A Short Form of the Portuguese Version of the Youth Self-Report

The youth self-report (YSR), which is theoretically based in the field of developmental psychopathology and follows a dimensional approach, is an important instrument to assess the behavioral and emotional problems and the psychosocial competencies of adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years in both clinical and research contexts. Our main aims were to propose a short form of the YSR, conduct a first validation study, and compare the short-form YSR with the full version of the Portuguese YSR. We conducted the first study (Study 1) in a sample of 1,266 Portuguese community adolescents between the ages of 11 and 21 years to analyze the factor structure of the YSR. We conducted the second study (Study 2) in a sample of 302 community adolescents between the ages of 11 and 21 years to validate the factor structure of the short form of the YSR, which consisted of 33 items that focused on the dimensions of internalization-depression, internalization-anxiety, externalization-destructiveness and externalization-exhibitionism. Our findings confirmed that the YSR-SF provides a good fit to the data, explains similarly the variance on several criteria compared with the longer version, and is sensitive to sex and age differences.     

Beyond the ‘Migrant Network’? Exploring Assistance Received in the Migration of Brazilians to Portugal and the Netherlands

This paper explores the tenability of three important critiques to the ‘migrant network’ approach in migration studies: (1) the narrow focus on kin and community members, which connect prospective migrants in origin countries with immigrants in the destination areas, failing to take due account of sources of assistance beyond the ‘migrant network’ like institutional or online sources; (2) that it is misleading to assume a general pattern in the role of migrant networks in migration, regardless of contexts of arrival or departure, including the scale and history of migration or the immigration regime; and (3) that ‘migrant networks’ are not equally relevant to all migrants, and that important differences may exist between labour migrants and other types of migrants like family migrants or students. Drawing on survey data on the migration of Brazilians to Portugal and the Netherlands we find support for these critiques but also reaffirm the relevance of ‘migrant networks’.     

Nonselective maternal bonding but pup recognition in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys pearsoni

This study characterizes the maternal behavior in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys pearsoni and determines whether lactating females develop a selective bonding to their own pups in addition to maternal responsiveness. Mother-litter interactions were observed daily for 2 months; during the 1st postpartum week, selectivity and preference tests for own or alien pups were performed. Lactating females exhibited all patterns of maternal behavior observed in other rodent species and equally responded with care-taking behaviors to their own and alien pups, although they were able to discriminate between them, showing preference for their own pups. Results are discussed, taking into account the possible role of this behavior in shaping different aspects of life underground in ctenomyid species.     

Molecular Mechanisms Associated with the Benefits of Variable Practice in Motor Learning

Abstract

Variable practice promotes a higher level of motor learning than constant practice. The glutamate receptors, n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and alfa-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic (AMPA), have been associated with the changes in motor cortex that occur throughout the process of motor learning. Considering that, it is possible that variable practice is more associated with the NMDA and AMPA receptors than constant practice. This study aimed ao investigating the association between the glutamate receptors, NMDA and AMPA, and constant and variable practice schedules. Seventy-eight male mice practiced the rotarod task in a constant or variable scheduling, in two consecutive days (acquisition phase). Learning tests were performed 24?h and 10?days after the end of the acquisition phase. Variable practice was more associated with the NMDA receptor and had a greater AMPA receptor expression than constant practice. The results suggest that the benefits of variable practice are result of both the greater dependency on the NMDA receptor and the greater AMPA receptor expression.     

Differences between girls and boys in emerging language skills: Evidence from 10 language communities

The present study explored gender differences in emerging language skills in 13,783 European children from 10 non‐English language communities. It was based on a synthesis of published data assessed with adapted versions of the MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) from age 0.08 to 2.06. The results showed that girls are slightly ahead of boys in early communicative gestures, in productive vocabulary, and in combining words. The difference increased with age. Boys were not found to be more variable than girls. Despite extensive variation in language skills between language communities, the difference between girls and boys remained. This suggests that the difference is caused by robust factors that do not change between language communities.     

Traumatic stress symptoms following a lower limb amputation in diabetic patients: a longitudinal study

Objective: Limited research has focussed on the development of traumatic stress symptoms following an amputation due to a chronic disease such as Diabetes. This study analysed whether coping strategies, anxiety and depression symptoms, sociodemographic and clinical variables were related to traumatic stress symptoms in a sample of patients who had undergone a lower limb amputation.

Design: A longitudinal design with three assessments, one month (T1), six (T2) and ten months after an amputation surgery (T3), included 144 patients.

Main outcome measures: IES-R, WOC and HADS.

Results: Traumatic stress symptoms were prevalent at T1 (M?=?15.65, SD?=?15.40) and probable PTSD was observed in 13.9% patients. Presence of pain, high level of anxiety symptoms and emotion-focused strategies contributed to traumatic stress symptoms, and the period between T1 and T2, was critical. Six to ten months (Λ?=?0.871, F (2,84) =6.245, p=. 003), after surgery, symptoms tended to decrease 0.122 units (SE?=?0.032, p?=?0.002) per assessment.

Conclusions: Findings raise awareness to the need of urgent identification of traumatic stress symptoms in medically ill patients who underwent a lower limb amputation, given the prevalence of traumatic stress symptoms right after surgery and in the following six months.