Study around the Barroso mine (Portugal): Baseline levels of lithium for assessing future exposure and risks from Li mining activity.

The energetic green transition is increasing the demand for lithium (Li) exploitation. However, the Li supply faces challenges like limited reserves and environmental concerns. This pioneer study aims to characterize the Li concentrations in the region around the Barroso mine, in Portugal, by collecting and analyzing samples of cabbage, potato, drinking and irrigation water and soil from two nearby sites, and performing a preliminary exposure and risk assessment of local populations. Li levels ranged between 20 and 589 µg/kg in cabbages (n = 23), 2.3-21 µg/kg in potatoes (n = 21), 1.1-5.9 µg/L in drinking water (n = 10), 1.1-15 µg/L in irrigation water (n = 23) and 35-121 mg/kg in soils (n = 23). Significant differences in Li content between sampling sites were observed only for cabbage samples. The risk assessment revealed that none of the participants exceeded the provisional reference dose (p-RfD) (2 µg/kg bw/day), with a hazard quotient (HQ) < 1, suggesting no health concerns for the population. It is expected that the studied area will be affected by the future expansion of the mine concession, thus this pioneer study is crucial for future research as it establishes a initial database for evaluating the potential impact of mining activity on the environment and the population's exposure to Li.

Genetic Variation in ATXN3 (Ataxin-3) 3'UTR: Insights into the Downstream Regulatory Elements of the Causative Gene of Machado-Joseph Disease/Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Untranslated regions are involved in the regulation of transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. Characterization of these regions remains poorly explored for ATXN3, the causative gene of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD). Although a few genetic modifiers have been identified for MJD age at onset (AO), they only explain a small fraction of the AO variance. Our aim was to analyse variation at the 3'UTR of ATXN3 in MJD patients, analyse its impact on AO and attempt to build haplotypes that might discriminate between normal and expanded alleles.After assessing ATXN3 3'UTR variants in molecularly confirmed MJD patients, an in silico analysis was conducted to predict their functional impact (e.g. their effect on miRNA-binding sites). Alleles in cis with the expanded (CAG)n were inferred from family data, and haplotypes were built. The effect of the alternative alleles on the AO and on SARA and NESSCA ataxia scales was tested.Nine variants, all previously described, were found. For eight variants, in silico analyses predicted (a) deleterious effects (rs10151135; rs55966267); (b) changes on miRNA-binding sites (rs11628764; rs55966267; rs709930) and (c) alterations of RNA-binding protein (RBP)-binding sites (rs1055996; rs910369; rs709930; rs10151135; rs3092822; rs7158733). Patients harbouring the alternative allele at rs10151135 had significantly higher SARA Axial subscores (p = 0.023), comparatively with those homozygous for the reference allele. Ten different haplotypes were obtained, one of which was exclusively found in cis with the expanded and four with the normal allele. These findings, which are relevant for the design of allele-specific therapies, warrant further investigation in independent MJD cohorts.

Physicochemical properties of iodine and selenium biofortified Sparus aurata and Cyprinus carpio during frozen storage.

Fish biofortification with natural ingredients like iodine-rich macroalgae and selenized-yeast is an excellent strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of farmed fish. This study aimed to assess the effect of frozen storage during 12-months on physicochemical quality of biofortified seabream (Sparus aurata) and carp (Cyprinus carpio). Frozen storage reduced iodine content in biofortified seabream fillets (17%), as well as selenium content in biofortified carp fillets (24%). Yet, biofortified fillets still presented enhanced iodine and selenium contents at the end of the storage period. Increased lipid oxidation (3.45 mg MDA kg-1 for seabream and 2.41 mg MDA kg-1 for carp) and decreased water holding capacity (23-29% for seabream and 14-23% for carp) was observed during storage, whereas major changes in colour and texture occurred after 45 days (seabream) and 225 days (carp) of storage. In general, biofortified fish fillets maintained their nutritional value and quality after 360 days of frozen storage.

Network Modeling and Analysis of COVID-19 Testing Strategies.

The COVID-19 preparedness plans by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly underscores the need for efficient and effective testing strategies. This, in turn, calls upon the design and development of statistical sampling and testing of COVID-19 strategies. However, the evaluation of operational details requires a detailed representation of human behaviors in epidemic simulation models. Traditional epidemic simulations are mainly based upon system dynamic models, which use differential equations to study macro-level and aggregated behaviors of population subgroups. As such, individual behaviors (e.g., personal protection, commute conditions, social patterns) can't be adequately modeled and tracked for the evaluation of health policies and action strategies. Therefore, this paper presents a network-based simulation model to optimize COVID-19 testing strategies for effective identifications of virus carriers in a spatial area. Specifically, we design a data-driven risk scoring system for statistical sampling and testing of COVID-19. This system collects real-time data from simulated networked behaviors of individuals in the spatial network to support decision-making during the virus spread process. Experimental results showed that this framework has superior performance in optimizing COVID-19 testing decisions and effectively identifying virus carriers from the population.

