Application of Machine Learning to Characterize the Permeate Quality in Pilot-Scale Vacuum-Assisted Air Gap Membrane Distillation Operation.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermal desalination technique proposed for the valorization of residual brines that other operations such as reverse osmosis cannot treat. Previous studies have shown that vacuum-assisted air gap (V-AGMD) operation in commercial multi-envelope modules improves the performance of MD noticeably. However, the permeate quality at pilot scale has not been thoroughly characterized so far. The aim of this study is, therefore, to assess and model the effect of the main operating conditions (feed flow rate, inlet temperatures, and feed salinity) on the permeate quality. Results from different steady-state experiments allowed to estimate descriptive metrics such as the salt rejection factor (SRF) and the membrane leak ratio (MLR). Given their non-linear behavior, these metrics were subsequently modeled using artificial neural networks (ANN) to estimate the permeate quality in the whole scope of operating conditions. Acceptable SRF results with MLR values lower than 0.2% confirmed the validity of MD as an operation for the treatment of concentrated brines, although the salinity of the resulting permeate does not comply in all cases with that permitted for human consumption.

Alcohol Consumption in Nursing Students after the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health issue that can negatively affect behavior among university students. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of alcohol consumption in nursing students as well as to describe the pattern of alcohol consumption after COVID-19 lockdown. A descriptive, cross-sectional observational study was carried out, in which 1162 degree-level nursing students were evaluated. Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles and levels of physical activity were determined using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and alcohol consumption was determined using the ISCA (Systematized Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire) and AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Test) questionnaires. According to the AUDIT questionnaire, 36.7% of the students met the criteria for excessive alcohol consumption (26.8% men vs. 39.9% women; p < 0.001). The prevalence of hazardous drinkers was found to be 10.2% (95% CI 5.6-11.7), with the difference between men and women being statistically significant. The IPAQ-SF questionnaire indicated that 26.1% of students were sedentary. No relationship was observed between alcohol consumption and the level of physical activity. The frequency of hazardous drinkers was significantly higher in women (OR: 2.2) and in smokers (OR: 4.2). In conclusion, approximately 10% of nursing students can be considered hazardous drinkers, with significant differences between the sexes. The percentage is higher in women and in smokers. Strategies should be created that encourage healthy lifestyles, emphasizing preventive activities against excessive alcohol consumption. Furthermore, given the differences in excessive alcohol consumption between men and women, it would be advisable to include the gender perspective in these activities.

Prevalence of Depression and Related Factors among Patients with Chronic Disease during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The management of chronic diseases in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is especially challenging, and reducing potential psychological harm is essential. This review aims to determine the prevalence of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with chronic disease, and to characterize the impacts of related factors. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The meta-analysis was performed using StatsDirect software. The review identified 33 articles with a total of 50,905 patients with chronic diseases. Four meta-analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of depression. In diabetic patients, the prevalence ranged from 17% (95% CI = 7-31) (PHQ-9) to 33% (95% CI = 16-51) (PHQ-8); in obese patients, the prevalence was 48% (95% CI = 26-71); and in hypertensive patients, the prevalence was 18% (95% CI = 13-24). The factors significantly associated with depression were female sex, being single, deterioration in the clinical parameters of diabetes, a decrease in self-care behavior, reduced physical activity and sleep time and fear of contagion. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased levels of depression among persons with chronic disease. Pandemics and other emergency events have a major impact on mental health, so early psychological interventions and health management policies are needed to reinforce chronic patients' physical and mental health.

Development and Validation of a Novel Ultra-Compact and Cost-Effective Device for Basic Hands-On CPR Training: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled, Blinded Trial.

To examine the performance of a novel low-cost, ultra-compact, and attractive auditory feedback device for training laypeople in external chest compressions (ECCs), we conducted a quasi-experimental cross-sectional study from September to November 2021 at the Faculty of Nursing of Albacete, University of Castille-La Mancha, Spain. The ECC sequence was performed in the laboratory with the new device for basic hands-on CPR training. Results: One hundred college students were included in this study. The compression rate/min with the new device was 97.6, and the adequate %ECC was 52.4. According to the status of body mass index (BMI) and muscle strength of the upper limbs in the bivariate analysis, it was observed that the new device discriminated between those who performed correct ECCs according to their BMI and muscle strength and those who did not, which led to significantly influenced results in terms of the percentage of ECCs with correct depth. Conclusions: The new ultra-compact auditory feedback device "Salvando a Llanetes®" demonstrated utility for teaching and learning ECCs in basic CPR. We can affirm that the analyzed device is an adequate, safe and economical method for teaching "CPR Hands-Only™" to the general population.

