152 research outputs found
The use of visible and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy to predict beef M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum quality attributes
Visible and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was used to predict pH at 24 h (pH24) post-mortem, sarcomere length (SL), cooking
loss (CL), Warner–Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) and colour parameters (L*, a*, b*) in beef cattle samples. Samples from M. longissimus
thoracis et lumborum from 30 bulls were aged at 4 C for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days and analysed for pH, SL, CL, WBSF and colour. NIRS
calibrations for pH24, luminosity at 0 (L*t0) and 60 min (L*t60) showed good predictability (R2 = 0.97, 0.85 and 0.82; SECV = 0.10,
1.16, 1.36, respectively), whereas those related to the rest of the parameters were poore
Undamning the Douro river catchment: a stepwise approach for prioritizing dam removal
Dams provide water supply, flood protection, and hydropower generation benefits, but
also harm native species by altering the natural flow regime, and degrading the aquatic and riparian
habitats. In the present study, which comprised the Douro River basin located in the North of
Portugal, the cost-benefit assessment of dams was based upon a balance between the touristic
benefits of a dammed Douro, and the ecological benefits of less fragmented Douro sub-catchments.
Focused on four sub-catchments (Sabor, Tâmega, Côa and Corgo), a probabilistic stream connectivity
model was developed and implemented to recommend priorities for dam removal, where this action
could significantly improve the movement of potadromous fish species along the local streams.
The proposed model accounts for fish movement across the dam or weir (permeability), which
is a novel issue in connectivity models. However, before any final recommendation on the fate
of a dam or weir, the connectivity results will be balanced with other important socio-economic
interests. While implementing the connectivity model, an inventory of barriers (dams and weirs)
was accomplished through an observation of satellite images. Besides identification and location of
any obstacles, the inventory comprised the compilation of data on surrounding land use, reservoir
water use, characteristics of the riparian gallery, and permeability conditions for fish, among others.
All this information was stored in a geospatial dataset that also included geographical information
on the sub-catchment drainage network. The linear (drainage network) and point (barriers) source
data were processed in a computer program that provided or returned numbers for inter-barrier
stream lengths (habitat), and the barrier permeability. These numbers were finally used in the
same computer program to calculate a habitat connector index, and a link improvement index,
used to prioritize dam removal based upon structural connectivity criteria. The results showed
that habitat patch connectivity in the Sabor, Tâmega and Côa sub-catchments is not dramatically
affected by the installed obstacles, because most link improvement values were generally low. For the
opposite reason, in the Corgo sub-catchment, obstacles may constitute a relatively higher limitation
to connectivity, and in this case the removal of eight obstacles could significantly improve this
connectivity. Using the probabilistic model of structural connectivity, it was possible to elaborate
a preliminary selection of dams/weirs that critically limit stream connectivity, and that will be the
focus of field hydraulic characterization to precisely determine fish movement along the associated
river stretches. Future work will also include the implementation of a multi-criteria decision support
system for dam removal or mitigation of the critical structures, as well to define exclusion areas for
additional obstaclesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Ordered vacancy network induced by the growth of epitaxial graphene on Pt(111)
We have studied large areas of (v3×v3)R30° graphene commensurate with a Pt(111) substrate. A combination of experimental techniques with ab initio density functional theory indicates that this structure is related to a reconstruction at the Pt surface, consisting of an ordered vacancy network formed in the outermost Pt layer and a graphene layer covalently bound to the Pt substrate. The formation of this reconstruction is enhanced if low temperatures and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are used as molecular precursors for epitaxial growth of the graphene layers
A multi-stakeholder multicriteria decision analysis for the reimbursement of orphan drugs (FinMHU-MCDA study)
Background: Patient access to orphan medicinal products (OMPs) is limited and varies between countries, reimbursement decisions on OMPs are complex, and there is a need for more transparent processes to know which criteria should be considered to inform these decisions. This study aimed to determine the most relevant criteria for the reimbursement of OMPs in Spain, from a multi-stakeholder perspective, and using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). Methods: An MCDA was developed in 3 phases and included 28 stakeholders closely related to the field of rare diseases (6 physicians, 5 hospital pharmacists, 7 health economists, 4 patient representatives and 6 members from national and regional health authorities). Initially [phase A], a bibliographic review was conducted to identify the potential reimbursement criteria. Then, a reduced advisory board (8 members) proposed, selected, and defined the final list of criteria that could be relevant for reimbursement. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) [phase B] was developed to determine the relevance and relative importance weight of such criteria according to the stakeholders’ preferences by choosing between pairs of hypothetical financing scenarios. A multinomial logit model was fitted to analyze the DCE responses. Finally [phase C], the advisory board review the results using a deliberative process. Results: Thirteen criteria were selected, related to 4 dimensions: patient population, disease, treatment, and economic evaluation. Nine criteria were deemed relevant for decision-making and associated with a higher relative importance: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) (23.53%), treatment efficacy (14.64%), availability of treatment alternatives (13.51%), disease severity (12.62%), avoided costs (11.21%), age of target population (7.75%), safety (seriousness of adverse events) (4.72%), quality of evidence (3.82%) and size of target population (3.12%). The remaining criteria had a < 3% relative importance: economic burden of disease (2.50%), cost of treatment (1.73%), cost-effectiveness (0.83%) and safety (frequency of adverse events) (0.03%). Conclusion: The reimbursement of OMPs in Spain should be determined by its effect on patient’s HRQL, the extent of its therapeutic benefit from efficacy and the availability of other therapeutic options. Furthermore, the severity of the rare disease should also influence the decision along with the potential of the treatment to avoid associated costs
Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from 7 years of international wastewater monitoring
Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from 7 years of international wastewater monitoring
Identification of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in adrenal glands biopsies of two patients with paracoccidioidomycosis and adrenal insufficiency
Temperatura de la superficie terrestre en diferentes tipos de cobertura de la Región Andina Colombiana
Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis
[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality.
[Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk.
[Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality.
[Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group
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