Search

Patients with the dual burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) experience unacceptably high rates of morbidity and mortality, which also entail unfavorable effects on healthcare systems. Currently, concerted efforts to identify, prevent and treat CVD in CKD patients are lacking at the institutional level, with emphasis still being placed on individual specialty views on this topic. The authors of this position paper endorse the need for a dedicated interdisciplinary team of subspecialists in cardio-nephrology that manages appropriate clinical interventions across the inpatient and outpatient settings. There is a critical need for training programs, guidelines and best clinical practice models, and research funding from nephrology, cardiology and other professional societies, to support the development of the subspecialty of cardio-nephrology. This position paper from the coordinating committee from the Working Group for Cardiorenal Medicine of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) is intended to be the starting point to develop the subspecialty of cardio-nephrology within the S.E.N.. The implementation of the subspecialty in day-to-day nephrological practice will help to diagnose, treat, and prevent CVD in CKD patients in a precise, clinically effective, and health cost-favorable manner. Resumen: Los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) que presentan enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) tienen índices de morbilidad y mortalidad inaceptablemente elevados, que impactan desfavorablemente sobre los sistemas de salud. En la actualidad, se requieren actuaciones multidisciplinares para identificar, prevenir y tratar la ECV en los pacientes con ERC, debiendo pues superarse la época de las actuaciones de las especialidades individuales. Los autores de este artículo respaldan la necesidad de un equipo interdisciplinar de subespecialistas en cardionefrología que gestione las intervenciones clínicas adecuadas en el entorno hospitalario y en el ambulatorio. Existe una gran necesidad de programas de formación, de guías y modelos de práctica clínica, y de fondos para la investigación en las sociedades de nefrología, cardiología y otras, para apoyar el desarrollo de la subespecialidad de cardio-nefrología. Este documento de opinión del comité coordinador del Grupo de Trabajo de Medicina Cardiorenal de la Sociedad Española de Nefrología (S.E.N.) pretende ser el inicio del desarrollo de la subespecialidad de Cardionefrología en el marco de la S.E.N. La implementación de la subespecialidad en la práctica nefrológica diaria contribuirá a diagnosticar, tratar y prevenir la ECV en los pacientes con ERC de una manera precisa, clínicamente efectiva y sanitariamente rentable.

Although considered one of the major energy-intensive industries (EIIs), the pulp and paper industry has also the potential for energy production from an industrial waste, black liquor. This study proposes black liquor gasification (BLG) coupled with calcium looping (CaL) as a CO2 capture route for the pulp and paper industry. BLG with H2 production (BLG-CaL-H2), BLG with gas turbine combined cycle (BLG-CaL-GT) or with solid oxide fuel cell (BLG-CaL-SOFC) were considered. The dependence of carbon capture and storage (CCS) cost on the natural gas, limestone, electricity imported and H2 sale prices aside the expenditures related with BLG-CaL were evaluated. The CCS route, based on CaL retrofitted to the pulp and paper plant, was found to have a lower cost of CO2 avoided (39.0 €/tCO2) when compared with BLG-CaL (48.8–57.1 €/tCO2). Between the BLG-CaL scenarios, BLG-CaL-H2 presented the lowest cost of CO2 avoided (48.8 €/tCO2) but the highest energy penalty. Based on the thermodynamic performance, it was shown that CaL retrofit and BLG-CaL-SOFC presented the best overall performance, turning the electricity importer reference plant into electricity exporter. The economic sensitivity showed that the capital requirement of BLG-CaL has a strong effect on the cost of CO2 avoided for all alternatives. The H2 production is also strongly affected by the H2 sale price while BLG-CaL-SOFC and BLG-CaL-GT are strongly dependent on natural gas price.

This article aims to list environmental practices used by Latin American companies in the pulp and paper industry, to create a list, through a scientific method, that can direct other researchers and managers interested in the subject. The research strategies used were bibliographic research and content analysis. The content analysis used 36 sustainability reports published by Latin American companies in the industry between 2018 and 2019. Although 264 companies were mapped, only 36 of them presented sustainability report possible to be accessed. Through the sample of 36 sustainability reports, 36 sustainable environmental practices were identified that could be grouped into five groups, namely: (1) Reuse of waste, efficiency in the production process and effluents treatment; (2) Preservation and area recovery; (3) Energy efficiency; (4) Initiatives with stakeholders; (5) Control of gas emission. Despite the exploratory nature, the information presented here can be used by managers in the area and researchers interested in improving environmental practices of the pulp and paper industry.

© 2021 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), Heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with high rates of hospitalization and death. It also has a negative impact on patients' functional capacity and quality of life, as well as on healthcare costs. In recent years, new HFrEF prognosis-modifying drugs have emerged, leading to intense debate within the international scientific community toward a paradigm shift for the management of HFrEF. In this article, we report the contribution of a Portuguese HF expert panel to the ongoing debate. Based on the most recently published clinical evidence, and the panel members' clinical judgment, three key principles are highlighted: (i) sacubitril/valsartan should be preferred as first-line therapy for HFrEF, instead of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker; (ii) the four foundation HFrEF drugs are the angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, regardless of the presence of type-2 diabetes mellitus; (iii) these four HFrEF drug classes should be introduced over a short-term period of four to six weeks, guided by a safety protocol, followed by a dose up-titration period of 8 weeks., A insuficiência cardíaca (IC) com fração de ejeção reduzida (ICFEr) está associada a níveis elevados de hospitalização e mortalidade. A ICFEr também tem um impacto negativo na capacidade funcional e na qualidade de vida dos doentes, bem como na despesa em saúde. Nos últimos anos, surgiram novos medicamentos modificadores do prognóstico da ICFEr, originando um intenso debate na comunidade científica internacional em relação a uma mudança de paradigma para o tratamento da ICFEr. Neste artigo, relatamos a contribuição de um painel de especialistas portugueses em IC para o debate em curso. Com base na evidência clínica publicada mais recentemente e no julgamento clínico dos membros do painel, três princípios-chave são destacados: (i) sacubitril/valsartan deve ser preferido como terapia de primeira linha para a ICFEr, em vez de um inibidor da enzima de conversão da angiotensina ou um bloqueador do recetor da angiotensina; (ii) os quatro medicamentos básicos para a ICFEr são o inibidor do recetor da angiotensina e da neprilisina, os agentes bloqueadores beta-adrenérgicos, os antagonistas do recetor mineralocorticoide e os inibidores do cotransportador sódio-glucose 2, independentemente da presença de diabetes mellitus tipo 2; (iii) essas quatro classes de medicamentos para a ICFEr devem ser rapidamente introduzidas num período curto de 4-6 semanas, seguindo um protocolo de segurança, e depois tituladas durante as oito semanas seguintes.

