Explore the vast range of titles available.

The Questionnaire on the Frequency of and Satisfaction with Social Support (QFSSS) was designed to assess the frequency of and the degree of satisfaction with perceived social support received from different sources in relation to three types of support: emotional, informational and instrumental. This study tested the reliability of the questionnaire and its criterion and structural validity. The data were drawn from survey interviews of 2042 Spanish people. The results show high internal consistency (values of Cronbach’s alpha range from .763 to .952). The correlational analysis showed significant positive associations between QFSSS scores and measures of subjective well-being and perceived social support, as well as significant negative associations with measures of loneliness (Pearson’s r correlation range from .11 to .97). Confirmatory factor analysis by Structural Equation Modeling suggested an internal 4-factor structure that corresponds to the sources of support analyzed: partner, family, friends and community (values for the Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) range from .93 to .95; for the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) range from .95 to .98; for Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) range from .10 to .07). These results confirm the QFSSS validity as a versatile tool, suitable for the detailed assessment of social support.

Various studies have analyzed the variables that influence the outcome of family foster care. The research aimed to determine whether distinct profiles of foster placements can be identified on the basis of key variables, seeking at the same time to define a predictive function for the success or failure of foster care. Participants were the foster families of 104 non-relative foster children. A k-means cluster analysis identified three clusters, corresponding to high-, moderate-, and low-risk placements. The variables that formed part of these clusters were behavior problems and impulsivity/inattention in foster children, level of burden in the foster parents, an authoritarian parenting style, and criticism/rejection by the foster parents. A discriminant analysis confirmed the differences between the three clusters and enabled the researchers to create a function for classifying cases in each group. These results can be used to identify at-risk placements and may help to avoid situations that could undermine the foster child’s development. The findings could also be useful in terms of assessing the suitability of foster families, as well for identifying their training needs.

The main aim of this study was to identify the factors which are related to the greatest emotional and behavioral problems among children in the context of a foster family. Participants were 104 non-relative foster children and their respective foster families. A structural equation model was designed and tested in order to identify an explanatory model among the most relevant of the studied variables. The results showed that the model obtained offers a satisfactory structural fit and provides good explanatory power for children’s problems. More specifically, the data reveal the important role played by affective relationships and parental discipline style in relation to children’s problems within the foster family. Other factors involved were also analyzed. These results indicate that both parenting style and the kind of affect shown by foster parents towards the child are important predictors of the latter’s problems. Criticism/rejection on the part of foster parents increases problems through its influence on both the foster carer’s burden and the child’s self-esteem. These results are useful in order to prepare and support foster carers.

Objective To identify situations and behaviors occurring during contact visits that are likely to have an impact on a foster child's well‐being. Background It has been argued that contact visits between foster children and birth parents can help to maintain attachment bonds and support the child's development. However, contact continues to be a subject of controversy, and evidence of both benefits and drawbacks has been reported in the literature. Few studies have examined what actually occurs during such visits, how parents and children interact, and what role is played by those involved. Method We conducted an in‐depth qualitative observational analysis of the behavior of participants in contact visits (birth parent, child, and social worker), as well as of the characteristics of the venue. Participants were 20 children in nonkinship foster care and their birth parents. Information regarding the characteristics of visits was provided by the child protection services and the fostering agencies involved. Results The analysis revealed a large number of positive behaviors among parents, children, and social workers, but also the need for improvement in several areas (e.g., family relationships, social/communication skills, and presents). Conclusions This study highlights the need to improve contact visits by developing intervention strategies targeting all those involved. Notably, the support and supervision provided by social workers was not always adequate. Implications The results of this study could be used to develop an instrument for assessing the quality of contact visits and identifying aspects that need to be improved.

TiO2 electrochemical biosensors represent an option for biomolecules recognition associated with diseases, food or environmental contaminants, drug interactions and related topics. The relevance of TiO2 biosensors is due to the high selectivity and sensitivity that can be achieved. The development of electrochemical biosensors based on nanostructured TiO2 surfaces requires knowing the signal extracted from them and its relationship with the properties of the transducer, such as the crystalline phase, the roughness and the morphology of the TiO2 nanostructures. Using relevant literature published in the last decade, an overview of TiO2 based biosensors is here provided. First, the principal fabrication methods of nanostructured TiO2 surfaces are presented and their properties are briefly described. Secondly, the different detection techniques and representative examples of their applications are provided. Finally, the functionalization strategies with biomolecules are discussed. This work could contribute as a reference for the design of electrochemical biosensors based on nanostructured TiO2 surfaces, considering the detection technique and the experimental electrochemical conditions needed for a specific analyte.

Olive oil industry is one of the most important industries in the world. Currently, the land devoted to olive-tree cultivation around the world is ca. 11 106 ha, which produces more than 20 106 t olives per year. Most of these olives are destined to the production of olive oils. The main by-products of the olive oil industry are olive-pruning debris, olive stones and di erent pomaces. In cultures with traditional and intensive typologies, one single ha of olive grove annually generates more than 5 t of these by-products. The disposal of these by-products in the field can led to environmental problems. Notwithstanding, these by-products (biomasses) have a huge potential as source of energy. The objective of this paper is to comprehensively review the latest advances focused on energy production from olive-pruning debris, olive stones and pomaces, including processes such as combustion, gasification and pyrolysis, and the production of biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel. Future research e orts required for biofuel production are also discussed. The future of the olive oil industry must move towards a greater interrelation between olive oil production, conservation of the environment and energy generation.

