Stability of vitamin A at critical points in pet-feed manufacturing and during premix storage.

The objective of this research was to assess and quantify the potential vitamin A losses that occur during the manufacturing of pet feed and premix, as well as during their extended storage periods. This trial was conducted at a commercial feeder mill that utilized a standard commercial dog feed along with a corresponding vitamin-mineral premix. The calculated amount of vitamin A supplemented in the feed, in addition to the endogenous vitamins present in the ingredients, was adjusted to 18,000 IU/kg of feed. Five 500 g feed samples were collected at each of the predefined critical points throughout the manufacturing process (after mixing, milling, preconditioner, and extrusion/drying processes) to verify the stability of vitamin A during feed production. Additionally, various samples were collected at regular intervals of 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 days during the storage of the premix to assess the stability of vitamin A. Vitamin A analyses in the samples were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The variables were assessed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test, followed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test to compare the differences between the manufacturing process and premix shelf life. The statistical significance was set at 95%. The vitamin losses during the pre-conditioning process were 26%, and during the extrusion-drying processes, the losses were 34% when compared to the initial analyzed value. However, no differences were observed in other processes. There were no significant differences observed in recovered vitamin levels in the premix during its shelf-life (p = 0.484). The study indicated that the primary vitamin A losses in pet feed manufacturing processes occur during the pre-conditioning and drying/extrusion steps. However, it is worth noting that no significant losses of vitamin A were found during the premix storage phase.

Surgical Treatment in Post-Stroke Spastic Hands: A Systematic Review.

Background: For more than two decades, the surgical treatment of post-stroke spastic hands has been displaced by botulinum toxin therapy and is currently underutilized. Objectives: This article aimed to assess the potential of surgery for treating a post-stroke spastic upper extremity through a systematic review of the literature on surgical approaches that are adopted in different profiles of patients and on their outcomes and complications. Methods: Medline PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for observational and experimental studies published in English up to November 2022. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system. Results: The search retrieved 501 abstracts, and 22 articles were finally selected. The GRADE-assessed quality of evidence was low or very low. The results of the reviewed studies suggest that surgery is a useful, safe, and enduring treatment for post-stroke spastic upper extremities, although most studied patients were candidates for hygienic improvements alone. Patients usually require an individualized combination of techniques. Over the past ten years, interest has grown in procedures that act on the peripheral nerve. Conclusions: Despite the lack of comparative studies on the effectiveness, safety, and cost of the treatments, botulinum toxin has displaced surgery for these patients. Studies to date have found surgery to be an effective and safe approach, but their weak design yields only poor-quality evidence, and clinical trials are warranted to compare these treatment options.

Accurate Botanical Nomenclature: Pomegranate and the 'Aril' Misconception.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) attracts attention in studies for its nutritional and medicinal properties. However, a recurring issue in the literature arises due to the multidisciplinary nature of these studies, leading to a mistaken repetition of basic botanical terms. The problem stems from the misapplication of the term "aril" to the pomegranate seed, despite the fruit being exariled, signifying the absence of an aril. This confusion may be attributed to the sarcotesta's appearance, resembling a complete aril, coupled with a lack of awareness in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetics. This study specifically examines the Kingdom-variety pomegranate, due its economic importance in the fruit market. The fruits were evaluated at different developmental stages-initial, intermediate, and commercial. Magnification photography techniques were used to study the development state of the pomegranate fruits. The physiological studies confirm that the pomegranate seed constitutes the complete grain, with the juicy, sweet part surrounding it identified as the testa, not an aril. The findings underscore a persistent error in the existing literature, emphasizing the necessity for dissemination and education in future studies. A thorough grasp of pomegranate anatomy and precise use of terminology are indispensable for ensuring accuracy and rigor in scientific communication.

