www.udg.edu https://hdl.handle.net/2072/2054 2026-04-17T13:30:06Z 2026-04-17T13:30:06Z Barraza-Jáuregui, Gabriela Abanto Sánchez, Yolanda Luciana Rojas, Angie Alcántara, José Carlos Medina-Bocanegra, Daniel Antonio Alvarado-Quintana, Hernán Flores-Pérez, Alberto Hurtado Butrón, F. J. Sopán-Benaute, Carlos Morán Aguilar, María Guadalupe Vilaseca Morera, Fabiola https://hdl.handle.net/10256/28669 2026-04-17T00:30:24Z 2026-02-04T00:00:00Z

Sustainable bacterial cellulose production from avocado seed waste using a green biorefinery approach Barraza-Jáuregui, Gabriela; Abanto Sánchez, Yolanda Luciana; Rojas, Angie; Alcántara, José Carlos; Medina-Bocanegra, Daniel Antonio; Alvarado-Quintana, Hernán; Flores-Pérez, Alberto; Hurtado Butrón, F. J.; Sopán-Benaute, Carlos; Morán Aguilar, María Guadalupe; Vilaseca Morera, Fabiola In this study, avocado seed (AS) waste was used as a feedstock for bacterial cellulose (BC) production. Global avocado consumption continues to rise due to its recognised health benefits, resulting in substantial amounts of waste generated by the avocado processing industry. This work proposes the efficient utilisation of avocado seed residues—rich in fermentable sugars—to enhance the economic viability of BC production while supporting responsible agro-industrial waste management. Hydrolysed avocado seeds were incorporated into a modified Hestrin–Schramm (MHS) medium for BC production using Komagataeibacter xylinus as the bacterial strain. The BC membranes obtained from the modified medium (BC-MHS) exhibited higher production (1.93 g/L) and productivity (0.19 g/L·day) compared with those produced in the standard HS medium (BC-HS). The morphology and nanofibre diameter (11–85 nm) of the resulting BC were not significantly affected; however, BC-MHS showed higher crystallinity (~78%) and a higher degradation temperature (~357 °C) than BC-HS. Conversely, the modified medium slightly reduced the mechanical performance of the BC in terms of elongation at break, tensile strength, and Young’s modulus. Overall, avocado seed waste was successfully transformed into a value-added material, demonstrating its potential for agro-industrial waste valorisation through scalable and sustainable biorefinery processes; This research has been financed by the Concytec-World Bank Project "Improvement and Expansion of the Services of the National System of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation" 8682-PE, through its executing unit ProCiencia [Contract No. 006-2018-FONDECYT-BM-IADT-MU]. There was financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation to the project CEL-SENS (TED2021-132164B-C21), as well as the grant to finance research projects for climate change mitigation and adaptation from AGAUR (2023 CLIMA 00075) GreenELECTRO project; 9

2026-02-04T00:00:00Z Arbat Pujolràs, Gerard Gharsallah, Olfa Cufí González, Sílvia Ramírez de Cartagena Bisbe, Francisco Pinsach Boada, Jaume Romani, Marco Mira, Concepción Pedroso de Lima, Isabel Romeu, Gerardo Gonçalves, José Manuel Nunes, Manuel Abdrabbo A. A. Shehata AbouKheira Saad M.Metwaly Shebl Enginsu, Melih Ünan, Rasim Rienzner, Michele Facchi, Arianna https://hdl.handle.net/10256/28668 2026-04-17T00:30:23Z 2026-02-24T00:00:00Z

