How does the body-scale model affect back-calculated growth: the example of arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) of Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

When back-calculating fish length from scale measurements, the choice of the body-scale relationship is a fundamental step. Using data from the arctic charrSalvelinus alpinus (L.) of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) we show the need for a curvilinear model, on both statistical and biological grounds. From several 2-parameters models, the log-linear relationship appears to provide the best fit. A 3-parameters, Bertalanffy model did not improve the fit. We show moreover that using the proportional model would lead to important misinterpretations of the data.

Oxygen uptake kinetics and middle distance swimming performance.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether V˙O(2) kinetics and specifically, the time constant of transitions from rest to heavy (τ(p)H) and severe (τ(p)S) exercise intensities, are related to middle distance swimming performance. DESIGN: Fourteen highly trained male swimmers (mean ± SD: 20.5 ± 3.0 yr; 75.4 ± 12.4 kg; 1.80 ± 0.07 m) performed an discontinuous incremental test, as well as square wave transitions for heavy and severe swimming intensities, to determine V˙O(2) kinetics parameters using two exponential functions. METHODS: All the tests involved front-crawl swimming with breath-by-breath analysis using the Aquatrainer swimming snorkel. Endurance performance was recorded as the time taken to complete a 400 m freestyle swim within an official competition (T400), one month from the date of the other tests. RESULTS: T400 (Mean ± SD) (251.4 ± 12.4 s) was significantly correlated with τ(p)H (15.8 ± 4.8s; r=0.62; p=0.02) and τ(p)S (15.8 ± 4.7s; r=0.61; p=0.02). The best single predictor of 400 m freestyle time, out of the variables that were assessed, was the velocity at V˙O(2max)vV˙O(2max), which accounted for 80% of the variation in performance between swimmers. However, τ(p)H and V˙O(2max) were also found to influence the prediction of T400 when they were included in a regression model that involved respiratory parameters only. CONCLUSIONS: Faster kinetics during the primary phase of the V˙O(2) response is associated with better performance during middle-distance swimming. However, vV˙O(2max) appears to be a better predictor of T400.

Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision. Development and Validation of the CLES Evaluation Scale

The purpose of the study is: (1) to describe how nursing students' experienced their clinical learning environment and the supervision given by staff nurses working in hospital settings; and (2) to develop and test an evaluation scale of Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision (CLES). The study has been carried out in different phases. The pilot study (n=163) explored the association between the characteristics of a ward and its evaluation as a learning environment by students. The second version of research instrument (which was developed by the results of this pilot study) were tested by an expert panel (n=9 nurse teachers) and test-retest group formed by student nurses (n=38). After this evaluative phase, the CLES was formed as the basic research instrument for this study and it was tested with the Finnish main sample (n=416). In this phase, a concurrent validity instrument (Dunn & Burnett 1995) was used to confirm the validation process of CLES. The international comparative study was made by comparing the Finnish main sample with a British sample (n=142). The international comparative study was necessary for two reasons. In the instrument developing process, there is a need to test the new instrument in some other nursing culture. Other reason for comparative international study is the reflecting the impact of open employment markets in the European Union (EU) on the need to evaluate and to integrate EU health care educational systems. The results showed that the individualised supervision system is the most used supervision model and the supervisory relationship with personal mentor is the most meaningful single element of supervision evaluated by nursing students. The ward atmosphere and the management style of ward manager are the most important environmental factors of the clinical ward. The study integrates two theoretical elements - learning environment and supervision - in developing a preliminary theoretical model. The comparative international study showed that, Finnish students were more satisfied and evaluated their clinical placements and supervision with higher scores than students in the United Kingdom (UK). The difference between groups was statistical highly significant (p= 0.000). In the UK, clinical placements were longer but students met their nurse teachers less frequently than students in Finland. Arrangements for supervision were similar. This research process has produced the evaluation scale (CLES), which can be used in research and quality assessments of clinical learning environment and supervision in Finland and in the UK. CLES consists of 27 items and it is sub-divided into five sub-dimensions. Cronbach's alpha coefficient varied from high 0.94 to marginal 0.73. CLES is a compact evaluation scale and user-friendliness makes it suitable for continuing evaluation.