Speech changes in old age: Methodological considerations for speech-based discrimination of healthy ageing and Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that speech substantially changes in ageing. As a complex neurophysiological process, it can accurately reflect changes in the motor and cognitive systems underpinning human speech. Since healthy ageing is not always easily discriminable from early stages of dementia based on cognitive and behavioural hallmarks, speech is explored as a preclinical biomarker of pathological itineraries in old age. A greater and more specific impairment of neuromuscular activation, as well as  a specific cognitive and linguistic impairment in dementia, unchain discriminating changes in speech. Yet, there is no consensus on such discriminatory speech parameters, neither on how they should be elicited and assessed. AIMS: To provide a state-of-the-art on speech parameters that allow for early discrimination between healthy and pathological ageing; the aetiology of these parameters; the effect of the type of experimental stimuli on speech elicitation and the predictive power of different speech parameters; and the most promising methods for speech analysis and their clinical implications. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A scoping review methodology is used in accordance with the PRISMA model. Following a systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL, 24 studies are included and analysed in the review. MAIN CONTRIBUTION: The results of this review yield three key questions for the clinical assessment of speech in ageing. First, acoustic and temporal parameters are more sensitive to changes in pathological ageing and, of these two, temporal variables are more affected by cognitive impairment. Second, different types of stimuli can trigger speech parameters with different degree of accuracy for the discrimination of clinical groups. Tasks with higher cognitive load are more precise in eliciting higher levels of accuracy. Finally, automatic speech analysis for the discrimination of healthy and pathological ageing should be improved for both research and clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Speech analysis is a promising non-invasive tool for the preclinical screening of healthy and pathological ageing. The main current challenges of speech analysis in ageing are the automatization of its clinical assessment and the consideration of the speaker's cognitive background during evaluation. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject Societal aging  goes hand in hand with the rising incidence of ageing-related neurodegenerations, mainly Alzheimer's disease (AD). This is particularly noteworthy in countries with longer life expectancies. Healthy ageing and early stages of AD share a set of cognitive and behavioural characteristics. Since there is no cure for dementias, developing methods for accurate discrimination of healthy ageing and early AD is currently a priority. Speech has been described as one of the most significantly impaired features in AD. Neuropathological alterations in motor and cognitive systems would underlie specific speech impairment in dementia. Since speech can be evaluated quickly, non-invasively and inexpensively, its value for the clinical assessment of ageing itineraries may be particularly high. What this paper adds to existing knowledge Theoretical and experimental advances in the assessment of speech as a marker of AD have developed rapidly over the last decade. Yet, they are not always known to clinicians. Furthermore, there is a need to provide an updated state-of-the-art on which speech features are discriminatory to AD, how they can be assessed, what kind of results they can yield, and how such results should be interpreted. This article provides an updated overview of speech profiling, methods of speech measurement and analysis, and the clinical power of speech assessment for early discrimination of AD as the most common cause of dementia. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This article provides an overview of the predictive potential of different speech parameters in relation to AD cognitive impairment. In addition, it discusses the effect that the cognitive state, the type of elicitation task and the type of assessment method may have on the results of the speech-based analysis in ageing.

Breast cancer risk for the joint exposure to metals and metalloids in women: Results from the EPIC-Spain cohort.

Environmental factors play a role in breast cancer development. While metals and metalloids (MMs) include some carcinogens, their association with breast cancer depends on the element studied. Most studies focus on individual MMs, but the combined effects of metal mixtures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the joint exposure to MMs and the risk of developing female breast cancer. We conducted a case-control study within the multicenter prospective EPIC-Spain cohort. Study population comprised 292 incident cases and 286 controls. Plasma concentrations of 16 MMs were quantified at recruitment. Potential confounders were collected using a questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were built to explore the effect of individual MMs. Quantile-based g computation models were applied to identify the main mixture components and to estimate the joint effect of the metal mixture. The geometric means were highest for Cu (845.6 ng/ml) and Zn (604.8 ng/ml). Cases had significantly higher Cu concentrations (p = 0.010) and significantly lower Zn concentrations (p < 0.001). Cu (+0.42) and Mn (+0.13) showed the highest positive weights, whereas Zn (-0.61) and W (-0.16) showed the highest negative weights. The joint effect of the metal mixture was estimated at an OR = 4.51 (95%CI = 2.32-8.79), suggesting a dose-response relationship. No evidence of non-linearity or non-additivity was found. An unfavorable exposure profile, primarily characterized by high Cu and low Zn levels, could lead to a significant increase in the risk of developing female breast cancer. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Circadian rhythmicity in schizophrenia male patients with and without substance use disorder comorbidity.

