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The aims of this work were to isolate microorganisms from vinasse (V) and black liquor (BL), by-products of alcohol and paper industries and to assess their potential as substrates to produce biosurfactants. Thirty-nine microorganisms, 19 from V (acidophilic, a1 to a19) and 20 from BL (alkaliphilic, b1 to b20) were isolated. A high- throughput method was design and set up for surface tension (γ) measurement. In the first screening, 15/39 strains were pre-selected for their capacity of γ reduction of media formulated with V and BL. A Student's t-test was applied to data obtained in the second screening, to search for significant differences among γ values reached in each production media and their respective sterile medium. Three acidophilic (a1, a5, a6) and 3 alkaliphilic (b1, b2, b17) significantly decreased the γ compared to the control (p

Abstract Serum alpha-klotho (s-klotho) protein has been linked with lifespan, and low concentrations of s-klotho have been associated with worse physical and cognitive outcomes. Although its significance in aging remains unclear, s-klotho has been proposed as a molecular biomarker of frailty and dependence. This study is a secondary analysis of data from a clinical trial performed in a population of 103 older individuals living in 10 nursing homes in Gipuzkoa (Spain). We aimed to elucidate associations between s-klotho (as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and body composition, physical fitness, and cognition, as well as frailty and dependence (determined using validated tests and scales). In addition, we investigated the association of s-klotho concentration with falls in the six months following the initial assessment. Low s-klotho levels were associated with a lower score in the psychological component of the Tilburg Frailty Indicator, a worse score in the Coding Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and a greater dependence in activities of daily living. Moreover, participants with lower s-klotho concentrations suffered more falls during the 6 months after the assessment. Future translational research should aim to validate klotho’s putative role as a biomarker that could identify the risk of aging-related adverse events in clinical practice.

Context: Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), a nutrient-rich crop with potential application in different industries, is sensitive to salinity. Halotolerant plant-growth promoting bacteria could be a biotechnological strategy to increase chia's salinity tolerance. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and physiological response of chia plants inoculated with free-living halotolerant plant-growth promoting bacteria and grown in saline soils under greenhouse conditions. Methods: A total of 15 bacterial treatments were inoculated to plants potted in soils with three electrical conductivity levels: 0.5, 4, and 6 dS m−1. Mortality and morphological and physiological parameters were evaluated. The measured variables were used to calculate a relative growth index. Key results: Bacterial inoculation had a positive effect on plants at 4 dS m−1. Plants inoculated with Pseudomonas sp. AN23, Kushneria sp. T3.7, and C6 (Halomonas sp. 3R12 + Micrococcus luteus SA211) exhibited the best morphological and physiological performance (51% longer shoots, up to 90% heavier roots and up to 400% higher photosynthetic rate than control plants). Moreover, plants inoculated with Kushneria sp. T3.7 and C5 (Halomonas sp. 3R12 + Pseudomonas sp. AN23) showed significant increase in stomatal conductance and transpiration rate (up to 12 times) and in proline production (up to 345 μg g−1 leaf fresh weight) with respect to control plants (8 μg g−1 leaf fresh weight) under saline conditions. Conclusions: The analysed extremophilic plant-growth promoting bacteria enhanced growth and stress tolerance in chia, a salt-sensitive crop. Implications: Free-living plant-growth promoting bacteria isolated from hypersaline environments have potential for bioinoculant formulation for salinity-sensitive crops. Salinity is a major threat to global agriculture due to the loss of productive land and the sensitivity of most crops, limiting the variety of production. Halotolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria show promise for increasing stress tolerance of sensitive crops like chia (Salvia hispanica). This research is the first to evaluate inoculation of soil for chia plants with free-living bacteria of this kind. The bacteria tested improved plant growth and stress tolerance, showing their potential as bioinoculants for crops under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background During COVID-19 pandemic, elective invasive cardiac procedures (ICP) have been frequently cancelled or postponed. Consequences may be more evident in patients with diabetes. Objectives The objective was to identify the peculiarities of patients with DM among those in whom ICP were cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to identify subgroups in which the influence of DM has higher impact on the clinical outcome. Methods We included 2,158 patients in whom an elective ICP was cancelled or postponed during COVID-19 pandemic in 37 hospitals in Spain. Among them, 700 (32.4%) were diabetics. Patients with and without diabetes were compared. Results Patients with diabetes were older and had a higher prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors, previous cardiovascular history and co-morbidities. Diabetics had a higher mortality (3.0% vs. 1.0%; p = 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (1.9% vs. 0.4%; p = 0.001). Differences were especially important in patients with valvular heart disease (mortality 6.9% vs 1.7% [p

