Assessing the association between low back pain, quality of life, and life events as reported by schoolchildren in a population-based study

Low back pain (LBP) is prevalent in teenagers but not necessarily detrimental to their quality of life (QoL). This population-based study evaluated a global QoL score and the association between LBP and life events and/or health problems affecting QoL. Schoolchildren were investigated in Fribourg-Switzerland and Barcelona-Spain. In addition to the KIDSCREEN, a health-related QoL questionnaire, two Numerical Rating Scales were used to assess QoL in general, and the influence of LBP on QoL. Open questions explored life events and health problems affecting QoL; responses were submitted to content analysis. Adolescents were stratified: Pain-free, Other pain (OP), isolated LBP (IsoLBP), LBP + other pains (LBP + OP), and LBP + whole-body pain (LBP + WBP). Between-group comparisons were performed using Chi-squared tests and ANOVA. Linear regression analysis was performed to assess between-group differences in the impact of LBP on QoL. Schoolchildren (1,470) (mean age = 15.05years, 52.6% = boys) completed the questionnaire. LBP lasting >1day in the last month was reported by 39.8% (N = 560): of them, 242 (43.2%) reported IsoLBP, 268 (47.9%) LBP + OP, and 50 (9.1%) LBP + WBP. QoL was lower in LBP + WBP (mean = 6.44 vs. LBP + OP = 7.8; IsoLBP = 7.6, OP = 7.96, Pain-free = 8.1; p 30% of this group identifying life events and/or health problems vs. 10-12% in PFree or IsoLBP groups (p < 0.001). IsoLBP affected QoL marginally (mean = 2.4 ± 2.2) compared to LBP + WBP (mean = 4.9 ± 2.4) (p < 0.001). LBP affected QoL marginally. These results stress the distinction between disease and common life experience. They also indicate the potential value of global QoL assessments in clinical setting

Accurate determination of dielectric properties in small, high-permittivity dielectric cylinders

We describe a method for performing cryogenic permittivity and loss tangent measurements of small (few mm), high-permittivity dielectric cylinders used in surface impedance measurement of superconductors. We combine the use of sapphire and PTFE supports to hold the dielectric under test and provide good thermal conductivity to the cold head. Additionally, the sapphire support is used to facilitate the measurement of the cavity's metal loss and the assessment of its contribution to the overall resonator loss.Authors wish to acknowledge the support provided by CERN under Grants FCC-GOV-CC-0072/KE3358 and FCC-GOV-CC-0210/KE4945. NT acknowledges MSCA-COFUND-2016-754397 for the PhD grant.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Potential impedance reduction by REBCO coated conductors as beam screen coating for the future circular hadron collider

The Future Circular Collider study creates a conceptual design for a post-LHC particle accelerator using 16T superconducting dipoles to achieve collision energies of up to 100TeV in a 90km circumference ring. A copper-coated beam screen, similar to that used in the LHC, is planned. However, the undertaken research indicates that copper at the high working temperature of 50K has a strong influence on the accelerator's performance, particularly at injection energy. In this work, we relate the experimentally determined properties of REBCO-coated conductors with their potential performance in the FCC-hh beam screen. Specifically, we use a round pipe approximation to demonstrate that a beam screen coated with a combination of REBCO and copper can have a much lower resistive wall impedance than one using only copper. The reduction is substantial (several orders of magnitude), and is observed in both the longitudinal and transverse wall impedance. Such a reduction has important effects on beam stability, operating costs, potential reduction in beam screen size, and lowering the stringent specifications of the 16T magnets required for the Future Circular Hadron Collider.The authors acknowledge the support and samples provided by Bruker HTS GmbH, Fujikura Ltd, SuNAM CO Ltd SuperOx, SuperPower Inc. and Theva Dünnschichttechnik GmbH. UPC funding was also provided through the Unit of Excellence María de Maeztu MDM2016-0600. N. Tagdulang acknowledges MSCA-COFUND-2016-754397 fot hte PhD Grant.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

mHealth to improve experience, adherence to pharmacological treatment, and positive mental health in patients diagnosed with femur fractures: protocol for a quasi-experimental study

Background: Considering the prognosis of femur fractures worldwide, the ageing of our society, and the problems in adherence to treatment found in these patients, it is believed that mobile health can have a positive impact on the process and quality of care. Objective: We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacological educational nurse intervention with Myplan app with regard to knowledge, adherence to pharmacological treatment, and positive mental health of patients with femur fractures. Methods: A nonrandomized, quasi-experimental study will be carried out with a pretest-posttest control group. It will include 278 older patients diagnosed with femur fractures, with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15 and access to mobile devices. Patients with psychological pathologies and cognitive impairment or patients treated in isolation will be excluded. Study variables are as follows: sociodemographic variables (AdHoc Form), patient experience (Patient Experience Questionnaire-15), adherence to pharmacological treatment (Morisky-Green questionnaire), and positive mental health (Positive Mental Health questionnaire). The measurements will be taken 24 hours after admission, upon discharge, and 25 days after discharge. Results: Enrollment commenced in October 2022. Data collection will be completed in April 2023. Conclusions: The results of this study will offer evidence of the effectiveness of a pharmacological educational nurse intervention by means of a free smartphone app. If its efficacy is demonstrated and the results are acceptable, it could mean an improvement in the care of patients with femur fractures, and this technology could be used to guide other training interventions in patients with other pathologies

On-line solid-phase extraction to enhance sensitivity in peptide biomarker analysis by microseparation techniques coupled to mass spectrometry: capillary liquid chromatography versus capillary electrophoresis