Circadian rhythmicity is associated to clinical variables that play an important role in both schizophrenia (SZ) and substance use disorders (SUD), although the characteristics of the coexistence of these two diagnoses (SZ +) remain mostly unknown. Hence, we studied a sample of 165 male patients divided in three groups each of 55, according to their diagnoses (SZ + , SZ, and SUD), as well as a healthy control (HC; n = 90) group. Alongside with sociodemographic and clinical variables, circadian rhythms were registered through a sleep-wake data structured interview, a circadian typology questionnaire, and distal skin temperature (DST) using the Thermochron iButton every 2 min during 48 h. Analyses showed that SZ + and SZ patients presented a longer sleep (delay in wake-up time) and mostly an intermediate circadian typology, while SUD patients slept less hours, displaying a morning typology. The DST showed the highest daily activation and stability for the SUD group, even when compared with the HC group. The presence of schizophrenia (SZ + and SZ) was related to a DST pattern with a reduced amplitude determined by a wakefulness impairment, which was more pronounced for SZ patients whose sleep period was adequate. The assessment of circadian rhythms in under treatment male patients with SZ should be focused on the diurnal period as a possible marker of either treatment adherence or patient's recovery, irrespective of the presence of a comorbid SUD. Further research with additional objective measures may provide knowledge transferable to therapeutic strategies and could be useful to establish possible endophenotypes in the future.

Morphologic Differentiation of the Exotic Parasitoid Eupelmus pulchriceps (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) in the Galapagos Archipelago.

The historical and geographical properties of the archipelagos allow a detailed study of species diversification, and phenotypic traits can indicate the extent of such processes. Eupelmus pulchriceps (Cameron, 1904) is an exotic species to the Galapagos archipelago, and generalist parasitoid that attacks a beetle species that consumes the seeds of the invasive shrub Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Despite extensive sampling, the wasp is recorded only in Santa Cruz and San Cristobal islands of the Galapagos archipelago. Thus, using 112 female wasps, we compare body size, proportion, and allometric differentiations within and between the two islands. There were no body size differences between islands. A PerMANOVA indicates differences between the islands and a single differentiation between two localities of one island. Allometric differences between islands were not the same for all structures. These results are consistent with the greater distance between islands than between localities and suggest a differentiation process. The variables with allometric differentiation are associated with wings and ovipositor, possibly responding to different ecological pressures. It is interesting that this parasitoid, recently arrived at the archipelago, is already showing differentiation. Also, it is essential to monitor the behavior of these wasps in the archipelago, given their potential to access other species affecting the trophic interactions of the local biota.

Relationship between exposure to parabens and benzophenones and prostate cancer risk in the EPIC-Spain cohort.

The etiology of prostate cancer is not fully elucidated. Among environmental risk factors, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) deserve special mention, as they alter metabolic pathways involved in hormone-dependent cancers. Epidemiological evidence assessing the carcinogenicity of EDCs is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between exposure to parabens and benzophenones and prostate cancer risk. We conducted a case-cohort study nested within the EPIC-Spain prospective multi-center cohort. Study population comprised 1,838 sub-cohort participants and 467 non-sub-cohort prostate cancer cases. Serum concentrations of four parabens and two benzophenones were assessed at recruitment. Covariates included age, physical activity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, educational level and diabetes. Borgan II weighted Cox proportional hazard models stratified by study center were applied. Median follow-up time was 18.6 years (range = 1.0-21.7 years). Most sub-cohort participants reached primary education at most (65.5%), were overweight (57.7%) and had a low level of physical activity (51.3%). Detection percentages varied widely, being lowest for butyl-paraben (11.3%) and highest for methyl-paraben (80.7%), which also showed the highest geometric mean (0.95 ng/ml). Cases showed significantly higher concentrations of methyl-paraben (p = 0.041) and propyl-paraben (p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, methyl-paraben - log-transformed (HR = 1.07; 95%CI = 1.01-1.12) and categorized into tertiles (HR = 1.60 for T3; 95%CI = 1.16-2.20) -, butyl-paraben - linear (HR = 1.19; 95%CI = 1.14-1.23) and log-transformed (HR = 1.17; 95%CI = 1.01-1.35) - and total parabens - log-transformed (HR = 1.09; 95%CI = 1.02-1.17) and categorized into tertiles (HR = 1.62 for T3; 95%CI = 1.10-2.40) - were associated with an increased prostate cancer risk. In this study, higher concentrations of methyl-, butyl-, and total parabens were positively associated with prostate cancer risk. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings.

