Trends and causes of severity, size, and number of fires in northwestern California, USA.

Research in the last several years has indicated that fire size and frequency are on the rise in western U.S. forests. Although fire size and frequency are important, they do not necessarily scale with ecosystem effects of fire, as different ecosystems have different ecological and evolutionary relationships with fire. Our study assessed trends and patterns in fire size and frequency from 1910 to 2008 (all fires > 40 ha), and the percentage of high-severity in fires from 1987 to 2008 (all fires > 400 ha) on the four national forests of northwestern California. During 1910-2008, mean and maximum fire size and total annual area burned increased, but we found no temporal trend in the percentage of high-severity fire during 1987-2008. The time series of severity data was strongly influenced by four years with region-wide lightning events that burned huge areas at primarily low-moderate severity. Regional fire rotation reached a high of 974 years in 1984 and fell to 95 years by 2008. The percentage of high-severity fire in conifer-dominated forests was generally higher in areas dominated by smaller-diameter trees than in areas with larger-diameter trees. For Douglas-fir forests, the percentage of high-severity fire did not differ significantly between areas that re-burned and areas that only burned once (10% vs. 9%) when re-burned within 30 years. Percentage of high-severity fire decreased to 5% when intervals between first and second fires were > 30 years. In contrast, in both mixed-conifer and fir/high-elevation conifer forests, the percentage of high-severity fire was less when re-burned within 30 years compared to first-time burned (12% vs. 16% for mixed conifer; 11% vs. 19% for fir/high-elevation conifer). Additionally, the percentage of high-severity fire did not differ whether the re-burn interval was less than or greater than 30 years. Years with larger fires and greatest area burned were produced by region-wide lightning events, and characterized by less winter and spring precipitation than years dominated by smaller human-ignited fires. Overall percentage of high-severity fire was generally less in years characterized by these region-wide lightning events. Our results suggest that, under certain conditions, wildfires could be more extensively used to achieve ecological and management objectives in northwestern California.

Translation and validation of the "Questionnaire for research on keratoconus results" (KORQ) in the Colombian population. / Traducción y validación del «Cuestionario para investigación de resultados en queratocono¼ (KORQ) en población colombiana.

OBJECTIVE: It is proposed to carry out a process of translation and adaptation of the "Questionnaire for Research on Keratoconus Results" (KORQ) into Spanish and its validation in a Spanish-speaking population, such as Colombia. This is intended to provide a tool for measuring and monitoring the commitment to quality of life of patients with this corneal ectasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective analytical study was carried out, in which 200 subjects diagnosed with keratoconus completed a translated version of the KORQ questionnaire. The internal validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's Alpha, while its construction was evaluated by an Exploratory Factor Analysis, including a Parallel Horn Analysis for the selection of the number of underlying factors. Subsequently, 50 patients were re-selected to complete the questionnaire one week later. The repeatability of the questionnaire was measured by the Spearman test. RESULTS: The KORQ questionnaire in its Spanish version showed some internal validity in both sections. Both sections of the questionnaire showed an essentially unidimensional behaviour. The test-retest repeatability of the test was excellent (Spearman rho> 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The translated version of the KORQ is valid in Colombian population.

Adaptación y validación de un cuestionario para evaluar contratransferencia en una sesión / Adaptation and validation of a questionnaire to asses countertransference in a session

Despite the clinical importance of the concept of countertransference there are few instruments to evaluate it; one of them is the Countertransference Questionnaire (CQ), which measures countertransference during a therapeutic process. The CQ is a self-report questionnaire, composed of a set of items that refer to a wide range of ideas, feelings and behaviors that therapists develop towards their patients. It is written in common language, without the use of technical terms, allowing the instrument to be used and compared by clinicians of any theoretical orientation. The following paper shows the translation to Spanish, an adapted version for its application in one interview or session, and its validation in a population of Chilean psychiatrists and psychologists in a sample of 333 completed questionnaires. Three versions of the questionnaire were created: Interviewer, Observer and Observer of the Interviewer. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis wich grouped the items on a total of seven factors with good or very good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha between 0.66 and 0.89) Results showed that the instrument is valid for its application in Chilean psychiatrists and psychologists.

A pesar de la importancia clínica del concepto de la contratransferencia hay pocos instrumentos para evaluarla, uno de ellos es el Countertransference Questionnaire que mide la contratransferencia durante un proceso terapéutico. Este cuestionario es de autoreporte, sus ítems se refieren a un amplio rango de ideas, sentimientos y conductas hacia sus pacientes expresados por los terapeutas. Está redactado en lenguaje cotidiano, sin términos técnicos, lo que permite que el instrumento pueda ser usado y comparado por clínicos de cualquier orientación teórica. En este artículo presentamos su traducción, adaptación para ser aplicado en una entrevista o sesión y la validación en una población de psiquiatras y psicólogos chilenos que realizamos con una muestra de 333 cuestionarios. Hicimos tres versiones del cuestionario: Entrevistador, Observador y Observador del entrevistador. Realizamos un análisis factorial exploratorio que agrupó los ítems en siete factores con consistencia interna buena o muy buena (alfa de Cronbach entre 0,66y 0,89). Los resultados arrojaron que este instrumento es válido para ser aplicado en psiquiatras y psicólogos chilenos.

Determinação simultânea de resíduos de etinilestradiol e gestodeno em superfícies de equipamentos de produção / Simultaneous determination of ethynylestradiol and gestodene residues on manufacturing equipment surfaces

Um método de validação de limpeza foi desenvolvido e validado, baseado na amostragem por swab e na determinação cromatográfica simultânea de resíduos de gestodeno e etinilestradiol. O método apresenta limite de quantificação de 0,036µg/mL de etinilestradiol e 0,009µg/mL de gestodeno. Este foi considerado seletivo, preciso, exato e robusto de acordo com as normas da ANVISA. O fator de recuperação para etinilestradiol foi 90,45% e para gestodeno foi 83,52% em superfície de inox e 87,31% para etinilestradiol e 81,21% para gestodeno em superfície emborrachada. O método foi aplicado com sucesso no teste de amostragem por swab de todos os pontos de superfície dos equipamentos. O método de limpeza foi considerado validado...

A cleaning technique validation method was developed and validated, based on swab sampling and simultaneous chromatographic determination of gestodene and ethynyl estradiol residues. The method exhibited limits of quantitation (LOQs) of 0.036µg/mL for ethynyl estradiol and 0.009µg/mL for gestodene. It was considered selective, precise, accurate and robust, according to the standards set by ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory agency. Mean swab recovery factors were 90.45% for ethynyl estradiol and 83.52 % for gestodene on an inox surface and 87.31% for ethynyl estradiol and 81.21 % for gestodene on a rubberized surface. The method was successfully applied to the assay of actual swab samples collected from all points on equipment surfaces. The cleaning method was validated...

Laser bronchoscopy, indications and possible complications.

Laser bronchoscopy can be a very effective way to relieve the agony associated with the sensation of asphyxia due to central airway obstruction. In selected patients and when performed by skilled hands the results can indeed be dramatic. The procedure is not curative in the case of malignant central airway obstruction since only the endotracheal or endobronchial portion of the tumor can be treated. It can be curative in a selected group of patients with primarily benign conditions. There can be complications that could be fatal. One must always weigh the risks involved.