Impulsivity and sexual addiction: factor structure and criterion-related validity of the sexual addiction screening test in Mexican adults.

Sexual addiction is associated with serious health problems. Due to that fact, it is quite important to perform a comprehensive assessment. The Sex Addiction Screening Test (SAST-R) is a self-administered questionnaire with good psychometric properties used in several countries. Our study conducts a cross-cultural adaptation of the SAST-R on the Mexican population. The original version of the SAST-R was translated into Mexican Spanish, and we performed a pilot with 23 participants to be sure that the participants understood the meaning of the items. The final version was administered to 370 adults who completed the SAST-R, and measures of impulsivity (the Kirby questionnaire), reward/punishment responsivity (BIS-BAS scale), personality (BIG-Five), and psychological distress (SCL-90). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with a five-factor model with one second-order factor model had the best fit. Reliability analysis suggests acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.80). The SAST-R scores exhibited significant correlations with several variables. Specifically, they showed a positive correlation with the neuroticism scale (r = 0.11, p < 0.05), a negative correlation with the conscientiousness scale (r = -0.21, p < 0.01), a negative correlation with the BIS scale (r = -0.11, p < 0.05), and a positive correlation with psychological distress (r = 0.34, p < 0.01). Notably, there were no significant correlations observed with variables that we initially expected to have a substantial association, such as impulsivity (r = -0.004, p > 0.05) and the three BAS subscales (p > 0.05). We found with an algorithm that psychological distress, impulsivity, neuroticism, and agreeableness were the good predictors to identify high scores of hypersexuality. Our results confirmed that the Mexican Spanish version of the SAST-R has good psychometric properties to be used in future research.

Non-invasive, real-time stress measurement: Vocalization compared with thermal imaging in kittens of the domestic cat in response to social separation.

Finding tools to assess the stress response which can be easily applied, are non-invasive, reliable and measured in real time is still a relevant topic in many areas of biology. Vocal characteristics and temperature of certain body areas have been suggested to reflect HPA axis and ANS activation. We hypothesized that changes in vocalizations and peripheral body temperature will show the magnitude of the stress response, and that the change in these will covary. Our aim was to measure the change in vocal characteristics and eye and nasal temperature of kittens (n = 43 from nine litters of seven mixed-breed mothers) during a potentially stressful event and to test how these correlated. We found change in several vocal and thermal parameters during a short social separation. Our findings indicate that arousal due to ANS activation in kittens of the domestic cat resulted in an increasing number of vocalisations of longer duration and higher intensity, and in lower and a wider range in fundamental frequency. Calls also became less tonal with more jitter. Change in temperature was generally negative in the lacrimal caruncle as well as in the rhinarium, but with great variance across individuals. Change in eye temperature positively correlated with the intensity of the calls and the change in nose temperature positively correlated with the change in call length. The results suggest the continued difficulty in interpreting both physiological and behavioural data to assess an individual´s stress response.

Swimming training attenuates the decrease of calcium responsiveness in female infarcted rats.

Aim: To evaluate the influence of swimming training on calcium responsiveness of the myocardium of rats with different infarction sizes (MI). Method: female Wistar rats, sedentary sham (SS = 14), sedentary moderate MI (SMI = 8) and sedentary large MI (SLI = 10) were compared to trained sham (TS = 16), trained moderate MI (TMI = 9) and trained large MI (TLI = 10). After 4 weeks of MI, the animals swam for 60 min/day, 5 days/week, for additional 8 weeks. Papillary muscles of the left ventricle were subjected to different concentrations of extracellular calcium. Inotropism was evaluated through the developed tension (DT), the maximum positive value of the first temporal derivation (+Td/td) and the time to peak tension (TPT). Lusitropism was evaluated by the maximum negative value of the first temporal derivation (-Td/td) and time to 50% relaxation (50%TR). Statistical significance was determined using multivariate analysis of variance and a Hotelling T2 test for the absolute power values of all four extracellular calcium concentrations (p < 0.05). Results: MI depressed inotropism (from 17% to 51%) and lusitropism (from 22% to 54%) of the sedentary rats, but exercise attenuated the losses, especially regarding + dT/dt, TPT, -dT/dt and 50%TR. Exercise attenuated the decrease in myocardial responsiveness, proportionally to the size of the MI. Conclusion: Myocardial calcium responsiveness is favorably affected in animals with moderate and large MI after swimming exercise.