Purpose To analyze the 50 most-cited articles pertaining to “Bankart lesions,” also known as anteroinferior labral tears, by means of citation analysis as well as to provide analysis and summary of the origins and trends of research on Bankart lesions. Methods Scopus was used to query the literature on Bankart lesions. Included articles were related to Bankart lesions and the indications, risk factors, techniques, and outcomes of arthroscopic and open Bankart repair. The 50 most-cited articles were analyzed in the following areas: year of publication, citations in the most recent year, total citation count, contributing authors, institutions, countries, and journals, article classifications, and level of evidence. Results Years of publication ranged from 1938 to 2013. There were 608 total citations in the most recent year. Total citation count was 12,441. Regarding country, journal, and authorship, United States, R. A. Arciero, and Arthroscopy were the highest respective contributors. Rush University had the greatest number of publications. The most common article classification was clinical outcomes. Of 49 clinical articles, the most frequent Level of Evidence was IV. The majority of the top 50 Bankart literature consisted of case series and retrospective studies performed in the United States. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the 50 most-cited articles about Bankart lesions are predominantly U.S.-based, produced by academic orthopaedic groups, clinical outcomes articles, and of Level IV and V evidence. This list of articles should serve as a reference tool for any orthopaedist looking to review Bankart literature.

When academics’ opinions, which are published in academic journals as letters to the editor or commentaries, are retracted based on sensitivities and objections that are raised for example on social media, there needs to be a reflection on what this might represent. On one hand, an opinion is precisely that, i.e., a subjective and biased view about an issue. Those views might even be radical, unpopular, or insensitive, but ultimately approved by editors for publication nonetheless. To maintain a truly sustainable scholarly discourse, the best academic way to counter such opinions is by allowing disagreeing voices to express themselves, also as letters to the editor or commentaries. Pressure-induced retractions of opinions not only stifle academic debate, they send the message that opinions need to be moderated and standardized to meet a publishing market that is being increasingly driven by legal parameters, political correctness, as well as business and commercial values rather than academic ones. In an environment of restrictive academic freedom, what emerges is an academia in which the way things are said, tone, and the sensitivity of those that might be affected are given greater weight than the message itself. By cherry-picking parts of the message that detractors or critics might disagree with, the original message may be drowned out by the noise of the objectors. The struggle of academics to liberally voice their opinions in the scholarly publishing realm, and to preserve those opinions, has never been more acute in this age of misinformation and radicalism fueled by polarized social and mass media. Is the politicization and/or commercialization of academia, alongside the retraction of opinions, stifling open and healthy academic debate, or expressing itself as the retraction of opinions, and does this represent a distinct form of “cancel culture” in academia and academic publishing?

Objective: Registries are important data sources for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), but reporting of how they are used may be inadequate. The objective was to describe the current adequacy of reporting of RCTs using registries. Study Design and Setting: We used a database of trials using registries from a scoping review supporting the development of the 2021 CONSORT extension for Trials Conducted Using Cohorts and Routinely Collected Data (CONSORT-ROUTINE). Reporting completeness of 13 CONSORT-ROUTINE items was assessed. Results: We assessed reports of 47 RCTs that used a registry, published between 2011 and 2018. Of the 13 CONSORT-ROUTINE items, 6 were adequately reported in at least half of reports (2 in at least 80%). The 7 other items were related to routinely collected data source eligibility (32% adequate), data linkage (8% adequate), validation and completeness of data used for outcome assessment (8% adequate), validation and completeness of data used for participant recruitment (0% adequate), participant flow (9% adequate), registry funding (6% adequate) and interpretation of results in consideration of registry use (25% adequate). Conclusion: Reporting of trials using registries was often poor, particularly details on data linkage and quality. Better reporting is needed for appropriate interpretation of the results of these trials. Keywords: registries, CONSORT, CONSORT-ROUTINE, randomised controlled trials, reporting guideline, routinely collected data Running Title: Completeness and Transparency of Reporting of RCTs using Registries

Background: \ud Nutrition related publications in pediatric population cover wide range of topics and therefore it is usually difficult for clinicians to get an overview of recent nutrition related guidelines or recommendations.\ud \ud Methods: \ud The Special Interest Group (SIG) of Pediatrics of European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) performed a literature search to capture publications in the last five years aiming to provide the latest information concerning nutritional issues in children in general and in specific diseases and to discuss progression in the field of pediatric nutrition evidence-based practice.\ud \ud Results: \ud Eight major topics were identified as the most frequently reported including allergy, critical illness, neonatal nutrition, parenteral and enteral nutrition, micronutrients, probiotics and malnutrition. Furthermore, it was noted that many reports were disease focused or included micronutrients and were, therefore, represented as tables.\ud \ud Conclusion: \ud Overall, it has been shown that most reports on nutrition topics in pediatrics were systematic reviews or guidelines/position papers of relevant societies, but many of them basing the conclusion on a limited number of high-quality randomized controlled trials or large observational cohort studies.

