Main messages for primary care from the 2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice

In 2016, a new version of the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Prevention was released, representing a partnership between the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and nine European societies, including Wonca-Europe. The ESC guidelines underscore the importance of a lifetime approach to cardiovascular (CV) risk since both CV risk and prevention are dynamic and continuous as patients' age and/or accumulate co-morbidities. Healthy people of all ages should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle, as well as improved lifestyle and reduced risk factor levels are paramount in patients at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and in those with established CVD. Healthcare professionals, and especially general practitioners, play an important role in helping patients achieve this and should set a personal example of healthy lifestyle behaviour. The ESC guidelines are based on 'to do' and 'not to do' messages. Of note, what remains uncertain is stated at the end of each dedicated chapter, confirming that guidelines are not absolute rules, and should be interpreted in the light of the healthcare worker's knowledge and experience, patient preferences and the local social, cultural and economic situation

Combinatory effect of BRCA1 and HERC2 expression on outcome in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: BRCA1 is a main component of homologous recombination and induces resistance to platinum in preclinical models. It has been studied as a potential predictive marker in lung cancer. Several proteins modulate the function of BRCA1. The E3 ubiquitin ligase HERC2 facilitates the assembly of the RNF8-UBC13 complex to recruit BRCA1 to DNA damage sites. The combined analysis of multiple components of the pathway leading to the recruitment of BRCA1 at DNA damage sites has the potentiality to improve the BRCA1 predictive model. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 71 paraffin-embedded tumor samples from advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with first-line platinum based chemotherapy and measured the mRNA expression levels of BRCA1, RNF8, UBC13 and HERC2 using real-time PCR. The mRNA expression was categorized using median value as cut-off point. RESULTS: The median progression-free survival of all 71 patients was 7.2 months whereas the median overall survival of the study population was 10.7 months. Among patients with low BRCA1 expression, the median PFS was 7.4 months in the presence of low HERC2 levels and 5.9 months for patients expressing high HERC2 levels (p\u2009=\u20090.01). The median OS was 15.3 months for patients expressing low levels of both genes and 7.4 months for those with low BRCA1 but high HERC2 (p\u2009=\u20090.008). The multivariate analysis showed that among patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, the combined low expression of both BRCA1 and HERC2 clearly reduced the risk of progression (p\u2009=\u20090.03) and of death (p\u2009=\u20090.004). CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the potentiality of integrated DNA repair components analysis in predicting the sensitivity to platinum in lung cancer. The study indicates a predictive role for HERC2 mRNA expression and paves the way for further refinement of the BRCA1 predictive model

Asymptotic flocking dynamics for the kinetic Cucker-Smale model

In this paper, we analyse the asymptotic behavior of solutions of the continuous kinetic version of flocking by Cucker and Smale [16], which describes the collective behavior of an ensemble of organisms, animals or devices. This kinetic version introduced in [24] is here obtained starting from a Boltzmann-type equation. The large-time behavior of the distribution in phase space is subsequently studied by means of particle approximations and a stability property in distances between measures. A continuous analogue of the theorems of [16] is shown to hold for the solutions on the kinetic model. More precisely, the solutions will concentrate exponentially fast their velocity to their mean while in space they will converge towards a translational flocking solution

Conditionality in France and Spain : assessing workers' social protection system

This paper explores the concept of conditionality in the context of policy interventions aimed at addressing unemployment and poverty of the workers. Conditionality refers to the requirements, restrictions, or obligations imposed on individuals or groups to access or maintain social assistance or support against the income emergency. The paper compares changes in the application of conditionality in policies related to unemployment and poverty, highlighting the potential benefits and weaknesses. By analysing different approaches to conditionality, policymakers can gain insights into designing more effective and reasonable social policies for the workforce

Pla Estratègic per la transició d'un model de gestió municipal externalitzada a un d'autogestió : el cas de l'Espai Jove El Casal de Polinyà