MIS-Like Structures with Silicon-Rich Oxide Films Obtained by HFCVD: Their Response as Photodetectors.

MIS-type structures composed of silicon-rich oxide (SRO), thin films deposited by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD), show interesting I-V and I-t properties under white light illumination and a response as photodetectors. From electrical measurements, it was found that at a reverse bias of -4 V, the illumination current increased by up to three orders of magnitude relative to the dark current, which was about 82 nA, while the photogenerated current reached a value of 25 µA. The reported MIS structure with SRO as the dielectric layer exhibited a hopping conduction mechanism, and an ohmic conduction mechanism was found with low voltage. I-t measurements confirmed the increased photogenerated current. Furthermore, the MIS structure, characterized by current-wavelength (I-λ) measurements, exhibited a maximum responsivity value at 254 mA/W, specific detectivity (D*) at 2.21 × 1011 cm Hz1/2 W-1, and a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 49 pW at a wavelength of 535 nm. The structure exhibited good switching behavior, with rise and fall times between 120 and 150 ms, respectively. These rise and decay times explain the generation and recombination of charge carriers and the trapping and release of traps, respectively. These results make MIS-type structures useful as photodetectors in the 420 to 590 nm range.

Responsiveness to muscle mass gain following 12 and 24 weeks of resistance training in older women.

BACKGROUND: Many factors may influence the magnitude of individual responses to resistance training (RT). How the manipulation of training volume and frequency affects responsiveness level for muscle mass gain in older women has not been investigated. AIMS: This study had the objective of identifying responders (RP) and non-responders (N-RP) older women for skeletal muscle mass (SMM) gain from a 12-week resistance training (RT) program. Additionally, we analyzed whether the N-RP could gain SMM with an increase in weekly training volume over 12 additional weeks of training. METHODS: Thirty-nine older women (aged ≥ 60 years) completed 24 weeks of a whole-body RT intervention (eight exercises, 2-3×/week, 1-2 sets of 10-15 repetitions). SMM was estimated by DXA, and the responsive cut-off value was set at two times the standard error of measurement. Participants were considered as RP if they exceeded the cut-off value after a 12-week RT phase, while the N-RP were those who failed to reach the SMM cut-off. RESULTS: Of the 22 participants considered to be N-RP, only 3 accumulated SMM gains (P = 0.250) that exceeded the cut-off point for responsiveness following 12 additional weeks of training, while 19 maintained or presented negative SMM changes. Of the 17 participants considered to be RP, all continued to gain SMM after the second 12-week RT phase. No significant correlation was observed between the changes in SMM and any baseline aspect of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that some older women are RP, while others are N-RP to SMM gains resulting from RT. Furthermore, the non-responsiveness condition was not altered by an increase of training volume and intervention duration while RP participants continue to increase SMM; it appears that RP continue to be RP, and N-RP continue to be N-RP.

Porous Si-SiO2 UV Microcavities to Modulate the Responsivity of a Broadband Photodetector.

Porous Si-SiO2 UV microcavities are used to modulate a broad responsivity photodetector (GVGR-T10GD) with a detection range from 300 to 510 nm. The UV microcavity filters modified the responsivity at short wavelengths, while in the visible range the filters only attenuated the responsivity. All microcavities had a localized mode close to 360 nm in the UV-A range, and this meant that porous Si-SiO2 filters cut off the photodetection range of the photodetector from 300 to 350 nm, where microcavities showed low transmission. In the short-wavelength range, the photons were absorbed and did not contribute to the photocurrent. Therefore, the density of recombination centers was very high, and the photodetector sensitivity with a filter was lower than the photodetector without a filter. The maximum transmission measured at the localized mode (between 356 and 364 nm) was dominant in the UV-A range and enabled the flow of high energy photons. Moreover, the filters favored light transmission with a wavelength from 390 nm to 510 nm, where photons contributed to the photocurrent. Our filters made the photodetector more selective inside the specific UV range of wavelengths. This was a novel result to the best of our knowledge.

The Socio-Communicative Development of Preterm Infants Is Resistant to the Negative Effects of Parity on Maternal Responsiveness.

