EROS Y PAIDEIA ENTRE LEO STRAUSS Y MAX WEBER

A Leo Strauss le gustaba mucho evocar el grito de dolor weberiano sobre «los especialistas sin espíritu y los voluptuosos sin corazón» (en el inglés de Strauss: «especialists without spirit or vision and oluptuaries without heart»). El remedio a la especialización se busca en la actualidad, observaba Strauss, en un nuevo género de universalismo casi inevitable con la extensión de nuestros horizontes espaciales y temporales, pero la angustia de la especialización no se remedia con la superficialidad de un gigantismo espectacular. En otro pasaje, que recoje motivos agustinianos y heideggerianos de crítica de la curiositas, se lee que la especialización, «knowing more and more about less and less», se compensa «by sham universality, by the stimulation of all kinds of interests and curiosity without true passion»2. No creo, sin embargo, que Strauss estuviera dispuesto a aceptar el contexto en el que tomó cuerpo la famosa expresión weberiana. La relación tan crítica que Strauss estableció con la obra de Weber en su conjunto, y con la Sociología de la religión en particular, no parece legitimar esa apreciación. ¿Por qué fue tan tormentoso el encuentro de Strauss con Weber? ¿Sería posible valorar con algunas garantías los efectos que esta circunstancia ha tenido en las etapas del pensamiento straussiano

Low Noise and High Photodetection Probability SPAD in 180 nm Standard CMOS Technology

A square shaped, low noise and high photo-response single photon avalanche diode suitable for circuit integration, implemented in a standard CMOS 180 nm high voltage technology, is presented. In this work, a p+ to shallow n-well junction was engineered with a very smooth electric field profile guard ring to attain a photo detection probability peak higher than 50% with a median dark count rate lower than 2 Hz/μm2 when operated at an excess bias of 4 V. The reported timing jitter full width at half maximum is below 300 ps for 640 nm laser pulses

A 16 x 16 CMOS amperometric microelectrode array for simultaneous electrochemical measurements

There is a requirement for an electrochemical sensor technology capable of making multivariate measurements in environmental, healthcare, and manufacturing applications. Here, we present a new device that is highly parallelized with an excellent bandwidth. For the first time, electrochemical cross-talk for a chip-based sensor is defined and characterized. The new CMOS electrochemical sensor chip is capable of simultaneously taking multiple, independent electroanalytical measurements. The chip is structured as an electrochemical cell microarray, comprised of a microelectrode array connected to embedded self-contained potentiostats. Speed and sensitivity are essential in dynamic variable electrochemical systems. Owing to the parallel function of the system, rapid data collection is possible while maintaining an appropriately low-scan rate. By performing multiple, simultaneous cyclic voltammetry scans in each of the electrochemical cells on the chip surface, we are able to show (with a cell-to-cell pitch of 456 μm) that the signal cross-talk is only 12% between nearest neighbors in a ferrocene rich solution. The system opens up the possibility to use multiple independently controlled electrochemical sensors on a single chip for applications in DNA sensing, medical diagnostics, environmental sensing, the food industry, neuronal sensing, and drug discovery

An Ensemble Machine Learning Approach for Tropical Cyclone Detection Using ERA5 Reanalysis Data

Tropical Cyclones (TCs) are counted among the most destructive phenomena that can be found in nature. Every year, globally an average of 90 TCs occur over tropical waters, and global warming is making them stronger, larger and more destructive. The accurate detection and tracking of such phenomena have become a relevant and interesting area of research in weather and climate science. Traditionally, TCs have been identified in large climate datasets through the use of deterministic tracking schemes that rely on subjective thresholds. Machine Learning (ML) models can complement deterministic approaches due to their ability to capture the mapping between the input climatic drivers and the geographical position of the TC center from the available data. This study presents a ML ensemble approach for locating TC center coordinates, embedding both TC classification and localization in a single end-to-end learning task. The ensemble combines TC center estimates of different ML models that agree about the presence of a TC in input data. ERA5 reanalysis were used for model training and testing jointly with the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship records. Results showed that the ML approach is well-suited for TC detection providing good generalization capabilities on out of sample data. In particular, it was able to accurately detect lower TC categories than those used for training the models. On top of this, the ensemble approach was able to further improve TC localization performance with respect to single model TC center estimates, demonstrating the good capabilities of the proposed approach.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, submitted to Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth System

