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Background: This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Brief-COPE Inventory and to determine its concurrent validity by examining its association with perceived stress among Peruvian nurses., Methods: A psychometric study was conducted with 434 Peruvian nurses to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief-COPE Inventory through confirmatory factor analysis. Three stepwise variable selection regression models were implemented., Results: The three-factor model of the Brief-COPE Inventory demonstrated adequate fit indices (root mean square error of approximation = 0.052, standardized root mean square residual = 0.068, and both the comparative fit index and the Tucker-Lewis index = 0.95). Additionally, the factors were significantly correlated ( p < 0.001), and the reliability was adequate (ω = 0.90). Nurses reported a medium level of perceived stress, with associated factors including having received stress management training, fear of COVID-19, and problem-focused coping strategies ( p < 0.05)., Conclusion: This study confirms that the Brief-COPE Inventory is a valid tool for measuring coping strategies among Peruvian nurses due to its good model fit, excellent reliability, and concurrent validity with perceived stress. However, further research is needed to assess its validity in the specific areas of performance perceived by nursing professionals.

The conversion of biomass to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) holds substantial promise as a renewable energy source. Notably, HMF can be transformed into 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF), a crucial reactant in biofuel production, but requires harsh operating conditions, H2, and precious metal catalysts. A recently reported Cannizzaro reaction of HMF to BHMF, characterized by its efficiency, mild conditions, and eco-friendliness, instead employed ionic liquids (ILs) to achieve high yields. In this study, combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations in conjunction with Metropolis Monte Carlo statistical mechanics and free-energy perturbation theory utilized M06-2X/6-31+G(d), PDDG/PM3, and the OPLS-VSIL force field to uncover important solute-solvent interactions present in the HMF to BHMF reaction pathway. The Cannizzaro reaction was examined in water and in five ILs composed of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [BMIM] cation coupled to hexafluorophosphate, tetrafluoroborate, thiocyanate, chloride, and bromide. Energetic and structural analysis of the rate-determining hydride transfer between HMF and the hydride-donor anion HMFOH- attributed the enhanced reactivity to highly organized solvent interactions featuring (1) hydrogen bonding between the ring protons of [BMIM] and the negatively charged carbonyl oxygen atoms on the transition structure, (2) favorable electrostatic interactions between the IL anions and solute hydroxyl groups, and (3) beneficial π-π stacking interactions between [BMIM] and the two aromatic rings present in HMF and HMFOH-., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Obtaining value-added products from renewable resources is limited by the lack of specific operating conditions optimized for the physico-chemical characteristics of the biomass and the desired end product. A mathematical model and statistical optimization were developed for the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge. The experimental tests were carried out in triplicate and investigated a wide range of conditions: pH 9.5, 10.5, and 11.5; temperatures 25 °C, 35 °C, 45 °C, and 55 °C; primary sludge with organic loading (OL) of 10 and 14 g VS (volatile solids); and digested sludge with 4 and 6 g VS. Subsequently, a statistical search was performed to obtain optimal production conditions, then a statistical model of VFA production was developed and the optimal conditions were validated at pilot plant scale. The maximum VFA concentration predicted was 6975 mg COD (chemical oxygen demand)/L using primary sludge at 25 °C, initial OL of 14 g VS, and pH 10.5. The obtained third-degree model (r 2  = 0.83) is a powerful tool for bioprocess scale-up, offering a promising avenue for sustainable waste management and biorefinery development., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Fear of fat is a relevant variable in initiating weight regulation behaviors in adolescents. However, little is known about the experiential and behavioral change processes that mediate the choice between healthy and unhealthy weight regulation behaviors in this population., Method: The general objective was to examine the predictive role of fear of fat on weight-related behaviors (healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors) through the mediation of experiential and behavioral change processes (consciousness raising, counterconditioning, helping relationships, reinforcement management, self-liberation, self-reevaluation, stimulus control, substance use) in 838 adolescents aged 15-19 years from Mexico and Spain using parallel mediation analysis. Additionally, the study examined the correlations between the variables with regard to gender and country, as well as the differences in the use of processes of change across stages of change through the use of a multivariate analysis of variance. The Spanish version of the Fear of Fat, Stages of Change, Processes of Change, and Weight-Related Behaviors scales were used., Results: The mediation analysis showed that fear of fat predicted healthy weight control behaviors through consciousness raising, self-liberation, and stimulus control. On the other hand, fear of fat predicted unhealthy weight control behaviors through counterconditioning, stimulus control, and the use of weight loss substances. Intervening to reduce fear of fat may be a way to modify the processes of change used by adolescents to regulate their weight., Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that adolescents may initiate weight control behaviors as a result of fear of fat. This process is mediated by experiential and behavioral processes that influence weight regulation.

