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BackgroundPCR-based screenings on the presence of diarrhoea-causing intestinal protist species are limited in Zambia, resulting in inaccurate current prevalence and epidemiological data. Sensitive PCR-based methods are particularly well suited for detecting subclinical infections in apparently healthy carriers.MethodologyIn this prospective cross-sectional study, we investigated the occurrence of the most common intestinal protists in an apparently healthy paediatric population (5-18 years) in Lusaka Province, Zambia. We collected single stool samples (n = 256) and epidemiological questionnaires on demographics, behavioural habits, drinking water and toilet access from participating children. We used PCR for the initial screening of samples for the presence of intestinal protist species and Sanger and next-generation sequencing for genotyping. We conducted statistical analyses to assess the association of the gathered variables with an increased likelihood of the investigated pathogens.Principal findingsBlastocystis sp. was the most prevalent intestinal protist found (37.9%, 97/256; 95% CI: 31.9-44.1), followed by Giardia duodenalis (30.9%, 79/256; 95% CI: 25.3-36.90), Entamoeba dispar (13.3%, 34/256; 95% CI: 9.4-18.1), and Cryptosporidium spp. (4.3%, 11/256, 95% CI: 2.2-7.6). Entamoeba histolytica was not detected. Based on Sanger sequencing results, subtypes ST2 (44.3%, 43/97), ST1 (35.1%, 34/97), and ST3 (20.6%, 20/97) were identified within Blastocystis sp. and assemblages B (71.0%), A+B (16.1%), and A (12.9%) within G. duodenalis. Cryptosporidium parvum (81.8%) and C. hominis (18.2%) were the only two Cryptosporidium species found. Living in the Kafue District was positively associated with higher infection rates by G. duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. Schoolchildren living in Chongwe District were more likely to be infected by Cryptosporidium spp.Conclusions/significanceIntestinal protist infection/colonization is a common finding in apparently healthy children in Lusaka Province, Zambia. Asymptomatic carriers may play an underestimated role as spreaders of gastrointestinal parasitic infections. This study improves our current understanding of the epidemiology of diarrhoea-causing protists in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa and indicates that the role of asymptomatic carriers of gastrointestinal parasites in transmission should be further explored.

Introducción: Existe evidencia sobre una asociación directa entre la Violencia Machista/Violencia de Género (VdG) y el suicidio, e incluso se señala que la VdG es el principal factor precipitante para que una mujer realice una tentativa suicida. Además, se ha demostrado que las mujeres con enfermedades mentales crónicas sufren especialmente más violencia que la población en general. Sin embargo, existen relativamente pocos datos sobre la capacidad de detección de VdG de los servicios de urgencias. En Catalunya, el Programa Código Riesgo de Suicidio (CRS) atendió a 12.596 persones con episodios de conducta suicida y ha demostrado su eficacia en nuestro hospital. Objetivo principal: Cuantificar el grado de detección de la VdG de nuestros registros sanitarios en mujeres visitadas en el servicio urgencias de nuestro hospital por ideación y/o tentativa suicida y que han sido incluidas en el Programa CRS. Hipótesis principal: La detección actual de VdG en las mujeres es

Introducción: La ósmosis inversa (OI) es un método para la purificación del agua. Separa el agua de incrustaciones, mediante membranas semipermeables; el recogimiento de las escalas puede provocar daños en las membranas, afectando al proceso. Inyectar antiincrustantes elimina e inhibe su sobreproducción. El objetivo de este artículo científico es aprender sobre antiincrustantes, usando como método la revisión bibliográfica de trabajos anteriores que han operado con estos, mediante el análisis de sus procesos y conclusiones, para estudiar como varían entre si y cual implica mejores resultados. Objetivo: Analizar los antiincrustantes más comunes en la actualidad mediante la revisión bibliográfica, donde se estudien compuestos que tengan como base química metafosfatos y polímeros. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó la revisión de 3 publicaciones originales que planteaban como tema principal el uso de distintos antiincrustantes y su acción sobre las membranas de equipos de ósmosis inversa. Los artículos revisados se publicaron en el período de 2018-2021, tomando en consideración la calidad y naturaleza de las publicaciones. Resultados y Discusión: Según el análisis comparativo de los antiincrustantes elegidos se realizó el seguimiento del efecto que tienen con respecto a las membranas de equipos de ósmosis inversa. Para analizar los resultados se consideraron aspectos de la función, dosificación, punto de inyección y conclusiones que se obtuvieron de cada uno. Conclusiones: En comparación con el ácido fosfinocarboxílico y la tecnología novedosa, el hexametafosfato de sodio ha demostrado mejores resultados en la industria con respecto a las membranas de ósmosis inversa en los procesos de purificación del agua.