Colonic content: effect of diet, meals, and defecation

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Bendezú, Á., Mego, M., Monclús, E., Merino, X., Accarino, A., Malagelada, J., Navazo, I., Azpiroz, F. Colonic content: effect of diet, meals, and defecation. "Neurogastroenterology and motility", Febrer 2017, vol. 29, núm. 2, which has been published in final form at [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.recursos.biblioteca.upc.edu/doi/10.1111/nmo.12930/full]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.The metabolic activity of colonic microbiota is influenced by diet; however, the relationship between metabolism and colonic content is not known. Our aim was to determine the effect of meals, defecation, and diet on colonic content. Methods: In 10 healthy subjects, two abdominal MRI scans were acquired during fasting, 1 week apart, and after 3 days on low- and high-residue diets, respectively. With each diet, daily fecal output and the number of daytime anal gas evacuations were measured. On the first study day, a second scan was acquired 4 hours after a test meal (n=6) or after 4 hours with nil ingestion (n=4). On the second study day, a scan was also acquired after a spontaneous bowel movement. Results: On the low-residue diet, daily fecal volume averaged 145 ± 15 mL; subjects passed 10.6 ± 1.6 daytime anal gas evacuations and, by the third day, non-gaseous colonic content was 479 ± 36 mL. The high-residue diet increased the three parameters to 16.5 ± 2.9 anal gas evacuations, 223 ± 19 mL fecal output, and 616 ± 55 mL non-gaseous colonic content (P<.05 vs low-residue diet for all). On the low-residue diet, non-gaseous content in the right colon had increased by 41 ± 11 mL, 4 hours after the test meal, whereas no significant change was observed after 4-hour fast (-15 ± 8 mL; P=.006 vs fed). Defecation significantly reduced the non-gaseous content in distal colonic segments. Conclusion & inferences: Colonic content exhibits physiologic variations with an approximate 1/3 daily turnover produced by meals and defecation, superimposed over diet-related day-to-day variations.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Colonic content in health and its relation to functional gut symptoms

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Bendezú, R. A., Barba, E., Burri, E., Cisternas, D., Accarino, A., Quiroga, S., Monclus, E., Navazo, I., Malagelada, J.-R. and Azpiroz, F. (2016), Colonic content in health and its relation to functional gut symptoms. Neurogastroenterol. Motil., 28: 849–854, which has been published in final form at [doi:10.1111/nmo.12782]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-ArchivingGut content may be determinant in the generation of digestive symptoms, particularly in patients with impaired gut function and hypersensitivity. Since the relation of intraluminal gas to symptoms is only partial, we hypothesized that non-gaseous component may play a decisive role. Methods: Abdominal computed tomography scans were evaluated in healthy subjects during fasting and after a meal (n = 15) and in patients with functional gut disorders during basal conditions (when they were feeling well) and during an episode of abdominal distension (n = 15). Colonic content and distribution were measured by an original analysis program. Key results: In healthy subjects both gaseous (87 ± 24 mL) and non-gaseous colonic content (714 ± 34 mL) were uniformly distributed along the colon. In the early postprandial period gas volume increased (by 46 ± 23 mL), but non-gaseous content did not, although a partial caudad displacement from the descending to the pelvic colon was observed. No differences in colonic content were detected between patients and healthy subjects. Symptoms were associated with discrete increments in gas volume. However, no consistent differences in non-gaseous content were detected in patients between asymptomatic periods and during episodes of abdominal distension. Conclusions & inferences: In patients with functional gut disorders, abdominal distension is not related to changes in non-gaseous colonic content. Hence, other factors, such as intestinal hypersensitivity and poor tolerance of small increases in luminal gas may be involved.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Visible abdominal distension in functional gut disorders: Objective evaluation

Abdominal distension; Abdominothoracic imaging; Intestinal gasDistensión abdominal; Imagen abdominotorácica; Gas intestinalDistensió abdominal; Imatge abdominotoràcica; Gas intestinalBackground Visible abdominal distension has been attributed to: (A) distorted perception, (B) intestinal gas accumulation, or (C) abdominophrenic dyssynergia (diaphragmatic push and anterior wall relaxation). Methods A pool of consecutive patients with functional gut disorders and visible abdominal distension included in previous studies (n = 139) was analyzed. Patients (61 functional bloating, 74 constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and 4 with alternating bowel habit) were evaluated twice, under basal conditions and during a self-reported episode of visible abdominal distension; static abdominal CT images were taken in 104 patients, and dynamic EMG recordings of the abdominal walls in 76, with diaphragmatic activity valid for analysis in 35. Key Results (A) Objective evidence of abdominal distension was obtained by tape measure (increase in girth in 138 of 139 patients), by CT imaging (increased abdominal perimeter in 96 of 104 patients) and by abdominal EMG (reduced activity, i.e., relaxation, in 73 of 76 patients). (B) Intestinal gas volume was within ±300 ml from the basal value in 99 patients, and above in 5 patients, who nevertheless exhibited a diaphragmatic descent. (C) Diaphragmatic contraction was detected in 34 of 35 patients by EMG (increased activity) and in 82 of 103 patients by CT (diaphragmatic descent). Conclusions and Inferences In most patients complaining of episodes of visible abdominal distention: (A) the subjective claim is substantiated by objective evidence; (B) an increase in intestinal gas does not justify visible abdominal distention; (C) abdominophrenic dyssynergia is consistently evidenced by dynamic EMG recording, but static CT imaging has less sensitivity.The present study was supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica, PID2021-122295OB-I00); Ciberehd is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Writing Assistance. American Journal Experts for English editing of the manuscript (Certificate Verification Code; 8696-2A19-A35A-3FAE-6987) funded by SAF 2016-76648-R

Propagation patterns of jejunal motor activity measured by high-resolution water-perfused manometry

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICBackground: The manometric diagnosis of severe intestinal dysmotility is performed at most institutions using catheters with 2-8 sensors 5-10 cm apart. The recent application of high-resolution manometry catheters with closely spaced sensors to other gut segments has been highly successful. The objective of the present study was to determine the feasibility of a jejunal high-resolution manometry method and to carry out a descriptive analysis of normal jejunal motor function. Methods: A 36-channel high-resolution water-perfused manometry catheter (MMS-Laborie, Enschede, The Netherlands) was orally placed in the jejunum of 18 healthy subjects (10 men, eight women; 21-38 age range). Intestinal motility was recorded during 5 h, 3 during fasting, and 2 after a 450 kcal solid-liquid meal. Analysis of motility patterns was supported by computerized tools. Key Results: All healthy subjects except one showed at least one complete migrating motor complex during the 3 h fasting period. Phase III activity lasted 5 ± 1 min and migrated aborally at a velocity of 7 ± 3 cm/min. High-resolution spatial analysis showed that during phase III each individual contraction propagated rapidly (75 ± 37 cm/min) over a 32 ± 10 cm segment of the jejunum. During phase II, most contractile activity corresponded to propagated contractile events which increased in frequency from early to late phase II (0.5 ± 0.9 vs 2.5 ± 1.3 events/10 min, respectively; p < 0.001). After meal ingestion, non-propagated activity increased, whereas propagated events were less frequent than during late phase II. Conclusions & Inferences: Jejunal motility analysis with high-resolution manometry identifies propagated contractile patterns which are not apparent with conventional manometric catheters