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Publishing in JCR and SJR journals has become crucial for curricular development. Results from nursing investigations “compete” for publication in journals which are not specific to the field of care, affecting the academic development of these investigators. This phenomenon may lead to an ongoing adverse effect on nursing researchers and academics engaged in research in nursing care. The aim of this study was to evaluate habits regarding scientific literature consulting, the transfer of published material, and the citation of nursing investigations. A cross-sectional descriptive study by means of questionnaires was carried out, focusing on both Spanish and Portuguese nurses. The findings of the study reveal the following reasons for reading the scientific literature: that the language was understood; for learning and applying what was learnt; that the journal was of open access; for elaborating protocols and work procedures; and that the journal was indexed in scientific databases and in nursing databases. The reasons for reading, using, and publishing in journals were related to knowledge of the language and the associated usefulness of learning and applying knowledge. Creating a specific index of research publications in nursing will have a positive effect on the scientific production of caring methodologies., This project was funded by the Fundación Canaria Instituto Sanitaria de Canarias through the “Call for grants for the financing of Nursing Research Projects corresponding to the year 2019” aid, Record 19/34.

Among healthcare-associated infections, surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most frequent in Spain. The aim of this work was to estimate the costs of SSIs in patients who underwent a cholecystectomy at the Hospital General Universitario de Alicante (Spain) between 2012–2017. This was a prospective observational cohort study. The Active Epidemiological Surveillance Program at our hospital recorded all the cholecystectomies performed. Risk factors associated with the development of SSIs were determined by multivariate analysis and two homogeneous comparison groups were obtained by using the propensity score. The number of extra days of hospital stay were recorded for patients with an SSI and with the cost per hospitalised day data, the additional cost attributed to SSIs was calculated. A total of 2200 cholecystectomies were considered; 110 patients (5.0%) developed an SSI. The average length of hospital stay was 5.6 days longer among patients with an SSI. The cost per SSI was EUR 1890.60 per patient, with the total cost for this period being EUR 207,961.60. SSIs after cholecystectomy lead to a prolongation of hospital stay and an increase in economic costs. It is essential to implement infection surveillance and control programs to reduce SSIs, improve patient safety, and reduce economic burden.

Background: Recommendations for the development of school menus can promote healthier, more sustainable food systems. In Spain, these recommendations depend on regional governments (Autonomous Communities—CCAAs) that develop their own guides. The objective of this study was to explore the nutritional and sustainability recommendations for the development of menus by school food services in Spain. Methods: Guides were reviewed that were available on the official web pages of the councils of health and education. Twenty-four variables were studied and organized into three categories: characteristics, nutritional recommendations and sustainability. The number of recommendations included in each guide was counted. The weekly frequency of the suggested food provision for each food group was calculated, as was the average, median, standard deviation, confidence interval and interquartile index. Results: Overall, 13 guides were reviewed from different CCAAs. All of them included at least three of the nutritional recommendations, two suggested restrictions in the provision of foods with high quantities of salt and six suggested restrictions in foods with high levels of trans and saturated fats and sugars. All except one guide recommended the weekly provision of foods by food group: protein-rich foods (n = 8), cereals and root vegetables (n = 6), vegetables (n = 5.2) and fruit (n = 4.3). Of the eight criteria for sustainability studied, nine guides included one or none. Conclusions: Guides for the provision of meals at school in Spain promote the incorporation of healthy foods; however, they rarely restrict foods with high levels of fat, salt and sugar, and the promotion of food sustainability is only just beginning. These guides should be reviewed and updated to include recommendations that promote healthy and sustainable food systems.

Bullying and cyberbullying victimization are significant factors that threaten adolescent development and mental health. Our study aimed to analyze how socioeconomic characteristics and personal experiences of violence are associated with adolescents’ experiences of bullying and cyberbullying victimization. The study participants were 1146 students, 698 females and 448 males, aged between 13 and 16 years old, from secondary schools in Spain, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Poland and the UK. Data was collected through an online questionnaire. Prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated using Poisson regression with robust variance. In total, 37.2% of girls and 35.0% of boys reported being victims of bullying and or cyberbullying. The likelihood of bullying and or cyberbullying victimization was higher when adolescents had experienced physical and or sexual abuse before the age of 15, had witnessed domestic violence against their mother or had been victims of intimate partner violence. Perceived social support from teachers and classmates and higher self-esteem were associated with a lower likelihood of becoming a victim of bullying and or cyberbullying, but an association between experience of any other form of violence and the greater possibility of becoming a victim of bullying and or cyberbullying persisted even when self-esteem and social support were included in the model. Protecting adolescents from bullying and or cyberbullying means preventing all exposure to violent experiences in childhood and adolescence. Not having such experiences seems to be the most relevant protective factor. The project “Lights, Camera and Action against Dating Violence” (Ligts4Violence) was funded by the European Commission Directorate-General Justice and Consumers Rights, Equality and Citizen Violence Against Women Program 2016 for the period 2017–2019 to promote healthy dating relationship assets among secondary school students from different European countries, under grant agreement No. 776905. It was also co-supported by the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health of Spain for its aid to the Gender-based Violence and Youth Research Program.

The duration of protection of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been evaluated in previous studies, but uncertainty remains about the persistence of effectiveness over time and the ideal timing for booster doses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers (HCWs) at a tertiary hospital depending on time elapsed since the completion of a two-dose vaccination regimen. We conducted a case–control with negative test study between 25 January and 12 December 2021 that included 1404 HCWs who underwent an active infection diagnostic test (AIDT) to rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection due to COVID-19 suspicion or prior close contact with patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The adjusted vaccine effectiveness (aVE) for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection 12 to 120 days after completing the full two-dose vaccination regimen was 91.9%. Then, aVE decreased to 63.7% between 121 to 240 days after completing the full two-dose regimen and to 37.2% after 241 days since the second dose. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs remains highly effective after 12 to 120 days have elapsed since the administration of two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine; however, effectiveness decreases as time elapses since its administration.

Background: Opportunistic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening may reduce prostate cancer mortality risk but is associated with false positive results, biopsy complications and overdiagnosis. Although different organisations have emphasised the importance of shared decision making (SDM) to assist men in deciding whether to undergo prostate cancer screening, recent evaluations show that the available decision aids fail to facilitate SDM, mainly because they do not consider the patients’ perspective in their design. We aim to systematically develop and test a patient decision aid to promote SDM in prostate cancer screening, following the Knowledge to Action framework. Methods: (1) Feasibility study: a quantitative survey evaluating the population and clinician (urologists and general practitioners) knowledge of the benefits and risks derived from PSA determination and the awareness of the available recommendations. Focus groups to explore the challenges patients and clinicians face when discussing prostate cancer screening, the relevance of a decision aid and how best to integrate it into practice. (2) Patient decision aid development: Based on this data, an evidence-based multicomponent SDM patient decision aid will be developed. (3) User-testing: an assessment of the prototype of the initial patient decision aid through a user-testing design based on mix-methods (questionnaire and semi-structured review). The decision aid will be refined through several iterative cycles of feedback and redesign. (4) Validation: an evaluation of the patient decision aid through a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Discussion: The designed patient decision aid will provide balanced information on screening benefits and risks and should help patients to consider their personal preferences and to take a more active role in decision making. Conclusions: The well-designed patient decision aid (PDA) will provide balanced information on screening benefits and risks and help patients consider their personal preferences. Article funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain (Group 26 of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Epidemiología y Salud Pública, CIBERESP). Research funded by the research project of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, code PI20/01334, Principal Investigator Dr. Blanca Lumbreras Lacarra, co-financed with FEDER funds from the European Union “A way of doing Europe”.

