Changes in Nutritional Properties and Bioactive Compounds in Cereals During Extrusion Cooking

Maintaining and improving the nutritional quality of foods during processing are the main market and industry concerns. Thus, research should focus on novel and sustainable ways for selecting the appropriate processing method that either increases or does not affect the nutrient content of foods. Thermal processing techniques such as extrusion cooking are widely used for producing breakfast cereals, snack foods, pasta, pet food, etc. Extrusion cooking is a continuous process that uses a combination of high-temperature, high-pressure, and high shear conditions in a short period of time, which results in molecular transformation and chemical reactions within the extruded products. Extrusion cooking brings on many biochemical changes such as denaturation of proteins, gelatinization of starch, lipid modifications, inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes, formation of volatile flavor components, and increase in soluble dietary fiber. Furthermore, extrusion cooking has the potential to improve the nutritional quality of the products by improving starch and protein digestibility and increasing the retention of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. Also, this highly efficient technology minimizes water pollution and energy consumption. This review aims to discuss the current information regarding changes in nutritional properties and bioactive compounds in cereals processed by extrusion cooking

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis in the general population of Granada and co-infections with Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida species

Purpose: Purulent or exudative genitourinary infections are a frequent cause of consultation in primary and specialized healthcare. The objectives of this study were: to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis and co-infections with Candida spp. and Gardnerella vaginalis in vaginal secretion; and to use multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to analyse the genetic diversity of T. vaginalis strains. Methodology: The samples were submitted for analysis (n=5230) to a third-level hospital in Granada (Southern Spain) between 2011 and 2014; eight T. vaginalis strains isolated during 2015 were randomly selected for MLST analysis. Culture and nucleic acid hybridization techniques were used to detect microorganisms in the samples. Results: The prevalence of T. vaginalis was 2.4 % between 2011 and 2014, being higher during the first few months of both 2011 and 2012. Among samples positive for T. vaginalis, co-infection with G. vaginalis was detected in 29 samples and co-infection with Candida spp. in 6, while co-infection with all three pathogens was observed in 3 samples. The only statistically significant between-year difference in co-infection rates was observed for T. vaginalis with G. vaginalis due to an elevated rate in 2011. MLST analysis results demonstrated a high genetic variability among strains circulating in our setting. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need for the routine application of diagnostic procedures to avoid the spread of this sexually transmitted infection

Aplicación multiplataforma para gestión farmacológica del servicio de Neonatología (SAFINeo)

El desarrollo de la administración de medicación en unidades de recién nacidos sigue siendo un punto crítico debido a su complejidad y la necesidad de ajustarse a los cambios en la población neonatal según edad gestacional, días de vida, peso, patologías e incompatibilidades con otros fármacos. El proceso manual actual implica múltiples cálculos matemáticos que pueden resultar en errores médicos, complicaciones clínicas y mayores tiempos y costos de preparación. Para abordar estos desafíos, se ha elaborado una aplicación móvil que facilita y agiliza la preparación de medicamentos, basándose en las recomendaciones más recientes para la población neonatal. La aplicación, diseñada para dispositivos accesibles como tabletas y teléfonos inteligentes en las principales plataformas (Android e iOS), busca paliar efectos adversos y reducir los tiempos requeridos para mejorar la seguridad y eficiencia en la administración de medicamentos en recién nacidos.Queremos agradecer sinceramente al alumno David Vera Carrillo por su destacada contribución en el desarrollo de la aplicación SAFINeo como parte del desarrollo de su TFM. Su habilidad y dedicación en la programación han sido fundamentales para el éxito de este proyecto científico. Su trabajo ha permitido crear una herramienta invaluable para mejorar la atención médica neonatal. Estamos agradecidos por su compromiso y entusiasmo en esta investigación

Effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir‐based regimens plus an NS5A inhibitor for patients with HCV genotype 3 infection and cirrhosis: results of a multicenter real‐life cohort

[Abstract] Patients with HCV genotype 3 (GT3) infection and cirrhosis are currently the most difficult to cure. We report our experience with sofosbuvir+daclatasvir (SOF+DCV) or sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV), with or without ribavirin (RBV) in clinical practice in this population. This was a multicenter observational study including cirrhotic patients infected by HCV GT3, treated with sofosbuvir plus an NS5A inhibitor (May 2014‐October 2015). In total, 208 patients were included: 98 (47%) treatment‐experienced, 42 (20%) decompensated and 55 (27%) MELD score >10. In 131 (63%), treatment was SOF+DCV and in 77 (37%), SOF/LDV. Overall, 86% received RBV. RBV addition and extension to 24 weeks was higher in the SOF/LDV group (95% vs 80%, P=.002 and 83% vs 72%, P=.044, respectively). A higher percentage of decompensated patients were treated with DCV than LDV (25% vs 12%, P=.013). Overall, SVR12 was 93.8% (195/208): 94% with SOF+DCV and 93.5% with SOF/LDV. SVR12 was achieved in 90.5% of decompensated patients. Eleven treatment failures: 10 relapses and one breakthrough. RBV addition did not improve SVR (RR: 1.08; P=.919). The single factor associated with failure to achieve SVR was platelet count <75×10E9/mL (RR: 3.50, P=.019). In patients with MELD <10, type of NS5A inhibitor did not impact on SVR12 (94% vs 97%; adjusted RR: 0.49). Thirteen patients (6.3%) had serious adverse events, including three deaths (1.4%) and one therapy discontinuation (0.5%), higher in decompensated patients (16.7% vs 3.6%, P<.006). In patients with GT3 infection and cirrhosis, SVR12 rates were high with both SOF+DCV and SOF/LDV, with few serious adverse events

