H

This paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a quadratically stabilizing output feedback controller which also assures H2 guaranteed cost performance on a discrete linear uncertain system where the uncertainty is of the norm bounded type. The conditions are presented as a collection of linear matrix inequalities.The solution, however requires a search over a scalar parameter space

Architecture and Selectivity in Aquaporins: 2.5 Å X-Ray Structure of Aquaporin Z

Aquaporins are a family of water and small molecule channels found in organisms ranging from bacteria to animals. One of these channels, the E. coli protein aquaporin Z (AqpZ), has been shown to selectively conduct only water at high rates. We have expressed, purified, crystallized, and solved the X-ray structure of AqpZ. The 2.5 Å resolution structure of AqpZ suggests aquaporin selectivity results both from a steric mechanism due to pore size and from specific amino acid substitutions that regulate the preference for a hydrophobic or hydrophilic substrate. This structure provides direct evidence on the molecular mechanisms of specificity between water and glycerol in this family of channels from a single species. It is to our knowledge the first atomic resolution structure of a recombinant aquaporin and so provides a platform for combined genetic, mutational, functional, and structural determinations of the mechanisms of aquaporins and, more generally, the assembly of multimeric membrane proteins

El Amor en los Tiempos del COVID-19: Centrado En Cuidado de las Personas Mayores

Older adults are the most vulnerable population group in the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do they have the highest mortality, multimorbidity, and various problems during the pandemic, but they will have the greatest number of needs after it. To guarantee human rights, optimize the healthy aging process and center attention in person, the state and society in general will require a series of extraordinary measures.Las Personas Adultas Mayores son el grupo poblacional más vulnerable en la Pandemia por COVID-19. No solamente son los que tienen más mortalidad y multiples condiciones complejas durante la pandemia, sino los que tendrán más necesidades luego de esta. Para garantizar los derechos humanos, optimizar el proceso de envejecimiento saludable y centrar la atención en las personas se necesitará una serie de medidas extraordinarias por parte del estado y la sociedad en general

Depression symptoms and mortality in elderly peruvian navy veterans: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract: Our study was design to determine the association between depressive symptoms and mortality in adults over 60 years old Navy Peruvian Veterans. We performed a retrospective cohort study based on a previous cohort study. A total of 1681 patients over 60 years old were included between 2010–2015. Demographic information, self-reported information about falls, physical frailty assessment, tobacco consumption, hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and was collected. Depression was assessed by the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale. We found that depressive symptoms were present in 24.9% of the participants and 40.5% of them died. Mortality risk in patients with depressive symptoms, physical frailty, and male sex was: RR of 23.1 (95% CI: 11.7–45.7), 3.84 (95% CI: 2.16–6.82), and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.07–1.75) respectively. We concluded that depressive symptoms in Peruvian retired military personnel and their immediate relatives are high and are significatively associated with mortality. Also, being male and frail was associated with an increased risk of death. This reinforces that early detection and assessment of depressive symptoms could be an opportunity to improve the health status of older adults

Asociación entre síndrome de caídas y síntomas depresivos en adultos mayores de once comunidades altoandinas del Perú 2013-2017

Objetivo: Determinar si existe asociación entre el síndrome de caídas y la presencia de sintomatología depresiva en adultos mayores de once comunidades altoandinas, entre los años 2013 al 2017. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, analítico realizado en una muestra de pobladores de 60 años o más residentes de las siguientes localidades: La Jalca, Leimebamba (Amazonas), Llupa, San Pedro de Chaná, Atipayan (Áncash), Pampamarca (Huánuco), Ayahuanco  (Ayacucho),  Paucarcolla  (Puno),  Vilca  (Huancavelica),  Viñac  (Lima)  y  Chacapampa (Huancayo). Se utilizó un instrumento basado en datos generales del paciente, antecedentes patológicos de importancia y examen físico. Resultados: Se entrevistó un total de 411 participantes; 65,94% de los cuales eran de sexo femenino y   65,45% vivían en una zona rural. Un 35,23% del total de caídas ocurrió a   consumidores de alcohol; se comprobó un menor promedio de rendimiento físico y de alcance funcional en pacientes con historia de caídas frecuentes y un 48,48% de los mismos tenían sintomatología depresiva. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con síntomas depresivos tienen 1,62 veces más posibilidades de sufrir caídas en su actividad cuotidiana

Grooming coercion and the post-conflict trading of social services in wild Barbary macaques

In animal and human societies, social services such as protection from predators are often exchanged between group members. The tactics that individuals display to obtain a service depend on its value and on differences between individuals in their capacity to aggressively obtain it. Here we analysed the exchange of valuable social services (i.e. grooming and relationship repair) in the aftermath of a conflict, in wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). The relationship repair function of post-conflict affiliation (i.e. reconciliation) was apparent in the victim but not in the aggressor. Conversely, we found evidence for grooming coercion by the aggressor; when the victim failed to give grooming soon after a conflict they received renewed aggression from the aggressor. We argue that post-conflict affiliation between former opponents can be better described as a trading of social services rather than coercion alone, as both animals obtain some benefits (i.e. grooming for the aggressor and relationship repair for the victim). Our study is the first to test the importance of social coercion in the aftermath of a conflict. Differences in competitive abilities can affect the exchange of services and the occurrence of social coercion in animal societies. This may also help explain the variance between populations and species in their social behaviour and conflict management strategies