Status and perspectives for rice irrigation in the Mediterranean Basin Arbat Pujolràs, Gerard; Gharsallah, Olfa; Cufí González, Sílvia; Ramírez de Cartagena Bisbe, Francisco; Pinsach Boada, Jaume; Romani, Marco; Mira, Concepción; Pedroso de Lima, Isabel; Romeu, Gerardo; Gonçalves, José Manuel; Nunes, Manuel; Abdrabbo A. A. Shehata AbouKheira; Saad M.Metwaly Shebl; Enginsu, Melih; Ünan, Rasim; Rienzner, Michele; Facchi, Arianna Rice is cultivated on approximately 1,000,000 ha in the Mediterranean area, with production concentrated in Egypt, Italy, Türkiye, Spain, Grece and Portugal. In these areas, rice is traditionally established by wet seeding and cultivated under continuous flooding (WFL), which requires larger volumes of water compared to other irrigation practices. The aim of this study is to benchmark irrigation methods alternative to WFL across sites representative of the rice agro-ecosystems producing areas of 5 of the main rice-producing countries. For each site, WFL and one or more alternative methods, selected and adapted to site-specific conditions, were implemented and monitored for at least two years. The alternative methods included: alternate wetting and drying (AWD), dry seeding and delayed flooding (DFL), water input/output reduction (WIR), hybrid irrigation (HYBRID), sprinkler irrigation (SPRINKLER), surface drip irrigation (DRIP), and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). The results suggest that AWD, DFL and WIR, which are easy-to-implement flooding techniques, increase water productivity (WP) and preserve yield production. Both SPRINKLER and HYBRID showed a higher increase in WP (by about 50%) while maintaining or even increasing yield production, but at the cost of changes in irrigation management and investments for equipment purchases (limited in the case of HYBRID and greater for SPRINKLER). DRIP and SDI increasing WP by more than 100% but, sometimes, yield was significantly reduced. Additionally, pressurized irrigation methods, and especially DRIP and SDI, showed the need for careful consideration of site conditions (during system design and management) to avoid yield losses; Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. The present work was conducted in the context of MEDWATERICE project “Towards a sustainable water use in Mediterranean rice-based agro-ecosystems”, selected by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), under Section 2–2018; Topic: 1.1.3: Irrigation technologies and practices. The contribution of the MEDWATERICE partners was funded by their respective national funding agencies (MUR for Italy, STDF for Egypt, AEI and CDTI for Spain, ISERD for Israel, FCT for Portugal, TUBITAK for Türkiye); 9; 13

2026-02-24T00:00:00Z Rodríguez Bravo, Judith https://hdl.handle.net/10256/28671 2026-04-16T22:57:09Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Evaluation of ureteral stents in bricker urinary diversion after radical cystectomy; randomized clinical trial Rodríguez Bravo, Judith Background: Radical cystectomy followed by Bricker-type ileal conduit urinary diversion is the standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Currently, the placement of ureteral stents is the gold standard to protect the uretero-ileal anastomosis. However, these devices are associated with significant morbidity, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), hematuria, and physical discomfort. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the incidence of early, mid-term, and long-term postoperative complications between patients undergoing radical cystectomy with Bricker diversion without ureteral stents (stentless) versus the standard procedure with stents. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial involving nine hospitals in Catalonia. A total of 404 patients will be randomized 1:1 into two groups: the experimental group (stentless) and the control group (standard 6-7 Fr Mono-J stents). The primary endpoint is the incidence of complications within 12 months, measured by the Clavien-Dindo Classification System. Secondary variables include UTI rates, length of hospital stay, renal function evolution (eGFR and creatinine), and patient-reported pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Expected Impact: If the stentless approach proves non-inferior, it could transform the standard of care by reducing stent-associated morbidity, enhancing patient physical comfort, and optimizing healthcare resources within the public health system; 3

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Panadés Villalobos, Paula https://hdl.handle.net/10256/28670 2026-04-16T22:57:08Z 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z

Implementation of a standardized phenotyping-based diagnostic protocol in hereditary ataxias: a multicentric parallel cluster randomized trial Panadés Villalobos, Paula Background: Hereditary ataxias comprise a heterogeneous group of rare neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive loss of coordination and extensive clinical and genetic variability. The current diagnostic process is often prolonged and observer-dependent, with an average delay of several years and only half of patients achieving a confirmed genetic diagnosis. Objective: This study aims to design and evaluate a standardized phenotyping-based diagnostic protocol to increase the proportion of genetically confirmed cases within the first year of clinical assessment, as well as to extend current knowledge on the clinical and phenotypic spectrum of hereditary ataxias and its correlation with genotype. Methods: A multicentre parallel cluster randomized trial (CRT) will be conducted across six hospitals in Catalonia. Hospitals will be randomized to either the implementation of a new diagnostic protocol, which integrates structured neurological, oculomotor, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging assessment, or to continue routine diagnostic practice. The primary outcome will be the proportion of confirmed molecular diagnosis within the first 12 months of clinical evaluation. Expected impact: By providing a structured approach to the diagnostic process, this protocol is expected to shorten diagnostic delays, therefore facilitating access to therapeutic and supportive strategies, from potential treatments and genetic counseling to reproductive planning and social support, overall improving quality of care for individuals with hereditary ataxia; 3

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