USEQ: A Short Questionnaire for Satisfaction Evaluation of Virtual Rehabilitation Systems

[EN] New emerging technologies have proven their efficacy in aiding people in their rehabilitation. The tests that are usually used to evaluate usability (in general) or user satisfaction (in particular) of this technology are not specifically focused on virtual rehabilitation and patients. The objective of this contribution is to present and evaluate the USEQ (User Satisfaction Evaluation Questionnaire). The USEQ is a questionnaire that is designed to properly evaluate the satisfaction of the user (which constitutes part of usability) in virtual rehabilitation systems. Forty patients with balance disorders completed the USEQ after their first session with ABAR (Active Balance Rehabilitation), which is a virtual rehabilitation system that is designed for the rehabilitation of balance disorders. Internal consistency analysis and exploratory factor analysis were carried out to identify the factor structure of the USEQ. The six items of USEQ were significantly associated with each other, and the Cronbach alpha coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.716. In an analysis of the principal components, a one-factor solution was considered to be appropriate. The findings of the study suggest that the USEQ is a reliable questionnaire with adequate internal consistency. With regard to patient perception, the patients found the USEQ to be an easy-to-understand questionnaire with a convenient number of questions.Gil-Gómez, J.; Manzano-Hernández, P.; Albiol-Perez, S.; Aula-Valero, C.; Gil Gómez, H.; Lozano Quilis, JA. (2017). USEQ: A Short Questionnaire for Satisfaction Evaluation of Virtual Rehabilitation Systems. Sensors. 17(7):1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/s17071589S112177BEVAN, N. (2001). International standards for HCI and usability. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 55(4), 533-552. doi:10.1006/ijhc.2001.0483Abran, A., Khelifi, A., Suryn, W., & Seffah, A. (2003). 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Effects of irrigation with desalinated seawater and hydroponic system on tomato quality

The use of desalinated seawater (DSW) as an alternative to conventional water resources is gradually gaining more interest due to the strong water deficit and increasing pressure on water resources in semi-arid regions. Furthermore, the combination of this alternative irrigation with the hydroponic cultivation system would allow continuous production almost through the whole year and hydroponic-related high crop yield. Nevertheless, the e_ects of DSW irrigation in hydroponic systems on the product quality need to be firstly studied to avoid product quality losses. In this study, we evaluated the e_ects on the quality of two tomato cvs. (Ramyle and Racymo) of three di_erent irrigation treatments (T1, DSW; T2, DSW/well water mix; and T3, well water) under hydroponic or traditional cultivation systems. The soluble solid content of samples (highly correlated to dry matter content) grown under hydroponic conditions and T3 irrigation showed the highest values (5.8 _Brix) although such di_erences (<0.6 _Brix) with T1 might not be sensorially appreciated. Similarly, although T3 samples showed higher acidity than T1 samples, such di_erences (0.06%) would be not appreciated by the consumer. Tomatoes grown in hydroponic conditions had 1.1–1.2-fold higher firmness than conventional soil conditions showing hydroponic T3 samples had the highest value (21–23 N). Tomato cv. Racymo displayed higher color index (chroma) than cv. Ramyle, registering hydroponic T1 samples the most intense red color correlated with the highest lycopene content of 41.1 mg/kg. T1 irrigation of tomatoes cv. Ramyle did not induce significant changes while di_erences lower than 10% were observed in the tomato cv. Racymo. The highest total antioxidant capacity, which was highly correlated to the total phenolic content (R2 = 0.80), was found for hydroponic T1 samples with 1637/1243 _mol/kg for the tomato cvs. Ramyle/Racymo. Conclusively, the use of DSW would not compromise the consumer acceptance of tomatoes due to the low (not appreciable) quality di_erences, with even the total antioxidant capacity of these samples being increased. Furthermore, the mix of DSW with conventional water resources (lower cost) would not compromise the tomato quality.This study was funded by the LIFE Program of the European Union through the DESEACROP project (LIFE16-ENV-ES-000341)

Anorexia nerviosa en el embarazo: cuidados en la enfermería obstétrico-ginecológica

