with a benign parotid tumour in a single tertiary hospital centre, from 1994 to 2021. The evaluation of the relationship between the different variables, and the changes in tumour incidence, is carried out using an analysis of standardized residuals. RESULTS: The study evaluated 279 patients, and the total of benign parotid tumours was 291. The most frequent type of tumour was pleomorphic adenoma (PA) (52.7%), followed by WT (37.6%). WT was more frequent in men (79%), and PA in women (55.8%). Smoking history is significantly high in patients with WT (83%), as well as mid-age, compared to PA. CONCLUSIONS: It seems to be an increase in the proportion of WT compared to PA in recent years. These changes can be concerning tobacco use and older patients at diagnosis in our series.

Retinal blood vessel calibre and vascular ageing in a general Spanish population: A EVA study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this work was to analyse the association of the retinal arteriolar calibre and the arteriole/venule index (AV index) with vascular ageing in a general population without previous cardiovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 482 individuals without cardiovascular disease (mean age: 55.6 ± 14.2 years) were selected by random sampling, stratified by age and sex. The retinal arteriolar calibre was measured using digital fundus images of the back of the eye captured with a validated, semiautomatized and computer-assisted software (Index calculator). Vascular ageing was defined using three criteria based on the values of: (1) Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV), (2) Brachial-ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV) and (3) Carotid Intima-Media Thickness. RESULTS: The AV index and arteriolar calibre show a negative correlation with age, arterial pressure, cardiovascular risk and parameters of vascular structure and function (p < 0.001 in all cases). We found lower mean values of the AV index and arteriolar calibre in the individuals with early vascular ageing compared to those with healthy vascular ageing. AV index was negatively correlated with cfPWV ((ß=-2.9; 95% CI (-4.7; -1.1)), baPWV ((ß=-3.2; 95% CI (-5.4; -0.9)) and vascular ageing index ((ß=-1.7; 95% CI (-2.7; -0.7)). Arteriolar calibre showed a negative correlation with baPWV (ß=-0.1; 95% CI (-0.2; -0.1)). In the logistic regression analysis, lower values of AV index ((OR=0.01; 95% CI (0.01-0.10), OR=0.03; 95% CI (0.01-0.11) and OR=0.09; 95% CI (0.01-0.67)) were associated with EVA defined with cfPWV, baPWV and vascular ageing index respectively, and lower values of arteriolar calibre ((OR=0.71; 95% CI (0.55-0.91)) were associated with EVA defined with vascular ageing index. CONCLUSIONS: Lower values of AV index and retinal arteriolar calibre were associated with vascular ageing in a general Spanish population without previous cardiovascular disease.

Healthy lifestyle, metabolomics and incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based cohort from Spain.

BACKGROUND: The contribution of metabolomic factors to the association of healthy lifestyle with type 2 diabetes risk is unknown. We assessed the association of a composite measure of lifestyle with plasma metabolite profiles and incident type 2 diabetes, and whether relevant metabolites can explain the prospective association between healthy lifestyle and incident type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) (5-point scale including diet, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption and BMI) was estimated in 1016 Hortega Study participants, who had targeted plasma metabolomic determinations at baseline examination in 2001-2003, and were followed-up to 2015 to ascertain incident type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: The HLS was cross-sectionally associated with 32 (out of 49) plasma metabolites (2.5% false discovery rate). In the subset of 830 participants without prevalent type 2 diabetes, the rate ratio (RR) and rate difference (RD) of incident type 2 diabetes (n cases = 51) per one-point increase in HLS was, respectively, 0.69 (95% CI, 0.51, 0.93), and - 8.23 (95% CI, - 16.34, - 0.13)/10,000 person-years. In single-metabolite models, most of the HLS-related metabolites were prospectively associated with incident type 2 diabetes. In probit Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression, these prospective associations were mostly driven by medium HDL particle concentration and phenylpropionate, followed by small LDL particle concentration, which jointly accounted for ~ 50% of the HLS-related decrease in incident type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The HLS showed a strong inverse association with incident type 2 diabetes, which was largely explained by plasma metabolites measured years before the clinical diagnosis.

Measurement invariance in gender and age of the Herth Hope Index to the general spanish population across the lifespan.

The Herth Hope Index (HHI) is used to measure hope. Assessing the psychometric properties of HHI in Spanish population, exploring its structural validity, the different functionalities of the items and the invariability of this measure according to the gender and age of the population. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to explore the scale's dimensionality and test for strong measurement invariance across sex and age in a cross-sectional, multicenter, prospective study. A new scale was obtained with the structure of one factor with 9 items. Goodness-of-fit indices were excellent. The internal consistency of the one dimension proved high values. The configural invariance on gender shows that both men and women understand the new HHI items, also, this research also shows that there is no scalar invariance across age groups, revealing good levels of adjustment of the item. The Spanish version of the HHI proved to be a valid, reliable instrument to assess the hope in Spanish population.