Abstract Background Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients. Methods A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people ≥70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model. Results Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07–1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69–0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08–0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P

This article contributes to the scarcity of research on the interface between task-modality and the use of previously known languages (PKL) in young learners. It examines the use of Basque/Spanish by CLIL learners (aged 10-11) during oral interaction while completing two collaborative tasks in English: a speaking task and a speaking + writing task. Findings indicate that these learners are extensive users of their PKL. Task-modality is particularly evident in the case of amount of PKL use, as a higher number of PKL turns are obtained in the speaking + writing task. However, task-modality has a limited effect on the functions of PKL, which contrasts with previous studies with adults. Despite the extensive use of their PKL, these young and low-proficient learners employ them as cognitive tools that facilitate the organization of the tasks, the co-construction of meaning and the attention to formal aspects of language such as mechanics.

ABSTRACT Introduction and objectives: The Lotus Valve device (Boston Scientific) is a second-generation fully-retrievable and repositionable transcatheter aortic valve. We report the initial multicenter experience with the Lotus valve in the management of patients with severe aortic stenosis. Methods: Observational study that described the short and long-term results of implanting the Lotus valve in 8 Spanish and Portuguese centers from March 2014 through April 2016. Results: The study included 102 patients (mean age 80.4 ± 6.1 years; STS score 5.2% ± 3.3%) with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (mean aortic valve area 0.66 ± 0.17 cm2, aortic gradients 74.3 / 45.6 mmHg). The valve was successfully implanted in 100 patients (98%), with significant improvement in both the peak and mean aortic valve gradients and with only one patient showing moderate paravalvular regurgitation. Upon hospital discharge, mortality rate was 3.9% while the stroke rate was 2.9%. No cases of valve embolization, ectopic valve deployment or additional valve implantation (valve-in-valve) were seen. Thirty-three patients (32.3%) received a permanent pacemaker. Conclusions: The Lotus Valve System is effective and safe for the management of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. In particular, considering the low rate of periprosthetic regurgitation and lack of complications like embolization or ectopic valve deployment; however at the expense of a high pacemaker implantation rate.

RESUMEN Introducción y objetivos: El dispositivo Lotus (Boston Scientific, Estados Unidos) es una prótesis valvular aórtica transcatéter de segunda generación, completamente recuperable y reposicionable. Se presenta la experiencia inicial con la prótesis Lotus en un registro multicéntrico. Métodos: Estudio observacional que reporta los resultados a corto y largo plazo del implante transfemoral de prótesis Lotus entre marzo de 2014 y abril de 2016 en 8 centros de España y Portugal. Resultados: Se incluyeron 102 pacientes (edad media 80,4 ± 6,1 años, índice STS medio 5,2% ± 3,3%) con estenosis aórtica grave sintomática (área valvular media 0,66 ± 0,17 cm2, gradientes 74,3/45,6 mmHg). Se implantó con éxito el dispositivo en 100 pacientes (98%), con mejoría significativa de los gradientes máximo y medio valvular, y un solo caso de regurgitación periprotésica moderada. No hubo ninguna embolización ni necesidad de implante de una nueva prótesis intravalvular. Hasta el alta hospitalaria, la mortalidad fue del 3,9% y la tasa de ictus fue del 2,9%. En 33 pacientes (32,3%) fue necesario el implante de marcapasos definitivo. Conclusiones: La válvula Lotus es eficaz y segura para el tratamiento de pacientes con estenosis aórtica grave sintomática. Destacan la escasa tasa de insuficiencia periprotésica y la ausencia de complicaciones derivadas del mal posicionamiento o la embolización de la prótesis, a costa de un alta incidencia de implante de marcapasos.

