The Effects of Slaughter Methods and Drying Temperatures on the Protein Hydrolysis of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal.

In recent years, the potential of insects as a sustainable protein alternative to feed the growing world population has been explored. Differences in the ways insects are processed can affect their proximate composition and digestibility. This work studied the effects of the combination of different types of slaughter methods and drying temperatures on the proximate composition, organic matter digestibility (OMd), hydrolysis degree (DH/NH2 and DH/100 g DM), total hydrolysis (TH), and hygienic and sanitary characteristics of BSFL (black soldier fly larvae) meal. Four types of slaughter methods were used including freezing (F), blanching + freezing (B), Melacide® + freezing (M), and liquid nitrogen slaughter (N). Each of these was used with three drying temperatures (50, 70, and 90 °C). A negative correlation between the acid detergent fiber (ADF) and protein digestibility parameters was obtained. The most suitable drying temperature was 70 °C, as it produced higher values of protein digestibility (DH and TH), resulting in hygienic and sanitary conditions suitable for food use. Slaughtering with liquid nitrogen and blanching was more conducive to achieving high protein digestibility results than traditional freezing or the use of Melacide®.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of encapsulated tea polyphenols in chitosan/alginate-coated zein nanoparticles: a possible supplement against fish pathogens in aquaculture.

Regulation of antibiotic use in aquaculture calls for the emergence of more sustainable alternative treatments. Tea polyphenols (GTE), particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), have various biological activities. However, tea polyphenols are susceptible to degradation. In this work, EGCG and GTE were encapsulated in zein nanoparticles (ZNP) stabilized with alginate (ALG) and chitosan (CS) to reduce the degradation effect. ALG-coated ZNP and ALG/CS-coated ZNP encapsulating EGCG or GTE were obtained with a hydrodynamic size of less than 300 nm, an absolute ζ-potential value >30 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency greater than 75%. The antioxidant capacity of the encapsulated substances, although lower than that of the free ones, maintained high levels. On the other hand, the evaluation of antimicrobial activity showed greater efficiency in terms of growth inhibition for ALG/CS-ZNP formulations, with average overall values of around 60%, reaching an inhibition of more than 90% for Photobacterium damselae. These results support encapsulation as a good strategy for tea polyphenols, as it allows maintaining significant levels of antioxidant activity and increasing the potential for antimicrobial activity, in addition to increasing protection against sources of degradation.

The Family's Contribution to Patient Safety.

BACKGROUND: Person- and family-centered care is one of the recommendations to achieve quality of care and patient safety. However, many health professionals associate the family with insecurity in care. OBJECTIVE: To analyze, based on nurses' statements, the advantages and disadvantages of the family's presence in hospitals for the safety of hospitalized patients. METHODS: This was a qualitative interpretative study based on James Reason's risk model, conducted through semi-structured interviews with 10 nurses selected by convenience. A content analysis was performed using Bardin's methodology and MAXQDA Plus 2022 software. RESULTS: We identified 17 categories grouped according to the representation of the family in patient safety: The family as a Potentiator of Security Failures (7) and Family as a Safety Barrier (10). CONCLUSIONS: The higher number of categories identified under Family as a Safety Barrier shows that nurses see strong potential in the family's involvement in patient safety. By identifying the need to intervene with and for families so that their involvement is safe, we observed an increase in the complexity of nursing care, which suggests the need to improve nursing ratios, according to the participants.

Evaluation of In Vitro Protein Hydrolysis in Seven Insects Approved by the EU for Use as a Protein Alternative in Aquaculture.

