Effect of biofertilizers on broccoli yield and soil quality indicators

High rates of fertilizer applications potentially have significant environmental consequences, such as soil and water contamination and biodiversity loss. This study aimed to compare the use of biofertilizers and inorganic fertilizers in a broccoli crop to determine their impact on soil microorganism abundance, microbial community structure, functional gene diversity, yield, and greenhouse gas emissions. Four different fertilization treatments were designed: (i) inorganic fertilizers applied at a rate to cover the nutritional demands of the crop (F100); (ii) 50% of the rate of inorganic fertilizers added in F100 (F50); (iii) F50 + the application of a formulation of various bacteria (BA); and (iv) F50 + the application of a formulation of bacteria and non-mycorrhizal fungi (BA + FU). The results showed that reduced fertilization and the addition of both biofertilizer products had no significant effect on soil nutrients, microbial population, microbial activity, or yield when compared to conventional inorganic fertilization. Thus, microbial inoculants were ineffective in enhancing soil microbial abundance and activity, and there were no changes in GHG emissions or crop yields. Nonetheless, crop yield was positively related to total soil N, microbial activity, and CO2 emissions, confirming the positive effect of soil biodiversity on production. The application of biofertilizers can help reduce mineral fertilization in a broccoli crop with no negative effect on yield

Vaginal versus Obstetric Infection Escherichia coli Isolates among Pregnant Women: Antimicrobial Resistance and Genetic Virulence Profile

Vaginal Escherichia coli colonization is related to obstetric infections and the consequent development of infections in newborns. Ampicillin resistance among E. coli strains is increasing, which is the main choice for treating empirically many obstetric and neonatal infections. Vaginal E. coli strains are very similar to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli with regards to the virulence factors and the belonging to phylogroup B2. We studied the antimicrobial resistance and the genetic virulence profile of 82 E. coli isolates from 638 vaginal samples and 63 isolated from endometrial aspirate, placental and amniotic fluid samples from pregnant women with obstetric infections. The prevalence of E. coli in the vaginal samples was 13%, which was significant among women with associated risk factors during pregnancy, especially premature preterm rupture of membranes (p<0.0001). Sixty-five percent of the strains were ampicillin-resistant. The E. coli isolates causing obstetric infections showed higher resistance levels than vaginal isolates, particularly for gentamicin (p = 0.001). The most prevalent virulence factor genes were those related to the iron uptake systems revealing clear targets for interventions. More than 50% of the isolates belonged to the virulent B2 group possessing the highest number of virulence factor genes. The ampicillin-resistant isolates had high number of virulence factors primarily related to pathogenicity islands, and the remarkable gentamicin resistance in E. coli isolates from women presenting obstetric infections, the choice of the most appropriate empiric treatment and clinical management of pregnant women and neonates should be carefully made. Taking into account host-susceptibility, the heterogeneity of E. coli due to evolution over time and the geographical area, characterization of E. coli isolates colonizing the vagina and causing obstetric infections in different regions may help to develop interventions and avoid the aetiological link between maternal carriage and obstetric and subsequent puerperal infections

The Truncated Isoform of Somatostatin Receptor5 (sst5TMD4) Is Associated with Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Somatostatin receptors (ssts) are expressed in thyroid cancer cells, but their biological significance is not well understood. The aim of this study was to assess ssts in well differentiated (WDTC) and poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) by means of imaging and molecular tools and its relationship with the efficacy of somatostatin analog treatment. Thirty-nine cases of thyroid carcinoma were evaluated (20 PDTC and 19 WDTC). Depreotide scintigraphy and mRNA levels of sst-subtypes, including the truncated variant sst5TMD4, were carried out. Depreotide scans were positive in the recurrent tumor in the neck in 6 of 11 (54%) PDTC, and in those with lung metastases in 5/11 cases (45.4%); sst5TMD4 was present in 18/20 (90%) of PDTC, being the most densely expressed sst-subtype, with a 20-fold increase in relation to sst2. In WDTC, sst2 was the most represented, while sst5TMD4 was not found; sst2 was significantly increased in PDTC in comparison to WDTC. Five depreotide positive PDTC received octreotide for 3-6 months in a pilot study with no changes in the size of the lesions in 3 of them, and a significant increase in the pulmonary and cervical lesions in the other 2. All PDTC patients treated with octreotide showed high expression of sst5TMD4. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that only sst5TMD4 discriminates between PDTC and WDTC. We conclude that sst5TMD4 is overexpressed in PDTC and may be involved in the lack of response to somatostatin analogue treatment

Recomendaciones para la práctica de ejercicio físico en pacientes cardiópatas en edad escolar

As cardiopatías conxénitas constitúen o defecto conxénito máis frecuente, e nas últimas décadas asistimos a un importante avance no tratamento das mesmas. Este documento consiste nunha recompilación de recomendacións para a práctica da actividade física, no ámbito escolar galego, para os nenos/as entre 6 e 16 anos, portadores da maioría das cardiopatías conxénitas e familiares.Las cardiopatías congénitas constituyen el defecto congénito más frecuente, y en las últimas décadas asistimos a un importante avance en el tratamiento de las mismas. Este documento consiste en una recopilación de recomendacións para la práctica de la actividade física, en el ámbito escolar gallego, para los niños y niñas entre 6 y 16 años, portadores de la mayoría de las cardiopatías congénitas y familiares

Characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus newly treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists (CHADIG Study): a cross-sectional multicentre study in Spain