Adaptação cultural e validação da Underwood's Daily Spiritual Experience Scale - versão brasileira

Este estudo objetivou adaptar culturalmente e analisar as propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira da Underwood's Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES). A adaptação seguiu as etapas internacionalmente recomendadas e a versão adaptada manteve equivalência com a original, após ajustes na redação de cinco itens. Na aplicação a 179 pacientes médico-cirúrgicos mostrou evidências de consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach=0,91), estabilidade temporal (ICC=0,94 no teste e reteste) e validade de construto convergente, na correlação com a subescala Religiosidade Intrínseca do instrumento DUREL (r=0,56; p<0,001). A análise fatorial exploratória extraiu três componentes, explicando 60,5% da variância do total. A versão brasileira da DSES apresenta evidências de confiabilidade e validade junto a pacientes hospitalizados. São necessários mais estudos para confirmar a sua composição fatorial e testar a sua aplicabilidade em diferentes populações.

Keskoslasten motorinen kehitys : Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) -testistöllä arvioituna

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli kuvata alle 1 500 gramman painoisena syntyneiden keskoslasten motorista kehitystä kolmen, kuuden ja kahdentoista kuukauden korjatussa iässä, sekä tuoda esille mahdollisia motorisen kehityksen yhteisiä piirteitä Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) -testistöllä arvioituna. Työ toteutettiin yhteistyössä Lasten ja nuorten sairauksien toimialan fysioterapian yksikön kanssa, jossa keskoslasten motorisen kehityksen arviointi AIMS-testistöllä oli toteutettu vuosina 2005 - 2006. Idea opinnäytetyöhön syntyi yhteisten keskusteluiden pohjalta fysioterapeuttien kanssa. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli analysoida ja koota yhteenveto Lasten ja nuorten sairauksien toimialalle heidän tutkimastaan aineistosta. Työ oli luonteeltaan kuvaileva kvantitatiivinen tutkimus valmiiksi saadun aineiston pohjalta. Aineisto koostui yhteensä 109 keskoslapsen AIMS-testistön arviointilomakkeista. Keskoslapsista 54 oli kolmen kuukauden, 42 kuuden kuukauden ja 13 kahdentoista kuukauden korjatussa iässä. Tulokset analysoitiin käyttämällä SPSS 13.0 Windows Release-tilasto-ohjelmaa ja tulokset esitettiin taulukoiden ja kuvioiden avulla. Tiedonkeruumenetelminä käytimme kirjallisuuden lisäksi uusimpia tutkimusartikkeleita sekä asiantuntijahaastattelua. Kolmen kuukauden ikäisistä keskoslapsista 51 sijoittui AIMS-testistön motorista kehitystä kuvaaville käyrille. Kolme lasta jäi käyrien alapuolelle. Kuuden kuukauden ikäisten keskoslasten kokonaispistemäärissä oli enemmän hajontaa. 15 lasta jäi AIMS-testistön motorista kehitystä kuvaavien käyrien alapuolelle. Kahdentoista kuukauden ikäisistä lapsista yhdeksän sijoittui motorista kehitystä kuvaaville käyrille ja neljä lasta jäi käyrien alapuolelle. Yhteisenä piirteenä kaikilta kolmen kuukauden ikäisiltä ja 14 kuuden kuukauden ikäiseltä lapselta puuttui taito tukeutua yläraajoihin istuma-asennossa (Sitting With Propped Arms). Tutkimustulosten perusteella kolmen kuukauden ikäisten keskoslasten motorinen kehitys oli valtaosalla (51/54) ikätasoista. Kuuden ja kahdentoista kuukauden ikäisten keskoslasten motorisessa kehityksessä yksilölliset erot olivat suurempia. Tutkimusjoukkomme keskoslapsista motorinen kehitys oli ikätasoa heikompaa 22 keskoslapsella. Lasten ja nuorten sairauksien toimiala saa käyttöönsä työmme tulokset, joita voidaan hyödyntää keskoslasten motorisen kehityksen seurannassa sekä fysioterapian kehittämisessä. Työmme lisää AIMS-testistön tunnettavuutta ja siitä on myös laajemmin hyötyä lasten parissa työskenteleville fysioterapeuteille.

