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In an era of globalization, multilingualism is no longer the exception but the rule. To fully promote the communicative and functional development of multilingual learners, different educational programs at school have been implemented in the past few years. The study presented here is a contribution in this direction, by investigating the linguistic development in a second foreign language (L3 English) of students who were exposed to asymmetric input exposure in this and another non-native language. This other language was the L2 (German), which the learners (n= 50, 11-13 years old) were studying in a CLIL context together with the native languages of the participants (Spanish and Catalan). Within such a context, the purpose of the study is two-fold. On the one hand, it attempts to investigate the linguistic attainment in the L3, measured in terms of various dimensions of writing performance in a composition task, namely, fluency, accuracy, structural complexity and lexical complexity. On the other hand, the study aimed at exploring the contribution of various components of working memory (short-term memory and attention switching) to performance in these linguistic dimensions. The results suggest that individual differences in storage capacity and in capability for attention and task switching had an effect on the accuracy of the learners' performance, and to a lesser extent, also lexical complexity. Moreover, it was found that in general, attentional abilities had a greater impact than memory. These results are discussed in light of previous findings, while proposing directions for further investigation in the field.

Introduction: Treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies (PSM) with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has achieved results never seen before in these patients, which classically have a poor prognosis. The possibility of conducting clinical trials in these diseases is complicated, since some of them are rare, so the analysis of large databases provides very valuable scientific information. The aim of this study is to analyze the global results of the National Registry of the Spanish Group of Peritoneal Oncologic Surgery (REGECOP), whose objective is to register all patients scheduled for HIPEC nationwide. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of the data recorded in the REGECOP from 36 Spanish hospitals from 2001 to 2021. There were 4159 surgical interventions in 3980 patients. Results: 66% are women and 34% are men with a median age of 59 years (range 17–86). 41.5% of the patients were treated for Peritoneal Metastases (PM) of colorectal cancer (CRC); 32.4% were women with ovarian cancer (OC) with PM; 12.8% were treated for pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP); 6.2% had PM from gastric cancer (GC); 4.9% had PM of non-conventional origin; and, finally, 2.1% of cases were patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. The median Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) was 9 (0–39), and complete cytoreduction was achieved in 81.7% of the procedures. Severe morbidity (Dindo–Clavien grade III–IV) was observed in 17.7% of surgeries, with 2.1% mortality. Median hospital stay was 11 days (0–259). Median overall survival (OS) was 41 months for CRC patients, 55 months for women with OC, was not reached in PMP patients, was 14 months for GC patients, and 66 months in mesothelioma patients. Conclusions: large databases provide extremely useful data. CRS with HIPEC in referral centers is a safe treatment with encouraging oncologic results in PSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training in emotional regulation skills is one of the most important resources for the adaptation of athletes to contexts of sports pressure, especially during competitions. This study explored the effects of a mindfulness programme (Flow Meditation) on levels of impulsivity, mood and pre-competition anxiety-state in a sample of athletes (N = 41, 22.83 ± 5.62 years). Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (N = 21; 14 males and 7 females) which received the intervention over 10 weeks (a weekly session) and a control group (wait-list; N = 20; 13 males and 7 females). The variables under study were assessed through different questionnaires at pre- and post-test (T1–T2) in both groups. The mindfulness intervention was effective in reducing impulsivity (cognitive (t = −4.48, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.40), both motor (t = −4.03, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.20) and unplanned (t = −5.32, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.66)), mood (tension (t = −4.40, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.37), depression (t = −4.56, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.42), anger (t = −7.80, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.47), somatic anxiety (t = −5.28, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.65), and cognitive anxiety (t = −6.62, p ≤ 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.07) in the intervention group compared to the control group and with large to very large effect sizes. Mindfulness is a factor that enhances athletes' ability to cope with high sport pressure and the healthy management of competition (e.g., fear of failure), or with their daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our objective is to analyze the influence that the type of CEO has on the management of