Sensitivity analysis to assess the influence of the inertial properties of railway vehicle bodies on the vehicle’s dynamic behaviour

A sensitivity analysis has been performed to assess the influence of the inertial properties of railway vehicles on their dynamic behaviour. To do this, 216 dynamic simulations were performed modifying, one at a time, the masses, moments of inertia and heights of the centre of gravity of the carbody, the bogie and the wheelset. Three values were assigned to each parameter, corresponding to the percentiles 10, 50 and 90 of a data set stored in a database of railway vehicles. After processing the results of these simulations, the analyzed parameters were sorted by increasing influence. It was also found which of these parameters could be estimated with a lesser degree of accuracy for future simulations without appreciably affecting the simulation results. In general terms, it was concluded that the most sensitive inertial properties are the mass and the vertical moment of inertia, and the least sensitive ones the longitudinal and lateral moments of inertia

Childhood sexual abuse, sexual behavior, and revictimization in adolescence and youth: a mini review

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is considered as an activity aimed at providing sexual pleasure, stimulation, or sexual gratification to an adult who uses a minor for this purpose, taking advantage of the situation of superiority. CSA can have devastating consequences for the child. Previous studies have concluded that those who suffer an episode of CSA perform more risky sexual behaviors and are more likely to experience further episodes of sexual victimization during adolescence and early youth. There are two theoretical contributions that, although they offer partial views, can help to understand the association between CSA, sexual behavior, and revictimization in adulthood: the traumagenic dynamics model and the information-motivation-behavioral skills model. This short review provides an overview of the problems and theoretical explanations that have been presented up to the present, underlining the importance of prevention and sex education as of childhood, as well as the need to continue investigating in order to develop specific theoretical models that help to understand and prevent CSA and its consequences

Ras subcellular localization inversely regulates thyroid tumor growth and dissemination

RAS mutations are the second most common genetic alteration in thyroid tumors. However, the extent to which they are associated with the most aggressive phenotypes is still controversial. Regarding their malignancy, the majority of RAS mutant tumors are classified as undetermined, which complicates their clinical management and can lead to undesired under-or overtreatment. Using the chick embryo spontaneous metastasis model, we herein demonstrate that the aggressiveness of HRAS-transformed thyroid cells, as determined by the ability to extravasate and metastasize at distant organs, is orchestrated by HRAS subcellular localization. Remarkably, aggressiveness inversely correlates with tumor size. In this respect, we also show that RAS sitespecific capacity to regulate tumor growth and dissemination is dependent on VEGF-B secretion. Furthermore, we have identified the acyl protein thioesterase APT-1 as a determinant of thyroid tumor growth versus dissemination. We show that alterations in APT-1 expression levels can dramatically affect the behavior of thyroid tumors, based on its role as a regulator of HRAS sublocalization at distinct plasma membrane microdomains. In agreement, APT-1 emerges in thyroid cancer clinical samples as a prognostic factor. As such, APT-1 levels could serve as a biomarker that could help in the stratification of HRAS mutant thyroid tumors based on their aggressiveness.PC lab is supported by grant RTI2018-096658B-100 from the Spanish Ministry of Science (MICIU/AEI/FEDER, UE). Santisteban, Riesco and Crespo Laboratories are supported jointly by grants from Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC; GCB141423113) and CIBERONC from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). PS acknowledges support from: SAF2016-75531-R (MINECO/FEDER, UE); B2017/BMD-3724 Tironet2 (Comunidad de Madrid) and PID2019-105303RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). B.C is funded by Retos Jóvenes Investigadores grant SAF2015-73364-JIN (MICIU/AEI/FEDER, UE), a PIE grant from Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)- MICIU and the Ramón y Cajal Research Program (MICIU, RYC2018-024004-I)

Caracterización de vehículos ferroviarios para analizar la sensibilidad de sus parámetros dinámicos

