Synthesis and characterization of silica-chitosan hybrid materials as antibacterial coatings for titanium implants

To avoid dental implant-related infections and to promote the osseointegration of titanium implants, the application of silicon and chitosan containing coatings is proposed. Silicon is a well-known osteogenic element and chitosan was selected to confer the antibacterial properties. The synthesis of hybrid silica-chitosan coatings using the sol-gel process is presented and the characterization using 29Si-NMR to verify the correct formation of the network is discussed. The 13C NMR spectroscopy was used to confirm the covalent union between chitosan and the silicon network. Hydrolytic degradation and silicon release studies showed the effective silicon release from the hybrids and, hence, the possibility to promote bone formation. The introduction of different amounts of chitosan and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) modulated the Si release. The analysis of cell cultures in vitro demonstrated that the hybrid coatings were not cytotoxic and promoted cell proliferation on their surfaces. The coatings containing 5%–10% chitosan had substantial antibacterial properties

Peak provoked craving after smoking cessation

Peak provoked craving (PPC) is an alternative approach to cue-induced craving that focuses on the highest craving level experienced during the exposure to drug-related cues. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of abstinence on PPC in smokers and to determine whether PPC is altered by continuous abstinence. Results showed reductions on PPC levels only 24 hours after achieving abstinence and craving levels remain significantly lower after 7 days of abstinence

El impacto del deterioro medioambiental del Mar Menor en los precios de Airbnb

In 2008, the company Airbnb started its activity becoming the most representative tourism accommodation company from the sharing economy. Nowadays, it has more than 6.500.000 registered listings around the world. Previous literature examines hedonic models where Airbnb’s prices are explained in function of accommodation characteristics. In this context, studies about the environmental degradation effects on Airbnb listing prices are practically nonexistent. Citiciens are concerned about the marine pollution problems in the tourist area of Mar Menor (Murcia). The advances in micro-territorial open databases (as the information from the Senitel 3 satellite provided by the European Spatial Agency) allow improving the hedonic models accuracy and determining the economic impact of marine water pollution on Airbnb prices located in this coastal area. This is the objective of our study. The results show a significant impact of high levels of marine water pollution in Mar Menor reducing Airbnb listing prices in this zone. Therefore, managers in the tourism sector have incentives to adopt measures to reduce marine pollution in order to reduce the environmental degradation in this lagoon.En 2008, la empresa Airbnb inició su actividad convirtiéndose en la empresa de oferta de alojamientos más representativa de economía colaborativa con más de 6.500.000 alojamientos en todo el mundo. Si bien se han realizado aplicaciones de modelos hedónicos sobre el mercado de alojamientos turísticos de este tipo de plataformas, la literatura sobre cómo afectan los factores relacionados con la contaminación medioambiental en este contexto es escasa. Los problemas de contaminación del agua marina preocupan a un gran número de ciudadanos de la zona turística del Mar Menor (región de Murcia). Gracias a los avances en bases de datos micro-territoriales de carácter abierto (como los datos obtenidos por el Satelite Senitel 3 de la Agencia Espacial Europea) podemos mejorar la precisión de los modelos hedónicos y determinar cuál es el impacto económico de la contaminación del agua marina en el precio de las ofertas de Airbnb localizadas en las zonas costeras. Este es el objetivo del presente estudio. Los resultados muestran un impacto significativo de niveles elevados de contaminación marina reduciendo los precios de los alojamientos Airbnb de la zona del Mar Menor. Por tanto, los gerentes de los servicios turísticos de esta zona tienen incentivos para adoptar medidas estratégicas con el fin de mejorar la situación medioambiental de la laguna

Etiology and susceptbility to antimicrobials of urinary tract infections in patients of Rehabilitation Unit of a regional hospital

Objetivos: Conocer los resultados del estudio microbiológico de las muestras de orina de pacientes de la Unidad de Rehabilitación de un hospital regional, incluyendo los datos locales de sensibilidad antibiótica. Material y métodos: Se analizó la base de datos del Laboratorio de Microbiología del Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves con los estudios microbiológicos de las muestras de orinas realizados durante el año 2012. Se investigó la etiología y la sensibilidad a los antibióticos de los uropatógenos más frecuentes presentes en 143 muestras de orina obtenidas mediante sondaje o cateterismo. Los resultados del estudio de 9066 muestras de orina de micción media de sujetos estudiados en Atención Primaria fueron utilizados como grupo control. Resultados: El 50% de los pacientes neurológicos presentaron urocultivos positivos, frente al 23% de los controles. E. coli fue el microorganismo más frecuentemente aislado en el grupo de enfermos neurológicos, al igual que en los controles. En el estudio de resistencias E. coli presentó altas tasas de resistencia a ampicilina, cotrimoxazol, ciprofloxacino y amoxicilina con ácido clavulánico. Conclusiones: E. coli es el microorganismo más frecuentemente aislado en los dos grupos de pacientes estudiados. Las resistencias a los antibióticos de los microorganismos procedentes de los dos grupos tienen patrones diferentes, siendo globalmente menor a fosfomicina.Objectives: Knowing the results of microbiological tests of urine samples of patients from the Rehabilitation Unit of a regional hospital, including local data of antibiotic susceptibility. Material and methods: We analyzed the database of the Microbiology Laboratory of the Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves with microbiological studies conducted urine samples during 2012. We investigated the etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens frequently present in 143 urine samples. The 9066 survey results voiding urine mean in Primary Care study subjects were used as controls. Results: The 50% of neurological patients had positive urine cultures, versus 23% of controls. E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism group neurological patients, as in the controls. Resistance studies in E. coli showed high rates of resistance to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid. Conclusions: E. coli is the most frequently isolated microorganism in both groups of patients studied. The antibiotic resistance of microorganisms from the two groups have different patterns, being globally less to fosfomycin

