Topical analgesia for acute otitis media

BACKGROUND: Acute otitis media (AOM) is a spontaneously remitting disease of which pain is the most distressing symptom. Antibiotics are now known to have less benefit than previously assumed. Topical pain relief may be a satisfactory intervention for AOM sufferers and encourage clinicians to prescribe fewer antibiotics. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of topical analgesia for AOM in adults and children. SEARCH METHODS: For this second update we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 1), Ovid MEDLINE (2008 to February Week 1 2011), Ovid MEDLINE (In‐Process & Other Non‐Indexed Citations 10 February 2011), Ovid EMBASE (2008 to 2011 Week 05), EBSCO CINAHL (2008 to 4 February 2011) and Ovid AMED (2008 to April 2011). SELECTION CRITERIA: Double‐blind randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi‐RCTs comparing an otic preparation with an analgesic effect (excluding antibiotics) versus placebo or an otic preparation with an analgesic effect (excluding antibiotics) versus any other otic preparation with an analgesic effect, in adults or children presenting at primary care settings with AOM without perforation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three review authors independently screened studies, assessed trial quality and extracted data. Attempts to obtain additional information from the trial authors of the included trials were unsuccessful. MAIN RESULTS: Five trials including 391 children aged three to 18 years met our criteria. Two studies (117 children) compared anaesthetic ear drops versus placebo immediately at diagnosis. All children received some form of oral pain relief. In all five studies it was clear that ear pain diminishes rapidly for most sufferers. Nevertheless there was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of children achieving a 50% reduction in pain in favour of anaesthetic drops 10 minutes after instillation (risk ratio (RR) 2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19 to 3.80) and 30 minutes after instillation (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.81) on the day AOM was diagnosed but not at 20 minutes (RR 1.24, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.74). Three trials (274 children) compared anaesthetic ear drops with naturopathic herbal ear drops. Naturopathic drops were favoured 15 and 30 minutes after instillation, one to three days after diagnosis, but the differences were not statistically significant. Only one trial looked at adverse reactions and found none. Overall the findings of this review are based on trial evidence that is at low or unclear risk of bias. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from five RCTs, only two of which addressed the most relevant question of primary effectiveness, provides limited evidence that ear drops are effective 30 minutes after administration in older children with AOM. Uncertainty exists as to the magnitude of this effect and more high‐quality studies are needed

Anthropometry, Body Composition and Resting Energy Expenditure in Human

Data on nutritional status of human populations are periodically needed, as well as their relationships with anthropometry, body composition, body image and energy expenditure, and also with health lifestyle outcomes. All these parameters contribute jointly to give a complete knowledge on dietary and lifestyle habits, and hence how to proceed to improve it in order to enjoy an optimal healthy status. So, you are kindly invited to submit proposals for manuscripts that fit the objectives and the topics of this Nutrients Special issue.The aim of this proposed Nutrients Special Issue on ""Anthropometry, Body Composition and Resting Energy Expenditure in Humans"" is to publish selected papers detailing specific aspects of anthropometric, body composition and energy expenditure data in human populations and their relationships with nutritional status, as well as nutritional surveys and trials that examine measured differences or changes in these parameters are also cordially invited

EVA-Layered Double Hydroxide (Nano)Composites: Mechanism of Fire Retardancy

Composites of ethyleneevinyl acetate copolymer with two different layered double hydroxides have been obtained by melt blending and these have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, thermogravimetric analysis connected to mass spectroscopy and cone calorimetry. There is some small difference in dispersion between the zinc-containing and the magnesium-containing layered double hydroxides in EVA, but both these are microcomposites with good dispersion at the micrometer level and relatively poor dispersion at the nanometer level. There is a good reduction in the peak heat release rate at 10% LDH loading. In addition to chain stripping, which involves the simultaneous loss of both acetate and a hydrogen atom, forming acetic acid, and the formation of poly(ethylene-co-acetylene), side chain fragmentation of the acetate group also occurs and may be the dominant pathway of thermal degradation in the first step. The presence of the LDH causes acetone, rather than acetic acid, to be evolved in the initial step of the degradation