Chemical Composition, Nutritional Value, and Safety of Cooked Female Chaceon Maritae from Namibe (Angola).

Despite being highly appreciated and consumed, the nutritional value of Chaceon maritae from Namibe (Angola) had never been studied. In the present work, edible tissues (muscle, ovaries, and hepatopancreas) of boiled female C. maritae caught off Namibe coast in two distinct seasons were analyzed in terms of proximate chemical composition (fat, ash, protein, and moisture), fatty acid and amino acid profiles, cholesterol, essential minerals (macro and trace) and toxic elements. Results showed that, in both seasons, C. maritae muscle was a valuable source of protein, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and essential elements, especially zinc, selenium, iodine, and copper. Ovaries and hepatopancreas are also good sources of protein, but were richer in fat, particularly when caught in October. Ovarian fat is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and that of hepatopancreas has higher values of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Hepatopancreas and ovaries are also good sources of copper and, especially ovaries, of zinc. Moreover, in both seasons, all the edible tissues of C. maritae analyzed presented very low contents of heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic).

A Mixed-Methods Research Framework for Healthcare Process Improvement.

UNLABELLED: The healthcare system in the United States is spiraling out of control due to ever-increasing costs without significant improvements in quality, access to care, satisfaction, and efficiency. Efficient workflow is paramount to improving healthcare value while maintaining the utmost standards of patient care and provider satisfaction in high stress environments. This article provides healthcare managers and quality engineers with a practical healthcare process improvement framework to assess, measure and improve clinical workflow processes. DESIGN AND METHODS: The proposed mixed-methods research framework integrates qualitative and quantitative tools to foster the improvement of processes and workflow in a systematic way. The framework consists of three distinct phases: 1) stakeholder analysis, 2a) survey design, 2b) time-motion study, and 3) process improvement. RESULTS: The proposed framework is applied to the pediatric intensive care unit of the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. The implementation of this methodology led to identification and categorization of different workflow tasks and activities into both value-added and non-value added in an effort to provide more valuable and higher quality patient care. CONCLUSIONS: Based upon the lessons learned from the case study, the three-phase methodology provides a better, broader, leaner, and holistic assessment of clinical workflow. The proposed framework can be implemented in various healthcare settings to support continuous improvement efforts in which complexity is a daily element that impacts workflow. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: We proffer a general methodology for process improvement in a healthcare setting, providing decision makers and stakeholders with a useful framework to help their organizations improve efficiency.

Complex interplay and hierarchy of interactions in two-dimensional supramolecular assemblies.

In order to address the interplay of hydrogen bonding, dipolar interactions, and metal coordination, we have investigated the two-dimensional mono- and bicomponent self-assembly of three closely related diaminotriazine-based molecular building blocks and a complementary perylenetetracarboxylic diimide by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The simplest molecular species, bis-diaminotriazine-benzene, only interacts via hydrogen bonds and forms a unique supramolecular pattern on the Au(111) surface. For the two related molecular species, which exhibit in addition to hydrogen bonding also dipolar interactions and metal coordination, the number of distinct supramolecular structures increases dramatically with the number of possible interaction channels. Deposition together with the complementary perylene species, however, always results in a single well-defined supramolecular arrangement of molecules. A detailed analysis of the observed mono- and bicomponent assemblies allows shedding light on the hierarchy of the competing interactions, with important implications for the fabrication of surface-supported supramolecular networks by design.

Nivel de ansiedad de jóvenes infractores internados en un centro educativo de régimen cerrado / Level of anxiety in young offenders committed to a closed educational centre

Este estudio analiza el nivel de ansiedad (STAI) de una pobla-ción adolescente infractora (n=57), internada en un centro educativo de régimen cerrado, en relación con sus variables sociodemográficas y con las características de su proceso de internamiento. Los resultados revelan que un 22.8% de los jóvenes presenta altos niveles de ansiedad estado y un 21.1% presenta altos niveles de ansiedad rasgo. Asimismo, la frecuencia de llamadas recibidas (p=.038), de visitas recibidas (p=.019) y la prescripción de psicofármacos (p=.007) se relacionan con el estado de ansiedad, mien-tras que el género (p=.046), el grupo educativo (p=.002) y el tiempo transcurrido desde la fecha de ingreso (p=.013) se asocian con la ansiedad rasgo. Como conclusiones más relevantes cabe señalar que los adolescentes infractores presentan niveles de ansiedad superiores al resto de sus coetáneos y que la ausencia de vínculo con las personas referenciales durante el internamiento aumenta significativamente el nivel de ansiedad estado