Rapid population growth is leading to an increase in the demand for high-quality protein such as fish, which has led to a large increase in aquaculture. However, fish feed is dependent on fishmeal. It is necessary to explore more sustainable protein alternatives that can meet the needs of fish. Insects, due to their high protein content and good amino acid profiles, could be a successful alternative to fishmeal and soybean meal traditionally used in sectors such as aquaculture. In this work, seven species of insects (Hermetia illucens, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domestica, Alphitobius diaperinus, Gryllodes sigillatus, Gryllus assimilis, and Musca domestica) approved by the European Union (UE) for use as feed for farmed animals (aquaculture, poultry, and pigs) were studied. Their proximate composition, hydrolysis of organic matter (OMd), hydrolysis of crude protein (CPd), degree of hydrolysis (DH/NH2 and DH/100 g DM), and total hydrolysis (TH) were analyzed. The results showed that Tenebrio molitor had digestibility similar to that of fishmeal, while Acheta domestica and Hermetia illucens provided similar digestibility to that of soybean meal. The acid detergent fiber (ADF) data were negatively correlated with all protein digestibility variables. The differences in the degree of hydrolysis (DH) results and the similarity in total hydrolysis (TH) results could indicate the slowing effects of ADF on protein digestibility. Further in vivo studies are needed.

Safety and Family-Centered Care during Restriction of Hospital Visits due to COVID-19: The Experience of Family Members.

BACKGROUND: Person and Family Centered Care (PFCC) has demonstrated important contributions to health care outcomes. However, in response to the need for safety due to the pandemic COVID-19, measures were taken to restrict hospital visits. So, the aim of this study was to understand the healthcare experience of family members of patients hospitalized during the pandemic period regarding safety and person- and family-centered care. METHODS: Qualitative interpretative study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with six family members of people hospitalized during the pandemic period. Content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti software version 22 (Berlin, Germany) and Bardin's methodology. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Restrictions on hospital visits due to the pandemic of COVID-19 have led to a distancing of families from the hospital setting and influenced healthcare practice, making it difficult to involve families in the care process. In some cases, healthcare professionals made efforts to provide PFCC, attempting to minimize the impact of the visitation restriction. However, there were reported experiences of care delivery that did not consider social and psychological factors and did not place the person and family at the center of the care process, relying instead on the biomedical model. These practices left out important factors for the provision of safe care. It is crucial, even in pandemic settings, that healthcare professionals provide person- and family-centered care to the extent possible, promoting the safety of care. The family should be involved in the care of the person in the inpatient setting.

In Vitro Crude Protein Digestibility of Insects: A Review.

The high protein content of insects has been widely studied. They can be a good food alternative, and therefore it is important to study the effect of digestion on their protein. This review examines the different in vitro protein digestibility methodologies used in the study of different edible insects in articles published up to 2021. The most important variables to be taken into account in in vitro hydrolysis are the following: phases (oral, gastric and intestinal), enzymes, incubation time and temperature, method of quantification of protein hydrolysis and sample preprocessing. Insects have high digestibility data, which can increase or decrease depending on the processing of the insect prior to digestion, so it is important to investigate which processing methods improve digestibility. The most commonly used methods are gut extraction, different methods of slaughtering (freezing or blanching), obtaining protein isolates, defatting, thermal processing (drying or cooking) and extrusion. Some limitations have been encountered in discussing the results due to the diversity of methodologies used for digestion and digestibility calculation. In addition, articles evaluating the effect of insect processing are very limited. It is concluded that there is a need for the standardisation of in vitro hydrolysis protocols and their quantification to facilitate comparisons in future research.

The Implications of Family Members' Absence from Hospital Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Nurses' Perceptions.

BACKGROUND: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several measures were taken to prevent the transmission of infection in the hospital environment, including the restriction of visits. Little is known about the consequences of these directives, but it is expected that they will have various implications. Thus, this study aimed to understand the consequences of measures to restrict visits to hospitalized individuals. METHODS: A qualitative interpretive study was conducted through semistructured interviews with 10 nurses chosen by convenience. Content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti software, version 22 (Berlin, Germany). RESULTS: Twenty-two categories and eight subcategories were identified and grouped according to their scope: implications for the patient, implications for the family, and implications for care practice. CONCLUSIONS: The identified categories of implications of restricting hospital visits (implications for patients, relatives, and care practices) are incomparably more negative than positive and have a strong potential to cause safety events in the short to long term, also jeopardizing the quality of care. There is the risk of stagnation and even setback due to this removal of families from the hospital environment, not only in terms of safety and quality of care but also with regard to person- and family-centered care.

Apocynin Attenuates Diabetes-Induced Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction by Mitigating ROS Generation and Boosting Antioxidant Defenses in Fast-Twitch and Slow-Twitch Muscles.