IMPORTANCE: Exercise therapies are advocated in osteoarthritis (OA) clinical guidelines. However, challenges to accessing exercise may be limiting widespread uptake. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a self-directed web-based strengthening exercise and physical activity program supported by automated behavior-change text messages on knee pain and function for people with knee OA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The participant-blinded and assessor-blinded randomized clinical trial enrolled 206 people who met clinical criteria for knee OA in communities across Australia from July 2018 to August 2019, with follow-up taking place at 24 weeks. INTERVENTIONS: The control group was given access to a custom-built website with information on OA and the importance of exercise and physical activity. The intervention group was given access to the same information plus a prescription for a 24-week self-directed strengthening regimen and guidance to increase physical activity, supported by automated behavior-change text messages encouraging exercise adherence. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes were change in overall knee pain (numeric rating scale, 0-10) and difficulty with physical function (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, 0-68) over 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes were another knee pain measure, sport and recreation function, quality of life, physical activity, self-efficacy, overall improvement, and treatment satisfaction. RESULTS: Of 206 participants, 180 (87%; mean [SD] age, 60 [8.4] years; 109 [61%] women) completed both 24-week primary outcomes. The intervention group showed greater improvements in overall knee pain (mean difference, 1.6 units; 95% CI, 0.9-2.2 units; P

Objective Clinicians may use implicit or explicit motor learning approaches to facilitate motor learning of patients with stroke. Implicit motor learning approaches have shown promising results in healthy populations. The purpose of this study was to assess whether an implicit motor learning walking intervention is more effective compared with an explicit motor learning walking intervention delivered at home regarding walking speed in people after stroke in the chronic phase of recovery. Methods This randomized, controlled, single-blind trial was conducted in the home environment. The 79 participants, who were in the chronic phase after stroke (age = 66.4 [SD = 11.0] years; time poststroke = 70.1 [SD = 64.3] months; walking speed = 0.7 [SD = 0.3] m/s; Berg Balance Scale score = 44.5 [SD = 9.5]), were randomly assigned to an implicit (n = 38) or explicit (n = 41) group. Analogy learning was used as the implicit motor learning walking intervention, whereas the explicit motor learning walking intervention consisted of detailed verbal instructions. Both groups received 9 training sessions (30 minutes each), for a period of 3 weeks, targeted at improving quality of walking. The primary outcome was walking speed measured by the 10-Meter Walk Test at a comfortable walking pace. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after intervention, and 1 month postintervention. Results No statistically or clinically relevant differences between groups were obtained postintervention (between-group difference was estimated at 0.02 m/s [95% CI = −0.04 to 0.08] and at follow-up (between-group difference estimated at −0.02 m/s [95% CI = −0.09 to 0.05]). Conclusion Implicit motor learning was not superior to explicit motor learning to improve walking speed in people after stroke in the chronic phase of recovery. Impact To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of implicit compared with explicit motor learning on a functional task in people after stroke. Results indicate that physical therapists can use (tailored) implicit and explicit motor learning strategies to improve walking speed in people after stroke who are in the chronic phase of recovery.

Over the past few years, what might not unreasonably be described as a true revolution has taken place in the field of machine vision, radically altering the way many things had previously been done and offering new and exciting opportunities for those able to quickly embrace and master the new techniques. Rapid developments in machine learning, largely enabled by faster GPU-equipped computing hardware, has facilitated an explosion of machine vision applications into hitherto extremely challenging or, in many cases, previously impossible to automate industrial tasks. Together with developments towards an internet of things and the availability of big data, these form key components of what many consider to be the fourth industrial revolution. This transformation has dramatically improved the efficacy of some existing machine vision activities, such as in manufacturing (e.g. inspection for quality control and quality assurance), security (e.g. facial biometrics) and in medicine (e.g. detecting cancers), while in other cases has opened up completely new areas of use, such as in agriculture and construction (as well as in the existing domains of manufacturing and medicine). Here we will explore the history and nature of this change, what underlies it, what enables it, and the impact it has had - the latter by reviewing several recent indicative applications described in the research literature. We will also consider the continuing role that traditional or classical machine vision might still play. Finally, the key future challenges and developing opportunities in machine vision will also be discussed.

Energy management is the most prominent means of improving energy efficiency, and improved energy efficiency constitutes the cornerstone in decarbonization. For successful industrial energy management, defining accurate energy performance indicators (EnPIs) is essential. Energy-intensive industries have previously been found to have an improvement potential regarding the current monitoring of EnPIs, especially at process level. While general models for developing and implementing EnPIs exist, manufacturing industries are diverse in terms of their production processes, which is why industry-tailored models for EnPI development are needed. One major outcome of this paper is a unique model specifically tailored for kraft pulp mills. The model derives from a practice-based approach for EnPI development, building on real-life experiences from a Swedish group of companies. This paper’s developed model, and the validation of the EnPIs, further increase the understanding of the kraft pulp industry’s processes and how to apply descriptive and explanatory indicators. The developed model can potentially be generalized to other sectors. Funding: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management [802-0082-17]

The biotechnological use of xylans and xylanases has grown remarkably. Xylanases have stimulated great interest due to their potential application in several industries. Over the years the number of possible applications of xylanases in the pulp and paper industry has increased steadily, and several applications have been commercialized. Xylanases are being used for prebleaching pulp, modifying fiber, deinking, dedarking, and producing dissolving grade pulp. Apart from its use in the pulp and paper industry, xylanases are also used as food additives to poultry; in wheat flour for improving dough handling and quality of baked products; for the extraction of coffee, plant oils, and starch; in the improvement of nutritional properties of agricultural silage and grain feed; in combination with pectinase and cellulase for clarification of fruit juices; and in the degumming of plant fiber sources such as flax, hemp, jute, and ramie. Use of xylanases could greatly improve the overall economics of processing lignocellulosic materials for the generation of liquid fuels and chemicals. Xylanase and cellulase, together with pectinases, account for 20% of the world enzyme market.