This study analyses the level of anxiety (STAI) in a young offender population (n=57), committed to a closed educational centre, in relation to their social and demographical variables, and the characteristics of their internment process. Results reveal that 22.8% of young offenders has high levels of state anxiety, and 21.1% has high levels of trait anxiety. Moreover, the frequency of received calls (p=.038), visits (p=.019), and the prescription of psychopharmacs (p=.007) are related to state anxiety, whereas gender (p=.046), educational group (p=.002), and time since the date of internment (p=.013) associate to trait anxiety. In conclusion, young offenders have higher levels of anxiety than their peers, and the lack of bonds with referential people during internment increases the level of state anxiety significantly

Does the surface matter? Hydrogen-bonded chain formation of an oxalic amide derivative in a two- and three-dimensional environment.

We report on a multi-technique investigation of the supramolecular organisation of N,N-diphenyl oxalic amide under differently dimensioned environments, namely three-dimensional (3D) in the bulk crystal, and in two dimensions on the Ag(111) surface as well as on the reconstructed Au(111) surface. With the help of X-ray structure analysis and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) we find that the molecules organize in hydrogen-bonded chains with the bonding motif qualitatively changed by the surface confinement. In two dimensions, the chains exhibit enantiomorphic order even though they consist of a racemic mixture of chiral entities. By a combination of the STM data with near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy, we show that the conformation of the molecule adapts such that the local registry of the functional group with the substrate is optimized while avoiding steric hindrance of the phenyl groups. In the low coverage case, the length of the chains is limited by the Au(111) reconstruction lines restricting the molecules into fcc stacked areas. A kinetic Monte Carlo simulated annealing is used to explain the selective assembly in the fcc stacked regions.

Valores personales y profesionales en médicos de familia y su relación con el síndrome del burnout / Personal and professional values in primary care physicians and your relation with burnout syndrome

El objetivo de este estudio es analizar si existen diferencias en los valores de los médicos de Atención Primaria con niveles altos o bajos de burnout. La muestra quedó constituida por 61 médicos que habían participado anteriormente en un estudio longitudinal iniciado en 1999. En la primera evaluación participaron 528 médicos de la provincia de Barcelona y en la presente se han evaluado aquellos que obtuvieron las puntuaciones extremas en desgaste profesional. Para la recogida de datos se aplicó un cuestionario de datos sociodemográficos, la versión española del MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory) y un cuestionario de valores validado con trabajadores del ICS (Institut Català de la Salut). Se observan diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos en los valores de Altruismo (p=0,01), Confidencialidad (p=0,013) y Abnegación (p=0,036). Asimismo se aprecia una correlación directa entre Inmediatez Cansancio Emocional (p<0,05), una relación inversa entre Altruismo Cansancio Emocional (p<0,01) y Altruismo Despersonalización (p<0,05). En suma, todo parece indicar que algunos valores personales y profesionales se asocian a la presencia o ausencia de burnout. Paralelamente, la percepción de conflicto entre los valores personales y los profesionales podría favorecer la presencia de burnout

The aim of the current study was to analyse the differences in values of Primary Care doctors with high or low scores in burnout. 61 Primary Care doctors with extremely scores in burnout who participated in a longitudinal study started in 1999 were chose. In the first assessment were interviewed 528 subjects from Barcelona’s northern countries. There were used a sociodemographic questionnaire data, the Spanish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a values questionnaire that was validated in ICS (Institut Català de la Salut) workers sample. Statistically meaningful differences were observed in the following values between groups: Altruism (p=0,01), Confidentiality (p=0,013) y Abnegation (p=0,036). Data shows a direct correlation between Impatience-Emotional Exhaustion (p<0,05), inverse relations between Altruism Emotional Exhaustion (p<0,01) and Altruism Depersonalisation (p<0,05). The study shows some personal and professional values are associated with high or low levels of burnout. In the same way the conflict perception between personal and professional values could be associated with high scores in burnout

Situación de la salud reproductiva de la mujer en edad fértil de la zona norte del departamento de San Salvador, El salvador. 1997 / Status of reproductive health of women of childbearing age in the northern area of ​​the department of San Salvador, El salvador. 1997

Concluye que la situación de salud reproductiva de la mujer en edad fértil de la Zona Norte de San Salvador es deficiente y carece de las condiciones que garanticen un mejor nivel de salud para un desarrollo humano sostenible, siendo similar al resto del país, con pequeñas diferencias. Las condiciones ambientales en que viven las mujeres en edad fértil de la zona en estudio las hace que tengan un mayor riesgo de padecer enfermedades prevenibles y así afectar su vida reproductiva, porque la mayoría no cuenta con los servicios básicos en sus viviendas