Design considerations for the migration from paper to screen-based media in current health education for older adults: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: To map the current use of paper-based and/or screen-based media for health education aimed at older people. DESIGN: A scoping review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Scoping Reviews checklist. DATA SOURCES: The search was carried out in seven databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Medline, CINAHL, ACM Guide to Computing Literature, PsycINFO), with studies available from 2012 to the date of the search in 2022, in English, Portuguese, Italian or Spanish. In addition, Google Scholar was searched to check the grey literature. The terms used in the search strategy were older adults, health education, paper and screen-based media, preferences, intervention and other related terms. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies included were those that carried out health education interventions for older individuals using paper and/or screen-based media and that described barriers and/or facilitators to using these media. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The selection of studies was carried out by two reviewers. A data extraction form was developed with the aim of extracting and recording the main information from the studies. Data were analysed descriptively using Bardin's content analysis. RESULTS: The review included 21 studies that carried out health education interventions with different purposes, the main ones being promotion of physical activity, hypertension prevention and psychological health. All 21 interventions involved screen-based media on computers, tablets, smartphones and laptops, while only 4 involved paper-based media such as booklets, brochures, diaries, flyers and drawings. This appears to reflect a transition from paper to screen-based media for health education for the older population, in research if not in practice. However, analysis of facilitators and barriers to using both media revealed 10 design factors that could improve or reduce their use, and complementarity in their application to each media type. For example, screen-based media could have multimedia content, additional functionality and interactivity through good interaction design, but have low accessibility and require additional learning due to complex interface design. Conversely, paper-based media had static content and low functionality but high accessibility and availability and a low learning cost. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend having improved screen-based media design, continued use of paper-based media and the possible combination of both media through the new augmented paper technology. REGISTRATION NUMBER: Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/GKEAH).

Enhancing Native Plant Establishment in Mine Tailings under Drought Stress Conditions through the Application of Organo-Mineral Amendments and Microbial Inoculants.

The implementation of phytoremediation strategies under arid and semiarid climates requires the use of appropriate plant species capable of withstanding multiple abiotic stresses. In this study, we assessed the combined effects of organo-mineral amendments and microbial inoculants on the chemical and biological properties of mine tailings, as well as on the growth of native plant species under drought stress conditions. Plants were cultivated in pots containing 1 kg of a mixture of mine tailings and topsoil (i.e., pre-mined superficial soil) in a 60:40 ratio, 6% marble sludge, and 10% sheep manure. Moreover, a consortium of four drought-resistant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) was inoculated. Three irrigation levels were applied: well-watered, moderate water deficit, and severe water deficit, corresponding to 80%, 45%, and 30% of field capacity, respectively. The addition of topsoil and organo-mineral amendments to mine tailings significantly improved their chemical and biological properties, which were further enhanced by bacterial inoculation and plants' establishment. Water stress negatively impacted enzymatic activities in amended tailings, resulting in a significant decrease in acid and alkaline phosphatases, urease, and dehydrogenase activities. Similar results were obtained for bacteria, fungi, and actinomycete abundance. PGPR inoculation positively influenced the availability of phosphorus, total nitrogen, and organic carbon, while it increased alkaline phosphatase, urease (by about 10%), and dehydrogenase activity (by 50%). The rhizosphere of Peganum harmala showed the highest enzymatic activity and number of culturable microorganisms, especially in inoculated treatments. Severe water deficit negatively affected plant growth, leading to a 40% reduction in the shoot biomass of both Atriplex halimus and Pennisetum setaceum compared to well-watered plants. P. harmala showed greater tolerance to water stress, evidenced by lower decreases observed in root and shoot length and dry weight compared to well-watered plants. The use of bioinoculants mitigated the negative effects of drought on P. harmala shoot biomass, resulting in an increase of up to 75% in the aerial biomass in plants exposed to severe water deficit. In conclusion, the results suggest that the combination of organo-mineral amendments, PGPR inoculation, and P. harmala represents a promising approach to enhance the phytoremediation of metal-polluted soils under semiarid conditions.

Estudio multicéntrico sobre multimorbilidad en internados en áreas clínicas / Multicenter Study on Multimorbidity in Patients in Clinical Areas

