Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI

Spatiotemporal Characteristics of the Largest HIV-1 CRF02_AG Outbreak in Spain: Evidence for Onward Transmissions

Background and Aim: The circulating recombinant form 02_AG (CRF02_AG) is the predominant clade among the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) non-Bs with a prevalence of 5.97% (95% Confidence Interval-CI: 5.41–6.57%) across Spain. Our aim was to estimate the levels of regional clustering for CRF02_AG and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the largest CRF02_AG subepidemic in Spain.Methods: We studied 396 CRF02_AG sequences obtained from HIV-1 diagnosed patients during 2000–2014 from 10 autonomous communities of Spain. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on the 391 CRF02_AG sequences along with all globally sampled CRF02_AG sequences (N = 3,302) as references. Phylodynamic and phylogeographic analysis was performed to the largest CRF02_AG monophyletic cluster by a Bayesian method in BEAST v1.8.0 and by reconstructing ancestral states using the criterion of parsimony in Mesquite v3.4, respectively.Results: The HIV-1 CRF02_AG prevalence differed across Spanish autonomous communities we sampled from (p < 0.001). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 52.7% of the CRF02_AG sequences formed 56 monophyletic clusters, with a range of 2–79 sequences. The CRF02_AG regional dispersal differed across Spain (p = 0.003), as suggested by monophyletic clustering. For the largest monophyletic cluster (subepidemic) (N = 79), 49.4% of the clustered sequences originated from Madrid, while most sequences (51.9%) had been obtained from men having sex with men (MSM). Molecular clock analysis suggested that the origin (tMRCA) of the CRF02_AG subepidemic was in 2002 (median estimate; 95% Highest Posterior Density-HPD interval: 1999–2004). Additionally, we found significant clustering within the CRF02_AG subepidemic according to the ethnic origin.Conclusion: CRF02_AG has been introduced as a result of multiple introductions in Spain, following regional dispersal in several cases. We showed that CRF02_AG transmissions were mostly due to regional dispersal in Spain. The hot-spot for the largest CRF02_AG regional subepidemic in Spain was in Madrid associated with MSM transmission risk group. The existence of subepidemics suggest that several spillovers occurred from Madrid to other areas. CRF02_AG sequences from Hispanics were clustered in a separate subclade suggesting no linkage between the local and Hispanic subepidemics

The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics' resources: focus on curated databases

The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (www.isb-sib.ch) provides world-class bioinformatics databases, software tools, services and training to the international life science community in academia and industry. These solutions allow life scientists to turn the exponentially growing amount of data into knowledge. Here, we provide an overview of SIB's resources and competence areas, with a strong focus on curated databases and SIB's most popular and widely used resources. In particular, SIB's Bioinformatics resource portal ExPASy features over 150 resources, including UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, ENZYME, PROSITE, neXtProt, STRING, UniCarbKB, SugarBindDB, SwissRegulon, EPD, arrayMap, Bgee, SWISS-MODEL Repository, OMA, OrthoDB and other databases, which are briefly described in this article

Efecto del tipo de encapsulación sobre la viabilidad y funcionalidad de un simbiótico