Improving some thermodynamic consistency tests for VLE data evaluation

Thermodynamics Conference 2013 (Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry), The University of Manchester, 3-6 September 2013.The fundamental Gibbs-Duhem equation is the most widely referenced condition for consistency of the experimental VLE data, leading to a variety of thermodynamic consistency tests (TC tests). TC tests should be applied rigorously because deviations between the test results and VLE experimental data are usually attributed to the doubtful quality of the experimental data. Nevertheless, in many instances are the rough approximations involved in the applications of such TC tests the responsible of the bad results provided by a given experimental data set. In the present paper a method is suggested to calculate the term depending on the excess enthalpy (HE) that is rarely available and impedes rigorous calculation of the area test and the point (or differential) test in isobaric conditions. A relevant example of this problem is that the NIST algorithm uses the area test with the empirical Herington equation to estimate the term depending of HE, despite having been invalidated, and the point test is exclusively applied to isothermal and not to isobaric conditions. The comparison of the method proposed in this work with the standard procedures and data theoretically calculated demonstrates its capacity and validates experimental data sets otherwise improperly questioned.Financial support by means of the projects: MINECO. MAT2011-24991 and PROMETEO/2012/015

The Effect of Providing Monetary Information on Energy Savings for Household Appliances: A Field Trial in Spain

Energy labels are one of the most widely used policies in the European Union for increasing the energy efficiency of household appliances. However, their effectiveness in promoting energy-efficient purchases has sometimes been called into question. One of the reasons for this is that consumers may have difficulties in fully understanding the energy consumption information provided on labels (in kilowatt-hour per year). Some authors argue that to avoid this problem energy consumption information should be converted into monetary information. We analyse whether providing monetary information on lifetime energy savings can significantly increase purchases of energy-efficient appliances. To that end, a field experiment was carried out with small retailers in Spain. The experiment involved three types of appliances: washing machines, fridges and dishwashers. The impact of monetary information on actual purchases of appliances was tested in different ways: (i) by including a monetary label to display energy savings during the lifetime of the product; (ii) by the monetary information provided by sales staff; and (iii) by combining (i) and (ii). We find that the effectiveness of providing monetary information depends on the appliance and the specific way in which the information is provided. For washing machines, providing monetary information through a monetary label seems effective in promoting the purchase of highly energy-efficient appliances. However, for fridges, both monetary information provided by staff alone and the combination of the monetary label and information from sales staff seem to be effective in promoting purchases of A+++ fridges. Surprisingly, no effect is found for dishwashers. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.This study was conducted as part of the CONSumer Energy Efficiency Decision making (CONSEED) project, an EUfunded H2020 research project under grant agreement number 723741. This research is also supported by the Spanish State Research Agency through María de Maeztu Excellence Unit accreditation 2018-2022 (Ref. MDM-2017-0714). This study was conducted as part of the CONSumer Energy Efficiency Decision making (CONSEED) project, an EU-funded H2020 research project under grant agreement number 723741. This research is also supported by the Spanish State Research Agency through María de Maeztu Excellence Unit accreditation 2018-2022 (Ref. MDM-2017-0714). Financial support from the Government of Spain and the European Regional Development Fund through grant RTI2018-093692-B-I00 is gratefully acknowledged by Amaia de Ayala and Ibon Galarraga. Amaya de Ayala also acknowledges the support of Fundación Ramon Areces under XVIII Concurso Nacional para la Adjudicación de Ayudas a la Investigación en Ciencias Sociales