listed family businesses in Spain, distinguishing between whether the CEO is a family member or not. The study mainly focuses on his/her influence on levels of profitability. Design/methodology: During de period from, 2012 to 2016, with data coming from Iberian Balance Sheet Analysis System (SABI) database. To analyze the effects of the CEOs on family businesses, we carried out two kinds of analyses. First, a univariate analysis that allowed us to identify differences regarding profitability, financial structure, growth, and dividend payout policies, and secondly, a linear regression model to see the influence--as well as the effect and significance--that variables, including the type CEO, had on profitability. Findings: Our results show the existence of a double effect on the profitability of family businesses of having an outside CEO. First, there is a statistically significant negative effect that is derived from the non-family CEOs' increased propensity to take on debt, and secondly, there is a positive causal effect on businesses' profitability that has to do with the different management styles that outside CEOs bring to the table, as they are more focused on profits. The results support the importance of having non-family CEOs in listed family businesses in Spain. Research limitations/implications: Our study focused on family businesses listed on the Spanish stock market, which means that the number of companies that were analyzed was reduced and the results cannot be extended to other kinds of businesses. However, this fact did enable us to get more high-quality data and focus on a specific field that was appropriate for considering the problem we proposed. Originality/value: While many studies have compared the performance of family businesses with that of non-family businesses, few have considered that family businesses are not homogeneous and that they have different management styles. And, These styles are determined by the type of CEO that is leading the company; this fact is analyzed empirically in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential end-uses represent a significant share of final energy consumption and material stocks. However, approaching sustainability of the residential sector merely as an environmental technical problem is insufficient. Home is the center of daily life providing essential functions to people. Household metabolism is not a matter of the sum of individual behaviors, typologies of buildings, or energy uses stripped out of context, but the system that emerges from the historical combination of these elements and the functions it performs. The residential sector comprises both families (units of organized individuals) and dwellings (within municipalities/urban forms). To analyze these dynamics, we draw upon practice theory and Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) illustrating with data from Sweden and Spain in 2015. The objective is to establish an interdisciplinary framework for analyzing the sustainability of the residential sector. We also present a list of possible measures and their trade-offs in diverse dimensions: energy carrier consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, materials, floor area, human activity, social organization and institutions, finance and desirability. Even though the inclusion of all variables in a single model is not feasible, the holistic understanding of household metabolism can help build coherent anticipation scenarios by selecting plausible hypotheses. Ultimately, this allows making profound transformations to sustainability. • Sustainability of the residential sector must be approached in an interdisciplinary way. • We provide an exhaustive review of measures and their trade-offs. • Energy, materials, emissions, social organization and desirability play a role. • The boundary of the residential sector moves when functions are addressed in services. • Social practices and household units affect performance and layout of dwellings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated NO and CH fluxes from soils of Quercus ilex, Quercus pyrenaica and Pinus sylvestris stands located in the surrounding area of Madrid (Spain). The fluxes were measured for 18 months from both mature stands and post fire stands using the static chamber technique. Simultaneously with gas fluxes, soil temperature, soil water content, soil C and soil N were measured in the stands. Nitrous oxide fluxes ranged from −11.43 to 8.34 μg NO-N m h in Q.ilex, −7.74 to 13.52 μg NO-N m h in Q. pyrenaica and −28.17 to 21.89 μg NO-N m h in P. sylvestris. Fluxes of CH ranged from −8.12 to 4.11 μg CH-C m h in Q.ilex, −7.74 to 3.0 μg CH-C m h in Q. pyrenaica and −24.46 to 6.07 μg CH-C m h in P. sylvestris. Seasonal differences were detected; NO fluxes being higher in wet months whereas NO fluxes declined in dry months. Net consumption of NO was related to low N availability, high soil C contents, high soil temperatures and low moisture content. Fire decreased NO fluxes in spring. NO emissions were closely correlated with previous day's rainfall and soil moisture. Our ecosystems generally were a sink for methane in the dry season and a source of CH during wet months. The available water in the soil influenced the observed seasonal trend. The burned sites showed higher CH oxidation rates in Q. ilex, and lower rates in P. sylvestris. Overall, the data suggest that fire alters both NO and CH fluxes. However, the magnitude of such variation depends on the site, soil characteristics and