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This study aims to be a starting point in the process of studying attitudes and perceptions around the use of algorithmic tools in the judicial system and explores possible barriers to innovation. The results reveal significant differences in acceptance between the general population, experts in data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) and legal professionals, with notable variations in the acceptance of algorithmic tools for judicial analysis. In addition, participants with a legal background showed a negative correlation with acceptance, indicating a more cautious stance towards the integration of such tools in the criminal justice domain. This suggests a cautious and reserved attitude among legal professionals towards the integration of algorithmic tools in the justice system, potentially rooted in concerns regarding objectivity, fairness and the preservation of legal principles in judicial processes. Furthermore, the study reveals that the acceptance of algorithmic tools is influenced by the complexity of the tasks involved in the automation of the criminal justice system. This underlines the importance of considering the level of automation and the degree of human intervention in the use of these tools. In short, this study highlights the importance of having the choice of society and more specifically of legal operators to encourage the adoption and effective implementation of algorithmic tools in the judicial sphere.

Aquesta recerca examina la polèmica institució de la presó provisional a Espanya a l’albir de dues realitats punyents: d’una banda, l’omnipresència d’aquesta mesura cautelar com a pràctica judicial —a principis d’any, un 16% de la població reclusa es trobava en situació de presó preventiva—; de l’altra, un sistema d’indemnització, en cas d’absolució, per responsabilitat patrimonial de l’Estat jutge, que s’ha mostrat ineficaç des de 1985 i que recentment s’ha vist sacsejat en els seus fonaments per la intervenció del Tribunal Europeu de Drets Humans i la declaració, per part del Tribunal Constitucional, de la inconstitucionalitat de diferents incisos de l’article 294 de la LOPJ. L’article planteja, més enllà del repàs del procés que ens ha portat fins a la situació actual, els termes del debat per poder afrontar amb garanties dues reformes legislatives, que s’intueixen més necessàries que mai.

El presente artículo examina los límites y garantías constitucionales frente al uso de técnicas de identificación biométrica a la luz del procedimiento sancionador PS/00120/2021 instruido por la AEPD y resuelto en la primavera de 2021. Los datos biométricos, siguiendo el RGPD, son aquellos datos personales obtenidos a partir de un tratamiento técnico específico, relativos a las características de una persona física, que permiten confirmar la identificación única o unívoca de esta, como patrones biométricos faciales en el supuesto que nos ocupa. Al respecto, existe mucha confusión, y la propia AEPD ha reconocido que se han extendido una serie de equívocos con relación a esta tecnología (huellas dactilares o mediciones faciales) para fines de identificación y autenticación. En este trabajo se analiza el concepto jurídico indeterminado de «interés público esencial», de acuerdo con la jurisprudencia, como excepción a la prohibición general de tratamiento de datos biométricos ex artículo 9.2.g) RGPD. De modo más específico, se aborda la problemática desde una triple perspectiva: desde el punto de vista del sujeto, especialmente en relación con el responsable del tratamiento (con mención especial al supuesto en el que este no sea un organismo público); desde el punto de vista formal, se examinan los límites relativos a la reserva de ley; y, por último, desde el punto de vista sustantivo, se estudian los límites materiales referentes al principio de proporcionalidad y al contenido mínimo del derecho fundamental a la protección de datos personales.

El Derecho, como reflejo de la sociedad que pretende regular, no puede quedar al margen de los cambios y transformaciones que en el seno de esta se producen. Luego las leyes son una suerte de traje a medida de la sociedad que pretenden regular; sólo así adquirirán estas la vigencia y eficacia deseables para cualquier norma jurídica.