Epidemiology of human papillomavirus-associated anogenital cancers in Granada: a three-decade population-based study.

Introduction: HPV infection is a common risk factor for all anogenital cancers. However, there are important differences in the epidemiology of anogenital cancers and these have not been compared considering diverse epidemiological indicators over a long period of time. To fill this gap, we investigated incidence, mortality, and survival trends of anogenital cancers over a period of three decades. Methods: We conducted an observational registry-based study using data from the population-based cancer registry of Granada in southern Spain. We collected data on all incident cases of anogenital cancer (cervical, anal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal cancer) diagnosed between 1985 and 2017. We calculated crude and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates, and 1, 3, and 5-year overall and net survival. We further conducted time-trend analysis calculating annual percent changes (APC) for each cancer site. Results: The incidence of anogenital cancers decreased slightly during the past 30 years, with the exception of vulvar cancer, where a slight increase was observed. Mortality decreased significantly for cervical cancer over the study period but increased non-significantly for the remaining cancer sites. Survival rates were similar to those reported in comparable countries and increased for cervical and vulvar cancer. Discussion: Cervical cancer was the greatest contributor to the burden of anogenital cancers and showed a marked improvement in all indicators in comparison to the remaining cancer sites.

Healthcare-associated infections by multidrug-resistant bacteria in Andalusia, Spain, 2014 to 2021.

BackgroundMultidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are among chief causes of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). In Spain, studies addressing multidrug resistance based on epidemiological surveillance systems are lacking.AimIn this observational study, cases of HAIs by MDR bacteria notified to the epidemiological surveillance system of Andalusia, Spain, between 2014-2021, were investigated. Notified cases and their spatiotemporal distribution were described, with a focus on social determinants of health (SDoH).MethodsNew cases during the study period of HAIs caused by extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-/carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, MDR Acinectobacter baumannii, MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa or meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were considered. Among others, notification variables included sex and age, while socio-economic variables comprised several SDoH. Cases' spatial distribution across municipalities was assessed. The smooth standardised incidence ratio (sSIR) was obtained using a Bayesian spatial model. Association between municipalities' sSIR level and SDoH was evaluated by bivariate analysis.ResultsIn total, 6,389 cases with a median age of 68 years were notified; 61.4% were men (n = 3,921). The most frequent MDR bacteria were ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (2,812/6,389; 44.0%); the main agent was Klebsiella spp. (2,956/6,389; 46.3%). Between 2014 and 2021 case numbers appeared to increase. Overall, up to 15-fold differences in sSIR between municipalities were observed. In bivariate analysis, there appeared to be an association between municipalities' sSIR level and deprivation (p = 0.003).ConclusionThis study indicates that social factors should be considered when investigating HAIs by MDR bacteria. The case incidence heterogeneity between Andalusian municipalities might be explained by SDoH, but also possibly by under-notification. Automatising reporting may address the latter.