The anorexia nervosa is a food psychosomatic, complex disorder, that primarily affects girls and young women. Disorders in food conduct can happen at any age and in certain situations (especially of change) can precipitate the appearance of symptoms. Pregnancy and the maternity are such situations. It is a rare situation, but the anorexic woman needs special care by matrons and nurses involved in the pregnancy, childbirth and puerperio of the woman. These care plans should be of a standard form and adapted to each clinical case, for an efficient, effective and  quality assistance. Aims: To increase the quality of nursing care in patients with anorexia nervosa during the pregnancy. To avoid relapses during the evolution of the disease. To promote the suitable utilization of NANDA, NIC, NOC to record nursing work. Development: After a Marjory Gordon valuation functional health patterns, the following diagnostic nurses are standardized for the care plan: nutritional imbalance by default corporal appearance disorder, chronic low self-esteem, anxiety and interruption of the family processes. Conclusions: The treatment must be multidisciplinary, and nursing cares are of special importance, since the follow-up of these patients is practically for life. The application of care plans and the use of nursing diagnoses of infirmary(nursing) has repercussions on the profession, the patient and on the nurse; professionally, the nursing process defines the field of the professional exercise and includes the quality procedure; the patient is benefited, since by means of this process the nursing care quality is guaranteed; for the professional nurse there is an increase of satisfaction and professionalism.La anorexia nerviosa es un desorden alimentario psicosomático, complejo, que primariamente afecta a niñas y mujeres jóvenes. Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria pueden ocurrir a cualquier edad y en determinadas situaciones (en particular, de cambio), pueden precipitar la aparición de síntomas. El embarazo y la maternidad son una de estas situaciones. Es una situación rara, pero la mujer anoréxica necesita unos cuidados especiales por parte de matronas y enfermeras implicadas en el embarazo, parto y puerperio de la mujer. Estos planes de cuidados deberían  ser protocolizados de una forma estándar y adaptarlos en cada caso clínico, para una asistencia de calidad, eficaz y eficiente. Objetivos: Aumentar la calidad de los cuidados de enfermería en pacientes con anorexia nerviosa durante el embarazo. Evitar recaídas durante la evolución de la enfermedad. Promover la adecuada utilización de: NANDA, NIC, NOC,  para registrar el trabajo de enfermería.   Desarrollo: Tras una valoración por patrones funcionales de salud de Marjory Gordon, se estandarizan los siguientes diagnósticos enfermeros para el plan de cuidados: Desequilibrio nutricional por defecto, trastorno de la imagen corporal, baja autoestima crónica, ansiedad e interrupción de los procesos familiares. Conclusiones: El tratamiento debe ser multidisciplinario, y los cuidados de enfermería son de especial relevancia, puesto que el seguimiento de estas pacientes es prácticamente de por vida. La aplicación de planes de cuidados y la utilización de los diagnósticos de enfermería tienen repercusiones sobre la profesión, la paciente y sobre la enfermera; profesionalmente, el proceso enfermero define el campo del ejercicio profesional y contiene las normas de calidad; la paciente es beneficiada, ya que mediante este proceso se garantiza la calidad de los cuidados de enfermería; para el profesional enfermero se produce un aumento de la satisfacción, así como de la profesionalidad

Identification of an aromatase haplotype that is associated with gene expression and postmenopausal osteoporosis

Context: Osteoporosis has a significant genetic component. The aromatase-dependent conversion of androgenic precursors is the main source of estrogens in postmenopausal women. Objective: The objective of the investigation was to study the relationship of a set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the aromatase gene with osteoporosis and determine their functional influence on gene transcription. Design, Participants, and Methods: This was a case-control study including 135 women with vertebral fractures due to postmenopausal osteoporosis and 312 controls. Alleles at four SNPs situated between exons I.2 and 3 were determined by Taqman assays. Total aromatase RNA and differential allelic-specific expression were studied by RT-real time PCR in adipose tissue samples taken from 50 individuals. Results: The SNPs studied were in strong linkage disequilibrium. A common haplotype, present in about half of the population, was identified as being associated with an increased risk of fractures (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2–2.8, P = 0.006). There was evidence of differential allelic expression. In heterozygous individuals, transcripts bearing T alleles at rs700518 SNP (which were included in the risk haplotype) were less abundant than those with the alternative C alleles (P < 0.001). Total aromatase expression was four times lower in fat samples from individuals who were homozygotes for the unfavorable alleles than in the opposite homozygotes (P = 0.007). Conclusions: A common haplotype of aromatase associated with gene expression is also associated with the risk of osteoporotic vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women. These data are in line with the hypothesis that the aromatase-dependent synthesis of estrogens plays an important role in bone homeostasis in postmenopausal women

Polyurethane-based bioadhesive synthesized from polyols derived from castor oil (Ricinus communis) and low concentration of chitosan