Enrichment of damaging missense variants in genes related with axonal guidance signalling in sporadic Meniere's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Meniere's disease (MD) is a rare inner ear disorder with a significant genetic contribution defined by a core phenotype: episodic vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus. It has been mostly described in sporadic cases, familial cases being around 10% of the observed individuals. It is associated with an accumulation of endolymph in the inner ear, but the molecular underpinnings remain largely unknown. The main molecular pathways showing higher differentially expressed genes in the supporting cells of the inner ear are related to cochlea-vestibular innervation, cell adhesion and leucocyte extravasation. In this study, our objective is to find a burden of rare variants in genes that interact with the main signalling pathways in supporting cells of the inner ear in patients with sporadic MD. METHODS: We designed a targeted-sequencing panel including genes related with the main molecular pathways in supporting cells and sequenced 860 Spanish patients with sporadic MD. Variants with minor allele frequencies <0.1 in the gene panel were compared with three independent reference datasets. Variants were classified as loss of function, missense and synonymous. Missense variants with a combined annotation-dependent depletion score of >20 were classified as damaging missense variants. RESULTS: We have observed a significant burden of damaging missense variants in few key genes, including the NTN4 gene, associated with axon guidance signalling pathways in patients with sporadic MD. We have also identified active subnetworks having an enrichment of rare variants in sporadic MD. CONCLUSION: The burden of missense variants in the NTN4 gene suggests that axonal guidance signalling could be a novel pathway involved in sporadic MD.

The Cumulative and Differential Relation of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Substance Use During Emerging Adulthood.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have far-reaching effects on a wide range of health outcomes in adulthood, however, less is known about their consequences in emerging adulthood or in a geographically distinct sample. We examined the cumulative and individual relation of ACEs and two risky behaviors: alcohol and illegal drugs consumed by 490 Spanish emerging adults (mean age = 18.9). Participants answered the ACEs questionnaire, and two items about alcohol and illegal drugs consumption. Results showed that the overall experience of suffering different ACEs was a significant predictor of drug but not of alcohol consumption. Moreover, ACEs subtypes presented differential effects on substance use. Whereas some increased the likelihood of either drug or alcohol use, others reduced it. This study supports the importance of examining specific adverse experiences rather than only using an overall measure and provides some counterintuitive results that may be linked to resilient mechanisms.

The Genetic Architecture of Parkinson Disease in Spain: Characterizing Population-Specific Risk, Differential Haplotype Structures, and Providing Etiologic Insight.

BACKGROUND: The Iberian Peninsula stands out as having variable levels of population admixture and isolation, making Spain an interesting setting for studying the genetic architecture of neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVES: To perform the largest PD genome-wide association study restricted to a single country. METHODS: We performed a GWAS for both risk of PD and age at onset in 7,849 Spanish individuals. Further analyses included population-specific risk haplotype assessments, polygenic risk scoring through machine learning, Mendelian randomization of expression, and methylation data to gain insight into disease-associated loci, heritability estimates, genetic correlations, and burden analyses. RESULTS: We identified a novel population-specific genome-wide association study signal at PARK2 associated with age at onset, which was likely dependent on the c.155delA mutation. We replicated four genome-wide independent signals associated with PD risk, including SNCA, LRRK2, KANSL1/MAPT, and HLA-DQB1. A significant trend for smaller risk haplotypes at known loci was found compared to similar studies of non-Spanish origin. Seventeen PD-related genes showed functional consequence by two-sample Mendelian randomization in expression and methylation data sets. Long runs of homozygosity at 28 known genes/loci were found to be enriched in cases versus controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate the utility of the Spanish risk haplotype substructure for future fine-mapping efforts, showing how leveraging unique and diverse population histories can benefit genetic studies of complex diseases. The present study points to PARK2 as a major hallmark of PD etiology in Spain. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Novel and Recurrent PNPLA1 Mutations in Spanish Patients with Autosomal Recessive Congenital Ichthyosis; Evidence of a Founder Effect.

Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is a group of rare non-syndrome diseases that affect cornification. PNPLA1 is one of the 12 related genes identified so far. Mutation screening of this gene has resulted in the identification of 13 individuals, from 10 families, who carried 7 different PNPLA1 mutations. These mutations included 2 missense, 2 frame-shift and 3 nonsense, 3 of them being novel. One of the identified variants, c.417_418delinsTC, was highly prevalent, as it was found in 6 out of 10 (60%) of our ARCI families with PNPLA1 mutations. Clinical manifestations varied significantly among patients, but altered sweating; erythema, palmar hyperlinearity and small whitish scales in flexor-extensor and facial areas were common symptoms. Haplotype analyses of c.417_418delinsTC carriers confirmed the existence of a common ancestor. This study expands the spectrum of the PNPLA1 disease, which causes variants and demonstrates that the c.417_418delinsTC mutation has founder effects in the Spanish population.

Clinical study on natural gingival color.

The aims of the study were: to describe the gingival color surrounding the upper incisors in three sites in the keratinized gingiva, analyzing the effect of possible factors which modulate (socio-demographic and behavioral) intersubject variability; to study whether the gingiva color is the same in all three locations and to describe intrasubject color differences in the keratinized gingiva band. Using the CIELAB color system, three reference areas (free gingival margin, keratinized gingival body, and birth or upper part of the keratinized gingiva) were studied in 259 individuals, as well as the related socio-demographic factors, oral habits and the chronic intake of medication. Shadepilot™ spectrophotometer was used. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed. There are statistically significant differences between males and females for coordinates L* and a* in the middle and free gingival margin. For the b* coordinate, there are differences between males and females in the three locations studied (p < 0.05). The minimum and maximum coordinates in which the CIELAB natural gingival space is delimited are L* minima 28.3, L* maximum 65.4, a* minimum 11.1, a* maximum 37.2, b* minimum 6.9, and b* maximum 25.2*. Age, smoking, and the chronic intake of medication had no significant effect on gum color. There are perceptible color differences within the keratinized gingiva band. These chromatic differences must be taken into account if the prosthetic characterization of gingival tissue is to be considered acceptable. There are significant differences between the color coordinates of the three sites studied in the keratinized gingiva of men and women.

Polymorphisms in the SNRPN gene are associated with obesity susceptibility in a Spanish population.

BACKGROUND: SNRPN, which codes for the RNA-binding SmN protein, is a candidate gene for Prader-Willi syndrome. One characteristic of this neuroendocrine disorder is hyperphagia resulting in extreme obesity later in life. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether variability within this gene could be implicated in obesity susceptibility. METHODS: A case-control study was performed including 265 unrelated patients with nonsyndromic and early-onset severe obesity, belonging to high-risk obesity families from Spanish ancestry; 184 healthy control individuals were included representative of the same genetic background and sex-matched. Forty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the entire SNRPN gene were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform (Sequenom Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). RESULTS: The four SNPs, rs12905653, rs752874, rs1391516 and rs2047433, were found to be nominally associated with obesity (p < 0.03). The diversity haplotype distribution among cases and controls identified the combination rs12905653-T/rs8028366-A/rs4028395-T as being strongly and inversely associated with obesity (odds ratio = 0.49; p = 0.0006). A genetic risk score was built based on rs12905653, rs1391516 and rs2047433 SNPs and each unit increase in genetic risk score increased the obesity risk by 49% (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.24-1.80). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting an association between variability in the SNRPN gene and the risk of being obese. Interestingly, it was the major allele of each SNP that was found to be associated with the risk of weight gain. Further studies analyzing this locus and the possible additive deleterious capability of SNP combinations could be useful for demonstrating the development of obesity.

Assessment of psychometric properties of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) in Spanish mothers.

The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) was developed to assess mother-infant bonding disturbances in the postpartum period. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the PBQ in a sample of Spanish postpartum women. Eight hundred forty mothers were recruited in the postpartum visit (4-6 weeks after delivery): 513 from a gynecology unit (forming the general population sample) and 327 mothers from a perinatal psychiatry program (forming the clinical sample). All women were assessed by means of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the PBQ. Neither the original four-factor structure nor alternative structures (Reck et al. 2006; Wittkowski et al. 2010) were replicated by the confirmatory factor analyses. An exploratory factor analysis showed a four-factor solution. The Schmid-Leiman transformation found a general factor that accounted for 61% of the variance of the PBQ. Bonding impairment showed higher associations with depressive symptomatology in both samples. The Spanish version of the PBQ showed adequate psychometric properties for use with clinical and general populations of Spanish postpartum women. The results suggest that the PBQ could be summarized by a general factor and confirm the utility of the use of the total score for detecting bonding impairment.

