161 research outputs found

    Mathematical formulation and comparison of solution approaches for the vehicle routing problem with access time windows

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    The application of the principles of sustainability to the implementation of urban freight policies requires the estimation of all the costs and externalities involved. We focus here on the case of access time windows, which ban the access of freight vehicles to central urban areas in many European cities. Even though this measure seeks to reduce congestion and emissions in the most crowded periods of the day, it also imposes additional costs for carriers and results in higher emissions and energy consumption. We present here a mathematical model for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Access TimeWindows, a variant of the VRP suitable for planning delivery routes in a city subject to this type of accessibility restriction.We use the model to find exact solutions to small problem instances based on a case study and then compare the performance over larger instances of a modified savings algorithm, a genetic algorithm, and a tabu search procedure, with the results showing no clear prevalence of any of them, but confirming the significance of those additional costs and externalities.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad EC2013-47286-C3-3-

    Acute monocular oligemia in a patient with migraine with aura demonstrated using OCT-angiography: A case report.

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    Introduction: Migraine is one of the most common causes of transient visual loss. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) provides fast and non-invasive imaging of the retinal vessels. We report one case of monocular retinal oligemia demonstrated using OCTA during a migraine attack with aura. Case description: A 27-year-old man with a previous history of migraine with visual aura was seen in the emergency room due to acute left hemicranial pain with positive visual symptoms in his right eye. The patient reported a blue stain in his right eye. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) showed an extensive area of hypoperfusion in the macular region of his right eye. Forty-eight hours later visual symptoms had improved and the OCT-A showed a significant reduction in the area of hypoperfusion. Seven days later the patient was asymptomatic and retinal perfusion had returned to normal values. Conclusion: Monocular involvement suggests that these retinal vascular changes are independent from cerebral vascular changes, supporting the hypothesis of selective retinal ganglion cell layer spreading depression as the possible cause of some cases of retinal migraine.pre-print515 K

    ¿Afecta la focalización interna realmente en el rendimiento de carrera?. Aproximación experimental hacia el efecto de la focalización atencional = Does an internal focus really affect running performance?. An experimental approach to the effect of attentional focus

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    Hasta ahora, los estudios sobre los efectos del foco atencional sobre el rendimiento en carreras de fondo han mostrado resultados controvertidos,especialmente derivados de las metodológicas de estudio. Se ha sugerido que un foco atencional interno, centrado en la respiración, aumenta el consumo de oxígeno del corredor, disminuyendo así la economía de carrera. Sin embargo, en los estudios realizados hasta la fecha no se ha controlado en tiempo real a nivel experimental el uso de un foco atencional concreto. Nuestra hipótesis establece que el uso controlado de un foco atencional interno o externo no tiene un efecto sobre la economía de carrera (consumo de oxígeno a una velocidad establecida) si se corre a una intensidad moderada. Un total de 30 corredores de larga distancia (ocho mujeres), con edades de 18 a 50 años (M = 32,87, DT = 8,15) participaron como voluntarios. El protocolo experimental consistió un diseño intrasujeto realizado en tres sesiones: (1) prueba de esfuerzo para detectar el umbral aeróbico, (2)uso de un foco atencional interno, y (3) uso de un foco atencional externo. Durante las sesiones 2 y 3, los participantes realizaron 55 min carrera a intensidad moderada. Mediante el uso de una aplicación móvil y un mando inalámbrico patentados fue posible controlar, a nivel experimental, si los participantes mantenían eficazmente el foco atencional solicitado durante las sesiones. Los resultados muestran que no hubo efecto del uso del foco atencional interno o externo en la economía de carrera. Se concluye que, a una intensidad moderada, los corredores son libres de elegir se estrategia atencional sin que se afecte su rendimiento

    Controlled grain-size thermochromic VO2 coatings by the fast oxidation of sputtered vanadium or vanadium oxide films deposited at glancing angles

