Digital skills among youth: A dataset from a three-wave longitudinal survey in six European countries.

This dataset provides longitudinal survey data from a European project, ySKILLS, which was focused on the role of digital skills in youths' development. It contains data from 10,821 participants from Grades 6-10 (in Wave 1) in Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Portugal. The data was collected between Spring 2021 and Spring 2023, the participants were recruited through schools, where the data collection also took place, except for online data collections due to restrictions caused by COVID-19. The dataset is novel in its multidimensional approach to the construct of digital literacy. It provides insight into the development of digital skills in youth and the role of digital skills and internet usage in youths' positive and negative online experiences and wellbeing. It also contains data that allows for the analysis of the role of digital skills in class networks. The data are beneficial for researchers interested in the examination of youths' online skills, internet usage, online experiences, and wellbeing from a longitudinal perspective.

Survey-Based Analysis of Current Trends for Prescribing Gastrointestinal Protectants among Small-Animal General Practitioners in Portugal.

In both human and veterinary healthcare, gastrointestinal protectants (GIPs) are considered a staple of clinical practice in that they are prescribed by general practitioners (GPs) and specialists alike. Concerning GIP use, overprescription of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has become a growing concern among human healthcare providers. This trend has also been documented within veterinary practice, prompting the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) to publish a consensus statement in 2018 concerning evidence-based indications for GIP use. This observational cross-sectional study evaluated self-reported prescribing protocols among Portuguese GPs to determine whether there is adherence to the consensus guidelines. Respondents were Portuguese GPs recruited by social media posts in veterinarian online forums. Data were collected from 124 respondents concerning their GIPs of choice and their rationales for prescribing them. Data were mined for prescription patterns and protocols. Among GIPs, PPIs were prescribed more often. Rationales for use included gastrointestinal ulceration and erosion (GUE), prophylactic management of nonerosive gastritis, pancreatitis, reflux esophagitis, and steroid-induced ulceration. Once-daily administration of PPIs was the most frequent dosing regime among respondents. Ninety-six percent of PPI prescribers advocated that the drug be administered either shortly before or at mealtime. Forty-nine percent of respondents supported long-term use of PPIs. Fifty-nine percent of respondents acknowledged discontinuing PPIs abruptly. This study supports that Portuguese GPs commonly prescribe GIPs in accordance with ACVIM recommendations to medically manage GUE. However, misuse of GIPs does occur, and they have been prescribed where their therapeutic value is debatable. Educational strategies should target GPs in an effort to reduce GIP misuse.

An Update on Wastewater Multi-Resistant Bacteria: Identification of Clinical Pathogens Such as Escherichia coli O25b:H4-B2-ST131-Producing CTX-M-15 ESBL and KPC-3 Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella oxytoca.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are significant reservoirs of bacterial resistance. This work aims to identify the determinants of resistance produced by Gram-negative bacteria in the influent and effluent of two WWTPs in Portugal. A total of 96 wastewater samples were obtained between 2016 and 2019. The numbers of total aerobic and fecal contamination bacteria were evaluated, and genomic features were searched by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Enterobacteriaceae corresponded to 78.6% (n = 161) of the 205 isolates identified by 16sRNA. The most frequent isolates were Escherichia spp. (57.1%, n = 117), followed by Aeromonas spp. (16.1%, n = 33) and Klebsiella spp. (12.7%, n = 26). The remaining 29 isolates (14.1%) were distributed across 10 different genera. Among the 183 resistant genes detected, 54 isolates produced extended spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL), of which blaCTX-M-15 was predominant (37 isolates; 68.5%). A KPC-3 carbapenemase-producing K. oxytoca was identified (n = 1), with blaKPC-3 included in a transposon Tn4401 isoform b. A higher number of virulence genes (VG) (19 genes) was found in the E. coli 5301 (O25b-ST131-B2) isolate compared with a commensal E. coli 5281 (O25b-ST410-A) (six genes). Both shared five VG [Enterobactin; Aerobactin, CFA/1 (clade α); Type1 (clade γ1); Type IV]. In conclusion, this work highlights the role of relevant clinical bacteria in WWTPs, such as KPC-3-producing K. oxytoca, and, for the first time, a CTX-M-15-producing Ochromobactrum intermedium, a human opportunistic pathogen, and a SED-1-producing Citrobacter farmeri, an uncommon CTX-M-type extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.

Direct electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide by a molybdenum-containing formate dehydrogenase.

Formate dehydrogenase enzymes catalyse the reversible two-electron oxidation of formate to carbon dioxide. The class of metal-dependent formate dehydrogenases comprises prokaryotic enzymes holding redox-active centres and a catalytic site, containing either molybdenum or tungsten ion, that mediates the formate/carbon dioxide interconversion. The carbon dioxide reduction is of a particular interest, since it may be a route for its atmospheric mitigation with the simultaneous production of added-value products, as formate-derived compounds. Recently, the periplasmic formate dehydrogenase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, a molybdenum-containing enzyme, was proven to be an efficient enzyme for the CO2 reduction to formate. In this work, the immobilized formate dehydrogenase isolated from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans direct electrochemical behaviour was attained in the presence and absence of substrates and the formal potentials associated with the catalytic centre transitions were determined in non-turnover conditions. The enzyme catalytic activity towards carbon dioxide reduction was observed using direct electrochemical methods.