Parent knowledge regarding food selection for children with PKU: Results of a survey in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Dietary treatment is the main therapy for most patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). Parental knowledge regarding food selection is crucial to ensure adequate metabolic control and brain development during childhood and to promote lifelong adherence and healthy dietary behavior in the offspring. The aims of this study were to assess whether parental or caregiver knowledge regarding nutritional selection for children with PKU is in accordance with medical recommendations and to evaluate factors that influence their level of knowledge. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study. An online or paper survey (N = 178) was distributed throughout the United States. The survey included a validated food selection questionnaire to assess whether the respondent adequately identified foods that require certain restrictions versus foods that can be consumed freely by an individual with PKU. RESULTS: General knowledge of food selection among the caregivers was very high or high in nearly 60% (60-98th score percentile). Participants with the lowest scores in general knowledge of the PKU diet (quartile 1) were more likely to label allowed foods incorrectly. Respondents with the highest scores (quartile 4) were more likely to label limited foods correctly but incorrectly label allowed items. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of restricted foods is important to avoid poor metabolic control, but knowledge of allowed foods can be just as important to allow for a diet that is diverse, palatable, and nutritionally balanced.

Development and Validation of SERR Scale for Detecting Extremism and Religious Radicalism / Desarrollo y Validación de la Escala SERR para la Detección del Extremismo y Radicalismo Religioso

Background: In liiine with the growing religious, political and social violence around the world, this study evaluates the psychometric properties of a new scale for Detecting Extremism and Religious Radicalism (SERR), a self-report measure of extremism and religious radicalism. Method: Factor analyses, validity and reliability data were collected using a sample of 1985 participants from 58 different cities around Spain who self-identified as actively practicing their religion. Results: Statistical analyses of SERR scores yielded acceptable internal consistency scores (ω > .74) and confirmed key factors associated with radicalism and extremism. The structure of the scale was confirmed as two dimensional (χ²(64) = 361.22, p < .001, CFI = 0.976, TLI = 0.970, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.089 (0.080 - 0.098), SRMR = 0.064). Scores for the extremism dimension correlated significantly and positively with scores for the same factor on the Activism and Radicalism Intention Scales (r = .32, p < .001, n = 139). Conclusions: The SERR demonstrates adequate reliability and validity for evaluating the degree of extremism and radicalism in Christian/Catholic and Muslim believers.(AU)

Antecedentes: en consonancia con la creciente violencia religiosa, política y social en todo el mundo, este estudio evalúa las propiedades psicométricas de la escala para la detección del extremismo y el radicalismo religioso (SERR), una medida de autoinforme del extremismo y el radicalismo religioso. Método: los análisis factoriales y las evidencias de validez y fiabilidad se recopilaron utilizando una muestra de 1985 participantes de 58 ciudades distintas de España que se identificaron a sí mismos como practicantes activos de su religión. Resultados: los análisis estadísticos de las puntuaciones SERR arrojaron puntuaciones de consistencia interna aceptables (ω > .74) y confirmaron los factores clave asociados con el radicalismo y el extremismo. La estructura de la escala se confirmó como bidimensional (χ²(64) = 361.22, p < .001, CFI = 0.976, TLI = 0.970, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.089 (0.080 - 0.098), SRMR = 0.064). Las puntuaciones de la dimensión de extremismo se correlacionaron significativa y positivamente con las puntuaciones del mismo factor en la Escala de Intención de Activismo y Radicalismo (r = 0,32, p < 0.001, n = 139). Conclusiones: los autores concluyen que el SERR muestra una fiabilidad y validez adecuadas para evaluar el grado de extremismo y radicalismo en creyentes cristianos/católicos y musulmanes.(AU)

Effect of arousal increase in predictable and random task switching: evidence for the involvement of the anterior attentional network in random but not in predictable task switching.

Switch cost does not disappear as more preparation time for the next task is allowed. Tornay and Milán showed that the residual cost is smaller when tasks switch randomly than when they alternate in predictable sequences. They proposed that the difference was due to control mechanisms (anterior attentional network) being activated in the random condition because of its overall difficulty. Besides, it has been shown that increasing arousal levels inhibits the anterior attentional network. Therefore, Tornay and Milán's account predicts that high arousal should result in switch cost for the random condition increasing to the levels of predictable switching. In this work, this prediction was tested by assessing the interaction between increased arousal and switch cost with both predictable and random-task switching. The results may help to solve the ongoing controversy about the causes of switch cost.

Effect of arousal increase in predictable and random task switching: Evidence for the involvement of the anterior attentional network in random but not in predictable task switching

Switch cost does not disappear as more preparation time for the next task is allowed. Tornay and Milán showed that the residual cost is smaller when tasks switch randomly than when they alternate in predictable sequences. They proposed that the difference was due to control mechanisms (anterior attentional network) being activated in the random condition because of its overall difficulty. Besides, it has been shown that increasing arousal levels inhibits the anterior attentional network. Therefore, Tornay and Milán’s account predicts that high arousal should result in switch cost for the random condition increasing to the levels of predictable switching. In this work, this prediction was tested by assessing the interaction between increased arousal and switch cost with both predictable and randomtask switching. The results may help to solve the ongoing controversy about the causes of switch cost (AU)

Tornay y Milan encontraron que el costo por cambio tiende a ser más pequeño cuando las tareas cambian de forma aleatoria que cuando lo hace de forma predecible. Estos autores proponen que esta diferencia es debida a la activación de la Red Atencional Anterior (RAA), provocada por las dificultades cognitivas que impone el cambio aleatorio. En este trabajo se sugiere que en las tareas de cambio aleatorio es posible recuperar el costo si la RAA es inhibida por la activación de la red de alerta. Se pone a prueba esta hipótesis evaluando la interacción entre el incremento de la activación (red de alerta) y el costo, tanto en cambio predecible como aleatorio. El resultado obtenido confirma la hipótesis y sugiere que las diferencias en costo por cambio entre tareas predecibles y aleatorias son debidas a la participación de mecanismos de control atencional. Estos datos pueden ayudar a aclarar la controversia existente al respecto (AU)