Fabrication of a 3D combinatorial fibrous-porous scaffold for neural tissue engineering applications

The ability of tissue engineered scaffolds to modulate the response of neural stem cells (e.g. adhesion, proliferation and differentiation) is boosting the unlocking of advanced therapeutic strategies capable of attenuating the effects of traumatic pathologies like spinal cord injury [1]. From the wide range of reported scaffolding concepts, it has been consistently demonstrated that nanofibrous networks and graphene-based porous systems are proficient for guiding neurite outgrowth and inducing specific differentiation patterns, respectively [2].publishe

PANGEA – Platform for Automatic coNstruction of orGanizations of intElligent Agents

This article presents PANGEA, an agent platform to develop open multiagent systems, specifically those including organizational aspects such as virtual agent organizations. The platform allows the integral management of organizations and offers tools to the end user. Additionally, it includes a communication protocol based on the IRC standard, which facilitates implementation and remains robust even with a large number of connections. The introduction of a CommunicationAgent and a Sniffer make it possible to offer web services for the distributed control of interaction

Menu Navigation in Mobile Devices Using the Accelerometer

In this article an application for mobile devices is presented. This application uses the accelerometer integrated into the own device to detect certain user movements and use them to navigate through the menus. The application is destined to those users with visual incapacity who need an alternative mechanism for the selection of the different options in the menus

Proximity Detection Prototype Adapted to a Work Environment

This article presents a proximity detection prototype that uses ZigBee technology. The prototype is primarily oriented to proximity detection within an office environment and some of the particular characteristics specific to such an environment, including the integration of people with disabilities into the workplace. This allows the system to define and manage the different profiles of people with disabilities, facilitating their job assimilation by automatically switching on or off the computer upon detecting the user’s presence, or initiating a procedure that automatically adapts the computer to the personal needs of the user

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. Methods: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015. Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years, 65 to 80 years, and = 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. Results: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 = 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients =80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%, 65 years; 20.5%, 65-79 years; 31.3%, =80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%, <65 years;30.1%, 65-79 years;34.7%, =80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%, =80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age = 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI = 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88), and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared, the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Conclusion: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age = 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI), and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Respuesta eléctrica de Nanocristales ZrO₂-3mol% Y₂O₃

The evolution of microstructure and electrical behaviour of nanocrystalline ZrO2 - 3mol% Y2O3 samples with respect to thermal cycles have been investigated. The sample, that initially consisted of 77.8%wt of tetragonal and 22.3%wt monoclinic phases, eliminates the tetragonal phase by means of a low temperature t-m phase transformation in which the content of monoclinic phase reaches 96%wt. This transformation affects significantly the electrical properties of the sample, increasing the grain boundary resistivity in successive thermal cycles, whereas the bulk contribution remains unchanged. The growth of the grain boundary resistivity is believed to be due to the presence of microcracks that accommodate the larger size of monoclinic grains.<br><br>Se ha estudiado la evolución con los tratamientos térmicos de la microestructura y el comportamiento eléctrico de nanocristales ZrO2 - 3mol% Y2O3. La muestra, que inicialmente estaba compuesta por 77.8%wt de fase tetragonal y 22.3%wt de fase monoclínica, sufre una transformación de fase t´m a baja temperatura en la que el porcentaje de fase monoclínica alcanza el 96%wt. Esta transformación afecta significativamente a las propiedades eléctricas del material de forma que la contribución del borde de grano ve incrementada su resistividad en los sucesivos ciclos térmicos, mientras que la contribución del grano no cambia significativamente Creemos que el aumento de resistividad del borde de grano esté relacionado con la aparición de microfisuras que acomodan el mayor tamaño de los granos monoclínicos