Introducción: El estudio de la comorbilidad requiere de un enfoque multilateral con vistas a mejorar la calidad de la atención de los enfermos por el sistema de atención. Objetivos: Explorar la magnitud de la comorbilidad de enfermedades crónicas en adultos internados en los hospitales. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo-observacional-longitudinal-analítico. Se incluyeron pacientes internados en las Salas de Clínica Médica o pacientes clínicos en Salas de Internación Indiscriminada. Se realizó un estudio multicéntrico en 42 centros en un período de 2 años, con un muestreo consecutivo. Para el estudio se tuvo en cuenta la estadística descriptiva, inferencial y de regresión. Resultados: El total de pacientes en el estudio fue de 5925, masculinos con el 50,3 por ciento de edad 60,66 ± 0,25 años. Principal procedencia desde la guardia el 73 por ciento. La estadía hospitalaria de 12,61 ± 0,24 días, mayormente en pacientes quirúrgicos (15,45 ± 0,67 vs 11,76 ± 0,23; p < 0,00001). El 23 por ciento recibió tratamiento quirúrgico. El principal nivel educativo: secundario completo 21,6 por ciento. Dificultades económicas: 20 por ciento, mortalidad 9,26 por ciento; prevalencia de dislipemia, diabetes e hipertensión: 22,53 por ciento; 28,82 por ciento y 51,86 por ciento con 473 nuevos diagnósticos, IMC: 27,88 ± 0,65, Charlson global 2,09 ± 0,02 y en óbitos 3,84 ± 0,11. La media de patologías por paciente fue de 2,14 ± 0,01 y aumentó con la edad (p valor regresión lineal < 0,00001). Conclusiones: La hipertensión, la diabetes y la dislipemia representaron las entidades más prevalentes en Salas de Internación Clínica, Las enfermedades cardiovasculares, respiratorias, infectológicas, oncológicas, neurológicas, metabólicas y nefrológicas fueron predictores independientes de mortalidad(AU)

Introduction: The study of comorbidity requires a multilateral approach with a view to improving the quality of care for these patients by the care system. Objectives: To explore the magnitude of the comorbidity of chronic diseases in adults admitted to hospitals. Methods: Prospective-observational-longitudinal-analytical study. Patients hospitalized in a medical clinic room or clinical patients in indiscriminate hospitalization rooms are included, Multicenter study in 42 centers, with 2 years of recruitment. Consecutive sampling. Descriptive, inferential and regression statistics. Results: 5925 recruited, male gender 50,3percent, age 60,66 ± 0,25 years, main origin from the guard 73percent, stay 12,61 ± 0,24 days, longer in surgical (15,45 ± 0,67 vs 11,76 ± 0,23, p < 0,00001), 23percent received surgical treatment. Main educational level: complete secondary school 21,6%. Economic difficulties: 20percent, mortality 9,26percent, prevalence of dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypertension: 22,53percent, 28,82percent and 51,86percent with 473 new diagnoses in said pathologies, BMI: 27,88 ± 0,65, Global Charlson 2,09 ± 0,02 and in deaths 3,84 ± 0,11. The average number of pathologies per patient was 2,14 ± 0,01 and increased with age (p value for linear regression < 0,00001). Conclusions: Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia represented the most prevalent entities in the clinical hospitalization room, cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious, oncological, neurological, metabolic and nephrological diseases were independent predictors of mortality(AU)

Effects of Nandrolone Decanoate on Skeletal Muscle and Neuromuscular Junction of Sedentary and Exercised Rats.

Background and Objectives: Nandrolone decanoate (ND) is the most widely used among the anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), synthetic substances derived from testosterone, to improve muscular and health gains associated with exercises. The AAS leads to physical performance enhancement and presents anti-aging properties, but its abuse is associated with several adverse effects. Supraphysiological doses of AAS with or without physical exercise can cause morphological and functional alterations in neuromuscular interactions. This study aims to investigate the effects of ND supraphysiological doses in neuromuscular interactions, focusing on the soleus muscle and its neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in rats, associated or not with physical exercise. Materials and Methods: Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sedentary and exercised groups, with or without ND at the dose of 10 mg/kg/week. The animals were treated for eight weeks, with intramuscular injections, and the soleus muscle was collected for morphological analyses. Results: The supraphysiological doses of ND in the sedentary group caused muscle degeneration, evidenced by splitting fibers, clusters of small fibers, irregular myofibrils, altered sarcomeres, an increase in collagen deposition and in the number of type I muscle fibers (slow-twitch) and central nuclei, as well as a decrease in fibers with peripheral nuclei. On the other hand, in the ND exercise group, there was an increase in the NMJs diameter with scattering of its acetylcholine receptors, although no major morphological changes were found in the skeletal muscle. Thus, the alterations caused by ND in sedentary rats were partially reversed by physical exercise. Conclusions: The supraphysiological ND exposure in the sedentary rats promoted an increase in muscle oxidative pattern and adverse morphological alterations in skeletal muscle, resulting from damage or post-injury regeneration. In the ND-exercised rats, no major morphological changes were found. Thus, the physical exercise partially reversed the alterations caused by ND in sedentary rats.

