BackgroundIn the last 20 years, Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV) has been responsible for many die-offs in marine mammals worldwide, as clearly exemplified by the two dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) epizootics of 1990–1992 and 2006–2008, which affected Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). Between March and April 2011, the number of strandings on the Valencian Community coast (E Spain) increased.Case presentationNecropsy and sample collection were performed in all stranded animals, with good state of conservation. Subsequently, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Universal Probe Library (UPL) RT-PCR assays were performed to identify Morbillivirus. Gross and microscopic findings compatible with CeMV were found in the majority of analyzed animals. Immunopositivity in the brain and UPL RT-PCR positivity in seven of the nine analyzed animals in at least two tissues confirmed CeMV systemic infection. Phylogenetic analysis, based on sequencing part of the phosphoprotein gene, showed that this isolate is a closely related dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) to that responsible for the 2006–2008 epizootics.ConclusionThe combination of gross and histopathologic findings compatible with DMV with immunopositivity and molecular detection of DMV suggests that this DMV strain could cause this die-off event.

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is the most widely used questionnaire in research and clinical practice to assess sleep quality. However, a brief version of this measure would improve its efficiency and applicability. This study aimed to develop a brief form of the PSQI and to study measurement invariance across gender and age in a nonclinical population. In total, 609 participants with a mean age of 37.3 years (standard deviation [SD] ϭ 11.9) were recruited, of whom 71.8% (n ϭ 437) were women. Participants completed online versions of the PSQI and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Reliability analyses were performed to reduce the number of items, followed by validity and measurement invariance analyses for the new Brief Version of the PSQI (B-PSQI). Six questions were included in the B-PSQI out of the initial 18; the brief form had adequate internal consistency (␣ ϭ .79 and ϭ 0.91). Confirmatory factor analysis showed optimal fit of the B-PSQI ( 2 (4) ϭ 22.428; p Ͻ .01; comparative fit index (CFI) ϭ 0.99; normed fit index (NFI) ϭ 0.99; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) ϭ 0.98; root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) ϭ 0.06; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) ϭ 0.04), achieving partial scalar invariance across gender-same factorial structure, loadings, and thresholds in the majority of the items. Invariance across age was only achieved for model structure. Additionally, the B-PSQI yielded favorable sensitivity (75.82%) and specificity (76.99%) for classifying poor sleepers, similar to values for the full PSQI. In conclusion, the B-PSQI is a brief, reliable, and valid measure that can be used as a screening tool, allowing valid score comparisons between men and women of similar age. Public Significance StatementA Brief Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (B-PSQI) was developed to improve its efficiency and applicability. The 6-item B-PSQI is a reliable and valid tool to assess sleep quality and identify poor sleepers. The B-PSQI achieved invariance across gender, allowing valid comparisons of sleep quality between men and women of similar age. The findings highlight the efficiency of the B-PSQI and its wide potential use in assessing sleep quality.

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The Short Health Anxiety Inventory is a common screening tool for assessing health anxiety among adolescents; however, its psychometric properties and internal structure have not been evaluated within a Spanish-speaking population. The goodness of fit of four models of the latent structure of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory was tested by using confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 832 Spanish secondary school adolescents. Based on these results, the reliability of the original two-factor model was tested. Differences in health anxiety by gender and age were also examined. The results support use of the Spanish version of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory by researchers and clinicians among Spanish adolescents.