The meaning in loss protocol: A clinical trial of online grief therapy.

For a minority of the bereaved, the loss of a significant other can trigger an overwhelming emotional reaction and impaired functioning across life domains, known as prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Hence, ongoing efforts have been made to refine existing treatments to increase their efficacy and to accommodate the idiosyncrasies of grief reactions. This study presents the results of an open clinical trial of the feasibility and effectiveness of the Meaning in Loss (MIL) protocol in an online format. The brief intervention of 12 to 16 sessions combines constructivist and narrative strategies to explore and work through impediments to meaning reconstruction in loss. The sample included 25 participants diagnosed with PGD who were treated by six therapists. Baseline and post-therapy comparisons showed a significant improvement in all clinical measures (grief symptomatology, depression and general distress) and an increase of meaning making regarding the loss. Meaning making was found to be a prospective mediator of symptomatic improvement in grief across the course of therapy. These findings suggest the effectiveness of the MIL protocol in decreasing grief specific and associated symptomatology and argue for the relevance of further controlled evaluations of its efficacy. Moreover, results confirm previous findings that meaning making is a relevant factor in the evolution of grief reactions, including in the context of psychotherapy.

Premature termination of the unified protocol for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders: The role of ambivalence towards change.

Ambivalence towards change is an expected, recurrent process in psychological change. However, the prolonged experience of ambivalence in psychotherapy contributes to client disengagement, which could result in treatment dropout. Considering the negative effects of premature termination of therapy and the convenience of the identification of clients who are at risk of dropping out before achieving good-outcome, the current study explored the predictive power of ambivalence for premature therapy termination using a multilevel time-backwards model (i.e., considering the session of the dropout as session zero and then modelling what occurred from the dropout until session 1). Participants included a total of 96 psychotherapy clients (38 dropouts) treated in a university-based clinic following the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Multilevel modelling using a time-backwards model to analyse dropout data provided evidence of the predictive power of ambivalence evolution throughout treatment on the decision to prematurely discontinue treatment (p < .0001; R2 adj = .29). Specifically, good-outcome dropouts presented a decreasing ambivalence trend throughout treatment, whereas poor-outcome dropouts tended to experience the same levels of ambivalence before deciding to drop out (time × dropout; ß11 = .64, p = .014). Additionally, poor-outcome dropouts presented higher levels of ambivalence (ß01 = 9.92, p < .0001) in the last session. The results suggest that the pattern of client ambivalence towards change is a predictor of premature termination of therapy. Implications for clinical and research contexts are discussed.

Innovative moments in recovered cases treated with the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Innovative moments (IMs) are moments in which the previous problematic pattern of meaning is challenged. Studies have shown that IMs are associated with good psychotherapy outcomes. A three-level hierarchy of IMs was observed in recent studies, with level 1 IMs being more elementary and levels 2 and 3 being more complex and associated with treatment success. However, studies with manualized protocol treatments are thus far lacking. This study analyzed the longitudinal progression of IMs in the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) and explored its associations with changes in psychological distress. METHODS: Data were collected from a Portuguese university-based outpatient clinic and included 18 cases with positive outcomes. Nine sessions of each case were coded with the IM coding system (N=162). RESULTS: Multilevel analyses showed a significant increase in all IM levels across treatments. The decrease in psychological distress predicted an increase in level 2 IMs in the same session. CONCLUSION: The evolution of IMs is similar to what was found previously in other studies. Contrary to what was found in previous studies, IMs did not predict outcomes in the following session, whereas the reduction in psychological distress predicted the emergence of level 2 IMs.

Genetic diversity of N-fixing and plant growth-promoting bacterial community in different sugarcane genotypes, association habitat and phenological phase of the crop.

This study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of bacterial community associated to different sugarcane genotypes, association habitat and phenological phase of the culture, as well as to isolate, to identify and to characterize your potential for plant growth-promoting. Root and rhizospheric soil samples from RB 92579 and RB 867515 varieties were collected at 120 and 300 days after regrowth (DAR). The diversity of bacterial was evaluated through of the 16S rRNA and nifH genes. We found greater genetic diversity in the root endophytic habitat at 120 DAR. We identify the genera Burkholderia sp., Pantoea sp., Erwinia sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Enterobacter sp. and Pseudomonas sp. The genera Bacillus sp. and Dyella sp. were only identified in the variety RB 92579. We found indices above 50% for biological nitrogen fixation, production of indole acetic acid and phosphate solubilization, showing that the use of these bacteria in biotechnological products is very promising.

