RESUMEN
As adolescents get older, they become more evening oriented and, because they are usually expected to wake early to attend school, they often present daytime sleepiness, which is associated with negative outcomes. It is still unclear if this is similar cross-culturally. Here, we studied morningness-eveningness and daytime sleepiness in early adolescence from two different developing nations (Brazil and Iran). A total sample of 697 Iranian and Brazilian early adolescents (9- to 15-year-old; 358 boys) from Tehran, Iran, and São Paulo, Brazil, varying in age and parental schooling (a proxy of socioeconomic status: SES) completed the Morningness-Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) and the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) and reported their total sleep time on school nights. They also filled in the Pubertal Developmental Scale to determine their pubertal status. A negligible cross-cultural difference in morningness-eveningness was found, indicating that Brazilians showed a slight circadian-phase delay compared with Iranians throughout all tested ages. There was also seen a very slight increase in phase delay as early adolescents aged, indicative of more eveningness. However, there were no country differences in daytime sleepiness once total sleep time during school nights was controlled for, which was the only factor that affects PDSS scores.
Asunto(s)
Ritmo Circadiano , Trastornos de Somnolencia Excesiva , Masculino , Niño , Humanos , Adolescente , Anciano , Irán , Brasil , Comparación Transcultural , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , SueñoRESUMEN
The umbrella-term 'executive functions' (EF) includes various domain-general, goal-directed cognitive abilities responsible for behavioral self-regulation. The influential unity and diversity model of EF posits the existence of three correlated yet separable executive domains: inhibition, shifting and updating. These domains may be influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status (SES) and culture, possibly due to the way EF tasks are devised and to biased choice of stimuli, focusing on first-world testees. Here, we propose a FREE (Free Research Executive Function Evaluation) test battery that includes two open-access tasks for each of the three abovementioned executive domains to allow latent variables to be obtained. The tasks were selected from those that have been shown to be representative of each domain, that are not copyrighted and do not require special hardware/software to be administered. These tasks were adapted for use in populations with varying SES/schooling levels by simplifying tasks/instructions and using easily recognized stimuli such as pictures. Items are answered verbally and tasks are self-paced to minimize interference from individual differences in psychomotor and perceptual speed, to better isolate executive from other cognitive abilities. We tested these tasks on 146 early adolescents (aged 9-15 years) of both sexes and varying SES, because this is the age group in which the executive domains of interest become distinguishable and in order to confirm that SES effects were minimized. Performance was determined by Rate Correct Scores (correct answers divided by total time taken to complete blocks/trial), which consider speed-accuracy trade-offs. Scores were sensitive to the expected improvement in performance with age and rarely/inconsistently affected by sex and SES, as expected, with no floor or ceiling effects, or skewed distribution, thus suggesting their adequacy for diverse populations in these respects. Using structural equation modeling, evidence based on internal structure was obtained by replicating the three correlated-factor solution proposed by the authors of the model. We conclude that the FREE test battery, which is open access and described in detail, holds promise as a tool for research that can be adapted for a wide range of populations, as well as altered and/or complemented in coming studies.
RESUMEN
Leishmaniasis is a worldwide tropical infectious disease caused by different species of intracellular protozoa parasites of the genus Leishmania . Herein, we report a 78-year-old man with unusual diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) who had a history of opium abuse and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He had multiple papular, crusted and severely ulcerated lesions extended to his arm and chest. Direct smears and skin punch biopsy of the lesions were suggestive of leishmaniasis. Parasite DNA was amplified from ulcers, and identified as Leishmania major by PCR-RFLP, confirmed by sequencing analyses. The aim of the current study was to bring to attention this atypical form of disease in CL endemic countries. Thus, this is the first case of DCL in an opium abuser with COPD due to L. major in Northeastern Iran indicating that atypical and extensive forms of CL (DCL) owing to L. major are increasing in Iran.