Symbiotics are a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics with a beneficial effect on host health. Microencapsulation of these components emerges as the necessity to preserve viability and functionality, besides improved their storage capacity and resistant throughout gastrointestinal tract. This study was divided in two stages. The first one was the formulation of a symbiotic encapsulated, employing four thermotolerant lactic acid bacteria strains and two co-productos flours with prebiotic capacity. Two encapsulation methods were evaluated: ionic gelification and spray dry encapsulation with sodium alginate and Arabic gum. In the second stage the obtained microcapsules was characterized according to their particle size, viability and symbiotic functionality, relatd to the in vitro gastric acid conditions survival. Results showed that both encapsulation techniques are good technological tolos to preserve lactic acid bacteria until 30 days. Flow cytometry is a good technique to evaluate viability, founding high alive bacteria percents until the last day of study. Encapsuled symbiotic by both techniques demonstrated to resist simulated stomach gastric acid conditions. In conclusión, both encapsulation techniques are escellent options to protect symbiotics, being superior the spray dry encapsulation with Enterococcos faecium (UAM18) with higher survival rate. The flours obtained from agroindustrial co-products demonstrated to be an escellent prebiotic for the employed bacteria.Los simbióticos son mezclas de probióticos y prebióticos que tienen efectos benéficos para la salud del hospedero. La microencapsulación de estos componentes surge a partir de la necesidad de preservar su viabilidad y funcionalidad, la cual le confiere la capacidad de almacenamiento y de resistir el paso a través del tracto gastrointestinal. Este estudio consistió en dos etapas. La primera fue la obtención del simbiótico encapsulado, para tal efecto se utilizaron cuatro cepas de bacterias ácido lácticas termotolerantes probióticas y dos harinas de co-productos evaluados como prebióticas. Se utilizaron dos métodos de encapsulación: gelificación iónica y secado por aspersión y se caracterizaron las dispersiones de biopolímeros utilizados como material encapsulante: alginato de sodio y goma arábiga. Posteriormente, una segunda etapa consistió en la caracterización de las microcápsulas obtenidas: eficiencia de encapsulación, tamaño de la partícula, viabilidad y funcionalidad del simbiótico y resistencia a condiciones ácidas gástricas in vitro. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que los dos métodos de microencapsulación son buenas herramientas tecnológicas, teniendo altos porcentajes de eficiencia y preservando a los simbióticos de forma funcional durante 30 días. La citometría de flujo es una buena técnica para evaluar viabilidad, y permitió detectar altos porcentajes de bacterias vías hasta el último día del estudio. Los simbióticos encapsulados por cualquier de las dos técnicas demostraron resistir las condiciones gástricas simuladas del estómago. En conclusión, los dos métodos de encapsulación son excelentes opciones para la protección del simbiótico, siendo superior el secado por aspersión, así mismo con Enterococcos faecium (UAM18) se obtuvieron los datos más altos de sobrevivencia, las harinas obtenidas de co-productos agroindustriales demostraron ser excelentes prebióticos para las bacterias utilizadas

Elucidating the Photoredox Nature of Isolated Iron Active Sites on MCM-41

Photocatalytic performance is highly dependent on the nature and dispersion of the active sites, playing a crucial role in the optoelectronic and charge-transfer processes. Here, we report stabilized isolated iron on MCM-41 as a highly active catalyst for a photoredox reaction. The unique nature of the single-atom centers exhibit a trichloroethylene conversion per iron site that is almost 5 times higher than that of TiO₂. Advanced characterization and theoretical calculations indicate the generation of hydroxyl radicals, through a photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge-transfer mechanism, which act as hole scavengers that lead to the formation of intermediate oxo–iron species (FeO). This intermediate species is the key step in promoting the photocatalytic reactions. Understanding the mechanistic photoredox pathway in isolated active site materials is imperative for developing highly efficient nonprecious photocatalysts for environmental or energy applications

Dialogues transatlantiques autour des migrations latino-américaines en Espagne

Ce dossier propose une approche pluridisciplinaire des migrations latino-américaines vers l’Espagne. L’étude quantitative des flux est complétée par l’analyse de leurs dynamiques spatiales, économiques et socioculturelles. Les auteurs se sont attachés à mettre en évidence les motifs de l’attraction exercée par l’Espagne sur les sociétés latino-américaines, et à analyser les stratégies individuelles et collectives d’adaptation des migrants en Espagne. Leurs travaux permettent de conclure que, pour plusieurs pays latino-américains, les migrations jouent un rôle essentiel dans le processus d’intégration au système mondial. Este dossier propone un enfoque pluridisciplinario sobre el tema de las migraciones latinoamericanas hacia España. Se completa el análisis cuantitativo de estos flujos recientes con el análisis de sus dinámicas espaciales, económicas y socioculturales. Los autores aportan elementos para explicar la intensidad y los factores de esta nueva atracción española para los latinoamericanos, tomando en cuenta la evolución histórica del sistema migratorio latinoamericano y la dinámica atractiva reciente de España para numerosas regiones del mundo. Por otra parte, se plantea el papel de las estrategias individuales y colectivas de adaptación económica, social y territorial de los migrantes en España. La escala individual y familiar permite entender cómo la migración es un recurso esencial para la integración de varios países latinoamericanos en la globalización