Background: Chronic wounds give rise to major costs and resource consumption in health care systems, due to their protracted healing time. Incidence and prevalence data are scarce or nonexistent in community settings. Objective: The aim of the present epidemiological study was to analyse and determine the prevalence of chronic wounds in the community in the south of the province of Barcelona (Spain). Design: A cross-sectional, multicentre secondary data analysis study was conducted in the community (excluding nursing homes) in Barcelona between 16 April and 13 June 2013. It included 52 primary care centres that serve a total population of 1,217,564 inhabitants. Results: The observed prevalence was 0.11%. Venous ulcers presented the highest prevalence, at 0.04%, followed by pressure injuries, at 0.03%. The &gt, 74 age group presented the highest frequency of chronic wounds, accounting for 69.4% of cases. Conclusion: The results obtained are consistent with those reported in previous similar studies conducted in Spain and elsewhere. As with most studies that adjusted their variables for age and sex, we found that the prevalence of ulcers increased with age and was higher in women, except in the case of diabetic foot ulcers and ischaemic ulcers, which were more frequent in men.

Background: The new characteristics of today&rsquo, s population, together with the presence of chronic diseases in the elderly, require a new approach to care, promoting coordination between different levels of care. In this sense, we find the figure of the nurse case manager (NCM) in primary health care mainly responsible for ensuring continuity of care in complex patients with chronic diseases. Objective: to describe the role of the NCM in care management, determining its effectiveness in addressing chronic disease (health outcomes and quality of life) and its efficiency in the health system. Methods: Bibliographic review of scientific evidence on case management applied to nursing. Between March and April 2020 a bibliographic search was carried out in the Dialnet, Scielo, Scopus and Pubmed databases. Inclusion criteria: articles written in the last 5 years, which analyze how this nursing rol influences the care and health of patients. Results: A total of 16 articles were selected. The NCM reduced the use of the emergency department, hospital admissions, readmissions, and the duration of these in the patients studied. Conclusion: The NCM is effective and efficient for both patients and health institutions, and a common practice model is needed that includes standardized protocols and evidence-based practices.

Background: A short TOP10 scale based on the Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index questionnaire measures the characteristics of nursing work environments. Positive environments result in better quality care and health outcomes. Objective: To identify a small number of core elements that would facilitate more effective interventions by nurse managers, and compare them with the essential elements proposed by the TOP10. Method: Qualitative research by a nominal group of eight experts. The content analysis was combined with descriptive data. Results: Ten most important items were selected and analyzed by the expert group. A high level of consensus in four items (2, 15, 20, 31) and an acceptable consensus in five items was reached (6, 11, 14, 18, 26). The tenth item in the top ten was selected from content analysis (19). The expert group agreed 90% with the elements selected as essential to the TOP10. Conclusion: The expert group achieved a high level of consensus that supports 90% of the essential elements of primary care settings proposed by the TOP10 questionnaire. Organizational changes implemented by managers to improve working environments must be prioritized following our results, so care delivery and health outcomes can be further improved.

The School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme (SFVS) implemented by the European Union in 2009/2010 aims to improve the diet of students and to support agricultural markets and environmental sustainability. The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics of the School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme implementation from 2009 to 2017 in Spain and its autonomous communities. A descriptive, longitudinal, observational, and retrospective study was carried out on the basis of document analysis of SFVS reports. We studied the average budget for Spain and its autonomous communities (AC), the number of students enrolled, the cost of the SFVS by student and by day, the duration of the SFVS, the quantity of fruits and vegetables (FV) per student and day (g), the variety of FV, the recommendation to include local, seasonal, and organic foods, and the educational activities (EA). The results were studied by the AC which are territorial entities of Spain. The budget almost doubled during the study, thanks mainly to EU funds. However, the number of students increased only from 18% in 2009 to 20% in 2016. The quantity of FV increased from 2579 to 4000 tons, and the duration of the SFVS increased from 9.8 to 19.6 days. In the AC, there were variations in EA, in the number of enrolled students (7.4% to 45.6%), in the cost per student (from &euro, 2.3 to &euro, 28), and in the duration in days (5.6 to 70 days). The recommendation to include local, seasonal, and organic foods was implemented in five of the eight years studied. The development and scope of the SFVS in Spain are still insufficient to generate an equitable healthy dietary pattern in the school population. However, the SFVS has generated an economic market for agricultural production due to the amount of FV distributed in each academic course.

Introduction: The use of dietary supplements is increasing among athletes, year after year. Related to the high rates of use, unintentional doping occurs. Unintentional doping refers to positive anti-doping tests due to the use of any supplement containing unlisted substances banned by anti-doping regulations and organizations, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The objective of this review is to summarize the presence of unlabeled doping substances in dietary supplements that are used in sports. Methodology: A review of substances/metabolites/markers banned by WADA in ergonutritional supplements was completed using PubMed. The inclusion criteria were studies published up until September 2017, which analyzed the content of substances, metabolites and markers banned by WADA. Results: 446 studies were identified, 23 of which fulfilled all the inclusion criteria. In most of the studies, the purpose was to identify doping substances in dietary supplements. Discussion: Substances prohibited by WADA were found in most of the supplements analyzed in this review. Some of them were prohormones and/or stimulants. With rates of contamination between 12 and 58%, non-intentional doping is a point to take into account before establishing a supplementation program. Athletes and coaches must be aware of the problems related to the use of any contaminated supplement and should pay special attention before choosing a supplement, informing themselves fully and confirming the guarantees offered by the supplement.

Mental disorders are consistently and closely related to psychological distress. At the start of the university period, the relationship between a student&rsquo, s psychological distress, family support, and employment status is not well-known. The aims of this study were: To determine the prevalence of psychological distress in first-year university students and to analyze its relationship with family support and the student&rsquo, s employment status. Data from 4166 first-year university students from nine universities across Spain were considered. The prevalence of psychological distress was obtained using the GHQ-12, a valid and reliable screening tool to detect poor mental health. To analyze the relationship between psychological distress, family support, and employment status, logistic regression models were fitted. Regarding the prevalence found, 46.9% of men and 54.2% of women had psychological distress. In both genders, psychological distress levels increased as family support decreased. Among women, psychological distress was associated with their employment status. The prevalence of psychological distress among first-year university students in Spain is high. In addition, family support, and employment status for women, could be factors to take into account when developing psychological distress prevention strategies at the beginning of the university period.

We want to describe a model that allows the use of transperineal ultrasound to define the probability of experiencing uterine prolapse (UP). This was a prospective observational study involving 107 patients with UP or cervical elongation (CE) without UP. The ultrasound study was performed using transperineal ultrasound and evaluated the differences in the pubis–uterine fundus distance at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver. We generated different multivariate binary logistic regression models using nonautomated methods to predict UP, including the difference in the pubis–uterine fundus distance at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver. The parameters were added progressively according to their simplicity of use and their predictive capacity for identifying UP. We used two binary logistic regression models to predict UP. Model 1 was based on the difference in the pubis–uterine fundus distance at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver and the age of the patient [AUC: 0.967 (95% CI, 0.939–0.995; p < 0.0005)]. Model 2 used the difference in the pubis–uterine fundus distance at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver, age, avulsion and ballooning (AUC: 0.971 (95% CI, 0.945–0.997; p < 0.0005)). In conclusion, the model based on the difference in the pubis–uterine fundus distance at rest and with the Valsalva maneuver and the age of the patient could predict 96.7% of patients with UP.

The relationship between the anorectal angle (ARA) and the levator ani muscle (LAM) is well known. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate that the ARA changes when LAM avulsion occurs after vaginal delivery. This was a secondary, observational retrospective study with data obtained from three previous studies. Using transperineal ultrasound, the presence of avulsion was assessed when abnormal insertion of the LAM was observed in three central slices. In addition, the ARA was assessed in the midsagittal plane (at rest, in Valsalva and at maximum contraction) as the angle between the posterior border of the distal part of the rectum and the central axis of the anal canal. The ARA was higher in patients with bilateral LAM avulsion than in patients without LAM avulsion at rest (131.8 ± 14.1 vs. 136.2 ± 13.8), in Valsalva (129.4 ± 15.5 vs. 136.5 ± 14.4) and at maximum contraction (125.7 ± 15.5 vs. 132.3 ± 13.2). The differences between both groups expressed as the odds ratio (OR) adjusted for maternal age were 1.031 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.001–1.061; p = 0.041) at rest, 1.036 (95% CI, 1.008–1.064; p = 0.012) in Valsalva and 1.031 (95% CI, 1.003–1.059; p = 0.027) at maximum contraction. In conclusion, LAM avulsion produces an increase in the ARA at rest, during contraction and in Valsalva, especially in cases of bilateral LAM avulsion.

