Calidad de vida en pacientes con cáncer de recto

ResumenLa calidad de vida (QOL) es un concepto que ha cobrado cada vez mayor importancia. Cuando hablamos de salud, resulta necesario incluir este tema, debido a que los avances en medicina han permitido alargar la vida considerablemente, lo cual ha repercutido en las expectativas de los pacientes en cuanto a su nivel de actividad, autonomía y estado de salud en general. Más aún, toma especial relevancia el hablar de QOL cuando nos referimos a cáncer de recto, donde los pacientes pueden ser sometidos a terapias altamente invasivas, con cirugías mayores, además de terapias adyuvantes como la quimio y la radioterapia. Posterior a la resección quirúrgica del tumor es frecuente que se requiera confeccionar una ostomía, la cual puede ser permanente o transitoria. Independiente de la temporalidad, podemos distinguir un cambio en la QOL de los pacientes como consecuencia de este tipo de intervención, el cual será revisado en este artículo.SummaryQuality of life (QOL) is a concept that has increased importance in the last years. When we analyzed the concept of health, it is necessary to cover this topic because there are multiples advances in medicine that allowed a longer life expectancy. This has impacted on patient’s expectations regarding the activity level, independence and overall health status. Moreover, it is especially relevant to analyze QOL when the patients have a rectal cancer. In that case, the patients could be subjected to highly invasive therapies, with major surgery and other adjuvant therapies like chemo or radiotherapy. To treat this type of cancer is common to require an ostomy, which may be permanent or temporary. Regardless of the timing, we can distinguish a change in patient’s QOL as a consequence of this type of intervention, which will be reviewed in this article

Hybrid Access Techniques for Densely Populated Wireless Local Area Networks

Postprint (published version

EL AHORRO DE LOS HOGARES EN COLOMBIA

En este documento se presenta un análisis del comportamiento del ahorro de los hogares y sus determinantes, considerando una perspectiva de largo plazo para el periodo 1950-2004 y una de corto plazo a nivel microeconómico, utilizando la información de las encuestas de calidad de vida de 1997 y 2003. A nivel agregado, con base en un análisis de cointegración se encontró una relación de largo plazo entre la tasa de ahorro de los hogares, el PIB per-cápita, los impuestos directos y una medida de profundización financiera. A nivel microeconómico, se realiza un análisis de las tasas de ahorro agrupadas por diferentes características socioeconómicas de los hogares y para diferentes definiciones de ahorro considerando la inversión en capital humano y la compra de bienes durables. Adicionalmente, se presenta un análisis del comportamiento del ahorro a partir de la hipótesis del ciclo de vida, utilizado los perfiles de ahorro por año de nacimiento del jefe del hogar. Los resultados muestran que tanto el ingreso como el consumo registran un comportamiento de U invertida, sugiriendo que para el caso Colombiano no hay evidencia de que se cumpla la hipótesis del ciclo de vida. Finalmente, al comparar los datos de ahorro de los hogares a nivel agregado, con los datos obtenidos a partir de la información de las encuestas se encuentran diferencias que se pueden explicar por razones metodológicas y por el cambio en la distribución de los ingresos y de los gastos registrado entre 1997 y 2003.Ahorro de los hogares, hipótesis de ciclo de vida, consumo, Colombia. Classification JEL:D12; D19; E01; E21.

Carcass Grading for Local Vietnamese Ban Pigs and its Potential for a Quality Feedback System in a Short Food Supply Chain

AbstractIn-situ conservation of local pig breeds in Southeast Asia requires genetic improvement embedded in viable marketing concepts. Increasing demand offers marketing opportunities for indigenous Vietnamese Ban pork. This study sought to adjust estimation methods for grading light carcasses according to their leanness. Using data from the dissection of 45 carcasses, several models were fitted and evaluated. Although the predictive power of the equations was limited, Ban carcasses could be approximatively classified according to their lean content. Finally, a suggestion of how to include these measurements in a quality feedback system of a short food supply chain is made

Development of high-yield autofluorescent protein microarrays using hybrid cell-free expression with combined Escherichia coli S30 and wheat germ extracts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein-based microarray platforms offer considerable promise as high-throughput technologies in proteomics. Particular advantages are provided by self-assembling protein microarrays and much interest centers around analysis of eukaryotic proteins and their molecular interactions. Efficient cell-free protein synthesis is paramount for the production of self-assembling protein microarrays, requiring optimal transcription, translation, and protein folding. The <it>Escherichia coli </it>S30 extract demonstrates high translation rates but lacks the protein-folding efficiency of its eukaryotic counterparts derived from rabbit reticulocyte and wheat germ extract. In comparison to <it>E. coli</it>, eukaryotic extracts, on the other hand, exhibit slower translation rates and poor overall protein yields. A cell-free expression system that synthesizes folded eukaryotic proteins in considerable yields would optimize <it>in vitro </it>translation for protein microarray assembly.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Self-assembling autofluorescent protein microarrays were produced by <it>in situ </it>transcription and translation of chimeric proteins containing a C-terminal Green Fluorescent Protein tag. Proteins were immobilized as array elements using an anti-GFP monoclonal antibody. The amounts of correctly-folded chimeric proteins were quantified by measuring the fluorescence intensity from each array element. During cell-free expression, very little or no fluorescence was observed from GFP-tagged multidomain eukaryotic plant proteins when <it>in vitro </it>translation was performed with <it>E. coli </it>S30 extract. Improvement was seen using wheat germ extract, but fluorescence intensities were still low because of poor protein yields. A hybrid <it>in vitro </it>translation system, combining S30 and wheat germ extracts, produced high levels of correctly-folded proteins for most of the constructs that were tested.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the wheat germ extract enhances the protein folding capabilities of the <it>in vitro </it>system by providing eukaryotic ribosomes and chaperones and, at the same time, the <it>E. coli </it>S30 extract, which includes an ATP regeneration system, translates the polypeptides at high rates. This hybrid cell-free expression system allows the facile production of high-yield protein arrays suitable for downstream assays.</p