Background The wide use of the Internet in the workplace, academic or social field, can have an impact on daily life. One of the most used questionnaires worldwide to analyse these problems is the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Our aim was to validate a Spanish version of the IAT and analyse its psychometric properties. Methods Population of study were college students participating in the uniHcos project (Universities of Granada, Huelva, Jaén, León, Salamanca, and Vigo). The questionnaire was translated and back-translated by two native English speakers. Reliability of scores was analysed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and agreement was analysed using the Bland-Altman and Kappa techniques. Test dimensions were analysed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results The reliability of scores was good ( r  = 0.899, Kappa = 0.650 and mean difference using Bland-Altman = −3.5). The psychometric assessment identified two factors (Emotional Investment; Performance and Time Management) which explained 55 % of the variance (total internal consistency of 0.91) and only 19 items. The confirmatory analysis showed an acceptable goodness of fit, especially when items 6 and 8 were related (RMSEA = 0.07 90%IC = 0.06 - 0.08; WRMR = 1.01, CFI = 0.96; TLI = 0.95). The two dimensions were negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with time spent online, especially for the purposes of leisure and entertainment. Discussion The results show good reliability and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of IAT with a two-dimensional solution. This result is partially in concordance with previous validations of the IAT in other languages that have found uni- and multi-dimensional solutions using different methodologies. Moreover, we want to highlight the possibility that some item of this questionnaire is outdated due to the technological and lifestyles changes and should be not taken into account. Conclusion The reliability and psychometric properties obtained in this study support the conclusion that this Spanish short version of the IAT represents a useful tool for the analysis of problems arising from misuse of the Internet.

To identify and quantify associations between baseline characteristics on hospital admission and mortality in patients with COVID-19 at a tertiary hospital in Spain. This retrospective case series included 238 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at Hospital Universitario Clínico San Cecilio (Granada, Spain) who were discharged or who died. Electronic medical records were reviewed to obtain information on sex, age, personal antecedents, clinical features, findings on physical examination, and laboratory results for each patient. Associations between mortality and baseline characteristics were estimated as hazard ratios (HR) calculated with Cox regression models. Series mortality was 25.6%. Among patients with dependence for basic activities of daily living, 78.7% died, and among patients residing in retirement homes, 80.8% died. The variables most clearly associated with a greater hazard of death were age (3% HR increase per 1-year increase in age; 95%CI 1-6), diabetes mellitus (HR 2.42, 95%CI 1.43-4.09), SatO2/FiO2 ratio (43% HR reduction per 1-point increase; 95%CI 23-57), SOFA score (19% HR increase per 1-point increase, 95%CI 5-34) and CURB-65 score (76% HR increase per 1-point increase, 95%CI 23-143). The patients residing in retirement homes showed great vulnerability. The main baseline factors that were independently associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were older age, diabetes mellitus, low SatO2/FiO2 ratio, and high SOFA and CURB-65 scores.

Traditional physicochemical approaches for the synthesis of compounds, drugs, and nanostructures developed as potential solutions for antimicrobial resistance or against cancer treatment are, for the most part, facile and straightforward. Nevertheless, these approaches have several limitations, such as the use of toxic chemicals and production of toxic by-products with limited biocompatibility. Therefore, new methods are needed to address these limitations, and green chemistry offers a suitable and novel answer, with the safe and environmentally friendly design, manufacturing, and use of minimally toxic chemicals. Green chemistry approaches are especially useful for the generation of metallic nanoparticles or nanometric structures that can effectively and efficiently address health care concerns. Here, tellurium (Te) nanowires were synthesized using a novel green chemistry approach, and their structures and cytocompatibility were evaluated. An easy and straightforward hydrothermal method was employed, and the Te nanowires were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical microscopy for morphology, size, and chemistry. Cytotoxicity tests were performed with human dermal fibroblasts and human melanoma cells (to assess anticancer properties). The results showed that a treatment with Te nanowires at concentrations between 5 and 100 μg/mL improved the proliferation of healthy cells and decreased cancerous cell growth over a 5-day period. Most importantly, the green chemistry -synthesized Te nanowires outperformed those produced by traditional synthetic chemical methods. This study suggests that green chemistry approaches for producing Te nanostructures may not only reduce adverse environmental effects resulting from traditional synthetic chemistry methods, but also be more effective in numerous health care applications.

Deposition at oblique vapor incidence angles can lead to the growth of thin films with dramatically changed morphological features. Herein, thin-film titanium nanocolumnar arrays were grown on a graphene monolayer/copper foil substrate (TiNCs/Gm-Cufoil) by applying a physical vapor deposition method, through magnetron sputtering at an oblique angle. Ti-nanocolumnar arrays with ca. 200 nm length were developed throughout the substrate with different morphologies depending on the substrate topography. It was found that over the as-fabricated electrocatalyst, the electrooxidation reaction of dopamine is facilitated, allowing quasi-reversible electrooxidation of protonated dopamine to dopamine quinone. Additionally, contrary to works that appeared in the literature, TiNCs/Gm-Cufoil also promotes further quasi-reversible oxidation of leucodopaminechrome to dopaminechrome. The electrode exhibited two linear ranges of dopamine detection (10–90 μM with a sensitivity value of 0.14 μAμM−1cm−2 and 100–400 μM with a sensitivity value of 0.095 μAμM−1cm−2), a good stability over time of about 30 days, and a good selectivity for dopamine detection.