Internet for the debate from the notions of rationality and liberty of Amartya Sen and Michel Foucault

Internet tiene una gran importancia para organizar nuestras vidas sociales y privadas. Desde este contexto se reflexiona sobre qué márgenes dejan Internet para ejercer nuestra racionalidad y libertad, mediante una participación activa y libre, derechos fundamentales de los ciudadanos, entendido como elementos imprescindibles del ideal democrático. Se parte de la base de lo que debería ser un tipo ideal de tecnología al servicio de los valores democráticos, utilizando Internet como un bien común para la ciudadanía. Desde esta perspectiva se reflexiona sobre el uso de la publicidad y del marketing político en la red. El texto contiene algunas interpretaciones de lo que sería un espacio común en Internet como ideal democrático. Para hacer este análisis, se utilizan las nociones de racionalidad y libertad de Amartya Sen y Michel Foucault, a partir de los cuales se trabaja para contrastar dos dimensiones de la democracia. Una más deliberativa, en línea con el ideal del bien común de Ostrom (2000), que correspondería a una democracia por discusión, siguiendo a Amartya Sen.. La otra dimensión correspondería a un modelo democrático con toques oligárquicos, en un contexto económico neoliberal, más en una línea de racionalidad vinculada a las relaciones de poder e intereses del mercado, siguiendo a Foucault. Para ambos es importante la libertad, basada en la participación y debates públicos en Sen, y actitud crítica del individuo, siguiendo a Foucault.Internet has a great importance to organize our social and private lives. From this context, the text reflects on what margins the Internet leaves to exercise our rationality and freedom, considering fundamental rights of citizens, and based on the best principles of the ideal of the democratic model. It is based on what should be an ideal type of technology at the service of democratic values, which would be to use the Internet as a common good for citizens. In this sense, this text contains some interpretations of what would be a common space on the Internet; It would aim to strengthen a democracy circumscribed by the most basic principles of this political model. To make this analysis, the notions of rationality and freedom of Amartya Sen and Michel Foucault are used, from which one works to contrast two functions of democracy, one is more deliberative, is in line with the idea of the common good of Ostrom (2000), a democracy by discussion following Amartya Sen. The other is a democratic model with oligarchic touches, in a neoliberal economic context, more in a line of rationality linked to power relations, following Foucault. Freedom is important for both of them, based on the participation and critical behavior of the individual

Structural and vibrational properties of CdAl2S4 under high pressure: Experimental and theoretical approach

"This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of Physical Chemistry C, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp5037926.”The behavior of defect chalcopyrite CdAl2S4 at high pressures and ambient temperature has been investigated in a joint experimental and theoretical study. High-pressure X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements were complemented with theoretical ab initio calculations. The equation of state and pressure dependences of the structural parameters of CdAl2S4 were determined and compared to those of other AB(2)X(4) ordered-vacancy compounds. The pressure dependence of the Raman-active mode frequencies is reported, as well as the theoretical phonon dispersion curves and phonon density of states at 1 atm. Our measurements suggest that defect chalcopyrite CdAl2S4 undergoes a phase transition above 15 GPa to a disordered-rocksalt structure, whose equation of state was also obtained up to 25 GPa. In a downstroke from 25 GPa to 1 atm, our measurements indicate that CdAl2S4 does not return to the defect chalcopyrite phase; it partially retains the disordered-rocksalt phase and partially transforms into the spinel structure. The nature of the spinel structure was confirmed by the good agreement of our experimental results with our theoretical calculations. All in all, our experimental and theoretical results provide evidence that the spinel and defect chalcopyrite phases of CdAl2S4 are competitive at 1 atm. This result opens the way to the synthesis of spinel-type CdAl2S4 at near-ambient conditions.Financial support from the Spanish Consolider Ingenio 2010 Program (Project CSD2007-00045) is acknowledged. This work was also supported by Spanish MICCIN under Project MAT2010-21270-C04-03/04 and by Vicerrectorado de Investigacion de la Universitat Politecnica de Valencia under Projects UPV2011-0914 PAID-05-11 and UPV2011-0966 PAID-06-11. Supercomputer time was provided by the Red Espanola de Supercomputacion (RES) and the MALTA cluster. J.A.S. acknowledges the Juan de la Cierva fellowship program for financial support. AM. and P.R.-H. acknowledge S. Munoz Rodriguez for providing a data-parsing application.Sans Tresserras, JÁ.; Santamaría Pérez, D.; Popescu, C.; Gomis, O.; Manjón Herrera, FJ.; Vilaplana Cerda, RI.; Muñoz, A.... (2014). Structural and vibrational properties of CdAl2S4 under high pressure: Experimental and theoretical approach. Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 118(28):15363-15374. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp5037926S15363153741182

