Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells into Peripheral Blood for Autologous Transplantation Seems Less Efficacious in Poor Mobilizers with the Use of a Biosimilar of Filgrastim and Plerixafor: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Biosimilars of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) have shown similar efficacy to originator filgrastim (Neupogen® [NEU]; Amgen Inc.) as prophylaxis in neutropenia and in the mobilization of stem cells in patients receiving combination chemotherapy with G-CSF. Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the characteristics of stem cell mobilization treated with a G-CSF alone were compared in 216 patients and 56 donors. The two G-CSF compared were NEU and the biosimilar filgrastim Zarzio® (Sandoz GmbH) (referred to hereafter as BIO). Primary objectives were mobilization rate (minimum of 10 × 103/ml CD34+ on day 4 of treatment [day +4]) and use of the immunostimulant plerixafor (PLEX) in each group. Results: The general characteristics of the patients receiving NEU (n = 138) and those receiving BIO (n = 78) did not differ significantly. PLEX was used in 24% of BIO patients and in 25.7% of NEU patients. The median CD34+ cell count on day +4 was significantly lower in BIO patients who needed PLEX than in those who did not (2.4 vs. 4.8 × 103/ml; p = 0.002), as was the final CD34+ cell count (2.5 vs. 3.3 × 106/kg; p 0.03). Mobilization failure rate was higher in the BIO group than in the NEU group (20 vs. 0%; p = 0.01). With respect to donors, more than one apheresis was needed in three BIO donors, one of them with PLEX. The use of BIO was the only risk factor for mobilization failure in patients who needed PLEX (hazard ratio 10.3; 95% confidence interval 1.3-77.8). Conclusion: The study revealed that BIO had a lower efficacy for stem cell mobilization when the only treatment was G-CSF, especially in poor mobilizers needing PLEX

Distinctive NO and N2O emission patterns in ammonia oxidizing bacteria: Effect of ammonia oxidation rate, DO and pH

This study aims at investigating the relationship between the nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) production rates with the ammonia oxidation rate (AORsp) in an enriched AOB culture. Different concentrations of ammonia were applied in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) performing partial nitritation in order to determine the effect of AORsp on N2O and NO production rates. Results showed that NO linearly correlates with the AORsp whereas N2O presents an exponential relationship. The effect of changes on the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration on the overall NO and N2O emissions was assessed by increasing and decreasing the DO maintaining a constant pH at 7. When DO decreased the AORsp was maintained at the level achieved with the starting DO and led to lower NO and N2O emissions than when DO was increased. Finally, the effect of pH on N2O and NO was also tested by maintaining the DO at 1.5–2 mg O2/L while pH was gradually decreased from 8 to 6.5. Results show that NO was chemically produced due to the addition of HCl when decreasing the pH whereas N2O was only produced biologically and was not affected by the addition of HClThis study was funded by the Spanish Government (MINECO) (CTM 2011-27163 and CTM 2015-66892-R) and the European Commission (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG 303946). ). M. Pijuan and A. Ribera-Guardia acknowledge the Ramon y Cajal research fellowship (RYC-2009-04959) and the FPI PhD grant (BES-2012-052753) respectively provided by the Spanish Governmen

Factors that influence the implementation of "sit less, move more" interventions in an outpatient mental health care setting

Introduction: Few interventions in outpatient mental health care settings focus on tackling excessive sedentary behaviour in patients with severe mental illness (SMI). In order to develop effective strategies for reducing prolonged sedentary behaviour in these patients, the aim of this study was to understand and identify factors that influence sitting less (and moving more) from the perspectives of both patients and health care practitioners (HCPs).Methods: Qualitative data were gathered from patients with SMI (3 focus groups, 18 participants, mean age 39.8 years, one third female) and HCPs (2 focus groups, 15 participants, mean age 43.7, one third female) in an outpatient mental health care setting in the county of Osona (Barcelona), between January and March 2018. Data were analysed using inductive thematic content analysis. Results: Four factors relating to sitting less and moving more emerged from patients: "social isolation and stig-matization", "lack of social support", "difficulty following advice from HPCs", and "sedation due to medication." HCPs also identified four factors that constrained their ability to introduce strategies for sitting less and moving more with patients with SMI: "emphasis placed on the pathology", "HCPs' inadequate knowledge about the wider consequences of sedentary behaviour", "HCPs' insufficient advice on sitting less and moving more" and "HCPs' lack of tools and time for promoting sitting less and moving more".Discussion: These findings provide practical insights into factors that could enable the introduction of sit less, move more interventions in outpatient mental health care settings. Special focus should be placed on promoting socialization.Funding This study was supported by a predoctoral scholarship (2015DI024) of the Catalan. Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) as part of an Industrial Doctorate Programme