En les darreres quatre dècades el concepte de jove i equipament ha generat nombrosos debats tant en l'àmbit de les polítiques públiques com en el món acadèmic. Les discussions han anat marcades per la juxtaposició de les crisis cícliques de l'economia i una preocupació per la tendència alcista de l'endarreriment del procés d'emancipació dels joves. En l'àmbit municipal, el disseny streaming de les polítiques de joventut ha consistit a dotar cada cop més de recursos els equipaments juvenils que ha acabat per convertir al jove en un En les darreres quatre dècades el concepte de jove i equipament ha generat nombrosos debats tant en l'àmbit de les polítiques públiques com en el món acadèmic. Les discussions han anat marcades per la juxtaposició de les crisis cícliques de l'economia i una preocupació per la tendència alcista de l'endarreriment del procés d'emancipació dels joves. En l'àmbit municipal, el disseny streaming de les polítiques de joventut ha consistit a dotar cada cop més de recursos els equipaments juvenils que ha acabat per convertir al jove en un En les darreres quatre dècades el concepte de jove i equipament ha generat nombrosos debats tant en l'àmbit de les polítiques públiques com en el món acadèmic. Les discussions han anat marcades per la juxtaposició de les crisis cícliques de l'economia i una preocupació per la tendència alcista de l'endarreriment del procés d'emancipació dels joves. En l'àmbit municipal, el disseny streaming de les polítiques de joventut ha consistit a dotar cada cop més de recursos els equipaments juvenils que ha acabat per convertir al jove en unEn las últimas cuatro décadas el concepto de joven y equipamiento ha generado numerosos debates tanto en el ámbito de las políticas públicas como en el mundo académico. Las discusiones han ido marcadas por la yuxtaposición de las crisis cíclicas de la economía y una preocupación por la tendencia alcista del retraso del proceso de emancipación de los jóvenes. En el ámbito municipal, el diseño streaming de las políticas de juventud ha consistido en dotar cada vez más de recursos los equipamientos juveniles que ha terminado por convertir al joven en un receptor pasivo de las políticas públicas. En las últimas cuatro décadas el concepto de joven y equipamiento ha generado numerosos debates tanto en el ámbito de las políticas públicas como en el mundo académico. Las discusiones han ido marcadas por la yuxtaposición de las crisis cíclicas de la economía y una preocupación por la tendencia alcista del retraso del proceso de emancipación de los jóvenes. En el ámbito municipal, el diseño streaming de las políticas de juventud ha consistido en dotar cada vez más de recursos los equipamientos juveniles que ha terminado por convertir al joven en un receptor pasivo de las políticas públicas.In the last four decades the concept of youth and equipment has generated many debates both in the field of public policies and in the academic world. The discussions have been marked by the juxtaposition of cyclical crises of the economy and a concern for the upward trend of the delay in the emancipation process of young people. At the municipal level, the streaming design of youth policies has been to provide more and more resources to the youth facilities that have ended up converting the young person into a passive receiver of public policies. In the last four decades the concept of youth and equipment has generated many debates both in the field of public policies and in the academic world. The discussions have been marked by the juxtaposition of cyclical crises of the economy and a concern for the upward trend of the delay in the emancipation process of young people. At the municipal level, the streaming design of youth policies has been to provide more and more resources to the youth facilities that have ended up converting the young person into a passive receiver of public policies. In the last four decades the concept of youth and equipment has generated many debates both in the field of public policies and in the academic world. The discussions have been marked by the juxtaposition of cyclical crises of the economy and a concern for the upward trend of the delay in the emancipation process of young people. At the municipal level, the streaming design of youth policies has been to provide more and more resources to the youth facilities that have ended up converting the young person into a passive receiver of public policies

Revision of the crocodilians from the Oligocene of Monteviale, Italy, and the diversity of European eusuchians across the Eocene-Oligocene boundary