Eye State Detection Using Frequency Features from 1 or 2-Channel EEG.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) establish a direct communication channel between the human brain and external devices. Among various methods, electroencephalography (EEG) stands out as the most popular choice for BCI design due to its non-invasiveness, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. This paper aims to present and compare the accuracy and robustness of an EEG system employing one or two channels. We present both hardware and algorithms for the detection of open and closed eyes. Firstly, we utilize a low-cost hardware device to capture EEG activity from one or two channels. Next, we apply the discrete Fourier transform to analyze the signals in the frequency domain, extracting features from each channel. For classification, we test various well-known techniques, including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree (DT), or Logistic Regression (LR). To evaluate the system, we conduct experiments, acquiring signals associated with open and closed eyes, and compare the performance between one and two channels. The results demonstrate that employing a system with two channels and using SVM, DT, or LR classifiers enhances robustness compared to a single-channel setup and allows us to achieve an accuracy percentage greater than 95% for both eye states.

Assessment of drying conditions for storage of a yeast-based decolorization solution for application in textile industrial wastewater treatment plants.

The textile industry produces harmful effluents that are discharged into the environment, damaging the aquatic and other ecosystems. A yeast-based solution for decolorization of textile industrial wastewater was produced and evaluated. Three yeast strains, Candida parapsilosis (HOMOGS20B), Yarrowia lipolytica (HOMOGST27AB) and Candida pseudoglaebosa (LIIIS36B), isolated from a textile wastewater treatment plant and previously selected for their dye decolorization capacity, were freeze-dried. Additionally, Yarrowia lipolytica (HOMOGST27AB) was also spray-dried. Skim milk powder and maltodextrin were used as cell protectors, and the freeze-dried products were stored at cold (4 °C) and room temperature for 210 days. The viability of the yeast cells and their decolorization capacity over time were assessed. Dried yeast cells maintained their viability, and decolorization capacity for at least 90 days of storage after spray- and freeze-drying with both cell-protecting agents. The dried yeast-based solution for decolorizing textile industrial wastewater combines stability, efficiency, and convenience of production for application in real industrial facilities.

Percepão do enfermeiro na promoção de consulta de enfermagem de saúde familiar: Relatório Final de estágio / Relatório Final de estágio: Percepão do enfermeiro na promoção de consulta de enfermagem de saúde familiar / Nurse's perception in promoting family health nursing consultation: Final internship report

As famílias em Portugal foram confrontadas com desafios pessoais, sociais e de saúde para os quais não estavam preparadas. A sociedade na atualidade, em rápida transformação e evolução, constrangida por acontecimentos como a pandemia COVID-19, a guerra na Ucrânia e outros acontecimentos, colocam enormes desafios às famílias e à profissão de enfermagem. Os dados demográficos em Portugal, fornecidos pelos Censos 2021, descrevem uma população envelhecida, mais vulnerável e com mais necessidade de cuidados (INE, 2021). O enfermeiro especialista em enfermagem de saúde familiar desenvolve a consulta, efetua a avaliação da família, identifica e implementa as intervenções de enfermagem adequadas, numa visão sistémica, de modo a desempenhar cuidados de excelência. As unidades funcionais dos cuidados de saúde primários, têm a responsabilidade de assegurar recursos humanos, condições físicas e disponibilidade de tempo que permitam o desenvolvimento da consulta de enfermagem de saúde familiar. Partindo desta premissa considerou-se pertinente conhecer a percepção dos enfermeiros de família na promoção da consulta de enfermagem de saúde familiar, que motivou a realização do presente estudo de investigação e contribuiu para a consecução dos objetivos do estágio, desenvolvido na Unidade de Saúde Familiar Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro (USF RBP). Após a caracterização do contexto da prática clínica de enfermagem de família, referente ao estágio na USF RBP, é apresentada a fundamentação teórica, a reflexão crítica das actividades para a aquisição de competências do enfermeiro especialista nesta área, terminando com o trabalho de investigação, seguido da sua discussão e implicações para a prática clínica. Objetivo: Conhecer a percepção do enfermeiro de família acerca da promoção da consulta de enfermagem de saúde familiar. Estratégia de pesquisa: Revisão Integrativa da Literatura. Mnemónica PICo: População (P) - enfermeiro de família; Intervenção (I) - percepção dos enfermeiros sobre a consulta de enfermagem; Contexto (Co) - cuidados de saúde primários. A extração de dados foi realizada por dois revisores independentes, assim como a sua análise e síntese. Foram considerados diferentes estudos quanto à sua metodologia, de 2017 a 2022, escritos em português, inglês, francês e espanhol. A pesquisa foi realizada através do portal EBSCO, de modo a aceder às bases de dados CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, Nursing & Allied Health Collection e Mediclatina. As pesquisas na biblioteca virtual da SciELO não obtiveram artigos de acordo com os critérios de inclusão e com os descritores utilizados. Apresentação e interpretação dos resultados: Identificaram-se 241 artigos, tendo sido excluídos 57 por serem duplicados. Permaneceram 184. Após a leitura dos títulos foram excluídos 144. Procedeu-se então à leitura reflexiva dos títulos e resumos dos quais foram excluídos 33 por não responderem aos critérios de inclusão. Ficaram 7 artigos para a elegibilidade, sendo que após a leitura integral dos mesmos, 5 não responderam à questão PICo formulada. Após este processo restaram 2 artigos para avaliação metodológica. Conclusão: Os enfermeiros descrevem fatores facilitadores e obstáculos na promoção da consulta de enfermagem. Como facilitadores: Enfermeiro como elemento estratégico na equipa de saúde para a capacitação das famílias; Adequadas condições físicas das instalações e suficientes recursos humanos; Enfermeiro ser detentor e confiante no desempenho de competências específicas; Reconhecimento pelos pares e pela comunidade, pela aquisição de resultados positivos no desempenho dos enfermeiros especialistas. Como obstáculos: Dificuldade do enfermeiro em manter o foco de cuidados na família; Sistemas informáticos com inadequada parametrização de dados mínimos; Sobrecarga de horário de trabalho; Burocracias atribuídas ao enfermeiro que não pertencem à sua esfera de competências. Implicações na prática clínica: Incentivar as unidades funcionais a investir na formação contínua no âmbito da intervenção à família; Recursos humanos e físicos adequados; Sistemas de informação padronizados; Criação de protocolos de consulta baseados num modelo conceptual de enfermagem; Elaboração de indicadores de resultados sensíveis aos cuidados de enfermagem à família; Mais Investigação na área de enfermagem de saúde familiar.