The number of households experiencing fuel poverty is thought to have risen by at least 600,000 in the UK because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The concentration of fuel poor households in poor quality, energy inefficient accommodation that they have little power to improve means they are particularly negatively affected by the retreat into the home brought about by successive lockdowns and restrictions. For many such households, the home is not the place of sanctuary that it needs to be at a time like this. However, our empirical research into the lived experiences of fuel poverty reveals additional consequences for fuel poor households, chiefly associated with restricted access to third spaces and other disruptions to their usual coping strategies. Based on our evidence, we highlight three key considerations for policy on fuel poverty in the era of Covid-19: the need to rapidly upgrade the energy performance of the existing housing stock; the need to address the additional financial hardship faced by fuel poor households; and the need to prioritise access to third spaces and high-quality public spaces while restrictions last. This paper develops the concept of energy poverty by considering the role of spaces outside the home as part of the overall experience of energy poverty and the range of ways in which policy makers can mitigate its impacts.

In recent years renewable and cleaner fuel for diesel engines are compulsory due to depletion of fossil fuel. Various types of bio-based fuels are investigated by the researchers. Biodiesel is anticipated as potential contenders of diesel fuel. Though it is possible to utilize pure biodiesel in diesel engines, some burdens like higher density, lower cetane number and lesser calorific value hinder it from replacing conventional diesel completely. Therefore, using blends with biofuels in diesel engines has a preference. Thus, this paper reviews two different approaches on the role of nanoparticles on biofuel production and effects of nanoparticles in biodiesel–diesel fuel blends on performance, combustion analysis and emission characteristics of diesel engines. Wide range of results from previous research studies with potential and application of nanoparticles in bioethanol production, the effect of the addition of nanoparticles into diesel fuel with different biofuels ratios are collected in this review study. There are different engine performances enhancing methods surveyed. Nanoparticles can be utilized in the production of biofuels from feedstock pre-treatment to chemical reaction as catalysts. It was observed from the overall results that by adding nanoparticles, there was a significant reduction in the brake specific fuel consumption about 20% to 23% as compared with biodiesel–diesel blends with and without alcohol as additives. Besides as nanoparticles possess high thermal conductivity, the addition of nanoparticles enhanced the process of combustion and increases the brake power about 2.5% to 4%. Emission results showed that in most reviews, NO x emission is increased by up to 55%, while HC, CO and PM are decreased significantly. It was concluded from the study that a diesel engine could be effectively run and give better performance and effective regulated emissions on the application of added nanoparticles with biodiesel and their blends as fuel in a CI engine.

The organic matter present in six industrial wastewaters (pulp and paper mill, brewery, textile, dairy, slaughterhouse effluents and a municipal landfill leachate) has been studied in this work using three analytical techniques: excitation-emission matrix fluorescence (EEMF), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The pulp and paper mill effluent shows characteristic signals of the presence of lignins, carbohydrates and carboxylic acids, as well as sulfate, carbonate and sulfonates (coming from surfactants used in the cleaning of tanks). The main constituents of the brewery effluent are peptides and proteins coming mainly from spent yeast and diatomite filters (the presence of the latter was confirmed by Sisingle bondO bands in the FTIR spectrum). The municipal landfill leachate is characterized by the majority presence of humic substances (typical of an old landfill) and a residual presence of small peptides, amino acids and carboxylic acids. Additionally, several inorganic compounds were identified by FTIR, such as nitrate, sulfate, phosphate and cyanide ions. The textile effluent from a cotton-based industry contains carbohydrates, carboxylic acids and sulfonates, which can act as auxochromes in the textile industry. The dairy effluent comprises amino acids and small peptides coming from the biodegradation of milk and whey in addition to carbohydrates (lactose) and carboxylic acids (mainly lactic acid). The presence of tyrosine-like peaks B in the EEMF spectrum of the slaughterhouse effluent indicates the existence of small peptides and amino acids coming from the biodegradation of blood proteins. Additionally, residual glucose, fatty acids, phosphate and sulfate were also identified in this effluent.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and immune dysfunction. Although various therapeutic approaches have been utilized for the treatment of RA in clinical applications, the low responsiveness of RA patients and undesired systemic toxicity are still unresolved problems. Targeting the resolution pathway of inflammation with pro-resolving mediators would evoke the protective actions of patient for combating the inflammation. Ac2–26, a 25-amino acid peptide derived from Annexin A (a pro-resolving mediator), has shown good efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory disorders. However, the low bioavailability of Ac2–26 peptides hinders their efficacy in vivo. In this paper, we formed PEGylated lipid nanoparticles (LDNPs) by the co-assembly of l-ascorbyl palmitate (L-AP) and N-(carbonyl methoxypolyethylene glycol-2000)-1,2-distearoyl-sn‑glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE-PEG2k) to encapsulate and deliver Ac2–26 peptides to the arthritic rats. They showed good stability and biocompatibility. After being intravenously administrated, Ac2–26 peptide-loaded PEGylated lipid nanoparticles (ADNPs) showed the prolonged in vivo circulation time and enhanced accumulation in inflamed sites. In vivo therapeutic evaluations revealed that ADNPs could attenuate synovial inflammation and improve joint pathology. Therefore, the pro-resolving therapeutic strategy using ADNPs is effective in RA treatment., Graphical abstract The fabrication of ADNPs and their in vivo performances in arthritic rats.Image, graphical abstract

