Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Elasmobranchs are priority species for conservation due to their rapid decline determined by the unbalanced struggle between a fragile bio-ecology and strong anthropogenic impacts, such as bycatch from professional fishing. In this context, measuring species resistance to catch of poorly selective gear is of paramount importance. During June-October 2022, five experimental fishing campaigns were carried out in the Asinara Gulf (northern Sardinia) through 35 geographically and bathymetrically representative hauls of an area between 30 and 600 m in depth. Skates prevailed over sharks in the number of species, with seven and five species, respectively. We first evaluated the status of each individual with respect to stress due to the trawl's catch using a three-graded scale. We also recorded individual biometrics (total and disk length, weight and sex, and maturity for males) on board by implementing the best practices in manipulating individuals for physiological recovery and release at sea. After capture, skates resulted in generally better conditions than sharks, although deepwater species of both groups exhibited a worse state than coastal species. The estimated vitality rates also depended on the size of the individuals. This work provides standardized data on the intermingled effect of size, species type, and inhabited depth on the resistance response of some elasmobranch species against capture by trawl fishery activities

IMPACT OF COAGULANTS ON THE TSS SEPARATION PERFORMANCE IN CLEAN WATER PRODUCTION : AN EXPERIMENTAL FINDINGS

This paper reports an experiment conducted with a feed water contained low level total suspended solid (TSS≤ 10 mgL-1 ). This research aims to investigate a problem to justify whether coagulants is required to filter that feed water to produce required clean water (TSS≤ 1.0 mgL-1 ). This research has been conducted with combined use of Multi Media Water Filter (MWF) and Micro Filter (MF). The water filtration rate of this experiment was 20.0 m3(d) -1 . The TSS in product water (PW) was 0.735 mgL-1 when the plant was operated with coagulants. When the plant operated without coagulants the TSS content in PW was 0.876 mgL-1 . Two sets of experimental data were analysed and tested with paired-samples t-test at a 95% confidence level. The result demonstrated that the P-value was more than 0.05 (>0.05) when compared to the mean difference between the data sets. This finding indicates that the TSS content in PW of these two processes is nearly equal, and there is no significant difference between the two processes. This finding could be a reference to the water industry, engineering professionals and policy implementation agencies relating to the use of coagulants in the WF process. This study concludes that coagulants are not required in the WF process when feed water contains TSS less than 10 mgL-1 and the MWF can significantly remove TSS from feed water to produce the required clean water. This study recommends similar further research with various types of feed water to develop a standard model for the WF process to achieve SDG 6, SDG8, and SDG13

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Polyphenols: From theory to practice

Background: The importance of polyphenols in human health is well known; these compounds are common in foods, such as fruits, vegetables, spices, extra virgin olive oil and wine. On the other hand, the different factors that modulate the biological activity of these compounds are less well known. Conceptualization of the work: In this review we took into account about 200 relevant and recent papers on the following topics: “polyphenols bioavailability”, “polyphenols matrix effect”, “food matrix effect”, “polyphenols-cytochromes interaction”, after having reviewed and updated information on chemical classification and main biological properties of polyphenols, such as the antioxidant, anti-radical and anti-inflammatory activity, together with the tricky link between in vitro tests and clinical trials. Key findings: the issue of polyphenols bioavailability and matrix effect should be better taken into account when health claims are referred to polyphenols, thus considering the matrix effect, enzymatic interactions, reactions with other foods or genetic or gender characteristics that could interfere. We also discovered that in vitro studies often underrate the role of phytocomplexes and thus we provided practical hints to describe a clearer way to approach an investigation on polyphenols for a more resounding transfer to their use in medicine

Characterization of phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of the leaves of the forgotten medicinal plant Balsamita major grown in Tuscany, Italy, during the growth cycle

Balsamita major (Asteraceae), known as costmary, is a medicinal plant rich of ethnobotanical interest in particular in Europe and Middle East, known and used since Greek and Roman times. The aim of the present study was to characterize the phenolic pattern of B. major leaves cultivated in Italy, and to measure the overall anti-radical (DPPH) and antioxidant activity (ORAC) during the growth cycle of the plant. Total polyphenols and total hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were abundant in the leaves collected at all the growth stages, only decreasing in the flowering stage; flavonoids reached the highest content in the very early growth stage. Chlorogenic acid and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid resulted to be the main phenolic constituents in all the extracts; their concentrations were highest at the late and early growth stages, respectively. Glycosilated flavonoids were found to be the abundant in all the extracts and quercetin resulted the main flavonoid aglycone, with the highest content in the very early growth stage. Both DPPH and ORAC tests registered good antiradical and antioxidant properties for all the extracts. Thus, B. major is worthy of further investigation, being an interesting source of antioxidant compounds, for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic purposes