Families in Portugal were faced with personal, social and health challenges for which they were not prepared. Today's society, in rapid transformation and evolution, constrained by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other events, poses enormous challenges to families and the nursing profession. Demographic data in Portugal, provided by the 2021 Census, describe an aging population, more vulnerable and in greater need of care (INE, 2021). The nurse specialist in family health nursing develops the consultation, carries out the family assessment, identifies and implements appropriate nursing interventions, from a systemic perspective, in order to provide excellent care. The functional units of primary health care are responsible for ensuring human resources, physical conditions and time availability that allow the development of family health nursing consultations. Based on this premise, it was considered pertinent to know the perception of family nurses in promoting family health nursing consultations, which motivated the carrying out of this research study and contributed to achieving the objectives of the internship, developed at the Rafael Family Health Unit. Bordalo Pinheiro (USF RBP). After characterizing the context of family nursing clinical practice, referring to the internship at USF RBP, the theoretical foundation is presented, as well as critical reflection on the activities for the acquisition of specialist nurse skills in this area, ending with research work, followed by its discussion and implications for clinical practice. Objective: To understand the perception of family nurses regarding the promotion of family health nursing consultations. Research strategy: Integrative Literature Review. PICo Mnemonic: Population (P) - family nurse; Intervention (I) - nurses' perception of the nursing consultation; Context (Co) - primary health care. Data extraction was carried out by two independent reviewers, as well as analysis and synthesis. Different studies were considered regarding their methodology, from 2017 to 2022, written in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. The search was carried out through the EBSCO portal, in order to access the CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, Nursing & Allied Health Collection and Mediclatina databases. Searches in the SciELO virtual library did not obtain articles in accordance with the inclusion criteria and the descriptors used. Presentation and interpretation of results: 241 articles were identified, 57 of which were excluded for being duplicates. 184 remained. After reading the titles, 144 were excluded. We then proceeded to a reflective reading of the titles and abstracts, of which 33 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. There were 7 articles left for eligibility, and after reading them in full, 5 did not answer the PICo question asked. After this process, 2 articles remained for methodological evaluation. Conclusion: Nurses describe facilitating factors and obstacles in promoting nursing consultation. As facilitators: Nurse as a strategic element in the health team to empower families; Adequate physical conditions of the facilities and sufficient human resources; Nurses have and are confident in performing specific skills; Recognition by peers and the community, for the acquisition of positive results in the performance of specialist nurses. Obstacles include: Difficulty for nurses to maintain the focus of care on the family; Computer systems with inadequate minimum data parameterization; Overload of working hours; Bureaucracies attributed to nurses that do not belong to their sphere of competence. Implications for clinical practice: Encourage functional units to invest in ongoing training within the scope of family intervention; Adequate human and physical resources; Standardized information systems; Creation of consultation protocols based on a conceptual nursing model; Development of results indicators sensitive to family nursing care; More Research in the area of family health nursing.

Impact of soybean-associated plant growth-promoting bacteria on plant growth modulation under alkaline soil conditions.