seasonal climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A population analysis of an unusual NOR-site polymorphism previously detected in brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from North-western Spain was carried out in 225 individuals from 20 native populations from this area. The analysis performed has permitted us to reveal: (i) the ubiquity of this phenomenon in most river basins from NW Spain, 13 extra-NORs not observed in standard trout being detected; (ii) the rDNA constitution of all extra-NORs, as confirmed by CMA3-staining and rDNA-FISH, and their capability to constitute their own nucleolus; (iii) the constant location of extra-NORs within individuals and their stable transmission across generations; and (iv) the telomeric location of Ag-NORs, which were randomly distributed in the karyotype of S. trutta, mostly in the heterozygous condition. Repetitive sequences in the IGS or scattered along rDNA units, rather than chromosome rearrangements, could play an important role in the dispersion of NORs. The polymorphism described seems to have a single geographical origin, since a positive correlation was demonstrated between the degree of polymorphism and geographical distance to a central point of the river basin where the phenomenon showed a higher intensity. The distribution of NOR-site variation as compared with allozyme variation in the populations studied, showed significant statistical differences. Selection against high copy number, or mutation due to changes in NOR location, could be acting on this polymorphism to explain the observed distribution. The high dispersion of NOR-site variants within and among populations suggests the transposition phenomenon responsible for NOR jumping could be still active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that shortage of human activity may represent an internal constraint to economic growth as relevant as external resource and sink constraints. Human time is required, both inside and outside the market, to produce and consume the goods and services needed to sustain societal metabolism. The time allocation profile is therefore an emergent property of the societal metabolic pattern. When most time is invested in services and final consumption rather than supplying the inputs required by the metabolic process, further growth is constrained. This problem may be temporarily overcome by three strategies: (i) increasing capital investment to boost labor productivity in the productive sectors; (ii) externalizing the requirement of working hours through imports of goods and services; (iii) importing economically active population through immigration. Each strategy is illustrated with an empirical example: (i) a comparison of the evolution of the profile of time and capital allocation between China and the EU; (ii) an assessment of the labor hours embodied in EU imports; (iii) an analysis of demographic changes in response to immigration in Spain. While these strategies can temporarily overcome constraints to economic growth at the national level, they do not represent a long-term solution at the global level. • Human time represents a key internal constraint to economic growth. • The richer the society the stronger is the working time constrains in its economy. • The profile of allocation of human activity in a society is an emergent property. • A metabolic perspective allows a contingent analysis of human time allocation. • There are individual, household, sectoral, national, and global time constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to the Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative has been shown to have a protective role for the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding., Research Aims: (1) To determine the breastfeeding rate during the first 6 months of life in children of mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 infection at the time of birth; and (2) to assess the possible influence of being born in a center with Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative accreditation., Methods: This was a two-group comparative longitudinal observational study of infants born to mothers with COVID-19 at the time of birth, between March 13-May 31, 2020 (the first wave of the pandemic) in Spain. Fourteen Spanish hospitals participated, five (35.7%) were Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative accredited. Type of feeding was assessed prospectively at discharge, 1, 3, and 6 months of age. A total of 248 newborns were included in the study., Results: A total of 117 (47.3%) newborns were born in Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) accredited centers. These centers applied skin-to-skin contact with greater probability ( OR = 1.9; 95% CI [1.18, 3.29]) and separated the newborns from their mothers less frequently ( OR = 0.46; 95% CI [0.26, 0.81]) than non-accredited centers. No differences were observed in relation to the presence of a companion at the time of birth. At discharge, 49.1% ( n = 57) of newborns born in BFHI-accredited centers received exclusive breastfeeding versus 35.3% ( n = 46) in non-accredited centers ( p = .03). No differences were observed in breastfeeding rates throughout follow-up., Conclusions: The exclusive breastfeeding rate at discharge in children of mothers with COVID-19 infection at birth was higher in Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative accredited centers, which most frequently applied skin-to-skin contact at birth as well as rooming-in.