Structural and vibrational study of pseudocubic CdIn2Se4 under compression

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of Physical Chemistry C, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp5077565We report a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the structural and vibrational properties of a-CdIn2Se4 under compression. Angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy evidence that this ordered-vacancy compound with pseudocubic structure undergoes a phase transition (7 GPa) toward a disordered rocksalt structure as observed in many other ordered-vacancy compounds. The equation of state and the pressure dependence of the Raman-active modes of this semiconductor have been determined and compared both to ab initio total energy and lattice dynamics calculations and to related compounds. Interestingly, on decreasing pressure, at similar to 2 GPa, CdIn2Se4 transforms into a spinel structure which, according to calculations, is energetically competitive with the initial pseudocubic phase. The phase behavior of this compound under compression and the structural and compressibility trends in AB(2)Se(4) selenides are discussed.This study was supported by the Spanish government MEC under Grant Nos: MAT2013-46649-C4-3-P, MAT2013-46649-C4-2-P, MAT2010-21270-C04-03/04, and CTQ2009-14596-C02-01, by MALTA Consolider Ingenio 2010 Project (CSD2007-00045) and by Generalitat Valenciana (GVA-ACOMP-2013-1012). A.M. and P.R-H. acknowledge computing time provided by Red Espanola de Supercomputacion (RES) and MALTA-Cluster, and also to S. Munoz-Rodriguez for providing a data-parsing application. J.A.S. acknowledges Juan de la Cierva fellowship program for financial support.Santamaría Pérez, D.; Gomis, O.; Pereira, ALJ.; Vilaplana Cerda, RI.; Popescu, C.; Sans Tresserras, JÁ.; Manjón Herrera, FJ.... (2014). Structural and vibrational study of pseudocubic CdIn2Se4 under compression. Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 118(46):26987-26999. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp5077565S26987269991184

Internet for the debate from the notions of rationality and liberty of Amartya Sen and Michel Foucault

Internet tiene una gran importancia para organizar nuestras vidas sociales y privadas. Desde este contexto se reflexiona sobre qué márgenes dejan Internet para ejercer nuestra racionalidad y libertad, mediante una participación activa y libre, derechos fundamentales de los ciudadanos, entendido como elementos imprescindibles del ideal democrático. Se parte de la base de lo que debería ser un tipo ideal de tecnología al servicio de los valores democráticos, utilizando Internet como un bien común para la ciudadanía. Desde esta perspectiva se reflexiona sobre el uso de la publicidad y del marketing político en la red. El texto contiene algunas interpretaciones de lo que sería un espacio común en Internet como ideal democrático. Para hacer este análisis, se utilizan las nociones de racionalidad y libertad de Amartya Sen y Michel Foucault, a partir de los cuales se trabaja para contrastar dos dimensiones de la democracia. Una más deliberativa, en línea con el ideal del bien común de Ostrom (2000), que correspondería a una democracia por discusión, siguiendo a Amartya Sen.. La otra dimensión correspondería a un modelo democrático con toques oligárquicos, en un contexto económico neoliberal, más en una línea de racionalidad vinculada a las relaciones de poder e intereses del mercado, siguiendo a Foucault. Para ambos es importante la libertad, basada en la participación y debates públicos en Sen, y actitud crítica del individuo, siguiendo a Foucault.Internet has a great importance to organize our social and private lives. From this context, the text reflects on what margins the Internet leaves to exercise our rationality and freedom, considering fundamental rights of citizens, and based on the best principles of the ideal of the democratic model. It is based on what should be an ideal type of technology at the service of democratic values, which would be to use the Internet as a common good for citizens. In this sense, this text contains some interpretations of what would be a common space on the Internet; It would aim to strengthen a democracy circumscribed by the most basic principles of this political model. To make this analysis, the notions of rationality and freedom of Amartya Sen and Michel Foucault are used, from which one works to contrast two functions of democracy, one is more deliberative, is in line with the idea of the common good of Ostrom (2000), a democracy by discussion following Amartya Sen. The other is a democratic model with oligarchic touches, in a neoliberal economic context, more in a line of rationality linked to power relations, following Foucault. Freedom is important for both of them, based on the participation and critical behavior of the individual