The duration of intervals on the oral cancer care pathway and implications for survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Previous studies measuring intervals on the oral cancer care pathway have been heterogenous, showing mixed results with regard to patient outcomes. The aims of this research were (1) to calculate pooled meta-analytic estimates for the duration of the patient, diagnostic and treatment intervals in oral cancer, considering the income level of the country, and (2) to review the evidence on the relationship of these three intervals with tumor stage at diagnosis and survival. Materials and methods: We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines (pre-registered protocol CRD42020200752). Following the Aarhus statement, studies were eligible if they reported data on the length of the patient (first symptom to first presentation to a healthcare professional), diagnostic (first presentation to diagnosis), or treatment (diagnosis to start of treatment) intervals in adult patients diagnosed with primary oral cancer. The risk of bias was assessed with the Aarhus checklist. Results: Twenty-eight studies reporting on 30,845 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled median duration of the patient interval was 47 days (95% CI = 31-73), k = 18, of the diagnosis interval 35 days (95% CI = 21-38), k = 11, and of the treatment interval 30 days (95% CI = 23-53), k = 19. In lower-income countries, the patient and treatment intervals were significantly longer, and longer patient intervals were related to later stage at diagnosis. In studies with a lower risk of bias from high-income countries, longer treatment intervals were associated with lower survival rates. Conclusion: Interval duration on the oral cancer care pathway is influenced by the socio-economic context and may have implications for patient outcomes.

Effects of marine sediment as agricultural substrate on soil microbial diversity: an amplicon sequencing study.

BACKGROUND: The soil microbiota has a direct impact on plant development and other metabolic systems, such as the degradation of organic matter and the availability of microelements and metabolites. In the context of agricultural soils, microbial activity is crucial for maintaining soil health and productivity. Thus, the present study aimed to identify, characterize, and quantify the microbial communities of four types of substrates with varying proportions of marine port sediment used for cultivating lemons. By investigating microbial diversity and relative abundance, the work aimed to highlight the importance of soil microbial communities in agriculture when alternative culture media was used. RESULTS: The composition and structure of the sampled microbial communities were assessed through the amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions of the 16 S rRNA gene The results revealed a diverse microbial community composition in all substrate samples, with a total of 41 phyla, 113 classes, 266 orders, 405 families, 715 genera, and 1513 species identified. Among these, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Planctomycetota, Patescibacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Gemmatimonadota accounted for over 90% of the bacterial reads, indicating their dominance in the substrates. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the substrate origin on the diversity and relative abundace of the microbiota was confirmed. The higher content of beneficial bacterial communities for plant development identified in peat could explain why is considered an ideal agricultural substrate. Development of "beneficial for plants" bacterial communities in alternative agricultural substrates, regardless of the edaphic characteristics, opens the possibility of studying the forced and specific inoculation of these culture media aiming to be agriculturally ideals.

Reading and lexical-semantic retrieval tasks outperforms single task speech analysis in the screening of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Age-related cognitive impairment have increased dramatically in recent years, which has risen the interes in developing screening tools for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Speech analysis allows to exploit the behavioral consequences of cognitive deficits on the patient's vocal performance so that it is possible to identify pathologies affecting speech production such as dementia. Previous studies have further shown that the speech task used determines how the speech parameters are altered. We aim to combine the impairments in several speech production tasks in order to improve the accuracy of screening through speech analysis. The sample consists of 72 participants divided into three equal groups of healthy older adults, people with mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer's disease, matched by age and education. A complete neuropsychological assessment and two voice recordings were performed. The tasks required the participants to read a text, and complete a sentence with semantic information. A stepwise linear discriminant analysis was performed to select speech parameters with discriminative power. The discriminative functions obtained an accuracy of 83.3% in simultaneous classifications of several levels of cognitive impairment. It would therefore be a promising screening tool for dementia.

Influence of Different Rootstocks on Fruit Quality and Primary and Secondary Metabolites Content of Blood Oranges Cultivars.

Blood oranges have high concentrations of bioactive compounds that are beneficial to health. In Europe, the cultivation of blood oranges is increasing due to their excellent nutritional properties. In Citrus crops, rootstocks play an important role in juice and can increase the content of bioactive compounds. The morphological, qualitative and nutritional parameters were analyzed in cultivars 'Tarocco Ippolito', 'Tarocco Lempso', 'Tarocco Tapi' and 'Tarocco Fondaconuovo' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla and Citrus reshni. 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the highest values of weight (275.78 g), caliber (81.37 mm and 76.79 mm) and juice content (162.11 g). 'Tarocco Tapi' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most interesting qualitative parameters (15.40 °Brix; 12.0 MI). 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most intense red juice (a* = 9.61). Overall, the highest concentrations of primary metabolites were in proline, aspartate, citric acid, and sucrose. The results showed that 'Tarocco Ippolito' juice grafted onto Citrus reshni had the highest levels of total hydroxycinnamic acids (263.33 mg L-1), total flavones (449.74 mg L-1) and total anthocyanins (650.42 mg L-1). To conclude, 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the best values of agronomic parameters, and the cultivars grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained significantly higher concentrations in primary and secondary metabolites.