Ambivalence in Psychotherapy Questionnaire: Development and validation studies.

Research emphasizes that individuals' engagement with change process is a significant predictor of therapeutic outcomes. Ambivalence is a natural phenomenon in change processes, but when individuals cannot overcome it, their problems may intensify. Ambivalence towards change, a client variable characterized by an intrapersonal conflict between two positions of the self, one in favour of change and another one in favour of the status quo, is shown to play a determinant role in psychotherapy. Despite its importance, few empirical studies have examined this process, and the considerable methodological differences among existing studies make it difficult to generalize results. Therefore, instruments measuring ambivalence in an effective way can help broaden the understanding of the process. First, we performed a content analysis of ambivalence events identified in psychotherapy sessions from previous studies using an observational coding system. The factor structure, reliability and validity of the measure were tested using 91 and confirmed with 223 psychotherapy clients at any time during the therapeutic process. A two-factor structure was found, suggesting two components of Ambivalence-Demoralization and Wavering. The results indicated that the Ambivalence in Psychotherapy Questionnaire exhibits good psychometric properties, including good convergent and divergent validity. The implications are discussed.

Ambivalence resolution in brief psychotherapy for depression.

Ambivalence in the process of psychotherapeutic change should be addressed and resolved if we are to avoid psychotherapeutic failure and promote sustained change. In this context, ambivalence can be defined as the cyclical conflictual relation between two opposed positions of the self: one expressed as an innovation, and a subsequent one expressed in a trivialization or rejection of the innovation (problematic position). This conflict may be resolved in two different ways: (a) the dominance of the innovative position and the consequent inhibition of the problematic one and (b) the negotiation between the innovative and the problematic positions. In this study, we sought to study the evolution of the dominance and the negotiation processes in recovered and unchanged cases; to analyse if different therapeutic models produce different results on the evolution of the dominance and negotiation processes, and finally, to study if these processes are predictive of ambivalence resolution. The complete sessions of 22 clinical cases of depression (6 cognitive-behavioural therapy, 10 narrative therapy, and 6 emotion-focused therapy cases) were independently coded for innovative moments, ambivalence, and ambivalence resolution. Results revealed that recovered cases had a progressively higher proportion of negotiation along treatment, whereas in unchanged cases, negotiation was virtually absent throughout treatment. Both dominance and negotiation were significant predictors of ambivalence reduction, however, negotiation had a higher impact than dominance. Overall, these results did not significantly differ for the 3 therapeutic models. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed, and theoretical derived suggestions for clinicians are presented.

Ambivalence resolution in emotion-focused therapy: The successful case of Sarah.

Ambivalence can be understood as a cyclical movement between two opposing positions of the self: one expressed in a novelty-an innovative moment (IM)-and another one conveyed by a return to the maladaptive pattern. If not properly addressed and resolved during therapy, ambivalence can prevent change and lead to psychotherapeutic failure. Two processes of ambivalence resolution have been suggested: (1) the dominance of the innovative position and consequent inhibition of the problematic position and (2) the negotiation between both positions. OBJECTIVES: To empirically study both processes of ambivalence resolution in a successful case of emotion-focused therapy. METHOD: Sessions were independently coded with three coding systems-the IMs, the return to the problem and the ambivalence resolution. RESULTS: Ambivalence tended to be resolved from the initial to the final sessions. Although resolutions through dominance tended to decrease and resolutions through negotiation seemingly increased along treatment, dominance was, nonetheless, the most prominent process of resolution along the whole treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although it has been suggested that integrating opposing parts of the self is a necessary process for psychotherapeutic success, a less integrative process of ambivalence resolution may also be an important resource along the process.

Three narrative-based coding systems: Innovative moments, ambivalence and ambivalence resolution.