Midwifery empowerment is an important topic. The most widely used instrument to measure the perceived empowerment of midwives is the Perceptions of Empowerment in Midwifery Scale (PEMS), which has not been validated in Spain. The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the PEMS to the Spanish context. This research was carried out in two phases; Phase 1: Methodological study; translation, backtranslation and cross-cultural adaptation of the PEMS and pilot study on the target population (10 midwives) for evaluation of face validity. Phase 2: Cross-sectional observational study to obtain a sample for construct validation by Exploratory Factor Analysis and measurement of PEMS-e reliability. Additionally, an inferential analysis was carried out to study the possible association between several collected variables and PEMS-e subscale-scores. A total of 410 midwives from 18 Spanish regions participated in the study through an online questionnaire. An initial Spanish version of the PEMS scale was produced, demonstrating adequate face validity. A final model was produced for the PEMS-e, which included 17 items classified into two subscales (“Organizational support” and “Own skills and teamwork”) with fit indexes RMSEA = 0.062 (95%CI: 0.048–0.065) and AGFI = 0.985 (95%CI: 0.983–0.989) and Cronbach’s alpha 0.922 for the total scale. Results showed that one in four midwives had considered abandoning the profession in the last 6 months (p ≤ 0.001). This research suggests that Spanish midwives perceive their empowerment level as low. The PEMS-e is a valid tool with solid psychometric properties that can be used in future research to identify factors that contribute to increased empowerment among Spanish midwives and inform strategies to improve job satisfaction and retention in the profession.

Populations of RNA viruses are composed of complex and dynamic mixtures of variant genomes that are termed mutant spectra or mutant clouds. This applies also to SARS-CoV-2, and mutations that are detected at low frequency in an infected individual can be dominant (represented in the consensus sequence) in subsequent variants of interest or variants of concern. Here we briefly review the main conclusions of our work on mutant spectrum characterization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and SARS-CoV-2 at the nucleotide and amino acid levels and address the following two new questions derived from previous results: (i) how is the SARS-CoV-2 mutant and deletion spectrum composition in diagnostic samples, when examined at progressively lower cut-off mutant frequency values in ultra-deep sequencing; (ii) how the frequency distribution of minority amino acid substitutions in SARS-CoV-2 compares with that of HCV sampled also from infected patients. The main conclusions are the following: (i) the number of different mutations found at low frequency in SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra increases dramatically (50- to 100-fold) as the cut-off frequency for mutation detection is lowered from 0.5% to 0.1%, and (ii) that, contrary to HCV, SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra exhibit a deficit of intermediate frequency amino acid substitutions. The possible origin and implications of mutant spectrum differences among RNA viruses are discussed., This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (COVID-19 Research Call COV20/00181), and co-financed by European Development Regional Fund ‘A way to achieve Europe’. The work was also supported by grants CSIC-COV19-014 from Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), project 525/C/2021 from Fundació La Marató de TV3, PID2020-113888RB-I00 from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, BFU2017-91384-EXP from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), PI18/00210 and PI21/00139 from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and S2018/BAA-4370 (PLATESA2 from Comunidad de Madrid/FEDER). C.P., M.C., and P.M. are supported by the Miguel Servet programme of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CPII19/00001, CPII17/00006, and CP16/00116, respectively) cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). CIBERehd (Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas) is funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Institutional grants from the Fundación Ramón Areces and Banco Santander to the CBMSO are also acknowledged. The team at CBMSO belongs to the Global Virus Network (GVN). B.M.-G. is supported by predoctoral contract PFIS FI19/00119 from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo) cofinanced by Fondo Social Europeo (FSE). R.L.-V. is supported by predoctoral contract PEJD-2019-PRE/BMD-16414 from Comunidad de Madrid. C.G.-C. is supported by predoctoral contract PRE2018-083422 from MCIU. P.S. is supported by postdoctoral contract “Margarita Salas” CA1/RSUE/2021 from MCIU. B.S. was supported by a predoctoral research fellowship (Doctorados Industriales, DI-17-09134) from Spanish MINECO.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/2/144 Este artículo de investigación pertenece al número especial "Prevention and Control of Poultry Infectious Diseases". Bacteriophage therapy is being considered as a promising tool to control Salmonella in poultry. Nevertheless, changes in gastrointestinal tract environmental conditions throughout the production cycle could compromise the efficacy of phages administered orally. The main objectives of this study were to assess the optimal timing of the phage administration over a 42-day production cycle and to compare microencapsulated and non-encapsulated phages and the spatial and temporal dynamics of the phage delivery along the gastrointestinal tract. Phage FGS011 was encapsulated in the pH-responsive polymer Eudragit® L100 using the process of spray drying. At different weeks of the chicken rearing period, 15 broilers were divided into three groups. Over a period of 24 h, group 1 received non-encapsulated phages (delivered through drinking water), group 2 received microencapsulated phages (incorporated in animal feed), and group 3 did not receive any phages. Microencapsulation was shown to enable efficient delivery of the bacteriophages to the animal gut and cecum throughout the animal rearing period. During the six weeks of application, the crop displayed the highest phage concentration for both phage delivery methods. The L100 based encapsulation offered significant protection to the phages from the harsh environmental conditions in the PV-Gizzard (not seen with phages administered in drinking water) which may help in the delivery of high phage doses to the cecum. Future Salmonella challenge studies are necessary to demonstrate the benefits of microencapsulation of phages using L100 formulation on phage therapy in field studies during the rearing period.

Data from several cohorts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suggest that the most common comorbidities for severe COVID-19 disease are the elderly, high blood pressure, and diabetes; however, it is not currently known whether the previous use of certain drugs help or hinder recovery. This study aims to explore the association of previous hospitalisation use of medication on the mortality of COVID-19 disease. A retrospective case-control from two hospitals in Madrid, Spain, included all patients aged 18 years or above hospitalised with a diagnosis of COVID-19. A Propensity Score matching (PSM) analysis was performed. Confounding variables were considered to be age, sex, and the number of comorbidities. Finally, 3712 patients were included. Of these, 687 (18.5%) patients died (cases). The 22,446 medicine trademarks used previous to admission were classified according to the ATC, obtaining 689 final drugs; all of them were included in PSM analysis. Eleven drugs displayed a reduction in mortality: azithromycin, bemiparine, budesonide-formoterol fumarate, cefuroxime, colchicine, enoxaparin, ipratropium bromide, loratadine, mepyramine theophylline acetate, oral rehydration salts, and salbutamol sulphate. Eight final drugs displayed an increase in mortality: acetylsalicylic acid, digoxin, folic acid, mirtazapine, linagliptin, enalapril, atorvastatin, and allopurinol. Medication associated with survival (anticoagulants, antihistamines, azithromycin, bronchodilators, cefuroxime, colchicine, and inhaled corticosteroids) may be candidates for future clinical trials. Drugs associated with mortality show an interaction with the underlying conditions.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease mediated by the immune system and characterized by the importance of diet in pathological development. This study aims to understand how the use of predefined diets can affect the adult population diagnosed with IBD. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. From the different databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, LILACS, CINAHL, and WOS), we found 4195 registers. After a review process, only 31 research studies were selected for qualitative synthesis and 10 were selected for meta-analysis. The variables used were Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) for patients with Crohn’s Disease (CD) and fecal calprotectin (FC), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and albumin (ALB) for patients with IBD. Predefined diets have been shown to have partial efficacy for the treatment of IBD and are compatible with other medical treatments. CDAI improved but with reasonable doubts due to the high heterogeneity of the data, while no differences were observed for ALB, FC, and CRP. More studies that evaluate the influence of predefined diets on IBD patients are needed due to the great variability in diets and the tools used to measure their effects.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen health communication in times of crisis. This study aims to analyze the media agenda of press conferences on COVID-19 in Mexico during the first two phases of the pandemic, based on journalists’ questions. The study is based on framing theory. The method used was content analysis from a quantitative perspective. This method was explicitly applied to the final section of the conferences, which dealt with “questions from the press.” The results show that at the beginning of the pandemic, the press was more interested in the government’s management of the health crisis than in issues such as the prevention of the disease itself or the economic impact of the crisis on the country. Moreover, the main characteristic of the questions was that they were generally socially relevant. In conclusion, we found that in the media agenda of the Mexican conference, the frame of attribution of responsibility was prominent but in combination with the frames of conflict, human interest, morality, and economic consequences. This research was funded by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico, grant number 784757, and The APC was funded by the Faculty of Health Science of the University of Alicante.

