Search

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the approach to the health-disease system, raising the question about the principles of bioethics present in physician–patient relations. The principles while widely accepted may not be sufficient for a comprehensive ethical analysis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the perception of these principles and the physician–patient relationship during a hospital stay through a qualitative approach. Method Sixteen semi-structured interviews took place to know the patients’ perception during their 2020 hospitalization for COVID-19. The data was analyzed through the constant comparison method, creating categories and comparing them. In the end, seven categories were established and were grouped in three: bioethical principles (dignity, charity, vulnerability, autonomy), doctor-patient relationship (participant commitment, informed consent, health staff-patient relationship) and the experience of the disease (illness, the role of the family). Results The research found that most patients described a positive experience, with the feeling of having been well cared for with no sense of discrimination or injustice done. The majority also reported that their autonomy was respected in the treatment decisions. The evaluation of these attitudes is an area of opportunity, especially when the patients' vulnerability is at risk. Conclusions The ethics of virtue offers a better reflection of how human beings manifest themselves by emphasizing the development of virtuous character and behaviors that allow them to realize their values in life. Authorized by the Research Ethics Committee with registration: DI/18/105-B/3/308.

Este trabajo trata de mostrar la evolución de la regulación de la esfera pública en los Estados Unidos durante el siglo XX, desde la perspectiva del derecho a la libertad de expresión. Este derecho, consagrado en la primera enmienda a la Constitución estadounidense, ha sido objeto de un amplio tratamiento, por lo que el recorrido por el mismo muestra los cambios en la interpretación de su dimensión social. Particularmente, permite situar la problemática y contextualizarla en el marco de los cambios en la esfera pública producidos a partir de los avances tecnológicos en la esfera de las telecomunicaciones. En este contexto, el examen de los presupuestos teóricos, jurídicos y pragmáticos de la regulación de la esfera pública sirve de base para reflexionar acerca de cómo aproximarnos a los retos del siglo XXI.

Abstract The APC/C-Cdh1 ubiquitin ligase complex drives proteosomal degradation of cell cycle regulators and other cellular proteins during the G1 phase of the cycle. The complex serves as an important modulator of the G1/S transition and prevents premature entry into S phase, genomic instability, and tumor development. Additionally, mounting evidence supports a role for this complex in cell differentiation, but its relevance in erythropoiesis has not been addressed so far. Here we show, using mouse models of Cdh1 deletion, that APC/C-Cdh1 activity is required for efficient terminal erythroid differentiation during fetal development as well as postnatally. Consistently, Cdh1 ablation leads to mild but persistent anemia from birth to adulthood. Interestingly, loss of Cdh1 seems to affect both, steady-state and stress erythropoiesis. Detailed analysis of Cdh1-deficient erythroid populations revealed accumulation of DNA damage in maturing erythroblasts and signs of delayed G2/M transition. Moreover, through direct assessment of replication dynamics in fetal liver cells, we uncovered slow fork movement and increased origin usage in the absence of Cdh1, strongly suggesting replicative stress to be the underlying cause of DNA lesions and cell cycle delays in erythroblasts devoid of Cdh1. In turn, these alterations would restrain full maturation of erythroblasts into reticulocytes and reduce the output of functional erythrocytes, leading to anemia. Our results further highlight the relevance of APC/C-Cdh1 activity for terminal differentiation and underscore the need for precise control of replication dynamics for efficient supply of red blood cells.

This study evaluated the performance of a pre-treatment facility for SuDS water quality improvement designed to handle the stormwater runoff of a 200 m2 parking lot, using synthetic runoff and a statistical model of two levels of operation and four variables. The prototype consisted of an inlet ramp, sedimentation and filtration tank, and a recirculation system. The results showed that the removal efficiency of total suspended solids (TSS) and fats and oils concentration in the effluent are not affected by influent variations in flow rate, pH, temperature, TSS, fats and oils, and lead concentration. For the 32 measurements taken, an average of 82.9% (SD 3.6%) was obtained regarding total suspended solids removal. Lead retention possibilities were also observed. The TSS removal efficiencies were above 90.6% for precipitation events, generating peak flows of up to 5 L/s and a duration of 21 minutes, controlling the diffuse pollution peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WD40 domain of ATG16L1 is thought to be involved in non-canonical autophagy. Here the authors screen peptide libraries and identify interactions between this domain and the IL-2Rγ and IL-10RB receptors, indicating endosomal regulation of cytokine signalling by non-canonical autophagy.