Denitrifying capabilities of Tetrasphaera and their contribution towards nitrous oxide production in enhanced biological phosphorus removal processes

Denitrifying enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) systems can be an efficient means of removing phosphate (P) and nitrate (NO ) with low carbon source and oxygen requirements. Tetrasphaera is one of the most abundant polyphosphate accumulating organisms present in EBPR systems, but their capacity to achieve denitrifying EBPR has not previously been determined. An enriched Tetrasphaera culture, comprising over 80% of the bacterial biovolume was obtained in this work. Despite the denitrification capacity of Tetrasphaera, this culture achieved only low levels of anoxic P-uptake. Batch tests with different combinations of NO , nitrite (NO ) and nitrous oxide (NO) revealed lower NO accumulation by Tetrasphaera as compared to Accumulibacter and Competibacter when multiple electron acceptors were added. Electron competition was observed during the addition of multiple nitrogen electron acceptors species, where P uptake appeared to be slightly favoured over glycogen production in these situations. This study increases our understanding of the role of Tetrasphaera-related organisms in denitrifying EBPR systems

Distinctive denitrifying capabilities lead to differences in N2O production by denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms and denitrifying glycogen accumulating organisms

This study aims at investigating the denitrification kinetics in two separate enriched cultures of denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms (dPAO) and denitrifying glycogen accumulating organisms (dGAO) and compare their N2O accumulation potential under different conditions. Two sequencing batch reactors were inoculated to develop dPAO and dGAO enriched microbial communities separately. Seven batch tests with different combinations of electron acceptors (nitrate, nitrite and/or nitrous oxide) were carried out with the enriched biomass from both reactors. Results indicate that in almost all batch tests, N2O accumulated for both cultures, however dPAOs showed a higher denitrification capacity compared to dGAOs due to their higher nitrogen oxides reduction rates. Additionally, the effect of the simultaneous presence of several electron acceptors in the reduction rates of the different nitrogen oxides was also assessed in dPAOs and dGAOsThis study was funded by the Spanish Government (MINECO) (CTM 2011-27163 and CTM 2015-66892-R), the European Commission (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG 303946) and the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PTDC/AACAMB/12058/2010, UID/Multi/04378/2013 , PhD grant SFRH/BD/74515/2010). Spanish and Portuguese Governments are acknowledged for Acciones Integradas (PRIAIBPT- 2011-1232) and Luso-Espanhola action E-61/12. The European Commission is also acknowledged through COST action ES1202 (Water 2020). M. Pijuan and A. Ribera-Guardia acknowledge the Ramon y Cajal research fellowship (RYC-2009-04959) and the FPIPhD grant (BES-2012-052753) respectively provided by the Spanish Governmen

Association between cognitive impairment and cardiovascular burden in patients with severe mental disorder

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is related to an increase in cardiovascular risk (CVR) in the general population. However, in severe mental disorder (SMD), the evidence is less consistent. Few studies have evaluated the relationship between cognition and vascular burden in SMD. This study determines the relationship between cognition and vascular burden in patients with SMD. Methods: Sixty SMD patients (61% men, mean age: 46) attending a psychosocial rehabilitation centre were included. We evaluated sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, quality of life and functionality characteristics. And we analysed the association between cognitive performance and vascular burden. Results: SMD diagnoses were: 41.7% schizophrenia, 20.0% bipolar, 5.0% schizoaffective, 21.7% depressive and 11.7% other. Cognitive impairment was present in 55% of the cases. The average vascular burden was 3.2. Patients with cognitive impairment have a significantly higher vascular burden than patients without cognitive impairment (p < 0.05). The speed of processing had a moderate correlation with vascular burden (r = −0.457, p=0.001). Conclusions: Patients with cognitive impairment had a significantly higher vascular burden than patients without cognitive impairment. There are two practical clinical implications: CVR should be evaluated in all SMD patients; and psychoeducation programmes for CVR should be performed and adapted to the cognitive deficits