Downregulation of mTOR Signaling Increases Stem Cell Population Telomere Length during Starvation of Immortal Planarians

Reduction of caloric intake delays and prevents age-associated diseases and extends the life span in many organisms. It may be that these benefits are due to positive effects of caloric restriction on stem cell function. We use the planarian model Schmidtea mediterranea, an immortal animal that adapts to long periods of starvation by shrinking in size, to investigate the effects of starvation on telomere length. We show that the longest telomeres are a general signature of planarian adult stem cells. We also observe that starvation leads to an enrichment of stem cells with the longest telomeres and that this enrichment is dependent on mTOR signaling. We propose that one important effect of starvation for the rejuvenation of the adult stem cell pool is through increasing the median telomere length in somatic stem cells. Such a mechanism has broad implications for how dietary effects on aging are mediated at the whole-organism level.C.G.-E. was funded by a Contrato de Investigadores Miguel Servet (CP12/03214) and by the FLI. The FLI is a member of the Leibniz Association and is financially supported by the Federal Government of Germany and the State of Thuringia. O.G.-G. was funded by an LGSA scholarship. R.P. and B.F.-V. were funded by a grant (PI17-01401) from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain) and FEDER funds. I.F. was funded by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (SAF2016-80406-R), Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD-3875), and the Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (RD12/0042/0045). The CNIC is supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). A.A.A. was funded by grants from the BBSRC (BB/K007564/1) and MRC (MR/M000133/1), and S.S. by a University of Oxford Clarendon Fund Scholarship.S

The environmental degradation impact in Mar Menor on Airbnb prices

En 2008, la empresa Airbnb inició su actividad convirtiéndose en la empresa de oferta de alojamientos más representativa de economía colaborativa con más de 6.500.000 alojamientos en todo el mundo. Si bien se han realizado aplicaciones de modelos hedónicos sobre el mercado de alojamientos turísticos de este tipo de plataformas, la literatura sobre cómo afectan los factores relacionados con la contaminación medioambiental en este contexto es escasa. Los problemas de contaminación del agua marina preocupan a un gran número de ciudadanos de la zona turística del Mar Menor (región de Murcia). Gracias a los avances en bases de datos micro-territoriales de carácter abierto (como los datos obtenidos por el Satelite Senitel 3 de la Agencia Espacial Europea) podemos mejorar la precisión de los modelos hedónicos y determinar cuál es el impacto económico de la contaminación del agua marina en el precio de las ofertas de Airbnb localizadas en las zonas costeras. Este es el objetivo del presente estudio. Los resultados muestran un impacto significativo de niveles elevados de contaminación marina reduciendo los precios de los alojamientos Airbnb de la zona del Mar Menor. Por tanto, los gerentes de los servicios turísticos de esta zona tienen incentivos para adoptar medidas estratégicas con el fin de mejorar la situación medioambiental de la laguna.In 2008, the company Airbnb started its activity becoming the most representative tourism accommodation company from the sharing economy. Nowadays, it has more than 6.500.000 registered listings around the world. Previous literature examines hedonic models where Airbnb’s prices are explained in function of accommodation characteristics. In this context, studies about the environmental degradation effects on Airbnb listing prices are practically nonexistent. Citiciens are concerned about the marine pollution problems in the tourist area of Mar Menor (Murcia). The advances in micro-territorial open databases (as the information from the Senitel 3 satellite provided by the European Spatial Agency) allow improving the hedonic models accuracy and determining the economic impact of marine water pollution on Airbnb prices located in this coastal area. This is the objective of our study. The results show a significant impact of high levels of marine water pollution in Mar Menor reducing Airbnb listing prices in this zone. Therefore, managers in the tourism sector have incentives to adopt measures to reduce marine pollution in order to reduce the environmental degradation in this lagoon.Universidad Pablo de Olavid