Linking hearing impairment, employment and education.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the impact that hearing impairment and other relevant variables have on the education and employment situation of those affected by it in the Principality of Asturias, Spain. METHODS: To achieve this objective, two discrete choice models (probit) are presented. The first one associates, among other variables, hearing impairment with the individual's employment status and in the second model, an ordered multinomial probit model is used to analyse, among other variables, how the impairment affects the individual's level of studies. RESULTS: Although the levels of statistical significance are low, the model's estimates appear to indicate that hearing impairment in Spain increases the probability of being unemployed by 18.4% (P = 0.09). Additionally, the people suffering from such a disability are, compared with the rest of the population, 10.2% (P = 0.05) more likely to have only completed elementary studies without pursuing any further education. CONCLUSIONS: If an individual is able to reach a level of secondary or higher education thus enabling a future incorporation to the work place, a benefit is obviously generated for both the individual as well as society (which has additionally incurred an investment in human capital). In this regard, encouraging the education of hearing-impaired students would profit both the individual (who receives an early integration as a child), which may contribute positively to family and social factors, as well as society who have incurred the investment. Therefore, our result could indicate that programmes created to support individuals with this type of disability represent an increase of welfare both individually and socially.

RENACER study: Assessment of 12-month efficacy and safety of 168 certolizumab PEGol rheumatoid arthritis-treated patients from a Spanish multicenter national database.

OBJECTIVE: To assess effectiveness and safety of certolizumab PEGol (CZP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after 12 months of treatment and to detect predictors of response. METHODS: Observational longitudinal prospective study of RA patients from 35 sites in Spain. Variables (baseline, 3- and 12-month assessment): sociodemographics, previous Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (DMARD) and previous Biological Therapies (BT) use; TJC, SJC, ESR, CRP, DAS28, SDAI. Response variables: TJC, SJC, CRP, ESR, and steroids dose reductions, EULAR Moderate/Good Response, SDAI response and remission, DAS28 remission. Safety variables: discontinuation due to side-effects. Descriptive, comparative and Logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: We included 168 patients: 79.2% women, mean age 54.5 years (±13.2 SD), mean disease duration 7.5 years (±7.3 SD). Mean number of prior DMARD: 1.4 (±1.2 SD), mean number of prior BT was 0.8 (±1.1). Mean time on CZP was 9.8 months (±3.4 SD). A total of 71.4% were receiving CZP at 12-month assessment. Baseline predictors of response: lower prior number DMARD; low number prior BT; higher CRP, ESR, TJC, SJC, DAS28 and SDAI (p < 0.05) scores. A 25/46.4% Moderate/Good Response, a 20% SDAI remission, and a 44% DAS28 remission were observed. We observed 48 discontinuations (28.6%), 31 due to partial or complete ineffectiveness, and 17 due to side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: CZP showed benefit in severe RA patients, with significant reduction of all effectiveness parameters, despite the high prevalence of previous BT exposure in our series. We found CRP, ESR, prior DMARD/BT number, TJC, SJC, DAS28, and SDAI as baseline predictors of response. CZP was mostly well tolerated.

APPS-S: A Tool for Measuring the Attitudes Toward Prostitution and Women in Prostitution in the Spanish Population.

This study was designed with the purpose of testing the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Attitudes toward Prostitution and Prostitutes Scale through three studies with different samples. The first one explores the test's dimensional structure or constructs validity through confirmatory factor analysis, as well as internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The second one focuses on discriminant and criteria validity. Finally, the third one examines the scale's convergent validity and its sensitivity to detecting changes. The results support two subscales with an optimal index of internal consistency, structural stability over time, and discriminative power between groups of participants. It is, therefore, an adequate tool for adults as well as young people and teenagers, and for detecting changes in the context of intervention or awareness workshops.

Development and psychometric testing of the nutritional and social health habits scale (NutSo-HH): A methodological review of existing tools.

Habits represent repeated patterns of behavior over time that exert a significant influence on individual health. While specific tools exist to measure individual habits, the number of instruments capable of simultaneously exploring multiple dimensions of health is limited. This research had two main objectives: 1) to examine the literature to find existing tools for evaluating health habits, especially in the Spanish population; 2) through a methodological review, to develop and validate a tool capable of measuring multiple dimensions of health habits. The Nutritional and Social Health Habits Scale (NutSo-HH) was conceived, tested, and refined through pilot testing with cognitive interviews and expert content validation. Construct validity was explored through confirmatory factor analysis and known-group validity, while criterion validity was verified in comparison with the ``Healthy Nutrition Index for the Spanish Population.'' Reliability was assessed using omega coefficients. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded satisfactory fit indices. The final model included two second-order factors (nutritional habits and health habits) and two first-order factors (Mediterranean diet and alcohol consumption). Omega coefficients ranged from 0.521 to 0.815. The NutSo-HH Scale emerges as a valid and reliable tool to assess nutritional and social habits among Spanish young adults. This novel instrument fills a gap in the field, allowing exploration of various health determinants through a single scale and providing support for decision-making in the realm of public health nutrition.

