Alternative Research Articles

Changes After a Conventional vs. an Alternative Therapy Program on Physical, Psychological, and Injury-Related Parameters in Male Youth Soccer Players With Patellar Tendinopathy During Return to Competition.

Niering, M and Muehlbauer, T. Changes after a conventional vs. an alternative therapy program on physical, psychological and injury-related parameters in male youth soccer players with patellar tendinopathy during return to competition. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1834-1843, 2023-Changes after a conventional (CON) vs. alternative (ALT) therapy program on physical, psychological, and injury-related or pain-related parameters in soccer players with patellar tendinopathy (PT) during return to competition were examined. Thirty-four male youth soccer players (15-16 years) with PT were randomly assigned to a CON ( n = 18) or ALT ( n = 16) program. The ALT program consisted of 60 minutes of balance training, eccentric and isometric exercises, static stretching, and a dual-task progression. The CON program consisted of 30 minutes of eccentric and isometric exercises and static stretching. Both programs were conducted until painlessness was reported during full training load. Assessments of muscle power (drop jump, jump and reach), change of direction speed (CODS) (acyclic sprint), speed (tapping, 30-m linear sprint), endurance (Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level-1), the Achievement Motives Scale Sport, and injury-related or pain-related correlates were performed immediately, 6 weeks, 16 weeks, and 20 weeks after the respective therapy program. Players in the ALT group required a shorter program duration (ALT: 47.1 ± 15.6 days, CON: 58.2 ± 24.6 days) and achieved the same (muscle power, speed, endurance) or greater (CODS) improvements in physical performances, the same enhancements in psychological measures (achievement motives), and better values for injury-related or pain-related correlates (injury incidence, pain-related training interruptions). Results indicate that both programs effectively improve relevant outcome parameters in players with PT. The ALT therapy is more time efficient than the CON therapy. Therapists should consider this multimodal training program for effective treatment of athletes to shorten their return to competition time and minimize the risk of secondary injuries.

Exploration versus exploitation: how interorganizational power dependence influences SME product innovation? An empirical study in China

PurposeInterorganizational power dependence has become an increasingly important factor for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve product innovation. This paper examines the role of power dependence in SMEs' product innovation trade-offs between exploration and exploitation. The article further studies the mediating effect of supply chain adaptability and the moderating effect of knowledge acquisition on the relationship between power dependence and product innovation.Design/methodology/approachThe study proposes a model to verify the impact of power dependence on SMEs' product innovation trade-offs based on social network theory. Two conceptually independent constructs, “availability of alternatives (ALTRN)” and “restraint in the use of power (RSPTW),” are used to evaluate the power dependence. The model also analyzed how these effects are mediated by supply chain adaptability and moderated by knowledge acquisition. The authors test these relationships using data collected from 224 SMEs in China.FindingsThe empirical analysis shows that ALTRN has a more substantial effect on exploration for product innovation, while RSTPW has a more significant impact on exploitation for product innovation. Moreover, empirical data indicate a partial mediating effect by supply chain adaptability between power dependence and product innovation of SMEs. The results also show that knowledge acquisition positively moderates the relationship between ALTRN/RSTPW, supply chain adaptability and product innovation.Originality/valueOverall, the findings of the study advance the understanding of the roles of power dependence in product innovation for SMEs. In addition, the research also uncovers the impact mechanisms of existing theoretical frameworks and extends the boundaries of the theory.

Leptin And Prolactin Responses During And After Exercise At Constant Or Alternating Intensity

