A comparative study of algorithms for solving the multiobjective open-pit mining operational planning problems

This work presents a comparison of results obtained by different methods for the Multiobjective Open-Pit Mining Operational Planning Problem, which consists of dynamically and efficiently allocating a fleet of trucks with the goal of maximizing the production while reducing the number of trucks in operation, subject to a set of constraints defined by a mathematical model. Three algorithms were used to tackle instances of this problem: NSGA-II, SPEA2 and an ILS-based multiobjective optimizer called MILS. An expert system for computational simulation of open pit mines was employed for evaluating solutions generated by the algorithms. These methods were compared in terms of the quality of the solution sets returned, measured in terms of hyper volume and empirical attainment function (EAF). The results are presented and discussed

Resistencia a Tuta absoluta en una entrada de la especie silvestre de tomate Solanum pimpinellifolium

2 páginas, 1 figura, 1 tabla.-- Artículo publicado en la revista profesional de sanidad vegetal.-- et al.[EN]: We previously found resistance to pests (twospotted spider mite and whitefly) based on type IV glandular trichomes and acylsucrose production in an accession of the wild tomato species S. pimpinellifolium from the germplasm collection at the Experimental Station La Mayora – CSIC. Resistance to the South American tomato pinworm of that accession and plant materials derived from it was investigated in greenhouse conditions at CNPH (Brasilia, Brazil) and, when Tuta absoluta was introduced into Spain, at Exp. Sta. La Mayora (Málaga, southern Spain). Genotypes carrying type IV glandular trichomes showed reduced pest damage, especially on young, apical leaves. Possibility for control of Tuta by the utilization of resistant tomato cultivars looks forward to future breeding programmes for the trait.[ES]: Una entrada de la especie silvestre de tomate S. pimpinellifolium del banco de germoplasma de la Estación Experimental La Mayora-CSIC presenta resistencia a plagas (araña roja y mosca blanca) merced a sus tricomas glandulares de tipo IV y producción de acilsacarosas. Con el fin de estudiar si esta entrada y otros genotipos de tomate de ella derivados eran también resistentes a T. absoluta, se realizaron experimentos en condiciones de invernadero en CNPH (Brasilia, Brasil) y, una vez que Tuta se introdujo en España, en la E.E. La Mayora (Algarrobo, Málaga). Los genotipos con tricomas de tipo IV sufrieron menores daños por la plaga, especialmente en las hojas apicales, más jóvenes. La posibilidad del control de Tuta mediante la utilización de variedades resistentes queda abierta a futuros programas de mejora genética del carácter.Trabajo financiado por MICINN-FEDER (Proyecto AGL2007-66760-C02-02/AGR).Peer reviewe

Influência do número de camadas na propriedade mecânica de espécimes fabricados com atadura gessada usados para confeccionar splints ortopédicos