Gold-, silver- and magnesium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles prevents the formation of and eradicates bacterial biofilms.

Aim: This work aimed to synthesize magnesium-doped zinc oxide, silver and gold nanoparticles (Nps) and to evaluate their potential to prevent and eradicate Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Materials & methods: The Nps were synthesized by precipitation and metallic reduction techniques. Physicochemical and biological characterization of Nps was performed. Results: All the Nps tested were able to inhibit the formation of E. coli, P. mirabilis, S. aureus and A. baumannii biofilms. The effects on the eradication of preformed biofilms were variable, although all the Nps tested were able to eradicate A. baumannii biofilms. Conclusion: The observed effects make the Nps suitable for coating surfaces and/or antibiotic carriers with medical interest.

La activación psicofisiológica en situaciones de competición en jugadores de bádminton / A ativação psicofisiológica em situações de competição em jugadores de bádminton / The psychophysiological activation in competition situations in badminton players

Diversas investigaciones demuestran la importancia de la relación del nivel de activación con el rendimiento deportivo. El objetivo fue analizar el nivel de activación psicofisiológica de la acción de saque y su efecto en el rendimiento, durante situaciones simuladas de competición. Participaron 30 jugadores de bádminton (M= 23.7 años, DE= 7.52), divididos por nivel de rendimiento: alto nivel de habilidad (mujeres=5, hombres=10) y bajo nivel de habilidad (mujeres=4, hombres=11). Variable independiente: simulación de competición con menor y mayor exigencia. Variable dependiente: nivel de activación psicofisiológica, subjetiva y rendimiento. No hubo diferencias significativas en electromiografía y conductancia de la piel por las diferentes condiciones, pero si en la temperatura periférica y la activación subjetiva. El nivel de activación psicofisiológica tuvo un incremento por las acciones, pero no fue significativo. Además, que la simulación imaginando situaciones de partido, es posible que no fue suficiente para generar diferencias significativas por las condiciones. (AU)

Various investigations demonstrate the importance of the relationship between the level of activation and sports performance. The objective was to analyze the level of psychophysiological activation of the serve action and its effect on performance during simulated competition situations. Thirty badminton players participated (M= 23.7 years, SD = 7.52), divided by performance level: high skill level (women=5, men=10) and low skill level (women=4, men=11). Independent variable: competition simulation with lower and higher demand. Dependent variable: level of psychophysiological and subjective activation and performance. There were no significant differences in electromyography and skin conductance for the different conditions, but there were significant differences in peripheral temperature and subjective arousal. The level of psychophysiological activation had an increase due to the actions, but it was not significant. In addition, that the simulation imagining match situations, it is possible that it was not enough to generate significant differences due to the conditions. (AU)

Várias investigações demonstram a importância da relação entre o nível de ativação e o desempenho esportivo. O objetivo foi analisar o nível de ativação psicofisiológica da ação de saque e seu efeito no desempenho durante situações simuladas de competição. Participaram 30 jogadores de badminton (M= 23,7 anos, DP = 7,52), divididos por nível de desempenho: alto nível de habilidade (mulheres=5, homens=10) e baixo nível de habilidade (mulheres=4, homens=11). Variável independente: simulação de competição com menor e maior demanda. Variável dependente: nível de ativação e desempenho psicofisiológico e subjetivo. Não houve diferenças significativas na eletromiografia e condutância da pele para as diferentes condições, mas houve diferenças significativas na temperatura periférica e excitação subjetiva. O nível de ativação psicofisiológica teve aumento devido às ações, mas não foi significativo. Além disso, que a simulação imaginando situações iguais, é possível que não tenha sido suficiente para gerar diferenças significativas devido às condições. (AU)

The Electronic Mental Wellness Tool as a Self-Administered Brief Screening Instrument for Mental Disorders in the General Spanish Population during the Post-COVID-19 Era.