Global Antifungal Profile Optimization of Chlorophenyl Derivatives against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Twenty-two aromatic derivatives bearing a chlorine atom and a different chain in the para or meta position were prepared and evaluated for their in vitro antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The results showed that maximum inhibition of the growth of these fungi was exhibited for enantiomers S and R of 1-(40-chlorophenyl)- 2-phenylethanol (3 and 4). Furthermore, their antifungal activity showed a clear structure-activity relationship (SAR) trend confirming the importance of the benzyl hydroxyl group in the inhibitory mechanism of the compounds studied. Additionally, a multiobjective optimization study of the global antifungal profile of chlorophenyl derivatives was conducted in order to establish a rational strategy for the filtering of new fungicide candidates from combinatorial libraries. The MOOPDESIRE methodology was used for this purpose providing reliable ranking models that can be used later

Depresión en pacientes adultos mayores de comunidades de altura, con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC).

Objetivo: Determinar la frecuencia de depresión y características sociodemográficas en pacientes adultos mayores con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), viviendo en zonas de altura. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de carácter descriptivo en 16 pacientes con EPOC, de 60 o más años de edad, habitantes del altiplano andino (≥1500 m sobre el nivel del mar). Se analizaron las características sociodemográficas, nivel cognitivo, funcional, emocional y antecedentes personales de cada uno de los probandos. Resultados: El promedio de edad de los pacientes fue 72,1 años (DE 5,37), el 62,5% fueron mujeres, el 75% provenían de áreas rurales y el 81,2% eran analfabetos o tenían solo instrucción primaria incompleta. Entre las características clínicas, el 18,7% presentaban hipertensión arterial, el 12,5% presentaron diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y el 87,5% reportó no consumir tabaco. De acuerdo al Test de Yesavage, el 43,7% presentaban depresión y el 56,2% refirieron sentirse frecuentemente deprimidos. Conclusiones: Este estudio sugiere una alta frecuencia de depresión en pacientes con EPOC que habitan regiones de la altura andina

Comorbilidades neurológicas y su relación con la velocidad de la marcha en adultos mayores del Centro Médico Naval “Cirujano Mayor Santiago Távara” 2010-2015.

Objective: To determine the association between presence of neurological comorbidities and walking speed in older adults attended at the Naval Medical Center Cirujano Mayor Santiago Távara 2010-2015. Methods: Observational retrospective study through secondary analysis of a database of 1785 older adults. To determine the relationship between variables, the Chi-square test with a level of significance of 5%, and the STATA v.14 program were used. Results: 18.7% of the probands had Parkinsons disease, 44.9% had mild cognitive impairment, and only 3.1% had cerebrovascular disorder. There were significant differences in walking speed with respect to advanced age and female sex (greater in 80 y.o. or older females). There was a significant relationship between mild cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular disorder with walking speed. The probability of a slow walking speed adjusted for Parkinsons disease diagnosis, age and sex for those with mild cognitive impairment was 2.13 (IC95% 1.72-2.63), and for those with cerebrovascular disease, 1.79 (IC95% 1.01-3.20). Conclusions: Slow walking was presented mainly in women over 80 years of age, and was significantly related to mild cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular disorder, but not to Parkinsons diseaseObjetivo: Determinar la relación entre presencia de comorbilidades neurológicas y velocidad de la marcha en adultos mayores del Centro Médico Naval “Cirujano Mayor Santiago Távara” 2010-2015. Material y Métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo mediante análisis secundario de base de datos. La muestra fue conformada por 1785 adultos mayores. Para determinar la relación entre variables se utilizó Chi-cuadrado con un nivel de significación del 5% y el programa STATA v.14. Resultados: El 18,7% de los probandos presentaron enfermedad de Parkinson, 44,9% presentaron deterioro cognitivo leve y sólo el 3,1% presentó evidencia de enfermedad cerebrovascular. Existieron diferencias significativas respecto a la edad (p<0,001) y sexo (p=0,043) según la velocidad de marcha (mayor en mujeres de 80 años o más). Hubo relación significativa entre el deterioro cognitivo leve (p<0,001) y la enfermedad cerebro- vascular (p=0,002) con la velocidad de marcha. La probabilidad de una velocidad de marcha lenta ajustada por antecedente de enfermedad de Parkinson, edad y sexo para aquellos con deterioro cognitivo leve fue de 2,13 (IC95% 1,72-2,63) y para aquellos con enfermedad cerebrovascular fue de 1,79 (IC95% 1,01-3,20). Conclusiones: La lentitud de marcha se presentó mayormente en mujeres de 80 o más años de edad y se relacionó significativamente con el deterioro cognitivo leve y enfermedad cerebrovascular, pero no con la enfermedad de Parkinson