Resumen: Antecedentes: Tomando en cuenta que la renuncia de un médico residente es un resultado considerado no exitoso para los programas de especialización, son pocos los estudios que relacionan su perfil psicométrico con este resultado. Objetivo: Evaluar si la baja autoestima de los médicos residentes en su examen psicométrico de selección se asocia con la renuncia a sus estudios de especialización en medicina. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles (379 controles y 62 casos); en una población de 441 médicos residentes. Se analizó la evaluación psicológica de los mismos realizada por el por el servicio de Psicología del hospital, realizando análisis de asociación entre las características psicométricas y la no conclusión del curso de especialidad. Resultados: Se estudiaron 441 evaluaciones psicológicas con una población de 214 mujeres y 227 hombres, con una edad promedio de 26 años; del total de médicos residentes evaluados concluyeron el 85,9% y el 14% no. La baja autoestima fue la única característica psicométrica asociada a la no conclusión de la especialidad con una OR = 2,30 (1,26-4,17); con una capacidad de predicción de renuncia con una sensibilidad del 60% y una especificidad del 25%. Conclusiones: La baja autoestima representa un factor de riesgo para la no conclusión de la residencia medica, por lo cual es importante realizar una mayor investigación en esta área. Abstract: Background: Considering that the resignation of a medical resident is a result considered unsuccessful for specialization programs, few studies link the psychometric profile of the resident doctor with resignation. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the resident doctors associated with the resignation of their specialization studies in medicine. Material and methods: A case-control study was carried out in a population of 441 resident doctors (379 controls, and 62 cases) performing association analysis using OR; between psychometric characteristics and resignation from the specialty course. Results: 441 psychological evaluations were studied with a population of 214 women and 227 men, of the total of resident physicians evaluated, 85.94% concluded and 14.01% did not conclude. Low self-esteem was the only psychometric characteristic associated with the non-conclusion of the specialty with an OR = 2.30 (1.26-4.17). With a prediction capacity of resign, it presents a sensitivity of 60%, specificity of 25%. Conclusions: The study showed that having low self-esteem represents a risk factor for resignation from medical residency.

La ausencia de regulación de los grupos de sociedades de forma sistemática y global en el ordenamiento jurídico español da lugar a una serie de problemas que generan inseguridad jurídica y que se tratan de abordar en el presente trabajo. Se centra la atención en uno de esos problemas en particular: la existencia o no del interés de grupo, su posible coordinación con el interés social y los mecanismos tuitivos de los socios externos de una sociedad integrante de un grupo (que integran el llamado «conflicto de grupo»). Los argumentos para apoyar una u otra postura proceden en buena medida de las muy valiosas aportaciones doctrinales, del derecho proyectado en el Anteproyecto de Código Mercantil y de la escasa jurisprudencia hasta la fecha.