Differential hormonal responses have been reported during exercise and recovery depending on the intensity and/or duration of exercise. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine leptin and prolactin responses during and after exercise protocols of the same mean intensity and duration but performed at constant (CON) or alternating (ALT) intensity in healthy participants. METHODS: Ten healthy males (age: 24.7 ± 4.7 yrs, body mass: 78.5 ± 8.9 kg, height: 180.8 ± 6 cm, body fat: 9.1 ± 3.1%, VO2max: 47.9 ± 6.5 ml/kg/min, lactate threshold (LT): 67.4 ± 3.6% of VO2max, hear rate (HR)max: 188 ± 12 b/min) underwent in a random order two cycling exercise protocols, each lasting 1 hour. On one occasion, exercise intensity was alternated between 47% of VO2max for 40 seconds and 120% of VO2max for 20 seconds, so as the mean intensity was the same, i.e., at 105% of LT. On the other occasion, exercise was constant at 105% of LT. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used for statistics and data are presented as mean ± SD. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in leptin and prolactin concentrations between the two protocols at any time point measured (p = 0.77 and p = 0.80, respectively). However, in CON leptin decreased (p < 0.05) between Rest and 30 min and 60 min Exercise, as well as 60 min Post Exercise, in contrast with ALT, where leptin values did not significantly alter over time (Rest: 1.70 ± 1.22 ng/ml vs 1.36 ± 1.14 ng/ml, 30 min Exercise: 0.84 ± 0.51 ng/ml vs 1.38 ± 1.10, 60 min Exercise: 0.70 ± 0.47 ng/ml vs 0.86 ± 0.50 ng/ml, 60 min Post Exercise: 1.03 ± 0.71 vs 1.21 ± 1.01 ng/ml in CON and ALT, respectively). In ALT, prolactin levels decreased (p = 0.01) at 60 min Exercise (1.30 ± 0.64 ng/ml), compared to Rest (2.20 ± 0.88 ng/ml), while in CON there were not significantly changes over time (Rest:1.94 ± 0.95 ng/ml, 30 min Exercise: 1.57 ± 0.51 ng/ml, 60 min Exercise: 1.52 ± 0.73 ng/ml, 60 min Post Exercise: 1.61 ± 0.74 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: CON and ALT exercise performed at mean intensity of 70% of VO2max appeared to induce similar leptin and prolactin responses during and 1 hour after the end of exercise. These findings suggest that specific hormonal responses to cycling exercise protocols of the same mean intensity and duration are not affected by the form (constant or alternating intensity) of exercise.

Scanning strategy induced cracking and anisotropic weakening in grain texture of additively manufactured superalloys

In this work, a multiphysics process model is utilized to explain an observed correlation between cracking and anisotropic texture weakening of a Ni-based superalloy additively produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Six LPBF scanning strategies were implemented on the IN738LC superalloy, revealing significant variations in crack densities and grain textures. The microstructural analysis confirmed solidification cracks by dendritic surfaces and preferential locations in carbide-deficient regions. The cracking susceptibility was found relating to a specific kind of texture weakening, in which columnar grains revolve around the building direction to reduce grain texture and generate crack susceptible high-angle grain boundaries (HAGB). The melt pools and solidification conditions simulated by a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) based process model indicate texture weakening originating from the non-epitaxial solidification region (NSR) with excessively scattered thermal gradient vectors. The simulated melt pool shapes and the estimated propensity of NSR agree with the cracking and texture tendencies observed. In general, for columnar grain structure, scanning strategies such as rotation on (RO) and alternating (ALT) generate stronger grain texture and less HAGB beneficial for crack suppression. The findings also promote the considerations of scanning vector arrangements in LPBF process for crack susceptible superalloys.

Translation, ideology, and creativity

Early translation studies scholars explored the relationship between translation and literary creation, showing that translation serves innovative purposes in literary systems that are in crisis, or that are weak or relatively young. Translation also acts as an ‘alibi ’for the introduction of difference. These early explorations leave out the role of ideology in the creative aspects of translation, a role articulated in both discourse theory and postcolonial theory. As a form of linguistic interface, translation introduces discourse shifts, destabilizes received meanings, creates altern ate views of reality, establishes new representations, and makes possible new identities. All these changes can produce creative results in a literary system and a culture. These creative dimensions of translation are particularly apparent in post-colonial contexts, illustrated here by the nexus of language interface, translation, and literary creativity in Ireland from the end of the nineteenth century to the present.

