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BACKGROUND: The paper describes a diagnostically challenging case of recurrent fever with an atypical course in a 55-year-old man. The authors highlight the significant difficulty in reaching a correct diagnosis, as well as the doubts and problems associated with the diagnostics. They suggest considering brucellosis as a diagnosis based on the patient's history and the course of the disease characterized by fluctuating, intermittent, and nocturnal fever. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to present an atypical and diagnostically challenging case of recurrent febrile episodes in a 55-year-old man. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive diagnostic workup, including laboratory tests, imaging, and specialist consultations, was conducted. The patient's medical history, physical examination, and various diagnostic tests were analyzed. RESULTS: In a patient with recurrent episodes of fever, an infection with Brucella spp. was detected, which was effectively treated with long-term antibiotic therapy. Imaging and laboratory diagnostics, along with specialist consultations, helped rule out other potential causes of the symptoms. The patient achieved lasting improvement following the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high probability that the patient was infected with Brucella bacteria. Diagnostic challenges and the rarity of the disease, considered non-existent in Poland, hinder prompt confirmation or exclusion of infection. The authors aimed to highlight the possibility of a higher frequency of brucellosis in Poland. They suggest that Brucella bacteria may still be present, causing chronic, unrecognized, recurrent fevers. Based on the case analysis, the authors indicate that the frequent occurrence of this disease in Poland might be higher than reported by statistics.

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Crisis Resolution Home Treatment (CRHT) teams have become a widespread alternative to psychiatric hospitalisation. Despite their popularisation, Malta has only recently introduced a CRHT team. The aims of the current study were to investigate (i) patient characteristics, (ii) factors influencing patients' length of follow-up (LoFU) and (iii) predictors of clinical outcomes. Descriptive and quantitative non-identifiable data were collected and analysed for patients utilising the CRHT service within its first 2 years of operation (n = 643). One-way ANOVA tests investigated influencing factors for LoFU, whereas binary logistic regressions deduced predictive factors for clinical outcomes. Patients without acute psychiatric disorders had the shortest LoFU, indicating that the team received inappropriate referrals. Patients were most likely to have extended LoFU if they were diagnosed with OCD & related disorders and were most likely to be diagnosed with an underlying personality disorder if they were diagnosed with anxiety & phobic disorders. Continuity of care facilitates discharge planning. Patients receiving the CRHT service in Malta are most comparable with health systems that prefer to hospitalise patients with a higher risk profile. The high occurrence of personality disorders necessitates staff to have interdisciplinary knowledge and an appropriate skill mix.

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BACKGROUND: Globally, 240,000 babies die in the neonatal period annually due to congenital anomalies (CA). Malta reports the highest neonatal mortality rate (NMR) among EU (European Union) Countries, constituting a public health concern. OBJECTIVES: This study describes the contribution of CA to NMR in Malta, investigating possible associations with known maternal risk factors of maternal age, nationality, and education. Additionally, it provides an update on the contribution of CA to neonatal deaths in Malta and other EU countries. METHODS: Anonymous data for births and neonatal deaths were obtained for 2006-2020 from the National Obstetrics Information System (NOIS) in Malta. Regression analyses adjusting for maternal risk factors were run on this data to explore possible associations with NMR. NMRs published by EUROSTAT 2011-2020 were used to compare mortality by underlying cause of death (CA or non-CA causes) for Malta and other EU countries. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2020, 63,890 live births with 283 neonatal deaths were registered in Malta, (NMR 4.4 per 1000 live births). CA accounted for 39.6% of neonatal deaths. No time trends were observed in either total NMR, NMR attributed to CA or mortality due to non-CA causes. Adjusted variables revealed associations for women hailing from non-EU, low-income countries. Malta registered high NMRs compared to EU countries, most marked for deaths attributed to CA. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2006 and 2020, Malta's NMR remained stable. Maternal Nationality, from non-EU low-income countries, was associated with higher neonatal mortality. The influx of such migrants may play a partial role in the high NMRs experienced. Malta's high NMR was primarily driven by early neonatal deaths, which included high proportions of deaths due to CA and is linked to the fact that termination of pregnancy is illegal in Malta.

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In this groundbreaking study, artificial neural networks (ANNs) are employed to predict the production cross-sections of crucial radioisotopes, namely 18O, 209Bi, 232Th, and 68Zn, via the (p,n) reaction. We employed a comparative approach to validate the ANN model's predictions by comparing them to outputs generated by established nuclear reaction codes (TALYS 1.9, EMPIRE-3.2 (Malta)) and data from the authoritative source, the Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data (EXFOR).Motivated by the increasing demand for radioisotopes in precise medical diagnostics and successful therapies, this study focuses on investigating methods and new techniques for determining production cross-sections with high accuracy, which are crucial for the consistent supply of vital radioisotopes. In line with this objective, the ANN model demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving remarkably high correlation coefficients, exceeding 0.999 for training and all data, and reaching 0.98665 for testing. Supportive of this, the high correlation coefficients indicate that the ANN estimations effectively match experimental data. Significantly, our findings illustrate the potential of ANNs as a promising alternative for estimating the production cross-sections of 18O, 209Bi, 232Th, and 68Zn, with the possibility of extending this application to other medically relevant radioisotopes.

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BACKGROUND: Comorbidity is increasingly important in the medical literature, with ever-increasing implications for diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, management and health care. The objective of this study is to measure casual versus causal comorbidity in primary care in three family practice populations. METHODS: This is a longitudinal observational study using the Transition Project datasets. Transition Project family doctors in the Netherlands, Malta and Serbia recorded details of all patient contacts in an episode of care structure using electronic medical records and the International Classification of Primary Care, collecting data on all elements of the doctor-patient encounter, including diagnoses (1,178,178 in the Netherlands, 93,606 in Malta, 405,150 in Serbia), observing 158,370 patient years in the Netherlands, 43,577 in Malta, 72,673 in Serbia. Comorbidity was measured using the odds ratio of both conditions being incident or rest-prevalent in the same patient in one-year dataframes, as against not, corrected for the prior probability of such co-occurrence, between the 41 joint most prevalent (joint top 20) episode titles in the three populations. Specific associations were explored in different age groups to observe the changes in odds ratios with increasing age as a surrogate for a temporal or biological gradient. RESULTS: The high frequency of observed comorbidity with low consistency in both clinically and statistically significant odds ratios across populations indicates more casual than causal associations. A causal relationship would be expected to be manifest more consistently across populations. Even in the minority of cases where odds ratios were consistent between countries and numerically larger, those associations were observed to weaken with increasing patient age. CONCLUSION: After applying accepted criteria for testing the causality of associations, most observed primary care comorbidity is due to chance, likely as a result of increasing illness diversity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was performed on electronic patient record datasets made publicly available by the University of Amsterdam Department of General Practice, and did not involve any patient intervention.

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Antonino Saliba, a sixteenth century cartographer hailing from the Maltese island of Gozo, published a map in 1582 espousing his cosmology. Its popularity at the time is attested via the multiple editions and copies that were produced in Europe. Numerous sky phenomena, amongst them comets, are portrayed in the map. This study presents a detailed analysis of Saliba's treatment of these phenomena, following the first comprehensive translation of the map's text to English. It elucidates the sources that Saliba used, clarifying and shedding further light on the views he held. Where possible, the comets mentioned by Saliba are identified and explained. Besides showing how Saliba wholly conformed to the Aristotelian and Ptolemaic representation of the world, in which respect he was quite orthodox, it is also shown for the first time that his work is significantly derived from previous and contemporary sources.

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Germline genetic testing has implications that extend beyond the individual patient to relatives, particularly for high-penetrance variants implicated in hereditary cancer or neurodegenerative syndromes. Many countries encourage patient-led communication to inform at-risk relatives, although the efficacy and uptake of this approach varies. Alternative scenarios envisage direct contact mediated by clinicians. The familial disclosure of sensitive genetic information is also determined by complex socio-ethnic factors. To date, no study has explored whether relatives would want to be informed of familial genetic risk and their preferences on different methods of communication in Malta. We thus used a published instrument that utilizes hypothetical scenario methodology to survey the attitudes of the Maltese population (n = 334) to receiving genetic information from family members. Two vignettes on Huntington's disease and colorectal cancer were presented. We also explored preferences towards the communication of genetic risk, confidentiality, and disclosure policies. Our preliminary results show that most respondents want to be informed of their increased risk by a family member or a clinician and would opt to receive confirmatory genetic testing. Most respondents preferred being informed of genetic risk by a close relative, but in the case of non-disclosure would want to be informed by a clinician. Most respondents expressed preference in favour of the introduction of registries, legislative change and sharing of contact details to address cases of nondisclosure. Our findings contribute further to evidence that supports, in selected hypothetical scenarios, an envisioned change in disclosure of genetic data policy by the public that is different from current practice to date.

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BACKGROUND: Sleep quality is affected by a plethora of different factors, although its relationship with chronic diseases is still unclear. This study explored perceived sleep quality and its associated determinants among the adult population of Malta. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was distributed through social media targeting adults residing in Malta. Data pertaining to socio-demographic, medical history, lifestyle, well-being, sleep, and daytime sleepiness were gathered, and descriptive, univariant, and multiple binary logistic regression modelling analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 855 adults responded, out of whom 35.09% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 31.90, 38.41) reported sleep difficulties, especially females (81.33%; 95% CI: 76.36, 85.49), while 65.33% (95% CI: 59.61, 70.65) reported suffering from chronic disease(s). Sleep problems were positively associated with multimorbidity (odds ratio [OR]: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.38, 3.40; P=0.001), sleeping<6 hours (OR: 3.79; 95% CI: 1.54, 9.30; P=0.040), and the presence of moderate anxiety symptoms (OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.59; P=0.020). They were also related to the presence of mild (OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.46, 3.45; P=0.001), moderate (OR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.24, 4.64; P=0.010), and moderately severe (OR: 15.35; 95% CI: 4.54, 31.86; P=0.001) depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: Chronic conditions, including anxiety and depression, along with short sleep duration, appear to contribute to poor sleep quality in Malta. A multifaceted approach is required to deal with the issue holistically and safeguard the health of current and future generations.

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Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in Saudi Arabia. It is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or by consuming unpasteurized dairy products. A 36-year-old Saudi man presented with left hip pain, fever, and a history of consuming unpasteurized milk. Sacroiliitis was documented by positive results from serological tests (ELISA) and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment consisted of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), doxycycline, rifampicin, and IV gentamicin.

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BACKGROUND: Speech and language therapy (SLT) services are fundamental for communication, academic and social development. Evidence shows that demand for services is increasing, and this can adversely affect the quality of care. There are limited published studies in relation to the demand and quality of speech and language services in Malta. AIMS: To elucidate the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), service managers and parents of clients about the impact of factors pertaining to human resource development (HRD), human resource management (HRM) and the environment on the quality of the children's SLT service in western Malta. Also, to outline the beneficial strategies or recommendations to improve the quality of the service provided. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A mixed-method study was used. Quantitative data provided by the Speech and Language Center (SLC) were analysed to determine demand over time using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data from one-to-one interviews using a bespoke questionnaire with managers, SLPs and parents were transcribed and analysed. Common and distinct themes in relation to the quality of services were then formulated and evaluated. OUTCOME & RESULTS: Quantitative results highlighted that clients were not receiving the required number of the therapeutic sessions. In total, nine themes in relation to the quality of the SLT service were identified by parents, SLPs and managers. The factors affecting the service quality were outlined and subdivided under three branches: HRD, HRM and the environment. All factors within these subgroups are expected to enhance the quality of the service provided if they are enhanced and improved upon. Additionally, the results showed that a discrepancy between the perceived and offered SLT services was felt from the managers' and SLPs' perspectives; however, this was not felt by parents. For parents, the main concern was the availability and frequency of the therapeutic sessions provided. CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS: Insights from SLPs, managers and parents of clients highlighted the barriers and enablers of quality of service in SLT services for children. These findings can be used to improve services in Malta and other countries with similar contexts, mainly by altering time management, reducing demands and improving availability. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject SLT is proven to enhance a child's communication skills. Increasing demands for therapy can affect the quality of the service provided, ultimately affecting the child's progress. There is a gap in the evidence base regarding the quality of speech and language services for children in Malta and the factors which affect the quality of the service. What this study adds to the existing knowledge This is the first study of its kind in Malta. It seeks to identify the quality of SLT services for children from three different perspectives: service managers, SLPs and parents. In addition, this study investigated what affects the quality of SLT services positively or negatively. Through this study, the impeding factors were divided into three domains; HRD factors, HRM factors and environmental factors. These domains were mentioned by all three groups of participants because they affected the service negatively or positively. The main negative aspects included bad time management, high demands, and reduced availabilities and accessibilities, whilst positive aspects included improved support, relationships and the environment. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? This study suggests reducing the managerial and administrational demands on SLPs and improving session frequency would enhance the quality of service. In relation to the three domains, the HRD factors that would enhance the quality of service are: SLPs' and parental competencies, enhancing SLPs' positive characteristics, positive attitudes and cooperation from all personas; for HRM resources the factors important for quality are strategic and risk management, workforce and recruitment; and for the environmental factors the physical environment and resources are important as they affect the service depending on their condition, that is, improved resources result in improved service. Such alterations would reduce the SLPs' demotivation and burnout due to reduced responsibilities, whilst improving accessibility and availability, ultimately enhancing the quality of the service provided.

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Objective: The study set to explore the mortality causes across six years and identify potential mortality determinates at a population level in Malta. Study design and methods: A longitudinal follow-up of a Malta based cross-sectional national representative study across 6 years (2014-2020) was carried out. The study population was cross-linked to the mortality register and causes of death obtained. Population characteristics gathered during initial examination were analysed through univariant and multivariant logistic regressions. Results: A total of 66 adults, mostly male (65.15 % n = 43) died, with commonest cause being cancer (42.42 % CI95 %: 31.24-54.45) mostly due to malignant neoplasm of bronchus and lung. This was followed by cardiac pathologies including acute myocardial infarction, ischaemic cardiomyopathy, and cardiomegaly (25.76 % CI95 %: 16.67-37.51). Multivariant logistic regression analyses revealed positive associations between age (OR: 1.99 p = 0.02), history of coronary heart disease (OR: 11.78 p=<0.001), smoking for 31 years or more (OR: 8.22 p=<0.001) and presence of multimorbidity (OR: 1.32 p = 0.02). Conclusion: It is evident that occurrence of cancers is a concern in Malta, and it requires targeted action including the reduction of smoking habits. Understanding the mortality causes and the associated determining factors at a population level enable the institution of preventive actions while strengthening healthcare services to safeguard the population from premature mortality and co-morbidity.

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Nivolumab is used to treat several different types of cancers. Although it is generally considered to be effective and well-tolerated, it has been associated with adverse effects requiring discontinuation of treatment, like many other drugs used for cancer. A 70-year-old male was switched from sunitinib to nivolumab for renal cell carcinoma. The patient developed persistent hypothyroidism, onycholysis, and pneumonitis at nivolumab cycle 6, 10, and 11, respectively. Using the Naranjo causality method, the likelihood of causality was deemed "probable" for pneumonitis and hypothyroidism and "possible" for onycholysis. Nivolumab was eventually discontinued due to disease progression, rather than safety concerns. Eudravigilance, the European pharmacovigilance database, was searched for all nivolumab-related individual case safety reports from Malta, up to September 4, 2023. Six reports were identified in Malta, although the 3 events identified in this case report were not reported, suggesting under-reporting in Malta. This case report identified an uncommon nivolumab adverse drug reaction (ADR), onycholysis and showed how, despite the occurrence of 3 ADRs, it was its lack of efficacy rather than its safety which led to its discontinuation in this particular patient.

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The acanthocephalan Moniliformis saudi Amin, Heckmann, Mohammed, Evans, 2016 was originally described from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg) in central Saudi Arabia. The distribution of P. aethiopicus extends to North Africa and west to Mauritania. Moniliformis saudi was recently found in the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet) in Malta. The distribution of A. algirus is restricted to the North African and east Iberian Mediterranean coast and associated islands. Both host species cohabit and share the same feeding grounds in northern Algeria where common infections appear to take place. The morphology of specimens from both acanthocephalan populations was similar, with minor variations mostly related to the relatively larger Maltese specimens especially the trunk and the male reproductive system. Taxonomic features like the cone-shaped anterior trunk, size and formula of proboscis and hooks, the receptacle, size and shape of eggs, anatomy of the apical proboscis sensory pores, and the stellate body wall giant nuclei were, however, practically identical. SEM and microscope images of specimens of the Maltese population emphasize their qualitative characteristics such as the degree of the extreme spiral muscle development and the development of the posterior nucleated pouches of the proboscis receptacle. Proboscis hooks of specimens from both the Maltese and the Saudi populations had similarly high levels (percent weights) of calcium, moderate levels of phosphorus, and minimal levels of sulfur, magnesium and sodium marking the diagnostic value of the Energy Dispersive x-ray analysis in species recognition. Newly generated partial sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) of the mitochondrial gene were generated from M. saudi from Malta. Moniliformis saudi from Malta, when compared with other available sequences of the same species isolates available in the GenBank database, formed a strongly supported clade with other congeners. The comparison of the molecular profiles of specimens from populations in Malta, Spain, and Saudi Arabia shows no or low genetic variation between them. Ultimately, we provide a morphological and molecular description of a new population of M. saudi from a new host species in a new geographical location, vastly exceeding the originally described ones from Saudi Arabia. A Cox 1 haplotype network inferred with 10 sequences revealed the presence of eight haplotypes, one of which was shared between the populations of Malta and Spain of M. saudi.

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BACKGROUND: CHD refers to structural cardiac abnormalities which comprise the commonest group of congenital malformations. Malta is a small island in the central Mediterranean with excellent diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. It is unique in the European population as termination of pregnancy is illegal. This study was carried out to ascertain patterns in CHD prevalence in comparison with EUROCAT data (European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies). METHODS: Anonymised data were obtained from the EUROCAT website for 1993-2020. RESULTS: There were a total of 22,833,032 births from all EUROCAT Registries, of which 121,697 were from Malta. The prevalence rate for Malta CHD was 32.38/10,000 births (at the higher end of the range). Malta had a significant excess of commoner, comparatively non-severe CHDs. For most of the severe lesions analysed rates reported were higher than EUROCAT average, however, apart from Ebstein's anomaly, they all fell within the ranges reported from the different registries. DISCUSSION: Wide variations in reported CHD prevalence are known, and the Malta rates may be higher for milder defects due to quicker pickup prior to spontaneous resolution. There may also be a higher pickup of milder forms of more severe conditions. For the more severe conditions, lack of termination may be the explanation. These factors may result in the higher neonatal mortality observed in Malta.

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Specialist nurses play a significant role in healthcare. This study investigated and evaluated the primary and extended roles and the development of specialist nurses in Malta. METHODS: A qualitative case study design and purposive sampling techniques were used to gain a deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding specialist nurses from multiple data sets. A survey of the total specialist nurse population in 2013 (n=27), in-depth interviews with a group of specialist nurses (n=9) and four focus groups with key professionals and policy stakeholders (total n=28) were carried out. Data were collected between 2013 and 2015 and analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Three themes emerged: the roles and attributes of specialist nurses in Malta; the development of specialist nurses; and the influences on the advancement of specialist nursing practice in Malta. Although these data are nearly a decade old, no further research has been carried out. CONCLUSIONS: A legally accepted set of definitions as well as preparation and evaluation of the specialist nurse role from a national policy perspective is needed. Attitudes and systems that limit specialist nurses need to be challenged.

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This work records the presence of 13 species of tubuliferan thrips from the Maltese Islands. Eleven of these species, namely Bolothripsdentipes, B.insularis, Priesneriellamavromoustakisi, Gynaikothripsuzeli, Haplothripsacanthoscelis, H.aculeatus, H.setiger, H.tritici, Karnyothripsflavipes, Liothripsreuteri and Neoheegeriadalmatica are new records for the Maltese Islands. Two species: Gynaikothripsficorum and Karnyothripsflavipes can be described as subcosmopolitan in distribution, another three species: Haplothripsaculeatus, H.setiger and H.tritici are distributed across the Holarctic and Palaearctic regions, while a further seven: Bolothripsdentipes, B.insularis, Haplothripsacanthoscelis, Liothripsoleae, L.reuteri, Neoheegeriadalmatica and Priesneriellamavromoustakisi have a European and/or Mediterranean distribution. Gynaikothripsficorum and G.uzeli are considered as alien species. A key to the Tubulifera of the Maltese Islands as well as chorological data for these recorded species are provided in this work.

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Languillon's contribution to the control of leprosy cannot be reduced to the manual of leprology which remains the reference for anyone working on this disease in sub-Saharan Africa. This would mean forgetting his works that established the immunological origin of leprosy and its cutaneous, adverse and neurological complications.Another major aspect, the importance of his contribution to the treatment of the disease, in particular through the development of polychimiotherapy (PCT), which has made Institut Marchoux in Bamako one of the five WHO's collaborating centers in the field of clinical research in leprosy.Languillon was also involved in a holistic approach of the disease by creating the first leprosy surgery unit and implementing physiotherapy, orthopedic care with appropriate equipment, and social rehabilitation… without forgetting preventive aspects of complications through the necessary regular administration of treatments, and control of patients spread over wide territories, by creating a corps of leprosy nurse monitors and leprosy specialists. These will provide essential support to the doctor most often in charge of a huge sector where the need of assistance was obvious.Languillon ended his African career by creating the ILAD, Institute of Applied Leprology in Dakar, which offers the full range of care, as he always advocated.Finally, he did not resist the call of Order of Malta which offered him to share his expertise in the different countries where the Order was involved.

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Anatomy is physiotherapy's foundation. However, undergraduate classroom learning and knowledge acquisition-retention remain questionable. This study explored the possibility of improving this learning experience and evaluates the gross anatomy of abdomen and pelvis short-term knowledge retention among first-year physiotherapy students in Malta. The online Kahoot! game-based quiz platform was used through an instructor-designed best-of-four multiple-choice questions. Correctly answered questions and Kahoot! scores generated by the platform were utilized to measure knowledge retention. Kahoot! sessions 1 and 3 shared similar attendance and response rate and were compared together. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare Kahoot! scores and Chi test for trend to compare correctly answered questions. Students' perceived learning experiences before and after the introduction of the Kahoot quizzes were gathered through Likert scores and analyzed using McNamar's chi-square test. Overall, a significantly increased trend in correctly answered questions (χ2 : 23.38, p-value: <0.001) across the Kahoot! sessions were evident. Four questions out of 12 exhibited significant Kahoot! scores differences. Students reported better learning experiences following the initiation of Kahoot! (χ2 : 5.1, p-value: 0.02). Indeed, all students agreed that the use of the interactive quiz improved their anatomy short term knowledge retention. Introducing an online interactive quiz as part of the lecture program may be useful to improve the learning experience and anatomy knowledge retention among physiotherapy students.

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Background: Brewer ́s spent grain (BSG) is a biomass by-product generated in large volumes during industrial beer production. BSG has become a growing environmental problem, as most breweries discard it inappropriately, negatively impacting the environment. Alternatives for the exploitation of this by-product have consisted of elaborating food supplements for farm animals, obtaining biofuels, developing adsorbents, and obtaining substances for the food industry. However, the high moisture content in BSG (approximately 70%), poses a significant challenge in exploring various reuse alternatives. Therefore, the implementation of a pre-drying process becomes essential. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the BSG drying kinetics at different temperatures and the effect of the drying temperature on the physical properties and the content of bioactive compounds. Methods: BSG samples were dried at different temperatures (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 105°C) and analyzed for their moisture ratio, water activity, total polyphenol content (TPC), and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) radical scavenging activity. Also, four kinetics models were fitted to the drying data. Results:It was determined that the effective diffusivity was between 5.23x10

Antecedentes: El Bagazo residual de malta (BSG por sus siglas en inglés) es un subproducto biomásico generado en grandes volúmenes durante la producción industrial de cerveza. El BSG se ha convertido en un creciente problema para el medio ambiente, debido a que la mayoría de las cervecerías descartan inapropiadamente este residuo generando un impacto negativo al ambiente. Las alternativas para el aprovechamiento de este subproducto han consistido especialmente en la elaboración de suplementos alimenticios para animales de granja, obtención de biocombustibles, desarrollo de adsorbentes y obtención de productos para la industria alimentaria. Sin embargo, el alto contenido de humedad (~70%) del BSG representa un reto para el desarrollo de diferentes alternativas de reutilización, por lo que se hace necesario un proceso de secado previo. Objetivos: En este estudio se analizó la cinética de secado del BSG a diferentes temperaturas y el efecto de la temperatura de secado sobre sus propiedades físicas y contenido de compuestos bioactivos. Métodos: Las muestras de BSG fueron secadas a diferentes temperaturas (50, 60, 70, 80, 90 y 105°C) y analizadas en términos de razón de humedad, actividad acuosa, contenido de polifenoles totales (TPC) y actividad secuestradora del radical DPPH. Además, se ajustaron 4 modelos cinéticos a los datos de secado. Resultados: Se determinó que la difusividad efectiva del BSG varió entre 5.23x10

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