Empirical Modelling of Stem Cambium Heating Caused by Prescribed Burning in Mediterranean Pine Forest

This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordData Availability Statement: The data used in the current study can be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request.Little is known about the interactions between the variables involved in the post-fire response of Mediterranean pine species to prescribed burning (PB). Thus, it is essential to develop an empirical model in order to assess the influence of tree and stand attributes, burn season, and fire severity on the probability of stem cambium damage occurring. Prescribed burnings were conducted in different seasons and areas covering a wide climatic and ecological range. Potential explanatory variables were measured. A random effects hurdle model framework was used to evaluate the temperature duration above 60 °C as a proxy for stem cambium damage at tree scale. The results showed significant differences in cambium damage between the PB seasons. Pinus nigra was more resistant than other pine species. Bark thickness was critical for protecting cambium. Volume of crown scorch, percentage of stem scorch, and maximum outer bark temperature were directly related to temperature duration above 60 °C in the cambium. Prescribed burning conducted under tree canopy in Mediterranean pine species generally results in a low level of cambium damage. Empirical models could help managers to predict the effects of PB and thus select the most suitable prescriptions

Preventing and addressing the stress reactions of health care workers caring for patients with COVID-19: Development of a digital platform (Be + against COVID)

Background: COVID-19 became a major public health concern in March 2020. Due to the high rate of hospitalizations for COVID-19 in a short time, health care workers and other involved staff are subjected to a large workload and high emotional distress. Objective: The objective of this study is to develop a digital tool to provide support resources that might prevent and consider acute stress reactions in health care workers and other support staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The contents of the digital platform were created through an evidence-based review and consensus conference. The website was built using the Google Blogger tool. The Android version of the app was developed in the Java and XML languages using Android Studio version 3.6, and the iOS version was developed in the Swift language using Xcode version 11.5. The app was evaluated externally by the Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Quality. Results: We detected the needs and pressing situations of frontline health care workers, and then, we proposed a serial of recommendations and support resources to address them. These resources were redesigned using the feedback received. A website in three different languages (Spanish, English, and Portuguese) and a mobile app were developed with these contents, and the AppSaludable Quality Seal was granted to the app. A specific self-report scale to measure acute stress and additional tools were included to support the health care workforce. This instrument has been used in several Latin American countries and has been adapted considering cultural differences. The resources section of the website was the most visited with 18, 516 out of 68, 913 (26.9%) visits, and the “Self-Report Acute Stress Scale” was the most visited resource with 6468 out of 18, 516 (34.9%) visits. Conclusions: The Be + against COVID platform (website and app) was developed and launched to offer a pool of recommendations and support resources, which were specifically designed to protect the psychological well-being and the work morale of health care workers. This is an original initiative different from the usual psychological assistance hotlines

Risk of miscarriage after chorionic villus sampling.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of miscarriage associated to chorionic villus sampling (CVS). METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study performed in eight fetal-medicine units in Spain, Belgium and Bulgaria. Two populations were included: first, all singleton pregnancies attending to their first-trimester assessment in Murcia, Spain, and second, all singleton pregnancies having a CVS following first-trimester assessment at any of the participating centers. We used propensity score matching analysis to estimate the association between CVS and miscarriage. We compared risks of miscarriage of CVS and non-CVS groups after propensity score matching (1:1 ratio). This procedure creates two comparable groups balancing the maternal and pregnancy characteristics that lead to CVS, in a similar way in which randomization operates in a randomized clinical trial. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 22,250 participants in the non-CVS group and 3,613 in the CVS group. The incidence of miscarriage in the CVS group was 2.1% (77/3,613), which was significantly higher than the 0.9% (207/22,250) in the non-CVS group (p <0.001). The propensity score algorithm matched 2,122 CVS cases with 2,122 non-CVS cases including 40 (1.9%) and 55 (2.6%) miscarriages in the CVS and non-CVS groups, respectively (OR 0.72 [95% CI 0.48 to 1.10]; p = 0.146). However, we found a significant interaction between the CVS risk of miscarriage and the risk of aneuploidies, suggesting a different effect of the CVS for different baseline characteristics in such a way that, when the risk of aneuploidies is low, the risk after CVS increases (OR 2.87 [95% CI 1.13 to 7.30]) but when the risk is high, the risk after CVS is paradoxically reduced (OR 0.47 [95% CI 0.28 to 0.76]), presumably due to prenatal diagnosis and termination of major aneuploidies that would have otherwise resulted in spontaneous miscarriage. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of miscarriage in women having a CVS is about 1% higher than in women without CVS, although this excess risk is not entirely due to the invasive procedure but to some extent the demographic and pregnancy characteristics of the patient undergoing CVS. After accounting for these risk factors and confining the analysis to low-risk pregnancies, CVS seems to increase the risk of miscarriage about three times above the patient's background-risk. Although this is a substantial increase in relative terms, in pregnancies without risk factors, the risk of miscarriage after CVS will still remain low and similar to or slightly higher than that of the general population. For example, if her risk of aneuploidy is 1 in a 1,000 (0.1%), her risk of miscarriage after CVS will increase to 0.3% (0.2% higher)