The great Clean

Retrofitting existing diesel engines with greener al ternatives is proving to be a popular approach to el ectrifying the rail sector in the UK and offers un paralleled speed to market

Designing Generation Change in Family Firms: Lessons from Italy

In Italy, as in most other European countries, around 85-90% (in absolute numbers: 780,000) of all enterprises are family firms, which contribute to 80% of GDP and account for 70% of employment. 60% of publicly-traded corporations have a family as majority shareholder. However, only 20% of the family firms survive until the third generation. Already these first figures show the crucial importance of intergenerational succession in Italian family firms. In the management literature, family firms, and especially the topic of management succession, are widely investigated. Lawyers, on the contrary, still lag behind in this research field. The present paper seeks to close the research gap. First, the legal prototype for the governance of generation change processes in Italian family firms, i.e. the patto di famiglia (family pact) is analysed. The many limits and practical constraints surrounding this legislative product makes it necessary to look at alternati ve private orderings devices and evaluate their pros and cons. Thus, attention is drawn to the succession planning choices made by important Italian family firms (Benetton, Caprotti and Brunello Cucinelli), which opted for a regulation mainly in the corporate charter or by way of testament or trust. The casestudy approach here followed shall contribute to the better understanding of the practical tools employed in the design of such generation change and make them available for a broader comparative circulation.

37 Evaluation of Methane and Carbon Dioxide Production in Growing and Finishing Cattle Raised in Conventional or Confinement-based Herds

Abstract Cattle originating from 2 different herds were used during growing and finishing programs to evaluate differences in CH4 and CO2 production. The conventional (CONV) herd used spring calving, summer grass grazing, and winter corn residue grazing. An alternate (ALT) herd housed cows in confinement pens during summer, calved in summer, grazed cover crops in fall and grazed corn residue before returning to confinement pens in spring. Each herd had 4 groups of 20 cows. For 2 years calves from each herd were weaned at the same age and then fed ad libitum for a 120-d growing (GR) period and fed a forage-based diet (NEg 1.23 Mcal/kg). Cattle were then adapted to a grain-based finishing (FIN) diet (NEg 1.51 Mcal/kg) and fed until reaching 1.27 cm backfat. Both CH4 and CO2 were collected in two pen-scale chambers by collecting air samples continuously from each pen ambient air. Each group was evaluated in the pen-scale chambers for 5 days during both the GR and FIN phases. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with day in barn as a repeated measure. Whether cattle originated from CONV or ALT had no impact (P &amp;gt; 0.25) on CH4 or CO2 production. Feeding GR resulted in greater (P &amp;lt; 0.03) CH4 than FIN in grams per day (125.4 vs 117.5), grams per kg of intake (16.1 vs 11.5), or g per kg of body weight (0.50 vs 0.24). Greater CO2 production was observed for FIN as compared to GR which is due to greater size and energy intake. Diet impacts CH4 more so than cow-calf production system cattle originate from.

Egg Production Systems, Open Space Allowance and Their Effects on Physical Parameters and Fatty Acid Profile in Commercial Eggs.

Simple SummaryAnimal welfare is a major concern in consumer’s decision about animal products. Nowadays it is possible to find eggs produced in various systems closer or not to hens’ specific behavioural requirements. In this study we compared physical characteristics and fatty acid profile (being the nutritional value of the egg intimately linked to its lipids content) in four differently labelled eggs according to the production system: enriched cage, alternative (small outdoor area), litter floor and organic (large outdoor area). We found many significant differences in both physical characteristics and fatty acids profiles as an effect of the production system and the outdoor space availability.Food function is nowadays not merely limited to nourishment supplying; consumers’ interest is oriented to food healthiness and nutritional value, animal welfare, environmental impact of animal productions, and products’ traceability. The objective of the present work is to compare physical parameters and fatty acids profiles of market eggs produced from hens housed in four different systems. In addition, the effects of the presence of an outdoor space allowance (IND = no outdoor space allowance, OUT = outdoor space allowance) on the same parameters have been investigated. Sixty-nine market eggs from four different production systems labelled as Alternative (ALT), Enriched Cage (ECA), Litter Floor (LIF), and Organic (ORG) have been analysed. Physical parameters and fatty acid concentrations were measured. An ANOVA analysis was performed with production system and outdoor space allowance as sources of variation, two Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were carried out with physical parameters and fatty acid parameters as variables. The effects of the complex interactions occurring among production system, hen welfare, and eggs quality have been analysed in marketed eggs leading to the conclusion that eggs from different production systems available on the market are characterized by differences in fatty acid profile and physical parameters. In physical parameters the differences among systems were influenced by the whole egg weight, albumen weight and yolk weight. In fatty acids parameters the determining variables are the content in polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA), linoleic acid concentration, and n6/n3 ratio.