Narrative and dialogical perspectives suggest that personal meaning systems' flexibility is an important resource for change in psychotherapy. Drawn from these theoretical backgrounds, a research program focused on the identification of Innovative Moments (IMs)-exceptions to the inflexible meaning systems present in psychopathological suffering-has been carried out. For this purpose, three process-oriented coding systems were developed: The IMs Coding System, the Ambivalence Coding System, and the Ambivalence Resolution Coding System. They allow, respectively, for the study of change, ambivalence, and ambivalence resolution in therapy. This paper presents these coding systems, the main findings that resulted from their application to different samples and therapeutic models, the main current and future lines of research, as well as the clinical applications of this research program.

Characterization of lyophilized equine colostrum.

Foals require maternal colostrum in the first hours of life to prevent failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTIP). Innovative storage methods such as lyophilization may enable conservation of colostrum immunoglobulins by a differentiated process of dehydration. The current study aimed to compare the quality of equine colostrum after freezing and after the lyophilization process. Thirty-one pregnant Quarter Horse mares were used. The IgG concentration of frozen and lyophilized colostrum was determined by simple radial immunodiffusion (SRID) and Brix refractometry. The physical-chemical composition (pH, total protein (TP), fat, lactose, salts, total solids (TS), and density) of the samples was evaluated and the lyophilized colostrum reconstitution test was performed. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the variables IgG, fat, lactose, salts, TS, density, and pH between samples measured before and after lyophilization. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the Brix average and the TP of the frozen and lyophilized colostrum samples. Lyophilization resulted in a small reduction (6.55%) in the IgG concentration measured by SRID. A strong positive correlation was observed between colostrum density and IgG concentration by SRID (r = 0.76) and between Brix and IgG concentration by SRID (r = 0.77). In the reconstitution test, the lyophilized colostrum was easily rehydrated in water, with full dilution, and remained stable. Lyophilization could be an alternative for the conservation of mare colostrum, since it is a very efficient process for retaining the physicochemical characteristics of the product, with minimal loss, particularly of IgG.

The psychometrics and validity of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory in Portuguese adolescents.

Personality traits related to persistence and self-regulation of long-term goals can predict academic performance as well or better than measures of intelligence. The 5-factor model has been suggested to outperform some other personality tests in predicting academic performance, but it has not been compared to Cloninger's psychobiological model for this purpose. The aims of this study were, first, to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) in adolescents in Portugal, and second, to evaluate the comparative validity of age-appropriate versions of Cloninger's 7-factor psychobiological model, Costa and McCrae's five-factor NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised, and Cattell's 16-personality-factor inventory in predicting academic achievement. All dimensions of the Portuguese JTCI had moderate to strong internal consistency. The Cattell's sixteen-personality-factor and NEO inventories provided strong construct validity for the JTCI in students younger than 17 years and for the revised adult version (TCI-Revised) in those 17 years and older. High TCI Persistence predicted school grades regardless of age as much or more than intelligence. High TCI Harm Avoidance, high Self-Transcendence, and low TCI Novelty Seeking were additional predictors in students older than 17. The psychobiological model, as measured by the JTCI and TCI-Revised, performed as well or better than other measures of personality or intelligence in predicting academic achievement.

Write and Let Go: An Online Writing Program for University Students.

Background: There are a plethora of studies on expressive writing and positive writing interventions, but few have addressed the combination of both paradigms. Additionally, research on the role of ambivalence toward change in the context of writing-based interventions is lacking. Ambivalence toward change is a natural movement of approaching and avoiding change that may occur in various situations. In psychotherapy, its resolution is associated with successful outcomes. Aim: This study tested the efficacy of a combination of expressive and positive writing paradigms in an internet-based intervention to improve university students' mental health. Additionally, focusing participants on a current, unresolved problem allowed us to explore the possible role of ambivalence toward change as a mediator of the intervention's results. Methods: We recruited 172 participants who were randomly divided into experimental (n = 85) and control (n = 87) groups. The intervention consisted of the identification of a current problem and four writing tasks on consecutive days. Assessment was conducted at baseline and posttest in both groups and at follow-up in the experimental group. Participants in the experimental condition were also assessed after each task. Measures of anxiety, depression, rumination, ambivalence toward change, distress, and wellbeing (optimism, affect, and satisfaction with life) were collected. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that participants in the experimental group had a significant decrease from baseline to posttest in ambivalence toward change and rumination when compared with the control group. These results were maintained at follow-up. No differences were found in the remaining measures. Within the experimental group, ambivalence toward change, rumination, and distress significantly decreased throughout the intervention and the exploratory mediation analysis indicated that ambivalence toward change partially mediated the improvements in rumination and distress. Discussion: Considering different perspectives about a current problem and using a combination of expressive and positive writing fostered the reduction of ambivalence toward change and rumination. Ambivalence toward change reduction after the second writing task may have created optimal conditions for the subsequent decrease in rumination and distress. Future studies should replicate this finding and dismantle the components that are more adequate in changing these variables.

