Linked Data y Linked Open Data: su implantación en una biblioteca digital. El caso de Europeana

[ES] Se realiza un análisis de los conceptos linked data (LD) y linked open data (LOD) y su aplicación a un caso real: Europeana. Para LD se parte del informe final publicado recientemente por el Library Linked Data Incubator Group (LLD-XG), describiendo seguidamente el caso de Europeana y detallando las tareas realizadas y por desarrollar. Posteriormente, se examina la aplicación de LOD a través de la implantación del Europeana data model (EDM) haciendo referencia a cada uno de sus componentes. Se concluye con una valoración de la aplicación de estas técnicas en el ámbito de las instituciones culturales.[EN] An analysis of the implementation of linked data (LD) and linked open data (LOD) techniques in Europeana is presented. The final report recently published by the Library Linked Data Incubator Group (XG-LLD) is examined, and its application in Europeana is analyzed. Details of the work already done and the activities to be developed are provided. Then, the article examines the LOD implementation following the Europeana data model (EDM) for each of its components. Finally an assessment on the use of these techniques in the field of cultural institutions is done

Outpatient Management of Malignant Pleural Effusion Using a Tunneled Pleural Catheter: Preliminary Experience

Inpatient management of malignant pleural effusion includes the placement of a conventional thoracostomy tube for drainage and talc slurry pleurodesis and/or a surgical approach consisting of video-assisted thoracoscopic talc insufflation. Both techniques require prolonged hospital stays of up to 1 week. Unfortunately, life expectancy in patients with this disease does not usually exceed 6 months, and so the primary aim of any palliative intervention intended to improve quality of life should be to avoid hospital admissions and to relieve pain as far as possible. Of the few outpatient alternatives to hospital management the most frequently used is repeated thoracentesis. We describe the outpatient management of malignant pleural effusion by placement of a tunneled pleural catheter in a patient with stage IIIB lung adenocarcinoma. In our opinion, the use of this catheter offers a viable alternative to conventional therapy and is better tolerated

Confort climático en la Argentina: un recurso intangible para el turismo

The relationship between climate and tourism has implications at all spatial scales. Yet the climatic sensitivity of tourism varies according to place-specific tourism types in which it takes place and activity type. Therefore, from comfort approach, the climatic features of destination are an important resource for planning. This paper evaluates the climate comfort of Argentina as an intangible resource for tourism. The analysis builds on spatial modelling of the Tourism Climate Index (TCI), calculated for 69 weather stations uniformly distributed throughout the country. The mean annual TCI in Argentina is 73, indicating “very good” climatic-tourist comfort conditions for tourism. However, the spatial distribution of the index exhibits a maximum diagonal band and two mirror regions defined by decreasing scores towards NE and SW. This is attributed to the spatial distribution of the sub-indices conforming the TCI. Daily thermal comfort and wind speed negatively influence Patagonia, while in Litoral, they counterbalance the high amounts of precipitation. These findings show the importance and interest of considering the climate as a strategic resource in national tourism planning.La relación entre clima y turismo tiene implicancias en todas las escalas territoriales. No obstante, la sensibilidad climática del turismo varía según la modalidad y el tipo de actividad. Por ello, desde la perspectiva del confort, las características climáticas del destino son un recurso importante para la planificación. El presente trabajo evalúa el confort climático de la Argentina como recurso intangible para el turismo. El análisis se funda en el modelado espacial del Tourism Climate Index (TCI), calculado para 69 estaciones meteorológicas distribuidas uniformemente en el país. El TCI medio anual en la Argentina es de 73 puntos, indicando condiciones de confort climático-turístico “muy buenas”. Sin embargo, el comportamiento espacial del índice permite diferenciar una banda diagonal de máxima y dos regiones espejo definidas por una disminución de los puntajes medios hacia el NE y el SO. Esto se atribuye a la distribución espacial de los subíndices que constituyen el TCI. El confort térmico diario y la velocidad del viento influyen negativamente en Patagonia, mientras que en Litoral contrapesan los altos montos de precipitación. Estos hallazgos evidencian la importancia e interés de considerar al clima como un recurso estratégico en la planificación turística nacional

Hyperleptinaemia, respiratory drive and hypercapnic response in obese patients

Leptin is a powerful stimulant of ventilation in rodents. In humans, resistance to leptin has been consistently associated with obesity. Raised leptin levels have been reported in subjects with sleep apnoea or obesity-hypoventilation syndrome. The aim of the present study was to assess, by multivariate analysis, the possible association between respiratory centre impairment and levels of serum leptin. In total, 364 obese subjects (body mass index >or=30 kg.m(-2)) underwent the following tests: sleep studies, respiratory function tests, baseline and hypercapnic response (mouth occlusion pressure (P(0.1)), minute ventilation), fasting leptin levels, body composition and anthropometric measures. Subjects with airways obstruction on spirometry were excluded. Out of the 346 subjects undergoing testing, 245 were included in the current analysis. Lung volumes, age, log leptin levels, end-tidal carbon dioxide tension, percentage body fat and minimal nocturnal saturation were predictors for baseline P(0.1). The hypercapnic response test was performed by 186 subjects; log leptin levels were predictors for hypercapnic response in males, but not in females. Hyperleptinaemia is associated with a reduction in respiratory drive and hypercapnic response, irrespective of the amount of body fat. These data suggest the extension of leptin resistance to the respiratory centre