[EN] Polyurethane-based bioadhesive was synthesized with polyols derived from castor oil (chemically modified and unmodified) and hexamethylene diisocyanate with chitosan addition as a bioactive filler. The objective was to evaluate the effect of type of polyols with the incorporation of low-concentrations of chitosan on the mechanical and biological properties of the polymer to obtain suitable materials in the design of biomaterials. The results showed that increasing physical crosslinking increased the mechanical and adhesive properties. An in vitro cytotoxic test of polyurethanes showed cellular viability. The biocompatibility of the polyurethanes favors the adhesion of L929 cells at 6, 24, and 48 h. The polyurethanes showed bacterial inhibition depending on the polyol and percentage of chitosan. The antibacterial effect of the polyurethanes for Escherichia coli decreased 60-90% after 24 h. The mechanical and adhesive properties together with biological response in this research suggested these polyurethanes as external application tissue bioadhesives.This work was supported by the Universidad de La Sabana under grant number ING-176-2016 and by Colciencias under scholarship grant 617-2-2014. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program. CIBER Actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund. J.A.G.T. and A.V.L. acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through project DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R (including FEDER financial support). Finally, the authors thank the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for assistance and advice with the equipment.Uscátegui, YL.; Arevalo-Alquichire, SJ.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Vallés Lluch, A.; Diaz, LE.; Valero, MF. (2017). Polyurethane-based bioadhesive synthesized from polyols derived from castor oil (Ricinus communis) and low concentration of chitosan. Journal of Materials Research. 32(19):3699-3711. https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2017.371S36993711321

Hydrolytic stability and biocompatibility on smooth muscle cells of polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone-based polyurethanes

[EN] Interactions between smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and biomaterials must not result in phenotype changes as this may generate uncontrolled multiplication processes and occlusions in vascular grafts. The aim of this study was to relate the hydrolytic stability and biocompatibility of polyurethanes (PUs) on SMCs. A higher polycaprolactone (PCL) concentration was found to improve the hydrolytic stability of the material and the adhesion of SMCs. A material with 5% polyethylene glycol, 90% PCL, and 5% pentaerythritol presented high cell viability and adhesion, suggesting a contractile phenotype in SMCs depending on the morphology. Nevertheless, all PUs retained their elastic modulus over 120 days, similar to the collagen of native arteries (similar to 10 MPa). Furthermore, aortic SMCs did not present toxicity (viability over 80%) and demonstrated adherence without any abnormal cell multiplication processes, which is ideal for the function to be fulfiled in situ in the vascular grafts.The research and publication were supported by the Universidad de La Sabana (ING-205-2018) and the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Republic of Colombia, MINCIENCAS (Contract number 80740-186-2019). M. M-G. would like to thank the Universidad de La Sabana for the scholarship for her master's studies. S. A-A. would like to thank MINCIENCIAS for the doctoral training scholarship (Grant 727-2015). The authors are thankful to Professor Ericsson Coy Barrera and his staff at Nueva Granada Military University for the access to the VarioskanT LUX multimode microplate reader. J. A. S. acknowledges the financial support by MINECO through FIS2017-83295-P, MAT2015-71070-REDC, MAT2016-75586-C4-1/2/3-P and the Ramon y Cajal Fellowship (RYC-201517482). CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program. CIBER actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.Morales-Gonzalez, M.; Arévalo-Alquichire, S.; Diaz, LE.; Sans-Tresserras, JÁ.; Vilariño, G.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Valero, MF. (2020). Hydrolytic stability and biocompatibility on smooth muscle cells of polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone-based polyurethanes. Journal of Materials Research. 35(23-24):3276-3285. https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2020.303S327632853523-24Benrashid, E., McCoy, C. C., Youngwirth, L. M., Kim, J., Manson, R. J., Otto, J. C., & Lawson, J. H. (2016). Tissue engineered vascular grafts: Origins, development, and current strategies for clinical application. Methods, 99, 13-19. doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.07.014Asadpour, S., Ai, J., Davoudi, P., Ghorbani, M., Jalali Monfared, M., & Ghanbari, H. (2018). 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A Novel, Quick, and Reliable Smartphone-Based Method for Serum PSA Quantification: Original Design of a Portable Microfluidic Immunosensor-Based System