Effect of Antioxidant Supplementation on Markers of Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage after Strength Exercise: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effect of antioxidant consumption on markers of oxidative stress and muscle damage after performing a muscle strength exercise. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements were followed. Four databases were used: Scopus, PubMed, WOS and SportDiscus. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. RESULTS: A total of 1709 articles were retrieved and following duplicate removal and application of exclusion criteria seven articles were reviewed. Supplementation with pomegranate juice alleviates oxidative stress, taurine reduces muscle damage, melatonin protects the skeletal muscles, blueberries decrease oxidation and oats mitigate muscle damage. CONCLUSIONS: Acute administration of antioxidants immediately before or during an exercise session can have beneficial effects, such as delay of fatigue and a reduction in the recovery period. Administration of antioxidant susbtances may reduce muscle damage and oxidative stress markers.

Can strength exercise affect the muscle oxygen saturation response?

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to describe and compare the acute response of muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) and hemoglobin concentration (Hgb) in the vastus lateralis (VL) during resistance exercise protocols until failure. METHODS: Sixteen males were considered (mean ± SD, age = 36.12 ± 6.40 years). Two familiarization sessions and one evaluation session were carried out where three force protocols were executed in the VL, one of them was isometric load (P1) and two of dynamic load (P2 and P3). SmO2 [%] and Hgb [g/dL] were measured before and after each of these protocols. For P1, three series of 8 s of maximum isometric strength with the rest of 60 s between each set, the average isometric strength (AIS), and the isometric peak strength (IPS) were also recorded. After five minutes, P2 was performed, with an initial load of 40% of AIS. Then, at 30 minutes, P3 was performed considering an initial load of 40% of IPS. RESULTS: The results suggest (I) minimum levels of SmO2 (66.31 ± 9.38%) and Hgb (12.22 ± 0.55 g/dL) during P2, (II) no significant differences were observed between the average loads of the respective protocols for SmO2 and (III) muscle Hgb differed significantly between rest with P1 and P3. CONCLUSIONS: Exercises of increasing intensity and of short duration do not significantly modify SmO2. However, Hgb increases substantially compared baseline values.

Changes in Muscle Oxygen Saturation Measured Using Wireless Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Resistance Training: A Systematic Review.

Background: This study aimed to report, through a systematic review of the literature, the baseline and final reference values obtained by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) during resistance training in healthy adults. Methods: Original research studies were searched from four databases (Scopus, PubMed, WOS, and SportDiscus). Subsequently, three independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts, followed by full-text reviews to assess the studies' eligibility. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria, data were extracted and methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black scale. Muscle oxygen saturation (% SmO2) during reported muscle strength exercises showed a decreasing trend after a muscle strength protocol; that is, before the protocol (range = 68.07-77.9%) and after (range = 9.50-46.09%). Conclusions: The trend of the SmO2 variables is to decrease after a muscle strength protocol. Studies are lacking that allow expanding the use of these devices during this type of training.

Parental Perception of Weight and Feeding Practices in SchoolChildren: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Childhood obesity has become a public health problem. Parents play an important role in the transmission of feeding habits and the detection of their child's weight status. The aim was to analyse the prevalence of overweight/obesity and to determine the relationship between children's weight status, different feeding practices and weight misperception. A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected schools. The children's weight status was measured, and a questionnaire was used to identify the feeding practices applied by parents and their perception of their children's weight. The sample comprised 127 children aged 4 and 5 years and 189 aged 10 and 11. Differences were observed between parental feeding practices and weight status, monitoring being the most used practice. Parents use less pressure to eat and more restriction if their children have overweight or obesity. Misperception of weight was 39.6%, being higher in overweight children, who were perceived as normal weight in 53.19%. Children classified as obese were perceived as overweight in 88.23%. The use of inappropriate eating practices shows a need for health education in parents according to weight status. In addition, the parents' perception should be improved to increase early detection of overweight and start actions or seek professional help.

Analysis of compliance of the criteria recommended by the European resucitation council in first aid books published in Spanish.

AIMS: Analyse the compliance of criteria recommended by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) in the layperson First Aid (FA) and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) books published in Spanish. METHODS: A review of FA literature published in Spain, carried out through a systematic literature search procedure. We drew up a checklist with clarifications, based on different responses to twenty categories published in November 2015 by the ERC. The validity of the questions was analysed using the Fleiss' Kappa measure of inter-rater reliability, with a value >0.7 being deemed valid and questions displaying the lowest level of agreement being excluded. RESULTS: Eight texts obtained from the limited search of materials published between 2016-2020 in the ISBN 13 database were analysed. Evaluation of eight texts ranging from 47 to 328 pages in length showed that only three included the upgraded 2015 CPR recommendations. Twenty categories/items were analysed, after exclusion of categories/items that displayed a low consistency. None of the handbooks was in total compliance with the new CPR recommendations, and only one included 70% of the recommendations. Seven categories were included in more than 50% of the texts, and nine categories were not included in any of them. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap between the 2015 CPR recommendations and those published in Spanish FA handbooks. The ERC Guidelines should serve to standardise FA and CPR training materials. Systematic analysis of compliance with scientific societies' recommendations for FA handbooks enables detection of guidelines and patterns that need to be updated and adapted.