Objectives: Identifying key barriers to accessing quality-assured and affordable antimicrobials among forcibly displaced persons in Uganda, Yemen and Colombia and investigating their (1) utilisation patterns of antibiotics, (2) knowledge about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and (3) perception of the quality of antimicrobials received., Design: Pilot cross-sectional survey., Setting: Data were collected from five health facilities in the Kiryandongo refugee settlement (Bweyale, Uganda), three camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Dar Sad district (Aden, Yemen) and a district with a high population of Venezuelan migrants (Kennedy district, Bogotá, Colombia). Data collection took place between February and May 2021. The three countries were selected due to their high number of displaced people in their respective continents., Participants: South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, IDPs in Yemen and Venezuelan migrants in Colombia., Outcome Measure: The most common barriers to access to quality-assured and affordable antimicrobials., Results: A total of 136 participants were enrolled in this study. Obtaining antimicrobials through informal pathways, either without a doctor's prescription or through family and friends, was common in Yemen (27/50, 54.0%) and Colombia (34/50, 68.0%). In Yemen and Uganda, respondents used antibiotics to treat (58/86, 67.4%) and prevent (39/86, 45.3%) a cold. Knowledge of AMR was generally low (24/136, 17.6%). Barriers to access included financial constraints in Colombia and Uganda, prescription requirements in Yemen and Colombia, and non-availability of drugs in Uganda and Yemen., Conclusion: Our multicentred research identified common barriers to accessing quality antimicrobials among refugees/IDPs/migrants and common use of informal pathways. The results suggest that knowledge gaps about AMR may lead to potential misuse of antimicrobials. Due to the study's small sample size and use of non-probability sampling, the results should be interpreted with caution, and larger-scale assessments on this topic are needed. Future interventions designed for similar humanitarian settings should consider the interlinked barriers identified., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

(1) Background: Trainers and athletes have always sought to reduce the failure of muscle function during long endurance events. However, nowadays, it is a topic that is generating much debate in the scientific field. Currently, deep-sea water (DSW) intake seems to be a suitable hydration alternative for this type of endurance event. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether DSW consumption during a triathlon event could preserve muscle function after exercise. (2) Methods: Nineteen trained male triathletes (age = 39.0 ± 4.25 years; BMI = 23.67 ± 1.81 kg/m 2 ) randomly performed three triathlons, one of them consuming DSW (Totum SPORT 30 AB, Laboratories Quinton International, S.L., Spain), the other consuming isotonic placebo and the last with tap water-hydration. A vertical jump test with countermovement and an isometric muscle strength test were conducted before and after the triathlon test. (3) Results: There was a significant difference between treatment × time during the isometric muscle strength test. Based on the Tukey post hoc analysis, the peak net force decreased statistically in the placebo ( p = 0.045) and control conditions ( p = 0.026), but not in the experimental condition ( p = 0.121). In addition, all of the conditions studied obtained similar results in the countermovement vertical jump after exercise. (4) Conclusions: As a result, consumption of DSW seems to delay the failure of muscle function specifically in isometric exercises but does not improve performance in sports. Thus, DSW does not alter muscle capacity in a negative way; therefore, its consumption may be recommended.

We review the GPAW open-source Python package for electronic structure calculations. GPAW is based on the projector-augmented wave method and can solve the self-consistent density functional theory (DFT) equations using three different wave-function representations, namely real-space grids, plane waves, and numerical atomic orbitals. The three representations are complementary and mutually independent and can be connected by transformations via the real-space grid. This multi-basis feature renders GPAW highly versatile and unique among similar codes. By virtue of its modular structure, the GPAW code constitutes an ideal platform for the implementation of new features and methodologies. Moreover, it is well integrated with the Atomic Simulation Environment (ASE), providing a flexible and dynamic user interface. In addition to ground-state DFT calculations, GPAW supports many-body GW band structures, optical excitations from the Bethe-Salpeter Equation, variational calculations of excited states in molecules and solids via direct optimization, and real-time propagation of the Kohn-Sham equations within time-dependent DFT. A range of more advanced methods to describe magnetic excitations and non-collinear magnetism in solids are also now available. In addition, GPAW can calculate non-linear optical tensors of solids, charged crystal point defects, and much more. Recently, support for graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration has been achieved with minor modifications to the GPAW code thanks to the CuPy library. We end the review with an outlook, describing some future plans for GPAW., (© 2024 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)