Several chondrichthyan species are threatened, and we must increase our knowledge of their reproductive biology in order to establish assisted reproductive protocols for ex situ or in situ endangered species. The small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) is one of the most abundant shark species of the Mediterranean coast and is easy to maintain in aquaria, therefore, it is considered an ideal reproductive model. This study aimed to compare S. canicula male reproductive function in aquarium-housed (n = 7) and wild-captured animals, recently dead (n = 17). Aquarium-housed animals had lower semen volume (p = 0.005) and total sperm number (p = 0.006) than wild-captured animals, but similar sperm concentrations. In terms of sperm parameters, aquarium-housed sharks showed higher total sperm motility (p = 0.004), but no differences were observed regarding sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, or membrane integrity. A morphometric study pointed to a significantly longer head (p = 0.005) and acrosome (p = 0.001) in wild-captured animals. The results of the spermatozoa morphological study of S. canicula were consistent with previous results obtained in other chondrichthyan species. With regard to sex hormones, testosterone levels were significantly lower in aquarium-housed animals (p ≤ 0.001), while similar levels of 17β-estradiol and progesterone were found. In short, the present study provides evidence of good in vitro semen quality in S. canicula housed in an aquarium, underlining their excellent potential for application in reproductive technologies for this and other chondrichthyan species.

Childhood obesity is a relevant public health problem. The school food environment has been identified as an important factor for promoting healthy eating behaviors. This study assessed the availability of and proximity to unhealthy food stores around schools (n = 22) in the city of Barcelona and its association with neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES). We conducted this cross-sectional study between 2019 and 2020. First, we identified all food retailers (n = 153) within a 400-m buffer around each school and identified those selling unhealthy food products. Then, we used Poison regression models to measure the association between NSES and the healthy food availability index (HFAI), adjusting for population density and distance. A total of 95% of the food establishments studied were classified as unhealthy (n = 146). In all, 90% of schools that had, at least, two unhealthy retailers in their proximity. There were significant differences in the mean distance to unhealthy establishments according to neighborhood SES and population density (p < 0.05). We found a positive association between schools located in higher SES neighborhoods and a higher availability and affordability of healthy food products (IIR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.45–1.91 p = 0.000). We found strong social inequalities in the supply of healthy foods in Barcelona. Local food policy interventions addressing retail food environment around schools should consider socioeconomic inequalities. C.L.-C. received a grant from the Colombian Government (SNCT e I) to study her PhD in biomedicine at Pompeu Fabra university, Barcelona, Spain.

Breast cancer; Psychosexual disorders; Sexual function Cáncer de mama; Trastornos psicosexuales; Función sexual Càncer de mama; Trastorns psicosexuals; Funció sexual Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer in women, and has implications for sexual function (SF). In this study, we used an evidence map to identify, describe, and organise the current available evidence regarding SF in women with BC. We searched the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases for observational studies assessing SF in women with BC published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French between 2000 and 2021 (sample ≥ 50 women). Of the 64 included studies (13,257 women with BC), 58 were published since 2010. Women who were married, partnered, or in relationships represented 74.1% of the entire sample. Only a single study was conducted on women representing a sexual minority. We identified 22 assessment instruments and 40 sexual dysfunction (SdF) domains. The number of publications on SF in women with BC has increased in the last 10 years, but still remains low. Some groups of women are underrepresented, and some SdF domains are underdiagnosed, with the assessment instrument used affecting which domains are studied. Women with BC need to be better screened, as their quality of life (QoL) is affected by SdF.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI), the most severe form of peripheral artery disease, results from the blockade of peripheral vessels, usually correlated to atherosclerosis. Currently, endovascular and surgical revascularization strategies cannot be applied to all patients due to related comorbidities, and even so, most patients require re-intervention or amputation within a year. Circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) constitute a good alternative as CLI cell therapy due to their vascular regenerative potential, although the mechanisms of action of these cells, as well as their response to pathological conditions, remain unclear. Previously, we have shown that CACs enhance angiogenesis/arteriogenesis from the first days of administration in CLI mice. Also, the incubation ex vivo of these cells with factors secreted by atherosclerotic plaques promotes their activation and mobilization. Herein, we have evaluated the long-term effect of CACs administration in CLI mice, whether pre-stimulated or not with atherosclerotic factors. Remarkably, mice receiving CACs and moreover, pre-stimulated CACs, presented the highest blood flow recovery, lower progression of ischemic symptoms, and decrease of immune cells recruitment. In addition, many proteins potentially involved, like CD44 or matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), up-regulated in response to ischemia and decreased after CACs administration, were identified by a quantitative proteomics approach. Overall, our data suggest that pre-stimulation of CACs with atherosclerotic factors might potentiate the regenerative properties of these cells in vivo., This study was supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III, ISCIII (PI16-00784, PI2000716), co-funded by European Regional Development Fund "A way to make Europe", and the Programa Operativo de Andalucia FEDER, Iniciativa Territorial Integrada ITI 2014-2020, Consejeria de Salud, Junta de Andalucia (PI0026-2017).

Leishmaniosis is an important zoonotic protozoan disease primarily spread to the Mediterranean region by Leishmania infantum, the predominant protozoan species, which accounts for the majority of cases. Development of disease depends on the immune response of the definitive host and, predictably, their genetic background. Recent studies have revealed breed-typical haplotypes that are susceptible to the spread of the protozoan parasite. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of leishmaniosis on a Mediterranean island and determine the relationship between disease prevalence and breed. In addition, information on seropositive animals was recorded to characterize animals affected by the disease. To study the prevalence, a total of 3141 dogs were analyzed. Of these, the 149 infected animals were examined for age, sex, antibody titer, and disease stage. We observed a prevalence of 4.74%, which varied between breeds (p &lt, 0.05). The Doberman Pinscher and Boxer breeds had the highest prevalence of leishmaniosis. Significant differences were observed between breeds with common ancestors, emphasizing the important genetic component. Finally, regarding the characterization of seropositive animals, the distribution is similar to other studies. We discovered a relationship (p &lt, 0.05) between the number of antibody titers and the clinical disease stage, which was also present in Leishmania infantum, suggesting that the development of the disease depends on the humoral or Th2 immune response with ineffective antibodies.

Obesity is a risk factor that exponentially increases morbidity and mortality in the world. Today, new health strategies are being implemented based on the use of social media but the use and effectiveness for these interventions needs to be assessed. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the impact of social-media-delivered weight loss interventions among teenagers and young adults. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and OVID to identify articles that focused on this topic. Fourteen studies were included in the final review. The commitment of the participants was found to be fundamental factor when assessing the impact of social-media-delivered weight loss interventions, but also the social context in which the interventions were carried out. Our study highlights the potential of social media platforms to address weight loss interventions among younger groups. The works evaluated showed the usefulness of social media for the adequate monitoring and control in these groups. Finally, the current variety of study designs in this field highlights the need for greater homogeneity in their methodology and applications, which is a fundamental step before these tools could be considered a suitable tool for overweight management in clinical practice., J.A.-G. was supported by the Ramon & Cajal Programme (RYC-2016-19353), which is aimed at promoting the incorporation of national and foreign researchers with an outstanding career in R&D centers. This Programme is operated by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and the European Social Fund. The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of these institutions.