Conventional strategies to manage iron (Fe) deficiency still present drawbacks, and more eco-sustainable solutions are needed. Knowledge on soybean-specific diversity and functional traits of their plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) potentiates their applicability as bioinoculants to foster soybean performance under calcareous soil conditions. This work aimed to assess the efficacy of PGPB, retrieved from soybean tissues/rhizosphere, in enhancing plant growth and development as well as crop yield under alkaline soil conditions. Seventy-six bacterial strains were isolated from shoots (18%), roots (53%), and rhizosphere (29%) of soybean. Twenty-nine genera were identified, with Bacillus and Microbacterium being the most predominant. Based on distinct plant growth-promoting traits, the endophyte Bacillus licheniformis P2.3 and the rhizobacteria Bacillus aerius S2.14 were selected as bioinoculants. In vivo tests showed that soybean photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll content, total fresh weight, and Fe concentrations were not significantly affected by bioinoculation. However, inoculation with B. licheniformis P2.3 increased pod number (33%) and the expression of Fe-related genes (FRO2, IRT1, F6'H1, bHLH38, and FER4), and decreased FC-R activity (45%). Moreover, bioinoculation significantly affected Mn, Zn, and Ca accumulation in plant tissues. Soybean harbors several bacterial strains in their tissues and in the rhizosphere with capacities related to Fe nutrition and plant growth promotion. The strain B. licheniformis P2.3 showed the best potential to be incorporated in bioinoculant formulations for enhancing soybean performance under alkaline soil conditions.

Regulating liminality: Making sense of the vegetative state and defining the limits of end-of-life action.

Persistently alive but unaware, vegetative state patients are stuck in the transition between life and death - that is, in a liminal hotspot. This condition raises complex ethical and legal dilemmas concerning end-of-life action. Drawing on social representations (SRs) and the liminality framework, our research investigated how the vegetative state was constructed within the Italian parliamentary debates discussing end-of-life bills (2009-2017). We aimed to understand (1) how political groups represented the vegetative state, (2) how they legitimised different end-of-life bills and (3) came to terms with the issue of liminal hotspots. By dialogically analysing three debates (No. of interventions = 98), we identified six themes and discursive aims allowing parliamentarians to differently represent the vegetative state and support different courses of action. In turn, we identified new features of the psycho-social processes generating SRs: the dialogical tensions between anchoring and de-anchoring. Results corroborated the idea that de-paradoxifying liminality relies on group sense-making and, thus, different political leanings differently addressed the liminality of the vegetative state. We also reveal a novel feature of dealing with liminal hotspots informing the psycho-social literature that applies when a decision needs to be taken, such as in the case of crafting a law: moving from the paradox.

Paper and screen media in current health education practices aimed at older adults: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: With technological advancement and the COVID-19 pandemic, paper-based media are giving way to screen-based media to promote healthy ageing. However, there is no review available covering paper and screen media use by older people, so the objective of this review is to map the current use of paper-based and/or screen-based media for health education aimed at older people. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The literature will be searched in Scopus, Web of Science, Medline, Embase, Cinahl, The ACM Guide to Computing Literature and Psyinfo databases. Studies in English, Portuguese, Italian or Spanish published from 2012 to the date of the search will be examined. In addition, an additional strategy will be carried out, which will be a Google Scholar search, in which the first 300 studies according to Google's relevance algorithm will be verified. The terms used in the search strategy will be focused on older adults, health education, paper-based and screen-based media, preferences, intervention and other related terms. This review will include studies where the average age of the participants was 60 years or older and were users of health education strategies through paper-based or screen-based media. Two reviewers will carry out the selection of studies in five steps: identification of studies and removal of duplicates, pilot test, selection by reading titles and abstracts, full-text inclusion and search for additional sources. A third reviewer will resolve disagreements. To record information from the included studies, a data extraction form will be used. The quantitative data will be presented in a descriptive way and the qualitative data through Bardin's content analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not applicable to the scoping review. The results will be disseminated through presentations at significant scientific events and published in journals in the area. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Open science framework (DOI: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/GKEAH).

Bioremediation of coastal aquaculture effluents spiked with florfenicol using microalgae-based granular sludge - a promising solution for recirculating aquaculture systems.

Aquaculture is a crucial industry in the agri-food sector, but it is linked to serious environmental problems. There is a need for efficient treatment systems that allow water recirculation to mitigate pollution and water scarcity. This work aimed to evaluate the self-granulation process of a microalgae-based consortium and its capacity to bioremediate coastal aquaculture streams that sporadically contain the antibiotic florfenicol (FF). A photo-sequencing batch reactor was inoculated with an autochthonous phototrophic microbial consortium and was fed with wastewater mimicking coastal aquaculture streams. A rapid granulation process occurred within ca. 21 days, accompanied by a substantially increase of extracellular polymeric substances in the biomass. The developed microalgae-based granules exhibited high and stable organic carbon removal (83-100%). Sporadically wastewater contained FF which was partially removed (ca. 5.5-11.4%) from the effluent. In periods of FF load, the ammonium removal slightly decreased (from 100 to ca. 70%), recovering 2 days after FF feeding ceased. A high-chemical quality effluent was obtained, complying with ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate concentrations for water recirculation within a coastal aquaculture farm, even during FF feeding periods. Members belonging to the Chloroidium genus were predominant in the reactor inoculum (ca. 99%) but were replaced from day-22 onwards by an unidentified microalga from the phylum Chlorophyta (>61%). A bacterial community proliferated in the granules after reactor inoculation, whose composition varied in response to feeding conditions. Bacteria from the Muricauda and Filomicrobium genera, Rhizobiaceae, Balneolaceae, and Parvularculaceae families, thrived upon FF feeding. This study demonstrates the robustness of microalgae-based granular systems for aquaculture effluent bioremediation, even during periods of FF loading, highlighting their potential as a feasible and compact solution in recirculation aquaculture systems.

