Drug use in adolescents in relation to social support and reactive and proactive aggressive behavior.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive behavior in adolescents, along with drug use, has become one of the great issues in education in recent years, among other things, due to its relationship with school failure and delinquency. The purpose of this paper was to find out whether social support fulfils a basic role in decision-making on drug use and the behavior of adolescents. METHOD: 822 high school students participated in the study (M = 14.84, SD = 0.87). Data were collected with the Peer Conflict Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and an ad hoc questionnaire on drug use. RESULTS: The results show that drug use is significantly related to reactive and proactive aggressive behavior. It was also observed that higher use is significantly related to perceived social support by the peer group, and less support by family. DISCUSSION: It was shown that substance use is related to perceived social support by the adolescent’s peer group and to aggressive behavior. It is therefore necessary to intervene in both respects to avoid the presence of substance use in schools.

Salud percibida y salud real: prevalencia en las personas mayores de 60 años / Perceived health and real health: prevalence among persons aged 60 and older / Saúde percebida e saúde real: prevalência nas pessoas idosas de 60 anos

Objetivo: Analizar el estado de salud de la población mayor de 60 años y la relación que existe entre la autopercepción de la salud que tienen las personas mayores y su salud real; se valoró la mediación en esta relación de aspectos sociodemográficos como la edad y el género. Método: Diseño descriptivo, transversal, de prevalencia. Localización: 15 centros de día y 10 residencias de la provincia de Almería (España). Participantes: 1,220 personas mayores de 60 años (M = 70.9; DT = 7.9), de los cuales el 48.3% son hombres y el 51.7% mujeres. Mediciones: Se analizó el género, la edad, el estado civil, la presencia o no de diferentes enfermedades y problemas de salud, y el nivel de salud percibido. Resultados: Los problemas de salud relacionados con los huesos y articulaciones son los más frecuentes. Existen diferencias significativas (p = 0.000) en la percepción de la salud entre ambos géneros; los hombres tienen una mejor percepción de su salud. Hay una relación negativa y significativa (p < 0.001) entre la edad y la percepción de la salud. Tanto el número de enfermedades (r2 = 0.251) como la edad (r2 = 0.010) y el género (r2 = 0.002) forman parte del modelo explicativo de la percepción de salud. Conclusiones: El número de enfermedades, la edad y el género son variables que explican una cuarta parte de la variable subjetiva salud percibida, por tanto ofrecen indicios de poder ser utilizadas en la planificación de las políticas sanitarias.

Objective: To analyze the health of the population aged 60 and older, and the relationship between their perception of their health and their real condition. The relationship with social-demographic issues such as gender was also assessed. Method: Descriptive, transversal and prevalence study of 15 Day and 10 Residential Centers in the province of Almería (Spain), with 1,220 persons aged 60 and older (M = 70.9, SD = 7.9), 48.3% male and 51.7% female. Measurements Gender, age, civil status, and the presence of pathologies and health problems, as well as the perceived health level were all assessed. Results: Health problems related to bones and articulations were the most reported. There are significant differences (P=0.000) in the perception of health between both genders; males have a better perception of their health. There is a negative and significant relation (P < .001) between age and the perception of health. The number of illnesses (r2 = 0.251), age (r2 = 0.010), and gender (r2 = 0.002) are all part of the explicative model of the perception of health. Conclusions: The number of illnesses, age, and gender are variables which explain a quarter of the subjective perception of health variable, and thus, they indicate a possible use in the planning of health policies.

Objetivo: Analisar o estado de saúde da população idosa de 60 anos e, a relação que existe entre a auto percepção da saúde que realizam as pessoas idosas e a sua saúde real. Valorizou-se a intermediação de aspetos sócio demográficos como a idade e o género. Método: Desenho descritivo, transversal de prevalência. Localização: 15 centros de dia e 10 moradias da província de Almería (na Espanha). Participantes: 1220 pessoas idosas de 60 anos (M = 70.9; DT = 7.9), das quais o 48.3% são homens e o 51.7% são mulheres. Medições Analisou-se o género, a idade, o estado civil, a presença e a não presença de diferentes patologias e problemas de saúde e, o nível de saúde percebido. Resultados: Os problemas de saúde relacionados com os ossos e as articulações são os mais frequentes. Existem diferenças significativas (p = 0.000) na percepção de saúde entre ambos os géneros, os homens têm uma melhor percepção da sua saúde. Há uma relação negativa e significativa (p < 0.001) entre a idade e a percepção da saúde. Tanto o número de doenças (r2 = 0.251) como a idade (r2 = 0.010) e o género (r2 = 0.002) formam parte do modelo explicativo da percepção da saúde. Conclusõeso: O número de doenças, a idade e o género são variáveis que explicam uma quarta parte da variável subjetiva "saúde percebida", portanto, oferecem índicios de poderem ser utilizadas na planificação de políticas sanitárias.

ET(B) receptor-deficient rats exhibit reduced contraction to ET-1 despite an increase in ET(A) receptors.

Several disease states, including hypertension, are associated with elevations in plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and variable changes in vascular contraction to ET-1. The spotting lethal (sl) rat carries a deletion of the endothelin-B (ET(B)) receptor gene that prevents expression of functional ET(B) receptors, resulting in elevated plasma ET-1. On a normal diet, these rats are normotensive and thus provide an opportunity to study the vascular effects of chronically elevated ET-1 in the absence of hypertension. Studies were performed in rats homozygous for the ET(B) deficiency (sl/sl; n = 8) and in transgenic rats heterozygous for the ET(B) deficiency (sl/+; n = 8). Plasma ET-1 was elevated in sl/sl rats (3.85 +/- 0.55 pg/ml) compared with sl/+ rats (0.31 +/- 0.11 pg/ml). Mean arterial blood pressure in conscious unrestrained sl/sl and sl/+ rats was 101 +/- 5 and 107 +/- 6 mmHg, respectively. Concentration-dependent contractions to ET-1 (10(-11)-10(-8) M) were reduced in mesenteric small arteries (150-250 microm) from sl/sl rats, as indicated by an approximately 10-fold increase in EC(50). A selective ET(A) antagonist, A-127722 (30 nM), abolished contraction to ET-1 in both groups, whereas a selective ET(B) antagonist had no effect. Also, ET(B) agonists (IRL-1620 and sarafatoxin 6c) produced neither contraction nor relaxation in either group, indicating that contraction to ET-1 in this vascular segment was exclusively ET(A) dependent. Despite increased plasma ET-1, protein expression of ET(A) receptors in membrane protein isolated from mesenteric small arteries was increased in sl/sl compared with sl/+ rats, as shown by Western blotting. These results indicate that, in ET(B)-deficient rats, ET(A)-induced contraction is reduced in vessels normally lacking ET(B)-mediated effects. Reduced contraction may be related to elevated plasma ET-1 and occurs in the presence of increased ET(A) receptor protein expression, suggesting an uncoupling of ET(A) receptor expression from functional activity.