The Psychometrics of the European Portuguese Version of the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised.

Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality integrates contributions from behavioral genetics, neurobiology, and psychology in the description of the human personality. The temperament and character inventory (TCI) is its assessment instrument. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the TCI has shown good psychometric properties. However, Portuguese spoken in Brazil presents marked and substantial differences to that spoken in Portugal, and no study has yet described the psychometrics of the European Portuguese version. The objective of this study was thus to describe the psychometric properties of the European Portuguese adult version of the TCI (the temperament and character inventory-revised (TCI-R)). This study involved 1400 Portuguese adult participants. The factorial structure of the European Portuguese version was tested using four methods: exploratory factor analysis, orthogonal procrustes rotation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and exploratory structural equation modeling. The integration of data coming from these methods suggested that the Portuguese version of the TCI-R presented good structural validity (as revealed by the emergence of the temperament and character structures predicted by theory) and high levels of congruence between the American and the Portuguese versions. An improvement in the goodness of fit of the models for the Portuguese population was achieved by using exploratory structural equation modeling over confirmatory factor analysis. Although some facets registered questionable consistency, all dimensions had acceptable to good consistency (all ≥ .79). These results confirm the validity of the Portuguese TCI-R and its adequacy for use in European Portuguese samples.

Propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira do Questionário de Ambivalência em Psicoterapia - QAP / Psychometric properties of the brazilian version of the Ambivalence in Psychotherapy Questionnaire (APQ) / Propiedades psicométricas de la versión brasileña del Cuestionario de Ambivalencia en Psicoterapia - QAP

Níveis elevados de ambivalência estão associados a piores resultados e abandono terapêutico. Este estudo teve como objetivo a adaptação transcultural e avaliação das propriedades psicométricas do Questionário de Ambivalência em Psicoterapia (QAP). Após adaptação cultural do instrumento, foram avaliados 181 indivíduos em psicoterapia de diversas abordagens, em clínicas-escola e consultórios particulares. O QAP foi avaliado quanto à estrutura interna e relação com variáveis externas. Na análise fatorial confirmatória, o modelo com melhor ajuste foi composto por três dimensões: duas de primeira ordem - Desmoralização e Alternância - e uma de segunda ordem - Ambivalência. A consistência interna foi 0,86. Na relação com variáveis externas, o QAP se correlacionou moderadamente com medidas de desconforto psicológico (OQ-45- Outcome Questionnaire) (r = 0,65) e motivação para mudança (URICA - University of Rhode Island Change Assessment): contemplação (r = 0,36) e manutenção (r = 0,37). A versão brasileira do QAP demonstrou ser um instrumento com boas características psicométricas, de aplicação rápida e fácil. (AU)

High levels of ambivalence are associated with poor outcomes and therapeutic abandonment. The objective of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation and assessment of the psychometric properties of the Ambivalence in Psychotherapy Questionnaire (APQ). After cultural adaptation of the instrument, we assessed 181 individuals undergoing psychotherapy of different approaches in school clinics and private practices. The APQ was validated regarding internal structure and relationship with external variables. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the model with the best fit was composed of three dimensions: two first-order - Demoralization and Wavering - and one second-order - Ambivalence. The internal consistency was 0.86. In relation to external variables, the APQ correlated moderately with measures of psychological distress (OQ-45- Outcome Questionnaire) (r = 0.65) and motivation to change (URICA- University of Rhode Island Change Assessment): contemplation (r = 0.36) and maintenance (r = 0.37). The results indicated that the Brazilian version of the APQ is a suitable instrument, of quick and easy application. (AU)