A highly accurate reference vehicle state is a requisite for the evaluation and validation of Autonomous Driving (AD) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs). This highly accurate vehicle state is usually obtained by means of Inertial Navigation Systems (INSs) that obtain position, velocity, and Course Over Ground (COG) correction data from Satellite Navigation (SatNav). However, SatNav is not always available, as is the case of roofed places, such as parking structures, tunnels, or urban canyons. This leads to a degradation over time of the estimated vehicle state. In the present paper, a methodology is proposed that consists on the use of a Machine Learning (ML)-method (Transformer Neural Network—TNN) with the objective of generating highly accurate velocity correction data from On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) data. The TNN obtains OBD data as input and measurements from state-of-the-art reference sensors as a learning target. The results show that the TNN is able to infer the velocity over ground with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.167 kmh (0.046 ms) when a database of 3,428,099 OBD measurements is considered. The accuracy decreases to 0.863 kmh (0.24 ms) when only 5000 OBD measurements are used. Given that the obtained accuracy closely resembles that of state-of-the-art reference sensors, it allows INSs to be provided with accurate velocity correction data. An inference time of less than 40 ms for the generation of new correction data is achieved, which suggests the possibility of online implementation. This supports a highly accurate estimation of the vehicle state for the evaluation and validation of AD and ADAS, even in SatNav-deprived environments.

La conductividad hidráulica saturada (Ks) determina el movimiento subsuperficial del agua en el suelo en condiciones de saturación, resulta importante en la relación agua – suelo – planta, además permite evidenciar las alteraciones en los ecosistemas producto de cambio de coberturas. Se evaluó la incidencia de la vegetación en la Ks para las coberturas de bosque-natural (BN) dominado por “Weinmannia tomentosa” L.f., plantaciones de “Hesperocyparis lusitánica” y “Eucalyptus globulus”, de la cuenca del río San Cristóbal (Bogotá-Colombia). Se cuantificaron las variables densidad y cobertura de la vegetación arbórea y sotobosque, además de características físicas del suelo. Las coberturas presentaron diferentes tasas de infiltración (mm/h): 4,21 a 0,89; 8,06 a 1,50 y 1,84 a 0,72 respectivamente. No hay diferencias significativas de la vegetación arbórea que incida en la Ks, pero si el sotobosque.

The Integral Traceability System for tracking and tracing the milk samples used in quality control was checked for one year while monitoring 526 milk samples from sheep's, goats’ and cows’. This system includes a customized automated cooler for carrying samples with a smart sensor inside to store the data collected during the process, and a dongle to transfer the collected data to a computer to be further analysed. The technologies combined to record and trace milk samples on trips from farms to the laboratory (e.g. microcontrollers, sensors, radio frequency identification and global positioning system) were linked. This system allowed us to objectively know the duration of the sampling route and the temperature and time conditions of samples travelled in until they were analysed in an official dairy laboratory. These conditions ensured that the baseline milk quality was preserved, and was therefore adequate according to both European regulations and the price set to be paid for quality. Hardware and software prototypes worked successfully under the real study conditions, and this system may be proposed to become a reference method in the dairy sector.

La globalización, aunada a otros factores, ha originado un conjunto de transformaciones en las decisiones sobre la producción, dando paso a la reestructuración de los mercados y de la organización de la distribución. Esto ha originado una demanda en el desarrollo de sistemas que permitan un mejor control, manipulación, seguimiento y distribución de productos en entornos distribuidos. Dichos entornos favorecen la subdivisión del sistema total en subsistemas más pequeños y abarcables, con la capacidad de interactuar unos con otros, con la intención de alcanzar un objetivo colectivo. En este trabajo se propone un sistema automático-inteligente basado en control distribuido que permite la identificación y gestión de pedidos mediante el uso de agentes inteligentes y la Identificación por Radiofrecuencia (RFID, por sus siglas en inglés: Radio Frequency Identification) para la gestión de un centro de distribución.

Introducción: actualmente, las neoplasias malignas constituyen un grupo de enfermedades de gran importancia en la población anciana. Con la edad aumenta la incidencia de la mayoría de los tumores. En Cuba el 65 % de las personas que fallecen por cáncer son mayores de 60 años. Objetivos: caracterizar el comportamiento de la mortalidad por los tumores malignos más frecuentes en el adulto mayor del municipio Plaza de la Revolución durante el quinquenio 2004-2008. Métodos: estudio descriptivo en el que se tomaron todos los fallecidos por esta causa, y que tuvieran residencia en el municipio a partir de las bases de datos de mortalidad de la Dirección Nacional de Estadísticas. Se tuvieron en cuenta las variables: localización anatómica, sexo y edad. Resultados: la localización en próstata ocupó el primer lugar como causa de muerte, con una tasa de 254,1 por 100 000 hab, seguido por el pulmón (189,6). En hombres fueron más frecuentes próstata (254,1) y pulmón (234,8), y en mujeres pulmón (116,5) y mama (112,1). Según la edad, el grupo de 75 años y más fue el más afectado en ambos sexos. Conclusiones: los datos de este estudio confirman un importante crecimiento de la mortalidad en las principales localizaciones, lo que, junto al progresivo envejecimiento de la población, determinará un crecimiento del número anual de casos diagnosticados que generará, a su vez, un aumento de demanda de distintos servicios relacionados con la atención de los pacientes oncológicos en la tercera edad.Introduction: nowadays, the malignant neoplasias are a diseases group very significant in elderly persons. With advanced age increases the incidence of most tumors. In Cuba the 65 % of deceased persons due to cancer is aged over 65. Objectives: to characterize the behavior of mortality due to malignant tumors more frequent in elderly persons from the "Plaza de la Revolución" municipality during the five-year period 2004-2008. Methods: a descriptive study was conducted including all deceased persons due to this cause and residents of this municipality from the mortality database of National Management of Statistics. The following variables were into account: anatomical location, sex and age. Results: prostate location was in the first place as death cause with a rate of 254, 1 by 1000 000 inhabitants, followed by lungs (189,6). In men was predominance of prostate (254,1) and lungs (234,8) and in female predominance was of lungs (116,5) and breast (112,1). According to age, the group aged 75 and more was the more involved in both sexes. Conclusions: the data from present study confirm a significant increase of mortality in main locations what, together with progressive aging of population, will determine a growth in the yearly number of diagnosed cases, that will generate at the same time, an demand increase of different services related to care of third-age oncology patients.

A highly accurate reference vehicle state is a requisite for the evaluation and validation of Autonomous Driving (AD) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs). This highly accurate vehicle state is usually obtained by means of Inertial Navigation Systems (INSs) that obtain position, velocity, and Course Over Ground (COG) correction data from Satellite Navigation (SatNav). However, SatNav is not always available, as is the case of roofed places, such as parking structures, tunnels, or urban canyons. This leads to a degradation over time of the estimated vehicle state. In the present paper, a methodology is proposed that consists on the use of a Machine Learning (ML)-method (Transformer Neural Network—TNN) with the objective of generating highly accurate velocity correction data from On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) data. The TNN obtains OBD data as input and measurements from state-of-the-art reference sensors as a learning target. The results show that the TNN is able to infer the velocity over ground with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.167   k m h ( 0.046   m s ) when a database of 3,428,099 OBD measurements is considered. The accuracy decreases to 0.863   k m h ( 0.24   m s ) when only 5000 OBD measurements are used. Given that the obtained accuracy closely resembles that of state-of-the-art reference sensors, it allows INSs to be provided with accurate velocity correction data. An inference time of less than 40 ms for the generation of new correction data is achieved, which suggests the possibility of online implementation. This supports a highly accurate estimation of the vehicle state for the evaluation and validation of AD and ADAS, even in SatNav-deprived environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La terapia de pareja cognitivo conductual ha mostrado su eficacia de manera empírica (Chambless et al., 1998). Sin embargo, existen limitaciones (Christensen y Heavey 1999) que indican la necesidad de su potenciación. Este artículo repasa la situación de la terapia de pareja, con las aportaciones actuales, enmarcando todo ello en una visión estructural de la pareja, como ente social y relación diádica, que permita una compresión de los avances que se están dando, y aporte indicaciones sobre los caminos que seguirá en un futuro inmediato.