Oliver Valero

COVID‐19 public health measures significantly disrupted personal support relationships among community‐dwelling family dementia caregivers. In this research, a personal network analysis was carried out to understand the dynamics in the personal support relationships of caregivers caring for persons living with dementia (PLwD) during the pandemic. The analysis focuses on variables comprising the caregivers' personal network, attributes of their alters, and the functional content in social support, as well as changes therein, before and during the pandemic. A total of 78 caregivers took part in the study, leading to an extensive analysis of 658 caregivers' personal relationships. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the characteristics of personal relationships associated with changes in the support received. The variables influencing changes were the type of tie with the caregiver and the type of support provided. The type of tie that presented the greatest positive change in support was that of caregivers' partners. In contrast, that of caregivers and health and social professionals presented the most significant negative change. Finally, the most positive change was observed in relationships that provided both emotional and informational support, whereas the least positive change occurred in relationships that offered instrumental support.

Graduating from secondary education for adolescents living in poverty is challenging. Strong entrepreneurial intention and student engagement among youth living in poverty often play a protective role in reducing school dropout and fostering school completion, which results in improved educational attainment. However, research on this topic is scarce. A total of 1135 adolescents took part in this cross-sectional study, 50.9% of which were females. On average, they were 16.4 years old. They were all upper secondary school students from ten public and private schools in Lebanon. They completed instruments measuring entrepreneurial intention and student engagement. This study explored the covariate associations between risk and promotive factors through four dimensions of entrepreneurial intention and two components of student engagement (cognitive and psychological engagement). It shows positive associations for entrepreneurial intention with both individual factors (age) and social factors (working mother and private school). Negative associations for student engagement were found in all (individual and social) factors with the exception of the father’s job, which did not present any association. The findings provide insight for policymaking to empower schools to promote school completion and educational attainment among these youth by providing policy initiatives and school-based interventions that target entrepreneurial exposure and engagement strengthening, hence meeting young people’s individual, family, and school community needs.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and determine the associated risk factors, evaluating the usefulness of FRAX^® as a screening method to identify patients at a higher risk of fracture. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Demographic, clinical, and analytical data were collected in a randomized sample of LC patients attending the Hepatology Department of a university hospital. We assessed the absolute risk of fracture at 10 years (FRAX^®) and based on the bone mineral density (BMD), the presence of morphometric vertebral fracture with a vertebral fracture assessment (VFA), or a thoracic and lumbar X-ray and bone microarchitecture with a trabecular bone score (TBS). Results: Ninety-two patients were included (71% male); the mean age was 63 ± 11.3 years. The main etiology of LC was alcoholism (52.2%), and most patients were Child–Pugh A (80.4%), with a mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 10.1 ± 3.6. Sixteen patients (17.4%) had osteoporosis, and fifty-four (58.7%) had osteopenia. Eight patients (8.7%) had suffered at least one fragility fracture. The absolute risk of a major fracture according to FRAX without the BMD was 5.7 ± 4.5%. Risk factors associated with osteoporosis were age and the female sex. BMI > 30 was a protective factor. A FRAX cut-off point for a major fracture > 6.6% had a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 85% for a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Conclusions: The prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures in patients with LC is high, particularly in older women. FRAX^® may be a useful method to identify candidates for bone densitometry. A FRAX value below 6.6% without the BMD can avoid unnecessary testing.

Aims To evaluate the impact of restrictive diet within modern standards of preparation for colonoscopy. Methods We conducted a multicenter, randomized, parallel group, non-inferiority clinical trial. Population screening program FIT+ subjects were included. All followed a split-dose preparation with PEG+Asc 1L for morning colonoscopy. Bisacodyl was added in case of risk of inadequate preparation. Individuals were randomized to follow a 1-day low-residue diet (LRD) or free diet without restrictions (FD). A 5% non-inferiority margin was established. Bowel cleansing was assessed according to the Boston scale. In addition, diet and evacuating solution tolerability, perceived quality of the instructions and efficiency variables of colonoscopy were assessed ([Fig. 1]). Results 278 individuals assigned to FD and 275 to LRD were analyzed. Both groups were homogeneous with no significant differences between them. Risk of poor preparation was similar (FD 13.6% and 14.7% LRD, p=0.7). Adherence to PEG+Asc 1L was similar. There were no differences in terms of tolerability (67.8% vs. 67.9%) or in the instructions (95.7% vs. 96.7%). FD was better tolerated (94.7% vs. 83.2% p < 0.001). Adequate preparations rate were 96.4% vs. 97.8% (ẟ=1.4%, p=0.3). There were no differences in withdrawal times or in the adenoma detection rate. In the multivariate analysis, the diet had no influence on preparation quality. Conclusions It is not necessary to restrict the diet following the current standards of preparation for colonoscopy [1] [2] [3]. Article published online: 14 April 2023 © 2023. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