Morse Fall Scale: tradução e adaptação transcultural para a língua portuguesa

Estudo realizado com o objetivo de traduzir e adaptar a Morse Fall Scale da língua inglesa para a portuguesa. Foi realizado em sete etapas: autorização pela autora da escala; tradução para o português do Brasil; avaliação e estruturação da escala traduzida; tradução reversa para o inglês; avaliação e validação da escala pelo comitê de especialistas; avaliação da clareza dos itens e definições operacionais por 45 profissionais e avaliação da concordância entre avaliadores e confiabilidade da reprodutibilidade, quanto aos dados referentes à avaliação de 90 pacientes, por quatro avaliadores/juízes. Quanto à clareza da escala, as proporções foram consideradas muito satisfatórias, com intervalo de confiança entre 73% a 100% na opção muito claro. Quanto à concordância das respostas, os resultados apresentaram coeficientes Kappa em torno de 0,80 ou superiores. Concluiu-se que o processo de adaptação da escala foi bem sucedido, indicando que seu uso é apropriado para a população de pacientes brasileiros hospitalizados.

Tradução e validação da escala Partner Communication Scale – versão brasileira com adolescentes do sexo feminino

O objetivo do estudo é descrever o processo de adaptação e validação da escala Partner Communication Scale -PCS com adolescentes do sexo feminino em Fortaleza, CE. Pesquisa metodológica, de abordagem quantitativa, realizada com 313 adolescentes, entre 14 a 18 anos, que já haviam tido o primeiro intercurso sexual. O processo de adaptação transcultural seguiu as etapas: tradução, retrotradução, avaliação das traduções por um comitê de juízes e teste da versão pré-final. A escala foi aplicada com um questionário sociodemográfico e de variáveis sexuais e reprodutivas, via computador, em novembro/2010 a janeiro/2011. A confiabilidade foi verificada por meio do teste alfa de Cronbach (0.86) e demonstrou que pode ser aplicada no cenário da atenção primária à saúde, durante as consultas de enfermagem ao adolescente, e que permite identificar fatores que dificultam/facilitam a comunicação, principalmente em relação às DST/HIV. A escala mostrou-se adequada para verificar a comunicação entre os parceiros sexuais na adolescência.

Economies of Feedlot Scale, Biosecurity, Investment, and Endemic Livestock Disease, September 2006

Infectious livestock disease creates externalities for proximate animal production enterprises. The distribution of production scale within a region should influence and be influenced by these disease externalities. Taking the distribution of the unit costs of stocking an animal as primitive, we show that an increase in the variance of these unit costs reduces consumer surplus. The effect on producer surplus, total surplus, and animal concentration across feedlots depends on the demand elasticity. A subsidy to smaller herds can reduce social welfare and immiserize the farm sector by increasing the extent of disease. While Nash behavior involves excessive stocking, disease effects can be such that aggregate output declines relative to first-best. Disease externalities can induce more adoption of a cost-reducing technology by larger herds so that animals become more concentrated across herds. For strategic reasons, excess overall adoption of the innovation may occur. Larger herds are also more likely to adopt biosecurity innovations, explaining why larger herds may be less diseased in equilibrium.