Exercise can reduce the incidence of stress-related mental diseases, such as depression and anxiety. Control group was neither exposed to CVMS nor TRE (noCVMS/noTRE). Females were tested and levels of serum17-beta-oestradiol (E2), estrogen receptors α immunoreactive neurons (ERα-IRs), estrogen receptors β immunoreactive neurons (ERβ-IRs) and oxytocin immunoreactive neurons (OT-IRs) were measured. The results showed there’s increased anxiety-like behaviors for mice from CVMS/noTRE, CVMS/higher speed TRE (CVMS/HTRE) and noCVMS/HTRE groups when they were put in open field and elevated maze tests. They had lower serum E2 levels than mice from CVMS/low-moderate speed TRE (CVMS/LMTRE), noCVMS/LMTRE and noCVMS/noTRE groups. The three groups of CVMS/noTRE, CVMS/HTRE and noCVMS/HTRE mice had more ERα-IRs and less ERβ-IRs in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and medial amygdala (MeA), hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON). The number of OT-IRs in PVN and SON of CVMS/noTRE, CVMS/HTRE and noCVMS/HTRE mice was also lower than that of mice from CVMS/LMTRE, noCVMS/LMTRE and noCVMS/noTRE groups. Interestingly, CVMS/LMTRE and noCVMS/LMTRE mice were similar to noCVMS/noTRE mice in that they did not show anxiety, while CVMS/HTRE and noCVMS/HTRE mice did not, which were similar to the mice in CVMS/noTRE. We propose that LMTRE instead of HTRE changes the serum concentration of E2. ERβ/ERα ratio and OT level in the brain may be responsible for the decrease in anxiety-like behavior in female mice exposed to anxiety-inducing stress conditions., Highlights • CVMS/LMTRE did not show anxiety. • noCVMS/LMTRE did not show anxiety. • ERβ/ERα ratio decreas anxiety. • OT decreas anxiety.

Probiotics that regulate the microbiome-gut-brain axis and provide mental health benefits to the host are referred to as psychobiotics. Preclinical studies have demonstrated psychobiotic effects on early life stress-induced anxiety- and depression-related behavior in rodents; however, the specific mechanisms remain ill-defined. In the current study, we investigated the effects of probiotic supplementation on neurobiological responses to chronic stress in adult male Long-Evans rats. Twenty-four rats were randomly assigned to probiotic (PB) or vehicle control (VEH) groups, then to either chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) or no-stress control (CON) conditions within each group (n = 6/subgroup). We hypothesized that PB supplementation would reduce markers of anxiety and enhance emotional resilience, especially in the CUS animals. In the cognitive uncertainty task, a nonsignificant trend was observed indicating that the PB-supplemented animals spent more time oriented toward the food reward than VEH animals. In the open-field task, CUS-PB animals spent more time in the center of the arena than CUS-VEH animals, an effect not observed between the two CON groups. In the swim task, the PB animals, regardless of stress assignment, exhibited increased floating, suggesting a conserved response in a challenging context. Focusing on the endocrine measures, higher dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-to-corticosterone fecal metabolite ratios, a correlate of emotional resilience, were observed in PB animals. Further, PB animals exhibited reduced microglia immunoreactivity in the basolateral amygdala, possibly indicating a neuroprotective effect of PB supplements in this rodent model. These results provide evidence that PB supplementation interacts with stress exposure to influence adaptive responses associated with endocrine, neural, and behavioral indices of anxiety.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of fatigue on muscular performance, oxygenation saturation, and cognition following acute hypoxic exposure at Normoxia, Moderate Hypoxia (MH), and Severe Hypoxia (SH). Methods Twelve males performed 3 sets of leg extensions to failure under Normoxia (FiO2: 21%), MH (Fi02: 15.4%), and SH (Fi02: 12.9%). Heart rate, peripheral oxygenation saturation, total saturation index, psychomotor vigilance testing reaction time, psychomotor vigilance error rate, maximum strength, and repetitions to failure were measured throughout each visit. Results The primary findings indicated that MH and SH resulted in significant decreases in psychomotor vigilance test performance (MH: 388.25–427.17 ms, 0.41–0.33 error rate; SH: 398.17–445.42 ms reaction time, 0.25–1.00 error rate), absolute muscle tissue oxygen saturation (Abs-StO2) (MH:67.22% compared to SH:57.56%), but similar muscular strength, heart rate, and patterns of muscle tissue oxygen saturation responses (StO2%) during fatigue when compared to Normoxia. There was an acute decrease in the ability to remain vigilant and/or respond correctly to visual stimuli as indicated by the worsened reaction time (PVTRT) during MH (FiO2: 15.4%) and increased PVTRT and error rate (PVTE) during SH (FiO2: 12.9%) conditions. Conclusions Acute hypoxic exposure in the current study was not a sufficient stimuli to elicit hypoxic-related changes in HR, muscular strength (1-RM), or repetitions to failure. The SpO2 responses were hypoxic-level dependent with increasing levels of hypoxia resulting in greater and more sustained reductions in SpO2. The combined SpO2 and StO2 responses at MH and SH suggested a balance between the muscles metabolic demand remaining lower than the muscle oxygen diffusion capacity. During the SH condition, Abs-StO2 suggested greater metabolic stress than Normoxia and MH conditions during the fatiguing leg extensions. The patterns of responses for StO2% during the three sets of leg press to failure indicated that exercise is a more potent influencer to muscle oxygenation status than hypoxic conditions (FiO2: 15.4 and 12.9%)., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Moderate Hypoxia (FiO2: 15.4%) coupled with fatigue resulted in a decrease in reaction time. • Severe Hypoxia (FiO2: 12.9%) coupled with fatigue resulted in increased error rate and a decrease in reaction time. • Fatigue was the primary influencer on heart rate, muscular strength, and muscular endurance and not hypoxic exposure. • Severe Hypoxia (FiO2: 12.9%) resulted in greatly reduced muscle tissue oxygenation saturation before and after fatigue.