Utilization of lactose and presence of the phospho-β-galactosidase (lacG) gene in Lactococcus garvieae isolates from different sources

This study evaluates the utilization of lactose (Lac) and the presence of the phospho-β-galactosidase (lacG) gene as markers for distinguishing between fish (Lac-/lacG-) and dairy isolates (Lac+/lacG+) of Lactococcus garvieae, using a panel of L. garvieae isolates from different sources. None of the fish isolates produced acid from lactose (Lac-), however Lac-/lacG- isolates were observed in pigs, cows, birds and humans. Most of the dairy isolates (77.8%) were Lac+/lacG+, but some dairy isolates did not produce acid from this sugar. Data in the present study show that the ability to metabolize lactose and the presence of the lacG gene are heterogeneously scattered among L. garvieae isolates of different sources. Therefore, the use of these criteria as markers to differentiate between L. garvieae isolates of dairy and fish origin should be considered with caution

Sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors associated to significative bacteriuria in a Spanish health area

Objetivo. Determinar las características epidemiológicas de las bacteriurias significativas (BS) y su relación con factores sociodemográficos, así como analizar los factores de riesgo en pacientes hospitalizados. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo transversal realizado sobre el conjunto de registros obtenidos a partir del procesamiento de todas las muestras de urocultivos recibidas en el laboratorio de Microbiología del Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves (Granada, España) entre enero de 2016 y diciembre de 2020, diferenciando entre población infantil y adulta. Como variables dependientes se analizaron la presencia de BS, las variables independientes fueron la edad en años, sexo, año y mes de la muestra, tipo de muestra, procedencia de la muestra y número de aislamientos. En los urocultivos obtenidos de pacientes ingresados se evaluó la presencia de factores de riesgo asociados a partir del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos. Resultados. Se analizaron 68.587 registros válidos (un 96,3% del total). El 40,8% (IC95%: 40,4%-41,2%) de los urocultivos en adultos y el 33,8% (IC95%: 32,9%-34,7%) en niños fueron positivos. La incidencia en adultos descendió de 18,2 casos/1.000 habitantes en el año 2016 a 14,6 casos/1.000 habitantes en 2020. Para estos mismos años, la incidencia en menores disminuyó de 21,1 a 8,4 casos/1.000 habitantes, respectivamente. Los urocultivos positivos fueron más frecuentes en niños del ámbito urbano frente al ámbito rural (OR=1,37; p<0,01), sin significación en adultos. En adultos hospitalizados, por cada año de edad transcurrido, el riesgo de BS aumentó un 2%, (OR=1,02), fue un 36% mayor en mujeres (OR=1,36), un 18% superior en obesos (OR=1,18) y un 17% más frecuente en pacientes con enfermedad renal (OR=1,17), todas ellas de forma significativa (p<0,01). No se observó relación entre BS y diagnóstico de COVID-19. Conclusión. Las características sociodemográficas de la población con BS atendida en nuestra área de salud, tanto en adultos como en niños, son similares a las encontradas en otras áreas geográficas a nivel mundial, observando una tendencia decreciente en la incidencia de BS en los años estudiados. La frecuencia de BS en niños es mayor en el ámbito urbano.Objective. To determine the epidemiological characteristics of significative bacteriuria (SB) and their relationship with sociodemographic factors and to analyze risk factors in inpatients. Material and methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out on urine culture samples received between 2016- 2020 in the Microbiology laboratory, differentiating between minors and adults. The dependent variable was the presence of SB and the independent variables were age, sex, year, type of sample and source of the sample. In urine cultures of inpatients, risk factors were evaluated from the Minimum Basic Data Set. Results. A total of 68,587 valid records (96.3% of the total) were analyzed. 40.8% (95% CI: 40.4%-41.2%) of urine cultures in adults and 33.8% (95% CI: 32.9%-34.7%) in children were positive, with an incidence that ranged in adults between 18.2 cases/1,000 inhabitants in 2016 and 14.6 cases/ 1,000 inhabitants in 2020 and 21.1 and 8.4 cases/1,000 inhabitants respectively in minors. Positive urine cultures were more frequent in children from urban areas compared to rural areas (OR=1.37; p<0.01). In hospitalized adults, for each year of age the risk of SB increased by 2%, it was 36% higher in women, 18% higher in obese patients and 17% more frequent in patients with kidney disease, (p<0.01). No relationship was observed between SB and diagnosis of COVID-19. Conclusion. The sociodemographic characteristics of the population with SB in our health area are similar to those found in other geographical areas worldwide, observing a decreasing trend in incidence in the years studied. The frequency of SB in children is higher in urban areas

Association between biomarkers of iron status and cardiometabolic risk in Spanish children aged 9-10 years. The ELOIN study