Este trabajo forma parte de un proyecto más amplio, cuya finalidad es realizar un estudio de sensibilidad que permita determinar qué grado de exactitud se requiere en la definición de los principales parámetros que influyen en la dinámica de los vehículos ferroviarios. Como paso previo a este análisis de sensibilidad, es preciso seleccionar un vehículo de referencia en el que basar dicho estudio. Dicho vehículo se empleará como punto de partida, para después variar el valor de los parámetros que lo caracterizan, a fin de determinar su influencia sobre la dinámica de marcha. Para alcanzar este objetivo se ha construido una base de datos de vehículos ferroviarios, que almacena las características de los parámetros que afectan al comportamiento dinámico de los vehículos. El valor de referencia correspondiente a cada parámetro puede asociarse al promedio de los valores almacenados en la base de datos, y sus rangos de variación pueden obtenerse a partir de las medidas de dispersión de estos datos. Se ha realizado un test de normalidad sobre los datos almacenados en la base de datos, encontrándose que la hipótesis de normalidad resulta, en general, inapropiada, lo que requiere el uso de estimadores más robustos de los habituales. Aunque el estudio de sensibilidad podría basarse en el vehículo ficticio definido por los valores promedio de cada parámetro, cabe la posibilidad de que este vehículo promedio presente un comportamiento dinámico distinto al que tendría un vehículo real. Para evitar este posible contratiempo, se han utilizado técnicas de escalado multidimensional para seleccionar los registros de la base de datos más próximos al vehículo promedio. Para determinar cuál de estos vehículos resulta más apropiado, se ha comparado su comportamiento dinámico empleando técnicas de simulación de sistemas multicuerpo. A partir de los resultados obtenidos en estas simulaciones, se ha valorado el comportamiento de cada modelo desde el punto de vista de la seguridad, de la agresión a la vía y del confort, siguiendo las indicaciones de la norma EN-14363. Finalmente, se ha seleccionado como vehículo de referencia aquél que, presentando un comportamiento adecuado, requiere el menor esfuerzo computacional para llevar a cabo las simulaciones

Método para la extracción y concentración simultáneas de compuestos de fases líquidas utilizando membranas microporosas.

En este método la extracción y concentración de compuestos líquidos se realiza simultáneamente utilizando para ello un agente de extracción selectivo hacia el/los solutos que se quieren extraer. Este agente de extracción forma con el/los solutos complejos reversibles que se liberan en la etapa de concentración de modo que el agente de extracción es regenerado para ser utilizado de nuevo en el proceso. Ambas etapas de extracción y concentración se realizan utilizando membranas microporosas donde el contacto entre las fases se realiza en los poros de las fibras que se encuentran en el interior del módulo, de modo que se evita la dispersión de las fases y por tanto su posterior separación. Además se debe aplicar una ligera sobrepresión a la fase por la cual las fibras no están preferentemente impregnadas con objeto de evitar la dispersiónde las fases. El funcionamiento del sistema puede ser en continuo, discontinuo o semicontinuo.Solicitud: 009901559 (05.07.1999)Nº Pub. de Solicitud: ES2187311A1 (01.06.2003)Nº de Patente: ES2187311B2 (01.03.2005

Fertility-Sparing Surgery versus Radical Hysterectomy in Early Cervical Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis and Noninferiority Study