Dynamics of fluctuations in a fluid below the onset of Rayleigh-B\'enard convection

We present experimental data and their theoretical interpretation for the decay rates of temperature fluctuations in a thin layer of a fluid heated from below and confined between parallel horizontal plates. The measurements were made with the mean temperature of the layer corresponding to the critical isochore of sulfur hexafluoride above but near the critical point where fluctuations are exceptionally strong. They cover a wide range of temperature gradients below the onset of Rayleigh-B\'enard convection, and span wave numbers on both sides of the critical value for this onset. The decay rates were determined from experimental shadowgraph images of the fluctuations at several camera exposure times. We present a theoretical expression for an exposure-time-dependent structure factor which is needed for the data analysis. As the onset of convection is approached, the data reveal the critical slowing-down associated with the bifurcation. Theoretical predictions for the decay rates as a function of the wave number and temperature gradient are presented and compared with the experimental data. Quantitative agreement is obtained if allowance is made for some uncertainty in the small spacing between the plates, and when an empirical estimate is employed for the influence of symmetric deviations from the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation which are to be expected in a fluid with its density at the mean temperature located on the critical isochore.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 52 reference

Optimising contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three production systems in Ethiopia

The study aims to analyse factors affecting contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three goat production systems of Ethiopia. A study was conducted in three districts of Ethiopia representing arid agro-pastoral (AAP), semi-arid agro-pastoral (SAAP) and highland mixed crop-livestock (HMCL) systems involving 180 goat keeping households. Gross margin (GM) and net benefit (NB1 and NB2) were used as indicators of economic success of goat keeping. NB1 includes in-kind benefits of goats (consumption and manure), while NB2 additionally constitutes intangible benefits (insurance and finance). Household dietary diversity score (HDDS) was used as a proxy indicator of food security. GM was significantly affected by an off-take rate and flock size interaction (P0.001). The increment of GM due to increased off-take rate was more prominent for farmers with bigger flocks. Interaction between flock size and production system significantly (P0.001) affected both NB1 and NB2. The increment of NB1 and NB2 by keeping larger flocks was higher in AAP system, due to higher in-kind and intangible benefits of goats in this system. Effect of goat flock size as a predictor of household dietary diversity was not significant (P0.05). Nevertheless, a significant positive correlation (P0.05) was observed between GM from goats and HDDS in AAP system, indicating the indirect role of goat production for food security. The study indicated that extent of utilising tangible and intangible benefits of goats varied among production systems and these differences should be given adequate attention in designing genetic improvement programs

Discriminating the quality of local pork from crossbred pork from extensive production of ethnic minorities in mountainous northern Vietnam

Developing short food supply chains for products from local pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) breeds may offer chances for smallholders in rural areas to participate in niche markets and obtain additional income. Because the authenticity and distinctness of products are crucial for establishing marketing, this study compared selected product characteristics of pork from the Vietnamese Ban breed with pork from crossbreds, each derived at their typical market weight and from their respective extensive and semi-extensive production environment; thus resembling the combination, the products are available for customers. Traditional Ban pork could be effectively discriminated from crossbred pork through cut dimensions, exemplified by the significantly reduced loin eye area (P 0.001), and by the significantly reduced backfat thickness (P 0.001). Also, marbling fat was significantly decreased in local pork (P 0.001), whereas differences in further meat quality parameters were rather weakly expressed. The significantly higher share of polyunsaturated fatty acids in loins of traditionally produced Ban pigs (P = 0.003) could possibly result in a preferred nutritional value, but lower oxidative stability of the products. This study provides novel information to improve the marketing of specialty pork in Vietnam and comparable situations in the Southeast Asian Massif

Secure continuous variable teleportation and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering

We investigate the resources needed for secure teleportation of coherent states. We extend continuous variable teleportation to include quantum teleamplification protocols that allow nonunity classical gains and a preamplification or postattenuation of the coherent state. We show that, for arbitrary Gaussian protocols and a significant class of Gaussian resources, two-way steering is required to achieve a teleportation fidelity beyond the no-cloning threshold. This provides an operational connection between Gaussian steerability and secure teleportation. We present practical recipes suggesting that heralded noiseless preamplification may enable high-fidelity heralded teleportation, using minimally entangled yet steerable resources

Modelling and simulation of the effect of blast loading on structures using an adaptive blending of discrete and finite element methods

We present a new computational model for predicting the effect of blast loading on structures. The model is based in the adaptive coupling of the finite element method (FEM) and the discrete element method (DEM) for the accurate reproduction of multifracturing and failure of structures under blast loading. In the paper we briefly describe the basis of the coupled DEM/FEM technology and demonstrate its efficiency in its application to the study of the effect of blast loading on a masonry wall, a masonry tunnel and a double curvature dam.Postprint (published version