Los altos niveles de ambivalencia se asocian con peores resultados y abandono terapéutico. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo la adaptación transcultural y la evaluación de las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Ambivalencia en Psicoterapia (QAP). Después de la adaptación cultural del instrumento, 181 individuos fueron evaluados en psicoterapia utilizando diferentes enfoques, en clínicas-escuelas y consultorios privados. El QAP fue evaluado por su estructura interna y su relación con variables externas. En el análisis factorial confirmatorio, el modelo con mejor ajuste estuvo compuesto por tres dimensiones: dos de primer orden - Desmoralización y Alternancia - y una de segundo orden - Ambivalencia. La consistencia interna fue de 0,86. En relación con las variables externas, el QAP se correlacionó moderadamente con las medidas de malestar psicológico (OQ-45- Outcome Questionnaire) (r = 0,65) y motivación para el cambio (URICA- University of Rhode Island Change Assessment): contemplación (r = 0,36) y mantenimiento (r = 0,37). La versión brasileña del QAP demostró ser un instrumento con buenas características psicométricas, de rápida y fácil aplicación. (AU)

Potencial antioxidante de hidrolisados proteicos obtidos a partir de caseinato de ruminantes pela ação de proteases comerciais / Potential antioxidant of protein hydrolysates obtained from ruminant caseinate by the action of commercial proteases

Introdução: a oxidação em sistemas biológicos está relacionada ao desenvolvimento de patologias em humanos. A ingestão de alimentos ricos em compostos químicos que exercem atividade antioxidante contribui para a prevenção e redução dos efeitos deletérios dos radicais livres formados no organismo. Peptídeos derivados das caseínas têm mostrado um elevado potencial como agentes antioxidantes. Objetivos: neste sentido, o presente estudo avaliou a atividade antioxidante de hidrolisados derivados de caseínas de leites das espécies bubalina, bovina e caprina, obtidos pela ação de diferentes proteases. Metodologia: inicialmente, as caseínas foram isoladas dos demais componentes do leite, depois foram submetidas ao processo de proteólise pelas enzimas bromelina, papaína, tripsina e neutrase, individualmente. A atividade antioxidante dos hidrolisados foi avaliada, através da capacidade de eliminação dos radicais: hidroxila (OH­Ë™), superóxido (O2­Ë™), 2,2 difenil-1-picrilhidrazil (DPPH˙), 2,2'azinobis-(3-ácido etilbenzotiazolino-6-sulfônico (ABTS˙), e quelante dos íons metálicos cobre (Cu2+) e ferro (Fe2+). Resultados: os resultados mostraram que a caseína bovina apresentou o menor (35,54%) grau de hidrólise e a caseína bubalina apresentou o maior (85,64%) grau de hidrólise pela ação da neutrase e bromelina após 480 minutos, respectivamente. O potencial para o sequestro dos radicais hidroxila variou entre 0 e 100%, superóxido superior a 80%, ABTS superior a 85%, DPPH entre 20 e 95% habilidade de quelar ferro entre 10 e 100% e cobre entre 14 e 80%. Conclusão: assim, a hidrólise das caseínas do leite bubalino, bovino e caprino foram capazes de produzir hidrolisados com elevado potencial antioxidante e que, mediante novos estudos, poderá vir ser incorporado em produtos alimentícios para o consumo humano.