Risk of COVID-19 after natural infection or vaccinationResearch in context

Background: While vaccines have established utility against COVID-19, phase 3 efficacy studies have generally not comprehensively evaluated protection provided by previous infection or hybrid immunity (previous infection plus vaccination). Individual patient data from US government-supported harmonized vaccine trials provide an unprecedented sample population to address this issue. We characterized the protective efficacy of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against COVID-19 early in the pandemic over three-to six-month follow-up and compared with vaccine-associated protection. Methods: In this post-hoc cross-protocol analysis of the Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, we allocated participants into four groups based on previous-infection status at enrolment and treatment: no previous infection/placebo; previous infection/placebo; no previous infection/vaccine; and previous infection/vaccine. The main outcome was RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 >7–15 days (per original protocols) after final study injection. We calculated crude and adjusted efficacy measures. Findings: Previous infection/placebo participants had a 92% decreased risk of future COVID-19 compared to no previous infection/placebo participants (overall hazard ratio [HR] ratio: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Among single-dose Janssen participants, hybrid immunity conferred greater protection than vaccine alone (HR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.10). Too few infections were observed to draw statistical inferences comparing hybrid immunity to vaccine alone for other trials. Vaccination, previous infection, and hybrid immunity all provided near-complete protection against severe disease. Interpretation: Previous infection, any hybrid immunity, and two-dose vaccination all provided substantial protection against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 through the early Delta period. Thus, as a surrogate for natural infection, vaccination remains the safest approach to protection. Funding: National Institutes of Health

Risk of COVID-19 after natural infection or vaccinationResearch in context

Summary: Background: While vaccines have established utility against COVID-19, phase 3 efficacy studies have generally not comprehensively evaluated protection provided by previous infection or hybrid immunity (previous infection plus vaccination). Individual patient data from US government-supported harmonized vaccine trials provide an unprecedented sample population to address this issue. We characterized the protective efficacy of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against COVID-19 early in the pandemic over three-to six-month follow-up and compared with vaccine-associated protection. Methods: In this post-hoc cross-protocol analysis of the Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, we allocated participants into four groups based on previous-infection status at enrolment and treatment: no previous infection/placebo; previous infection/placebo; no previous infection/vaccine; and previous infection/vaccine. The main outcome was RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 >7–15 days (per original protocols) after final study injection. We calculated crude and adjusted efficacy measures. Findings: Previous infection/placebo participants had a 92% decreased risk of future COVID-19 compared to no previous infection/placebo participants (overall hazard ratio [HR] ratio: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Among single-dose Janssen participants, hybrid immunity conferred greater protection than vaccine alone (HR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.10). Too few infections were observed to draw statistical inferences comparing hybrid immunity to vaccine alone for other trials. Vaccination, previous infection, and hybrid immunity all provided near-complete protection against severe disease. Interpretation: Previous infection, any hybrid immunity, and two-dose vaccination all provided substantial protection against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 through the early Delta period. Thus, as a surrogate for natural infection, vaccination remains the safest approach to protection. Funding: National Institutes of Health

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)