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of varying numbers of layers of plaster of Paris bandages on the mechanical properties of specimens used on the construction of orthopedic splints. METHODS: Rectangular plate-shaped and cylinder-shaped specimens were constructed and assigned to two groups simulating plaster slabs and cast and further divided into six subgroups according to the number of layers used: 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 layers. The specimens were subjected to either a three-point bending test (plates/slab) or compressive strength test (cylinders/cast). The following mechanical properties were evaluated: maximum load, elastic limit load and stiffness. Specimen weight was also calculated. Data was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and the least significant difference (LSD) tests. RESULTS: Pairwise comparisons of the subgroups 10x12 and 10x14 revealed significant differences for all mechanical properties (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that when the goal is to construct appliances with high mechanical strength, regardless of weight, such as serial plaster slabs splints for stimulating tissue growth through the application of gradual load, splints made with plaster of Paris bandages with 12 or 14 layers should be preferred. For orthotic devices such as positioning orthotics, the use of 10 layers plaster bandages slab splints is advisable as they were found to have better correlation between mechanical strength and weight in comparison to those made wtih 6 or 8 layers. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, we suggest the use of 10 layers of plaster of Paris for the construction of orthopedic splints.OBJETIVO: Avaliar as propriedades mecânicas de amostras fabricadas a partir de ataduras de gesso que são utilizadas em órteses ortopédicas e que variam quanto ao número de camadas. MÉTODOS: Foram confeccionados espécimes em forma de placa retangular e em forma cilíndrica, divididos em dois grupos que simulavam splint e gesso circular, os quais foram divididos em seis subgrupos de acordo com o número de camadas utilizadas, ou seja, três, seis, oito, dez, 12 e 14 camadas. Os espécimes foram submetidos a um teste de inclinação de três pontos (placas/splint) ou teste de resistência à compressão (cilindros/gesso circular). As seguintes propriedades mecânicas foram avaliadas: carga máxima e carga no limite de elasticidade e rigidez. O peso da amostra foi calculado. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e diferença mínima significativa (DMS). Comparações pareadas entre os subgrupos 10x12 e 10x14 revelaram diferenças significativas para todas as propriedades mecânicas (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: Os resultados sugerem que, quando o objetivo é construir aparelhos com alta resistência mecânica, independente do peso, tais como órteses seriadas de posicionamento para simular força gradual aplicada no tecido para a melhoria da amplitude de movimento, talas de 12 ou 14 camadas devem ser preferidas. Para os aparelhos ortopédicos que irão ser submetidos a esforços de baixa intensidade, aconselha-se a utilização de dez camadas para as órteses, porque houve uma melhor correlação entre a resistência mecânica e peso para as amostras fabricadas com dez camadas de atadura gessada comparadas com aquelas confeccionadas com seis ou oito camadas. CONCLUSÂO: Baseado nos achados deste estudo, sugere-se a utilização de dez camadas na confecção de órteses ortopédicas

Usage patterns of oral H1-antihistamines in 10 European countries:A study using MASK-air® and Google Trends real-world data

Real-world data represent an increasingly important source of knowledge in health care. However, assessing their representativeness can be challenging. We compared (i) real-world data from a mobile app for allergic rhinitis (MASK-air®) on the usage of oral H1-antihistamines from 2016 to 2020 in 10 European countries with (ii) Google Trends data on the relative volume of searches for such antihistamines. For each country, we sorted 5 different oral H1-antihistamines by their frequency of use and volume of searches. We found perfect agreement on the order of antihistamine use in MASK-air® and in Google Trends searches in 4 countries (France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Different levels of agreement were observed in the remaining countries (kappa coefficient from -0.50 to 0.75). Oral H1-antihistamine data from Google Trends and MASK-air® were consistent with nationwide medication sales data from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These results suggest that MASK-air® data may be consistent with other sources of real-world data, although assessing the representativeness of their users may require further studies

Mecánica cuántica: Un reto inaplazable para nuestro país

Actualmente, desde que los niños son muy pequeños, manejan dispositivos como los teléfonos celulares y los computadores, los cuales tienen como uno de sus elementos básicos el transistor. No es sorprendente, por lo tanto, que se pregunten cómo funcionan, de qué están hechos. Y muchas veces los padres de estos pequeños somos incapaces de dar respuestas bien informadas a estas inquie-tudes, respuestas que ya no deberían ser una cuestión de especia-listas, sino conocimiento básico de cualquier ciudadano. El propó-sito de esta comunicación es doble: por un lado esclarecer el papel de la mecánica cuántica tanto en las tecnologías presentes y futu-ras como en otras áreas del conocimiento y la cultura, y por otro, hacer una reflexión acerca de la pertinencia de la misma en nues-tro país y en nuestras instituciones.Actualmente, desde que los niños son muy pequeños, manejan dispositivos como los teléfonos celulares y los computadores, los cuales tienen como uno de sus elementos básicos el transistor. No es sorprendente, por lo tanto, que se pregunten cómo funcionan, de qué están hechos. Y muchas veces los padres de estos pequeños somos incapaces de dar respuestas bien informadas a estas inquie-tudes, respuestas que ya no deberían ser una cuestión de especia-listas, sino conocimiento básico de cualquier ciudadano. El propó-sito de esta comunicación es doble: por un lado esclarecer el papel de la mecánica cuántica tanto en las tecnologías presentes y futu-ras como en otras áreas del conocimiento y la cultura, y por otro, hacer una reflexión acerca de la pertinencia de la misma en nues-tro país y en nuestras instituciones