Monomeric C-reactive protein (mCRP), the activated isoform of CRP, induces tissue damage in a range of inflammatory pathologies. Its detection in infarcted human brain tissue and its experimentally proven ability to promote dementia with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) traits at 4 weeks after intrahippocampal injection in mice have suggested that it may contribute to the development of AD after cerebrovascular injury. Here, we showed that a single hippocampal administration of mCRP in mice induced memory loss, lasting at least 6 months, along with neurodegenerative changes detected by increased levels of hyperphosphorylated tau protein and a decrease of the neuroplasticity marker Egr1. Furthermore, co-treatment with the monoclonal antibody 8C10 specific for mCRP showed that long-term memory loss and tau pathology were entirely avoided by early blockade of mCRP. Notably, 8C10 mitigated Egr1 decrease in the mouse hippocampus. 8C10 also protected against mCRP-induced inflammatory pathways in a microglial cell line, as shown by the prevention of increased generation of nitric oxide. Additional in vivo and in vitro neuroprotective testing with the anti-inflammatory agent TPPU, an inhibitor of the soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme, confirmed the predominant involvement of neuroinflammatory processes in the dementia induced by mCRP. Therefore, locally deposited mCRP in the infarcted brain may be a novel biomarker for AD prognosis, and its antibody blockade opens up therapeutic opportunities for reducing post-stroke AD risk., This research was funded by the European Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014– 2020, C-Reactive protein therapy for stroke-associated dementia, ID P_37_674, MySMIS code: 103432, contract 51/05.09.2016; Spanish MINECO and European Regional Development Fund, grant number SAF2016-77703; Spanish MCINN, grant number PID2019-106285RB; Catalan Autonomous Government AGAUR, grant number 2017-SGR-106; the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. R.C was supported by a post-doctoral research contract of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was (i) to analyze problems faced by informal caregivers in three areas of their life: health, work and finances, and family and social relationships, (ii) to investigate the main determinants of these problems, and (iii) to explore differences between men and women. (2) Methods: The study population consisted of people aged ≥18 years living in a family home who were providing unpaid care to a dependent person in the same or another home and who were registered as caregivers with the Primary Health Care District of Granada or the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. Several logistic regression models were built to analyze the likelihood of caregivers experiencing health, work-related, or social problems as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. (3) Results: Informal female caregivers were more likely to experience problems attributed to caregiving than their male counterparts, particularly in the areas of health and work. Additional factors associated with an increased likelihood of problems were low perceived social support, performance of ungratifying tasks, and fewer years as a caregiver. (4) Conclusions: Informal caregivers in Spain face significant problems as a result of their caregiving duties, and the impact on men and women is different. Policies and interventions to mitigate the negative effects of unpaid caregiving should incorporate differential strategies to meet the specific needs of male and female caregivers in different caregiving contexts.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/7/476 Different university degrees focus on students acquiring theoretical and practical knowledge, aiming to develop their professional activity in the future. However, the usual study plans often forget other skills that will be very useful for the correct performance of their professional activity. In the case of veterinarians, these can range from dialogue with farmers to the unification of knowledge, so that they can provide a simple and effective solution to the different questions that may arise throughout their work activity. On the other hand, the perception of the world and the ways of acquiring knowledge have been changing over the years. Currently, our students require new ways of being presented with the information and knowledge that they should acquire, using, in most cases, new technologies. The present study was carried out with two cases. First, we used gamification through role-play as an alternative methodology to generate a method to unify the knowledge acquired in the subject and, mainly, to acquire skills such as the transfer of this acquired knowledge to other classes and situations. The second case aims to verify if the use of new technologies, specifically the use of interactive videos, can improve the acceptance of students and their training. A total of 2 h of videos were recorded, and 31 min and 42 s of that footage were ultimately used. A special edition and some specific illustrations and designs were made for this work, taking care of the format–background relationship. The results obtained show that these alternative-learning methodologies could be applied to many subjects, so that students, in a playful and relaxed way, are able to unify all the knowledge they are acquiring in their training as veterinarians, preparing them to face the exercise of their future professional activity with greater ease and safety. Finally, we provide the degree of acceptance of these new learning methodologies by students.

Simple Summary This study was designed to assess the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni in swine processing at a slaughterhouse in the Valencia Region (Eastern Spain). The results showed that all batches arrived at the slaughterhouse shedding Campylobacter in faeces, and remained positive during processing, even just before delivery to the consumer. In addition, 96.3% of C. jejuni isolates, the main species involved in human infection from food origin, were multidrug-resistant strains. Abstract Campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported gastrointestinal disease in humans in the EU, mainly from poultry meat consumption. C. jejuni is the main species involved in the human disease. However, little is known about the role of swine meat in its epidemiology. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of C. jejuni on swine processing at the slaughterhouse. To this end, a total of 21 pig herds were intensively sampled at the slaughterhouse. Campylobacter isolation was based on official method ISO 10272-1:2018, speciation was determined by the hippurate hydrolysis test, and antibiotic susceptibility was performed according to standard disc diffusion assay. The results showed that all batches shed Campylobacter in faeces upon arrival at the slaughterhouse and remained positive at the end of the slaughtering process (42.8%). Moreover, 41.5% of Campylobacter strains isolated were C. jejuni and all of them were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 96.3% were multidrug-resistant strains. In conclusion, the high level of multidrug-resistant C. jejuni swine batch contamination at the slaughterhouse makes it necessary to include the swine sector in national control programmes to reduce the bacterium and its resistance.

Background and Objectives: Pre-term premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) responds for one third of preterm births, and it is associated with other complications that increase the risk of maternal or fetal poor outcome. To reduce uncertainty and provide accurate information to patients, the analysis of the large series is of great importance. In order to learn about the evolution over the time of the obstetric and perinatal outcomes in cases of PPROM at, or before, 28 weeks (very early PPROM) managed with an expectant/conservative protocol, we have designed the present study.&nbsp, Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied all cases of very early PPROM attended in Malaga University Regional Hospital from 2000 to 2020. Results: Among 119888 deliveries assisted, 592 cases of PPROM occurred in pregnancies at or before 28 weeks (0.49% of all deliveries, 3.9% of all preterm births and 12.9% of all cases of PPROM). The mean duration of the latency period between PPROM and delivery was 13.5 days (range 0 to 88 days), enlarging over the years. The mean gestational age at delivery was 27 weeks (SD 2.9, range 17–34). The proportion of cesarean deliveries was 52.5%. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 26.5%, decreasing over the period with a significant correlation Pearson’s coefficient −0.128 (p &lt, 0.05). Conclusions: In the period 2000–2020, there was an improvement in the outcomes of very early PPROM cases and perinatal mortality showed a clear trend to decrease.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/5/434 Este artículo pertenece al número especial "Bacteriophages as Therapeutic Delivery Vehicles". The therapeutic use of bacteriophages is recognized as a viable method to control Salmonella. Microencapsulation of phages in oral dosage forms may protect phages from inherent challenges of the gastrointestinal tract in chickens. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the survival of Salmonella BP FGS011 (non-encapsulated and microencapsulated) through the gastrointestinal tract under in vitro as well as in vivo conditions after oral administration to 1-day-old chicks. To this end, the phage FGS011 was encapsulated in two different pH-responsive formulations with polymers Eudragit® L100, and Eudragit® S100 using the process of spray drying. Phages encapsulated in either of the two formulations were able to survive exposure to the proventriculus-gizzard in vitro conditions whereas free phages did not. Moreover, phages formulated in polymer Eudragit® S100 would be better suited to deliver phage to the caeca in chickens. In the in vivo assay, no statistically significant differences were observed in the phage concentrations across the gastrointestinal tract for either the free phage or the encapsulated phage given to chicks. This suggested that the pH of the proventriculus/gizzard in young chicks is not sufficiently acidic to cause differential phage titre reductions, thereby allowing free phage survival in vivo.