In this study, on-line solid-phase extraction capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPE-CapLC-MS) and on-line solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (SPE-CE-MS) were compared for the analysis of the opioid peptide biomarkers dynorphin A (1-7) (DynA), endomorphin 1 (End 1), and methionine-enkephalin (Met). First, a capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CapLC-MS) method was established, which allowed limits of detection (LODs) of 0.5 μg/mL for Dyn A and Met, and 0.1 μg/mL for End 1. Then, a column switching setup operated by a 2-position/6-port micro-valve with a C18 enrichment column was assembled for SPE-CapLC-MS. Under optimized conditions, the LODs for the three peptides were lowered up to 1000-fold compared to CapLC-MS, until detecting 0.5 ng/mL concentrations. Repeatability (<0.2 % and <11 % RSD for retention times and peak areas, respectively), linearity (0.5-100 ng/mL), and durability (20 runs) of the enrichment column were appropriate, and the method was applied to analyze human plasma samples. Finally, the established SPE-CapLC-MS method was compared with a valve-free C18-SPE-CE-MS method previously described by our group for the analysis of these opioid peptides, using the same mass spectrometer. Both methods presented an evident difference regarding the need of a valve for the operation and allowed high preconcentration factors and quite similar LODs (until 0.5 and 0.1 ng/mL by SPE-CaLC-MS and SPE-CE-MS, respectively). Some other distinctions related to the instrumental set-up, procedure and method performance were also disclosed and discussed in detail

Effect of cafeteria diet feeding on soleus intramyocellular lipid of Wistar rats

Background: The presence of lipid besides muscle fibres facilitates the energy supply for exercise, but it is also indicative of insulin resistance in the untrained. Muscle lipid is associated with increased dietary energy: hyperlipidic diets induce an increase in intramyocellular lipid deposition in skeletal muscle. Methods: In the present study we analyzed the changes in soleus (a red-fibre muscle) intracellular muscle content under a hyperlipidic (cafeteria) diet in Wistar rats. We also analyzed in parallel the mitochondrial content a relative index of energy output capability. Results: Cafeteria diet-fed rats contained more lipid and mitochondria per unit of muscle section area than controls. Conclusions: The correlation found in the increases of muscle lipid and mitochondria hit at this increase as an adaptation of muscle to oxidize excess energy substrates under conditions of excess energy availability, probably contributing to adaptive thermogenesis

Aprofitament de residus orgànics com a adob, esmena o substrat

Peer Reviewe

Aprofitament de residus orgànics com a adob, esmena o substrat

Peer Reviewe

Oleoyl-estrone is a precursor of an estrone-derived ponderostat signal

Oleoyl-estrone (OE) is a powerful anti-obesity compound that decreases food intake, decreases insulin resistance and circulating cholesterol. OE stimulates a severe loss of body fat by decreasing adipose tissue lipid synthesis and maintaining lipolysis. Therefore, the body economy loses lipid energy because energy expenditure is maintained. This study analyses the discrepancy between OE effects and the distribution of labelled OE in plasma. Estrone radioimmunoassay of organic solvent plasma extracts of rats treated with OE showed the massive presence of acyl-estrone, but. saponification did not release estrone, but containing similar unknown compound. Analysis of label distribution in plasma after oral gavages of 3H-OE showed the presence of a more hydrophilic compound than OE or any estrogen as well as 3H2O, formed from 3H-OE in the acidic stomach medium. OE was not attached toa specific transporter in plasma. Through serum HPLC analysis we found W, a labelled derivative more hydrophilic than OE or estrone. The results were confirmed using 14C-OE. HPLC-MS/MS studies showed that plasma OE levels were one order of magnitude lower than those of W. When liver cell cytosols from rats laden with 3H-OE were incubated with nuclei from untreated rats, the OE-derived label (i.e., W's) was found attached to nuclear DNA. Neither estradiol nor estrone interfered with its binding. W is a fairly hydrophilic compound of low molecular weight containing the estrone nucleus, but it is not an ester because saponification or esterases do not yield estrone as OE does. It is concluded that OE acts through its conversion to W, its active form; which binds to a nuclear receptor different from that of estrogen. The estimated W serum levels are proportional to the pharmacological OE effects in vivo. We postulate W as a new type of hormone that exerts the full range of in vivo effects thus far attributed to OE. The full identification of W is anticipated to open the way for the development of new OE-like anti-obesity drugs

Glicoproteínas biomarcadoras de cáncer: un reto analítico actual

Las alteraciones en la glicosilación de las proteínas pueden ser la causa de enfermedades graves, como es el caso de los desórdenes congénitos de la glicosilación (CDGs) o pueden aparecer en respuesta a la presencia de un proceso patológico, como ocurre con el cáncer y los procesos inflamatorios. Por ello, las glicoproteínas se utilizan ampliamente en el diagnóstico de diversas patologías [1, 2]. Por ejemplo, el antígeno carbohidratado 19-9 (CA 19-9), el antígeno carcio-embrionario humano (CEA) o el antígeno prostático específico (PSA) se emplean en la actualidad como biomarcadores para el diagnóstico del cáncer de páncreas, colon o próstata, respectivamente. Sin embargo, sólo se mide el aumento de sus niveles por encima de unos valores establecidos, con lo que en muchos casos estos biomarcadores no son totalmente específicos ya que otras enfermedades pueden presentar niveles anormalmente elevados de estas glicoproteínas. Por este motivo, el reto analítico actual consiste en mejorar la selectividad y la sensibilidad de estos biomarcadores, llevando a cabo una caracterización exhaustiva de los puntos de glicosilación y de la composición y estructura de los carbohidratos, comúnmente llamados glicanos