Basal VEGF-A and ACE Plasma Levels of Metastatic Colorectal-Cancer Patients Have Prognostic Value for First-Line Treatment with Chemotherapy Plus Bevacizumab

The identification of factors that respond to anti-angiogenic therapy would represent a significant advance in the therapeutic management of metastatic-colorectal-cancer (mCRC) patients. We previously reported the relevance of VEGF-A and some components of the renin–angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the response to anti-angiogenic therapy in cancer patients. Therefore, this prospective study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of basal plasma levels of VEGF-A and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in 73 mCRC patients who were to receive bevacizumab-based therapies as a first-line treatment. We found that high basal VEGF-A plasma levels were significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (FPS). On the other hand, low ACE levels were significantly associated with poor OS. Importantly, a simple scoring system combining the basal plasma levels of VEGF-A and ACE efficiently stratified mCRC patients, according to OS, into high-risk or low-risk groups, prior to their treatment with bevacizumab. In conclusion, our study supports that VEGF-A and ACE may be potential biomarkers for selecting those mCRC patients who will most benefit from receiving chemotherapy plus bevacizumab treatment in first-line therapy. Additionally, our data reinforce the notion of a close association between the RAAS and the anti-angiogenic response in cancer

A Mediterranean-Diet-Based Nutritional Intervention for Children with Prediabetes in a Rural Town: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Prediabetes is a pathological condition in which the blood glucose concentration is higher than normal concentrations but lower than those considered necessary for a type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Various authors have indicated that the Mediterranean Diet is one of the dietary patterns with the most healthy outcomes, reducing high levels of HbA1c, triglycerides, BMI, and other anthropometric parameters. The main objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of the nutritional intervention for children with prediabetes, including the effectiveness of this nutritional education regarding anthropometric parameters. A randomized pilot trial with two groups, an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG), using intervention in dietary habits with nutritional reinforcement was carried out on 29 children with prediabetes from a rural area. The nutritional intervention was analyzed through astrophotometric and glycemic measurements and validated surveys. Results: The results indicated improvement in eating habits, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, anthropometric measurements, mainly body mass index and perimeters, and analytical parameters, with a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin in the EG compared to the CG (p < 0.001). Although the results showed that both groups’ anthropometric parameters improved, a more significant decrease was observed in the experimental group compared to the control

The Combination of Neutrophil–Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet–Lymphocyte Ratio with Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers Improves Prognosis Prediction in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with a highly inflammatory microenvironment and liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool for the noninvasive analysis of this tumor. In this study, plasma was obtained from 58 metastatic PDAC patients, and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentration, and circulating RAS mutation were determined. We found that NLR was significantly associated with both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. Remarkably, NLR was an independent risk factor for poor OS. Moreover, NLR and PLR positively correlated, and combination of both inflammatory markers significantly improved the prognostic stratification of metastatic PDAC patients. NLR also showed a positive correlation with cfDNA levels and RAS mutant allelic fraction (MAF). Besides, we found that neutrophil activation contributed to cfDNA content in the plasma of metastatic PDAC patients. Finally, a multi-parameter prognosis model was designed by combining NLR, PLR, cfDNA levels, RAS mutation, RAS MAF, and CA19-9, which performs as a promising tool to predict the prognosis of metastatic PDAC patients. In conclusion, our study supports the idea that the use of systemic inflammatory markers along with circulating tumor-specific markers may constitute a valuable tool for the clinical management of metastatic PDAC patients