Early cervical cancer; Fertility-sparing surgery; Radical hysterectomyCáncer de cuello uterino temprano; Cirugía conservadora de la fertilidad; Histerectomía radicalCàncer de coll uterí precoç; Cirurgia conservadora de la fertilitat; Histerectomia radicalObjective: Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is the treatment of choice for patients with early cervical cancer (ECC) and fertility desire, but survival rates compared to radical hysterectomy (RH) have been scarcely reported. The aim of this study was to analyse the oncological outcomes of FSS compared to a balanced group of standard RH. Methods: A retrospective multicentre study of ECC patients who underwent FSS or RH was carried out in 12 tertiary hospitals in Spain between January 2005 and January 2019. The experimental group included patients who underwent a simple and radical trachelectomy, and the control group included patients who underwent RH. Optimal 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching analysis was performed to balance the series. Results: The study included 222 patients with ECC; 111 (50%) were treated with FSS, and 111 (50%) were treated with RH. After PS matching, a total of 38 patients in the FSS group and 38 patients in the RH group were analysed. In both groups, the overall survival (HR 2.5; CI 0.89, 7.41) and recurrence rates (28.9% in the FSS group vs. 13.2% in RH group) were similar. The rate of disease-free survival at 5 years was 68.99% in the FSS group and 88.01% in the RH group (difference of −19.02 percentage points; 95% CI −32.08 to −5.96 for noninferiority). In the univariate analysis, only tumour size reached statistical significance. Conclusion: FSS offers excellent disease-free and overall survival in women with ECC with fertility desire and is not inferior compared to RH.This work received financial support from the Medtronic University Chair for Training and Surgical Research, University Jaume I (UJI), Castellon, Spain

Unmet needs in the management of schizophrenia

Studies on unmet needs during the last decades have played a significant role in the development and dissemination of evidence-based community practices for persistent schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders. This review has thoroughly considered several blocks of unmet needs, which are frequently related to schizophrenic disorders. Those related to health have been the first block to be considered, in which authors have examined the frequent complications and comorbidities found in schizophrenia, such as substance abuse and dual diagnosis. A second block has been devoted to psychosocial and economic needs, especially within the field of recovery of the persistently mentally ill. Within this block, the effects of the current economic difficulties shown in recent literature have been considered as well. Because no patient is static, a third block has reviewed evolving needs according to the clinical staging model. The fourth block has been dedicated to integrated evidence-based interventions to improve the quality of life of persons with schizophrenia. Consideration of community care for those reluctant to maintain contact with mental health services has constituted the fifth block. Finally, authors have aggregated their own reflections regarding future trends. The number of psychosocial unmet needs is extensive. Vast research efforts will be needed to find appropriate ways to meet them, particularly regarding so-called existential needs, but many needs could be met only by applying existing evidence-based interventions. Reinforcing research on the implementation strategies and capacity building of professionals working in community settings might address this problem. The final aim should be based on the collaborative model of care, which rests on the performance of a case manager responsible for monitoring patient progress, providing assertive follow-up, teaching self-help strategies, and facilitating communication among the patient, family doctor, mental health specialist, and other specialists

The volume of ERCP per endoscopist is associated with a higher technical success and a lower post-ERCP pancreatitis rate. A prospective analysis

Introduction: conflicting results have been reported regarding the influence of the annual volume of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) on outcome. Objective: to evaluate the influence of case volume on ERCP outcomes. Patients and methods: an analysis of a prospective database was performed, comparing the outcomes of ERCP in three consecutive periods defined by the number of endoscopists performing ERCP: five endoscopists in period I (P1), four in period II (P2) and three in period III (P3). Only patients with biliary ERCP in accessible and naïve papilla were included. Primary variables were cannulation rates and adverse effects (AE). The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) complexity grades III and IV were considered as highly complex procedures. Results: a total of 2,561 patients were included: 727 (P1), 972 (P2) and 862 (P3). There were no differences in age and sex between groups (p > 0.05). The cannulation rate was significantly higher in P2 and P3: 92.4 % vs 93.3 % vs 93 % (p = 0.037). The AE rate was 13.8 %, 12.6 % and 10.3 % (p > 0.05), respectively. The rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis was significantly lower in P3: 8.5 %, 7.3 % and 5 % (p = 0.01). The rate of complex procedures was 12 %, 14.8 % and 27 % (p < 0.0001), respectively. Two endoscopists participated in all periods and only one had significantly improved outcomes. Cannulation and post-ERCP pancreatitis rates remained significantly better in P3 after adjusting for sex, complexity and endoscopist. Conclusion: a higher annual volume of ERCP per endoscopist was associated with a higher rate of cannulation and a lower rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis, despite the greater complexity of the procedures. These beneficial effects seem to differ between endoscopists