An Efficient Approach for Time-Fractional Damped Burger and Time-Sharma-Tasso-Olver Equations Using the FRDTM

The objective of this paper is to use the fractional reduced differential transform method (FRDTM) to find approximate analytical solutions to the time-fractional Sharma-Tasso-Olver equation and the time-fractional damped Burger equation. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. We compare our results with those from existing methods such as the homotopy analysis method (HAM), variation iteration method (VIM) and the Adomian decomposition method (ADM). Also, the results we obtained in this paper are in a good agreement with the exact solutions; hence, this technique is powerful and efficient as an alternat ive method for finding approximate and exact solutions for nonlinear fract ional PDEs.

Beyond Vision: Can the account of visual perception be generalised to olfaction?

The conceptualizations of perception have operated on a visuocentric assumption, taking visual perception as their central case. This paper analyses whether the account of visual perception can be generalized to the case of olfaction by contrasting the vision-as-paradigm (VAP) approach and the alternative (ALT) approach.

Analytical study on seismic response of RC and steel structures with fluid viscous dampers

This paper presents a comparative study of the performance of Fluid Viscous Damper (FVD) in mitigating the seismic response of both Reinforced Concrete (RC) and Steel structures. The aim of the study is to understand the behavior of the seismic resistant structures and to study the advantages of FVD over other dampers. The study is done to determine the optimum positioning of FVD in order to reduce the storey displacements and storey drifts. G+3, G+5, G+7 RC and steel structures were modeled in SAP2000 software and were subjected to non linear time history analysis under three different earthquake ground motions such as Imperial Valley – 02 (1940), Loma Prieta (1989) and Northridge-01 (1994). The dampers were placed in four different configurations such as alternate (AT), corner (CR), diagonal (DL) and middle (ML). The seismic response parameters such as the storey displacements and the storey drifts were determined for the structures. It is found that the presence of FVD reduces the storey displacement and storey drift values to about 40-70% from the uncontrolled structure. It is also understood that the optimum positioning of the dampers is greatly influenced by the aspect ratio of the building.

Lithium-Ion Battery Parameters and State of Charge Joint Estimation Using Bias Compensation Least Squares and the Alternate Algorithm

For safe and efficient operation of electric vehicles (EVs), battery management system is essential. Nevertheless, a challenge lying in battery management systems is how to obtain an algorithm for state of charge (SOC) estimation that has both high accuracy and low computational cost. For this purpose, the battery parameters and SOC joint estimation algorithm based on bias compensation least squares and alternate (BCLS-ALT) algorithm are proposed in this paper. The battery model parameters are identified online using the bias compensation least squares (BCLS), while the SOC is estimated applying the alternate (ALT) algorithm, which can switch the computational logic between H-infinity filter (HIF) and ampere-hour integral (AHI) to improve the computational efficiency and accuracy. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the SOC estimated by the BCLS-ALT algorithm is the highest, and the computational efficiency is also high, with the switching threshold SOCALT being set to 25%. Despite the 20% initial error and the 10% current drift, the proposed BCLS-ALT algorithm can obtain high accuracy and robustness of SOC estimation under different ambient temperatures and dynamic load profiles.

Effects of A Concentrate Rich in Agro-Industrial By-Products on Productivity Results, Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality Traits of Finishing Heifers.

