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The EU is supporting measures that stimulate enhanced value-added products in order to conserve local and threatened livestock breeds. Several Traditional Pork Products (TPP) and Innovative Traditional Pork Products (ITPP) with health innovations from four untapped pig breeds in Spain (Porc Negre Mallorquí), Croatia (Turopolje), Italy (Cinta Senese) and Slovenia (Krškopolje) were analysed. Consumers' "Non-hypothetical" willingness to pay (WTP) and hedonic evaluation were investigated. An integrated experimental approach using two Non-Hypothetical Discrete Choice Experiment (NH-DCE) was carried out before and after a hedonic evaluation test. Results showed that the health innovative products (ITPP) received similar and even lower WTP than the "control" products (TPP) from the untapped pig breeds. The TPP outperformed products enriched with healthy ingredients or with reduced undesirable compounds. The potential demand for traditional and "unaltered" product from the rustic pig breeds could contribute to their conservation. A market niche exists, where consumers appreciate these high-quality products and where no "add-ons" are required to enhance their uptake. • Traditional pork products may help thriving the untapped and threatened EU pig breeds. • Innovative pork products from local breeds do not outperform the traditional ones. • Consumers appreciate the pork products from local breeds with no healthy "add-ons". • Non-hypothetical choice scenarios revealed potential demand for traditional pig products. • Preferences patterns are built on consumer's health beliefs and their hedonic evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have applied a single-bog multi-core approach to reconstruct historical Pb and Hg accumulation in an ombrotrophic bog from NW Spain, Chao de Lamoso (Xistral Mountains). Mercury was determined using a LECO-ALTEC AMA-254 analyzer, Pb with an EMMA-XRF analyzer and stable lead isotopes (four cores) by Quadrupole ICP-MS. Maximum concentrations were 74–122μgg−1 for Pb and 142–300ngg−1 for Hg. Higher variability was found for Hg than for Pb (2–3 times and 1.5 times, respectively). The slopes of the relationship between Hg and Pb cumulative inventories also suggested differences in relative accumulation of both elements. This substantial spatial variability indicates that, compared with Pb, a more extended sampling may be needed for an accurate estimation of Hg accumulation in mires. The isotopic records showed higher and almost constant 206Pb/207Pb ratios (average 1.174±0.004) in the lower sections and a continuous decrease to the surface (minimum 1.141). By using the change in the isotopic composition of Pb we estimated a chronology for the last ∼200years which enabled and approximation of the temporal trends in metal pollution. Based on the average isotopic composition of the studied cores and the application of a simple binary mixing model, six periods with increasing proportions of pollution Pb were identified: prior to ∼1875 AD, with an average proportion lower than 16%; ∼1875–1910 AD, increasing up to 24%; ∼1910–1950 AD, up to 35%; ∼1950–1970, up to 54%; ∼1970–1980 AD, up to 74%; and after ∼1980 AD, increasing up to 80%. The period with the highest rate of increase in recent (since ∼1900 AD) pollution Pb (equivalent to 2% year−1) seems to have started at the maximum in Pb accumulation around the early 1970s. The Hg records showed a more simple evolution with four main phases: prior to ∼1875 AD with enrichments around 1.5-fold the background, ∼1875–1955 AD with increasing enrichments; from ∼1955 AD to ∼1980 AD with maximum values (up to 4.2-fold); and from ∼1980 AD to present, with a steady decline to 2.4-fold. For the most recent period (after ∼1980 AD), the combination of decreasing Pb and Hg concentrations and accumulation rates/enrichments, and low 206Pb/207Pb ratios, may point to a higher relative importance of local sources (i.e. coal burning in a nearby power plant) in atmospheric metal pollution in the area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustaining the viability and continuity of farm forest holdings requires developing policy measures that improve or advance its forest and agrarian productivity regarding the socioeconomic perceptions and values of its managers. As a previous work and discussion of recent constraints related to sustainable forest practices by individual private forest (NIPF) owners, we analyse the key factors on individual forest profitability on an empirical study of their planting, silviculture and harvesting behaviours in a forest region in Northern Spain. The profitability was statistically characterized and explained as social, economic and policy variables. Our results explain how attractive conditions for timber market, as key factor, motivate the forest investment chain to make profitable lands by the owners. In this sense, maintaining and improving the rural economy and welfare by means of sustainable forest practices must consider the economic returns as fundamental issues which counteract the economic losses for including environmental constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and nutritional status of 97 hybrid chestnut plantations on former agricultural land and forest land were studied in relation to site conditions (climatic variables and soil properties). A single family of curves was obtained for classifying the early height growth of hybrid and sweet chestnut. Soil limitations and nutrient deficiencies were evident in the former forest land, whereas the agricultural soils were found to be generally suitable for growing chestnut. The stands with highest growth rates were characterized by high foliar concentrations of K, P and Ca. Successful growth of the plantations