Humans are born completely dependent on adult care for survival. To get the necessary support, newborns rely on socio-communicative abilities which have both innate and learned components. Maternal responsiveness (MR), as a critical aspect of mother-infant interaction, is a robust predictor of the acquisition of socio-communicative abilities. However, maternal responsiveness (MR) is influenced by parity, since mothers rely on a limited capacity of cognitive control for efficient attachment with their offspring. This fact is of particular concern for preterms, whose developing brain already faces many challenges due to their premature emergence from the womb's controlled environment and may still have to compete with siblings for mother's attention. Thus, in the present work, we aimed to understand how parity interferes with MR and whether it affects the development of socio-communicative abilities of preterm infants. We used the Social Interaction Rating Scale (SIRS) and the mother-child observation protocol in 18 dyads with gestational age <36 weeks. Dyads were separated into three groups: primiparous with twin pregnancy (TPM), primiparous (PM), and multiparous (MP). Dyadic behavior was evaluated at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Our results show that offspring size affects MR, but not the socio-communicative development of preterm infants during the first year, suggesting a level of resilience of brain systems supporting the attachment to caregivers.

The relationship between maternal responsivity, socioeconomic status, and resting autonomic nervous system functioning in Mexican American children.

Adversity, such as living in poor socioeconomic conditions during early childhood, can become embedded in children's physiology and deleteriously affect their health later in life. On the other hand, maternal responsivity may have adaptive effects on physiology during early childhood development. The current study tested both the additive and interactive effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal responsivity measured at 1year of age on resting autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and trajectory during the first 5years of life. Participants came from a birth cohort comprised of Mexican-origin families living in California. Children's resting ANS functioning (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA; pre-ejection period; PEP; and heart rate; HR) was collected at 1, 3.5, and 5years of age (N=336) and modeled across time using Hierarchical Linear Modeling. Consistent with hypotheses, results showed that low SES predicted flatter trajectories of resting HR and PEP over early childhood (i.e., patterns of consistently higher heart rate; shorter PEP), whereas children who experienced positive maternal responsivity had steeper trajectories in RSA and PEP over time (i.e., increasing parasympathetic activation; decreasing sympathetic activation). The interaction between SES and maternal responsivity significantly predicted RSA intercept at age 5, such that among children living in low SES environments, high maternal responsivity mitigated the negative effect of poverty and predicted higher resting RSA at 5years of age. Results are consistent with the early life programming theory that suggests that environmental influences become biologically embedded in the physiology of children living in socially disadvantaged contexts, and identify increased maternal responsivity as a developmental mechanism that could offset the deleterious effects of low SES.

El desarrollo de un cuestionario para padres para la medición de la responsividad sensorial en niños con diagnóstico de autismo (CMRS) / The development of a parental questionnaire to measure sensory responsivity in children with a diagnosis of autism (QMSR)

Este estudio presenta el desarrollo de un Cuestionario para Padres para la Medición de la Responsividad Sensorial en Niños con Diagnóstico de Autismo (CMRS). Se llevaron a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura internacional en el período 2000-2015 y tres estudios Delphi. Los estudios Delphi examinaron prospectivamente a ochenta y siete (N=87), setenta y tres (N= 73) y sesenta (N= 60) Terapeutas Ocupacionales certificados en Integración Sensorial en Argentina. Los profesionales clasificaron 62 ítems en los rótulos de “mantener”, “modificar” o “eliminar” los ítems del CMRS y proporcionaron cambios en su estructura y redacción. Adicionalmente, determinaron su inclusión en cuatro categorías: “hipo-responsividad”, “hiperresponsividad”, “planificación motriz” y “social” y dentro de seis escalas de responsividad sensorial: “visual”, “auditiva”, “vestibular”, “gusto/olfato”, “propioceptiva” y “táctil”. Se presenta la versión final del CMRS y la retroalimentación profesional en todos sus ítems, categorías y escalas así como también sugerencias para estudios futuros que podrían proporcionar información adicional para su aplicación clínica y en investigación.

This study presents the development of a Parental Questionnaire for the Measurement of Sensory Responsivity in Children with a Diagnosis of Autism (QMSR). A systematic review of the international literature in the 2000-2015 period and three Delphi studies were conducted. The three Dephi studies prospectively examined eighty-seven (N=87), seventy-three (N=73) and sixty (N=60) Argentine Occupational Therapists certified in Sensory Integration. These professionals classified all 62 items of the QMSR with three labels that included “maintain” “modify” and “eliminate” and provided written suggestions for changes in their structure and composition. Additionally, they determined their inclusion in four categories: “Hypo-responsivity”, “Hyper-responsivity”, “Motor Planning” and “Social” and six sensory responsivity scales: “Visual”, “Auditory”, “Vestibular”, “Taste/Smell”, “Proprioceptive” and “Tactile”. The final version of the QMRS and professional feedback on all its items, categories and scales is presented, together with suggestions for future studies that could potentially clarify its clinical utility and research applications.