El proceso judicial será tecnológico o no será. Superar el debate acerca de la conveniencia de abrazar el avance tecnológico no implica aceptar de facto posiciones integradas. La pandemia del COVID-19 ha acentuado aún más –si cabe– las miserias y disonancias del proceso judicial en España. Una justicia lenta, paralizada ante la necesidad de teletrabajar y sin recursos con garantías para celebrar juicios a distancia, no es justicia, y hoy se agotan más rápido que nunca las excusas, puesto que nuevas cuotas de eficacia, eficiencia y celeridad, con pleno respeto a las garantías procesales, pueden alcanzarse con el empleo de las más modernas y nuevas tecnologías. El presente trabajo pretende explorar las posibilidades de empleo de los sistemas de inteligencia artificial en un ámbito muy concreto: el de la valoración de la prueba. En este contexto, la hipótesis que el artículo pretende demostrar es que la presencia humana seguirá siendo necesaria, si bien los sistemas de inteligencia artificial podrían apoyar y asistir la libre valoración de la prueba por parte del juzgador y colmar aquellas lagunas donde el ser humano muestra su faceta más errática; por ejemplo, en las corroboraciones.

Conversar y dialogar, que no son exactamente lo mismo, son prácticas en claro desuso que generan empero numerosos efectos benéficos. En la era de los monólogos, a los que nos tiene acostumbrado un poder político cada vez en manos de gente menos preparada, escuchar a los que más saben y, también, a aquellos que quizás no saben tanto pero que ocupan o han ocupado posiciones de poder desde las que tomar decisiones que proyectan sus efectos sobre ámbitos regulatorios, parece más necesario que nunca. El diálogo siempre aporta más, ya que, a través de una discusión racional, a vueltas ilustrada, seremos capaces de contrastar o refutar hipótesis, y lo más importante, darnos cuenta de lo equivocados que estábamos, introducir matices en nuestro discurso a futuro o incluso ver reforzados nuestros argumentos.

In 2019, the Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Spain, was notified of a vaccine-derived poliovirus infection. The patient had an underlying common variable immunodeficiency and no signs of acute flaccid paralysis. We describe the ongoing coordinated response to contain the infection, which included compassionate-use treatment with pocapavir.

Background: Leishmaniasis is a neglected zoonosis produced by 20 different flagellated parasites of the Leishmania genus, a protozoan transmitted to humans and other vertebrates by the bite of dipteran insects of the Phlebotominae subfamily. It is endemic in Mediterranean countries and the number of cases is expected to increase due to climate change and migration. Prioritizing public health interventions for prevention and control is essential. The objective was to characterize the epidemiology and temporal trends in the incidence of human leishmaniasis in the city of Barcelona, between the years 1996 and 2019.Methods: A population-based, analytical observational study among residents in the city of Barcelona was conducted of all the cases of leishmaniasis reported between 1996 and 2019 to the Public Health Agency. The epidemiological survey contains clinical, diagnostic, and epidemiological data, including contact with suspicious mammals or insects. Annual incidence-rates were calculated by sex, age, and country of origin. Chi-square tests were used to assess association between studied risk factors, periods of time and type of leishmaniasis.Results: During the study period a total of 177 cases of leishmaniasis were reported in Barcelona, being 74.6% (n = 132) of the total cases in Spanish born, although within the foreign-born population the incidence was higher. Median age was 34 years (IQR = 10–48) and 121 (66.8%) were male. The main type was cutaneous (46%) followed by visceral (35.1%). The cumulative incidence was 0.47 per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest incidence found in 2017 (1.60 per 100,000 inhabitants). A higher incidence was observed in the 0–4-year-old group (1.73 per 100,000 inhabitants), but increased during the study period for all age groups. There was an increase of foreign origin cases, and a decrease in the number of cases associated to any immunosuppression.Conclusion: In Barcelona, leishmaniasis incidence continues to be higher in people under 5 years of age, and 25–64 years old males, but it has also increased in population from foreign country of birth. There is an increase of the cases since 2016, probably due to the changes in the notification system, increasing the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Improvements in the current surveillance system are needed. Notification of the disease, vector, and reservoir control activities are also essential for the control of the disease.

La presencia en nuestra vida cotidiana de las más modernas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, así como de la llamada inteligencia artificial (IA), es cada vez mayor a la par que más valiosa. Las Administraciones públicas no pueden permanecer inmóviles ante una nueva realidad social que ofrece también una brillante oportunidad para incrementar su eficiencia y eficacia en ámbitos muy concretos como, por ejemplo, la lucha contra el fraude y las irregularidades. Los retos y desafíos jurídicos que presenta la IA, empero, son muchos y muy significativos, cuya afectación se proyecta en ámbitos tan diversos como la protección de datos personales, la igualdad, la seguridad jurídica, la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas, entre otros. Los problemas se multiplican exponencialmente en el ámbito de la Administración de Justicia y, muy especialmente, para determinados usos en el marco del proceso penal. Aunque la justicia no es ni debe convertirse en un mero acto de predicción ni en un modelo matemático que pueda encerrarse en fórmulas, no es menos cierto que el empleo de la IA para fines concretos puede resultar muy útil en todos los órdenes jurisdiccionales. El presente artículo plantea en este complejo entramado los términos del debate analizando el marco legal europeo, los usos de la IA en el ámbito de la justicia penal y su impacto en los derechos fundamentales.

Objective: To report the vaccine hesitancy (VH) for a vaccine against COVID-19 in registered nurses in Barcelona, with measurements taken at two stages, prior to the vaccination campaign and once 75% vaccination coverage had been reached. Methods: A self-completed online survey was administered in December 2020 and again in July 2021 through the College of Nurses of Barcelona. It measured the prevalence of VH against a government-approved vaccine recommended by their employer, their intention to be vaccinated, perceptions of disease risk and vaccine protection, attitudes and beliefs to vaccination and social norm. Bivariate analysis according to VH and application time are presented. Results: 2430 valid responses were obtained in the first measurement and 2027 in the second. At both times, 86% were women and 69% worked mainly in the public sector. Prior to the vaccine availability, VH was 34.2%, decreasing to 17.9%. Risk perceptions were significantly lower in those with VH compared to non-VH, in all groups studied and at both times, while safety and efficacy perceptions increased in all groups, significantly less in VH. The greatest benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine is perceived by pharmaceutical companies. VH nurses perceived a more hesitant social environment. Conclusion: As the vaccination was rolled out, VH in nurses declined, with time improving the confidence in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Risk perceptions also decreased over time, except for the perception of severity in HCW where it increased. Trust in institutions impacts trust in vaccines.

A retrospective, space-time study of whooping cough cases reported to the Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Spain between the years 2000 and 2011 is presented. It is based on 633 individual whooping cough cases and the 2006 population census from the Spanish National Statistics Institute, stratified by age and sex at the census tract level. Cluster identification was attempted using space-time scan statistic assuming a Poisson distribution and restricting temporal extent to 7 days and spatial distance to 500 m. Statistical calculations were performed with Stata 11 and SatScan and mapping was performed with ArcGis 10.0. Only clusters showing statistical significance (P

The main objective of this paper is to deepen the knowledge and disseminate a concept almost unknown in Spain: the federal judiciary. By that way the author shows the case of Switzerland, particularly interesting given that it is a federal, multinational and multilingual State since 1848. The Swiss Federal Constitution provides the distribution of competences in the Administration of Justice giving full autonomy to the cantons to create their owns Councilsof Justice and regulate the judicial organization within their territories, although in recent years we have observed a timid centralization wave with the attribution to the Confederation of historical competence of the cantons by regulate the civil and criminal procedure law. Nevertheless, it is a model of judicial federalism in which cantonal participation appears as a structuralelement, not only in the determination of organization of Courts, butboth appointing judges’ procedure and guaranteeing the use of different official languages in Courts. Obviously, some points of this model are not likely in Spain without a prior reform of our constitutional text. However, the knowledge of this model, efficient and successful according to the Swiss doctrine, may be take into account in a potential future scenario of reform of the Spanish Judiciary.

The aims of this study were to describe the evolution of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections since 2004 and to determine its associated factors. Acute HCV infections diagnosed in Barcelona from 2004 to 2015 were included. Incidence ratios (IR) were then estimated for sex and age groups. Cases were grouped between 2004-2005, 2006-2011 and 2012-2015, and their incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated. In addition, risk factors for acute HCV infection were identified using multinomial logistic regression for complete, available and multiple imputed data. 204 new HCV cases were identified. Two peaks of higher IR of acute HCV infection in 2005 and 2013 were observed. Men and those aged 35-54 had higher IR. IRR for men was 2.9 times greater than in women (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.8 ‒ 4.7). Factors related to the period 2012-2015 (versus 2006-2011) were: a) sexual risk factor for transmission versus nosocomial (relative-risk ratio (RRR): 13.0; 95% CI: 2.3 ‒ 72.1), b) higher educated versus lower (RRR: 5.4; 95% CI: 1.6 ‒ 18.7), and c) HIV co-infected versus not HIV-infected (RRR: 53.1; 95% CI: 5.7 ‒ 492.6). This is one of the few studies showing IR and RRRs of acute HCV infections and the first focused on a large city in Spain. Sexual risk for transmission between men, higher educational level and HIV co-infection are important factors for understanding current HCV epidemic. There has been a partial shift in the pattern of the risk factor for transmission from nosocomial to sexual.

Spanish Justice Administration has been gradually adapting to the change demanded by the development of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The more technological advance, the more chance these offer us. The use of ICTs in judicial context can help us to fix up some of the endemic problems of our justice. In this paper we observe the evolution of the legal substrate and the political decisions to modernize the justice in Spain, pointing out the strengths of the recent Law 18/2011 ¿the recognition of the right of citizens to interact electronically with the Administration of Justice¿ and the outstanding issues. Finally, we will show an extract of the main lessons that we could drawn from Cyberjustice Laboratory, pioneer in the study of ICT in Court.

Copyright of IDP: Revista de Internet, Derecho y Politica is the property of Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Derecho Politico is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The authors propose the terms of the debate about the controversial and aporetic institution of the pardon, which has a difficult fit in the scheme of the democratic State based on the separation of powers. To this end, the study starts from the background and historical reasons for the prerogative of mercy and its regulations in comparative law, which allows us to understand the scope of the issue and the complex legal nature of an institution, the pardon, which is equates to forgiveness and that must be scrupulously delimited from amnesty --oblivion--. The most recent national practice serves as an example, in the authors' opinion, of the need to move towards a new Spanish transitional pardon law, which must become an exceptional and residual resource, in fact doomed to extinction. The work harshly criticizes the pardons in the case of the «Procés » --which are classified as fraud of the Constitution-- and includes a specific proposal of lege lata vel ferenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen: Objetivo: Describir la situación actual con respecto a la dotación de recursos básicos para el manejo del asma en los centros de atención primaria (AP). Diseño: Estudio transversal, encuesta cuantitativa ad hoc. Emplazamiento y participantes: trescientos ochenta médicos de AP en España. Intervenciones y mediciones principales: Análisis de las percepciones de manejo y uso de recursos materiales, humanos y organizativos básicos de los que deberían estar dotados los centros de AP para garantizar una correcta asistencia clínica a los pacientes con asma. Resultados: Los encuestados afirman no disponer de profesional médico o de enfermería referente en enfermedad respiratoria en su centro, en un 64% y un 62% respectivamente. El 92% dispone de espirómetro, el 70% de medidor de pico flujo y el 93% de dispositivos inhaladores placebo. Han recibido en el último año formación teórico-práctica específica promovida por el centro (46%) y por terceros (83%). Se dispone de material educativo para pacientes (78%). No existe protocolo asistencial específico (36%). El 43% no dispone de protocolo de derivación. Se utiliza entrevista clínica para el seguimiento del paciente (90%), pero no cuestionarios validados para medir la adherencia terapéutica (85%), ni checklist para verificar la técnica de inhalación (83%). Se observan diferencias en variables relevantes en el análisis por comunidades autónomas (CC. AA.). Conclusiones: El acceso a determinados recursos en la atención al paciente con asma es limitado en aspectos de coordinación entre niveles, variable según CC. AA. y mejorable en la mayoría de los recursos de salud en asma. Abstract: Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the current provision of basic resources for asthma management in Primary Health Care (PHC). Design: Cross-sectional study, with an ad hoc quantitative survey. Location and participants: A total of 380 primary healthcare physicians in Spain. Interventions and main measurements: Analysis of perceptions of management and use of basic human, organisational and material resources to ensure appropriate care provision to asthma patients. Results: Survey respondents stated that their centre did not have a consultant doctor (64%) or nurse (62%) in respiratory disease. Almost all (92%) of the centres have spirometers, of which 70% have peak flow meters, and 93% have placebo inhalers. In the last year, respondents have received specific theoretical/practical training from the centre (46%), and by third parties (83%). More than three-quarters (78%) of the centres has educational material available for patients. There is no specific healthcare protocol in 36% of the centres, and 43% had no referral protocol. A clinical interview is conducted to monitor the patient (90%), but there are no validated questionnaires to measure therapeutic adherence (85%), or a checklist to check inhalation technique (83%). Differences are observed in the relevant variables in the analysis of each Spanish Autonomous Community. Conclusions: Access to certain resources in the care of patients with asthma is limited in aspects of coordination between levels, varied according to Spanish Autonomous Community, and improved in most health resources in Asthma. Palabras clave: Asma, Recursos en salud, Accesibilidad a los servicios de salud, Atención primaria, Keywords: Asthma, Health resources, Health services accessibility, Primary healthcare

Introduction Antibiotic overuse is directly related to antibiotic resistance, and primary care is one of the main reasons for this overuse. This study aims to demonstrate that including experts on infectious diseases (ID) within the antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme team in primary care settings achieves higher reductions in overall antibiotic consumption and increases the quality of prescription.Methods and analysis A multicentre, cluster-randomised, blinded clinical trial will be conducted between 2021 and 2023. Six primary care centres will be randomly assigned to an advanced or a standard AMS programme. The advanced AMS programme will consist of a standard AMS programme combined with the possibility that general practitioners (GP) will discuss patients’ therapies with ID experts telephonically during working days and biweekly meetings. The main endpoint will be overall antibiotic consumption, defined as daily defined dose per 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD). Secondary end-points will be: (1) unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract or urinary tract infection, (2) adequacy of antibiotic prescription, (3) reattendance to GP or emergency room within 30 days after the initial GP visit and (4) hospital admissions for any reason within 30 days after the GP visit. Two secondary endpoints (unnecessary antibiotic therapy and adequacy of therapy) will be evaluated by blinded investigators.We will select three clusters (centres) per arm (coverage of 147 644 inhabitants) which will allow the rejection of the null hypothesis of equal consumption with a power of 80%, assuming a moderate intracluster correlation of 0.2, an intracluster variance of 4 and a mean difference of 1 DHD. The type I error will be set at 5%.Ethics and dissemination The protocol was reviewed and approved by local ethics committees. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at medical conferences.Trial registration number NCT04848883

BackgroundThe contacts of people with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) have a high risk of becoming infected and developing tuberculosis (TB). Our aim was to determine the incidence of TB and its risk factors in a cohort of contacts with latent TB infection (LTBI) detected through contact tracing of smear-positive PTB cases.Methods and findingsWe performed a population-based retrospective cohort study including contacts that had LTBI, and were contacts of people with PTB who started treatment between 2008 and 2014. We followed up contacts until they developed TB or until the end date for follow-up (31st December 2016). We used Kaplan-Meier curves to compute incidence at 2 and 5 years, and Cox regression to compute hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). We analyzed 3097 close contacts of 565 PTB cases. After exclusion of 81 co-prevalent TB cases, 953 contacts had LTBI, of which 14 developed TB. Their risk of developing TB after two and five years was 0.7% (CI: 0.3-1.6) and 1.8% (CI: 1.1-3.1) respectively. Contacts who had not been referred for LTBI treatment had a 1.0% (CI: 0.2-4.0) risk at 5 years. Risk of developing TB at 5 years was 1.2% (CI: 0.5-3.0) among people who completed treatment, and 11.1% (CI: 5.1-23.3) for those who did not. Risk factors for TB were not completing LTBI treatment (HR 9.4, CI: 2.9-30.8) and being female (HR 3.5, CI: 1.1-11-3).ConclusionsLTBI treatment plays a fundamental role in decreasing the risk of developing TB. It is necessary to achieve a maximum contact tracing coverage and the highest possible compliance with LTBI treatment.