In the treatment of gingival recession, different surgical options have been described: free gingival grafts (FGG), connective tissue Grafts (CTG), and a more recent technique, de-epithelialized free gingival graft (DFGG). They are not procedures exempt from the appearance of complications. Most publications refer to postoperative complications, and there is limited literature regarding the development of late complications (weeks or months). Our working group carried out a study to describe the development of late complications associated with the use of DFGG in comparison with CTG, providing an incidence rate and a classification. Sixty-eight patients with mucogingival problems were selected, and divided into two groups: the Test Group, for which we used DFGG + Coronal Advancement Flap (CAF), and the Control Group (CTG + CAF). All patients were treated at the University of Seville’s dental school to solve mucogingival problems for aesthetic and/or functional reasons. A classification is proposed based on its severity, Major and Minor. Major complications included reepithelialization of the graft, epithelial bands, cul-de-sac, epithelial cysts, and bone exostoses. Minor complications included the graft´s color changes and superficial revascularization. Late major complications were only associated with the use of the DFGG, and the late minor complications developed with the use of the DFGG were much higher than those associated with CTG. CTG appears to be a safer procedure than DFGG in terms of late complications.

Jerez (Sherry) is a well-known wine-producing region located in southern Spain, where world-renowned oenological products such as wines, vinegars, and brandies are produced. There are several factors that provide characteristic physical, chemical, and sensory properties to the oenological products obtained in this Sherry region: the climate in the area with hot summers, mild winters, and with limited rainfall; the raw material used consisting on Palomino Fino, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximénez white grape varieties; the special vinification with fortified wines; and aging techniques such as a dynamic system of biological or oxidative aging. These special organoleptic characteristics are responsible for, among others, the aromatic profile of the wines, vinegars and brandies from the area, which explains why this is a subject that has been extensively researched over the years. This bibliographic review aims to compile the different scientific contributions that have been found to date, in relation with the aroma of the oenological products from the Sherry area (dry wines, sweet wines, vinegars, and brandies). We have mainly focused on the different analytical methodologies used and on the main analytes of interest.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive primary brain tumor and is associated with a poor prognosis. Despite the use of combined treatment approaches, recurrence is almost inevitable and survival longer than 14 or 15 months after diagnosis is low. It is therefore necessary to identify new therapeutic targets to fight GBM progression and recurrence. Some publications have pointed out the role of glioma stem cells (GSCs) as the origin of GBM. These cells, with characteristics of neural stem cells (NSC) present in physiological neurogenic niches, have been proposed as being responsible for the high resistance of GBM to current treatments such as temozolomide (TMZ). The protein Kinase C (PKC) family members play an essential role in transducing signals related with cell cycle entrance, differentiation and apoptosis in NSC and participate in distinct signaling cascades that determine NSC and GSC dynamics. Thus, PKC could be a suitable druggable target to treat recurrent GBM. Clinical trials have tested the efficacy of PKCβ inhibitors, and preclinical studies have focused on other PKC isozymes. Here, we discuss the idea that other PKC isozymes may also be involved in GBM progression and that the development of a new generation of effective drugs should consider the balance between the activation of different PKC subtypes. Integrated Territorial Investment Operational Programme of the European Commission and by the Department of Department of Health and Families (Consejería de Salud y Familias) of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: ITI0042-2019: ITI Cadiz 2019

[EN] This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of two aminopeptidase inhibitors and chitosan-based nanoparticles in liquid-stored rabbit semen. This study reports that the aminopeptidase inhibitors used to prevent bacterial growth could be used in semen extender as a suitable alternative to antibiotics. Although great attention is paid to hygiene during semen collection and processing, bacteria are commonly found in the semen of healthy fertile males of different species. As the storage of extended semen might facilitate bacterial growth, extenders are commonly supplemented with antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles added to rabbit semen extender and their effect on reproductive performance under field conditions. Four different extenders were tested, supplemented with antibiotics (TCG+AB), with EDTA and bestatin (EB), with EDTA, bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles (QEB) or without antibiotics (TCG-AB). Extended semen was cooled at 15 degrees C for three days. Cooled samples were examined for bacterial growth and semen quality every 24 h for 3 days. The enterobacteria count increased considerably during storage at 72 h in semen extended with TCG+AB and TCG-AB, while extenders EB and QEB showed a bacteriostatic effect over time. After 24, 48 and 72 h, quality characteristics were retained in all groups, with no significant motility differences, either in acrosome integrity, membrane functionality or the viability of spermatozoa. Additionally, bacterial concentration present in fresh semen did not affect reproductive performance. In conclusion, EDTA and bestatin exerted a potent bacteriostatic effect over time and could be used as an alternative to conventional antibiotics in rabbit semen extenders., Funding from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Research project: AGL2017-85162-C2-1-R) is acknowledged.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/9/1198 Este artículo de investigación pertenece al número especial "Advances in Animal Novel Alternative Feed". The effects of dietary inclusion of soybean-sunflower and olive pomace acid oils on growth, digestibility and flesh composition were studied in European seabass. Eight diets were fed for 100 days (101.37 0.33 g initial weight, mean SD), differing in the added fat source (25% fish oil, 75% experimental oil): S (crude soybean oil), SA (soybean-sunflower acid oil), O (crude olive pomace oil) or OA (olive pomace acid oil); 3 blends: S-O, S-OA, SA-OA at a 1:1 ratio; and a diet containing only fish oil (F) as a control. Animals fed OA showed the worst performance among dietary treatments, with the lowest weight, specific growth ratio, average daily gain and the highest feed conversion ratio (p < 0.01). In contrast, other diets including acid oils did not impair performance. Acid oil diets did not affect the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein or total fatty acids (p > 0.05), but a lower digestibility of lipids and saturated fatty acids was observed (p < 0.001). Flesh composition and fatty acid profile were not affected by the high dietary free FA content (p > 0.05). Hence the results suggest that the studied acid oils may potentially be used in fish diets although further studies are needed.

SGIT-INIA, The use of amino acids during pregnancy, such as glutamine (Gln), seems to be a promising strategy in selected swine breeds to improve the offspring prenatal development. The main goal of the current study was to assess the development of the offspring from parity 1-3 sows of a traditional breed, which were supplemented with 1% glutamine after Day 35 of gestation, under farm conditions. A total of 486 (288 treated) piglets from 78 (46 treated) Iberian sows were used. At birth and slaughterhouse, fatty acid composition, metabolism, and mTOR pathway gene expression were analyzed. At birth, treated newborns showed greater amounts of specific amino acids in plasma, such as glutamine, asparagine, or alanine, and Σn-3 fatty acids in cellular membranes than control newborns. The expression of genes belonging to mTOR Complex 1 was also higher in treated piglets with normal birth-weight. However, these findings did not improve productive traits at birth or following periods in litters from supplemented gilts (parity 1) or sows (parities 2-3). Thus, further research is needed to properly understand the effects of prenatal glutamine supplementation, particularly in traditional swine breeds., The experimental work was supported by funds from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project AGL2016-79321-C2-2-R and AGL2019-108695RB-C31), co-funded by FEDER. AHM, CGC and MVG were supported by the Spanish Government (AHM: FPI National Program BES-2017-080541; CGC: FPI BES-2014-070464; MVG: FPU National Program FPU014/01285)., 16 Pág.

