El objetivo de este artículo es adaptar y validar la Escala de Apoyo Social Subjetivo (EASS, de Vaux et al., 1986), a la vez que describir su estructura factorial. Esta escala está compuesta por 10 ítems distribuidos en dos dimensiones: apoyo familiar y apoyo de los amigos. Se examinan las propiedades psicométricas de la escala y la dimensionalidad de la misma en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios chilenos (N = 681). Los resultados indican que el EASS constituye un instrumento fiable (α = .86) y válido para la medición del apoyo social subjetivo. Las dimensiones de la EASS obtienen entre sí una correlación significativa y moderada (r = .41; p < .001). Las cargas factoriales para los ítems en el análisis factorial confirmatorio fluctuaron entre .40 y .93, mostrando buenos índices de ajuste para el modelo de dos factores de primer orden correlacionados (CFI = .97, TLI = .93, RFI = .97, IFI = .97, NFI = .96 y RSMEA = .08). Palabras clave: Apoyo social subjetivo, apoyo familiar, apoyo de amistades, propiedades psicométricas

A self-report quality of life questionnaire, was constructed for patients with leg ulcers. The content of the questionnaire was derived from patient conversations. The first version was completed by 33 patients and refined using standard psychometric procedures. The final version measured functional limitations and emotional reactions and was used to quantify quality of life deficits in a group of 50 patients. Although some functional limitations, such as pain impairing mobility or dressing management restricting holidays, were caused directly by the ulcer, many restrictions were due to patients adopting an avoidance strategy to minimise the risk of future leg ulcers. Such strategies included staying away from crowded shopping places and children. Functional limitations and emotional reactions were intercorrelated. Approximately one-third of patients in the final sample reported substantial functional limitations and negative emotions because of their ulcer. The nurses' perceptions of whether the ulcer was healing were similar to those of the patients. Self-care behaviour was unrelated to level of pain or quality of life.

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This paper reports the healing rates of venous leg ulcers in a community setting (Exeter and District Community Health Services NHS Trust) using the Charing Cross four-layer compression system. We report on 514 venous leg ulcers and show healing rates of 40% at 12 weeks, 50% at 17 weeks, 57% at 24 weeks and 80% predicted at 2 years. Patients were treated in one of 16 community leg ulcer clinics or in their homes. Nurses were allowed to use this system only after full training by the leg ulcer management service. Nurses had to prove their competence in leg ulcer assessment, Doppler measurement and the technique of four-layer compression. Even in patients whose leg ulcers did not heal, it was felt that the four-layer compression system was comfortable, convenient and cost effective with only weekly changes of bandages being necessary.

Despite its importance in community psychology, the stress process is still viewed primarily as an individual-level phenomenon, little research being conducted on the dynamics of stress in a social system such as the family. Propositions derived from a model of family stress were tested using data from a cross-sectional survey of family triads (father, mother, and adolescent). Two measures of distress were related significantly to both macro-and microstressors, and perceived social support did not buffer this relationship. Stressors endogenous to the family were significantly associated with those exogenous to the family (stressor importation hypothesis); contrary to prediction, this relationship did not vary across family members or family types (high vs. low cohesion). Distress in some family members was significantly associated with stressors experienced by other family members (stress transmission hypothesis); this relationship did not vary across family types but did vary across family members to some extent in that stress was transmitted from adolescents to parents to a greater degree than vice versa.

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Internet of Things applications require ultra-low power, integrable into electronic circuits and mini-sized chemical sensors for automated remote air quality monitoring system. In this work, a highly sensitive and selective detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has been demonstrated by functionalizing gallium nitride (GaN) submicron wire with titania (TiO2) nanoclusters. The two-terminal GaN/TiO2 sensor device was fabricated by top-down approach. The photo-enabled sensing makes it possible to operate this sensor at room-temperature, resulting in a significant reduction in operating power. The GaN/TiO2 sensor was able to detect NO2 concentrations as low as 10 ppb in air at room temperature (20 °C) with a quick response-recovery process. The sensor was found highly selective toward NO2 against other interfering gases, such as ethanol (C2H5OH), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Furthermore, principal component analysis has been performed to address the cross-sensitive nature of TiO2. The sensor device exhibited excellent long-term stability at room temperature and humidity and was quite stable and reliable at various environmental conditions. Continuous exposure of the device to siloxane for a one-month period has shown a very small degradation in sensor response to NO2. Finally, interaction of NO2 gas molecules with the GaN/TiO2 sensor has been modeled and explained under the light of energy band diagram. The photoinduced oxygen desorption and subsequent charge transfer between TiO2 nanoclusters and NO2 molecules modulate the depletion region width within the GaN, thus contributing to a high performance NO2 gas sensing.