A Hamiltonian functional for the linearized Einstein vacuum field equations

By considering the Einstein vacuum field equations linearized about the Minkowski metric, the evolution equations for the gauge-invariant quantities characterizing the gravitational field are written in a Hamiltonian form by using a conserved functional as Hamiltonian; this Hamiltonian is not the analog of the energy of the field. A Poisson bracket between functionals of the field, compatible with the constraints satisfied by the field variables, is obtained. The generator of spatial translations associated with such bracket is also obtained.Comment: 5 pages, accepted in J. Phys.: Conf. Serie

Fístula colovesical secundaria a enfermedad diverticular: cirugía laparoscópica electiva

Indexación: Web of Science; ScieloAim: Colovesical fistula is a severe complication associated to neoplastic or inflammatory colon disease. Most common procedure is open surgery. We report a case of colovesical fistula secondary to diverticular disease treated with a laparoscopic approach. Methods: A 64-year-old man was seen with a known colonic diverticular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and recurrent urinary tract infection. He complained of lower abdominal pain, dysuria, and pneumaturia. A CT scan revealed a sigmoid diverticular perforation into the bladder (colovesical fistula). A left hemicolectomy with partial cystectomy was performed by laparoscopy means. Results: There was no morbidity related to the surgical procedure, and the final pathology confirmed a colonic diverticular disease with bladder compromise. The patient is asymptomatic at 24 months of follow up. Conclusion: The laparoscopic approach is a feasible alternative for the treatment of colovesical fistula with low morbidity.Objetivos: La fístula colovesical es una complicación relacionada con procesos inflamatorios y neoplá-sicos del colon. El manejo tradicional de esta patología es quirúrgico bajo técnica abierta. Presentamos un caso de fístula colovesical secundaria a enfermedad diverticular con tratamiento quirúrgico laparoscópico. Materiales y Métodos: Paciente masculino de 64 años de edad, portador de enfermedad diverticular de larga data con antecedente de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e infecciones urinarias a repetición, quien consulta por presentar dolor en hipogastrio, disuria y neumaturia. Se realiza tomografía computada que revela perforación diverticular de colon sigmoides a vejiga (fístula colovesical). Se realizó hemicolectomía izquierda más cistectomía parcial, con resección del trayecto fistuloso, y cierre vesical y anastomosis colónica laparoscópica. Resultados: No hubo complicaciones intra ni postoperatorias. El estudio anatomopatológico de la pieza operatoria demostró enfermedad diverticular. El paciente se encuentra asintomático a los 24 meses de seguimiento. Conclusión: El abordaje laparoscópico es una alternativa factible para el tratamiento de fístula colovesical, con baja morbilidad.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-40262012000300010&nrm=is

Social networks as tools for the prevention and promotion of health among youth

The emergence of information and communication technologies (ICT) has generated a number of research questions, related to their use and potential risk, but also potentials for prevention or health promotion. Online social networks have become an important source of information for users as well as a tool for social relations. As traditional social networks, they can act as vehicles to improve the health of adolescents and youth, as well as play a key role in an educational context. The aim of this work is then to explore the theoretical relevance of ICT, particularly on online social networks, on disease prevention and health promotion of communicable diseases. Literature review points out the role of online social networks, particularly in the field of sexual health, body image, especially eating habits and overweight, as well as smoking and alcohol dependence. Data allow us to understand how online social network behavior and interaction is related to their burden and interventions developed in sexual health and addiction show positive results. More efforts in body image are needed in order to use these tools for prevention and promotion of health from early age.This research was supported by Instituto de Investigación de Drogodependencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández, and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (strategic projects PEst-OE/FIL/UI0683/2014)

Information analisys in drug consumption and other addictions prevention

Tradicionalmente gran parte de los programas preventivos de drogas y otras adicciones dirigidos a preadolescentes y adolescentes, se han apoyado en la información como estrategia fundamental para disuadir el consumo, utilizando argumentos basados en las consecuencias del deterioro al ser consumidores de sustancias, así como en el abuso de otras conductas adictivas no químicas. El enfoque clásico se apoya en que los jóvenes toman sus decisiones de consumir, o no, en base a una elaboración racional, por tanto en el caso de estar informados de los riesgos que asumen al consumir optarían por no hacerlo. Es fundamental incidir en la importancia que adquieren tres cuestiones alrededor de la información: el nivel y calidad de la información que tienen los jóvenes, el nivel y calidad de la información que tienen los padres y la búsqueda de las fuentes de información sobre drogas y su nivel de credibilidad. Posiblemente los modelos de transmisión y contenido de información que utiliza la publicidad comercial podrían ser más adecuados y eficaces que los del recurso al miedo en el ámbito de los comportamientos de salud, y por supuesto, de las adicciones en general. La tendencia de los promotores de mensajes de salud sigue siendo la de transmitir las consecuencias y los riesgos, en la línea de la apelación al miedo. Presumimos que se alcanzaría una mayor eficiencia con mensajes positivos, reforzando los estilos de vida saludables.Traditionally a large proportion of the preventive programs focused in drugs and other addictions among adolescents and young people have drawn on the information as a core strategy to discourage the consumption, using arguments based in the consequences of the deterioration being substance consumers, as well as in the abuse of other non chemical addictive behaviors. The classical approach is based on the rational decision process among young people to do the consumption or not, therefore if they were properly informed about the risks they would choose the no consumption. Is essential to address the importance of three topics around the information issue: degree and quality information among young people, degree and quality information among parents and information source search about drugs and its credibility degree. The models of transmission and information content used by the commercial advertising may be more appropriate and effective than the ‘fear resort’ within health behaviors and addictions in general. The trend of health message promoters continue to be the communication of risk and negative consequences, following the fear resort way. We propose that would be more effective using positive messages enforcing a healthy lifestyle