In the current study, we aimed to investigate the network structure of COVID-19 symptoms and its related psychiatric symptoms, using a network approach. Specifically, we examined how COVID-19 symptoms relate to psychiatric symptoms and highlighted potential pathways between COVID-19 severity and psychiatric symptoms. With a sample of six hundred seventy-five recovered COVID-19 patients recruited 1 month after hospital discharge, we respectively integrated COVID-19 symptoms with PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms and analyzed the three network structures. In all three networks, COVID-19 severity and ICU admission are not linked directly to COVID-19 symptoms after hospitalization, while COVID-19 severity (but not ICU admission) is linked directly to one or more psychiatric symptoms. Specific pathways between COVID-19 symptoms and psychiatric symptoms were discussed. Finally, we used directed acyclic graph estimation to show potential causal effects between COVID-19 related variables and demographic characteristics.

Finding a way to efficiently utilize this bio-waste resource is a great challenge due to the depletion of traditional fossil fuels and the environmental impact associated to their use. Rice straw is considered as one of the main cereal straws. It is produced in many countries every year in substantial amounts and it has a high ash content and low protein content. Usually, rice straw is burned by farmers causing many adverse effects on the environment and public health. This research investigates the process synthesis of furfural production through the acid-hydrolysis of rice straws. Furfural is a strategic bio-renewable chemical and has gained attention due to its possibility to produce biofuels and bio chemicals. Aspen Plus® simulation package is employed for process simulation, sizing, and analysis. Results of simulations are validated against an experimental work. Optimization through manipulation of several parameters including acid concentration, reaction temperature, acid/rice straw ratio, catalyst concentration, and type of acid to maximize the furfural yield and reaction conversion. A complete flow sheet is synthesized and sensitivity analysis is studied to reach an optimum process concerning environment and economics. The amount of furfural obtained as a final product from the process represents a yield of 73% per 100 kg/hr of rice straw processed.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutation of the APC gene presenting with numerous colorectal adenomatous polyps and a near 100% risk of colon cancer. Preliminary research findings from our group indicate that FAP patients experience significant deficits across many cognitive domains. In the current study, fMRI brain metrics in a FAP population and matched controls were used to further the mechanistic understanding of reported cognitive deficits. This research identified and characterized any possible differences in resting brain networks and associations between neural network changes and cognition from 34 participants (18 FAP patients, 16 healthy controls). Functional connectivity analysis was performed using FSL with independent component analysis (ICA) to identify functional networks. Significant differences between cases and controls were observed in 8 well-established resting state networks. With the addition of an aggregate cognitive measure as a covariate, these differences were virtually non-existent, indicating a strong correlation between cognition and brain activity at the network level. The data indicate robust and pervasive effects on functional neural network activity among FAP patients and these effects are likely involved in cognitive deficits associated with this disease.

Background Analysis of fluid metabolites has the potential to provide insight into the neuropathophysiology of injury in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Objective Using a 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based quantitative metabolic profiling approach, this study determined (1) if urinary metabolites change during recovery in patients with mild to severe TBI; (2) whether changes in urinary metabolites correlate to injury severity; (3) whether biological pathway analysis reflects mechanisms that mediate neural damage/repair throughout TBI recovery. Methods Urine samples were collected within 7 days and at 6-months post-injury in male participants (n = 8) with mild-severe TBI. Samples were analyzed with NMR-based quantitative spectroscopy for metabolomic profiles and analyzed with multivariate statistical and machine learning-based analyses. Results Lower levels of homovanillate (R = −0.74, p ≤ 0.001), L-methionine (R = −0.78, p, Highlights • NMR-based metabolomics of urine can identify metabolic fingerprints associated with functional recovery following TBI. • Metabolic profiles in urine correlate to injury severity. • Biological pathway analysis reflects mechanisms that mediate neural damage and repair processes throughout recovery. • Metabolomics provides insight into the neuropathophysiology of injury in TBI patients.

Objective Sprint-interval training (SIT) and intermittent fasting are effective independent methods in achieving clinical health outcomes. However, the impact of both modalities when performed concurrently is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 6 weeks of SIT performed in the fasted versus fed state on physiological and clinical health markers in healthy adults. Methods. Thirty recreationally-active participants were equally randomised into either the fasted (FAS; 4 males, 11 females) or the fed (FED; 6 males, 9 females) group. For all exercise sessions, FAS participants had to fast ≥10 h prior to exercising while FED participants had to consume food within 3 h to exercise. All participants underwent three sessions of SIT per week for 6 weeks. Each session consists of repeated bouts of 30-s Wingate Anaerobic cycle exercise. Pre- and post-training peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), isokinetic leg strength, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and serum lipid levels were assessed. Results. There were no differences in baseline physiological and clinical measures between both groups (all p > 0.05). VO2peak improved by 6.0 ± 8.8% in the FAS group and 5.3 ± 10.6% in the FED group (both p 0.05). A similar pattern of results was seen for knee flexion maximum voluntary contraction at 300°·s−1. SIT training in either fasted or fed state had no impact on insulin sensitivity (both p > 0.05). There was significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure (8.2 ± 4.2%) and mean arterial pressure (7.0 ± 3.2%) in the FAS group (both p 0.05). Conclusion. VO2peak and leg strength improved with SIT regardless of whether participants trained in the fasted or fed state. Chronic SIT in the fasted state may potentially reduce blood pressure to a greater extent than the same chronic SIT in the fed state., Highlights • SIT in the fasted state leads to a significant decrease in blood pressure. • VO2peak and leg strength improves with SIT, regardless of nutrition status. • SIT, performed in fasted or fed state, does not improve insulin sensitivity, body fat percentage or lipid profile.