In most eukaryotes, pairing of homologous chromosomes is an essential feature of meiosis that ensures homologous recombination and segregation. However, when the pairing process begins, it is still under investigation. Contrasting data exists in Mus musculus, since both leptotene DSB-dependent and preleptotene DSB-independent mechanisms have been described. To unravel this contention, we examined homologous pairing in pre-meiotic and meiotic Mus musculus cells using a three-dimensional fluorescence in situ hybridization-based protocol, which enables the analysis of the entire karyotype using DNA painting probes. Our data establishes in an unambiguously manner that 73.83% of homologous chromosomes are already paired at premeiotic stages (spermatogonia-early preleptotene spermatocytes). The percentage of paired homologous chromosomes increases to 84.60% at mid-preleptotene-zygotene stage, reaching 100% at pachytene stage. Importantly, our results demonstrate a high percentage of homologous pairing observed before the onset of meiosis; this pairing does not occur randomly, as the percentage was higher than that observed in somatic cells (19.47%) and between nonhomologous chromosomes (41.1%). Finally, we have also observed that premeiotic homologous pairing is asynchronous and independent of the chromosome size, GC content, or presence of NOR regions.

Chromosome territoriality is not random along the cell cycle and it is mainly governed by intrinsic chromosome factors and gene expression patterns. Conversely, very few studies have explored the factors that determine chromosome territoriality and its influencing factors during meiosis. In this study, we analysed chromosome positioning in murine spermatogenic cells using three-dimensionally fluorescence in situ hybridization-based methodology, which allows the analysis of the entire karyotype. The main objective of the study was to decipher chromosome positioning in a radial axis (all analysed germ-cell nuclei) and longitudinal axis (only spermatozoa) and to identify the chromosomal factors that regulate such an arrangement. Results demonstrated that the radial positioning of chromosomes during spermatogenesis was cell-type specific and influenced by chromosomal factors associated to gene activity. Chromosomes with specific features that enhance transcription (high GC content, high gene density and high numbers of predicted expressed genes) were preferentially observed in the inner part of the nucleus in virtually all cell types. Moreover, the position of the sex chromosomes was influenced by their transcriptional status, from the periphery of the nucleus when its activity was repressed (pachytene) to a more internal position when it is partially activated (spermatid). At pachytene, chromosome positioning was also influenced by chromosome size due to the bouquet formation. Longitudinal chromosome positioning in the sperm nucleus was not random either, suggesting the importance of ordered longitudinal positioning for the release and activation of the paternal genome after fertilisation.

The worldwide burden of chronic illnesses, constitutes a major public health concern and a serious challenge for health systems. In addition to the strategies of self-management support developed by nursing and health organizations, an individual’s personal network represents a major resource of social support in the long-term. Adopting a cross-sectional design based on personal network analysis methods, the main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between satisfaction with the social support received by individuals suffering chronic pain and the structure, composition, and functional content in social support of their personal networks. We collected personal and support network data from 30 people with chronic pain (20 person’s contacts (alters) for each individual (ego), 600 relationships in total). Additionally, we examined the level of satisfaction with social support in each of the 600 relationships. Bivariate and multivariate tests were performed to analyze the satisfaction with the social support received. Using cluster analysis, we established a typology of the 600 relationships under study. Results showed that higher satisfaction was associated with a balance between degree centrality and betweenness (i.e., measures of network cohesion and network modularity, respectively). Finally, new lines of research are proposed in order to broaden our understanding of this subject.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a compression garment as DOMS prevention. This was accomplished by provoking a DOMS in 15 athletes, running on a treadmill at 73% of their maximal aerobic velocity, during 40 minutes with a 10% negative slope; wearing the compression garments on one thigh, protected thigh (PT), and not in the contralateral thigh, control thigh (CT). A clinical and MRI diagnosis of DOMS was performed. Biopsies in both vastus lateralis were done, and the amount and severity of the DOMS was estimated by measuring intracellular albumin, and lymphocytes CD3+ and neutrophils intra/interfibrilar infiltrates, 48h after the induced damaging exercise. There was less total injury in the PT than in the CT, a 26.7% average. These data indicate that this compression garment is an effective method to reduce the histological injury in DOMS.

In the context of chronic illness, the individual’s social and relational environment plays a critical role as it can provide the informal support and care over time, beyond healthcare and social welfare institutions. Social Network Analysis represents an appropriate theoretical and methodological approach to study and understand social support since it provides measures of personal network structure, composition and functional content. The aim of this mixed method study is to present the usefulness of Personal Network Analysis to explore social support in the context of chronic pain. Personal and support network data of 30 people with chronic pain (20 alters for each ego, 600 relationships in total) were collected, obtaining measures of personal network structure and composition as well as information about social support characteristics. Also, semi-structured interviews with participants were conducted to identify the context of their experience of pain, their limitations as regards leading an autonomous life, their social support needs and other aspects concerning the effect of pain on their social and relational lives. This approach shows the importance of non-kin social support providers and the significant role of non-providers in the personal networks of people suffering chronic pain.