In response to diabetes mellitus, skeletal muscle is negatively affected, as is evident by reduced contractile force production, increased muscle fatigability, and increased levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Apocynin is a widely used NADPH oxidase inhibitor, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. It has been effective for amelioration of a variety of disorders, including diabetic complications. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects and action mechanisms of apocynin in slow- and fast-twitch diabetic rat muscles. Male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by applying intraperitoneally a single dose of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg). Apocynin treatment (3 mg/kg/day) was administered over 8 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin tolerance and body weight gain were measured. Both slow (soleus) and fast (extensor digitorum longus, EDL) skeletal muscles were used for muscle function evaluation, oxidative stress markers, and evaluating gene expression using qRT-PCR. Treatment with apocynin significantly reduced FBG levels and enhanced insulin tolerance. Apocynin also prevented muscle contractile dysfunction in EDL muscle but had no significant effect on this parameter in soleus muscles. However, in both types of muscles, apocynin mitigated the oxidative stress by decreasing ROS levels and increasing total glutathione levels and redox state. Concomitantly, apocynin also statistically enhanced Nrf-2 and GLU4 mRNA expression and downregulated NOX2, NOX4, and NF-κB mRNA. Collectively, apocynin exhibits properties myoprotective in diabetic animals. These findings indicate that apocynin predominantly acts as an antioxidant in fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles but has differential impact on contractile function.

Pre-Treatment of Fish By-Products to Optimize Feeding of Tenebrio molitor L. Larvae.

Fish discards are organic waste with high and good-quality protein levels, as well as a fatty acid profile rich in n-3 LCPUFAs, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. These discards can be used as food for Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae, thus increasing the nutritional value of this insect. This study focused on increasing larval acceptance of fish through different pre-treatments of the diets provided, as well as increasing the accumulation of EPA and DHA in fish-fed larvae. Four different diets were prepared: control (broiler feed), DGF50: 50% dried ground fish (Pagellus bogaraveo, Brünnich, 1768) + 50% broiler feed, for different periods, FGF100: 100% fresh ground P. bogaraveo and DUF100: 100% dried whole unground P. bogaraveo. Growth, mortality, proximate composition, fatty acid profile and lipid nutritional indices were determined. Larvae fed with FGF100 displayed better results among treatments, doubling the initial weight, as well as increasing their protein level and decreasing fat levels. Regarding fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were only detected in larvae fed with a fish-based diet for a period longer than 5 days. These results show that pre-treatment of fish-based diets causes changes in the growth and compositional parameters of T. molitor larvae.

Fishmeal Dietary Replacement Up to 50%: A Comparative Study of Two Insect Meals for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The demand of optimal protein for human consumption is growing. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has highlighted aquaculture as one of the most promising alternatives for this protein supply gap due to the high efficiency of fish growth. However, aquaculture has been facing its own sustainability problem, because its high demand for protein has been traditionally satisfied with the use of fishmeal (FM) as the main source. Some of the most promising and sustainable protein substitutes for FM come from insects. The present manuscript provides insight into an experiment carried out on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with a 50% replacement of FM with different larvae insect meals: Hermetia illucens (HI), and Tenebrio molitor (TM). TM showed better results for growth, protein utilization and more active digestive function, supported by intestinal histological changes. Liver histology and intermediary metabolism did not show relevant changes between insect meals, while other parameters such as antioxidant enzyme activities and tissue damage indicators showed the potential of insect meals as functional ingredients.

Effect on Intermediary Metabolism and Digestive Parameters of the High Substitution of Fishmeal with Insect Meal in Sparus aurata Feed.

Hermetia illucens and Tenebrio molitor were tested on account of their potential to replace fish protein in feed. Two levels of replacement for H. illucens, 30% and 50% (H30 and H50), and one for T. molitor, 50% (T50), as well as an additional diet with a modified fatty acid fraction (H50M), were investigated in relation to juvenile Sparus aurata growth indices, enzyme activities and gut microbiome. A T50 diet showed similar results to a control (C) diet, with no significant differences regarding morphological indices and minor differences for nutritional indices. Regarding the gut microbiome, H50M was the diet which showed the more similar prokaryotic community to C, which suggests that fatty acid fractions might influence the composition of the gut microbiome. Nevertheless, differences appeared to be related to a redistribution of dominant species, while changes in species affiliation were limited to minoritary species. The positive correlation between some of these minoritary species (Peptostreptococcus russellii, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Weisella confusa) and several fish growth parameters might explain differences between control and insect diets. Deciphering such uncertainty and revealing the potential role these unusual species may play on fish performance should be addressed in future investigations.

Nicorandil decreases oxidative stress in slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers of diabetic rats by improving the glutathione system functioning.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Myopathy is a common complication of any diabetes type, consisting in failure to preserve mass and muscular function. Oxidative stress has been considered one of the main causes for this condition. This study aimed to search if Nicorandil, a KATP channel opener, could protect slow- and fast-twitch diabetic rat muscles from oxidative stress, and to unveil its possible mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by applying intraperitoneally streptozotocin (STZ) at 100 mg/kg doses. Nicorandil (3 mg/kg/day) was administered along 4 weeks. An insulin tolerance test and assessment of fasting blood glucose (FBG), TBARS, reduced (GSH), and disulfide (GSSG) glutathione levels, GSH/GSSG ratio, and mRNA expression of glutathione metabolism-related genes were performed at end of treatment in soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. RESULTS: Nicorandil significantly reduced FBG levels and enhanced insulin tolerance in diabetic rats. In gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, Nicorandil attenuated the oxidative stress by decreasing lipid peroxidation (TBARS), increasing total glutathione and modulating GPX1-mRNA expression in both muscle's types. Nicorandil also increased GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio and downregulated the GCLC- and GSR-mRNA in gastrocnemius, without significative effect on those enzymes' mRNA expression in diabetic soleus muscle. CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic rats, Nicorandil attenuates oxidative stress in slow- and fast-twitch skeletal muscles by improving the glutathione system functioning. The underlying mechanisms for the modulation of glutathione redox state and the transcriptional expression of glutathione metabolism-related genes seem to be fiber type-dependent.

Epidemiology of Hematologic Malignancies in Real-World Settings: Findings From the Hemato-Oncology Latin America Observational Registry Study.

PURPOSE: Limited information is available on multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) management in Latin America. The primary objective of the Hemato-Oncology Latin America (HOLA) study was to describe patient characteristics and treatment patterns of Latin American patients with MM, CLL, and NHL. METHODS: This study was a multicenter, retrospective, medical chart review of patients with MM, CLL, and NHL in Latin America identified between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015. Included were adults with at least 1 year of follow-up (except in cases of death within 1 year of diagnosis) treated at 30 oncology hospitals (Argentina, 5; Brazil, 9; Chile, 1; Colombia, 5; Mexico, 6; Panama/Guatemala, 4). RESULTS: Of 5,140 patients, 2,967 (57.7%) had NHL, 1,518 (29.5%) MM, and 655 (12.7%) CLL. Median follow-up was 2.2 years for MM, 3.0 years for CLL, and 2.2 years for NHL, and approximately 26% died during the study observation period. Most patients had at least one comorbidity at diagnosis. The most frequent induction regimen was thalidomide-based chemotherapy for MM and chlorambucil with or without prednisone for CLL. Most patients with NHL had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; 49.1%) or follicular lymphoma (FL; 19.5%). The majority of patients with DLBCL or FL received rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. CONCLUSION: The HOLA study generated an unprecedented level of high-quality, real-world evidence on characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with hematologic malignancies. Regional disparities in patient characteristics may reflect differences in ethnoracial identity and level of access to care. These data provide needed real-world evidence to understand the disease landscape in Latin America and may be used to inform clinical and health policy decision making.

Effects of chemical and handling exposure on fatty acids, oxidative stress and morphological welfare indicators in gilt-head sea bream (Sparus aurata).

This work investigates the changes in the morphological traits, body composition, body fat and oxidative stress of Sparus aurata under two stress conditions: a low weekly exposure to the pesticide Diuron and chronic handling stress. The fish exposed to handling stress showed lower values in the morphological traits and perivisceral fat, whereas chemical stress induced a decrease in the percentage of muscle and carcase and an increase in the percentage of spleen and hepatosomatic index. The two stress situations produced changes in the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) levels in all organs studied with a particularly marked response for Diuron in the gill. No significant differences in the ROS (reactive oxygen species) level were found for the digestive tract or the gill. In muscle, only Diuron produced a significant increase in ROS, while in liver, both treatments increased the ROS levels. This supports the oxidative stress sensitivity to chemical stress and shows that also could be an appropriate indicator of handling stress. The morphological indexes and body components examined could be practical and easy welfare indicators. Nevertheless, further works must be needed to use under the production conditions in fish farms.

Surfactant Effects on Microemulsion-Based Nanoparticle Synthesis.

The effect of the surfactant on the size, polydispersity, type of size distribution and structure of nanoparticles synthesized in microemulsions has been studied by computer simulation. The model simulates the surfactant by means of two parameters: the intermicellar exchange parameter, kex, related to dimer life time, and film flexibility parameter, f, related to interdroplet channel size. One can conclude that an increase in surfactant flexibility leads to bigger and polydisperse nanoparticle sizes. In addition, at high concentrations, the same reaction gives rise to a unimodal distribution using a flexible surfactant, and a bimodal distribution using a rigid one. In relation to bimetallic nanoparticles, if the nanoparticle is composed of two metals with a moderate difference in reduction potentials, increasing the surfactant flexibility modifies the nanoparticle structure, giving rise to a transition from a nanoalloy (using a rigid film) to a core-shell structure (using a flexible one).

Past use of amphetamines in candidates for gastric bypass surgery in a university hospital.

BACKGROUND: The authors evaluated the history of treatment in a population of patients awaiting gastric bypass surgery. METHODS: A standard questionnaire was used to evaluate the history of different therapeutic methods for weight loss in 312 patients between 13 and 70 years of age: 247 (79.2%) women and 66 (20.8%) men. RESULTS: BMI varied between 33.0 to 100.0 kg/m2. The most common therapeutic method for losing weight was the use of formulae containing amphetamines, n=270 (86.5%). Only a tendency could be found towards a difference between women and men regarding amphetamine utilization respectively: 218 (88.3%) vs 52 (80.0%); P=0.066. Patients used formulae for the first time at an average age of 22.5+/-8.0 years old (from 8 to 57 years old). 43.7% (n=118) of the patients who used amphetamines have never received any information about the drug, and 80.6% (n=216) regret using this option. Dry mouth was the most common side-effect reported, n=205 (81%). Women had more frequent reports of depression and tremors than men, 58.6% vs 40.0% (P=0.017) and 44% vs 25% (P=0.011) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Amphetamines were used on a large scale in this population and a high level of side-effects were observed. Women used them more frequently than men, and noted a higher level of side-effects.

Eating avoidance disorder and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome following gastric bypass: an under-diagnosed association.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and disordered eating behavior have been reported separately after bariatric surgery. We report a patient who following a bariatric operation developed WKS associated with a disturbed eating behavior without vomiting. This morbidly obese man developed an intense fear of gaining weight in the postoperative period and engaged in an extreme form of "food avoidance behavior". 2 months postoperatively after severe weight loss, he was hospitalized with disorientation and an amnesic syndrome. He was discharged 2 months later with stable weight and regular eating habits. Despite this, at the last follow-up visit 2 years postoperatively, he still had a residual partial amnesic syndrome. The surgical team must be aware of peculiar forms of pathological eating that may appear after bariatric surgery; the emergence of an eating avoidance disorder may be associated with the development of WKS.

[Giant uterine myoma]. / Mioma uterino gigante.

Giant uterine tumors, defined as weighing 11.4 kg (25 lb) or more, are uncommon. The last cases reported were published on May, 2003 by Oelsner and collaborators. We report the case of a 45-year old woman with a large abdominal mass and three-day history of constipation and respiratory difficulty. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, and a giant uterine myoma, which weighted 12.4 kg (27.3 lb), was found. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the fourth postoperative day.