The relationship between iron metabolism and cardiometabolic risk factors has been scarcely studied in children, and the results are controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between iron parameters and lipid, glycemic and blood pressure alterations in the pediatric population. This was a cross-sectional study of 1954 children between 9 and 10 years of age in Madrid (Spain), participants in a longitudinal study of childhood obesity. Iron metabolism parameters, i.e., serum iron (Is), ferritin (Fs), transferrin (Tf) and transferrin saturation (STf) and lipid, glycemic and blood pressure profiles were evaluated. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, C-reactive protein and body mass index. Compared with the participants in the low Is and STf tertiles, those in the upper tertiles had a lower risk of low HDL-Chol (OR: 0.34; 95%CI: 0.17; 0.67) and OR: 0.44 (95%CI: 0.23; 0.84), respectively, and children in the upper Fs tertile had an OR of 2.07 (95%CI: 1.16; 3.68) for low HDL-Chol. Children in the highest Is and STf tertiles had a lower risk of prediabetes [OR: 0.63 (95%CI: 0.41; 0.97) and OR: 0.53 (95%CI: 0.34; 0.82)] and insulin resistance (IR) (OR: 0.37; 95%CI: 0.22; 0.64), and those in the upper Tf tertile had a higher risk of IR (OR: 1.90; 95%CI: 1.16; 3.12). An increased risk of hypertension was found only in children in the upper Fs tertile (OR: 1.46; 95%CI: 1.01; 2.13). Conclusions: Biomarkers of iron metabolism are associated with cardiometabolic alterations in the pediatric population, with a variable direction and magnitude depending on the indicators used. What is known: • Iron metabolism is related to important cardiometabolic alterations such as metabolic syndrome and its components. • Association between biomarkers of iron status and cardiometabolic risk have been less explored in children. What is new: • Biomarkers of iron metabolism are associated with cardiometabolic alterations in the pediatric population. • Iron parameters in the pediatric population could be of great help to detect and prevent cardiometabolic abnormalities early.The ELOIN study was funded by the General Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid. The authors have not received financial support for the research, authorship or publication of this article. This project received a grant for the translation and publication of this paper from the Foundation for Biosanitary Research and Innovation in Primary Care (FIIBAP).S

Relación entre los actores y niveles de confianza en centros de educación secundaria del cantón Guayaquil (Ecuador)

The public policy of Ecuador has placed the improvement of educational quality as one of the main objectives of government management. The climate-school constructs, organizational climate, work climate, and institutional climate, are used in different environments to accentuate the importance of the relationship established between a management environment factor and the quality of results in organizations. Through out this study, the objective has been to analyze the variations in the relationship among the actors, and the levels of trust between the actors of the school organizational climate, according to the socioeconomic level, the role played in the educational community, or the type of socio-educational center. The study follows a new approach of an experimental, descriptive-comparative investigation, using techniques such as the survey, the interview, and the discussion group, adjusting to the mixed methodology according to the objectives and sense of the research proposed. In consideration of the results, we will appreciate that the relationships between the actors and the confidence levels of the actors show mostly positive indicators based on the responses of the participants in the study. However, the percentage of negative perceptions (24.34%) is a factor to consider, since it might suggest that these perceptions underlie indicators of distrust that should be taken into account for any future interventions. In conclusion, the schools participating in this study have built a mostly positive school organizational climate, which generates favorable spaces for innovation and change processes.La política pública del Ecuador ha ubicado a la mejora de la calidad educativa como uno de los principales objetivos de la gestión gubernamental. Los constructos clima-escolar, clima organizacional, clima de trabajo y clima institucional son utilizados en diferentes entornos para acentuar la importancia de la relación que se establece entre un ambiente de gestión satisfactorio y la calidad de resultados en las organizaciones. A través del presente estudio se planteó como objetivo el análisis de las variaciones de la relación entre los actores y los niveles de confianza entre los actores del clima organizacional escolar de acuerdo con el nivel socioeconómico, el rol desempeñado en la comunidad educativa o el tipo de centros escolares. El estudio corresponde a una investigación de tipo no experimental, descriptiva-comparativa, mediante técnicas como la encuesta, la entrevista y el grupo de discusión, ajustándose a la metodología mixta de acuerdo a los objetivos y sentido de la investigación planteada. Como resultados apreciaremos que las relaciones entre los actores y los niveles de confianza de los actores muestras indicadores mayoritariamente positivos en función de las respuestas de los participantes en el estudio, sin embargo el porcentaje de percepciones negativas (24,34%) es un dato a tener en cuenta, puesto que podría sugerir que subyacen en esas percepciones indicadores de desconfianza que habría que tomar en cuenta para posibles intervenciones posteriores. En conclusión, los centros escolares participantes de este estudio han construido un clima organizacional escolar mayoritariamente positivo, lo cual genera espacios favorables a procesos de innovación y cambio.Universidad Pablo de Olavid