(1) Background: In the "post-COVID-19 era", there is a need to focus on properly assessing and addressing the extent of its well-established mental health collateral damage. The "Electronic Mental Wellness Tool" (E-mwTool) is a 13-item validated stepped-care or stratified management instrument that aims at the high-sensitivity captures of individuals with mental health disorders to determine the need for mental health care. This study validated the E-mwTool in a Spanish-speaking population. (2) Methods: It is a cross-sectional validation study using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview as a criterion standard in a sample of 433 participants. (3) Results: About 72% of the sample had a psychiatric disorder, and 67% had a common mental disorder. Severe mental disorders, alcohol use disorders, substance use disorders, and suicide risk had a much lower prevalence rate (6.7%, 6.2%, 3.2%, and 6.2%, respectively). The first three items performed excellently in identifying any mental health disorder with 0.97 sensitivity. Ten additional items classified participants with common mental disorders, severe mental disorders, substance use disorders, and suicide risk. (4) Conclusions: The E-mwTool had high sensitivity in identifying common mental disorders, alcohol and substance use disorders, and suicidal risk. However, the tool's sensitivity in detecting low-prevalence disorders in the sample was low. This Spanish version may be useful to detect patients at risk of mental health burden at the front line of primary and secondary care in facilitating help-seeking and referral by their physicians.

Metabolomic Approach to Study the 'Purple Queen' Pomegranate Cultivar Response to Alternative Culture Media and Phenological Stages.

The increasingly evident threat of depletion of world peat bogs is encouraging the search for and study of alternative agricultural substrates that can fully or partially replace peat, guaranteeing food supply (quality and quantity). On the other hand, the identification of the potential for the reuse of waste from relevant economic activities has increased in recent years, mainly motivated by the change to a sustainable circular economy, as is the case of port sediments. Taking into account that significant volumes of dredged port sediments are generated annually so that ports can maintain their economic activity, it is necessary to find objective, sustainable and safe reuse alternatives. In this sense, the objective of this study was to study the response of the "Purple Queen" pomegranate when grown with dredged port sediment. For this, the fruit production (kg), number of fruits (fruits tree-1), fruit weight (g), and seed yield (%) aiming to verify the correct tree development were evaluated. In addition, a 1H-NMR foliar metabolomic study for the three most relevant phenological phases was performed (flowering, fruit development, and post-harvest) to identify metabolic changes in trees. In total, 29 metabolites were identified; among them, 11 were amino acids, 6 organic acids, 5 sugars, and 7 secondary metabolites. The good agronomical development of the trees and fruits indicated the potential for using the dredged sediment as an agricultural substrate. On the other hand, the results revealed that the greatest variability in the metabolomic study occurred between the phenological phases and a lower variability is explained by the substrates used.

Efficacy of zinc glycinate reducing zinc oxide on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs challenged with F18+ Escherichia coli.