Theoretical configuration of health motivation from the self-determination theory

El estudio de la motivación humana es un constructo altamente complejo y con una gran variabilidad de enfoques. La teoría de la autodeterminación (TAD) ha demostrado una relativa efectividad y consistencia en muchos aspectos relacionados con la salud, como por ejemplo el ejercicio físico, la alimentación, el sueño, el bienestar psicológico o el consumo de tabaco. Las investigaciones muestran que la motivación autodeterminada se corresponde con la motivación intrínseca y en cambio la motivación extrínseca y sus formas de regulación pueden corresponderse con comportamiento no autodeterminados, pudiendo llegar hasta la desmotivación. En este trabajo se formula una construcción teórica sobre este modelo, introduciendo la percepción de riesgo (PR) y la vulnerabilidad percibida (VP) como elementos que pueden variar el sentido final de la motivación e incluso mejorar alguna de sus regulaciones extrínsecas y la desmotivación. Una de las posibilidades teóricas que sugerimos para intentar neutralizar los tipos no autodeterminados es procurar aumentar la PR y la VP de la persona, ya que estando estas dos variables altas, la probabilidad de que la desmotivación aparezca se reduce significativamente, y las acciones forzadas de la regulación externa y la regulación introyectada pueden amortiguarse y aumentar la internalización lo que podría favorecer los comportamientos de salud.The study of human motivation is a highly complex construct with a wide variability of visions. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has shown a relative effectiveness and consistency in several issues related to health, such as physical activity, diet, sleep, psychological well-being or tobacco consumption. Research shows that self-determined motivation is consistent with intrinsic motivation and, in contrast, extrinsic motivation and its regulation ways can be matched to non-self-determined behaviors, reaching even a lack of motivation. The aim of this work is to draw up a theoretical construction about this model, bringing in risk perception and perceived vulnerability as elements that can change the final direction of the motivation and even improve some of its extrinsic regulations and the lack of motivation. One of the theoretical possibilities that we propose to try to neutralize the non-self-determined types is seek to increase both the personal risk perception and perceived vulnerability, as being these two variables high the likelihood of occurrence of a lack of motivation is significantly reduced, and forced actions of external regulation and introjected regulation may be buffered and increase the internalization, what could favor health behaviors

Theoretical conceptualization of psychological resilience and its relation with health

La resiliencia es un término que surge de la física en relación con la resistencia de los materiales así como con la capacidad de recuperación de los mismos al ser sometidos a diferentes presiones y fuerzas. En la actualidad consideramos que el concepto de resiliencia sigue siendo un constructo ambiguo, que necesita una mayor clarificación, sobre todo, en cuestiones referidas a su configuración teórica. Para poder llevarlo a la práctica en condiciones óptimas, necesitamos contar con un modelo que permita mejorar los resultados de las poblaciones vulnerables y de la población general en relación con la salud. En este trabajo se pretende profundizar en la configuración de la resiliencia psicosocial, estudiando las variables que empíricamente se relacionan con ella, con el objetivo de aproximarnos a una construcción más clara que permita su aplicabilidad en futuras investigaciones en el ámbito de la salud.Resilience is a term arising from physics in relationship with the resistance of the materials as well as their recoverability under different pressures and forces. We currently believe that the concept of resilience remains an ambiguous construct, needing a further clarification, especially in its theoretical configuration issues. To carry it into practice in optimal conditions, we need a model that allows improving outcomes of both vulnerable and general population in relation to health. This work intends to deepen the psychosocial resilience configuration, studying variables that are empirically related to it, with the aim of approaching a clearer construction that allows its applicability in future research within the field of health

Characterization of varroa destructor mites in Cuba using mitochondrial and nuclear markers

Varroa destructor has been present in Cuba since 1996, but without the use of acaricidal infestation rates remain at very low levels. The presence of Korean haplotype mites was described in 2007, but there is no information regarding the introgression of the less virulent Japanese haplotype that could account for a low pathogenicity of the mite. In this research, we carried out molecular characterization of Cuban Varroa mites through mitochondrial DNA and hypervariable nuclear loci. We applied an alternative RFLP tech-nique and found that all the analyzed samples corresponded to Korean haplotypes. We analyzed the three STRs loci VD112, VD114 and VD016, previously described as highly variable and found new alleles in all of them, with an absolute allele size very different to those reported worldwide. We also detected genic and genotypic differentiation be-tween samples from two nearby locations (P=0.08). We also tested a new RFLP method for mite haplotype discrimination with an intra-reaction positive control of digestion

