Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study)

Background: This study provides a global overview of the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CHOLECOVID is an international, multicentre, observational comparative study of patients admitted to hospital with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on management were collected for a 2-month study interval coincident with the WHO declaration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and compared with an equivalent pre-pandemic time interval. Mediation analysis examined the influence of SARS-COV-2 infection on 30-day mortality. Results: This study collected data on 9783 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to 247 hospitals across the world. The pandemic was associated with reduced availability of surgical workforce and operating facilities globally, a significant shift to worse severity of disease, and increased use of conservative management. There was a reduction (both absolute and proportionate) in the number of patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 3095 patients (56.2 per cent) pre-pandemic to 1998 patients (46.2 per cent) during the pandemic but there was no difference in 30-day all-cause mortality after cholecystectomy comparing the pre-pandemic interval with the pandemic (13 patients (0.4 per cent) pre-pandemic to 13 patients (0.6 per cent) pandemic; P = 0.355). In mediation analysis, an admission with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic was associated with a non-significant increased risk of death (OR 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 0.93 to 1.79, P = 0.121). Conclusion: CHOLECOVID provides a unique overview of the treatment of patients with cholecystitis across the globe during the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The study highlights the need for system resilience in retention of elective surgical activity. Cholecystectomy was associated with a low risk of mortality and deferral of treatment results in an increase in avoidable morbidity that represents the non-COVID cost of this pandemic

Temporary monitoring of areas prone to landslides illustrated with the example of the Klodne village

Mass wasting processes are very dangerous phenomena, mainly due to their unpredictability. Moreover, their tumultuous and rapid character has led to attempts of predicting the places of occurrence of such phenomena and to assess the possible threat. Unfortunately, it is not possible to monitor all potentially unstable areas, however, temporary monitoring of such areas, that are already activated, is legally required. Monitoring the area prone to mass movements is essential to assure the safety of its inhabitants and their possessions. The article presents the example of a surveying solution which was applied to monitor the landslide areas as well as their surroundings. The subject of the research was the landslide that occurred within the area of the Carpatians flysch in the village of Kłodne. Its activation, disastrous in its effects, occurred in 2010 and was caused by an intense rainfall. The first described stage of the research was the design and stabilisation of a control network. This resulted in the stabilisation of 68 points creating an observational network. The next stage, described in the article, was conducting two observational series using both satellite and classic measurement techniques. In the following part of the article, the results of the field measurements were discussed. The analysis of the results started with the calculation of coordinates of all points stabilised on the researched area in reference to the national spatial reference system. The calculations were made for each measurement series separately. After the conduction of works aimed at detecting fixed points in the creat ed surveying network, a slight horizontal displacement of several points located in the landslide area has been noticed. The determined displacements slightly exceed the values of measurement errors. In order to verify the obtained results, it is necessary to conduct more measurement serie

La ludoteca como un medio para el aprendizaje de roles, pautas y valores

Tesis (Educadora de Párvulos, Licenciado en Educación)Un niño disfruta jugando. Experimenta placer representando situaciones de la vida real en sus juegos. A la acción que los niños realizan cuando juegan, la llamamos actividad lúdica y ésta, está determinada por los deseos del niño de ser mayor. Si observan a los menores mientras están jugando, es normal ver que además de representar algunos paralelismos con la vida real, su papel en la obra por lo general es de adulto. El juego se basa en el principio del placer, ya que cuando jugamos buscamos la satisfacción de una necesidad en el mundo real. En el juego como en el sueño todo es posible. Se logra la transformación de lo pasivo en activo, desplazamos al exterior todos nuestros miedos, nuestras angustias internas para llegar a dominarlas con la acción

Determination of surface displacement on the landslide in Kłodne (Limanowa community, southern Poland)