Introduction: oxidation in biological systems is related to the development of pathologies in humans. The ingestion of foods rich in chemical compounds that exert antioxidant activity contributes to the prevention and reduction of the deleterious effects of free radicals formed in the body. Peptides derived from caseins have shown high potential as antioxidant agents. Objectives: the present study evaluated the antioxidant activity of casein hydrolysates derived from bubaline, bovine, and caprine milk obtained by the action of different proteases. Methodology: initially, the caseins were isolated from the other milk components, and then subjected to the proteolysis process by the enzymes bromelain, papain, trypsin and neutrase, individually. The antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates was evaluated, through the capacity of elimination of the radicals: hydroxyl (OH-˙), superoxide (O2-˙), 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH˙), 2,2'azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolino-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS˙), and chelating of the metal ions copper (Cu2+) and iron (Fe2+). Results: the results showed that bovine casein showed the lowest (35.54%) degree of hydrolysis and bubaline casein showed the highest (85.64%) degree of hydrolysis by the action of neutrase and bromelin after 480 minutes, respectively. The potential for hydroxyl radical sequestration varied between 0 and 100%, superoxide higher than 80%, ABTS higher than 85%, DPPH between 20 and 95% and the ability to chelate iron between 10 and 100% and copper between 14 and 80%. Conclusion: thus, the hydrolysis of caseins from bubaline, bovine and goat milk were able to produce hydrolysates with high antioxidant potential and that, upon further studies, may be incorporated into food products for human consumption.

Beliefs About Psychological Problems Inventory (BAPPI): Development and Psychometric Properties

The clients’ belief systems are components of Effective Therapy Relationships. Thus, it is desirable to include clients’ beliefs about their psychological problems on systematic assessment protocols underlying the process of systematic treatment selection and of tailoring the treatment to the person. However, assessment instruments which specifically capture clients’ beliefs about their psychological problems are scarce. The objective of the studies presented was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Beliefs About Psychological Problems Inventory (BAPPI), an assessment instrument of the clients’ beliefs about their psychological problems. Study 1 (Exploratory Factor Analysis) involved 200 participants, and Study 2 (Confirmatory Factor Analysis and other validity studies), involved 545 participants. Results revealed that the BAPPI presents a stable factorial structure of six dimensions (Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Biomedical, Cognitive-Behavioral, Systemic, and Eclectic/Integrative). Altogether, analyses of items, internal consistency, reliability, and external validity revealed that the BAPPI is a valid assessment instrument for use in mental health research and practice, especially in the process of systematic treatment selection and, therefore, of matching/tailoring the treatment to the client’s characteristics (AU)

The Students' Perceptions of School Success Promoting Strategies Inventory (SPSI): development and validity evidence based studies.

Students' perceptions about school success promotion strategies are of great importance for schools, as they are an indicator of how students perceive the school success promotion strategies. The objective of this study was to develop and analyze the validity evidence based of The Students' Perceptions of School Success Promoting Strategies Inventory (SPSI), which assesses both individual students' perceptions of their school success promoting strategies, and dimensions of school quality. A structure of 7 related factors was found, which showed good adjustment indices in two additional different samples, suggesting that this is a well-fitting multi-group model (p < .001). All scales presented good reliability values. Schools with good academic results registered higher values in Career development, Active learning, Proximity, Educational Technologies and Extra-curricular activities (p < .05). SPSI showed to be adequate to measure within-schools (students within schools) dimensions of school success. In addition, there is preliminary evidence for its adequacy for measuring school success promotion dimensions between schools for 4 dimensions. This study supports the validity evidence based of the SPSI (validity evidence based on test content, on internal structure, on relations to other variables and on consequences of testing). Future studies should test for within- and between-level variance in a bigger sample of schools.

Antioxidant Activities of Chicken Egg White Hydrolysates Obtained by New Purified Protease of Aspergillus avenaceus URM 6706

Abstract Protein hydrolysates originating from egg white have already been reported to be bioactive and, among their biological activities, possess the antioxidant property that protects the body from early ageing and diseases linked to oxidation. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of hydrolysates obtained by the hydrolysis of egg white from hen poultry. The protease produced by Aspergillus avenaceus URM 6706 was purified and subsequently applied to hydrolysate the egg white, and the degree of hydrolysis was verified during the protease exposure time (4-24 h). The hydrolysis was intensified over time of exposure to the protease. It was possible to detect the antioxidant activities of eliminating the 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical (ABTS•+) from 97% to 99% and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) up to 27%, as well as the chelation of Cu2+ metal ions up to 62% and Fe2+ up to 54%. The elimination of ABTS•+ radical had a positive correlation with the degree of hydrolysis; however, all the other activities tested showed a negative correlation with the degree of hydrolysis. The results obtained suggest that the egg white of hen chicken represents a food source of animal origin with potential application in the functional food industry.

