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Education students tend to have low levels of scientific literacy, a worrying fact considering that this aptitude is necessary to foster professionals who are critical with information and capable of teaching quality science to their students. Game-based student response systems emerge as a good tool to motivate students. The present study focused on investigating whether the use of the Quizizz and Kahoot platforms could motivate students to read science news and improve their knowledge. It also assessed whether the fact of working individually or in teams had an impact on the results. We worked with a sample of 76 students from education degrees and they were subjected to two phases. In the first phase the students played individually and anonymously, in the second phase they played in teams. At the beginning and at the end of each phase, the results of the knowledge tests were analyzed and the participants were asked if they had read the news on the proposed websites. The results show that news reading improves and also the correspondence between news reading - test score only in the group phase. Los estudiantes de educación suelen tener niveles bajos de alfabetización científica, hecho preocupante teniendo en cuenta que esta aptitud es necesaria para fomentar profesionales críticos con la información y capaces de enseñar ciencia de calidad a su alumnado. Los sistemas de respuesta de estudiantes basados en el juego surgen como una buena herramienta para motivar al alumnado. El presente estudio se centró en investigar si el uso de las plataformas Quizizz y Kahoot podía motivar al alumnado a leer noticias de ciencias y mejoraba sus conocimientos. También valoró si el hecho de trabajar individualmente o bien en equipos tenía repercusión en los resultados. Se trabajó con una muestra de 76 estudiantes de los grados de educación y se los sometió a dos fases. En la primera el alumnado jugó de forma individual y anónima, en la segunda fase jugó en equipos. Al principio y al final de cada fase se analizaron los resultados de los tests de conocimiento y se les preguntó a los participantes si habían leído las noticias de las webs propuestas. Los resultados muestran que mejora la lectura de noticias y también la correspondencia entre lectura de noticias - puntuación del test sólo en la fase grupal.

Background and objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototype of systemic autoimmune disease with clinical characteristics that show geographic variations. However, these differences between regions have not been fully described; therefore, the objective of this study is to describe the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of Cuban patients with SLE. Patients and methods 149 patients with SLE and 151 with other systemic autoimmune diseases were studied. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics according on the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology of 1997 were identified. To evaluate the associations between clinical manifestations and SLE, a logistic regression analysis was performed; the odds ratio (OR) was calculated with its corresponding 95% confidence interval and the method of multiple correspondence analysis was also used. By an analysis of the configurations of frequency the typical combinations of criteria related to the patients with SLE were identified. Results The most frequent criteria in SLE were immunological disorders (85.2%). ANA positive (85.2%) arthritis (78.5%), photosensitivity (77.2%), and malar rash (61%). The renal involvement and immunological disorders criteria were the best (highest OR) at discriminating SLE patients. The combination of only three criteria (malar rash, positive ANA, and immunological disorder) could be enough to classify a homogeneous population. Conclusions This study enabled us to determine the main clinical characteristics of patients with SLE in Cuba. This information could be useful to improve the efficiency of SLE diagnosis and facilitate more specific treatments.

This study describes a comparative in vitro study of the toxicity behavior of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and micro-sized particles. The study aimed to understand the impact of particle size on ZnO toxicity by characterizing the particles in different media, including cell culture media, human plasma, and protein solutions (bovine serum albumin and fibrinogen). The study used various techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) to characterize the particles and their interactions with proteins. Hemolytic activity, coagulation time, and cell viability assays were used to assess ZnO toxicity. The results highlight the complex interactions between ZnO NPs and biological systems, including their aggregation behavior, hemolytic activity, protein corona formation, coagulation effects, and cytotoxicity. Moreover, the study indicates that ZnO nanoparticles are not more toxic than micro-sized particles, and the 50 nm particles resulted in general the least toxic. Furthermore, the study found that at low concentrations, no acute toxicity was observed. Overall, this study provides important insights into the toxicity behavior of ZnO particles and highlights that no direct relationship between nanometer size and toxicity can be directly attributed.

The objective of this study was to analyze the in vitro stability and toxicity of liposomes containing guarana in skin cell lines. The liposomes were produced by the reverse phase evaporation method containing 1 mg/mL guarana. The stability of the liposomes was evaluated by physical-chemical parameters for up to 90 d using three different storage conditions. The cytotoxicity of guarana (GL), liposomes (B-Lip), and guarana-loaded liposomes (G-Lip) was evaluated on spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte cell lines (HaCaT), murine swiss albino fibroblasts (3T3), and human fibroblast (1BR.3.G). The evaluation was performed using cellular viability analysis. The techniques used were 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red capturing (NRU) and the analyses were conducted after 24, 48, and 72 h exposure of these cells to the different treatments. The G-Lip exhibited physical-chemical stability for 60 d when the samples were stored in a refrigerator. The GL, B-Lip, and G-Lip demonstrated low cytotoxicity in the three cell cultures tested since a low reduction in cell viability was only observed at the highest concentrations. In addition, greater cell damage was observed for B-Lip; however, guarana protects cells from this damage. Thus, G-Lip structures can be considered as promising systems for topical applications.

Presently, the development of analytical methods to determine elemental composition of vegetation samples is of significance in many different fields. This chapter discusses the details and potentials of different X-ray fluorescence (XRF) configurations in the field of multi-elemental analysis of vegetation samples. Most commonly used sample treatment procedures are also described. The chapter includes some of the many interesting applications of XRF in environmental and agronomic studies dealing with the analysis of vegetation samples. Some of the main advantages of XRF in the field of vegetation sample analysis over other atomic spectroscopic techniques include the simplicity of sample preparation and the possibility to determine elements such as P, S, Cl, and Br which can be of significance in biological processes.

The dissipation process of GRB prompt emission is still unknown. Study of temporal variability may provide a unique way to discriminate the imprint of the inner engine activity from geometry and propagation related effects. We define the minimum variability timescale (MVT) as the shortest duration of individual pulses that shape a light curve for a sample of GRBs and test correlations with peak luminosity, Lorentz factor, and jet opening angle. We compare these correlations with predictions from recent numerical simulations for a relativistic structured -- possibly wobbling -- jet and assess the value of MTV as probe of prompt-emission physics. We used the peak detection algorithm mepsa to identify the shortest pulse within a GRB time history and estimate its full width half maximum (FWHM). We applied this framework to two sets of GRBs: Swift (from 2005 to July 2022) and Insight-HXMT (from June 2017 to July 2021, including 221009A). We then selected 401 GRBs with measured z to test for correlations. On average short GRBs have significantly shorter MVT than long GRBs. The MVT distribution of short GRBs with extended emission such as 060614 and 211211A is compatible only with that of short GRBs. This provides a new clue on the progenitor's nature. The MVT for long GRBs anticorrelates with peak luminosity. We confirm the anticorrelation with the Lorentz factor and find a correlation with the jet opening angle as estimated from the afterglow, along with an inverse correlation with the number of pulses. The MVT can identify the emerging putative new class of long GRBs that are suggested to be produced by compact binary mergers. For otherwise typical long GRBs, the different correlations between MVT and peak luminosity, Lorentz factor, jet opening angle, and number of pulses can be explained within the context of structured, possibly wobbling, weakly magnetised relativistic jets. (summarised), Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, accepted by A&A

Resumen Introduccion y objetivos La evaluacion del riesgo de arritmias ventriculares en pacientes con tetralogia de Fallot reparada (TFr) es compleja. Este estudio pretende identificar las caracteristicas electrofisiologicas del ventriculo derecho (VD) asociadas con un mayor riesgo de arritmias ventriculares en pacientes con TFr. Metodos Se incluyo a todos los pacientes consecutivos con TFr sometidos a mapeo electroanatomico del VD en un centro terciario. Mediante modelos de regresion logistica, se identificaron los factores asociados con mayor riesgo de taquicardia ventricular (TV) clinica o inducida y, secundariamente, solo de TV clinica. Resultados De los 56 pacientes incluidos, 21 presentaron TV clinica o inducida. Los factores asociados con TV clinica o inducida fueron: extrasistolia ventricular (EV) frecuente/TV no sostenida en el Holter de 24 h (OR = 11,34; IC95%, 1,50-85,97; p = 0,019), intervalo HV > 55 ms (OR = 21,20; IC95%, 3,12-144,14; p = 0,002) y tiempo de activacion del VD (por cada 10 ms, OR = 1,34; IC95%, 1,02-1,75; p = 0,035). El modelo que incluia dichas variables mostro una buena capacidad de discriminacion, con un area bajo la curva de 0,884 (IC95%, 0,79-0,97; p 55 ms (OR = 9,65; IC95%, 1,41-66,14; p = 0,021) y la EV frecuente/TV no sostenida (OR = 13,14; IC95%, 1,95-88,54; p = 0,008) (area bajo de la curva = 0,836; IC95%, 0,663-1,000; p = 0,002). Conclusiones La EV frecuente/TV no sostenida, el intervalo HV > 55 ms y el tiempo de activacion del VD son factores asociados con mayor riesgo de arritmias ventriculares en pacientes con TFr.

Introduction and objectives Risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) remains unresolved. We aimed to identify right ventricular (RV) electrophysiological parameters potentially associated with a higher risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with rTOF. Methods We included all consecutive patients with rTOF who underwent RV electroanatomical mapping at a single tertiary center. We used logistic regression modeling to identify those variables associated with an increased risk of clinical or induced ventricular tachycardia (VT), or clinical VT exclusively. Results Twenty-one of the 56 patients included had clinical or induced VT. A high-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT (OR, 11.34; 95%CI, 1.50-85.97; P = .019), an HV interval > 55 ms (OR, 21.20; 95%CI, 3.12-144.14; P = .002), and RV activation time (ms) (OR [per 10 ms intervals], 1.34; 95%CI, 1.02-1.75; P = .035) proved to be associated with clinical or induced VT. The model including this information had good discrimination ability, with an area under the curve of 0.884 (95%CI, 0.79-0.97; P 55 ms (OR, 9.65; 95%CI, 1.41-66.14; P = .021) and high-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT (OR, 13.14; 95%CI, 1.95-88.54; P = .008) were independently associated (area under the curve of 0.836 [95%CI, 0.663-1.000; P = .002]). Conclusions High-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT, an HV interval > 55 ms and RV activation time are factors associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with rTOF.

O objetivo do presente artigo é apresentar as principais concepções de “aprendizagem da docência” em trabalhos nacionais no campo da formação de professores, produzidos de 2010 a 2020, e resultados de pesquisas fundamentadas nessas concepções. Realizamos uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre a “aprendizagem da docência” de futuros professores; professores da educação básica e professores do ensino superior. Consultamos as bases de dados da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) e Scientific Eletronic Library Online – Scielo, além dos anais eletrônicos dos principais eventos científicos nacionais relacionados à formação de professores. Foram identificados e analisados: artigos científicos publicados em periódicos nacionais; trabalhos constantes nos anais especificados; capítulos de livros e livros. Concluímos que: a) a categoria “aprendizagem da docência” refere se às aprendizagens específicas do professor em sua prática pedagógica, sobre, na e para a docência; b) há a predominância de seis concepções específicas sobre a “aprendizagem da docência”; c) essas concepções se articulam com diferentes campos do conhecimento d) os aspectos comuns dos resultados das pesquisas podem contribuir para avanços na definição da categoria “aprendizagem da docência” no campo da formação de professores; e) a pesquisa colaborativa, interventiva e as narrativas dos professores são vias metodológicas importantes à compreensão de como ocorre a “aprendizagem da docência” e à promoção desse processo.

Introduction: scientific publication in the field of neurology and neurosurgery plays an important role in the development of Cuban biomedical sciences, so it is necessary to study its research activity. Objective: to characterize the scientific output of the Cuban Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery between 2017 and 2021. Method: bibliometric, descriptive and cross-sectional study of the articles published in the RCNNC between 2017 and 2021. The universe consisted of 96 articles. The Productivity Index and Price index were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: original articles predominated (31,25 %); 100 % of the articles were written in Spanish. A total of 258 authors were reported, with a predominance of multiple authorship. The first author of 65,62 % of the articles was a man. The 74,60 % of the authors were small producers, with no reports of large research producers. The country with the highest number of signatories was Cuba (n=206) and the most productive institution was the International Center for Neurological Restoration (60 signatories). A total of 3 123 references were used, of which 2 529 were in English. The Price Index was between 0,00 and 0,45. Conclusions: original articles, written in Spanish and multi-authored, constituted the core of the journal's production. Male authors and small producers led the scientific output. There was a marked editorial and institutional endogamy. Bibliographic references in English were the most common, as well as a low Price Index.

El malestar emocional es una queja habitual en la sociedad y en las consultas de Atención Primaria. La biblioterapia se ha mostrado eficaz en la mejora de síntomas de depresión y ansiedad leves. El siguiente estudio trata de valorar el impacto de la biblioterapia en la calidad de vida de pacientes del centro de salud (CAP) El Carmel (Barcelona) con ansiedad y/o depresión leves diagnosticadas, con el objetivo de mejorar la percepción de la propia salud emocional. Se trata de un estudio piloto cuasi-experimental en colaboración con la biblioteca municipal donde se valora, a lo largo de 1 año, la percepción de la propia salud de los pacientes antes y después de una intervención de biblioterapia por medio de escalas validadas, evidenciando una mejoría en la autopercepción de sintomatología ansiosa, no siendo la mejoría estadísticamente significativa en el caso de la depresión. Palabras clave: biblioterapia, salud mental, ansiedad, depresión.

We tackle the problem of tracking the human lower body as an initial step toward an automatic motion assessment system for clinical mobility evaluation, using a multimodal system that combines Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data, RGB images, and point cloud depth measurements. This system applies the factor graph representation to an optimization problem that provides 3-D skeleton joint estimations. In this paper, we focus on improving the temporal consistency of the estimated human trajectories to greatly extend the range of operability of the depth sensor. More specifically, we introduce a new factor graph factor based on Koopman theory that embeds the nonlinear dynamics of several lower-limb movement activities. This factor performs a two-step process: first, a custom activity recognition module based on spatial temporal graph convolutional networks recognizes the walking activity; then, a Koopman pose prediction of the subsequent skeleton is used as an a priori estimation to drive the optimization problem toward more consistent results. We tested the performance of this module on datasets composed of multiple clinical lowerlimb mobility tests, and we show that our approach reduces outliers on the skeleton form by almost 1 m, while preserving natural walking trajectories at depths up to more than 10 m., 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted to IROS 2022

Patients with a single syncopal episode (SSE) and complete bundle branch block (cBBB) are frequently managed more conservatively than patients with recurrent episodes (RSE). The objective of this study was to analyze if there are differences between patients with single or recurrent unexplained syncope and cBBB in arrhythmic risk, the diagnostic yield of tests, and clinical outcomes.Cohort study of consecutive patients with unexplained syncope and cBBB with a median follow-up time of 3 years. The patients were evaluated via a stepwise workup protocol based on electrophysiological study (EPS) and long-term follow-up with an implantable cardiac monitor.Of the 503 patients included in the study, 238 (47.3%) had had only 1 syncopal episode. The risk of an arrhythmic syncope was similar in both groups (58.8% in SSE vs 57.0% in RSE; P = .68), also after adjustment for possible confounding variables (HR, 1.06; 95%CI, 0.81-1.38; P = .674). No significant differences between the groups were found in the EPS results and implantable cardiac monitor diagnostic yield. A total of 141 (59.2%) patients with SSE and 154 (58.1%) patients with RSE required cardiac device implantation (P = .797). After appropriate treatment, 35 (6.7%) patients had recurrence of syncope. The recurrence rate and mortality were also similar in both groups.Patients with cBBB and unexplained syncope are at high risk of an arrhythmic etiology, even after the first syncopal episode. Patients with SSE and RSE have a similar arrhythmic risk and similar outcomes, and therefore there is no clinical justification for not managing them in the same manner.

The forest ecosystem is a source of material resources used since ancient times by mankind. Ferns are part of different oriental systems of traditional medicine due to the phytochemical variety of their fronds, which have allowed their traditional use to be validated through ethnopharmacological studies. In Europe, different cultures have used the same fern with a wide variety of applications due to its presence in most European forests. In recent years, studies on the phytocharacterization and biological activity of the fronds of the main European ferns have been published. In this study, the presence of polyphenolic phytochemicals has been evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in the fronds of two wild ferns together with in vitro activities in non-tumoral and human tumoral cell lines. The polyphenols were extracted from Asplenium trichomanes L. and Ceterach officinarum Willd. by cold maceration using methanol. The main phytochemicals of polyphenolic origin in the extracts of A. trichomanes and C. officinarum determined by HPLC-MS/MS were the flavonol hyperoside and the phenolic acid chlorogenic acid, respectively. This different polyphenolic nature of both extracts contributes to the divergence of the behavior experienced in the biological activities tested, but none of the extracts showed a cytotoxic or phototoxic profile in the different tested cell lines. However, the cytoprotective values in front of the H2O2 oxidative stress induced in the 3T3 and HaCaT cell lines position these extracts as possible candidates for future health applications.

The forest ecosystem is a source of material resources used since ancient times by mankind. Ferns are part of different oriental systems of traditional medicine due to the phytochemical variety of their fronds, which have allowed their traditional use to be validated through ethnopharmacological studies. In Europe, different cultures have used the same fern with a wide variety of applications due to its presence in most European forests. In recent years, studies on the phytocharacterization and biological activity of the fronds of the main European ferns have been published. In this study, the presence of polyphenolic phytochemicals has been evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in the fronds of two wild ferns together with

Background Syncope in patients with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) can be due to potentially serious arrhythmic causes. However, there is no clear consensus on the best way to manage these patients. Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine the causes of syncope and assess the diagnostic yield and safety of a stepwise workup protocol in this population. Methods This was a prospective observational study. A stepwise workup protocol was applied to patients with LVEF 35%–50% and unexplained syncope after the initial assessment (step 1). Results One hundred four patients were included {median age 75.6 years; (interquartile range [IQR] 67.6–81.2 years); median LVEF 45% (IQR 40%–48%); median follow-up 2.0 years (IQR 0.7–3.3 years). In 71 patients (68.3%), a diagnosis was reached: 55 (77.5%) in step 2 (hospital admission and electrophysiology study) and 16 (36.5%) in step 3 (implantable cardiac monitor). Arrhythmic causes were the most common etiology (45.2% auriculoventricular block and 9.6% ventricular tachycardia). Sixty patients (57.7%) required the implantation of a cardiac device and 11 had a defibrillation function. Patients diagnosed in step 3 had a higher global risk of recurrence of syncope (hazard ratio 6.5; 95% confidence interval 2.3–18.0). The mortality rate was 8.1 per 100 person-years, and the sudden or unknown death rate was 0.9 per 100 person-years. Conclusion In patients with mid-range left ventricular dysfunction and syncope of unknown cause, a systematic diagnostic strategy based on electrophysiology study and/or implantable cardiac monitor implantation allows a diagnosis to be reached in a high proportion of cases and guides the treatment. Arrhythmia is the most common cause of syncope in this population, particularly auriculoventricular block.

The objective of this study was to analyze the in vitro stability and toxicity of liposomes containing guarana in skin cell lines. The liposomes were produced by the reverse phase evaporation method containing 1 mg/mL guarana. The stability of the liposomes was evaluated by physical-chemical parameters for up to 90 days using three different storage conditions. The cytotoxicity of guarana (GL), liposomes (B-Lip), and guarana-loaded liposomes (G-Lip) was evaluated on spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte cell lines (HaCaT), murine Swiss albino fibroblasts (3T3), and human fibroblasts (1BR.3.G). The evaluation was performed using cellular viability analysis. The techniques used were 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red capturing (NRU), and the analyses were conducted after 24, 48, and 72 h of exposure of these cells to the different treatments. The G-Lip exhibited physical-chemical stability for 60 days when the samples were stored in a refrigerator. The GL, B-Lip, and G-Lip demonstrated low cytotoxicity in the three different cell cultures tested since a small reduction in cell viability was only observed at the highest concentrations. In addition, greater cell damage was observed for B-Lip; however, guarana protected the cells from this damage. Thus, G-Lip structures can be considered promising systems for topical applications.

It is necessary to treat neonatal pain because it may have short- and long-term adverse effects. Frenotomy is a painful procedure where sucking, a common strategy to relieve pain, cannot be used because the technique is performed on the tongue. In a previous randomized clinical trial, we demonstrated that inhaled lavender essential oil (LEO) reduced the signs of pain during neonatal frenotomy. We aimed to find out whether inhaled vanilla essential oil (VEO) is more effective in reducing pain during frenotomy than LEO. Randomized clinical trial with neonates who underwent a frenotomy for type 3 tongue-ties between May and October 2021. Pain was assessed using pre and post-procedure heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SatO2), crying time, and NIPS score. Neonates were randomized into "experimental" and "control" group. In both groups, we performed swaddling, administered oral sucrose, and let the newborn suck for 2 min. We placed a gauze pad with one drop of LEO (control group) or of VEO (experimental group) under the neonate's nose for 2 min prior to and during the frenotomy. We enrolled 142 neonates (71 per group). Both groups showed similar NIPS scores (2.02 vs 2.38) and crying times (15.3 vs 18.7 s). We observed no differences in HR increase or in SatO2 decrease between both groups. We observed no side effects in either of the groups.We observed no appreciable difference between LEO and VEO; therefore, we cannot conclude which of them was more effective in treating pain in neonates who underwent a frenotomy. This clinical trial is registered with www.gov with NCT04867824.• Pain management is one of the most important goals of neonatal care as it can have long-term neurodevelopmental effects. • Lavender essential oil can help relieve pain due to its sedative, antispasmodic, and anticolic properties.• Lavender and vanilla essential oils are safe, beneficial, easy to use, and cheap in relieving pain in neonates who undergo a frenotomy for type 3 tongue-ties.

Objective The use of implantable cardiac monitors (ICM) is highly useful in syncope workup. Latest-generation devices can detect asymptomatic episodes of atrial fibrillation. The main objective of this study was to determine the incidence of subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) detected in a patient population undergoing prolonged electrocardiographic monitoring with an ICM for the etiological workup of syncope. Methods Prospective observational study carried out in a tertiary hospital from April 2014 to October 2019. All consecutive adult patients monitored with a latest-generation ICM for syncope with no prior history of AF were included in the analysis. Results Of a total of 509 ICMs implanted during the study period, 208 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 42 patients (20.2%) were found to have AF on ICM. The incidence of AF was 11.7 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI: 8.7–15.9 per 100 person-years). The median burden of AF was 0.2% (IQR 0–0.8%). Age, the presence of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, the size of the septum and left atrium on electrocardiogram and the presence of broad QRS on baseline electrocardiogram were predictors for the appearance of AF in the univariate analysis. Conclusion The incidental finding of atrial fibrillation in patients with syncope monitored with ICM is common. The burden of AF is low, and it is generally subclinical. These findings create added value for the use of ICM in the workup for syncope, although further studies are needed to determine the clinical benefit of documenting subclinical AF.

Background: The Cuban health-care system recommends the hospital admissions of patients with unspecified febrile syndrome (UFS) to rule out arboviral diseases and to prevent healthcare associated adverse outcomes. Aim: Evaluate the burden of unspecified febrile syndrome in a Cuban hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Hospital Joaquin Albarran (La Habana, Cuba) from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2019. It was collected the admissions and patients days (total and UFS patients) and laboratory test for dengue diagnosis. Results: During the three-year period, the epidemic curve starts in April-May and decline in November, with the highest peak in August 2019. It was admitted 16964 patients with UFS representing 43% of the hospital admissions, and 43512 patients’ days were documented. In 2019 the 51.9% of the hospital admissions and 22.9% of patients’ days were related to UFS, and were performed 7492 IgM test (repeated test in 89 patients) and 46.2% were reactive. Conclusion: The hospital admission related to unspecified febrile syndrome constitute a challenge to the organization and the healthcare system to provide the best care for all and minimize its economic impact.

Cet article porte sur l’analyse iconographique de Four seasons (1993), par l’artiste contemporain Edwin Parker “Cy Twombly” (Cy Twombly, 1928 – 2011), à la lumière de deux créations du maître impressionniste Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1845 – 1919). La vague (1879) et Paysage bords de Seine (1879) sont deux œuvres où Renoir imprime un sceau qui capte l’éphémère à travers la couleur, le mouvement de la lumière et le pleinairisme. Four seasons est une œuvre qui ne peut pas être comprise comme création contemporaine sans étudier l’empreinte de Renoir dans l’abstraction lyrique américaine ̶ un sceau visible dans la technique, l’usage de la couleur, la thématique et le message de la création. Le besoin de saisir l’harmonie, à travers une création dans laquelle l’image et le texte se mêlent, représente l’évolution de la même œuvre de Renoir dans la contemporanéité : une création où le message unit image et langage, voire un poème visuel.

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a form of agricultural system redesign being practiced at scale in India, particularly in the state of Andhra Pradesh. ZBNF is an emerging set of agricultural practices designed dramatically to reduce farmers direct costs (hence ‘zero budget’) while boosting yields and farm health through the use of non-synthetic inputs sourced locally (‘natural farming’). Andhra Pradesh has set out the aim of ‘rolling out’ ZBNF to all 6 million of the state’s farmers through a state-led programme of training and extension. We present data showing statistically significant differences between ZBNF and non-ZBNF yields and farmer incomes at multiple locations and with a variety of crops, as well as preliminary results on farmers’ experiences with crop health and household transitions following the adoption of ZBNF. We conclude with reflections on the lessons derived from Andhra Pradesh’s state support for ZBNF.

Given the emphasis that the notion of competence has acquired in both organizational and educational contexts, the purposes of this article are, first, to outline a brief history of the emergence o...

Climate change has become one of the world’s leading threats. Currently, the construction industry has a high environmental footprint. For this reason, the scientific and technological sector is looking for new materials to reduce the environmental consequences of this division. It is well known that the valorisation of different by-products can contribute to the reduction of the energy global consumption and CO2 emissions. Magnesium Phosphate Cement (MPC) can be obtained by using Low Grade Magnesium Oxide (LG-MgO) as a by-product from the industrial process of magnesite calcination. In this research, a Sustainable MPC (Sust-MPC) for different construction purposes is developed by using LG-MgO along with monopotassium phosphate KH2PO4 (MKP) as raw materials. The increasing use of synthetic fibres in clothing, as well as China’s competitive prices on Animal Fibres (AF) market, have led to a commercial interest fibre decrease for wool-like AF in Spain. This study aims to formulate a Sust-MPC cement with Animal Fibre (AF) to reduce the cost of the new material (Sust-MPC-AF) and to increase the thermal insulation, allowing the use of Sust-MPC-AF in several potential applications. Besides, it should be emphasized that the final pH of Sust-MPC is neutral, which allows containing natural fibres. To develop Sust-MPC-AF, some properties such as thermal conductivity, density, Modulus of Elasticity (MoE), flexural strength, and economic cost were evaluated using the Design of Experiments (DoE). The DoE studies allowed obtaining a model for further optimization considering minimum thermal conductivity and cost dosages. The formulation 30L-25EW presents the minimum conductivity (λ=0.140 W·m-1·K-1). Therefore, two optimal dosages (36L-25EW and 24L-22EW) are obtained by considering mixing variables such as AF/Cement ratio (AF/C) and AF/Extra Water ratio (AF/EW).

Memòria que recull les activitats realitzades al CRAI Biblioteca d'Informació i Mitjans Audiovisuals durant l'any 2018.

In recent years, the conceptual advancement on green analytical chemistry (GAC) has moved in parallel with efforts to incorporate new screening or quantitative low-cost analytical tools to solve analytical problems. In this sense, the role of solid state techniques that allow the non-invasive analysis (or with a minimum sample treatment) of solid samples cannot be neglected. This review describes the basic principles, instrumentation and advances in the application of X-ray fluorescence instrumentation to the environmental sciences research topics, published between 2006 and 2020. Obviously, and because of the enormous number of works that can be found in the literature, it is not possible to exhaustively cover all published articles and the diversity of topics related to the environment in which a solid state technique like XRF has been applied successfully. It is a question of making a compilation of the instrumentation in use, the significant advances in XRF spectrometry and sample treatment strategies to highlight the potential of its implementation for environmental assessment., This work has been carried out within the framework of the activities of the Grant CEX2018-000794-S, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain.

Memòria que recull les activitats realitzades al CRAI Biblioteca d'Informació i Mitjans Audiovisuals durant l'any 2020.

Treballs Finals de Grau de Matemàtiques, Facultat de Matemàtiques, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2022, Director: David Márquez, [en] The aim of this work is to extend the concepts studied in the subject of Probabilities of the degree in mathematics. In order to delve into familiar notions and deal with new concepts, we link probability theory to measurement theory. This construction provides us with a mathematical framework and a coherent language that unifies different ideas and eliminates the need to distinguish between fundamentally similar objects. As we have introduced, we will cover familiar concepts such as distributions, expectation, integration of random variables, or independence, and some new ones, such as the extent of measures, the product of probability spaces, or the characteristic function. We will also present some fundamental results such as the convergence theorems, the Radon-Nikodym theorem, the strong law of large numbers or the central limit theorem, among others.

To analyze if there are sex-related differences in patients with unexplained syncope and bundle branch block (BBB). Despite increasing awareness that sex is a major determinant of the incidence, etiology, and the outcomes of different arrhythmias, no studies have examined differences in presentation and outcomes between men and women with syncope and BBB. Cohort study of consecutive patients with unexplained syncope and BBB was included from January 2010 to January 2021 with a median follow-up time of 3.4 years [interquartile range (IQR) 1.7-6.0 years]. They were evaluated by a stepwise workup protocol based on electrophysiological study (EPS) and long-term follow-up with an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM). Of the 443 patients included in the study, 165 (37.2%) were women. Compared with men, women had less diabetes (25.5 vs. 39.9%, p = 0.002) and less history of ischemic heart disease (IHD; 13.3 vs. 25.9%, p = 0.002). Left bundle branch block (LBBB) was more frequent in women (55.2 vs. 27.7%, p < 0.001) while right bundle branch block (RBBB) was more frequent in men (41.5 vs. 67.7%, p < 0.001). His to ventricle (HV) interval in the EPS was shorter in women (58 ms [IQR 52-71] vs. 60 ms [IQR 52-73], p = 0.035) and less women had an HV interval longer than 70 ms (28.5 vs. 38.1%, p = 0.039), however, EPS and ICM offered a similar diagnostic yield in both sexes (40.6 vs. 48.9% and 48.4% vs. 51.1%, respectively). Women had a lower risk of developing atrioventricular block (AVB) (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.44-95% CI 0.26-0.74, p = 0.002) and of requiring permanent pacemaker implantation (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.72-95% CI: 0.52-0.99, p = 0.046). The mortality rate was lower in women (4.5 per 100 person-years [95% CI 3.1-6.4 per 100 person-years] vs. 7.3 per 100 person-years [95% CI 5.9-9.1 per 100 person-years]). Compared to men, women with unexplained syncope and BBB have a lower risk of AVB and of requiring cardiac pacing. A stepwise diagnostic approach has a similar diagnostic yield in both sexes, and it seems appropriate to guide the treatment and avoid unnecessary pacemaker implantation, especially in women. Risk of AVB and need for cardiac pacing. Left: Percentage of patients diagnosed with aAVB/sCD in both sexes. Right-top: Multivariate logistic regression analyses for risk of aAVB/sCD. Odds ratio and 95% CI are plotted. Right-bottom: Kaplan-Meier pacemaker-free survival estimates curves in both sexes. aAVB/sCD, advanced atrio-ventricular block or severe conduction disturbances; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; y.o, years old; IHD, ischemic heart disease; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; BBB, bundle branch block; LBBB, left bundle branch block; RBBB, right bundle branch block; LAFB, left anterior fascicular block.

Response to lithium varies widely between individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) can uncover pharmacogenomics effects and may help predict drug response. Patients (N = 2,510) with BD were assessed for long-term lithium response in the Consortium on Lithium Genetics using the Retrospective Criteria of Long-Term Treatment Response in Research Subjects with Bipolar Disorder score. PRSs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia (SCZ) were computed using lassosum and in a model including all three PRSs and other covariates, and the PRS of ADHD (β = -0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.24 to -0.03; p value = 0.010) and MDD (β = -0.16; 95% CI: -0.27 to -0.04; p value = 0.005) predicted worse quantitative lithium response. A higher SCZ PRS was associated with higher rates of medication nonadherence (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.34-1.93; p value = 2e-7). This study indicates that genetic risk for ADHD and depression may influence lithium treatment response. Interestingly, a higher SCZ PRS was associated with poor adherence, which can negatively impact treatment response. Incorporating genetic risk of ADHD, depression, and SCZ in combination with clinical risk may lead to better clinical care for patients with BD.

In this contribution, the analytical potential of total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) instrumentation has been evaluated for the determination of major and trace elements in milk powder. TXRF allows the possibility of direct analysis of solid suspensions without the need for a digestion process and therefore it can be a potential analytical candidate for simple and cost-effective analysis. A detailed study to select sample preparation and measurements conditions was carried out. Different quantification approaches (including internal standardization and empirical calibration) were also tested. Finally, the developed TXRF methods (W anode) were validated by a strict comparison with the data from the reference methods on a set of twenty-three samples using robust statistics. Results showed that acceptable results can be obtained for K, Ca, Fe and Zn determination if using adequate calibration approaches. Otherwise, only screening results can be obtained for light elements (P and Cl) in milk powder samples., Eduard Roura is acknowledged for his support in the laboratory work. Ignasi Queralt also acknowledges the “Grant CEX2018-000794-S funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033”.

Lithium is the gold standard therapy for Bipolar Disorder (BD) but its effectiveness differs widely between individuals. The molecular mechanisms underlying treatment response heterogeneity are not well understood, and personalized treatment in BD remains elusive. Genetic analyses of the lithium treatment response phenotype may generate novel molecular insights into lithium's therapeutic mechanisms and lead to testable hypotheses to improve BD management and outcomes. We used fixed effect meta-analysis techniques to develop meta-analytic polygenic risk scores (MET-PRS) from combinations of highly correlated psychiatric traits, namely schizophrenia (SCZ), major depression (MD) and bipolar disorder (BD). We compared the effects of cross-disorder MET-PRS and single genetic trait PRS on lithium response. For the PRS analyses, we included clinical data on lithium treatment response and genetic information for n = 2283 BD cases from the International Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLi+Gen; www.ConLiGen.org ). Higher SCZ and MD PRSs were associated with poorer lithium treatment response whereas BD-PRS had no association with treatment outcome. The combined MET2-PRS comprising of SCZ and MD variants (MET2-PRS) and a model using SCZ and MD-PRS sequentially improved response prediction, compared to single-disorder PRS or to a combined score using all three traits (MET3-PRS). Patients in the highest decile for MET2-PRS loading had 2.5 times higher odds of being classified as poor responders than patients with the lowest decile MET2-PRS scores. An exploratory functional pathway analysis of top MET2-PRS variants was conducted. Findings may inform the development of future testing strategies for personalized lithium prescribing in BD.

Background In the last years a substantial effort has been made to improve the understanding of the sex-differences in cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have examined differences in presentation and outcomes between men and women presenting with syncope and bundle branch block (BBB). Aim To determinate if there are sex-specific differences in the characteristics and outcomes of syncope in patients with BBB Methods Cohort study carried out in a tertiary hospital that is a reference center for syncope from January 2008 to February 2021. Patients (p.) with BBB and syncope of unknown origin after the initial evaluation without direct indication of an ICD were included. They were managed according to the current ESC guidelines. All patients underwent to an EPS and an ILR was implanted if it was not diagnostic. Results 374p. were included (75±1 y. o; 135 (36%) female). Mean follow up was 2.3±1.6 y.o. No differences in baseline characteristics where found comparing both groups, except that LBBB was more prevalent in female and RBBB in male (Figure 1A). EPS and ILR diagnostic yield was 44%/44% respectively in females and 50% /40% in males (p=ns). However, basal HV interval in EPS was significant shorter in females (Figure 2A). In the multivariate analyses female sex was associated with a significant lower risk of AV block (Figure 1B), and with a trend of less need of a pacemaker implantation (PM) (53% in females, 60% in males) (Log-rank 0.1) (Figure 2B). No significant differences in recurrences neither in mortality rate were found. Conclusions Female patients with syncope and BBB have lower risk of AV block compared to males, and only half of them required a pacemaker implantation. A strategy of direct PM implantation should be avoided, specially in woman. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1Figure 2

OBJECTIVES: Bipolar disorder (BD) with early disease onset is associated with an unfavorable clinical outcome and constitutes a clinically and biologically homogenous subgroup within the heterogeneous BD spectrum. Previous studies have found an accumulation of early age at onset (AAO) in BD families and have therefore hypothesized that there is a larger genetic contribution to the early-onset cases than to late onset BD. To investigate the genetic background of this subphenotype, we evaluated whether an increased polygenic burden of BD- and schizophrenia (SCZ)-associated risk variants is associated with an earlier AAO in BD patients. METHODS: A total of 1995 BD type 1 patients from the Consortium of Lithium Genetics (ConLiGen), PsyCourse and Bonn-Mannheim samples were genotyped and their BD and SCZ polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were calculated using the summary statistics of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium as a training data set. AAO was either separated into onset groups of clinical interest (childhood and adolescence [≤18 years] vs adulthood [>18 years]) or considered as a continuous measure. The associations between BD- and SCZ-PRSs and AAO were evaluated with regression models. RESULTS: BD- and SCZ-PRSs were not significantly associated with age at disease onset. Results remained the same when analyses were stratified by site of recruitment. CONCLUSIONS: The current study is the largest conducted so far to investigate the association between the cumulative BD and SCZ polygenic risk and AAO in BD patients. The reported negative results suggest that such a polygenic influence, if there is any, is not large, and highlight the importance of conducting further, larger scale studies to obtain more information on the genetic architecture of this clinically relevant phenotype. peerReviewed