Simple Summary Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression and depend of nutrition. In farm animals, and concretely, in pigs, some papers on protein nutrition have been realized to improve several productive traits. Changes in protein diet influence on epigenetic mechanisms that could affect productive and reproductive traits in individuals and their offspring. The purpose of this review was to update the current knowledge about the effects of these nutritional changes on epigenetic mechanisms in pigs. Abstract Epigenetic changes regulate gene expression and depend of external factors, such as environment and nutrition. In pigs, several studies on protein nutrition have been performed to improve productive and reproductive traits. Indeed, these studies aimed not only to determine broad protein requirements but also pigs’ essential amino acids requirements. Moreover, recent studies tried to determine these nutritional requirements for each individual, which is known as protein precision nutrition. However, nutritional changes could affect different epigenetic mechanisms, modifying metabolic pathways both in a given individual and its offspring. Modifications in protein nutrition, such as change in the amino acid profile, increase or decrease in protein levels, or the addition of metabolites that condition protein requirements, could affect the regulation of some genes, such as myostatin, insulin growth factor, or genes controlling cholesterol and glucose metabolism pathways. This review summarizes the impact of most common protein nutritional strategies on epigenetic changes and describes their effects on regulation of gene expression in pigs. In a context where animal nutrition is shifting towards precision protein nutrition (PPN), further studies evaluating the effects of PPN on animal epigenetic are necessary.

Intracellular signaling through the T cell receptor (TCR) is essential for T cell development and function. Proper TCR signaling requires the sequential activities of Lck and ZAP-70 kinases, which result in the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues located in the CD3 ITAMs and the LAT adaptor, respectively. LAT, linker for the activation of T cells, is a transmembrane adaptor protein that acts as a scaffold coupling the early signals coming from the TCR with downstream signaling pathways leading to cellular responses. The leukemic T cell line Jurkat and its derivative mutants J.CaM1.6 (Lck deficient) and J.CaM2 (LAT deficient) have been widely used to study the first signaling events upon TCR triggering. In this work, we describe the loss of LAT adaptor expression found in a subline of J.CaM1.6 cells and analyze cis-elements responsible for the LAT expression defect. This new cell subline, which we have called J.CaM1.7, can re-express LAT adaptor after Protein Kinase C (PKC) activation, which suggests that activation-induced LAT expression is not affected in this new cell subline. Contrary to J.CaM1.6 cells, re-expression of Lck in J.CaM1.7 cells was not sufficient to recover TCR-associated signals, and both LAT and Lck had to be introduced to recover activatory intracellular signals triggered after CD3 crosslinking. Overall, our work shows that the new LAT negative J.CaM1.7 cell subline could represent a new model to study the functions of the tyrosine kinase Lck and the LAT adaptor in TCR signaling, and their mutual interaction, which seems to constitute an essential early signaling event associated with the TCR/CD3 complex., This research was funded by Consejeria de Salud de Andalucia, Junta de Andalucia (grant PI-0055-2017 to E.A.), and Fundacion Biomedica Cadiz Proyectos INIBICA 2019 (grant LI19/I14NCO15 to E.A. and M.M.A.-E.).

Simple Summary This research was designed to evaluate the differences in caecal microbiota in broilers reared under two different farm conditions (commercial vs. optimal) during the growing period, using 16 rRNA sequencing analysis. Microbiota composition is affected by stress; for this reason, it could be considered a biomarker of poultry welfare and health. The main results demonstrated that no statistically significant differences were found between groups on microbiota composition from the beginning to the mid-period. However, significant differences were found at the end of growing, when a higher level of microbiota diversity was observed in the optimal farm conditions group. In conclusion, microbiota composition could be an interesting tool to evaluate new management conditions at field level, and could be developed to improve animal welfare during the growing period. Abstract Poultry is one of the main agricultural sub-sectors worldwide. However, public concern regarding animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance has risen in recent years. Due to the influence of management practices on microbiota, it might be considered to evaluate poultry welfare and health. Therefore, the objective of this research was to analyse the influence on microbiota balance of broilers under commercial and optimal farm conditions, using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. The research was performed in two identical poultry houses (commercial vs. optimal). Results showed a higher level of microbiota complexity in the group reared under optimal farm conditions at the end of rearing. Regarding microbiota composition, Firmicutes was the dominant phylum during the entire growing period. However, the second most prevalent phylum was Proteobacteria at the arrival day, and Bacteroidetes from the mid-period onward in both groups. Moreover, the most predominant genera identified were Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, and Coprococcus. In conclusion, it is necessary to optimize farm management as much as possible. Using gut microbiota diversity and composition as biomarkers of animal health could be an important tool for infectious disease control, with the aim of reducing the administration of antibiotics at field level.

According to classic Hirschfeld studies, the first teeth to be lost are the first and second maxillary molars. After the teeth are extracted and the alveolar process is developed, the maxillary sinus is reabsorbed and pneumatized with a decrease in bone availability in the posterior sector of the maxilla. This process often creates the need to perform regeneration techniques for the placement of implants in this area due to the low availability of bone. The most frequently used and documented technique for the elevation of the sinus maxillary floor is elevation by the side window, as proposed by Tatum. In 1994, Summers proposed a technique that allowed the elevation of the sinus floor from a crestal access using an instrument called an osteotome, as well as the placement of the implant in the same surgical act. The aimed of the study was to evaluate the survival of 32 implants placed in posterior maxilla with bone availability less than 5 mm performing a sinus lift augmentation technique with osteotome without biomaterials. The results of this study show a survival rate of 100% for 32 implants placed in situations with an initial bone availability of 2 to 5 mm without the use of graft material. The infra-drilling technique used offers an increase in the primary stability of implants that allows adequate osteointegration Implants placed were charged at 12 weeks. In all cases, spontaneous bone formation was observed, even in cases where a positive Valsalva maneuver was observed. This proposed technique reduces treatment time and the need for more invasive maxillary sinus augmentation techniques.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/12/1913 Este artículo pertenece al número especial "Reviews on food microbiology, foodborne pathogens, and probiotics". In recent decades, worldwide fish consumption has increased notably worldwide. Despite the health benefits of fish consumption, it also can suppose a risk because of fishborne diseases, including parasitic infections. Global changes are leading to the emergence of parasites in new locations and to the appearance of new sources of transmission. That is the case of the zoonotic protozoa Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii; all of them reach aquatic environments and have been found in shellfish. Similarly, these protozoa can be present in other aquatic animals, such as fish. The present review gives an overview on these three zoonotic protozoa in order to understand their potential presence in fish and to comprehensively revise all the evidences of fish as a new potential source of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii transmission. All of them have been found in both marine and freshwater fishes. Until now, it has not been possible to demonstrate that fish are natural hosts for these protozoa; otherwise, they would merely act as mechanical transporters. Nevertheless, even if fish only accumulate and transport these protozoa, they could be a “new” source of infection for people.

Simple Summary We review the role of cobalt and vitamin B12 in animals, especially in ruminants. Vitamin B12 is an essential part of the enzyme systems involved in multiple metabolic reactions and mainly in the formation of energy from ruminal fermentation. Signs of deficiency, as well as cobalt toxicity, in animals are described. The level of cobalt in ruminants can be assessed by measuring the blood or tissue concentrations of cobalt or vitamin B12, as well as the level of some metabolites such as malonate, homocysteine or transobolamine in blood or methylmalonic acid in urine. The requirement for cobalt (Co) is around 0.11 ppm (mg/kg) dry matter (DM) in the diet, although current recommendations advise supplementing the diet up to 0.20 mg Co/kg DM, which seems to increase animal production, especially in dairy cattle. Abstract Cobalt, as a trace element, is essential for rumen microorganisms for the formation of vitamin B12. In the metabolism of mammals, vitamin B12 is an essential part of two enzymatic systems involved in multiple metabolic reactions, such as in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, some amino acids and DNA. Adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin are coenzymes of methylmalonyl coenzyme A (CoA) mutase and methionine synthetase and are essential for obtaining energy through ruminal metabolism. Signs of cobalt deficiency range from hyporexia, reduced growth and weight loss to liver steatosis, anemia, impaired immune function, impaired reproductive function and even death. Cobalt status in ruminant animals can be assessed by direct measurement of blood or tissue concentrations of cobalt or vitamin B12, as well as the level of methylmalonic acid, homocysteine or transcobalamin in blood; methylmalonic acid in urine; some variables hematological; food consumption or growth of animals. In general, it is assumed that the requirement for cobalt (Co) is expressed around 0.11 ppm (mg/kg) in the dry matter (DM) diet; current recommendations seem to advise increasing Co supplementation and placing it around 0.20 mg Co/kg DM. Although there is no unanimous criterion about milk production, fattening or reproductive rates in response to increased supplementation with Co, in some investigations, when the total Co of the diet was approximately 1 to 1.3 ppm (mg/kg), maximum responses were observed in the milk production.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/9/3/130 Este artículo pertenece al número especial "Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites". Honeybee populations have locally and temporally declined in the last few years because of both biotic and abiotic factors. Among the latter, one of the most important reasons is infection by the microsporidia Nosema ceranae, which is the etiological agent of type C nosemosis. This species was first described in Asian honeybees (Apis cerana). Nowadays, domestic honeybees (Apis mellifera) worldwide are also becoming infected due to globalization. Type C nosemosis can be asymptomatic or can cause important damage to bees, such as changes in temporal polyethism, energy and oxidative stress, immunity loss, and decreased average life expectancy. It causes drastic reductions in workers, numbers of broods, and honey production, finally leading to colony loss. Common treatment is based on fumagillin, an antibiotic with side effects and relatively poor efficiency, which is banned in the European Union. Natural products, probiotics, food supplements, nutraceuticals, and other veterinary drugs are currently under study and might represent alternative treatments. Prophylaxis and management of affected colonies are essential to control the disease. While N. ceranae is one potential cause of bee losses in a colony, other factors must also be considered, especially synergies between microsporidia and the use of insecticides.