The objective of this study was to investigate effects of zinc glycinate (ZnGly) supplementation reducing zinc oxide (ZnO) in feeds on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs challenged with F18+Escherichia coli (E. coli). In total, 72 nursery pigs (BW 6.5 ± 0.5 kg) were allotted in a randomized complete block design to nine treatments: (1) NC: no challenge/no supplement; (2) PC: E. coli challenge/no-supplement; (3) E. coli challenge/ZnO at 2,500 mg/kg; (4, 5, and 6) E. coli challenge/ZnGly at 400, 800, and 1,200 mg/kg; and (7, 8, and 9) E. coli challenge/ZnGly at 400 mg/kg and ZnO at 700, 1,400, and 2,357 mg/kg. Pigs were fed for 28 d based on two phases (phase 1: 14 d and phase 2: 14 d). On day 7, challenged groups were orally inoculated with F18+E. coli at 6 × 109 CFU/mL whereas NC received saline solution. The PC showed reduced ADG (P = 0.076) and G:F (P = 0.055) during phase 1 and increased fecal score (P < 0.05) during the first week of postchallenge when compared with NC, whereas supplementation of ZnGly from 0 to 1,200 mg/kg linearly increased (P = 0.092) G:F and decreased (P < 0.05) the fecal score of the pigs challenged with F18+E. coli. Supplementation of ZnGly from 0 to 1,200 mg/kg had quadratic effects on TNF-α (P = 0.065; minimum 1.13 pg/mg at 850 mg/kg ZnGly), IL-8 (P = 0.093; minimum 0.53 ng/mg at 494 mg/kg), and protein carbonyl (P = 0.054; minimum 2.30 pg/mg at 675 mg/kg) and linearly increased mRNA expressions of ZIP4 (P = 0.057) and ZnT5 (P = 0.075) in the jejunum of the pigs. Supplementation of ZnGly from 0 to 1,200 mg/kg linearly increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and had quadratic effects on Cyanobacteria (minimum 0.67% at 625 mg/kg ZnO) and Proteobacteria (maximum 45.6 g/d at 735 mg/kg) at the phylum level, with linearly decreased (P < 0.05) Enterobacteriaceae at the family level in the jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota of the pigs. There was no difference in growth performance during the overall period, although pigs fed with ZnO at 2,500 mg/kg had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than pigs fed with ZnGly at 400 mg/kg during the first week of the post challenge period. In conclusion, ZnGly could be an alternative to the pharmaceutical use of ZnO without negatively affecting the growth of nursery pigs by enhancing intestinal Zn absorption, reducing intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress, and providing positive changes in jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains such as F18+ and F4+E. coli are prominent harmful bacteria that cause impaired intestinal health to nursery pigs with postweaning diarrhea, leading to significant economic losses in the swine industry. In previous years, swine producers used excessively high levels of zinc oxide (ZnO) in feeds for therapeutic purpose as a growth promoter with diarrhea prevention. However, the pharmaceutical use of ZnO is prohibited by the legislation of several countries due to potential health and environmental concerns. Considering the biological functions of zinc (Zn) and the biological efficacy of the organic mineral, zinc glycinate (ZnGly) could effectively enhance the intestinal health of nursery pigs, leading to a decrease in the use of ZnO in feeds. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ZnGly supplementation, allowing the reduced use of ZnO for growth performance and intestinal health of nursery pigs challenged with F18+E. coli. Supplementation of ZnGly at a range of 400 to 675 mg/kg would reduce the negative impacts of F18+E. coli by reducing intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress with positive changes in jejunal microbiota, leading to improved growth performance and reduced diarrhea. In particular, ZnGly supplementation at 400 mg/kg could effectively reduce the use of ZnO in nursery feeds by having similar effects to the pharmaceutical use of ZnO.

Validation of prolonged length of stay as a reliable measure of failure to rescue in colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Failure-to-rescue measures a hospital's response capacity to avoid the death of a patient after a complication. The aim of this study was to validate the use of prolonged length of stay to calculate failure-to-rescue rates as a substitute for traditional coding of complications in colorectal cancer surgery. METHOD: We performed a cross-sectional between-instruments agreement study. Our study population was comprised of 204 colorectal cancer surgical patients from a public academic hospital during 2017 and 2018. We obtained two failure-to-rescue indicators from administrative data: an indicator using International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition, (ICD-10) codes; and another one using a cut-off point of prolonged length of stay as a predictor of patients with complications. Then, they were compared with a reference indicator from clinical records. RESULTS: Failure-to-rescue rates were between 10 and 13.64 for the study site depending on which indicator was used. A hospital stay ≥10 days had the maximum Youden's index (0.6) and an area under the ROC curve of 0.87. This was used in the failure-to-rescue indicator using prolonged length, which obtained the highest agreement (any coefficient >0.75). CONCLUSION: ICD-10 codes identified complications poorly. Prolonged length of stay could be a valid replacement of ICD-10 codes when measuring failure-to-rescue in administrative databases for colorectal surgical patients.