Psychometric properties of Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) in Spanish adolescents.

Background: Self-compassion, individual's ability to treat oneself kindly, is important for mental well-being. The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is the most used instrument to measure self-compassion, but the short form does not have validity evidence in adolescents. Methods: We examined the psychometric properties of the SCS-SF (12 items) in 955 Spanish adolescents (Mage = 13.95) using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and reliability tests. The life satisfaction, family satisfaction, and reactive-proactive aggression were used for convergent validity. Results: Cronbach's alpha reliability value for the total scale was .723. CFA confirmed that the six-factor model showed good fit indices with three positive dimensions: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness; and three negative components: self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification (χ2 = 114.730; CFI = .966; GFI = .98; RMSEA = .045). The bifactorial model also showed an adequate fit, although with weaker values than the six-factor (ꭓ2 = 247.108; CFI = .914; GFI = .95; RMSEA = .06). The unifactorial model showed an inadequate fit. Total SCS score correlated positively with family satisfaction (r = .43; p < .001) and life satisfaction (r = .48; p < .001) and negatively with reactive aggressiveness (r = -.27; p < .001) and with proactive aggressiveness (r = -.18; p < .001). Self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness were associated with higher family and life satisfaction (p < .001) Self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification were associated with lower family and life satisfaction (p < .001). Self-judgment and isolation positively correlated with both reactive and proactive aggression (p < .001), while mindfulness negatively correlated with both reactive and proactive aggression (p < .01). Conclusion: The SCS-SF is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing self-compassion in Spanish adolescents. Results suggest the six-factor model in its first validation in an adolescent population with convergent validity. The findings of this study corroborate the significance of self-compassion for the mental health of adolescents, particularly in relation to their family and life satisfaction.

Study of the fingerprints of a Spanish sample for the determination of the hand and finger.

The individuality and permanence of fingerprints make of them a very useful feature in the identification of individuals. There are now automated computer programmes that allow a quick comparison between a fingermark and a database. However, in order to assess the strength of evidence in fingerprint identification, complementary information on the frequencies of the different morphological features of the dermopapillary ridges is required. This idea is used in this work as a starting point to evaluate the frequencies of the parameters used in the determination of the hand and finger in a large sample of 2600 fingerprints taken from 134 male and 127 female Spanish population. Based on these fingerprints, the frequencies of different categories of the following parameters were obtained: type of pattern, slope of the apex ridge, subtype of two-delta pattern, ridge tracing, major angle, major ridge count, bisector, rotation of the central ridge, assimilation to loops and slant. Moreover, the results have shown that these characters are useful for the determination of the hand in whorls (two-delta pattern) and loops (one-delta pattern), but not for the determination of the finger. The most useful and classificatory parameter when determining the hand of origin of a two-delta fingerprint is the slope of the apex ridge, and for the one-delta pattern, knowing the location of the delta allows the correct estimation of the hand of a fingerprint in more than 93% of the cases. The data presented in this paper are novel and can be used by latent print examiners to improve the statistical basis of their decisions in reaching conclusions.

Nutritional, Clinical and Sociodemographic Profiles of Spanish Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of motor neurons. The dietary intake of ALS patients is thought to influence the prognosis and progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to examine the nutritional, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of ALS patients in Spain. A cross-sectional descriptive study with demographics, clinical anamnesis and anthropometric assessment was carried out. Nutritional intake was recorded and compared with dietary reference intakes (DRI). Forty subjects (25 males; 15 females) aged 54.7 ± 10.17 were included in the study. The mean weight and height were 67.99 ± 8.85 kg and 167.83 ± 8.79 cm, respectively. Clinical phenotype, time to diagnosis, year of onset and family history were not associated with the place of origin. Clinical phenotype had no influence on time of diagnosis. Caloric and protein intakes were adequate, while carbohydrate, vitamin B8 and iodine intakes were significantly lower than the DRI. Lipids; vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C and E; sodium; phosphorus; and selenium intakes were significantly higher than the recommended nutritional standards. ALS patients, who are homogeneously distributed throughout our national territory, should modify their dietary habits to minimize ultra-processed products and prioritize foods rich in healthy fats and fiber.