Enhancing dendritic cell immunotherapy for melanoma using a simple mathematical model

ABSTRACT Background: The immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DCs) against different varieties of cancer is an approach that has been previously explored which induces a specific immune response. This work presents a mathematical model of DCs immunotherapy for melanoma in mice based on work by Experimental Immunotherapy Laboratory of the Medicine Faculty in the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). Method: The model is a five delay differential equation (DDEs) which represents a simplified view of the immunotherapy mechanisms. The mathematical model takes into account the interactions between tumor cells, dendritic cells, naive cytotoxic T lymphocytes cells (inactivated cytotoxic cells), effector cells (cytotoxic T activated cytotoxic cells) and transforming growth factor β cytokine (TGF − β). The model is validated comparing the computer simulation results with biological trial results of the immunotherapy developed by the research group of UNAM. Results: The results of the growth of tumor cells obtained by the control immunotherapy simulation show a similar amount of tumor cell population than the biological data of the control immunotherapy. Moreover, comparing the increase of tumor cells obtained from the immunotherapy simulation and the biological data of the immunotherapy applied by the UNAM researchers obtained errors of approximately 10 %. This allowed us to use the model as a framework to test hypothetical treatments. The numerical simulations suggest that by using more doses of DCs and changing the infusion time, the tumor growth decays compared with the current immunotherapy. In addition, a local sensitivity analysis is performed; the results show that the delay in time “τ ”, the maximal growth rate of tumor “r” and the maximal efficiency of tumor cytotoxic cells rate “aT” are the most sensitive model parameters. Conclusion: By using this mathematical model it is possible to simulate the growth of the tumor cells with or without immunotherapy using the infusion protocol of the UNAM researchers, to obtain a good approximation of the biological trials data. It is worth mentioning that by manipulating the different parameters of the model the effectiveness of the immunotherapy may increase. This last suggests that different protocols could be implemented by the Immunotherapy Laboratory of UNAM in order to improve their results

New legal framework for the eradication of falsified medicines: the new safety devices

Introducción: Los medicamentos falsificados son un problema emergente en la sociedad actual. Una de las principales estrategias para poder combatirlos es el empleo del Derecho. Por ello se promulgó, por parte de las instituciones europeas legalmente competentes para ello, el Reglamento Delegado de la Unión Europea 2016/161 de la Comisión de 2 de octubre de 2015, que completa la Directiva 2001/83/CE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo estableciendo disposiciones detalladas relativas a los dispositivos de seguridad que figuran en el envase de los medicamentos de uso humano (de fabricación industrial). Método: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de esta nueva normativa, promulgada por diversas instituciones comunitarias, con el objetivo de analizar las novedades existentes en el ámbito del medicamento. Resultados: La norma comunitaria, objeto de nuestro estudio, establece las directrices para verificar aquellos medicamentos con mayor riesgo de falsificación, mediante unos dispositivos de seguridad compuestos de dos partes. Un dispositivo anti-manipulación que permite visualizar que el envase no ha sido alterado y un código identificador único, que será reconocido en todos los países comunitarios y que posee información sobre el medicamento. Desde las oficinas de farmacia se autentifica cada medicamento mediante la verificación y desactivación del código identificador en el momento de la dispensación del mismo. Conclusiones: Esta nueva normativa pretende evitar la posible entrada de medicamentos falsificados en la cadena de suministro legal de medicamentos. Sus principales ventajas son, garantizar al paciente la veracidad del medicamento dispensado en las oficinas de farmacia y mejorar la trazabilidad de los mismos.Introduction: Falsified medicines are an emerging problem in today’s society. One of the main strategies to combat them is the use of law. That is why the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161 of 2 October 2015 was enacted by the relevant European institutions, which supplements Directive 2001/83/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down detailed provisions relating to safety features appearing on the external packaging of medicinal products for human use (industrial manufacturing). Method: A literature review of this new legislation enacted by various Community institutions has been carried out with the aim of analyzing developments in the scope of the medicinal product. Results: The Community regulation sets out the guidelines for verifying those medicinal products which have an increased risk of been falsified, using safety features consist of two parts: an anti-tampering device that allows to view that the packaging has not been altered, and a unique identifier code, which will be recognized in all Community countries and it has information on the medicinal product. Each drug is authenticated from the Pharmacies by verifying and deactivating the identifier code at the time of dispensing it. Conclusions: This new regulation aims to avoid the possible entry of falsified medicines into the legal supply chain of medicinal products. Its main advantages are ensuring to the patient the veracity of the drugs dispensed in the Pharmacy and improving the traceability of them