Estratégias alimentares de mães de crianças desnutridas e eutróficas: estudo qualitativo mediante observação gravada em vídeo / Feeding strategies of mothers of malnourished and eutrophic children: a qualitative study through videotaped observations

Neste estudo procurou-se identificar e comparar as estratégias maternas para a alimentação de filhos e as características da interação das mães com crianças desnutridas e eutróficas. Oito pares de mães/crianças desnutridas e oito pares de mães/crianças eutróficas (com idades entre 9 e 24 meses), moradores de áreas pobres, foram observados e filmados durante uma refeição nos domicílios. A partir dos vídeos, as estratégias foram identificadas e os episódios analisados qualitativamente, buscando-se apreender as características peculiares da interação, especialmente a responsividade materna. Não se observaram grandes diferenças nas estratégias utilizadas pelas mães dos dois grupos. As observações de episódios mostraram que alimentar uma criança é um processo altamente interativo, que depende das habilidades e das características de ambos parceiros. O sucesso alimentar pareceu associado a condições contextuais, à responsividade materna, mas, também ao apetite e à flexibilidade da criança. Sugere-se que, nos projetos direcionados a crianças desnutridas, ao lado de suplementos e orientações alimentares se dê atenção especial à autoestima materna e que se capacite as mães a lidar com a criança inapetente.

The scope of this study was to identify and compare maternal feeding strategies and characteristics of the interaction between mothers of malnourished and eutrophic children. Eight pairs of mother/malnourished child and eight pairs of mother/eutrophic child (aged between 9 to 24 months) living in poor inner areas, were videotaped during meals, at home. Through analysis of the videos, the strategies were identified and episodes qualitatively analyzed, according to the peculiar characteristics of the interaction, especially maternal responsivity. There were no significant differences in strategies used by the mothers of both groups. The observations of the episodes have shown that feeding a child is a highly interactive process, dependent upon the abilities and characteristics of both partners. The success of feeding appears to be associated with contextual conditions, maternal responsivity and also to the appetite and flexibility of the child. It is suggested that, in projects geared to malnourished children, besides supplements and feeding orientation, special attention be given to maternal self esteem and in helping mothers to deal with children suffering from loss of appetite.

Escala de Avaliação dos Estilos de Ensino: qualidades psicométricas dos dados / Teaching Styles Rating Scale: Data pscychometric properties

Este trabalho apresenta uma escala de avaliação da qualidade dos comportamentos interactivos maternos. Embora este instrumento tenha sido utilizado no contexto de um projecto mais amplo que visa estudar os determinantes maternos da qualidade do envolvimento da criança, este artigo centra-se especificamente nas decisões metodológicas relativas à observação dos comportamentos interactivos maternos. A Escala de Avaliação dos Estilos de Ensino (EAEE) foi utilizada para observar os comportamentos interactivos de 120 mães de crianças em idade de creche, numa situação de jogo livre, seguida de arrumação dos brinquedos. Cada díade foi observada em três momentos diferentes. A análise das dimensões subjacentes, dos coeficientes de consistência interna e de acordo inter-observadores, bem como da consistência temporal dos dados, permite concluir que a EAEE é uma medida útil e adequada dos comportamentos interactivos de mães portuguesas em situações diádicas de jogo.

This paper presents a rating scale designed to capture the quality of maternal interaction behaviors. Although this instrument was used in the context of a broader research project, which intended to study maternal determinants of child’s engagement quality, this article will specifically focus methodological decisions concerning the observation of mothers’ interaction behaviours. The Teaching Styles Rating Scale (TSRS) was used to observe interaction behaviours of 120 mothers of toddlers in a free play situation followed by a cleanup instruction. Each dyad was observed in three different times. The examination of underlying dimensions, internal consistency, inter-rater agreement coefficients and temporal consistency data allow us to conclude that TSRS is a useful and adequate measure of Portuguese mothers interaction behaviors in dyadic play situations.