The release of high amount of nitrogen and phosphorous from agricultural, municipal and industrial sewage into natural water body is the major source of eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. This leads to the depletion of oxygen, cyanobacteria bloom and proliferation of aquatic weed plants, and destruction of water ecosystem. Therefore, effective treatment of municipal wastewater is crucial prior to discharge into natural water bodies in order to prevent pollution, and to meet the wastewater acceptable limits set by government and Environmental Protection Agencies. The present study evaluates the performance of varying weight of S. molesta plants in phytoremediation of treated domestic wastewater samples for 14 days at 24 h retention time. Physicochemical analysis such as turbidity, phosphate, ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrate tests were conducted on the wastewater samples according to spectrophotometric methods. Also, S. molesta plants were harvested once in a week and the relative growth rate (RGR) was calculated. The outcome of the study indicated that the treated domestic wastewater from the sewage treatment plant contains pollutants that stimulates the growth of S. molesta plants. Similarly, the highest reduction efficiency of up to 97.7%, 99.7%, 99% and 90.6% was observed for turbidity, phosphate, ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrate, respectively. In addition, the outcome of the study also demonstrated that S. molesta plants with the highest weight (280 g) were more efficient in removal of the excess nutrient present in the influent samples. Furthermore, the free energy content in the wastewater provided a suitable consortium for the plant cultivation and growth. Therefore, this method can be used for lab-scale production of wastewater-based biomass for the generation of biofuels.

Purpose The present study examined acute normobaric hypoxic exposure on the number of repetitions to failure, electromyographic (EMG) repetition duration (Time), EMG root mean square (RMS) and EMG mean power frequency (MPF) during biceps brachii (BB) dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) exercise. Methods Thirteen subjects performed two sets of fatiguing DCER arm curl repetitions to failure at 70% of their one repetition maximum under normoxic (NH), moderate hypoxia FiO2 = 15% (MH) and severe hypoxia FiO2 = 13% (SH). Electromyography of the BB was analyzed for EMG Time, EMG RMS, and EMG MPF. Repetitions were selected as 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of total repetitions (%Fail) completed. Pulse oximetry (SpO2) was measured pre-and post-fatigue. Results There was no significant three-way (Condition x Set x %Fail) or two-way (Condition x Set) interaction for any variable. The number of repetitions to failure significantly decreased from (mean ± SEM) 18.2 ± 1.4 to 9.5 ± 1.0 with each Set. In addition, EMG Time increased (25% 75%>100%), and EMG MPF decreased (75% > 100%) as a result of fatiguing exercise. SpO2 was lower during MH (Δ5.3%) and SH (Δ9.2%) compared to NH and as a result of fatiguing exercise increased only in MH (Δ2.1%) and SH (Δ5.7%). Conclusion The changes in BB EMG variables indicated exercise caused myoelectric manifestations of fatigue, however, acute moderate or severe hypoxia had no additional influence on the rate of fatigue development or neuromuscular parameters., Highlights • Acute MH (FiO2 15%) and SH (FiO2 14%) did not alter the muscle contractile process. • Arm curl repetitions to failure decreased MU recruitment and conduction velocity. • EMG fatigue analysis, hypoxia and arm curls to failure, EMG RMS, EMG MPF and Time. • SpO2 was lower at MH and SH which increased following fatiguing exercise.

The textile industry is mainly concerned with the development, production, and sale of yarns, fabrics, and clothing. Raw materials can be natural or synthesized using industrial chemicals. The textile industry is the largest industry in the world and contributes significantly to gross domestic product (GDP). The textile process uses up to 10,000 dyes with an annual production of approximately 7 × 105 tons, mainly used in the textile, paper, food, and pharmaceutical industries. A large amount of water was used in the cleaning process, which led to the pollution of surface wells and groundwater resources. The toxicity and carcinogenic effects of raw water are well known, and scientists are investigating various methods to safely detoxify and discolor fiber dyes in industrial wastewater. This chapter discusses various biological methods for removing fiber dyes from wastewater to reduce pollution and improve fragile ecosystems. This chapter will cover conventional physical and chemical approaches with their merits and demerits, microbial methods using bacteria, fungi, algae, and viruses to treat dyes in textile effluent, enzymatic approaches to treat textile effluent for degradation of different dyes and future perspectives of these techniques.

Dyes are colored compounds that when applied to a material provides color with or without a change in its chemical structure. Substance bearing coloring capacity has widespread applications in textile, pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, plastics, photographic, and paper industries, etc. The disposal of wastewater from dyes industries to nearby water bodies contaminates the water and foist harmful effects on human life as well as aquatic animals, thereby upsetting the environment. In particular, the textile wastewater can be regarded as the most polluting of all the industrial sectors as it consumes a large volume of water during the dyeing and finishing process in the industries. Based on the increased demand for textile products, textile effluents have a crucial role in causing severe pollution to environment. Besides this, the hazardous impact of untreated textiles is also of great concern. Owing to the growing awareness and environmental impact, the decolorization, and detoxification of the industrial dye effluents are essential before it is disposed to the nearby water bodies. Several methods have been introduced for the detoxification of textile dyes, namely, (1) physical; (2) chemical; and (3) biological. Among all the established process for the decolorization of the textile dyes, the biological approach has gained considerable attention because of its economic viability, eco-friendliness, and broad applicability to a variety of dyes. In this chapter, a brief description of the decolorization of textile dyes from wastewater treatment has been discussed. The chapter starts with a brief outline of dye pollution, classification of textile dyes, and their environmental impact, treatment option for dye effluents such as physio-chemical method, and biological method. The chapter primarily focuses on the decolorization of textile dyes by biological methods, which include (1) fungal; (2) bacterial; (3) aerobic and anaerobic; (4) algae; (5) enzymatic; and (6) biosorption. Detailed information regarding the decolorization of textile dyes by various biological methods is briefly disclosed.