Simple SummaryIn geographic areas where it is not possible to finish beef cattle on pastures or preserved forages, diets are mainly based on cereals. This intensive feeding system competes for feed with other species and does not take advantage of the capacity of ruminants to digest fibrous feeds. Moreover, cereal-rich diets for ruminants cannot be considered sustainable under current policy guidelines and make no significant contribution to the circular bioeconomy. We assayed an alternative intensive finishing diet for beef heifers where agro-industrial by-products, some of them highly fibrous ones, comprised 73.5% of the concentrate. We found that there were no differences in growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits between treatments, which might be considered positive from the point of view of sustainability of beef production. We also found that instrumental measures of meat related to important sensory attributes for consumer acceptance can be improved by increasing ageing time from 7 to 21 or 28 days.Finishing diets in intensive beef production systems are mainly based on cereals, which does not take advantage of the capacity of the ruminant digestive system to digest fibrous feeds, cannot be considered sustainable and does not contribute to the circular bioeconomy. Our aim was to investigate the effects of an alternative concentrate rich in agro-industrial by-products for finishing crossbred Limousine heifers. Four pens with 12 heifers and four pens with 13 heifers were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: control (CON), a commercial concentrate with a 43.3% cereal composition, and alternative (ALT), a concentrate with a composition of 26% cereals and up to 73.5% agro-industrial by-products. Growth performance data were collected along the 91 days of the experimental period. Carcass characteristics were collected after slaughter and 24 h later. Vacuum-packaged samples from longissimus muscle were aged for 7, 21 or 28 days to study meat quality traits. Feed intake was higher and feed conversion rate was lower in the ALT treatment, but no differences were found in average daily gain and feeding costs. Treatment had no effects on any of the measured carcass traits (grading, hot and cold carcass weight, dressing out, chilling losses, subcutaneous fat depth, pH, temperature and lean and fat colour) nor on the meat quality traits (drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, oxidative stability, chromatic indices and pigment contents). Ageing time decreased drip loss and shear force, increased lightness and did not affect redness or surface colour stability. In conclusion, feeding crossbred Limousine heifers a finishing diet rich in agro-industrial by-products did not have any negative effects on performance, carcass and meat quality traits, which might be considered positive from the point of view of sustainability of beef production. Under the conditions assayed, ageing for 21 and 28 days improved tenderness of meat, without detrimental effects on oxidative stability or traits related to visual acceptability.

Cardiovascular Response To Unilateral, Bilateral, And Alternating Exercises With Blood Flow Restriction

The cardiovascular response induced by resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) seems to be lower or comparable to traditional exercise in healthy individuals. However, the potential for BFR to be used for at risk populations highlights a need to further attenuate the cardiovascular response, potentially via the modality of exercise. PURPOSE: To compare the cardiovascular response to unilateral (UN), bilateral (BI), and alternating (AL) BFR exercise. METHODS: 13 males and 7 females performed four sets (30 seconds rest) of UN, BI, and AL knee-extensions to failure with 30% one-repetition maximum and 40% arterial occlusion pressure. Pulse wave analysis was measured before and after exercise. Data, presented as mean (SD), were analyzed using Bayesian RMANOVA. RESULTS: AL caused greater changes in: aortic systolic [ΔmmHg: AL=21 (8); UN=13 (10); BI=15 (7); BF10=29.63], diastolic [ΔmmHg: AL=13 (8); UN=7 (10); BI=8 (7); BF10=5.13], and mean arterial [ΔmmHg: AL=19 (8); UN=11 (10); BI=13 (7); BF10=48.39] blood pressures. Brachial [ΔmmHg*bpm: AL=4945 (2340); UN=3218 (1412); BI=3461 (1430); BF10=31.74] and aortic [ΔmmHg*bpm: AL=6134 (2479); UN=4200 (1722); BI=4525 (1664); BF10=114.83] rate pressure product as well as heart rate [Δbpm: AL=26 (14); UN=18 (8); BI=19 (11); BF10=5.82] were also greatest with AL. Augmentation pressure [ΔmmHg: UN=-3 (5); BI=-2 (6); AL=-1 (6); BF10=0.19], pulse pressure [ΔmmHg: UN=6 (6); BI=7 (7); AL=8 (5); BF10=0.27], augmentation index [Δ%: UN=-6 (12); BI=-7 (11); AL=-6 (16); BF10=0.16], wave reflection magnitude [Δ%: UN=-5 (8); BI=-5 (7); AL=-4 (7); BF10=0.15], forward wave height [ΔmmHg: UN=8 (6); BI=8 (6); AL=8 (4); BF10=0.15], and reflected wave height [ΔmmHg: UN=1 (3); BI=2 (4); AL=3 (3); BF10=0.31] were not different between conditions. Exercise volume was greater in AL [kg: AL=1835 (1725); UN=915 (312); BI=893 (313); BF10=29.17]. Ratings of perceived exertion (BF10=3.99e+144) and discomfort (BF10=2.0e+73) increased with sets. AL had an elevated discomfort (BF10=5548.97). CONCLUSION: The greater cardiovascular response following alternating BFR exercise in healthy individuals, suggests those at risk of a cardiovascular event should choose unilateral or bilateral BFR exercise until further work determines the degree to which this modality can be tolerated.

