A Web-Based Telemanagement System for Patients With Complex Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Background: Telemedicine has been successfully used to provide inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with health care services remotely via the implementation of information and communications technology, which uses safe and feasible apps that have been well accepted by patients in remission. However, the design of telemedicine apps in this setting involves difficulties that hinder the adherence of patients to the follow-up plans and the efficacy of these systems to improve disease activity and quality of life. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the development of a Web platform, Telemonitoring of Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (TECCU), for remote monitoring of patients with …
Fish Welfare in Aquaponic Systems: Its Relation to Water Quality with an Emphasis on Feed and Faeces—A Review
Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (fish) and hydroponic cultivation of plants. This review examines fish welfare in relation to rearing water quality, fish feed and fish waste and faeces to develop a sustainable aquaponic system where the co-cultured organisms, fish, bacteria in biofilters and plants, should be considered holistically in all aquaponics operations. Water quality parameters are the primary environmental consideration for optimizing aquaponic production and for directly impacting fish welfare/health issues and plant needs. In aquaponic systems, the uptake of nutrients should be maximised for the healthy production of the plant biomass but without neglecting the best…
A Web-Based Telemanagement System for Improving Disease Activity and Quality of Life in Patients With Complex Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Background: The reported efficacy of telemedicine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is inconsistent among studies, and data for complex IBD are lacking. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the impact of remote monitoring using a Web system—Telemonitorizacion de la Enfermedad de Crohn y Colitis Ulcerosa or Telemonitoring of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (TECCU)—as compared to standard care and telephone care on health outcomes and health care in patients with complex IBD. Methods: We performed a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. Adult patients with IBD who received immunosuppressants and biological agents were recruited from the IBD Unit of a tertiary university hospita…
Whole-Blood Mitochondrial DNA Copies Are Associated With the Prognosis of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome After Sepsis
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory process of the lungs that develops primarily in response to pulmonary or systemic sepsis, resulting in a disproportionate death toll in intensive care units (ICUs). Given its role as a critical activator of the inflammatory and innate immune responses, previous studies have reported that an increase of circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a biomarker for fatal outcome in the ICU. Here we analyzed the association of whole-blood mtDNA (wb-mtDNA) copies with 28-day survival from sepsis and sepsis-associated ARDS. We analyzed mtDNA data from 687 peripheral whole-blood samples within 24 h of sepsis diagnosis from unrelat…