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    An original, simple and cost-effective oxidation strategy to attain thermochromic vanadium dioxide thin films is reported. This two-step procedure comprises the initial deposition of DC magnetron-sputtered vanadium or vanadium oxide films by the combination of glancing angle deposition and, if needed, reactive gas pulsing process, followed by fast oxidation of such layers in air atmosphere at high temperatures. Thanks to the careful control of the thermal treatment parameters, and taking advantage of the superior reactivity of the high surface-to-volume porous deposited structures, the formation of pure VO2 (M1) layers was achieved. The comprehensive characterization of such oxidized systems by means of scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning-transmission electron microscopy techniques such as electron energy-loss spectroscopy, not only confirmed the presence of the VO2 (M1) phase, but also allowed to shed light on the key role that reaction time plays in the selective formation of vanadium dioxide films of adjustable grain size and crystallinity. The optimal conditions to stabilize thermochromic VO2 consists in using large deposition angles (85 degrees) and short oxygen pulses (<= 2 s) during the growth, followed by fast and short thermal treatments (<= 45 s with a heating rate of 42 degrees C s(-1)) in air atmosphere at 550 degrees C. The metal-to-insulator response of the accomplished VO2 layers was finally evaluated by means of temperature dependent Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements, evidencing surface potential drops at heating, greater than those reported in the literature to date for VO2 thin films.A. J. Santos would like to thank the IMEYMAT Institute and the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Cultura for the concessions of grants (ICARO-173873 and FPU16-04386) . The "Talent Attraction Program" of the University of Cadiz is acknowledged by supporting B. Lacroix contract code E-11-2017-0117214. University of Cadiz and IMEYMAT are also agreed by financing the mutual facilities available at the UCA R&D Central Services (SC-ICYT) , the UCA projects reference "PUENTE PR2018-040 '' and "PUENTE PR2020-003 '', and the IMEYMAT project references "LINEAS PRIORITARIAS PLP2019120-3 and PLP2021120-1 ''. This work was supported by the Spanish State R&D project (Retos y Generacion de Conocimiento) ref. PID2020-114418RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The regional government of Andalusia with FEDER cofunding also participates through the projects AT-5983 Trewa 1157178 and FEDER-UCA18-10788. M. Dominguez acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under project reference EQC 2018-004704-P FEDER 2014-2020, "Modernizacion del Servicio de Microscopia de Fuerza Atomica (AFM) del IMEYMAT"

    Artrodesis de rodilla por fracaso de la artroplatsia total

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    Veintiuna artrodesis de rodilla fueron realizadas en nuestro Servicio en los últimos 20 años. Se realiza un estudio retrospectivo con un seguimiento medio de 10 años. Las razones para la artrodesis fueron en 12 ocasiones (57%) infección de la artroplastia total, y en los 9 casos restantes (43%) aflojamiento aséptico. La artrodesis se realizó mediante fijación externa en un solo plano en 11 casos (52%), en biplano se colocó en 7 (33%), 2 casos con placas a compresión (9,5%) y el caso restante mediante un clavo intramedular (5%). La fusión después del procedimiento inicial se obtuvo solamente en 12 pacientes (57%) y añadiendo procedimientos adicionales totalizamos 19 rodillas fusionadas (90%). Las complicaciones encontradas fueron: 9 pseudoartrosis, 2 infecciones en el trayecto de las fichas, 2 roturas del material de fijación, una infección persistente que llevó a la amputación, y una parálisis del nervio ciático poplíteo externo.A total of 21 knee arthrodesis performed in the last 20 years was reviewed with an average follow-up of 10 years. Arthrodesis was performed following deep infection in 12 cases (57%) and aseptic loosening of the prostheses in the remaining 9 cases. TH artrodesis were performed using one-plane external fixation in 11 cases, two-planes external fixation in 7, compression plates in 2, intramedular nailing in only 12 patients. Using additional procedures we obtained 19 fused knees (90 %). The complications in this series were: Psuedarthrosis (9 cases), infection of the fixator pins (2 cases), infection of the fixator pins (2 cases), and broken osteosybrtesis components (2 cases), severe deep infection with final amputation of the limb (1 case), and CPE injury (1 case)

    Advances in the Development of Non-steroidal Mineralocorticoid-receptor Antagonists

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    The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily and regulates body fluid and electrolyte balance. In the last years, much effort has been put into the development of non-steroidal MR antagonists that overcome the side effects of the marketed steroid drugs, and can be used for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure, among others. Initially, MR was identified in epithelial cells, however it also plays important roles in non-epithelial tissues. In this sense, it is of interest to discover ligands that might induce different MR conformational changes, leading to specific coregulator interactions, which could confer tissue-specific effects. Different series of non-steroidal ligands with diverse central scaffolds has been described, which shows antihypertensive and cardiorenal protective effects. This review covers a description of different non-steroidal MR antagonist families, with special focus on compounds under clinical development. The analysis of the three-dimensional (3D) structures of non-steroidal MR antagonists in complex with the MR ligand-binding domain (LBD), recently reported, highlights the interactions crucial for binding. The structure-activity relationships of known ligands, together with the insights provided by the 3D structures of ligand - LBD MR complexes, could help in the development of non-steroidal MR antagonists with improved properties

