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Background The prevalence of burnout and depressive symptoms is high among physician trainees. Research Question What is the burden of burnout and depressive symptoms among fellows training in pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) and what are associated individual fellow, program, and institutional characteristics? Study Design and Methods We conducted a cross-sectional electronic survey of fellows enrolled in pulmonary, PCCM, and critical care medicine training programs in the United States to assess burnout and depressive symptoms. Burnout symptoms were measured using the Maslach Burnout Index two-item measure. The two-item Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Procedure was used to screen for depressive symptoms. For each of the two outcomes (burnout and depressive symptoms), we constructed three multivariate logistic regression models to assess individual fellow characteristics, program structure, and institutional polices associated with either burnout or depressive symptoms. Results Five hundred two of the 976 fellows who received the survey completed it—including both outcome measures—giving a response rate of 51%. Fifty percent of fellows showed positive results for either burnout or depressive symptoms, with 41% showing positive results for depressive symptoms, 32% showing positive results for burnout, and 23% showing positive results for both. Reporting a coverage system in the case of personal illness or emergency (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.44; 95% CI, 0.26-0.73) and access to mental health services (aOR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.04-0.47) were associated with lower odds of burnout. Financial concern was associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05-1.22). Working more than 70 hours in an average clinical week and the burdens of electronic health record (EHR) documentation were associated with a higher odds of both burnout and depressive symptoms. Interpretation Given the high prevalence of burnout and depressive symptoms among fellows training in PCCM, an urgent need exists to identify solutions that address this public health crisis. Strategies such as providing an easily accessible coverage system, access to mental health resources, reducing EHR burden, addressing work hours, and addressing financial concerns among trainees may help to reduce burnout or depressive symptoms and should be studied further by the graduate medical education community.

The food security remains a major priority and a typical issue that requires immediate international solutions. Recent studies reveal the increasing complexity of food security issues focusing on the necessity to address formal actions and solve the dramatic situations. New tools are always welcome to facilitate solutions’ implementation.In September 2015, the United Nations Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development among the goals of which the followings are fundamental: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, clean water and climate action. The European Union joined the Program, expressing the full commitment to its implementation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the number of undernourished people reached in 2017 about 821 million peoples, representing an increase from about 804 million peoples in 2016. The 2018 statistics of FAO state that 22% of children under-five are affected by malnutrition, while over 38 million children in the same age group are overweight.Beyond the premises, as a novelty, we contribute at the food security knowledge by calculating a regional index at European and Romanian levels to better outline the realities and provide the decision-makers with a new tool to find better solutions.

A simple and sensitive method has been developed for determining rutin, catechin, epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) flour and seeds by micro-high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Chromatography was performed using an octadecylsilica column, acetonitrile-water-formic acid (13:87:1, v/v/v) as a mobile phase, and an applied potential at +0.5 V vs Ag/AgCl. We found that Japanese buckwheat flour contains rutin (12.7 mg/100 g), catechin (3.30 mg/100 g), epicatechin (20.5 mg/100 g), and epicatechin gallate (1.27 mg/100 g). The relative standard deviations for rutin, catechin, epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate peak heights were less than 0.86% (n = 5). The detection limit of rutin was 0.86 ng/mL. Moreover, the present method was applied to the distribution analysis of these compounds in buckwheat seed. The embryo proper and cotyledons of a mature buckwheat seed contained rutin with the highest concentration as compared to other parts. This method is useful in determining rutin, catechin, epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate in buckwheat with a small amount of sample for quality control in the food industry.