Examination of the landslide in Kłodne was carried out in 2013 and 2014. The work was divided into two parts: geological engineering investigations (mapping of the external borders of the landslide) and geodetic surveying (photogrammetric studies and monitoring of surface movements). The boundaries of the landslide were marked using a Garmin eTrex GPS receiver and a geological compass (Freiberg). The boundaries have not changed and is convergent with previous studies. In the south-western part of the landslide the boundary is blurred as a result of anthropogenic transformation of the area. In the south-eastern part (as at May17, 2014) about 200 m3 of the colluvial material has been moved. Photogrammetric studies were based on the analysis of aerial photos from May 26, 2009 (prior tothe landslide formation) and on the orthophotomap created from images taken in July 2010, after the formation of the landslide. Displacement vectors were determined by comparing the locations of specific terrain details in the pictures taken before and after the mass movements occurred. In the upper part of the landslide the maximum horizontal displacement value was 87.7 m, the minimum was 6.2, and the average – 84.5 m. In the lower part of the landslide the horizontal displacements amounted to 65.5 m, had a minimum value of 10.3, and an average of 54.8 m. In the last stage of the study the base measurement network was created. It consisted of 68 points stabilized in the ground. The measurements were performed using the static GNSS observations method and linear-angular measurements carried out with a precise total station. In 2013, horizontal displacements ranged from 1 to 8.1 mm, and vertical ones ranged from –9.8 to 13.5 mm. In 2014, there were displacements observed in the vicinity of the main slope. They were directed to the south. The horizontal displacement vector has reached values from 2 to 94 mm, and the vertical vector was from –63 to 16 mm

Comparative Genomics and Physiological Investigation of a New Arthrospira/Limnospira Strain O9.13F Isolated from an Alkaline, Winter Freezing, Siberian Lake

Cyanobacteria from the genus Arthrospira/Limnospira are considered haloalkalotolerant organisms with optimal growth temperatures around 35 °C. They are most abundant in soda lakes in tropical and subtropical regions. Here, we report the comprehensive genome-based characterisation and physiological investigation of the new strain O9.13F that was isolated in a temperate climate zone from the winter freezing Solenoye Lake in Western Siberia. Based on genomic analyses, the Siberian strain belongs to the Arthrospira/Limnospira genus. The described strain O9.13F showed the highest relative growth index upon cultivation at 20 °C, lower than the temperature 35 °C reported as optimal for the Arthrospira/Limnospira strains. We assessed the composition of fatty acids, proteins and photosynthetic pigments in the biomass of strain O9.13F grown at different temperatures, showing its potential suitability for cultivation in a temperate climate zone. We observed a decrease of gamma-linolenic acid favouring palmitic acid in the case of strain O9.13F compared to tropical strains. Comparative genomics showed no unique genes had been found for the Siberian strain related to its tolerance to low temperatures. In addition, this strain does not possess a different set of genes associated with the salinity stress response from those typically found in tropical strains. We confirmed the absence of plasmids and functional prophage sequences. The genome consists of a 4.94 Mbp with a GC% of 44.47% and 5355 encoded proteins. The Arthrospira/Limnospira strain O9.13F presented in this work is the first representative of a new clade III based on the 16S rRNA gene, for which a genomic sequence is available in public databases (PKGD00000000)

Microalgae in aquafeeds for a sustainable aquaculture industry

Due to the rapid global expansion of the aquaculture industry, access to key feedstuffs (fishmeal and fish oil) is becoming increasingly limited because of the finite resources available for wild fish harvesting. This has resulted in other sources of feedstuffs being investigated, namely plant origin substitutes for fishmeal and fish oil for aquafeed. Conventional land-based crops have been favored for some applications as substitutes for a portion of the fishmeal, but they can result in changes in the nutritional quality of the fish produced. Microalgae can be regarded as a promising alternative that can replace fishmeal and fish oil and ensure sustainability standards in aquaculture. They have a potential for use in aquaculture as they are sources of protein, lipid, vitamins, minerals, pigments, etc. This comprehensive review summarizes the most important and recent developments of microalgae use as supplement or feed additive to replace fishmeal and fish oil for use in aquaculture. It also reflects the microalgal nutritional quality and digestibility of microalgae-based aquafeed. Simultaneously, safety and regulatory aspects of microalgae feed applications, major challenges on the use microalgae in aquafeed in commercial production, and future research and development perspective are also presented in a critical manner. This review will serve as a useful guide to present current status of knowledge and highlight key areas for future development of a microalgae-based aquafeed industry and overall development of a sustainable aquaculture industry