Tradução e adaptação cultural da Management of Aggression And Violence Attitude Scale – MAVAS – em enfermeiros brasileiros

Este estudo objetivou traduzir e adaptar culturalmente a Management of Aggression and Violence Attitude Scale – MAVAS – para uso no Brasil. As etapas metodológicas seguiram as diretrizes internacionais para adaptação cultural de escalas psicométricas: equivalência conceitual, equivalência semântica, equivalência de itens e equivalência operacional. A validade de conteúdo realizada por um grupo de juízes resultou numa escala composta por 23 itens divididos em quatro fatores com Coeficientes de Validade de Conteúdo (CVC) satisfatórios nos parâmetros avaliados: (0,88) para clareza de linguagem, 0,91 pertinência prática e 0,92 para relevância teórica. Os dados foram coletados no ano de 2011, em Londrina, PR, Brasil. Concluiu-se que a MAVAS-BR está traduzida e adaptada culturalmente para uso no Brasil e que o instrumento traduzido e adaptado apresenta validade de conteúdo satisfatória. Estudos futuros relacionados à MAVAS-BR são sugeridos, dentre eles a avaliação de suas qualidades psicométricas, como a validade de construto e a confiabilidade do instrumento.

Intraclass reliability of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale in the Brazilian version

This study had as its objective to analyze the intraclass reliability of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), in the Brazilian version, in preterm and term infants. It was a methodological study, conducted from November 2009 to April 2010, with 50 children receiving care in two public institutions in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Children were grouped according to gestational age as preterm and term, and evaluated by three evaluators in the communication laboratory of a public institution or at home. The intraclass correlation indices for the categories prone, supine, sitting and standing ranged from 0.553 to 0.952; most remained above 0.800, except for the standing category of the third evaluator, in which the index was 0.553. As for the total score and percentile, rates ranged from 0.843 to 0.954. The scale proved to be a reliable instrument for assessing gross motor performance of Brazilian children, particularly in Ceará, regardless of gestational age at birth.

Structure et évolution thermique de la croûte supérieure des chaînes de subduction : approches thermologique et modélisation numérique, dans les North Cascades (U.S.A) et de la zone de faille Motagua (Guatemala)