Pregnancy-related disorders, including preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, are characterized by the presence of an adverse intrauterine milieu that may ultimately result in oxidative and nitrosative stress. This scenario may trigger uncontrolled production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anion (O●&minus, ) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) such as nitric oxide (NO), along with an inactivation of antioxidant systems, which are associated with the occurrence of relevant changes in placental function through recognized redox post-translational modifications in key proteins. The general objective of this study was to assess the impact of a maternal obesogenic enviroment on the regulation of the placental nitroso-redox balance at the end of pregnancy. We measured oxidative damage markers&mdash, thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) and carbonyl groups (C=O) levels, nitrosative stress markers&mdash, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitrosothiol groups, and nitrotyrosine residues levels, and the antioxidant biomarkers&mdash, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and expression, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), in full-term placental villous from both pre-pregnancy normal weight and obese women, and with absence of metabolic complications throughout gestation. The results showed a decrease in C=O and TBARS levels in obese pregnancies. Although total SOD and catalase concentrations were shown to be increased, both activities were significantly downregulated in obese pregnancies, along with total antioxidant capacity. Inducible nitric oxide sintase levels were increased in the obese group compared to the lean group, accompanied by an increase in nitrotyrosine residues levels and lower levels of nitrosothiol groups in proteins such as ERK1/2. These findings reveal a reduction in oxidative damage, accompanied by a decline in antioxidant response, and an increase via NO-mediated nitrative stress in placental tissue from metabolically healthy pregnancies with obesity. All this plausibly points to a placental adaptation of the affected antioxidant response towards a NO-induced alternative pathway, through changes in the ROS/RNS balance, in order to reduce oxidative damage and preserve placental function in pregnancy.

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a chronic complication that negatively affects the quality of life (QoL) of diabetic patients. In Spain, there is no specifically designed and validated instrument to assess the QoL of patients with DFU. Our aim was to adapt the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale-Short Form (DFS-SF) questionnaire to a Spanish population and validate it. A prospective, observational design was used. The DFS-SF was administered by personal interview. The validated SF-36 and EQ-5D generic instruments were used as reference tools. The reliability, validity, and sensitivity to changes were assessed using standard statistical methods. A sample of 141 patients with DFU was recruited. The content validity was 3.46 on average (maximum score of 4). The internal consistency of the DFS-SF subscales showed a standardized Cronbach’s α range between 0.720 and 0.948. The DFS-SF domains showed excellent reproducibility measures (intraclass correlation coefficient from 0.77–0.92). The criterion validity was good with significant correlations between each DFS-SF subscale and its corresponding SF-36 and EQ-5D subscales (p < 0.001). However, the questionnaire structure was not validated (comparative fit index = 0.844, root mean square error of approximation = 0.095, and standardized root mean square residual = 0.093). The instrument showed high sensitivity to ulcer changes over time (p < 0.001). The adapted and validated Spanish version of the DFS-SF questionnaire has good psychometric properties and shows good sensitivity to ulcer changes, although the construct validity was not optimal. The adapted questionnaire will be a useful tool specifically to assess the QoL in subjects with diabetic foot ulcers in the clinical and research settings in Spain. CIBERDEM is an initiative from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Plan Nacional de I + D + I and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional). M.G.-C. held a predoctoral fellowship from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, FPU15/03005. This project was developed in the context of the Programme “Doctorat en Medicina de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona”, Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Simple Summary The present study aimed to set up a short-term protocol for synchronization of follicular wave emergence in sheep, concomitant with estrus synchronization, which would improve ovarian response in assisted reproductive technologies. Administration of a single dose of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), concomitant with the insertion of a progesterone-loaded controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device, caused regression of gonadotrophin-dependent follicles in all test sheep, with 70% of them initiating a new follicular wave and the remaining showing non-dominant follicles. Abstract The present study aimed to set up a short-term protocol for synchronization of follicular wave emergence in sheep, concomitant with estrus synchronization, which would improve ovarian response in assisted reproductive technologies. Administration of a single GnRH dose, concomitant with the insertion of a progesterone-loaded CIDR device, caused regression of gonadotrophin-dependent follicles ≥4 mm in all the GnRH-treated sheep and in around 80% of the controls treated only with CIDR (p < 0.05). Similar percentages of ewes lost all follicles (around 70%) or only the largest one (around 30%) in both groups. Hence, 54.1% and 70% of the sheep lost all large follicles and initiated a new follicular wave in the control and GnRH groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The remaining sheep showed follicles that were still not dependent of luteinizing hormone (LH). So, in fact, all the sheep had non-dominant follicles after treatment. In conclusion, a treatment including GnRH at CIDR insertion would offer a time- and cost-efficient protocol for inducing follicular turnover and synchronizing a new follicular wave at any stage of the estrous cycle.

Many studies have analysed socioeconomic inequalities and its association with mortality in urban areas. However, few of them have differentiated between native and immigrant populations. This study is an ecological study of mortality by overall mortality and analyses the inequalities in mortality in these populations according to the level of deprivation in small areas of large cities in the Valencian Community, from 2009 to 2015. The census tract was classified into five deprivation levels using an index based on socioeconomic indicators from the 2011 census. Rates and relative risks of death were calculated by sex, age, level of deprivation and country of birth. Poisson regression models have been used. In general, there was a higher risk of death in natives at the levels of greatest deprivation, which did not happen in immigrants. During the 2009&ndash, 2015 period, there were socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, particularly in natives, who presented a higher risk of death than immigrants. Future interventions and social policies should be implemented in order to reduce inequalities in mortality amongst socioeconomic levels and to maintain the advantage that the immigrant population enjoys.

Tetanus is a serious and potentially fatal systemic disease, caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It is estimated that 1 million cases occur worldwide annually. Immunization programs have drastically decreased tetanus in developed countries, and the sporadic cases have been linked to injecting drug users (IDUs), immunosuppressed individuals, or those older than 65 without complete vaccination. Regrettably, it is still endemic in under-developed countries. In Spain, an average of 10 cases are notified each year, especially affecting those older than 65. The present article describes a case of a 48-year-old Spanish woman, an ex-convict and IDU with infection antecedents of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C (HCV), who was admitted to the Emergency Department of a University Hospital with cervical rigidity and trismus. In a few hours, a neurological and respiratory deterioration was observed, resulting in admittance to the intensive care unit under the suspicion of a generalized tetanus infection. The treatment included hemodynamic support and respiratory therapy, antibiotics, muscle relaxants, sedatives, and tetanus immunoglobulin. Her stay in the ICU lasted 47 days. The clinical suspicion, the antecedents of risk, and the verification of the vaccination records should provide early guidance for diagnostics and the establishment of a treatment in these cases.