“Zombie attack” a new way to teach Chemistry

The Higher Education requires new models which allow training people able to adapt and survive in changing environments. It is based on the use of technologies and the adaptation of knowledge to people. It is about an education according to circumstances, which is adapted to context and virtual behaviour of people. One of the main difficulties that lecturers find in the classroom is how to maintain students' attention and interest in their subject, especially when students also think that the subject is not important for their training. In order to motivate these students, innovation in educational techniques and methodologies, such as experiential learning, are progressively being imposed to and/or coordinated with the traditional ones. Escape Room is a very modern concept in education, based on the development of mental skills for the solution of enigmas and problems. It is a tool to develop the cooperative, cognitive, deductive and logical reasoning skills of the students. In this work, an educational gamification experience based on the escape room concept is presented. The students have 1 hour and 30 minutes to carry out this activity. They will have to solve four puzzles and enigmas that will give them the key to open a treasure chest and finally let them escape from the classroom. Logic, ingenuity and teamwork will allow participants to develop not only chemical competence, but also other basic skills. The story that is told throughout the escape room is a zombie attack: the city has been infected (with a virus) and only the occupants of the room where the activity takes place have not been infected. In addition, they can all protect themselves if they are able to open the chest where the antidote is located. The aim of this activity is to enhance the knowledge acquired throughout the semester as well as the development of skills.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

La comunicación institucional y de servicios. Las páginas web municipales de las capitales de provincia españolas

El papel protagonista que ha adquirido la informática en estos últimos años obliga a los diferentes agentes e instituciones que conforman nuestra sociedad a adecuarse a los nuevos tiempos. Entre las administraciones públicas destaca el proceso de modernización y adaptación iniciado por las instituciones locales más próximas a los ciudadanos: los ayuntamientos. En este periodo de transformación, las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones ocupan un papel principal y nos conducen a una nueva Administración local donde desaparecen las limitaciones de tiempo y espacio. Se produce una revolución en la prestación de servicios y un cambio en las relaciones que mantienen los ciudadanos con los ayuntamientos. En esta investigación se va a estudiar si las webs municipales españolas son operativas y funcionales, para permitir la gestión de trámites burocráticos a través de la red y, por tanto, sin la necesidad de personarse en el consistorio.Computing has taken the chief role in the society during recent years and has compelled the diferent institutions that shape our society to adapt to the new situation. In the area of public Administration is notable the modernization and adaptation process started by the local institutions which are closer to the citizens: the city councils. In this period full of changes, the new information and communication technologies take the main role and lead us to a new local Administration where limits of time and space disappear. There is a change in the way services are offered and in the relationship between citizens and their city councils. In this investigation the authors have studied if the municipal webs are operative and functional allowing people to transact and to manage official documents without presenting oneself at city council

Initial Approach to Safety on Cruises Ships: Structure of the Sector

The importance of safety on ships is beyond dispute, however, there are some types of ship for which this matter deserves special consideration. One of these types of ships are passenger cruises, due to the high number of human lives that travel on board. For this reason, we believe that a particular study of safety in cruise ships is needed. The Port State Control (PSC) mechanism of coastal States to try to ensure security in their territorial waters in respect of the traffic of foreign ships may, a priori, be an impartial and reliable indicator of security, according to the deficiencies it detect in ships and the detentions that carried out. Thus, we will use the PSC inspections in this paper. The source of information about PSC inspections is EQUASIS, which is the information system of the majority of regional agreements PSC and US Coast Guard. The study period is 5 years (2012‐2016) and the cruise ships analysed are belonging to the International Association of Cruise Lines (CLIA). The objective of this work is an initial approach to safety on cruise ships and the structure of the sector according several factors (company, cruise type, age and pavilion)

Sequential determination of traces of As, Sb and hg by on-line magnetic solid phase extraction coupled with Hr-Cs-Cvg-Gfaas

A green and rapid method was developed for the simultaneous separation/preconcentration and sequential monitoring pf arsenic, antimony and mercury by flow injection magnetic solid phase extraction coupled with on-line chemical vapor generation and determination by high resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The system is based on chelating/cationic retention of the analytes onto a magnet based reactor designed to contain functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The MNP score allows overcoming the back-pressure problems that usually happen in SPME methods with NPs thanks to the possibility of inmobilizing the MNPs by applying an external magnetic field. Several chemical and flow variables were considered as factors in the optimization process using central composite designs. With the optimized procedure the detection limits obtained were 0.2, 0.003 and 0.4 µg/L for As, Sb and Hg respectively. For the quality control of the analytical performance and the validation of the developed method the analysis of two certified samples TM 24.3 and TMDA 54.4 Fortified Lake Waters was addressed. The results showed good agreement with the certified values.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech