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Past research has shown that economic inequality shapes individuals’ self-construals. However, it has been unclear which dimensions of self-construal are associated with and affected by economic inequality. A correlational (Study 1: N = 264) and an experimental study (Study 2: N = 532) provided converging evidence linking perceived economic inequality with two forms of independent (vs. interdependent) self-construal: Difference from Others and Self- Reliance. In Study 3 (N = 12,634) societal differences in objective economic inequality across 48 nations predicted feelings of Difference from Others, but not Self-Reliance. Importantly, we found no significant associations of economic inequality with the other six dimensions of self-construal. Our findings help extend previous results linking economic inequality to forms of “social distance.”

We explore to what extent previously observed pan-cultural association between dimensions of self-construal and personal life satisfaction (PLS) may be moderated by three national-contextual variables: national wealth, economic inequality, and religious heritage. The results showed that MSelf-reliance (vs. dependence on others) predicted PLSpositively in poorer countries but negatively in richer countries. Connectedness to others (vs. self-containment) predicted PLS more strongly in Protestant-heritage countries. Self-expression (vs. harmony) predicted PLS more weakly (and non-significantly) in Muslim-heritage countries. In contrast, previously reported associations of self-direction (vs. reception-to-influence), consistency (vs. variability), and decontextualized (vs. contextualized) self-understanding with personal life satisfaction were not significantly moderated by these aspects of societal context. These results show the importance of considering the impact of national religious and economic context.

Economic inequality might influence subjective well-being through psychological processes such as status competition and social distance. However, evidence for this claim is mixed. In this Perspective, we suggest that inconsistent findings arise because the psychological effects of economic inequality are driven by perceived — rather than objective — inequality. Perceived inequality is not always related to objective inequality for at least three reasons. First, unequal societies tend to be more physically and psychologically segregated, so, paradoxically, people have less contact with inequality in these societies. Second, people are more influenced by signs of economic disparities in their daily life and close circles than by information about inequality at an abstract level. Third, system-justifying ideologies lead people to perceive more or less inequality relative to objective inequality. We conclude that perceived inequality is crucial for understanding how and when objective inequality influences psychological processes and individual outcomes. Ministerios de Economía y Competitividad/[PID2019-105643GB-I00]/MINECO/España Ministerios de Economía y Competitividad/[PCI2020-112285]/MINECO/España Junta de Andalucía/[A-SEJ-72-UGR20]//España Centro de Estudios de Conflicto y Cohesión Social/[ANID/FONDAP/15130009]/COES/Chile UCR::Sedes Regionales::Sede de Occidente::Recinto San Ramón

People living in unequal societies tend to worry about their social status. In this paper, we argue that inequality may have a greater impact on a similar but conceptually different process: choice...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions encouraged social isolation and non-interaction with other people to prevent contagion. Still, the response to an impending economic crisis must be through the collective organization. In this set of pre-registered studies, we analyse two possible mechanisms of coping with collective economic threats: shared social identity and interdependent self-construction. We conducted three correlational studies during the pandemic in May–October 2020 (Study 1, N = 363; Study 2, N = 250; Study 3, N = 416). Results show that shared identity at two levels of politicization (i.e., working-class and 99% identities) and interdependent self-construal mediated the relationship between collective economic threat, intolerance towards economic inequality and collective actions to reduce it. The results highlight that the collective economic threat can reinforce the sense of community—either through the activation of a politicized collective identity, such as the working class or the 99% or through the activation of an interdependent self—which in turn can trigger greater involvement in the fight against economic inequality. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación: MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Grant/Award Number: PID2019-111549GB-I00, FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades, Grant/Award Number: A-SEJ-72-UGR20, Universidad de Granada / CBUA

Although several scholars and international institutions have considered high levels of economic inequality an issue for society, the populations who live in more unequal countries tend to be less concerned about it. Given the ideological connotations in the construct of people’s concerns about economic inequality, whether those who live in more unequal countries are more interested in economic inequality remains unclear. In this research, we aimed to examine whether objective economic inequality is related to individuals’ interest in the topic of economic inequality. First, we used data from the United States Census Bureau and Google Trends to examine whether the objective level of economic inequality predicted the interest of the population in searching Google for terms such as “economic inequality” and “income inequality.” Our results showed that individuals who live in more economically unequal U.S. states more often search these terms. Second, we analysed the tweets that contained the terms “economic inequality” and “income inequality” (10,118 tweets) published over 9 days and localised by U.S. state. We found that individuals who live in more economically unequal U.S. states more often post tweets about economic and income inequality. To take a closer look at the narrative around economic/income inequality, we conducted a network analysis using tweets as nodes and retweets as edges. Our results suggest that the public narrative about economic inequality via Twitter was built on three large communities. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results in relation to economic inequality consequences.

Este ensayo pretende contribuir al debate contemporáneo en torno a la legitimidad historiográfica de los conceptos de religión política y religión civil por medio de una vía inusual: analizando no el debate en sí sino la reapropiación política de los conceptos por parte de los historiadores Paul E. Gottfried y Enzo Traverso, quienes los aplican a la izquierda post-marxista y al culto a la memoria del holocausto respectivamente. La conclusión es que los conceptos de religión política y religión civil, cuando son usados de manera eminentemente polémica, dan pie a muchos de los defectos historiográficos que sus críticos les atribuyen. Sin embargo, actualizar su potencial político nos puede indicar mutaciones históricas significativas del mundo secularizado.

The degree of economic inequality may lead to different environments where people develop motives and behaviours that lend them higher chances of survival. However, the specific features attributed to an environment with a particular level of economic inequality have received little research attention. In this research, we explored how perceived economic inequality may influence the values inferred as normative in society. Results from three studies, one correlational and two experimental, showed that perceived normative values change according to the degree of perceived economic inequality in a given context: higher levels of perceived economic inequality are related to normative self-enhancement values, whereas lower levels of perceived economic inequality are related to normative self-transcendence values. These results are discussed in terms of how information on economic inequality is used to build a general perception of the normative climate in society and, accordingly, of the values that would best guide behaviours.

Purpose Antecedents and influences of workplace incivility have recently been studied in many areas of research but there is still a lack of consideration for the impact of culture. Theoretical considerations for the present research are based on the cultural dimensions of power distance and tightness/looseness because the collective levels of power distance are similar between Korea and Spain, but the collective levels of tightness/looseness are different between the two countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether individuals’ occupational position affects their normative reactions to incivility differently. Design/methodology/approach Participant (victim)’s (those who react to uncivil behaviors) social power (low vs high) and perpetrator’s (those who exhibit uncivil behaviors) social power (low vs high) were experimentally manipulated; all participants were randomly assigned to one of four perpetrator × victim conditions in relation to hierarchical positions (Ntot = 467). Findings The results suggest that the level of social and personal acceptability was greater either among Koreans than Spanish at a collective level or among people who endorsed higher power distance and tightness values. All in all, the findings highlight cultural influences on the importance of social hierarchy as a factor that can impact the people’s normative reactions to incivility. Originality/value The findings broaden our understanding of the psychology of employees in relation to incivility, by simultaneously considering the influences of culture (power distance and tightness/looseness) and social power.

Social class and power inequalities are defining features of current societies and tend to influence several social psychological processes. Two types of consequences of social class and power inequalities can be differentiated: mechanical and contextual. Mechanical effects occur when inequality strengthens the relation between social class or power and a given outcome; conversely, contextual effects occur when inequality creates a social context that changes the relationship between social class or power and a given outcome. We exemplify these two different types of effects, focusing on the contextual ones, by analyzing the consequences of social class and power on a) status anxiety, b) the perception of society: social norms and mobility, and c) cohesion and social distance. Finally, we argue that perceived inequality and ideologies of inequality (e.g. economic system justification or social dominance orientation) might moderate these two described effects.

El trasplante renal consiste en la sustitucion de los rinones nativos enfermos por un rinon sano, extraido de un donante vivo o muerto. En general todo paciente con insuficiencia renal terminal sin complicaciones o patologias graves asociadas que condicionen su supervivencia a corto plazo, con capacidad suficiente para entender y asumir el tratamiento, es candidato para recibir un trasplante renal. Como objetivos de esta valoracion esta: la educacion del paciente y su entorno familiar, detectar contraindicaciones absolutas y relativas, evaluar los factores de riesgo, evaluar el estado psicologico y la capacidad de adhesion al tratamiento y resolver las alteraciones encontradas antes del trasplante. Las tecnicas mas frecuentes de trasplante a partir de donador vivo: trasplante renal clasico o heterotopico: es la tecnica quirurgica mas utilizada y sencilla, consiste en la colocacion del rinon a trasplantar en la fosa iliaca derecha por via extra peritoneal. Trasplante renal en fosa iliaca izquierda u ortotopico: era practica frecuente colocar los rinones derechos en la fosa iliaca izquierda con la finalidad de disponer la via urinaria siempre para que resultara mas facil las reintervenciones (resolucion de fistulas, estenosis etc.). Trasplante renal ortotopico izquierdo: describe una via de abordaje extra peritoneal a los vasos esplenicos por Lumbotomia, utilizada inicialmente para la revascularizacion esplenorenal en la estenosis de la arteria renal, despues para la derivacion esplenorenal en la hipertension portal y mas tarde en el trasplante renal. La nefrectomia consiste en la extirpacion quirurgica de parte de un rinon (nefrectomia parcial), del rinon completo (nefrectomia simple) o del rinon, los ganglios linfaticos adyacentes y la glandula suprarrenal (nefrectomia radical). En una nefrectomia el cirujano corta los ureteres y los vasos sanguineos y extrae el rinon. Puede hacerse con cirugia abierta o mediante laparoscopia. La ablacion donante cadaverico se realiza en pacientes con muerte encefalica y aun con corazon batiente. La metodologia usada es descriptiva, con un enfoque documental, es decir, revisar fuentes disponibles en la red, como google academico, con contenido oportuno y relevante desde el punto de vista cientifico que enriquezca el analisis del tema planteado en este articulo.

espanolLa realidad economica es un elemento esencial de la vida de las personas por lo que entender como nos afecta psicologica y culturalmente es fundamental. Basandonos en la perspectiva ecocultural, enraizada en el materialismo historico y el interaccionismo simbolico, en este trabajo llevamos a cabo una integracion teorica en la que exponemos como la activad economica afecta a la realidad cultural y psicologica de las personas. En concreto, nos hemos centrado en analizar separadamente como las distintas fases de la actividad economica —produccion, distribucion y consumo— fomentan diversas dinamicas individualistas-colectivistas. Esta integracion teorica pretende subrayar la importancia de analizar los factores macrosociales con el objetivo de conseguir una compresion mas integral de la realidad humana. EnglishEconomic reality is an essential element in the life of individuals. Thus, it is relevant to understand the psychological and cultural effects of economic activity. We developed an integrated theory based on an ecocultural perspective, rooted in historical materialism and symbolic interactionism, that shows how certain psychological and cultural dynamics are impacted by economic activity. Specifically, we individually analysed the different stages of economic activity (i.e. production, distribution, and consumption) and how each one promotes individualist-collectivist dynamics. This integrated theory highlights the relevance of analysing macrosocial factors to obtain a more integral understanding of human reality

European identity is currently facing important challenges. From the beginning, European identity has been related to the national identities of Member States with different economic strengths. The recent economic recession made these disparities salient across countries. In this research conducted in two countries with relative low status in the European Union (EU), we explored whether the perceived disparities in wealth between the countries of the EU—perceived economic inequality—predicted disidentification with Europe. We also examined the mediators of this relationship. Study 1, conducted in Spain, revealed that perceived economic inequality positively predicted disidentification with Europe; importantly, this effect remained when controlling for individuals’ subjective socioeconomic status and the perceived status of the country. The experience of fear of economic inequality in the EU mediated this relationship. The results of Study 1 were replicated comparing a Spanish sample (Study 2a) and a Greek sample (Study 2b). These studies delved deeper into the specific appraisals of fear that mediate the relationship between economic inequality and disidentification with Europe. Four categories of fear appraisals obtained in a preliminary qualitative study were measured as potential mediators: losing national sovereignty, worsening of living conditions, being negatively stereotyped, and Europe losing fundamental values. The relationship between economic inequality in the EU and disidentification with Europe was mediated by fear of losing national sovereignty and fear of Europe losing fundamental values.

In a context of digitalization and technological evolution in all aspects of our lives, the electricity sector could not be left behind. This opens up a new range of possibilities until now unthinkable, which will facilitate the progress and services that we will be able to enjoy thanks to the development of the smart grid. But it also poses new challenges, both technological and in terms of cybersecurity, as the electricity sector takes on an increasingly important role in our lives. Therefore, after an analysis of the main incidents that have affected the energy sector, a general study is made of the standards that affect it, especially the IEEE 1686 and IEC 62,351 standards, in order to develop a simple and practical methodology to assess the level of security of the cyber-physical systems and equipment that makes up an electrical installation. The aforementioned methodology is developed based on a selection of specific requirements from the aforementioned standards that will serve as a starting point for the development of a series of specific compliance tests to assess the equipment to be installed or modified in a smart grid. This is because every measure is too little to put a stop to the successes achieved so far by cybercriminals. To this end, it is necessary to set out one of the many routes initiated by the many standards, norms, and laws, and thus define an effective and efficient path that will allow us to establish secure pillars on which to build the future.

La verificación de noticias falsas es una herramienta importante para mejorar la calidad de la información que circula en redes virtuales. Aunque existen distintas agencias de verificación de noticias, también encontramos algunas estrategias más informales como el uso del hashtag #Stopbulos. Así, la presente investigación pretende realizar una caracterización del hashtag #StopBulos en Twitter como forma de verificación de la información y de control de la difusión de fake news. Los resultados mostraron que existía diversidad entre los usuarios y las temáticas de los tuits que incluían dicho hashtag, mientras que la principal función era desmentir fake news. No obstante, se encontró que aquellos que conseguían una mayor difusión eran los usuarios con mayor número de seguidores y carácter institucional. Se discuten las implicaciones del uso del hashtag #StopBulos como una herramienta que permite identificar información falsa en redes sociales. The fact-checking is an important tool to improve the quality of the information that circulates in virtual networks. Although there are different fact-checking verification agencies, we also found some more informal strategies such as the use of the hashtag #Stopbulos. Thus, this research aims to characterize the #StopBulos hashtag on Twitter as a way to verify information and control the spread of fake news. The results showed that there was diversity among users and the themes of the tweets that included this hashtag, while the main function was to deny fake news. However, it was found that those who achieved greater dissemination were the users with the largest number of followers and institutional character. The implications of using the #StopBulos hashtag as a tool to identify false information on social networks are discussed.

Previous research has shown that economic inequality influences how people are related with others. In this article, we suggest that perceived economic inequality influences self-construal. Specifically, we propose that higher economic inequality leads to an independent self-construal, whereas lower economic inequality leads to an interdependent self-construal. Correlational data from Studies 1a and 1b revealed that people who perceive lower levels of economic inequality tend to show higher levels of interdependent self-construal, even after controlling for social class. In Study 2, using an experimental design, we found that perceived high economic inequality leads to a more independent and less interdependent self-construal compared to the low economic inequality condition. These results expand the literature bridging the gap between a macro-social factor, such as economic inequality, and a micro-social factor, such as self-construal.

Given that people evaluate their own income and that of their group by comparing it with that of others, economic inequality (i.e., the gap between the poor and the wealthy) may affect how people perceive their ingroup wealth. Additional analyses of data of six previously conducted studies ('n' = 747) provided initial evidence that individuals with average levels of affluence felt that their income group was less wealthy when inequality was high than when it was low. The seventh study consisted of a preregistered experiment to independently test our hypothesis ('n' = 222). As predicted, compared to participants in the low inequality condition, those in the high inequality condition perceived their own group as less wealthy. The discussion focuses on the importance of considering self-perceived wealth in research on economic inequality.

¿Cómo nos afecta la desigualdad económica psicológicamente? ¿El hecho de que los ricos son cada vez más ricos mientras que los pobres son cada vez más pobres condiciona la manera de comportarnos y relacionarnos con las personas de nuestro entorno? Investigaciones recientes indican que las personas que viven en sociedades más desiguales tienden a desconfiar más de los demás, a competir más por los recursos económicos y aumentan su tolerancia hacia la misma desigualdad, lo que redunda en el mantenimiento o incluso el incremento de la desigualdad.

With a view to improving the sensitivity of direct coupling of a headspace sampler (HS) with a mass spectrometer (MS), here we propose the use of a programmed temperature vaporizer (PTV) in solvent-vent injection mode before the sample is introduced into the MS. This preconcentration scheme has been used for some time in many methods based on gas chromatography (GC), but to the best of our knowledge it has not yet been used in an electronic nose based on MS. The increase in the S/N ratio with the proposed instrumental configuration (HS-PTV/MS) lies between 6.9- and 22-fold. The main advantage of using this injector lies in the fact that it does not involve time-consuming steps. To check the possibilities of this methodology, saliva samples from healthy volunteers and patients with different types of illnesses (including some types of cancer) were analyzed. None of the compounds studied was detected in the samples corresponding to the healthy volunteers. One or more biomarkers, at levels ranging from 13 to 500 μg/L, were found in five of the samples from the patients. Additionally, separative analysis by HS-PTV-GC/MS was performed for confirmatory purposes and both methods provided similar results. The main advantage of the proposed methodology is that no prior chromatographic separation and no sample manipulation are required.

Previous research has shown that economic inequality influences how people are related with others. In this article, we suggest that perceived economic inequality influences self-construal. Specifically, we propose that higher economic inequality leads to an independent self-construal, whereas lower economic inequality leads to an interdependent self-construal. Correlational data from Studies 1a and 1b revealed that people who perceive lower levels of economic inequality tend to show higher levels of interdependent self-construal, even after controlling for social class. In Study 2, using an experimental design, we found that perceived high economic inequality leads to a more independent and less interdependent self-construal compared to the low economic inequality condition. These results expand the literature bridging the gap between a macro-social factor, such as economic inequality, and a micro-social factor, such as self-construal.

Resumen es: Esta conferencia muestra como la tradicion fenomenologica de la filosofia de la tecnologia ha interrogado y cuestionado a la tecnologia moderna entendida...

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (5): 548–556 Abstract Background Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a secreted member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily of cytokines, has been associated with endothelial dysfunction. We studied in type 2 diabetic and/or hypertensive patients the relationship between serum OPG and vascular alterations associated with these pathologies. Materials and methods We analysed 191 consecutive patients (52 with type 2 diabetes and 139 hypertensive nondiabetic patients) and 54 healthy controls. We assessed the relationship of OPG serum levels measured by ELISA with basal glycaemia, glycosylated haemoglobin, blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction (assessed by pulse wave velocity), retinopathy (by Keith-Wagener classification), left ventricular hypertrophy (by Cornell index), cardiovascular risk and target organs (heart, vascular, kidney) damage. Results Serum OPG levels were higher in either hypertensive or diabetic patients and in patients with non-dipper and riser circadian blood pressure patterns. We found significant correlations between OPG levels and age, height, glycaemia, systolic, diastolic and pulse blood pressure, pulse wave velocity and left ventricular hypertrophy in both hypertensive and diabetic patients. OPG levels were also higher in hypertensive patients with retinopathy, patients with high probability of 10-year cardiovascular risk, patients with three or more damaged target organs (heart, vessels, kidneys) and patients with previous episodes of ischaemic cardiopathy or hypercholesterolaemia. Conclusions Osteoprotegerin is an indicator of diabetes- and hypertension-associated vascular pathologies as endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular risk.

Therapeutic guidelines recommend the combination of drugs as necessary to control type 2 diabetes (T2D). This research assessed the effectiveness of pioglitazone (Pio), metformin (Met) and sulfonylurea (SU) combinations in the routine clinical practice.A nationwide, 12-month prospective, observational cohort study was performed in 2294 patients with T2D (50.3% females, mean age: 61.1 years, mean body mass index: 30.2 kg/m(2), mean time since diagnosis: 8.5 years) who started, at the discretion of treating physician, oral antihyperglycaemic treatment with either Pio + SU, Pio + Met or SU + Met because of inadequate control with previous therapy. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids, blood pressure, and anthropometric parameters were measured, and 10-year cardiovascular risk was estimated.FPG, HbA1c and total cholesterol at baseline had mean values (184.6 mg/dl, 8.5% and 246.0 mg/dl, respectively) associated with an excess of micro- and macrovascular risk. The mean changes from baseline in the Pio + SU, Pio + Met and SU + Met cohorts were, respectively, -37.9, -32.7 and -25.8 mg/dl for FPG; -1.1, -1.0 and -0.7% for HbA1c; -30.7, -38.7 and -17.1 mg/dl for triglycerides; and +2.3, +2.5 and +0.6 mg/dl for HDL cholesterol. In consequence, the estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk decreased more in the Pio cohorts, particularly with Pio + Met (1.7% versus 1.4% Pio + SU and 1.0% SU + Met -Framingham equation- and 0.6% versus 0.4% SU + Met - Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation model-). Related adverse events were significantly (p = 0.016) more frequent in Pio cohorts (4.7% with Pio + SU, 5.1% with Pio + Met) than in the SU + Met cohort (2.4%).In patients with T2D failing therapy, mostly SU or Met monotherapy, pioglitazone add-on treatment was associated with a significant improvement of micro- and macrovascular risk estimations. These results from real-life clinical conditions support the findings of prior randomised trials, although they should be interpreted with caution because of the observational, nonrandomised design.

Fundamento y objetivo Ademas del control glucemico, la pioglitazona se asocia a cambios favorables en otros factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). Se presenta una evaluacion comparativa del perfil de riesgo en pacientes que recibieron o no pioglitazona en politerapia en condiciones de practica habitual en Espana. Pacientes y metodo Se ha realizado un estudio de cohortes prospectivo y controlado en pacientes con DM2 que iniciaron, a criterio del medico investigador, tratamiento combinado oral con pioglitazona y sulfonilurea (Pio+SU), pioglitazona y metformina (Pio+Met) o una sulfonilurea y metformina (SU+Met) por mal control glucemico con el tratamiento anterior. Se determinaron el colesterol serico, la glucemia, la hemoglobina glucosilada, la presion arterial y parametros antropometricos al comienzo y tras 6 meses de tratamiento. Resultados Se evaluo a 2.294 pacientes. Se registraron un incremento medio del colesterol unido a lipoproteinas de alta densidad de 2,08; 2,06, y 0,67 mg/dl, y un descenso de trigliceridos de 26,6; 30,6, y 17,6 mg/dl con Pio+SU, Pio+Met y SU+Met, respectivamente. Estos cambios fueron significativamente diferentes entre los grupos (p Conclusiones En condiciones de practica habitual, el tratamiento con pioglitazona de los pacientes con DM2 se asocio a mejorias significativas de parametros lipidicos y glucemicos relacionados con la resistencia a la insulina y el riesgo cardiovascular. Una de las principales limitaciones del estudio es la asignacion no aleatoria de los pacientes a los grupos de tratamiento, inherente a su naturaleza observacional.

Endoglin is a proliferation-associated and hypoxia-inducible protein expressed in endothelial cells. The levels of soluble circulating endoglin and their prognostic significance in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are not known. In this observational prospective study serum endoglin levels were measured by ELISA in 183 AMI patients upon admission to hospital and 48 hrs later and in 72 healthy controls. Endoglin levels in AMI patients on admission were significantly lower than in healthy controls (4.25 ± 0.99 ng/ml versus 4.59 ± 0.87 ng/ml; P= 0.013), and decreased further in the first 48 hours (3.65 ± 0.76 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Upon follow-up (median 319 days), patients who died had a significantly greater decrease in serum endoglin level over the first 48 hrs than those who survived (1.03 ± 0.91 versus 0.54 ± 0.55 ng/ml; P= 0.025). Endoglin decrease was an independent predictor of short-term (30 days) (hazard ratio 2.33;95% CI = 1.27–4.23; P= 0.006) cardiovascular mortality, and also predicts overall cardiovascular mortality during the follow-up (median 319 days) in AMI patients (hazard ratio 2.13;95% CI = 1.20–3.78; P= 0.01). In conclusion, early changes in serum endoglin may predict mortality after AMI.

La doble vertiente de reflexión de la filosofía de Gaston Bachelard se constituye hoy día como una filosofía optimista, de integración de órdenes diversos. Es decir, aquel pensador francés pretendía instaurar un nuevo espíritu filosófico, un nuevo cogito no cartesiano y complejo, de fronteras abiertas, localizado tanto en la base de su reflexión epistemológica como en su ontología de la imaginación. Tenía la plena convicción de que al tomar energías elementales y luego, transformándolas, transmutándolas, "ensoñándolas" como poeta, matemático y soñador, se encontrarían en un nuevo racionalismo inventivo, presto a la novedad y a la invención. La filosofía de la imaginación bachelardiana se encaminó hacia un pensamiento fecundo y maravillado, que discurre poéticamente en las metáforas de la libertad humana. Aquello representó un esfuerzo paradigmático, dirigido a mostrar que la ciencia no riñe con el arte. Todo lo contrario, el pensamiento objetivo y riguroso sufre "una extensión surracional" al beneficiarse de los poderes del pensamiento imaginativo. Esta indagación intentará sacar provecho, por sus ricas implicaciones, del sugerente método bachelardiano de la ensoñación poética, como un camino filosófico y altamente sugerente para desinstrumentalizar, vitalizar y, por lo tanto, humanizar el pensamiento en su producción tecnocientífica.Gaston Bachelard's double aspect of philosophical reflection is nowadays an optimistic philosophy which integrates diverse orders. In other words, the French thinker intended the instauration of a new philosophical spirit, a new non-Cartesian, complex cogito with open frontiers, located both at the base of his epistemological reflection and at his ontology of imagination. He was fully convinced that, in taking elementary energies and then transforming, transmuting them, "dreaming" them as a poet, mathematician and dreamer, they would find themselves in a new inventive rationalism, prone to novelty and invention. The Bachelardian philosophy of imagination was directed towards a prolific, amazed thought which poetically moves on the metaphors of human liberty. This represented a paradigmatic effort, aimed at showing that science and art are not in conflict. On the contrary, rigorous, objective thought undergoes a "surational extension" as it benefits from the powers of imaginative thought. This inquiry will try to take advantage of the suggestive Bachelardian method of poetic envisioning and its rich implications as a philosophical, highly suggestive way to de-instrumentalize, vitalize and thus humanize thought in its techno-scientific production.

Fundamento y objetivo Determinar la incidencia de acontecimientos adversos causados por medicamentos (AAM) en pacientes hospitalizados, diferenciando los potencialmente prevenibles, y describir los medicamentos implicados, las manifestaciones clinicas y los tipos de errores de medicacion asociados a los AAM prevenibles. Pacientes y metodo Estudio observacional de 6 meses de duracion que incluyo a los pacientes hospitalizados en los servicios de Medicina Interna, Neumologia, Gastroenterologia, Nefrologia y Neurologia de un hospital universitario. Los AAM se detectaron prospectivamente mediante comunicacion fomentada y retrospectivamente mediante revision de diagnosticos al alta utilizando codigos CIE-9. Resultados Se detectaron AAM en 191 (7,2%) pacientes de los 2.643 que estuvieron ingresados en ese periodo. De estos casos, 38 (19,9%) se clasificaron como prevenibles; en el 21,1% fueron leves, en el 60,5%, moderados y en el 18,4%, graves o potencialmente mortales. Los medicamentos asociados con mayor frecuencia a los AAM prevenibles fueron antiinfecciosos (22,9%), diureticos (18,8%) y digoxina (16,7%). Los principales tipos de errores que causaron los AAM prevenibles fueron la falta de seguimiento analitico o clinico del tratamiento (28,3%), la prescripcion de dosis elevadas (21,7%), la prescripcion de un medicamento inapropiado (15,0%) o la falta de prescripcion de un medicamento necesario (15,0%) y las interacciones medicamentosas (11,7%). Conclusiones Un 1,4% de los pacientes hospitalizados en unidades medicas presento AAM potencialmente prevenibles. Es preciso concienciar a los profesionales y a las autoridades sanitarias de la trascendencia de este problema e implantar en los hospitales practicas de seguridad efectivas para reducir los errores de medicacion, especialmente los errores de prescripcion y de seguimiento.

Bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats induces portal fibrosis. This process has been linked to changes in the oxidative state of the hepatic cells and in the production of nitric oxide. Our objective was to find possible temporal connections between hepatic redox state, NO synthesis and liver injury. In this work we have characterized hepatic lesions 17 and 31 days after BDL and determined changes in hepatic function, oxidative state, and NO production. We have also analyzed the expression and localization of inducible NO synthase (NOS2) and constitutive NO synthase (NOS3). After 17 and 31 days from ligature, lipid peroxidation is increased and both plasma concentration and biliary excretion of nitrite+nitrate are rised. 17 days after BDL both NOS2 and NOS3 are expressed intensely and in the same regions. 31 days after BDL, the expression of NOS2 remains elevated and is localized mostly in preserved hepatocytes in portal areas and in neighborhoods of centrolobulillar vein. NOS3 is localized in vascular regions of portal spaces and centrolobulillar veins and in preserved sinusoids and although its expression is greater than in control animals (34%), it is clearly lower (50%) than 17 days after BDL. The time after BDL is crucial in the study of NO production, intrahepatic localization of NOS isoforms expression, and cell type involved, since all these parameters change with time. BDL-induced, peroxidation and fibrosis are not ligated by a cause-effect relationship, but rather they both seem to be the consequence of common inductors.

Endoglin is a component of the TGF-beta receptor complex present in the kidney at the human glomerular mesangium. Since the cellular origin of the glomerular endoglin is unknown, in the present study we investigated the expression of endoglin in mesangial cells in culture, as well as their response to TGF-beta1. Western and Northern blot analysis identified the expression of endoglin protein and mRNA transcript in both human and rat mesangial cells. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry analyses revealed that endoglin is present on the cell membrane. Exogenous TGF-beta1 stimulated not only the expression of collagen alpha1 (I) I and TGF-beta1, but also that of endoglin. These data provide the first evidence for the expression of endoglin in mesangial cells, as well as its upregulation by TGF-beta1, thus suggesting that endoglin may have a role in modulating the effects of TGF-beta1 on the glomerular mesangium.

Our objective was to investigate the relationship between endotoxin and hyaluronan synthesis and release in serum and ascitic fluid from cirrhotic patients. We studied hyaluronan, endotoxin, albumin, and creatinine levels in ascitic fluid and plasma and cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β) in ascitic fluid. TGF-β, IL-6, and IL-1β correlation analyses indicated a strong dependence of the production of these cytokines on endotoxin levels. Correlation analyses for TGF-β and IL-6 indicated a strong dependence of the production of hyaluronan on cytokine levels and, to a lesser extent, on IL-1β levels. Hyaluronan analysis indicated that a certain glycosaminoglycan level is required in ascites before its appearance in plasma. Our results disclosed elevated plasma hyaluronan concentrations. The simultaneous increased hyaluronan levels in ascitic fluid do not seem to be derived from the systemic circulation. In conclusion, the high hyaluronan-ascites/hyaluronan-plasma ratio suggests an intrinsic hyaluronan production from peritoneal cells induced by endotoxins.

Fundamento y objetivo Estimar la asociacion entreel consumo previo de antiinflamatorios no esteroideos(AINE) y el ingreso hospitalario debido a insuficienciacardiaca congestiva (ICC), y evaluar elefecto de los inhibidores selectivos de la ciclooxigenasa2 (COX-2) en esta descompensacion. Pacientes y metodo Estudio de casos y controles:982 casos de ICC y 788 controles con antecedentesde ICC, que ingresaron en 10 hospitalesde Madrid. Resultados El uso de AINE (distintos de aspirinaa dosis bajas) se asocio con un aumento delriesgo de ingreso hospitalario por ICC (odds ratio[OR] bruta = 1,59; intervalo de confianza[IC] del 95%, 1,20–2,09; OR ajustada = 1,40;IC del 95%, 1,03–1,90). Conclusiones En individuos susceptibles, elconsumo de AINE supone un aumento del riesgode ingreso por ICC.

6 páginas, 3 tablas.-- This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al., [Background]: It is estimated that 5% of the hypertensive patients are resistant to conventional antihypertensive therapy. Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) gene have been associated with high blood pressure levels, but not with resistant hypertension. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the -786T>C and G894T (Glu298Asp) polymorphisms of the NOS3 gene were associated with resistant hypertension., [Methods]: A prospective case-control observational study was performed. From a series of 950 consecutive patients followed up during 42 months, 48 patients with resistant hypertension were detected. 232 patients with controlled high blood pressure were also included., [Results]: No differences were observed in the distribution of G894T (Glu298Asp) NOS3 genotypes between the resistant hypertension group and the controlled hypertension patients. However, genotype -786CC was more frequent in the group of patients with resistant hypertension (33.3%) than in the group of patients with controlled high blood pressure (17.7%) (p 0.03). Furthermore carriers of allele T (-786TC and -786TT) were more frequent in patients with controlled hypertension (82.3%) than those with resistant hypertension (66.7%) (Multivariate analysis; RR 2.09; 95% CI 1.03–4.24; p 0.004)., [Conclusion]: Our results indicate that genotype -786CC of the NOS3 gene increase the susceptibility to suffer resistant hypertension, which suggest that resistance to conventional therapy could be determined at the endothelial level.

Reduction in expression levels of glutathione S -transferase (GST) μ type 1 (GSTM1) in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats has recently been reported. GSTM1 genotype was evaluated in 49 patients with resistant hypertension and compared with selected patients with controlled hypertension ( n =232) and healthy participants ( n =110). Null GSTM1 genotype occurred more frequent in patients with resistant hypertension than those with controlled hypertension (57.1 vs 39.7%; P =0.03; RR 1.96; 95% CI 1.04–3.69) suggesting that null GSTM1 genotype may predispose to resistant hypertension.

Ras GTPases function as transducers of extracellular signals regulating many cell functions, and they appear to be involved in the development of hypertension. In the present study, we have investigated whether antihypertensive treatment with ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers), ACEi (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) and diuretics induce changes in Ras activation and in some of its effectors [ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) and Akt] in lymphocytes from patients with hypertension without or with diabetes. ACEi treatment transiently reduced Ras activation in the first month of treatment, but diuretics induced a sustained increase in Ras activation throughout the 3 months of the study. In patients with hypertension and diabetes, ARB, ACEi and diuretic treatment increased Ras activation only during the first week. ACEi treatment increased phospho-ERK expression during the first week and also in the last 2 months of the study; however, diuretic treatment reduced phospho-ERK expression during the last 2 months of the study. In patients with hypertension and diabetes, antihypertensive treatments did not induce changes in phospho-ERK expression in lymphocytes. ACEi treatment reduced phospho-Akt expression in patients with hypertension and diabetes only in the first month of treatment. In conclusion, these findings show that antihypertensive treatments with ACEi, and diuretics to a lesser extent, modify Ras activation and some of its signalling pathways, although in different directions, whereas ARBs do not appear to have any influence on Ras signalling pathways.

Objectives D/L-Nebivolol is a lypophilic beta1-adrenergic antagonist which is devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity and can increase nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability with its subsequent vasodilating properties. The purpose of the present work was to assess the effect of long-term nebivolol administration on both renal damage and endothelial dysfunction induced by renal mass reduction (RMR) in rats. Atenolol, which does not increase NO bioavailability, was included in the study as a comparative beta-adrenoceptor antagonist. Methods Rats were subjected to both right nephrectomy and surgical removal of two-thirds of the left kidney in order to retain approximately one-sixth of the total renal mass. One week after ablation, rats were distributed randomly according to the following experimental groups: control group containing RMR rats without treatment; RMR rats treated daily with nebivolol for 6 months (drinking water, 8 mg/kg per day); and RMR rats treated daily with atenolol for 6 months (drinking water, 80 mg/kg per day). A group of sham-operated animals was also included. Results Administration of either nebivolol or atenolol similarly reduced arterial pressure in comparison with RMR untreated animals; however, animals receiving nebivolol presented lower levels of collagen type I expression as well as lower glomerular and interstitial fibrosis than those receiving atenolol. Urinary excretion of oxidative stress markers were also lower in animals receiving nebivolol than in rats treated with atenolol. Furthermore, nebivolol prevented RMR-induced endothelial dysfunction more efficiently than atenolol. Conclusions Nebivolol protects against renal fibrosis, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction better than equivalent doses, in terms of arterial pressure reduction, of atenolol in a hypertensive model of renal damage induced by RMR.

An increased expression and activity of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the liver has been observed in models of hepatic damage. Nitric oxide (NO) seems to be involved in HO-1 regulation. The aim of this work is to assess HO-1 induction and heme oxygenase (HO) activity in rats with bile duct ligation (BDL). We have assessed the effect of chronic inhibition of the NO synthesis by N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) on HO-1 induction and HO activity. In the BDL animals, compared with sham-operated ones, we found an increased plasma nitrite and bilirubin concentration, and a marked liver expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and HO-1, assessed by both Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Chronic l-NAME treatment prevented plasma nitrite increase in animals subjected to BDL. BDL animals treated with l-NAME, compared with untreated BDL rats, showed an important decrease in HO-1 expression and in HO activity (assessed as a decreased plasma bilirubin and bilirubin excretion). In conclusion, our experiments show parallel changes in expression and activity of HO-1 and NOS2 activity in the BDL model of liver damage and suggest that increased NO production is involved in HO-1 overexpression.

Nitric oxide is now established as a biological mediator of clinical relevance. The present study investigated the production of nitric oxide by lympho-mononuclear leukocytes from alcoholic patients with either hepatitis or cirrhosis. The study included 42 patients, 12 without any liver disease and 30 alcoholic patients, 13 of whom had histologically confirmed cirrhosis and 17 alcoholic hepatitis. Cells were obtained from peripheral blood by density gradient and incubated in sterile conditions in RPMI 1640 for 6 h at 37 degrees C. Culture supernatants were assayed for nitrite concentration using the Griess reaction. Cells from cirrhotic but not from hepatopathic patients showed significantly higher nitrite production than controls (cirrhotic, 0.36 +/- 0.07; hepatopathic, 0.13 +/- 0.02; control: 0.25 +/- 0.05 nmol/10(6) cells/6 h). In cirrhotic patients L-Nitro-arginine methylester inhibited nitrite production (0.18 +/- 0.05). These data suggest that alcoholic cirrhotic but nonhepatopathic patients show an increased nitric oxide production by blood lymphomononuclear cells. This production could be involved in the systemic vasodilation in cirrhotic patients.

Background: Paracetamol is often the analgesic or antipyretic of choice, especially for patients for whom salicylates or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are contraindicated. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the absorption rate of a new tablet formulation of paracetamol (500 mg) with a reference formulation of paracetamol at the same dose. Methods: This was a single-center, Phase I, open-label, randomized, 2-period, crossover, single-dose, comparative bioavailability clinical trial. During both study periods, healthy volunteers were given a single oral dose of a more hydrophilic test formulation of paracetamol, or a reference formulation. Fifteen plasma samples were obtained to determine paracetamol concentrations and to calculate kinetic parameters. Results: The study participants comprised 24 healthy volunteers (12 men, 12 women; mean [SD] age, 22.8 [1.5] years). The pharmacokinetic parameters calculated for the test versus the reference formulation were as follows: median time to maximum concentration (Tmax), 0.42 versus 0.75 hour; mean (SD) maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax), 9.85 (2.40) μg/mL versus 8.33 (2.22) μg/mL; and mean (SD) area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), 30.16 (8.87) μg·h/mL versus 28.49 (8.57) μg · h/mL. The 90% CIs of the ratios were as follows: base e logarithm (Ln)-transformed Cmax, 105.08% to 137.59%; Ln-AUC0–∞, 102.02% to 110.43%; and the difference in Tmax, −0.375 to −0.085 hours. Conclusions: The speed of release and absorption was statistically significantly higher with the test formulation compared with the reference one (evaluated using Tmax, Cmax, and Cmax/AUC parameters). This speed is especially important for a rapid analgesic or antipyretic effect.

Un travail recent indique que le monoxyde d'azote et les produits de la cyclooxygenase jouent un role important dans les alterations renales associees a la cirrhose du foie; toutefois, leurs interactions n'ont pas encore ete determinees de facon precise. La presente etude a eu pour but d'evaluer l'effet d'un blocage simultane de la monoxyde d'azote synthase et de la cyclooxygenase chez des rats porteurs d'une ligature chronique des canaux biliaires et chez des rats operes de maniere fictive temoins. Comparativement aux rats temoins, les rats porteurs d'une ligature chronique des canaux biliaires ont montre, 23-25 jours apres la chirurgie, une diminution de la pression arterielle moyenne, de la natriurese et de la kaliurese, sans aucune difference dans le taux de filtration glomerulaire, et une augmentation de l'excretion de nitrites urinaires. L'inhibition de la synthese du monoxyde d'azote par l'administration de N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester a induit, chez les rats temoins, une augmentation de la pression arterielle moyenne, sans modifier la natriurese ni le taux de filtration glomerulaire. Chez les rats porteurs d'une ligature chronique des canaux biliaires, le N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester a induit une augmentation de la pression arterielle moyenne, de la natriurese et de la kaliurese ainsi qu'une reduction de l'excretion de nitrites urinaires et une augmentation de l'excretion de prostaglandines E 2 . L'inhibition des cyclooxygenases par l'indomethacine a induit chez les deux groupes de rats une inhibition marquee de l'excretion de prostaglandines E2 urinaires, sans modifier de facon significative l'excretion de K + ou de Na + , et une augmentation appreciable de l'excretion de nitrites urinaires chez les rats temoins. L'addition de N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester a l'indomethacine a prevenu l'augmentation de l'excretion de nitrites induite par l'indomethacine et reduit de facon significative l'excretion de sodium chez les deux groupes de rats. Ainsi, cette etude laisse supposer qu'il existe une interaction entre le monoxyde d'azote et les produits de la cyclooxygenase dans la regulation de l'excretion de sodium, et que chacun des systemes est active en l'absence de l'autre.