GALIPDIA study: Reaching lipid targets in a population with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) from the Northwest of Spain.

AIM: To assess the degree of compliance with the European ESC/EAS 2016 and 2019 dyslipidaemia guidelines in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study, conducted in 380 adults with T2DM and dyslipidaemia in 7 Spanish health areas. INCLUSION CRITERIA: minimum follow-up of one year in Endocrinology Units, at least one visit in 2020 and a lipid profile measurement in the last 3 months. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: familial hypercholesterolaemia, recent hospitalisation, active oncological pathology and dialysis. RESULTS: According to the 2016 and 2019 guidelines the majority of patients were classified as being at very high cardiovascular risk (86.8% vs. 72.1%, respectively). LDL-c compliance was adequate in 62.1% of patients according to the 2016 guidelines and 39.7% according to the 2019 guidelines (p<0.001). Clinical conditions such as history of cardiovascular disease and therapy-related aspects (use of statins, especially high-potency statins, combination therapies and good adherence) were significantly associated with greater achievement of lipid targets. CONCLUSION: There is a discrepancy between dyslipidaemia guideline recommendations and the reality of lipid control in patients with T2DM, despite most of these patients being at very high cardiovascular risk. Strategies to optimise lipid-lowering treatments need to be implemented.

USTEKINUMAB IN CROHN'S DISEASE MANAGEMENT: A BRAZILIAN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Real-world data on the use of Ustekinumab (UST) in Brazilian and Latin American patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The primary endpoint was assessment of clinical remission at weeks 8 and 52, and secondary endpoints were: assessment of clinical response at weeks 8 and 52, endoscopic remission, adverse events, and rates of CD-related abdominal surgery during follow-up. METHODS: observational and retrospective study, including patients with CD treated at two centers, who received UST at any time during their treatment. Remission and clinical response were defined as a Harvey-Bradshaw index ≤4 and ≥3 points reduction, respectively. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included, 85.1% previously exposed to anti-TNFs. Clinical remission was observed in 45.8% and 59.4% of patients at weeks 8 and 52, respectively. The clinical response rates were 54.2% and 67.6% at weeks 8 and 52. Endoscopic remission was observed in 21.8% of patients. Seventeen patients had adverse events, mostly mild infections, with 22.9% of patients undergoing abdominal surgery (ileocolectomy being the most common procedure). CONCLUSION: UST therapy resulted in significant rates of remission and clinical response, as described in other real-world studies. Few patients had adverse events during treatment, showing its adequate safety profile.

Ustequinumabe no manejo da doença de Crohn: um estudo observacional brasileiro / Ustekinumab in crohn's disease management: a brazilian observational study

ABSTRACT Background: Real-world data on the use of Ustekinumab (UST) in Brazilian and Latin American patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are scarce. Objective: The primary endpoint was assessment of clinical remission at weeks 8 and 52, and secondary endpoints were: assessment of clinical response at weeks 8 and 52, endoscopic remission, adverse events, and rates of CD-related abdominal surgery during follow-up. Methods: observational and retrospective study, including patients with CD treated at two centers, who received UST at any time during their treatment. Remission and clinical response were defined as a Harvey-Bradshaw index ≤4 and ≥3 points reduction, respectively. Results: Seventy-four patients were included, 85.1% previously exposed to anti-TNFs. Clinical remission was observed in 45.8% and 59.4% of patients at weeks 8 and 52, respectively. The clinical response rates were 54.2% and 67.6% at weeks 8 and 52. Endoscopic remission was observed in 21.8% of patients. Seventeen patients had adverse events, mostly mild infections, with 22.9% of patients undergoing abdominal surgery (ileocolectomy being the most common procedure). Conclusion UST therapy resulted in significant rates of remission and clinical response, as described in other real-world studies. Few patients had adverse events during treatment, showing its adequate safety profile.