This study assessed the effectiveness of a passive back support exoskeleton during a mechanical loading task. Fifteen healthy participants performed a simulated patient transfer task while wearing the Laevo (version 2.5) passive back support exoskeleton. Collected metrics encompassed L5-S1 joint moments, back and abdominal muscle activity, lower body and back kinematics, center of mass displacement, and movement smoothness. A statistical parametric mapping analysis approach was used to overcome limitations from discretization of continuous data. The exoskeleton reduced L5-S1 joint moments during trunk flexion, but wearing the device restricted L5-S1 joint flexion when flexing the trunk as well as hip and knee extension, preventing participants from standing fully upright. Moreover, wearing the device limited center of mass motion in the caudal direction and increased its motion in the anterior direction. Therefore, wearing the exoskeleton partly reduced lower back moments during the lowering phase of the patient transfer task, but there were some undesired effects such as altered joint kinematics and center of mass displacement. Statistical parametric mapping analysis was useful in determining the benefits and hindrances produced by wearing the exoskeleton while performing the simulated patient transfer task and should be utilized in further studies to inform design and appropriate usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) is a technique successfully used to generate characteristic fingerprints of different bacteria. Bacillus is a genus that includes heterogeneous species, thus a combination of different techniques is essential for their identification. Here we used RAPD-PCR methodology to distinguish among genetically similar strains and to evaluate the genetic diversity of Bacillus species from the Salar del Hombre Muerto, in the Northwest of Argentina. The RAPD-PCR used allowed obtaining different amplification profiles for each Bacillus species and strains. By comparing the fingerprint profiles, we could observe that some of the salt flat isolates showed similar profiles than identified strains. As expected, the bacilli group isolated revealed a wide heterogeneity. RAPD-PCR was found to be a quick and reliable technique to evaluate the diversity of Bacillus strain and was successfully applied to characterize the genetic diversity present in the Salar del Hombre Muerto.

The aim of the study was to characterize halotolerant bacteria and to evaluate their plant growth promotion potential on chia and quinoa seedlings under saline stress. Isolated microorganisms were evaluated for nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and production of siderophores and indole acetic acid. Three strains and two consortia were selected: Halomonas sp. (SFS), Micrococcus luteus (SA211), Bacillus sp. (HX11), C1 (SA211 + SFS), and C2 (SA211 + HX11). In vitro assays using water agar and half-strength Murashige-Skoog plates showed that an increase in salinity led to an increased seedlings mortality and a decrease in germination (lower than 40%), in total length (varying between 16% and 87% decreases), root length (from 60% to 92% lesser length) and dry weight (from 7% to 86% lower weight). Also, the relative growth index (RGI) decreased for both crops in most treatments, except those with HX11 and C2. These treatments had the highest growth parameters and RGI values in presence of high salinity in chia (50 and 100 mmol/L NaCl) and quinoa (200 and 400 mmol/L NaCl). SA211, the highest producer of indole acetic acid, showed a detrimental effect and anomalous phenotype on plants. Our results suggest that Bacillus sp. HX11, with multiple plant growth promotion traits and tolerance to saline stress, has a great potential as a bioinoculant in saline conditions and could be used as a biofertilizer for crop production.

Abstract Background Immigrant populations face diverse barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare services on several levels. In the Basque Country, Sub-Saharan African women were identified as facing the largest barriers to access them. The aim of the study is to analyse Sub-Saharan African immigrant women's perceptions and experiences of access to appropriate healthcare in the public health system in the Basque Country, Spain. Methods Fourteen women from eight Sub-Saharan African countries who have used the Basque public healthcare services were interviewed. A qualitative content analysis was applied: meaning that units were identified, coded and the resulting codes were then organized into three categories. Results The first category, Fearing to enter a health system perceived as not friendly for immigrants, included factors, mainly those related to legal conditions for accessing healthcare services and lack of lawful documentation, that made women avoid or discontinue seeking out healthcare. The second category, Being attended on professionals' own communication terms, comprised how the lack of effective communication compromised not only the access of the immigrant women to healthcare services, but also their health. Lastly, the third category, Is mistreatment based on racism or merely on bad luck? described how being an immigrant and black influenced the way they were (mis)treated in the health system. Conclusion For Sub-Saharan African immigrant women, accessing appropriate healthcare in the Basque Country was perceived to be subject to institutional barriers. At the legal level, barriers included lack of entitlement, difficulties in fulfilling legal access conditions and lack of documentation. The lack of communication with health centre staff and their attitudes, guided by a stereotyped social image of immigrants and black people, also hindered their possibilities of receiving appropriate healthcare. Facilitators for accessing healthcare included strategies from individual professionals, personal networks and social actors to help them to cope with the barriers. There is a need of reinforcing inclusion values and rights-based approach to attention among staff at the health centres to have more non-discriminatory and culturally appropriate health systems.