Crocodilian remains from the Oligocene fossil locality of Monteviale, northeastern Italy, have historically been referred to different genera, but all material was recently assigned to Diplocynodon cf. D. ratelii Pomel, 1847. The purpose of the present work is to clarify the systematics of the known crocodilian remains from Monteviale. The largest collection is housed in Padua, Italy, but museums in La Rochelle, France; Basel, Switzerland; and London, United Kingdom reposit crocodilian remains of uncertain provenance but which are clearly from either Monte Bolca or Monteviale. Radiogenic strontium isotope ratios were measured on the embedding lignite of those specimens to investigate their provenance. The material belongs to the genus Diplocynodon, but it clearly differs from D. ratelii because the nasal elements are excluded from the external nares. Diplocynodon from Monteviale shares the same general suture pattern of the skull with the two species D. tormis and D. muelleri. Diplocynodon muelleri and specimens from Monteviale are also congruent in terms of shape and proportion of the supratemporal fenestrae. However, a revision of D. muelleri is currently needed; thus, the Monteviale species is identified as Diplocynodon cf. D. muelleri. In order to examine the relationships of Diplocynodon from Monteviale, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out and points to a particularly close relationship among D. muelleri, D. tormis, and the Diplocynodon from Monteviale. The occurrence of Asiatosuchus in Monteviale is rejected, supporting the hypothesis of a reduction in crocodilian diversity around the Eocene-Oligocene boundary in Europe

La Cultura del Renaixement : homenatge al pare Miquel Batllori /

Les pàgines que aquí presentem són el reflexe del tercer cicle de conferències organitzat per la revista Manuscrits, revista d'Història Moderna de la U.A.B. El primer cicle de conferències va estar dedicat a la "Transició del Feudalisme al Capitalisme" i es va publicar en el númèro 4-5 (1987); el segon tingué per tema les "Revoltes i revolucions de l'Europa Moderna" i es va publicar en el número 9 (1991). Aquest darrer cicle ha estat dedicat a "La cultura del Renaixement a Espanya", amb motiu del centenari més silenciós dels que es celebraren a Espanya al 1992: el del naixement de l'humanista valencià Lluís Vives

Advances in antibiotic therapy in the critically ill

Infections occur frequently in critically ill patients and their management can be challenging for various reasons, including delayed diagnosis, difficulties identifying causative microorganisms, and the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. In this review, we briefly discuss the importance of early infection diagnosis, before considering in more detail some of the key issues related to antibiotic management in these patients, including controversies surrounding use of combination or monotherapy, duration of therapy, and de-escalation. Antibiotic pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, notably volumes of distribution and clearance, can be altered by critical illness and can influence dosing regimens. Dosing decisions in different subgroups of patients, e.g., the obese, are also covered. We also briefly consider ventilator-associated pneumonia and the role of inhaled antibiotics. Finally, we mention antibiotics that are currently being developed and show promise for the future

Entendiendo la geopolítica de las noticias : Hacia un modelo práctico de aproximación crítica a la información internacional

Esta investigación propone una primera aproximación al diseño de un modelo de acercamiento crítico a las noticias internacionales. Los resultados, obtenidos a través de una encuesta en línea con una población hispano-hablante adulta, sugieren la existencia de diferentes niveles de acercamiento critico. El cambio de un nivel a otro está dado por la asunción de una actitud escéptica y crítica hacia el mensaje de los medios, la comprensión de la geopolítica de la información internacional, y el uso de herramientas de acción digital, convirtiéndose estos en el eje básico de un modelo de acercamiento crítico a las noticias internacionales.Aquesta investigació proposa una primera aproximació al disseny d'un model d'acostament crític a les notícies internacionals. Els resultats, obtinguts a través d'una enquesta en línia amb una població hispà-parlant adulta, suggereixen l'existència de diferents nivells d'acostament crític. El canvi d'un nivell a un altre està donat per l'assumpció d'una actitud escèptica i crítica cap al missatge dels mitjans, la comprensió de la geopolítica de la informació internacional, i l'ús d'eines d'acció digital, convertint aquests en l'eix bàsic d'un model d'acostament crític a les notícies internacionals