Eficacy of Cryotherapy in the Prevention of Oral Mucosistis in Adult Patients with Chemotherapy.

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common side effect of cancer therapies. It causes ulcerative, painful lesions in the oral cavity that can provoke malnutrition, increased risk of infection, longer hospital stays, and seriously affect the quality of life. Cooling the mucosa with oral cryotherapy (OC) during and/or after chemotherapy is the most accessible and tolerable intervention available. The aim of this study is to define the efficacy of OC for preventing OM induced by chemotherapy/radiotherapy in adult patients with cancer. Secondary endpoints include associated problems as pain. A systematic search was performed using the Pubmed, WOS (Web of Science), Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and BVS databases for articles published up to 2010. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, a total of eight articles were analyzed in this review. In seven of the eight articles, the incidence of OM of all grades was significantly lower in the OC group compared with the no-OC group. Use of opioids and level of pain were also significantly reduced. OC is an effective intervention to reduce the incidence of OM induced by chemotherapy as well as the associated severity and pain. Based on these results, OC with only water or with chamomile, associated or not with other mouthwash therapies, is an effective intervention to reduce the incidence of OM induced by chemotherapy as well as the associated severity and pain.

Reliability of Low-Cost Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Determination of Muscular Oxygen Saturation and Hemoglobin Concentration during Rest, Isometric and Dynamic Strength Activity.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to establish the reliability of the Humon Hex near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in determining muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) and hemoglobin concentration (Hgb) at rest and during isometric and dynamic strength exercises using a functional electromechanical dynamometer (FEMD). METHODS: The SmO2 and Hgb values of sixteen healthy adults (mean ± standard deviation (SD): Age = 36.1 ± 6.4 years) were recorded at rest and during isometry (8 s), dynamic strength I (initial load of 40% of the average isometric load, with 2 kg increments until muscle failure) and dynamic strength II (same as I, but with an initial load of 40% of the maximum isometric load) activity. To evaluate the reliability in the determination of SmO2 and Hgb of this device, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and coefficient of variation (CV) were obtained. RESULTS: The main results obtained are SmO2 at rest (CV = 5.76%, SEM = 3.81, ICC = 0.90), isometric strength (CV = 3.03%, SEM = 2.08, ICC = 0.92), dynamic strength I (CV = 10.6, SEM = 7.17, ICC = 0.22) and dynamic strength II (CV = 9.69, SEM = 6.75, ICC = 0.32); Hgb at rest (CV = 1.97%, SEM = 0.24, ICC = 0.65), isometric strength (CV = 0.98%, SEM = 0.12, ICC = 0.96), dynamic strength I (CV = 3.25, SEM = 0.40, ICC = 0.54) and dynamic strength II (CV = 2.74, SEM = 0.34, ICC = 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that Humon Hex is a reliable device to obtain SmO2 and Hgb data in healthy adult subjects at rest and during isometric strength, providing precision for measurements made with this device.

Muscle quality index and isometric strength in older adults with hip osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Older adults with hip osteoarthritis (OA) suffer a progressive loss of muscle quality and strength, affecting their daily activities and quality of life. The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of isometric strength among older adults with and without hip OA and healthy young adults, and to determine the relationship between muscle quality index (MQI) and isometric strength. METHODS: Fourteen subjects with hip OA (65.6 ± 3.0 years), 18 healthy older adults (66.6 ± 6.5 years) and 32 young adults (20.7 ± 2.0 years) participated in the study. MQI, isometric muscle strength of the hip, ten time sit-to-stand tests, and body composition were measured. RESULTS: The MQI was lower in subjects with hip OA, with no significant differences between groups (p > 0.054). Subjects with OA produced significantly less isometric strength in hip extension (p < 0.001), flexion (p < 0.001), abduction (p < 0.05), adduction (p < 0.001), external (p < 0.05) and internal rotation (p < 0.05). Subjects with OA demonstrated longer time in the execution of the sit-to-stand test (p < 0.001) in comparison with healthy older and young adults. High correlations between MQI, sit-to-stand (r =  - 0.76, p < 0.01) and peak force during hip abduction (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) where found in subjects with OA. Moderate correlation between MQI and peak force during hip flexion (r = 0.55, p < 0.05) and external rotation (r = 0.61, p < 0.05) were found in the OA group. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with OA have lower MQI than old and young healthy controls. In subjects with OA, there was a significant relationship between isometric strength of hip muscles and performance on the sit-to-stand test and the MQI.