Emphysema presence, severity, and distribution has little impact on the clinical presentation of a cohort of patients with mild to moderate COPD

Phenotypic characterization of patients with COPD may have potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Available information on the relationship between emphysema and the clinical presentation in patients with COPD is limited to advanced stages of the disease. The objective of this study was to describe emphysema presence, severity, and distribution and its impact on clinical presentation of patients with mild to moderate COPD. METHODS: One hundred fifteen patients with COPD underwent clinical and chest CT scan evaluation for the presence, severity, and distribution of emphysema. Patients with and without emphysema and with different forms of emphysema distribution (upper/lower/core/peel) were compared. The impact of emphysema severity and distribution on clinical presentation was determined. RESULTS: Fifty percent of the patients had mild homogeneously distributed emphysema (1.84; 0.76%-4.77%). Upper and core zones had the more severe degree of emphysema. Patients with emphysema were older, more frequently men, and had lower FEV(1)%, higher total lung capacity percentage, and lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. No differences were found between the clinical or physiologic parameters of the different emphysema distributions. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with mild to moderate COPD, although the presence of emphysema has an impact on physiologic presentation, its severity and distribution seem to have little impact on clinical presentation

Epicardial adipose tissue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

EAT volume is increased in COPD patients and is independently associated with smoking history, BMI and exercise capacity, all modifiable risk factors of future cardiovascular events. EAT volume could be a non-invasive marker of COPD patients at high risk for future cardiovascular event

Fecal Metabolome and Bacterial Composition in Severe Obesity:Impact of Diet and Bariatric Surgery

The aim of this study was to monitor the impact of a preoperative low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery on the bacterial gut microbiota composition and functionality in severe obesity and to compare sleeve gastrectomy (SG) versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The study also aimed to incorporate big data analysis for the omics results and machine learning by a Lasso-based analysis to detect the potential markers for excess weight loss. Forty patients who underwent bariatric surgery were recruited (14 underwent SG, and 26 underwent RYGB). Each participant contributed 4 fecal samples (baseline, post-diet, 1 month after surgery and 3 months after surgery). The bacterial composition was determined by 16S rDNA massive sequencing using MiSeq (Illumina). Metabolic signatures associated to fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, amino acids, biogenic amines, gamma-aminobutyric acid and ammonium were determined by gas and liquid chromatography. Orange 3 software was employed to correlate the variables, and a Lasso analysis was employed to predict the weight loss at the baseline samples. A correlation between Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) abundance and excess weight was observed only for the highest body mass indexes. The low-calorie diet had little impact on composition and targeted metabolic activity. RYGB had a deeper impact on bacterial composition and putrefactive metabolism than SG, although the excess weight loss was comparable in the two groups. Significantly higher ammonium concentrations were detected in the feces of the RYGB group. We detected individual signatures of composition and functionality, rather than a gut microbiota characteristic of severe obesity, with opposing tendencies for almost all measured variables in the two surgical approaches. The gut microbiota of the baseline samples was not useful for predicting excess weight loss after the bariatric process

Trabecular bone score in active or former smokers with and without COPD

Background Smoking is a recognized risk factor for osteoporosis. Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a novel texture parameter to evaluate bone microarchitecture. TBS and their main determinants are unknown in active and former smokers. Objective To assess TBS in a population of active or former smokers with and without Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and to determine its predictive factors. Methods Active and former smokers from a pulmonary clinic were invited to participate. Clinical features were recorded and bone turnover markers (BTMs) measured. Lung function, low dose chest Computed Tomography scans (LDCT), dual energy absorptiometry (DXA) scans were performed and TBS measured. Logistic regression analysis explored the relationship between measured parameters and TBS. Results One hundred and forty five patients were included in the analysis, 97 (67.8%) with COPD. TBS was lower in COPD patients (median 1.323; IQR: 0.13 vs 1.48; IQR: 0.16, p = 0.003). Regression analysis showed that a higher body mass index (BMI), younger age, less number of exacerbations and a higher forced expiratory volume-one second (FEV1%) was associated with better TBS (β = 0.005, 95% CI:0.000–0.011, p = 0.032; β = -0.003, 95% CI:-0.007(-)-0.000, p = 0.008; β = -0.019, 95% CI:-0.034(-)-0.004, p = 0.015; β = 0.001, 95% CI:0.000–0.002, p = 0.012 respectively). The same factors with similar results were found in COPD patients. Conclusions A significant proportion of active and former smokers with and without COPD have an affected TBS. BMI, age, number of exacerbations and the degree of airway obstruction predicts TBS values in smokers with and without COPD. This important information should be considered when evaluating smokers at risk of osteoporosis