Objective: A first protective dose of vaccine may allow delaying the second dose in a context of low supply. The objective is to assess the effectiveness of a single dose of vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (BNT162b2) after twelve days of its administration in healthcare personnel (HCP) of a Health Department., Methods: A case-control study was made. HCP with suspected COVID-19 and HCP close contacts of COVID-19 cases were included between January 27 and February 7, 2021. They were PCR tested for SARS-CoV-2; those with positive PCR were considered cases and those with negative PCR were considered controls. The crude (VE) and adjusted (VEa) vaccine effectiveness to prevent COVID-19 cases and their 95% confidence interval were calculated using the formula VE = (1-Odds ratio) x 100., Results: 268 HCP were included, of which 70 (26.1%) were considered cases and 198 (73.9%) controls. The frequency of vaccine exposure in cases was 55.7% vs. 69.7% in controls (p=0.035). The VEa of the first vaccine dose was 52.6% (95%CI: 1.1-77.3). The VEa in the subgroup of HCP studied for suspected disease was 74.6% (CI95%: 38.4-89.5)., Conclusions: One dose of BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 offers early protection after twelve days of administration. These data could be considered to adapt strategies and consider postponing the second dose in situations of limited vaccine supply in order to achieve the maximum number of people covered with a first dose.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering any protective factors, such as the practice of meditation or self-compassion, and their relationship with different lifestyles and circumstances of adults residing in Spain. A cross-sectional study was done using an anonymous online survey in which 412 participants filled out the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-2; the Impact of Events Scale; and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, reporting severe symptomatology of posttraumatic stress and mild anxiety and depression. Quality of cohabitation and age were found to be key variables in the psychological impact of confinement. The impact of confinement was more negative for those who reported very poor cohabitation as opposed to very good ( F (3, 405) = 30.75, p ≤ 0.001, d = 2.44, r = 0.054) or for those under 35 years of age compared to those over 46 ( F (2, 409) = 5.14, p = 0.006, d = 0.36). Practicing meditation was not revealed as a protective factor, but self-compassion was related to better cohabitation during confinement ( F (3, 403) = 11.83, p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.05). These results could be relevant in designing psychological interventions to improve coping and mental health in other situations similar to confinement.

Objective: To gather information for a future confirmatory trial of dobutamine (DB) for circulatory impairment (ie, low superior vena cava [SVC] flow)., Study Design: A total of 127 infants born at < 31 weeks gestational age were serially scanned from birth to 96 hours after birth. The infants were randomly assigned to 2 groups and were treated with DB (stepwise dose increase, 5-10-15-20 μg/kg/min) or placebo if they had an SVC flow < 41 mL/kg/min within the first 24 hours after birth. The primary outcome measures were the achievement and maintenance of an SVC flow ≥ 41 mL/kg/min. Secondary outcome measures were the short-term evolution of clinical and biochemical variables, near-infrared spectroscopy, cranial Doppler ultrasound, and clinical outcomes., Results: SVC flow increased throughout the first 96 hours for the entire cohort. All of the randomized infants (n = 28) except 2 achieved and maintained an SVC flow ≥ 41 mL/kg/min after intervention; however, the infants treated with DB (n = 16) showed a higher heart rate and improved base excess compared with those treated with placebo (n = 12). Low SVC flow was associated with low gestational age (P = .02) and poor condition at birth (P = .02). Low SVC flow significantly increased the risk of severe ischemic events (OR, 13; 95% CI, 2.4-69.2; P < .01)., Conclusion: This exploratory trial demonstrates a tendency toward improved short-term clinical and biochemical perfusion variable outcomes in infants with low SVC flow treated with DB., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01605279) and the European Clinical Trials Database (EurodraCT 2009-010901-35)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Medication errors lead to morbidity and mortality among emergency department (ED) patients. An inaccurate medication history is one of the underlying causes of these errors., Objectives: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of