RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Badminton preferentially decreases explosive over maximal voluntary torque in both the plantar flexors and extensors

We assessed changes in maximal and explosive plantar flexion (PF) and dorsi flexion (DF) torque, and thus the maximal and explosive DF/PF ratio, in response to successive badminton matches (2 × 35, 15 minutes of rest) in 16 juniors (10 males, 6 females) International‐level badminton players before (Pre), immediately after the first (Post‐1) and second (Post‐2) match as well as after resting for 12 hours. For both PF and DF, maximal voluntary torque decreased from Pre to Post‐2 (~7%‐9%; P < 0.05). Compared with Pre, PF explosive voluntary torque decreased by ~4%‐13% at Post‐1 (P < 0.05), with further reductions ranging from −15% to −25% within the 0‐100 ms epoch after contraction (P < 0.001) at Post‐2. Decrements of similar magnitude in DF explosive voluntary torque occurred at Post‐1 (ranging −7% to −27%) and Post‐2 (ranging −3% to −28%) relative to Pre (P < 0.05). All neuromuscular parameters were fully recovered after 12 hours of rest. Explosive DF/PF ratios during the very initial phase of contraction (up to 50 ms from onset) were lower compared with the maximal DF/PF ratio, with no effect of time (all P < 0.05). In badminton, explosive torque indices should be included to more accurately reflect acute fatigue induced by successive badminton matches

Eficiência de um hidrociclone de geometria "rietema" para pré-filtragem de água para irrigação Efficiency of a hydrocyclone of "rietema" geometry for pre-filtering of water for irrigation

O hidrociclone é um equipamento amplamente utilizado pela indústria em processos envolvendo separação sólido-líquido, porém ainda pouco utilizado na agricultura irrigada no Brasil. Neste trabalho, avaliou-se o desempenho deste equipamento como pré-filtrante de partículas sólidas, oriundas dos processos erosivos e do assoreamento dos recursos hídricos. Os testes foram realizados com um hidrociclone de geometria "Rietema", possuindo diâmetro de 19,2 cm na parte cilíndrica, operando com vazões variando entre 10 m³ h-1 e 27 m³ h-1. Os materiais particulados usados em suspensão foram: solo franco-argiloso e areia de rio. Os resultados mostraram que a perda de carga máxima média foi de 52 kPa e 47 kPa para as suspensões aquosas de areia e solo, respectivamente. Seu melhor desempenho ocorreu operando com suspensão aquosa de areia, apresentando eficiência total de 92,3% para a vazão de 26,9 m³ h-1. Concluiu-se que o equipamento avaliado é mais eficiente para remoção de partículas de areia, podendo ser utilizado como pré-filtro em sistemas de irrigação.<br>The hydrocyclone is an equipment widely used by industry in cases involving solid-liquid separation, but still little used in irrigated agriculture in Brazil. This study evaluated the performance of this equipment as a pre-filter of solid particles, from erosive processes and the silting of water resources. The tests were performed with a hydrocyclone of "Rietema" geometry, with a diameter of 19.2 cm at the cylindrical part operating with outflows ranging between 10 m³ h-1 and 27 m³ h-1. The materials used in particulate suspension were clay loam soil and sand from river. The results showed that the average maximum head loss was 52 kPa and 47 kPa for aqueous suspensions of sand and soil, respectively. Its best performance occurred operating with slurry of sand, presenting total efficiency of 92.3% for 26.9 m³ h-1 of flow rate. It was concluded that such equipment is most effective to remove particles of sand, thus it can be used as a pre-filter in irrigation systems

Sistema computacional para a determinação da lâmina ótima econômica em irrigação pressurizada Software for the determination of the optimum irrigation depth in pressurized irrigation systems

O interesse do produtor rural é a rentabilidade de sua atividade, de tal maneira que possa obter o máximo benefício com os insumos empregados. Neste processo, a irrigação tem capital importância, uma vez que permite, genericamente, elevar significativamente a produtividade e, com ela, os ganhos. Entretanto, este recurso de produção muitas vezes não é bem empregado, por falta de conhecimentos e/ou ferramentas técnico-econômicas para sua utilização. Assim, este trabalho objetivou mostrar como o sistema computacional Tobruk pode ser utilizado para o planejamento da agricultura irrigada. Para isso, exemplos de determinação da lâmina econômica ótima de irrigação e sua forma de obtenção no campo, análise da viabilidade econômica do plantio irrigado, determinação da época de plantio que proporcione maior lucro e escolha do sistema de irrigação de melhor desempenho econômico, foram utilizados.<br>The main interest of a rural producer is the economic return of his activity. In this process, the irrigation has great importance as it permits a significant rise of productivity and profit. However, this is not always well applied due to the lack of knowledge and the required tools. The objective of this study is to show how the Tobruk's software could be used for the planning of the irrigated agriculture. For that, examples of determination of the optimum economical irrigation depth, and its determination in the field, analysis of the economical viability of the irrigated crop, determination of the planting date that provides higher profits and the choice of the most economical irrigation system have been shown