How do women living with HIV experience menopause? Menopausal symptoms, anxiety and depression according to reproductive age in a multicenter cohort

CatedresBackground: To estimate the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and anxiety/depression and to assess the differences according to menopausal status among women living with HIV aged 45-60 years from the cohort of Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS). Methods: Women were interviewed by phone between September 2017 and December 2018 to determine whether they had experienced menopausal symptoms and anxiety/depression. The Menopause Rating Scale was used to evaluate the prevalence and severity of symptoms related to menopause in three subscales: somatic, psychologic and urogenital; and the 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire was used for anxiety/depression. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of association between menopausal status, and other potential risk factors, the presence and severity of somatic, psychological and urogenital symptoms and of anxiety/depression. Results: Of 251 women included, 137 (54.6%) were post-, 70 (27.9%) peri- and 44 (17.5%) pre-menopausal, respectively. Median age of onset menopause was 48 years (IQR 45-50). The proportions of pre-, peri- and post-menopausal women who had experienced any menopausal symptoms were 45.5%, 60.0% and 66.4%, respectively. Both peri- and post-menopause were associated with a higher likelihood of having somatic symptoms (aOR 3.01; 95% CI 1.38-6.55 and 2.63; 1.44-4.81, respectively), while post-menopause increased the likelihood of having psychological (2.16; 1.13-4.14) and urogenital symptoms (2.54; 1.42-4.85). By other hand, post-menopausal women had a statistically significant five-fold increase in the likelihood of presenting severe urogenital symptoms than pre-menopausal women (4.90; 1.74-13.84). No significant differences by menopausal status were found for anxiety/depression. Joint/muscle problems, exhaustion and sleeping disorders were the most commonly reported symptoms among all women. Differences in the prevalences of vaginal dryness (p = 0.002), joint/muscle complaints (p = 0.032), and sweating/flush (p = 0.032) were found among the three groups. Conclusions: Women living with HIV experienced a wide variety of menopausal symptoms, some of them initiated before women had any menstrual irregularity. We found a higher likelihood of somatic symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women, while a higher likelihood of psychological and urogenital symptoms was found in post-menopausal women. Most somatic symptoms were of low or moderate severity, probably due to the good clinical and immunological situation of these women

Vitamin B-6-Induced Neuropathy: Exploring the Mechanisms of Pyridoxine Toxicity

Vitamin B-6 in the form of pyridoxine (PN) is commonly used by the general population. The use of PN-containing supplements has gained lots of attention over the past years as they have been related to the development of peripheral neuropathy. In light of this, the number of reported cases of adverse health effects due to the use of vitamin B-6 have increased. Despite a long history of study, the pathogenic mechanisms associated with PN toxicity remain elusive. Therefore, the present review is focused on investigating the mechanistic link between PN supplementation and sensory peripheral neuropathy. Excessive PN intake induces neuropathy through the preferential injury of sensory neurons. Recent reports on hereditary neuropathy due to pyridoxal kinase (PDXK) mutations may provide some insight into the mechanism, as genetic deficiencies in PDXK lead to the development of axonal sensory neuropathy. High circulating concentrations of PN may lead to a similar condition via the inhibition of PDXK. The mechanism behind PDXK-induced neuropathy is unknown; however, there is reason to believe that it may be related to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission. Compounds that inhibit PDXK lead to convulsions and reductions in GABA biosynthesis. The absence of central nervous system-related symptoms in PDXK deficiency could be due to differences in the regulation of PDXK, where PDXK activity is preserved in the brain but not in peripheral tissues. As PN is relatively impermeable to the blood-brain barrier, PDXK inhibition would similarly be confined to the peripheries and, as a result, GABA signaling may be perturbed within peripheral tissues, such as sensory neurons. Perturbed GABA signaling within sensory neurons may lead to excitotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and ultimately, the development of peripheral neuropathy. For several reasons, we conclude that PDXK inhibition and consequently disrupted GABA neurotransmission is the most plausible mechanism of toxicity

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved