¿Cómo hemos adaptado las recomendaciones de los Proyectos Zero durante la pandemia?

El impacto negativo de la pandemia sobre las tasas de infecciones controladas ha evidenciado la necesidad de reanudar la aplicación de las recomendaciones de los Proyectos Zero (PZ). En este artículo, en primer lugar, se realiza un análisis de la situación de las unidades de cuidados intensivos de España durante la pandemia. A continuación se presenta la adaptación de las recomendaciones de cada uno de los cuatro PZ y su grado de cumplimiento y riesgo de que existan infecciones relacionadas con dispositivos invasivos y/o bacteriemias multirresistentes. Para ello, se han tenido en cuenta: 1) el documento publicado en octubre de 2020 por el Consejo Asesor del Programa de Seguridad de pacientes críticos, y 2) el estudio exploratorio realizado, un año después, por el Consejo Asesor de los PZ, junto con los líderes de los proyectos de las unidades participantes del registro ENVIN. Por último, y en base a los hallazgos encontrados, se formulan cinco recomendaciones tentativas y prioritarias.The negative impact of the pandemic on infection control rates has highlighted the need to resume the implementation of Project Zero (PZ) recommendations. This article first analyses the situation of intensive care units in Spain during the pandemic. Subsequently, it presents the adaptation of the recommendations of each of the four PZs and their degree of compliance and the risk of invasive device-related infections and/or multidrug-resistant bacteraemias. For this purpose, we have taken into account: (i) the document published in October 2020 by the Advisory Board of the Critical Patient Safety Programme, and (ii) the exploratory study conducted, one year later, by the Advisory Board of the PZs, on the leaders of the Projects of the units participating in the ENVIN registry. Finally, based on the findings, five tentative and priority recommendations are formulated

Neutronic assessment of the IFMIF-DONES HFTM specimen stack distribution

IFMIF-DONES (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility- DEMO Oriented NEutron Source) is a neutron irradiation facility designed to collect data on material irradiation for the construction of demonstration fusion power plants. This study focuses in investigate the effect of a realistic model of specimens being irradiated in HFTM in IFMIF-DONES, and its comparison with previous results with the homogeneous model. Neutron fluence rate, damage dose rates, and gas production have been calculated for the standard 20 × 5 cm² profile and a 10 × 5 cm² beam size. These calculations were performed for a deuteron beam with an energy of 40 MeV and a current of 125 mA. More realistic neutronics model gives very consistent DPA volumes with the previous. The main difference is a neutron slight streaming in the detailed one. The distribution of DPA shows irregular patterns depending on specimen location. This research highlights the significant role played by specimen distribution in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of dpa measurements within the IFMIF-DONES facility and the influence of the beam size

Strain balanced quantum posts

Quantum posts are assembled by epitaxial growth of closely spaced quantum dot layers, modulating the composition of a semiconductor alloy, typically InGaAs. In contrast with most self-assembled nanostructures, the height of quantum posts can be controlled with nanometer precision, up to a maximum value limited by the accumulated stress due to the lattice mismatch. Here we present a strain compensation technique based on the controlled incorporation of phosphorous, which substantially increases the maximum attainable quantum post height. The luminescence from the resulting nanostructures presents giant linear polarization anisotropy.Comment: Submitted to Applied Physics Letters (7th March 2011). 4 pages, 4 figure

Consistent alpha-cluster description of the 12C (0^+_2) resonance

The near-threshold 12C (0^+_2) resonance provides unique possibility for fast helium burning in stars, as predicted by Hoyle to explain the observed abundance of elements in the Universe. Properties of this resonance are calculated within the framework of the alpha-cluster model whose two-body and three-body effective potentials are tuned to describe the alpha - alpha scattering data, the energies of the 0^+_1 and 0^+_2 states, and the 0^+_1-state root-mean-square radius. The extremely small width of the 0^+_2 state, the 0_2^+ to 0_1^+ monopole transition matrix element, and transition radius are found in remarkable agreement with the experimental data. The 0^+_2-state structure is described as a system of three alpha-particles oscillating between the ground-state-like configuration and the elongated chain configuration whose probability exceeds 0.9

Studies on age determination and growth pattern of the wedge sole Dicologoglossa cuneata (Moreau, 1881) in the Spanish waters of the Gulf of Cadiz (southwest Iberian Peninsula)

The wedge sole Dicologoglossa cuneata (Moreau, 1881) is a typical coastal soleid which is considered as one of the main target species in the demersal fishery of Spain's southern Atlantic region. This paper presents a study on the growth pattern of wedge sole in the Gulf of Cadiz. Age was determined by observing and analysing whole otoliths (sagittae), thereby obtaining the mean lengths at age for males and females in the year 1993 (from 15-20.9 cm TL and 1-4 years for males; from 15.9-23.6 cm TL and 1-6 years for females). In addition, the growth parameters for both sexes were obtained according to the Von Bertalanffy equation: L∞ = 24 cm, K = 0.343 and t0 = -1.384 for males; L∞ = 27 cm, K = 0.296 and t0 = -1.520 for females (showing growth differences growth between the sexes). These were compared with results reported by other authors for other areas of the species's distribution range. Through the interpretation of the otolith and its edge, a sequence of annual rapid- and slow-growth rings was observed; otoliths with an opaque edge (rapid growth) showed the highest percentages in the period from May to October. Mean otolith diameters for each of the estimated ages were calculated, as well as the body length/otolith diameter relationship: a = -12.631 and b = 61.033 (r² = 0.70).La acedía Dicologoglossa cuneata (Moreau, 1881) es un soleido típicamente costero, considerado como una de las especies objetivo de las pesquerías demersales de la región suratlántica ibérica. En este trabajo se estudia el patrón de crecimiento de la acedía del golfo de Cádiz. La determinación de la edad se realizó mediante la lectura de otolitos enteros (sagitta), obteniéndose las tallas medias por clase de edad para machos y hembras del año 1993 (entre 15 y 20,9 cm de longitud total y de 1 a 4 años para machos; de 15,9 a 23,6 cm de longitud total y de 1 a 6 años para hembras). Por otra parte, se estimaron los parámetros de crecimiento para ambos sexos según la ecuación de Von Bertalanffy: L∞ = 24 cm, K = 0,343 y t0 = -1,384 para machos; L∞ = 27 cm, K = 0,296 y t0 = -1,520 para hembras, presentando ambos sexos un crecimiento diferente. Estos resultados se compararon con los obtenidos por otros autores en otras áreas del rango de distribución de la especie. Mediante la interpretación del otolito y su borde, se observa una sucesión anual de anillos de crecimiento lento, formados durante el periodo invernal, y otros de crecimiento rápido, que muestran los porcentajes más altos en el periodo de mayo a octubre. Se calcularon los diámetros de los anillos para cada una de las edades estimadas, así como la relación longitud total del pez - diámetro del otolito, obteniéndose una ecuación lineal en la que a = -12,631 y b = 61,033 (r² = 0,70).Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Morphological assessment of Niger Kuri cattle using multivariate methods

A total of 406 adult cows and 34 bulls belonging to the Niger Kuri cattle population were assessed for 16 body measurements and 11 qualitative traits to contribute to the characterization of this unique cattle breed. Body measurements included facial, horn, ear and rump lengths; facial, cranial, shoulder, pelvic and ischium widths; height at withers and at hips; muzzle circumference; heart girth; body and tail lengths; and thorax depth. Qualitative traits included cephalic profile, ear shape, muzzle pigmentation, eyelid pigmentation, hoof pigmentation, horn colour, dewlap size, backline profile, horn shape, spotting pattern, and coat colour pattern. Data were analysed jointly with 377 individuals from four other West African taurine cattle breeds (N’Dama, Lagunaire, Lobi and Somba) using multivariate statistical methods, including canonical and correspondence analyses. Among the breeds analysed, Kuri cattle had the highest mean values for all body measurements: height at withers and body length had mean values of 124.0 ± 0.4 and 146.8 ± 1.0 cm in Kuri cows, respectively, and 126.0 ± 2.2 and 155.7 ± 3.6 cm, respectively, in Kuri bulls. Canonical analysis allowed the construction of contour plots to illustrate the high differentiation between Kuri cattle and the other breeds, regardless of the sex of the individuals. Further, the Mahalanobis distance matrices showed that pairs involving Kuri cattle had the higher differentiation of these populations. Correspondence analysis carried out on these 11 qualitative traits allowed the researchers to ascertain a clear differentiation between the Kuri and the other taurine cattle breeds. The N’Dama, Lagunaire, Lobi, and Somba breeds did not show clear differentiation at qualitative-type trait level with 75% confidence regions computed for these four breeds being highly intermingled. In the current data, Kuri cattle had the highest frequency in qualitative features, such as concave cephalic profile, dropped ears, non-pigmented muzzle and grey-coloured horns, which are absent in West African taurine and zebu cattle breeds, according to the literature. The current evidence would suggest that unique Kuri cattle type features may result from breeding decisions rather than from zebu admixture. This work confirms that at type trait level Kuri cattle is a unique population within the West African taurine cattle group. The implementation of genetic analyses aiming at ascertaining the degree of uniqueness of the breed is advised.Keywords: Body measurements, Bos taurus, multivariate analyses, qualitative traits, West African cattl