was always related to high summer precipitation, low elevation and absence of long periods of risk of frost. The results confirm the adaptability of chestnut to most sites where it has been planted for timber production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-resolution, 5300-yr record of pollen and lithogenic elements (K, Ca, Ti, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr) from an ombrotrophic peat bog located in northwest Spain, reveals that the variations in the fluxes of lithogenic elements supplied to the bog by atmospheric deposition were coupled to the evolution of the vegetation of the area. A strong negative correlation exists between the percentage of tree pollen and the concentration of lithogenic elements. For example, the correlation between total tree pollen and Sr concentrations is -0.94. The main phases of decline of the deciduous forest occurred during known cultural periods (late Neolithic, the Metal Ages, the Roman Period, the Middle Ages and the Industrial period) suggesting a close link between human activities (fires and forest clearances), changes in the vegetation and soil erosion. The flux of lithogenic elements seems to have increased before a significant variation in pollen is detected, which may indicate that changes in soil erosion are reflected earlier than the changes in vegetation in the bog record. Variations in the composition of the deposited dust reflect impacts that occurred at different spatial scales, with local sources dominant in the late Neolithic, the Metal Ages and the Middle Ages, whilst regional sources are more important in the Roman period and the Industrial Revolution. During the prehistoric period, arboreal pollen percentages recovered to their former levels, suggesting that woodland regenerated following a disturbance phase, but for the last 1400 years no significant recovery took place until afforestation with pines was introduced 200 years ago. While this must be the result of continuous clearances to convert forest into arable land, a cumulative effect on soil degradation must also be implied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis remains one of the top ten causes of mortality globally. Children accounted for 12% of all TB cases and 18% of all TB deaths in 2022. Paediatric TB is difficult to diagnose with conventional laboratory tests, and chest radiographs remain crucial. However, in low-and middle-income countries with high TB burden, the capacity for radiological diagnosis of paediatric TB is rarely documented and data on the associated radiation exposure limited., Methods: A multicentre, mixed-methods study is proposed in three countries, Mozambique, South Africa and Spain. At the national level, official registry databases will be utilised to retrospectively compile an inventory of licensed imaging resources (mainly X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT) scan equipment) for the year 2021. At the selected health facility level, three descriptive cross-sectional standardised surveys will be conducted to assess radiology capacity, radiological imaging diagnostic use for paediatric TB diagnosis, and radiation protection optimization: a site survey, a clinician-targeted survey, and a radiology staff-targeted survey, respectively. At the patient level, potential dose optimisation will be assessed for children under 16 years of age who were diagnosed and treated for TB in selected sites in each country. For this component, a retrospective analysis of dosimetry will be performed on TB and radiology data routinely collected at the respective sites. National inventory data will be presented as the number of units per million people by modality, region and country. Descriptive analyses will be conducted on survey data, including the demographic, clinical and programmatic characteristics of children treated for TB who had imaging examinations (chest X-ray (CXR) and/or CT scan). Dose exposure analysis will be performed by children's age, gender and disease spectrum., Discussion: As far as we know, this is the first multicentre and multi-national study to compare radiological capacity, radiation protection optimization and practices between high and low TB burden settings in the context of childhood TB management. The planned comparative analyses will inform policy-makers of existing radiological capacity and deficiencies, allowing better resource prioritisation. It will inform clinicians and radiologists on best practices and means to optimise the use of radiological technology in paediatric TB management., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Munyangaju et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: The voice in the academic context is a determining factor in the life of the teaching staff. The objective of this study was to evaluate the index vocal inability of in-service teachers and check your involvement the occupational conditions., Methods: For it, a descriptive-inferential study is done of cross-section to 480 teachers (average age: 45.14 ± 9.22), applying the questionnaire of vocal disability index (HIV-30). Using descriptive statistical techniques (mean and standard deviation) and inferential techniques (ANOVA). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.23.0., Results: When applying the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30) evidenced that teachers present a moderate vocal disability (41.2 rating), with increased risk in physical ability and own vocal function. Moreover, it was found that gender, educational stage, teaching load, antique, daily and weekly hours, student ratio and level of noise in the classroom, significantly affect the disturbance of the voice. It also shows more presence of dysphonia in teachers who perceive a progressive worsening of her voice throughout the day or week, and is absent in the work due to disorders of the voice., Conclusions: In conclusion, teachers attributed their laryngeal discomfort mainly to factors of the teaching context., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Objective: A decade of microbiome studies has linked IBD to an alteration in the gut microbial community of genetically predisposed subjects. However, existing profiles of gut microbiome dysbiosis in adult IBD patients are inconsistent among published studies, and did not allow the identification of microbial signatures for CD and UC. Here, we aimed to compare the faecal microbiome of CD with patients having UC and with non-IBD subjects in a longitudinal study., Design: We analysed a cohort of 2045 non-IBD and IBD faecal samples from four countries (Spain, Belgium, the UK and Germany), applied a 16S rRNA sequencing approach and analysed a total dataset of 115 million sequences., Results: In the Spanish cohort, dysbiosis was found significantly greater in patients with CD than with UC, as shown by a more reduced diversity, a less stable microbial community and eight microbial groups were proposed as a specific microbial signature for CD. Tested against the whole cohort, the signature achieved an overall sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 94%, 94%, 89% and 91% for the detection of CD versus healthy controls, patients with anorexia, IBS and UC, respectively., Conclusions: Although UC and CD share many epidemiologic, immunologic, therapeutic and clinical features, our results showed that they are two distinct subtypes of IBD at the microbiome level. For the first time, we are proposing microbiomarkers to discriminate between CD and non-CD independently of geographical regions., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of viruses causing aseptic meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis in Spain. This was a prospective study, in collaboration with 17 Spanish hospitals, including 581 cases (CSF from all and sera from 280): meningitis (340), meningoencephalitis (91), encephalitis (76), febrile syndrome (7), other neurological disorders (32), and 35 cases without clinical information. CSF were assayed by PCR for enterovirus (EV), herpesvirus (herpes simplex [HSV], varicella-zoster [VZV], cytomegalovirus [CMV], Epstein-Barr [EBV], and human herpes virus-6 [HHV-6]), mumps (MV), Toscana virus (TOSV), adenovirus (HAdV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), West Nile virus (WNV), and rabies. Serology was undertaken when methodology was available. Amongst meningitis cases, 57.1% were characterized; EV was the most frequent (76.8%), followed by VZV (10.3%) and HSV (3.1%; HSV-1: 1.6%; HSV-2: 1.0%, HSV non-typed: 0.5%). Cases due to CMV, EBV, HHV-6, MV, TOSV, HAdV, and LCMV were also detected. For meningoencephalitis, 40.7% of cases were diagnosed, HSV-1 (43.2%) and VZV (27.0%) being the most frequent agents, while cases associated with HSV-2, EV, CMV, MV, and LCMV were also detected. For encephalitis, 27.6% of cases were caused by HSV-1 (71.4%), VZV (19.1%), or EV (9.5%). Other positive neurological syndromes included cerebellitis (EV and HAdV), seizures (HSV), demyelinating disease (HSV-1 and HHV-6), myelopathy (VZV), and polyradiculoneuritis (HSV). No rabies or WNV cases were identified. EVs are the most frequent cause of meningitis, as is HSV for meningoencephalitis and encephalitis. A significant number of cases (42.9% meningitis, 59.3% meningoencephalitis, 72.4% encephalitis) still have no etiological diagnosis., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Unlabelled: One of the objectives in the treatment of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is improving the patient's quality of life. However, we do not dispose of validated criteria to determine the questionnaire's scoring threshold that has to be reached in order to be able to assert that the patients' quality of life has normalized., Objective: To determine the normality punctuation cutoff in the IBD specific quality of life questionnaire IBDQ-36., Method: Cross-sectional study in a random sample of IBD patients, who have completed the questionnaires IBDQ-36 and EuroQol-5D. The IBDQ-36 normality was calculated according to its equivalence with the EuroQol-5D tariff ≥ 0.90, which corresponds to the 95% CI of the average obtained in a Spanish general population., Results: 218 patients were included. According to the EuroQol-5D tariff, 70 patients were considered to have a normal quality of life and 148 a quality of life poorer than the general population. The IBDQ-36 scoring was significantly higher in the normal quality of life group (222.9 ± 22.8 vs. 171.4 ± 44.8 in the bad quality of life group, p<0.001). According to the linear regression between IBDQ-36 and EuroQol-5D, the cutoff point is 209, with a sensitivity and specificity to predict normality of 0.74 and 0.71 respectively., Conclusions: Scores of the IBDQ-36 equal or superior to 209 suggest quality of life comparable to that perceived by the general population. This study allowed to set a threshold of normality in the management of the inflammatory bowel diseases., (Copyright © 2010 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Information about sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Barcelona is scarce. Sexual risk behaviors and some STI have recently increased., Method: Descriptive study of STI diagnosed at the STI Unit of Barcelona between 2001 and 2002., Results: Some STI were more frequent among homosexual men. HIV coinfection in patients with syphilis was seen in 10/18 homosexual men and 1/10 heterosexuals (p = 0.04)., Conclusions: There is a resurgence of some STI in Barcelona. New preventive interventions are needed, especially addressed to homosexual men.