We describe a versatile, portable, and simple platform that includes a microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection. It is based on the covalent immobilization of the anti-PSA monoclonal antibody on magnetic microbeads retained in the central channel of a microfluidic device. Image flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the magnetic microbeads. A direct sandwich immunoassay (with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated PSA antibody) served to quantify the cancer biomarker in serum samples. The enzymatic product was detected at -100 mV by amperometry on sputtered thin-film electrodes. Electrochemical reaction produced a current proportional to the PSA level, with a linear range from 10 pg mL(-1) to 1500 pg mL(-1). The sensitivity was demonstrated by a detection limit of 2 pg mL(-1) and the reproducibility by a coefficient of variation of 6.16%. The clinical performance of this platform was tested in serum samples from patients with prostate cancer (PCa), observing high specificity and full correlation with gold standard determinations. In conclusion, this analytical platform is a promising tool for measuring PSA levels in patients with PCa, offering a high sensitivity and reduced variability. The small platform size and low cost of this quantitative methodology support its suitability for the fast and sensitive analysis of PSA and other circulating biomarkers in patients. Further research is warranted to verify these findings and explore its potential application at all healthcare levels.Universidad Nacional de San Luis PROICO 22/Q241ANPCyT PICT 2018-04443 PICT-2015-2246 PICT-2015-1575 PICT-2014-1184 PICT-2014-0375 PICT-2018-04443Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) PIP 11220150100004COGENYOCentre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer-University of GranadaAndalusian Regional Government (Granada, Spain)ISCIII Health Research Institute P17/00989La Caixa FoundationHealth and Family Secretariat of the Andalusian Regional GovernmentSpanish GovernmentH2020-MSCA-IF-2019-89566

Polyurethanes from modified castor oil and chitosan. Synthesis, characterization, in vitro degradation, and cytotoxicity

[EN] Polyurethanes (PUs) from castor oil (CO), modified CO (MCO) by transesterification reaction, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) in an NCO/OH ratio equal to 1, and chitosan (CS) were synthesized to assess their potential as biomaterials. PUs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, hydroxyl value (ASTM D1957), thermogravimetric analysis, Shore A hardness (ASTM D2240), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Also, contact angle, water retention and in vitro degradation in PBS, and cell viability on fibroblast were performed. The hydroxyl value confirms CO modification, and IR analysis confirms urethane bond formation. The thermal assay does not show new degradation stages and polyol with a high functionality had better hardness performance due to the increase in cross-linking. The micrograph shows micro-phase separation of both polymers. The contact angle shows the hydrophobic surface with an angle over 65°, and the CS and polyol type do not affect swelling and in vitro degradation due to phase separation between both polymers. The cell viability was over 70% in all cases, and solid polymers and degradation products involve non-cytotoxic effects on the samples. The results suggest a potential for these formulations in the biomedical field.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Universidad de La Sabana under Grant number ING-160-2015. Also, Jose A. Gomez-Tejedor and Ana Valles-Lluch acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R (including the FEDER financial support).Arévalo-Alquichire, S.; Ramírez, C.; Andrade, L.; Uscategui, Y.; Diaz, LE.; Gómez-Tejedor, JA.; Vallés Lluch, A.... (2018). Polyurethanes from modified castor oil and chitosan. Synthesis, characterization, in vitro degradation, and cytotoxicity. Journal of Elastomers and Plastics. 50(5):419-434. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095244317729578S41943450

Influence of Polyol/Crosslinker Blend Composition on Phase Separation and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Polyurethane Thin Films

[EN] Polyurethanes (PUs) from Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polycaprolactone diol (PCL) and a crosslinker, Pentaerythritol (PE), were synthetized with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI). In this study, we investigated the effect of polyol and crosslinker composition on phase separation and thermo-mechanical properties. The properties were studied through dynamic mechanical analysis, X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed changes in PUs properties, microphase structure, and separation due to the composition of polyol/crosslinker blend. So, the largest concentration of PE produced multimodal loss factor patterns, indicating segment segregation while PUs with a PEG/PCL = 1 displayed a monomodal loss factor pattern, indicating a homogeneously distributed microphase separation. Additionally, the increase of the PEG concentration enhanced the damping capacity. On the other hand, agglomeration and thread-like structures of hard segments (HS) were observed through AFM. Finally, the thermal behavior of PUs was affected by chemical composition. Lower concentration of PE reduced the crosslinking; hence, the temperature with the maximum degradation rate.This work was supported by: Universidad de La Sabana (Grant number ING-176-2016); COLCIENCIAS, today Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of the republic of Colombia, (Grant number 808-2018); Fondo Francisco Jose de Caldas (Contract number CT22-2017). CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D & I Plan 2008-2011, "IniciativaIngenio 2010", Consolider Program. CIBER actions are financed by the "Instituto de Salud Carlos III" with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund. DocumentArevalo-Alquichire, S.; Morales-Gonzalez, M.; Navas-Gomez, K.; Diaz, LE.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Serrano, M.; Valero, MF. (2020). 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