RESUMO Contexto: Dados de vida real sobre o uso de Ustequinumabe (UST) em pacientes brasileiros e latino-americanos com doença de Crohn (DC) são escassos. Objetivo: O desfecho primário foi a avaliação da remissão clínica nas semanas 8 e 52, e os desfechos secundários foram: avaliação da resposta clínica nas semanas 8 e 52, remissão endoscópica, eventos adversos e taxas de cirurgia abdominal relacionada à DC durante o seguimento. Métodos: Estudo observacional e retrospectivo, incluindo pacientes com DC tratados em dois centros, que receberam UST em qualquer momento do tratamento. A remissão e a resposta clínica foram definidas como índice de Harvey-Bradshaw ≤4 e ≥3 pontos de redução, respectivamente. Resultados: Foram incluídos 74 pacientes, 85,1% previamente expostos a anti-TNFs. A remissão clínica foi observada em 45,8% e 59,4% dos pacientes nas semanas 8 e 52, respectivamente. As taxas de resposta clínica foram de 54,2% e 67,6% nas semanas 8 e 52. A remissão endoscópica foi observada em 21,8% dos pacientes. Dezessete pacientes apresentaram eventos adversos, principalmente infecções leves, sendo 22,9% dos pacientes submetidos à cirurgia abdominal (sendo a ileocolectomia o procedimento mais comum). Conclusão: A terapia com UST resultou em taxas significativas de remissão e resposta clínica, conforme descrito em outros estudos do mundo real. Poucos pacientes apresentaram eventos adversos durante o tratamento, mostrando seu adequado perfil de segurança.

Biodegradation and Metabolic Pathway of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Thiamethoxam by Labrys portucalensis F11.

Thiamethoxam (TMX) is an effective neonicotinoid insecticide. However, its widespread use is detrimental to non-targeted organisms and water systems. This study investigates the biodegradation of this insecticide by Labrys portucalensis F11. After 30 days of incubation in mineral salt medium, L. portucalensis F11 was able to remove 41%, 35% and 100% of a supplied amount of TMX (10.8 mg L-1) provided as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, the sole carbon and sulfur source and as the sole carbon source, respectively. Periodic feeding with sodium acetate as the supplementary carbon source resulted in faster degradation of TMX (10.8 mg L-1); more than 90% was removed in 3 days. The detection and identification of biodegradation intermediates was performed by UPLC-QTOF/MS/MS. The chemical structure of 12 metabolites is proposed. Nitro reduction, oxadiazine ring cleavage and dechlorination are the main degradation pathways proposed. After biodegradation, toxicity was removed as indicated using Aliivibrio fischeri and by assessing the synthesis of an inducible ß-galactosidase by an E. coli mutant (Toxi-Chromo test). L. portucalensis F11 was able to degrade TMX under different conditions and could be effective in bioremediation strategies.

Valorization of Brewery Waste through Polyhydroxyalkanoates Production Supported by a Metabolic Specialized Microbiome.

Raw brewers' spent grain (BSG), a by-product of beer production and produced at a large scale, presents a composition that has been shown to have potential as feedstock for several biological processes, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production. Although the high interest in the PHA production from waste, the bioconversion of BSG into PHA using microbial mixed cultures (MMC) has not yet been explored. This study explored the feasibility to produce PHA from BSG through the enrichment of a mixed microbial culture in PHA-storing organisms. The increase in organic loading rate (OLR) was shown to have only a slight influence on the process performance, although a high selectivity in PHA-storing microorganisms accumulation was reached. The culture was enriched on various PHA-storing microorganisms, such as bacteria belonging to the Meganema, Carnobacterium, Leucobacter, and Paracocccus genera. The enrichment process led to specialization of the microbiome, but the high diversity in PHA-storing microorganisms could have contributed to the process stability and efficiency, allowing for achieving a maximum PHA content of 35.2 ± 5.5 wt.% (VSS basis) and a yield of 0.61 ± 0.09 CmmolPHA/CmmolVFA in the accumulation assays. Overall, the production of PHA from fermented BSG is a feasible process confirming the valorization potential of the feedstock through the production of added-value products.

Mapping features and patterns of accelerometry data on human movement in different age groups and associated health problems: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Human movement is considered one of the important factors for maintaining an independent life. Individuals in different age groups have different characteristics of locomotion patterns and some health conditions can affect or be affected by mobility changes. Few studies clarify or present data about the influence of different ages and biopsychosocial factors on accelerometry features. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics and variables in the frequency signals for different age groups and their relationship with associated health conditions in raw accelerometry data obtained from the use of a triaxial accelerometer during 7 days of activities of daily living. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the database of the first evaluations of the Epidemiological Study of Movement (EPIMOV) cohort. Frequency, signal amplitude, and entropy accelerometry features of EPIMOV participants who used a triaxial accelerometer for 7 days were extracted. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric and physical activity assessments were also performed. Two-way ANOVA was performed to compare accelerometry features within different age groups. A series of stepwise multiple regressions were performed on accelerometry variables to analyze their relationships with demographic, anthropometric and cardiovascular risk variables. RESULTS: The sample consisted mostly of female, white, and high school graduates. The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were sedentary behavior and obesity. When analyzing the accelerometry variables, it was possible to observe that the entropy feature, and the counts, decrease in the group of older adults, while the feature of harmonic components of gait (frequency × amplitude) increases in the group of older adults. Regarding the amplitude feature, there were no significant differences between the groups. Through stepwise multiple linear regression, it was possible to observe that demographic, anthropometric and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with most accelerometry variables. CONCLUSION: The results confirm that human movement can be influenced by different ages, sex, demographic, anthropometric and cardiovascular risk factors. Future studies and clinical analyzes can use the methods proposed in this research to adjust movement patterns for sex and different age groups, thus obtaining new interpretations about human movement.