Cette thèse cible l'étude de la structure thermique de la croûte supérieure (<10km) dans les arcs magmatiques continentaux, et son influence sur l'enregistrement thermochronologique de leur exhumation et de leur évolution topographique. Nous portons notre regard sur deux chaînes de montagne appartenant aux Cordillères Américaines : Les Cascades Nord (USA) et la zone de faille Motagua (Guatemala). L'approche utilisée est axée sur la thermochronologie (U-Th-Sm)/He sur apatite et zircon, couplée avec la modélisation numérique de la structure thermique de la croûte. Nous mettons en évidence la variabilité à la fois spatiale et temporelle du gradient géothermique, et attirons l'attention du lecteur sur l'importance de prendre en compte la multitude des processus géologiques perturbant la structure thermique dans les chaînes de type cordillère, c'est à dire formées lors de la subduction océanique sous un continent.Une nouvelle approche est ainsi développée pour étudier et contraindre la perturbation thermique autour des chambres magmatiques. Deux profiles âge-elevation (U-Th-Sm)/He sur apatite et zircon, ont été collectées 7 km au sud du batholithe de Chilliwack, Cascades Nord. Les résultats montrent une variabilité spatiale et temporelle du gradient géothermique lors de l'emplacement magmatique qui peut être contrainte et séparé de l'exhumation. Durant l'emplacement de l'intrusion, la perturbation thermique y atteint un état d'équilibre (-80-100 °C/km) qui est fonction du flux de magma et de ia distance à la source du magma, puis rejoint 40 °C/km à la fin du processus d'emplacement magmatique.Quelques nouvelles données (U-Th)/He, replacées dans une compilation des données existantes dans les Cascades Nord, indiquent une vitesse d'exhumation constante (-100 m/Ma) dans le temps et l'espace entre 35 Ma et 2 Ma, associée à un soulèvement uniforme de la chaîne contrôlé par l'emplacement de magma dans la croûte durant toute l'activité de l'arc. Par contre, après ~2 Ma, le versant humide de la chaîne est affecté par une accélération des taux d'exhumation, jusqu'à 3 km de croûte y sont érodés. Les glaciations ont un triple effet sur l'érosion de cette chaîne: (1) augmentation des vitesses d'érosion, d'exhumation et de soulèvement la où les précipitations sont suffisantes, (2) limitation de l'altitude contrôlé par la position de Γ Ε LA, (3) élargissement du versant humide et contraction du versant aride de la chaîne.Les modifications des réseaux de drainage sont des processus de surface souvent sous-estimés au profil d'événements climatiques ou tectoniques. Nous proposons une nouvelle approche couplant une analyse géomorphologique, des données thermochronologiques de basse température ((U-Th-Sm)/He sur apatite et zircon), et l'utilisation de modélisation numérique thermo-cinématique pour les mettre en évidence et les dater; nous testons cette approche sur la gorge de la Skagit river dans les North Cascades.De nouvelles données (U-Th)/He sur zircons, complétant les données existantes, montrent que le déplacement horizontal le long de la faille transformante continentale Motagua, la limite des plaques Caraïbe/Amérique du Nord, a juxtaposé un bloc froid, le bloc Maya (s.s.), contre un bloque chaud, le bloc Chortis (s.s.) originellement en position d'arc. En plus de donner des gammes d'âges thermochronologiques très différents des deux côtés de la faille, le déplacement horizontal rapide (~2 cm/a) a produit un fort échange thermique latéral, résultant en un réchauffement du côté froid et un refroidissement du côté chaud de la zone de faille de Motagua.Enfin des données (U-Th-Sm)/He sur apatite témoignent d'un refroidissement Oligocène enregistré uniquement dans la croûte supérieure de la bordure nord de la zone de faille Motagua. Nous tenterons ultérieurement de reproduire ce découplage vertical de la structure thermique par la modélisation de la formation d'un bassin transtensif et de circulation de fluides le long de la faille de Motagua. - This thesis focuses on the influence of the dynamic thermal structure of the upper crust (<10km) on the thermochronologic record of the exhumational and topographic history of magmatic continental arcs. Two mountain belts from the American Cordillera are studied: the North Cascades (USA) and the Motagua fault zone (Guatemala). I use a combined approach coupling apatite and zircon (U-Th-Sm}/He thermochronology and thermo- kinematic numerical modelling. This study highlights the temporal and spatial variability of the geothermal gradient and the importance to take into account the different geological processes that perturb the thermal structure of Cordilleran-type mountain belts (i.e. mountain belts related to oceanic subduction underneath a continent}.We integrate apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He data with numerical thermo-kinematic models to study the relative effects of magmatic and surface processes on the thermal evolution of the crust and cooling patterns in the Cenozoic North Cascades arc (Washington State, USA). Two age-elevation profiles that are located 7 km south of the well-studied Chiliiwack intrusions shows that spatial and temporal variability in geothermal gradients linked to magma emplacement can be contrained and separated from exhumation processes. During Chiliiwack batholith emplacement at -35-20 Ma, the geothermal gradient of the country rocks increased to a very high steady-state value (80-100°C/km), which is likely a function of magma flux and the distance from the magma source area. Including temporally varying geothermal gradients in the analysis allows quantifying the thermal perturbation around magmatic intrusions and retrieving a relatively simple denudation history from the data.The synthesis of new and previously published (U-Th)/He data reveals that denudation of the Northern Cascades is spatially and temporally constant at -100 m/Ma between ~32 and ~2 Ma, which likely reflects uplift due to magmatic crustal thickening since the initiation of the Cenozoic stage of the continental magmatic arc. In contrast, the humid flank of the North Cascades is affected by a ten-fold acceleration in exhumation rate at ~2 Ma, which we interpret as forced by the initiation of glaciations; around 3 km of crust have been eroded since that time. Glaciations have three distinct effects on the dynamics of this mountain range: (1) they increase erosion, exhumation and uplift rates where precipitation rates are sufficient to drive efficient glacial erosion; (2) they efficiently limit the elevation of the range; (3) they lead to widening of the humid flank and contraction of the arid flank of the belt.Drainage reorganizations constitute an important agent of landscape evolution that is often underestimated to the benefit of tectonic or climatic events. We propose a new method that integrates geomorphology, low-temperature thermochronometry (apatite and zircon {U-Th-Sm)/He), and 3D numerical thermal-kinematic modelling to detect and date drainage instability producing recent gorge incision, and apply this approach to the Skagit River Gorge, North Cascades.Two zircon (U-Th)/He age-elevation profiles sampled on both sides of the Motagua Fault Zone (MFZ), the boundary between the North American and the Caribbean plates, combined with published thermochronological data show that strike-slip displacement has juxtaposed the cold Maya block (s.s.) against the hot, arc derived, Chortis block (s.s ), producing different age patterns on both sides of the fault and short-wavelength lateral thermal exchange, resulting in recent heating of the cool side and cooling of the hot side of the MFZ.Finally, an apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He age-elevation profile records rapid cooling at -35 Ma localized only in the upper crust along the northern side of the Motagua fault zone. We will try to reproduce these data by modeling the thermal perturbation resulting from the formation of a transtensional basin and of fluid flow activity along a crustal- scale strike-slip fault.