patients with discrepancies between the medical list information contained in the clinical history compiled on admission to the ED and the list of medications patients are actually taking, to characterize the discrepancies found, and to analyze whether certain factors are associated with the risk of discrepancies., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, observational, multicenter study with an analytic component in the EDs of 11 hospitals in Spain. We compared pharmacist-obtained medication lists (PML) with ED-obtained medication lists (EDML). Discrepancy was defined as one or more differences (in drug or dosage or route of administration) between the EDML and PML. The endpoints were the proportion of patients with discrepancies in their home medical lists, and the prevalence of certain factors among patients with discrepancies and those without., Results: We detected 1476 discrepancies in 387 patients; no discrepancies were found in 20.7%. The most frequent discrepancies involved incomplete information (44.2%) and omission (41.8%). In the bivariate analysis, age, number of medications, and Charlson comorbidity score were significantly associated with discrepancy. In the multivariate analysis, number of medications and hospital were the variables associated with discrepancy., Conclusions: The EDML differed from the list of medications patients were actually taking in 79.3% of cases. Incomplete information and omission were the most frequent discrepancies. Age, number of medications, and comorbidities were related to the risk of discrepancies., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Even though theories and research have pointed out the importance of variables such as age, gender, or education on neuropsychological assessment, much less emphasis has been placed on language and culture. With the increasing population of Spanish speakers in North America and the limited amount of clinical and scholarly information currently available, neuropsychological assessment of this group has similarly become of increasing importance. Though several studies have been published over the last two decades, an assumption exists that all Spanish speakers, holding education and age constant, would perform similarly regardless of their origin. To address this assumption, a sample of 126 participants was tested from four different countries (Chile, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Spain). Participants were compared on the following commonly used neuropsychological tests: Verbal Serial Learning Curve, Rey- Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Verbal Phonemic Fluency Test, the Stroop Color and Word Test, and the Trail Making Test. Analyses revealed significant differences across the groups in two of the five tests administered. Significant differences were observed in the delayed recall of the Serial Learning Test and in the Verbal Fluency Test. The findings highlight the importance of within-group differences between Spanish speakers.

We have previously described a GC-rich human minisatellite, termed MsH42, which exists in two allelic forms, long and short. Here, we have identified a third allele of medium length and localized the MsH42 locus in the chromosome 15q25.1 inside an intron belonging to a gene of unknown function. The recombinogenic potential of the three alleles was assayed in vitro incubating pBR322-based constructs containing two copies of the minisatellite MsH42 with its flanking sequences, in the presence of rat testes nuclear extracts. This assay system was configured to monitor only reciprocal exchange type events and not gene conversion. All MsH42 allelic sequences enhanced intramolecular homologous recombination promoting high rates (approximately 76%) of equal crossover, the long allele showing the highest recombinogenic activity. Removal of the MsH42 long allele flanking sequences, which are identical in the three alleles, provoked a decrease in the enhancement of recombination and in the frequency of equal crossovers, suggesting that these sequences are important for the recombinogenic activity and for the correct pairing between homologous sequences. The occurrence of some complex recombination events within the minisatellite MsH42 suggests the existence of processes related to polymerase slippage and unwinding with reinvasion during the repair synthesis. Our findings point toward the existence of two distinct biochemical pathways for initiation and resolution of recombination at the minisatellite MsH42. Finally, the in vitro recombination system employed in this study could provide an approach to dissect processes of repetitive DNA instability and recombination.