Microalgae-bacterial biomass outperforms PN-anammox biomass for oxygen saving in continuous-flow granular reactors facing extremely low-strength freshwater aquaculture streams.

The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in water streams is one of the most important and critical quality parameters in aquaculture farms. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of two Continuous Flow Granular Reactors, one based on Partial Nitrification-Anammox biomass (Aquammox CFGR) and the other on Microalgae-Bacteria biomass (AquaMab CFGR), for improving dissolved oxygen availability in the recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). Both reactors treated the extremely low-strength effluents from a freshwater trout farm (1.39 mg NH4+-N/L and 7.7 mg TOC/L). The Aquammox CFGR, removed up to 68% and 100% of ammonium and nitrite, respectively, but the DO concentration in the effluent was below 1 mg O2/L while the anammox activity was not maintained. In the AquaMab CFGR, bioaugmentation of aerobic granules with microalgae was attained, producing an effluent with DO concentrations up to 9 mg O2/L and removed up to 77% and 80% of ammonium and nitrite, respectively, which is expected to reduce the aeration costs in fish farms.

Strengthening strategies food security and food sovereignty with the emergence of covid-19 in Colombia / Estrategias de fortalecimiento de la seguridad y soberanía alimentaria en medio del covid-19 en Colombia

In the midst of the health emergency caused by COVID-19 in Colombia, strategies have been generated to strengthen food security and sovereignty. Among the mechanisms adopted by urban and rural communities and local governments are alternative ways of obtaining food, one of which is trueque, which allows the exchange of food produced by peasants between territories. In Bogota, mercados campesinos have been strengthened, which have made it possible to bring food produced by peasants in Tolima, Meta and Boyacá to urban households, promoting short marketing circuits and fair payment to producers. In spite of these alternatives, the demonstrations to make visible the hunger of the households emerged the trapos rojos (red rags) in the houses, which have alerted about the situation of a good part of Colombians and have encouraged solidarity among neighbors. The position of academia has been avant-garde, directly involving peasants in processes to guarantee the right to food in Colombia.

En medio de la emergencia sanitaria producida por la COVID-19 en Colombia se han generado estrategias para el fortalecimiento de la seguridad y soberanía alimentaria. Dentro de los mecanismos adoptados por las comunidades urbanas y rurales y los gobiernos locales se encuentran formas alternativas en la obtención de alimentos, una de ellas es el trueque, el cual permite intercambiar alimentos producidos por las y los campesinos entre territorios. En Bogotá se han estado fortaleciendo los mercados campesinos, los que han permitido llevar a los hogares urbanos alimentos producidos por las y los campesinos en Tolima, Meta y Boyacá fomentando los circuitos cortos de comercialización y el pago justo a los productores. A pesar de estas alternativas, las manifestaciones para visibilizar el hambre de los hogares surgieron como trapos rojos en las puertas y ventanas de las casas, los que han alertado sobre la situación de buena parte de colombianos y han alentado la solidaridad entre vecinos. La posición de la academia ha sido vanguardista vinculando de manera directa a las y los campesinos en procesos por la garantía del derecho a la alimentación en Colombia.

Biodegradation and Metabolic Pathway of 17ß-Estradiol by Rhodococcus sp. ED55.

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the environment are considered a motif of concern, due to the widespread occurrence and potential adverse ecological and human health effects. The natural estrogen, 17ß-estradiol (E2), is frequently detected in receiving water bodies after not being efficiently removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), promoting a negative impact for both the aquatic ecosystem and human health. In this study, the biodegradation of E2 by Rhodococcus sp. ED55, a bacterial strain isolated from sediments of a discharge point of WWTP in Coloane, Macau, was investigated. Rhodococcus sp. ED55 was able to completely degrade 5 mg/L of E2 in 4 h in a synthetic medium. A similar degradation pattern was observed when the bacterial strain was used in wastewater collected from a WWTP, where a significant improvement in the degradation of the compound occurred. The detection and identification of 17 metabolites was achieved by means of UPLC/ESI/HRMS, which proposed a degradation pathway of E2. The acute test with luminescent marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri revealed the elimination of the toxicity of the treated effluent and the standardized yeast estrogenic (S-YES) assay with the recombinant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed a decrease in the estrogenic activity of wastewater samples after biodegradation.