Cultural adaptation of the scale Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia – PAINAD to Brazil

Objective: To translate and culturally adapt to Brazil the scale Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia(PAINAD).Method: The cultural adaptation process followed the methodology of a theorical reference, in five steps: translation to Brazilian Portuguese, consensual version of translations, back-translation to the original language, revision by a committee of specialists in the field and a equivalency pre-test. The instrument was assessed and applied by 27 health professionals in the last step. Results: The Escala de Avaliação de Dor em Demência Avançada was culturally adapted to Brazil and presented semantic equivalency to the original, besides clarity, applicability and easy comprehension of the instrument items. Conclusion: This process secured the psychometric properties as the reliability and content validity of the referred scale.


Measuring trauma severity using the 1998 and 2005 revisions of the Abbreviated Injury Scale

Objetivo: Comparar a gravidade das lesões e do trauma mensurada pelas versões da Abbreviated Injury Scale 1998 e 2005 e verificar a mortalidade nos escores Injury Severity Score e New Injury Severity Score nas duas versões.Método: Estudo transversal e retrospectivo analisou lesões de pacientes de trauma, de três hospitais universitários do município de São Paulo, Brasil. Cada lesão foi codificada com Abbreviated Injury Scale 1998 e 2005. Os testes estatísticos aplicados foram Wilcoxon, McNemar-Bowker, Kappa e teste Z.Resultados: A comparação das duas versões resultou em discordância significante de escores em algumas regiões corpóreas. Com a versão 2005 os níveis de gravidade da lesão e do trauma foram significantemente reduzidos e a mortalidade foi mais elevada em escores mais baixos. Conclusão: Houve redução da gravidade da lesão e do trauma e alteração no percentual de mortalidade com o uso da Abbreviated Injury Scale 2005.





Study of adaptation and validation of the Practice environment scale of the nursing work index for the portuguese reality

Objective: Testing the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Method: A descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional study, for the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the psychometric properties of the scale. The study participants were 236 nurses from two hospitals in the regions of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo. Results: The 0.92 Cronbach’s alpha was obtained for overall reliability and support of a five-dimension structure. Conclusion: The excellent quality of adjustment of analysis confirms the validity of the adapted version to hospital care settings, although there was no total coincidence of items in the five dimensions