Abstract Background The purpose of the Aging-ONDUAL-TASK study is to determine if a supervised dual-task program carried out in long-term nursing homes is able to attenuate frailty in a greater extent than the same multicomponent exercise program alone. Methods This multicenter randomized controlled trial will include 188 participants who will be randomly allocated to either a multicomponent exercise program or to the same multicomponent program with simultaneous cognitive training (dual-task training). Inclusion criteria are as follows: ≥ 70 years, ≥ 50 on the Barthel Index, ≥ 20 on the Mini Examen Cognoscitivo (MEC-35) who are able to stand up and walk independently for 10 m. Subjects in the multicomponent group will attend a twice-a-week multicomponent exercise program of 1-h duration per session, consisting of strength and balance exercises. Participants in the dual-task group will perform the same multicomponent exercise program with concurrent individually tailored cognitive tasks. Study assessments will be conducted at baseline and at 3 months. The primary outcome measure will be gait speed under dual-task conditions and secondary outcomes will include physical fitness measurements, gait spatiotemporal parameters, cognition and emotional assessments, several frailty scales and objectively measured physical activity. Discussion The present research will add valuable information to the knowledge around the effects of the dual-task program in long-term nursing home residents, taking altogether physical, cognitive and emotional variables linked to frailty. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) with the identifier: ACTRN12618000536268. Registration date: 11/04/2018.

The rhizosphere and microbiome of halotolerant plants could be crucial for alleviating salinity stress during plant growth. The aims of this work were (1) to isolate bacteria from rhizosphere and bulk soil samples from the Salar del Hombre Muerto (Catamarca, Argentina), (2) to characterize different plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities produced by these bacterial isolates, and (3) to evaluate their effect on the initial growth of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under saline stress. A total of 667 microorganisms were isolated, using different culture media with NaCl, and their abilities for nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, siderophores production, and indole-3-acetic acid production were evaluated. Thirteen strains were selected for showing all the tested PGP activities; they belonged to the genera Kushneria, Halomonass, Pseudomonas, Planomicrobium, and Pseudarthrobacter. The strains Kushneria sp. and Halomonas sp. showed the highest salinity tolerance (from 50 to 2,000 mM NaCl) and biomass and biofilm production. Chia seeds were treated with six of the first 13 selected strains to evaluate their plant growth-promoting effect under saline stress (without and with 50 and 100 mM NaCl). Halomonas sp. 3R.12 and Kushneria sp. T3.7 produced heavier seedlings with a balanced shoot/root length ratio, while Pseudomonas sp. AN23 showed the best effect upon chia seedlings, with a morphological response similar to non-stressed seedlings. On the other hand, seedlings displayed no responses when inoculated with Planomicrobium sp. 3S.31 and Pseudarthrobacter sp. ER25. This study contributes to the knowledge on microorganisms from hypersaline environments as plant growth promoters for their use in the production of salt-sensitive crops, among other potential uses.

The relative age effect (RAE) has primarily been investigated in male athletes involved in popular sports and high-level competitions. However, occurrence of RAE in other types of sports at the grassroots level, particularly in female athletes, is less well-studied. Thus, we examined the RAE in a large cohort of young athletes who participated in all competitive sports in Bizkaia, Spain, according to gender and specificity of the sport. The birth dates of 38,381 participants (65.1% males and 34.9% females) aged 9-14 years old in 37 competitive sports were analyzed. Birth dates were divided into four birth-quarters and compared to those of all children born in the same period using a χ2 goodness-of-fit test and standardized residuals. The effect size Cramer's V was measured, and odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the odds of athletes born in January playing in the highest leagues. In the total sample, in boys RAE was evident in football, but only in higher-competition leagues (p

BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is associated with impaired gait and a growing number of clinical trials have investigated efficacy of various interventions. Choice of outcome measures is crucial in determining efficiency of interventions. However, it remains unclear whether there is consensus on which outcome measures to use in gait intervention studies in MS.ObjectiveWe aimed to identify the commonly selected outcome measures in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on gait rehabilitation interventions in people with MS. Additional aims were to identify which of the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) are the most studied and to characterize how outcome measures are combined and adapted to MS severity.MethodsPubmed, Cochrane Central, Embase and Scopus databases were searched for RCT studies on gait interventions in people living with MS according to PRISMA guidelines.ResultsIn 46 RCTs, we identified 69 different outcome measures. The most used outcome measures were 6-minute walking test and the Timed Up and Go test, used in 37% of the analyzed studies. They were followed by gait spatiotemporal parameters (35%) most often used to inform on gait speed, cadence, and step length. Fatigue was measured in 39% of studies. Participation was assessed in 50% of studies, albeit with a wide variety of scales. Only 39% of studies included measures covering all ICF levels, and Participation measures were rarely combined with gait spatiotemporal parameters (only two studies).ConclusionsSelection of outcome measures remains heterogenous in RCTs on gait rehabilitation interventions in MS. However, there is a growing consensus on the need for quantitative gait spatiotemporal parameter measures combined with clinical assessments of gait, balance, and mobility in RCTs on gait interventions in MS. Future RCTs should incorporate measures of fatigue and measures from Participation domain of ICF to provide comprehensive evaluation of trial efficacy across all levels of functioning.