The development of inexpensive, fast, and reliable screening tests for COVID-19 is, as yet, an unmet need. The present study was aimed at evaluating the usefulness of serum arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) measurement as a screening test in patients with different severity levels of COVID-19 infection. We included 615 COVID-19-positive patients who were classified as asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, severely symptomatic, or fatally symptomatic. Results were compared with 50 healthy volunteers, 330 patients with cancer, and 343 with morbid obesity. Results showed PON1 activity greatly decreased in COVID-19 compared to healthy volunteers; a receiver operating characteristics plot showed a high diagnostic accuracy. The degree of COVID-19 severity did not influence PON1 levels. Our results indicated that PON1 determination was efficient for disease diagnosis, but not for prognosis. Furthermore, patients with obesity or cancer presented alterations similar to those of COVID-19 patients. As such, elevated levels of PON1 indicate the absence of COVID-19, but low levels may be present in various other chronic diseases. The assay is fast and inexpensive. We suggest that PON1 measurement could be used as an initial, high cut-off point screening method, while lower values should be confirmed with the more expensive nucleic acid amplification test.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o manuseio dos dispositivos pelos asmáticos graves acompanhados no Programa para o Controle da Asma e Rinite Alérgica na Bahia (ProAR), registrando a frequência dos seus erros em passos essenciais e a relação desses com a falta de controle da asma. MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal com 467 pacientes em acompanhamento no ProAR, na cidade de Salvador (BA). Os dispositivos avaliados foram inalador dosimetrado (ID), em isolado ou com espaçador, e inalador de pó seco (IPS; Pulvinal® ou Aerolizer®). A avaliação da técnica inalatória foi realizada através de uma lista de verificação, sendo solicitado ao paciente que demonstrasse o uso para que um entrevistador observasse todos os passos realizados. Para a avaliação do controle da asma, utilizou-se o questionário de controle da asma com seis questões. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes demonstrou técnicas inalatórias adequadas no uso dos dispositivos. Poucos erros foram observados na etapa essencial "coordenar disparo e inspiração" no uso de ID isolado e com espaçador (em 5,2% e em 9,1% dos pacientes, respectivamente). No uso de Pulvinal®, 39% dos pacientes não realizaram uma inspiração rápida e profunda, comparados a somente 5,8% no uso de Aerolizer®. Dos pacientes que utilizavam apenas Aerolizer®, 71,3% realizaram adequadamente todos os passos essenciais e estavam controlados. CONCLUSÕES: A maioria dos pacientes desta amostra, os quais eram submetidos a verificações periódicas da técnica inalatória no programa, utilizavam adequadamente os dispositivos. A técnica inalatória adequada está associada ao controle dos sintomas.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of inhaler devices by patients with severe asthma treated via the Programa para o Controle da Asma e Rinite Alérgica na Bahia(ProAR, Bahia State Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis Control Program), recording the frequency of their errors in performing key steps and the relationship between such errors and the lack of asthma control. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 467 patients enrolled in the ProAR in the city of Salvador, Brazil. The devices evaluated were metered dose inhalers (MDIs), with or without a spacer, and dry powder inhalers (DPIs; Pulvinal® or Aerolizer®). For the assessment of the inhalation technique, a checklist was used; the patients were asked to demonstrate the technique so that an interviewer could observe all of the steps performed. For the assessment of asthma control, we used the 6-item asthma control questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the patients showed appropriate inhalation techniques when using the devices. When using an MDI, few patients made mistakes in the key step of "coordinating activation and inhalation" (5.2% and 9.1% with and without the use of a spacer, respectively). During Pulvinal® use, 39% of the patients did not inhale quickly and deeply, compared with only 5.8% during Aerolizer® use. Of the patients that made use of Aerolizer® alone, 71.3% appropriately performed all of the essential steps, and their asthma was controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the patients in this sample, all of whom had been submitted to periodic checks of their inhalation technique (as part of the program), used the devices appropriately. Proper inhalation technique is associated with asthma symptom control.

Introduction: Reverse osmosis (RO) is a method for purifying water. Ir separates water from incrustations, through semi-permeable membranes; absorption of scales can cause damage to the membranes, affecting the process. Injecting antifouling removes and inhibits its overproduction. The objective of this scientific article is to learn about antiscalants, using as a method the bibliographic review of previous works that have operated with these, through the analysis of their processes and conclusions, to study how they vary from each other and which one implies better results. Objective: To analyze the most common antifoulings today through a bibliographic review, where compounds that have metaphosphates and polymers as a chemical base are studied. Materials and Methods: The review of 3 original publications that posed as the main topic the use of different antiscalants and their action on the membranes of reverse osmosis equipment was carried out. The reviewed articles were published in the 2018-2021 period, taking into consideration the quality and nature of the publications. Results and Discussion: According to the comparative analysis of the chosen antiscalants, the effect they have with respect to the membranes of reverse osmosis equipment was monitored. To analyze the results, aspects of function, dosage, injection point and conclusions obtained from each one were considered. Conclusions: Compared to phosphinocarboxylic acid and the modified base, sodium hexametaphosphate has shown better results in the industry with respect to reverse osmosis membranes in water purification processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]