Acute cardiovascular response to unilateral, bilateral, and alternating resistance exercise with blood flow restriction.

Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise is a common alternative to traditional high-load resistance exercise used to increase muscle size and strength. Some populations utilizing BFR at a low load may wish to limit their cardiovascular response to exercise. Different contraction patterns may attenuate the cardiovascular response, but this has not been compared using BFR. To compare the cardiovascular response to unilateral (UNI), bilateral (BIL), and alternating (ALT) BFR exercise contraction patterns. Twenty healthy participants performed four sets (30s rest) of knee extensions to failure, using 30% one-repetition maximum, 40% arterial occlusion pressure, and each of the three contraction patterns (on different days, at the same time of day, separated by 2-10days, randomized). Cardiovascular responses, presented as pre- to post-exercise mean changes (SD), were measured using pulse wave analysis and analyzed with Bayesian RMANOVA. ALT caused greater changes in: aortic systolic [ΔmmHg: ALT = 21(8); UNI = 13(11); BIL = 15(8); BF10 = 29.599], diastolic [ΔmmHg: ALT = 13(8); UNI = 7(11); BIL = 8(8); BF10 = 5.175], and mean arterial [ΔmmHg: ALT = 19(8); UNI = 11(11); BIL = 13(7); BF10 = 48.637] blood pressures. Aortic [ΔmmHgbpm: ALT = 4945(2340); UNI = 3294(1408); BIL = 3428 (1461); BF10 = 113.659] and brachial [ΔmmHgbpm: ALT = 6134(2761); UNI = 4300(1709); BIL = 4487(1701); BF10 = 31.845] rate pressure products, as well as heart rate [Δbpm: ALT = 26(14); UNI = 19(8); BIL = 19(11); BF10 = 5.829] were greatest with ALT. Augmentation index [Δ%: UNI = -6(13); BIL = -7(11); ALT = -5(16); BF10 = 0.155] and wave reflection magnitude [Δ%: UNI = -5(9); BIL = -4(7); ALT = -4(7); BF10 = 0.150] were not different. Those at risk of a cardiovascular event may choose unilateral or bilateral BFR exercise over alternating until further work determines the degree to which it can be tolerated.

CROHN'S DISEASE: EXPERIMENTAL MODELS AND THERAPEUTIC ALTERNATIVES

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic disease of idiopathic cause that triggers an severe inflammatory condition . This inflammation has a transmural characteristic that can affect all the intestinal (mucosa, submucosa, muscular and serous) . To understand the pathogenesis therapeutic measures are used through experimental models that ar e used in animals that resemble humans due to the inflammation process stimulating new therapeutic strategies . The aim of this study is to evaluate the experimental therapeutic strategies for Crohn's disease, including the advantages and disadvantages of t he experimental models.The study methodology is an exploratory bibliographic review, using secondary sources from the LILACS, MEDLINE, PUBMED, SCIELO database and, using scientific articles fr om the last 10 years , in Portuguese and English. Development incl udes experimental models to induce intestinal inflammatory diseases in rodents, and trinitrobenzenesulfonic (TNBS), dinitrobenzene sulfonic (DNBS), sodium dextran sulfate (DSS) and acetic acid are among the methods used.The most widely used therapeutic alt ernatives for the treatment of DC as natural methods are propolis, Trichiliacatigua , Zatariamultiflora , methyl jasmonate, resver atrol, copaiba oil and curcumina . Among the different methods used to simulate DC, we highlight the frequent use of TNBS in rode nts. The therapeutic alternatives used experimentally have properties to minimize inflammatory tissue characteristics. &nbsp

Effective degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls by a facultative anaerobic bacterial consortium using alternating anaerobic aerobic treatments