International epidemiology of child and adolescent psychopathology ii: integration and applications of dimensional findings from 44 societies.

OBJECTIVE: To build on Achenbach, Rescorla, and Ivanova (2012) by (a) reporting new international findings for parent, teacher, and self-ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report, and Teacher's Report Form; (b) testing the fit of syndrome models to new data from 17 societies, including previously underrepresented regions; (c) testing effects of society, gender, and age in 44 societies by integrating new and previous data; (d) testing cross-society correlations between mean item ratings; (e) describing the construction of multisociety norms; (f) illustrating clinical applications. METHOD: Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of parent, teacher, and self-ratings, performed separately for each society; tests of societal, gender, and age effects on dimensional syndrome scales, DSM-oriented scales, Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems scales; tests of agreement between low, medium, and high ratings of problem items across societies. RESULTS: CFAs supported the tested syndrome models in all societies according to the primary fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA]), but less consistently according to other indices; effect sizes were small-to-medium for societal differences in scale scores, but very small for gender, age, and interactions with society; items received similarly low, medium, or high ratings in different societies; problem scores from 44 societies fit three sets of multisociety norms. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically derived syndrome models fit parent, teacher, and self-ratings when tested individually in all 44 societies according to RMSEAs (but less consistently according to other indices). Small to medium differences in scale scores among societies supported the use of low-, medium-, and high-scoring norms in clinical assessment of individual children.

Percepção dos alunos acerca das estratégias de promoção do sucesso educativo e envolvimento com a escola / Relation between school success promotion strategies and student's engagement with school

As associações entre as percepções dos alunos acerca das características da escola e o envolvimento dos alunos com a escola são ainda pouco compreendidas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a relação entre a percepção dos alunos acerca das estratégias de promoção de sucesso educativo e o seu envolvimento com a escola. Participaram neste estudo 529 alunos do 2º e 3º ciclo de um município do Norte de Portugal, Vila Nova de Famalicão. Os resultados demonstram a existência de uma correlação positiva e estatisticamente significativa entre a percepção dos alunos acerca das estratégias de otimização de aprendizagem e o envolvimento escolar. Estes resultados têm fortes implicações para os esforços de melhoria e da eficácia da escola, incluindo para a promoção de trajetórias acadêmicas positivas.

The association between the students' perception of the school characteristics and the students' engagement with school requires further research. The aim of the study was to describe the association between the students' perception of school success promotion strategies and students' engagement with school. The sample consisted of 529 students, enrolled in elementary and middle-school classes, from a municipality in Northern Portugal, Vila Nova de Famalicão. The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the students' perception of the school success promoting strategies and students' engagement with school. These results have strong implications with respect to the efforts to improve education and school effectiveness, including the promotion of positive academic trajectories.

Long-term impact of the promotion of social and emotional skills / Impacto a longo prazo da promoção de competências sociais e emocionais

Social and emotional skills are protective factors against several negative functioning indicators. A current challenge on social and emotional skills research is to descrive of the long-term impact of social and emotional development programs. The objective of this follow-up study was to evaluate the long-term impact of a program for the development of social and emotional skills - "Crescer a Brincar" (Growing up Playing) - on disruptive behaviors and on students' engagement with school eight years after the beginning and four years after the end of the intervention. Results revealed that the experimental group registered lower disruptive behaviors and higher intrinsic motivation. These results have important implications for the promotion of positive youth development, especially for the promotion of health in school-based interventions. (AU)

As competências sociais e emocionais são fatores de proteção contra vários indicadores de funcionamento negativo. Um dos desafios atuais na investigação ao nível da promoção de competências sociais e emocionais é o seu impacto a longo-prazo. O objetivo deste estudo de follow-up foi avaliar o impacto do programa de promoção de competências sociais e emocionais "Crescer a Brincar" nos comportamentos disruptivos e no envolvimento dos alunos com a escola, oito anos depois do início do programa e quatro anos depois do final da intervenção. Os resultados demonstraram que o grupo experimental registrou menos comportamentos disruptivos e maior motivação intrínseca. Estes resultados têm implicações importantes para a promoção de desenvolvimento positivo entre crianças e jovens em contexto escolar. (AU)