Circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in osteoarthritis patients: a pilot study on the effect of pelotherapy.

Balneotherapy has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the management of pathologies involving low-grade inflammation and stress. In rheumatic conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), this therapy presents anti-inflammatory properties and potential to improve psychological well-being. Although the neurohormones serotonin and dopamine are known to be involved in these processes, surprisingly they have not been studied in this context. The objective was to evaluate the effect of a cycle of balneotherapy with peloids (pelotherapy) on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in a group of aged individuals with OA, after comparing their basal state to that of an age-matched control group. In our pilot study, a pelotherapy program (10 days) was carried out in a group of 16 elderly patients with OA, evaluating its effects on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations (measured by ELISA). Individuals with OA showed higher levels of serotonin and lower dopamine levels, in line with the inflammatory roles of these mediators. After pelotherapy, serotonin concentrations significantly decreased, potentially contributing to the previously reported anti-inflammatory effects of balneotherapy.

The Influence of Obesity and Weight Loss on the Bioregulation of Innate/Inflammatory Responses: Macrophages and Immunometabolism.

Obesity is characterized by low-grade inflammation and more susceptibility to infection, particularly viral infections, as clearly demonstrated in COVID-19. In this context, immunometabolism and metabolic flexibility of macrophages play an important role. Since inflammation is an inherent part of the innate response, strategies for decreasing the inflammatory response must avoid immunocompromise the innate defenses against pathogen challenges. The concept "bioregulation of inflammatory/innate responses" was coined in the context of the effects of exercise on these responses, implying a reduction in excessive inflammatory response, together with the preservation or stimulation of the innate response, with good transitions between pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages adapted to each individual's inflammatory set-point in inflammatory diseases, particularly in obesity. The question now is whether these responses can be obtained in the context of weight loss by dietary interventions (low-fat diet or abandonment of the high-fat diet) in the absence of exercise, which can be especially relevant for obese individuals with difficulties exercising such as those suffering from persistent COVID-19. Results from recent studies are controversial and do not point to a clear anti-inflammatory effect of these dietary interventions, particularly in the adipose tissue. Further research focusing on the innate response is also necessary.

Sterile Insect Technique Programme against Mediterranean Fruit Fly in the Valencian Community (Spain).

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), is an endemic pest in fruit-growing areas of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. In the Valencian Community, it represents a serious problem in the cultivation of citrus and numerous species of fruit, such as peach, cherry, apricot, persimmon, etc. For over 50 years, the Department of Agriculture of Valencia has led, promoted, and carried out a C. capitata control programme to protect crops, especially citrus fruits, because this community is the largest national producer and the leading region for fresh citrus exports in the world. Traditionally, pest control has been based on the use of insecticides. However, a reduction of more than 90% of a target wild population was achieved in the frame of a pilot integrated pest management (IPM) project based on the sterile insect technique (SIT), which was implemented from 2003 to 2006. Based on this successful result, in 2007 the Department of Agriculture of Valencia initiated an area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programme for the suppression of C. capitata, using the SIT as the primary control method. Complementary activities are implemented periodically in hotspots and during different time periods depending on the pest population dynamics. As a result, there has been a reduction of more than 90% in the use of insecticides by aerial means to control C. capitata, as well as a growth trend in exports of citrus and fresh fruits from the Valencian Community in recent years. This paper provides a historical review of the Valencian programme and briefly describes how technological innovations and decision-making tools have contributed to programme efficiency.

Development and validity of the questionnaire of patients' experiences in postacute outpatient physical therapy settings.

BACKGROUND: Patient feedback surveys are increasingly seen as a key component of health care quality monitoring and improvement. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to describe the development and initial psychometric evaluation of a fixed-length questionnaire about the experiences of patients receiving physical therapist treatment in postacute outpatient settings. DESIGN: This was an instrument development study with validity and reliability testing. METHODS: A total of 465 participants attending 3 rehabilitation centers for musculoskeletal conditions completed the questionnaire. A cognitive pretest was applied to the draft version (n=94), and a revised version was evaluated for test-retest reliability (n=90). Analyses to evaluate variance and nonresponse rates for items, the factor structure of the questionnaire, and the metric properties of multi-item scales were conducted. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analyses yielded evidence for a 7-factor structure of the questionnaire, with 3 factors that may be conceptually viewed as professionals' attitudes and behavior (providing information and education, sensitivity to patients' changes, and emotional support) and 4 factors that conceptually reflect organizational environment (duration of attendance, interruptions during care delivery, waiting times, and patient safety). Item-scale correlations ranged from .70 to .93. The percentage of scaling success was 100% for all of the scales. Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged from .70 to .87. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from .57 to .80 (median=.68). LIMITATIONS: Generalization to other patients is not known. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire has test-retest reliability, and the scales have internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity. All of the scales are distinct and unidimensional.