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic mixtures of chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds that were widely used in the past and still found in the environment due to their highly recalcitrant nature. A combination of anaerobic dechlorination and aerobic oxidation is essential to degrade these PCB mixtures into less toxic products. It was hypothesized that due to the complexity of PCB mixtures, a consortium of carefully selected suitable microbial species will perform better than the application of individual microbes. In the present study, biodegradation of the commercial PCB mixture, Aroclor 1260, was studied under two different combined anaerobic-aerobic conditions, namely, alternating (AN) and two stage (TS). The facultative anaerobic bacterial consortium consisted of naturally occurring Achromobacter sp. NP03, Ochrobactrum sp. NP04 and Lysinibacillus sp. NP05. These bacteria were found capable as individuals of solubilizing and degrading PCBs under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. 49.2 ± 2.5% total reduction of the original 50 mg/L Aroclor 1260 mixture was achieved after 2 weeks in AN treatment whereas the reduction was only 24.44 ± 2.46% in TS treatment. At the end of week 6, a yield of 17.63 ± 0.91 mg/L chloride released was measured under AN condition compared to 11.79 ± 1.28 mg/L measured under TS condition. The overall results suggested that the microbial consortia capable of degrading and utilizing PCBs under both, anaerobic and aerobic conditions achieved better PCB degradation by repeated exposure to short periods of anaerobic and aerobic conditions alternatingly rather than the conventional two stage anaerobic-aerobic conditions.

PHP103 - Analysis of Minimization of Costs of Equivalent Therapeutic Alternatives (ATE) in a General Hospital of Belo Horizonte / Mg, Brazil

To perform Cost Minimization Analysis (AMC) of the Therapeutic Equivalent Alternatives (ATE) of the pharmacotherapeutic form of an important hospital in Belo Horizonte/MG, to demonstrate that the adoption of drugs considered as ATE promotes significant reduction in the costs of purchasing the medicines included in the hospital form. The study was divided in two stages: 1) Study of the evidence of the 79 drugs considered ATE by the hospital of the research, with search in the literature in the data sources: Micromedex, Ministry of Health - ANVISA, Pubmed, Lilacs, The Cochrane Library and GENESIS Group, from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy - SEFH. The parameters used for the analysis of the evidence were the following: Therapeutic similarity of drugs proven by the literature; Tolerability; No inferiority in clinical response in the population; Power and dosage adjustment; Acceptable adverse reactions. ; 2) ATE AMC who have comparative studies of therapeutic equivalence. Calculation of the variation of expenditures (in $Reais) of ATE acquisition, based on the average of national prices registered in the Chamber of Medicinal Products (CMED), according to the average monthly consumption (CMM) of the hospital and the daily dose defined (DDD) , for each group analyzed. Of the 79 pharmaceutical specialties identified as ATE, 55.7% had scientific studies supporting therapeutic equivalence with potential for interchangeability. The difference in monthly acquisition costs for 16 ATE groups analyzed, represented a reduction of 34.25% in the purchase of medicines. In public health, this type of analysis can play a fundamental role in the periodic analysis of the Rational Drug Use Policy, seeking the best way to economize with drug acquisition, promoting the adoption of equivalent therapeutic alternatives(ATE) and the possibility of price regulation, especially in the process called "health judicialization phenomenon", which has been occurring in Brazil.

Costs and cost-efficacy analysis of the 2017 GESIDA/Spanish National AIDS Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults

IntroductionGESIDA and the Spanish National AIDS Plan panel of experts have recommended preferred (PR), alternative (AR) and other regimens (OR) for antiretroviral therapy (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2017. The objective of this study was to evaluate the costs and the efficiency of initiating treatment with PR and AR. MethodsEconomic assessment of costs and efficiency (cost-efficacy) based on decision tree analyses. Efficacy was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied considering only differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, resistance studies and HLA B*5701 screening. The setting was Spain and the costs correspond to those of 2017. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. ResultsIn the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranged from 6882 euro for TFV/FTC/RPV (AR) to 10,904 euros for TFV/FTC+RAL (PR). The efficacy varied from 0.82 for TFV/FTC+DRV/p (AR) to 0.92 for TAF/FTC/EVG/COBI (PR). The efficiency, in terms of cost-efficacy, ranged from 7923 to 12,765 euros per responder at 48 weeks, for ABC/3TC/DTG (PR) and TFV/FTC+RAL (PR), respectively. ConclusionConsidering ART official prices, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC/DTG (PR), followed by TFV/FTC/RPV (AR) and TAF/FTC/EVG/COBI (PR).