Objective: Several glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1Ra) have been made recently available in Spain for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) treatment. There are no published data on the clinical and sociodemographic profile of patients initiating treatment with GLP-1Ra in Spain. Our objective was to understand these patients' characteristics in a real-world clinical practice setting. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Spanish specialist outpatient clinics. Participants: 403 adults with DM2 initiating GLP-1Ra treatment were included. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Sociodemographic and DM2-related clinical data, including treatment at and after GLP-1Ra initiation and comorbidities, were collected. Results: Evaluable patients (n=403; 50.9% female) were included ( July 2013 to March 2014) at 24 centres by 53 specialists (47 endocrinology, 6 internal medicine), with the following profile (value±SD): age (58.3±10.4 years), diabetes duration (9.9±7 years), body mass index (BMI; 36.2±5.5) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c; 8.4±1.4%); 14% had HbA1c≤7%. Previous antidiabetic treatment: 53.8% only oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs), 5.2% insulin and 40% insulin and OAD; of those receiving OAD, 35% single drug, 38.2% 2 drugs and 24% 3 drugs. Concomitant to GLP-1Ra, 55.3% were only on OAD, 36.2% on insulin and OAD, and 7.2% only on insulin. Of those receiving OAD, the GLP-1Ra was mainly associated with 1 drug (65%) or 2 drugs (31.8%). GLP-1Ra are frequently added to existing antidiabetic drugs, with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors being the OAD most frequently switched (45% receiving 1 before starting GLP-1Ra, only 2.7% receiving it concomitantly). Conclusions: In Spain, GLP-1Ra therapy is usually started in combination with OADs or OADs and insulin. These drugs are used in relatively young patients often not reaching therapeutic goals with other treatment combinations, roughly a decade after diagnosis and with a relatively high BMI. The latter could be explaine

Educação Sexual: Promover a Saúde Europeia. Guia formativo

Trabalhar a educação sexual é uma das questões mais prementes, mas também das mais difíceis com que se confrontam os sistemas educativos da atualidade. Refletir estes desafios num projeto internacional, é uma excelente oportunidade para encontrar novas reflexões e abordagens. A partir de uma perspetiva holística, devidamente contextualizada, o projeto EdSeX, vem apresentar sugestões de trabalho bem fundamentadas que nos fazem pensar no que se espera da educação sexual, desde a infância, até ao ensino superior, refletindo a formação de profissionais que trabalham na área da saúde e da educação. São muitas as questões associadas à sexualidade que nos continuam a preocupar e que carecem de ser trabalhadas desde a infância. A identidade sexual começa a definir-se precocemente, e é também precocemente que se começam a construir ideias estereotipadas. Depois de muitos anos em que predominou um determinismo biológico que considerava que a natureza dos homens é diferente da natureza das mulheres, o conceito de género considera que as questões culturais associadas à identidade sexual são um constructo social. Concebendo a definição de género, num sentido amplo, multidimensional, tendo em conta a identidade, orientação sexual, as competências pessoais e interesses, a desconstrução de ideias estereotipadas é a base para a construção de uma maior equidade entre todos e todas desde a infância. Este processo implica que a educação sexual comece pela construção de um conhecimento critico de si próprio e dos/as outros/as, no reconhecimento da diversidade, numa perspetiva de cidadania. O conhecimento de si e do outro, é também a base para o conhecimento do contexto social e das variáveis que o caracterizam, nomeadamente os riscos que uma sexualidade pouco informada pode implicar. A prevenção da violência a nível sexual e afetivo começa precocemente e tem que ser trabalhada de forma construtiva nos vários níveis de ensino, sem esquecer o ensino superior e a formação dos futuros/ as profissionais de saúde e de educação que vão ter que fazer este trabalho com públicos cada vez mais diversificados. Neste contexto complexo, ter um Guião de apoio baseado em experiências diversificadas é uma excelente orientação que o projeto EdSeX nos proporciona. Este Guião promove a educação sexual como um processo de aprendizagem dinâmico, numa perspetiva dialógica, dando visibilidade à diversidade sexual, linguística e cultural, recorrendo aos meios digitais de forma construtiva e critica. A par dos recursos de trabalho fornecidos, o projeto tem a mais-valia da parte metodológica construída que deixa o caminho aberto para o desenvolvimento do trabalho já iniciado nos diferentes países envolvidos, a nível da formação e investigação. Que o projeto EdSeX seja a base para a construção de muitos mais projetos!info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unraveling the effect of silent, intronic and missense mutations on VWF splicing : contribution of next generation sequencing in the study of mRNA

Large studies in von Willebrand disease patients, including Spanish and Portuguese registries, led to the identification of >250 different mutations. It is a challenge to determine the pathogenic effect of potential splice site mutations on VWF mRNA. This study aimed to elucidate the true effects of 18 mutations on VWF mRNA processing, investigate the contribution of next-generation sequencing to in vivo mRNA study in von Willebrand disease, and compare the findings with in silico prediction. RNA extracted from patient platelets and leukocytes was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced using Sanger and next generation sequencing techniques. Eight mutations affected VWF splicing: c.1533+1G>A, c.5664+2T>C and c.546G>A (p.=) prompted exon skipping; c.3223-7_3236dup and c.7082-2A>G resulted in activation of cryptic sites; c.3379+1G>A and c.7437G>A) demonstrated both molecular pathogenic mechanisms simultaneously; and the p.Cys370Tyr missense mutation generated two aberrant transcripts. Of note, the complete effect of three mutations was provided by next generation sequencing alone because of low expression of the aberrant transcripts. In the remaining 10 mutations, no effect was elucidated in the experiments. However, the differential findings obtained in platelets and leukocytes provided substantial evidence that four of these would have an effect on VWF levels. In this first report using next generation sequencing technology to unravel the effects of VWF mutations on splicing, the technique yielded valuable information. Our data bring to light the importance of studying the effect of synonymous and missense mutations on VWF splicing to improve the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind von Willebrand disease. identifier:02869074