    Randomized controlled trial evaluating the benefit of a novel clinical decision support system for the management of COVID-19 patients in home quarantine: A study protocol

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    Producción Científica(1) Background: We present the protocol of a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the benefit of a novel clinical decision support system for the management of patients with COVID-19. (2) Methods: The study will recruit up to 500 participants (250 cases and 250 controls). Both groups will receive the conventional telephone follow-up protocol by primary care and will also be provided with access to a mobile application, in which they will be able to report their symptoms three times a day. In addition, patients in the active group will receive a wearable smartwatch and a pulse oximeter at home for real-time monitoring. The measured data will be visualized by primary care and emergency health service professionals, allowing them to detect in real time the progression and complications of the disease in order to promote early therapeutic interventions based on their clinical judgement. (3) Results: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Drug Research Ethics Committee of the Valladolid East Health Area (CASVE-NM-21-516). The results obtained from this study will form part of the thesis of two PhD students and will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. (4) Conclusions: The implementation of this telemonitoring system can be extrapolated to patients with other similar diseases, such as chronic diseases, with a high prevalence and need for close monitoring.Junta de Castilla y León e Instituto de Salud Carlos III - (grant COV20/00539

    Cuaderno del visitante

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    [ES]Guía de lectura y del visitante de la exposición Mesiento: sintiendo sentados, que recoge la historia de la lectura a partir de la historia de la silla. Se seleccionan obra de interés para niños y adultos. La exposición fue diseñada por el Equipo Monocordio, integrado por José Antonio Merlo Vega (coordinador), Patricia Picazo de Fez (productora y autora de los cuentos), Ben Clark (autor de los poemas) y Jesús Martín Sánchez (responsable de las ilustraciones)

    Experience of 10 years in routine trans operative endoscopy and calibration in fundoplication due to gastroesophageal reflux disease

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    Background: Endoscopy and intraoperative calibration in fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), confirm an adequate technique avoiding postoperative failure. Intraoperative changes and morbidity in routine use are unknown.Methods: Retrospective study in a single center, data were taken primarily from electronic archive medical records. A total of 899 who underwent fundoplication surgery with endoscopy and/or routine intraoperative calibration due to GERD met the required criteria between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. The primary objective was to identify the number of calibration and intraoperative endoscopy findings. Also, the morbidity associated with its routine use was analyzed.Results: Over a 10-year study period, the most frequent calibration in the Nissen Fundoplication was 60Fr in 472 cases (61.4 %). The most used calibration in Toupet Fundoplication was 60Fr in 26 cases (21.1%). Endoscopy was performed in 786 patients (71.38%), of which; 3 patients (0.3%) required changes, secondary to fundoplication rotation in 2 patients (0.2%) and redundant gastric fundus in 1 patient (0.1%).Conclusions: Routine intraoperative calibration and endoscopy achieved excellent results in 96.8% of fundoplication’s, ensuring adequate esophageal position and corroborating an adequate intraoperative technique; decreasing the rate of failures and immediate postoperative dysphagia

    Genome-wide phenotypic RNAi screen in the Drosophila wing: Global parameters

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    We have screened a collection of UAS-RNAi lines targeting 10,920 Drosophila protein-coding genes for phenotypes in the adult wing. We identified 3653 genes (33%) whose knockdown causes either larval/pupal lethality or a mutant phenotype affecting the formation of a normal wing. The most frequent phenotypes consist of changes in wing size, vein differentiation, and patterning, defects in the wing margin and in the apposition of the dorsal and ventral wing surfaces. We also defined 16 functional categories encompassing the most relevant aspect of each protein function and assigned each Drosophila gene to one of these functional groups. This allowed us to identify which mutant phenotypes are enriched within each functional group. Finally, we used previously published gene expression datasets to determine which genes are or are not expressed in the wing disc. Integrating expression, phenotypic and molecular information offers considerable precision to identify the relevant genes affecting wing formation and the biological processes regulated by the
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