This paper compares the relative frequency of zoonotic disease emergence associated with food animals versus emergence from other animal sources and explores differences in disease characteristics and drivers of emergence between the two sources. It draws on a published compilation of 202 Emerging Infectious Zoonotic Disease (EIZD) events for the period 1940–2004. Of the 202 zoonotic EID events in the dataset, 74 (36.6%) were associated with animals kept for food production, which acted as reservoir for the zoonotic pathogen in 64 events and as intermediate / amplifying host in 8 events. Significant differences exist both in the characteristics of the causal agents and the drivers of emergence of zoonotic diseases from food animals and non-food animals. However, the prevailing policy debate on prevention, detection and control of EIZDs largely focuses on diseases of non-food animal origin (wildlife), neglecting the role of food animals. Policies and investments that ensure appropriate veterinary public health measures along and within food animal value chains are essential to mitigate the global risk of EIZDs, particularly in developing regions where the livestock sector is experiencing rapid growth and structural transformation., Highlights • Over 36% of emerging infectious zoonotic diseases (EIZDs) are associated with animals kept for food production. • The prevailing policy debate on managing EIZDs largely focuses on diseases of non-food animal origin (wildlife) • The causal agents and drivers of emergence of zoonotic diseases from food animals and non-food animals are significantly different. • Policies that ensure appropriate veterinary public health measures are essential to mitigate the global risk of EIZDs.

Biodiesel is considered as a potential substitute for fossil fuel due to its renewability, sustainability, environmentally friendliness, and biodegradability, especially with comparable fuel properties to diesel. The chemocatalytic production of biodiesel from plant oils is widely used in industrial production due to its low cost and high conversion rate. However, the disadvantages are high energy consumption and environmentally unfriendly processing such as chemical catalysts, downstream technology and simultaneously produced waste. Therefore, in the past decade, enzyme-catalyzed biodiesel has attracted more attentions due to its sustainability and environmental friendliness. High-cost, enzyme stability and reusability are the main obstacles to the large-scale industrial development of microbial biodiesel. This review first showcases the state-of-the-art of microbial biodiesel production, including (1) lipid accumulation of oleaginous microorganisms from pretreated lignocellulose biomass, and (2) production of biodiesel from microbial oils via transesterification by immobilized lipase. Also, the technological challenges and future developmental trends are discussed, with the goal of providing the possibility of more economical large-scale industrial production. This paper provides opportunities for the sustainable and eco-friendly production of enzymatic biodiesel in the future.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can be highlighted as one of the most significant health concerns among the last decades, for which antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals has contributed as one of the major drivers. Food-producing animals are one of the most important and rapidly expanding commercial agricultural sectors worldwide but there is currently limited knowledge on the temporal and geographical distribution of scientific research on antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals. We provide a global overview of the spatial and temporal trends of scientific knowledge on AMR in food-producing animals. Peer-reviewed papers of AMR on food-producing animals were retrieved from the Web of Science, systemized and dissected. The final validated dataset contained 1341 occurrences observations covering the 1957–2018 period. There has been a shift of research efforts, both geographically and temporally, emphasizing regional differences in food animal production and changing practices in the food production industry. It becomes evident that many regions have been poorly surveyed, wherein intensified sampling and testing efforts should be most valuable. This systematization of knowledge will be crucial in helping to determine how to optimally allocate limited resources available for AMR monitor and control, aiding in the prediction where the threat of new resistant infections will be greatest. AMR research in food-producing animals in developing countries is markedly growing, reflecting changes in food animals production systems but also posing a particularly significant threat, not only due to intensive animal production, but also exacerbated by poor sanitation. We highlight that the use of antibiotics in food producing animals is pervasive, calling for urgent action. These findings raise the possibility to finetuning key priorities on AMR global issues., Highlights • This is the first study providing a global overview of the spatial and temporal trends of research related to AMR in food-producing animals. • There is a clear rising interest on AMR research in food-producing animals worldwide but there is a spatial bias. • This study highlights poorly surveyed countries, where intensified sampling efforts are crucial. • Research trends and scientific areas are unearthed that should be invested in and explored in the future.

Highlights • Contact with stigmatized groups is a promising mechanism for reducing bias. • The nature of contact with patients who misuse opioids matters significantly. • Contact with patients who misuse opioids can have negative consequences for physicians. • Consequences occur in physicians who are experiencing stress, burnout, and bias. • Interventions need to consider factors that may reduce the effectiveness of contact., Introduction Prior research suggests that some physicians hold negative attitudes toward patients who misuse opioids and that this serves as a barrier which limits the availability and effectiveness of health care services. Interventions which improve physicians’ attitudes have thus garnered attention, many of which have focused on increasing contact between physicians and patients who misuse opioids. However, drawing on recent literature on intergroup contact, the current paper argues that contact may not have uniformly positive effects on prejudice. Methods We surveyed 408 board-certified physicians in the state of Ohio where many opioid overdose deaths have been concentrated. We used regression to test for interactions between contact and three focal variables, bias, burnout, and stress, on physician willingness to work with patients who misuse opioids. Results The negative relationships between bias, physician burnout, and stress induced by working with patients who misuse opioids and physicians’ willingness to work with this patient population are each exacerbated when contact with patients who misuse opioids is high. Conclusions Although intervention studies have shown promise for the role that increased contact may have in reducing stigma toward patients who misuse opioids, these interventions may not be appropriate for physicians who are experiencing strain or who hold preexisting negative attitudes toward this patient population. Future interventions may need to target bias, burnout, and stress, in addition to facilitating contact, to increase physician willingness to work with these patients.