Evaluación de actividad física y sedentarismo a partir del fenotipo digital

El sedentarismo y los bajos niveles de actividad física son dos de los mayores factores de riesgo para numerosas enfermedades crónicas de gravedad. Sin embargo, estos conceptos son difíciles de medir de manera precisa debido al gran núumero de datos que se requiere para ello. Con este proyecto se pretende resolver este problema, desarrollando un sistema inform ático, alojado en la nube, que utiliza la huella digital de las personas para calcular estimadores realistas de su actividad y sedentarismo. Para poder llevar a cabo el proyecto ha sido necesario el estudio del funcionamiento de bases de datos NoSQL, de las estrategias y procesos de gestión de datos en proyectos con un gran volumen de estos, del funcionamiento de Docker y Kubernetes y, fi nalmente, de los conceptos médicos pertinentesA sedentary lifestyle and low levels of physical activity are two of the greatest risk factors for many serious chronic diseases. However, these concepts are di cult to measure accurately due to the large amount of data required to do so. The aim of this project is to solve this problem, developing an informatic system, hosted in cloud, which uses people's digital footprint to calculate realistic estimators of their activity and sedentarism. To carry out carry out the project, it's been necessary to study how NoSQL databases work, the data management strategies and processes in projects with a large volume of these, the operation of Docker and Kubernetes and, nally, the relevant medical concepts.Grado en Ingeniería Informátic

Invisibilidad de las mujeres sin hogar

En el presente estudio se investiga sobre la realidad social de las mujeres en situación de sinhogarismo del municipio de Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Para ello, se ha realizado un trabajo de investigación en el Centro Municipal de Acogida con las mujeres usuarias del mismo, ampliándolo con el equipo profesional que desarrolla su trabajo en el recurso. Para introducirnos en la problemática resultó necesario conocer las distintas formulaciones teóricas relativas al objeto de estudio de la investigación. Seguidamente se han marcado una serie de hipótesis y objetivos con el fin de profundizar en la realidad de las mujeres sin hogar adoptando una perspectiva de género. Respecto al objetivo general, éste hace referencia a la globalidad de la investigación, mientras que los objetivos específicos buscan analizar la diversidad de perfiles, las causas que originan dicha exclusión social y, por último, ampliar el conocimiento con la colaboración de los y las profesionales que trabajan en este contexto. Por otro lado, en este estudio han participado 14 mujeres con las que se llevaron a cabo los diferentes instrumentos propios de la investigación, tales como cuestionarios y entrevistas abiertas. Posteriormente se colaboró también con seis miembros pertenecientes al equipo profesional para la realización de entrevistas estructuradas. En cuanto a los resultados obtenidos muestran claramente la diversidad de perfiles en este colectivo, pero sí podemos afirmar que existen aspectos comunes que unifican esta problemática. Estos son entre otros, la feminización de la pobreza, la existencia de violencia de género y la invisibilización de esta realidad. Finalmente, se observa una falta de sensibilización y adaptación por parte de las instituciones a las necesidades específicas de las mujeres sin hogar. Resultando necesario adoptar una perspectiva de género para una atención acorde con la realidad de estas personas.This study continues to research the social reality of homeless women in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The subjects of the research are mainly women who use the facilities provided by the local homeless shelter Centro Municipal de Acogida The professional team that work there also provided invaluable information and assistance. Before approaching the subject, it was necessary to investigate different theories about the treatment of homelessness amongst women. The objectives and hypothesis for the research were marked in order to drill down into the social reality of these homeless women, adopting a perspective of how their gender affects their situation. The general aim makes reference to the global investigation of the area, while the specific objectives analyse the underlying issues which may cause social exclusion and the different profiles of the survivors. A final learning outcome is to share the information and recommendations with the professional team that work in this environment. I would like to thank the fourteen women who participated in this study for their willingness to participate and use the different instruments designed to gather the data for this research, such as questionnaires and open interviews. Thanks also to the six members of the professional team who cooperated in carrying out the structured interviews. The results that were obtained show a wide range of different profiles within this collective but we can confirm that certain common aspects exist that unify their difficulties. Amongst others, these are the feminization of poverty, gender violence and the invisibility of this social group. Finally the results show an scarcity of sensitivity and adaptation on the part of the institutions which cater for homeless women’s needs, recommending the incorporation of a gender perspective in order to provide the attention required by people who are living this reality

Edificación para un desarrollo sostenible: una actividad modal

The aim of this text is to suggest some considerations prior to any kind of actions which aim to contribute to human sustainable development. The rationale for these considerations can be deduced from statements, rules and laws of broad consensus. Its presentation is organized on principles that should be considered in any action, but are designed to be applied on the different parts of the building process. It is important to establish clear principles that will enable to verify the validity of the objectives proposed on many factors as the indicators, the design tools, the planning and evaluation, the implementation processes, the buildings, the systems within them, the use during and after their useful life, the maintenance,… This approach allows the development of both relational and interactive verification systems in the physical, social and economic environment and also on the nature of the institutions, with the purpose of a sustainable human development. The main purpose of these facts is to make possible an approach to the decision-making related to the building project with enough perspective to get their cooperation for a sustainable development.Se proponen algunas consideraciones previas a actuaciones de cualquier tipo cuyo objetivo sea colaborar a un desarrollo humano sostenible. La justificación de estas consideraciones se deduce de declaraciones, normas y leyes de amplio consenso. Su exposición se ordena en principios que deben considerarse en cualquier actuación, aunque se han pensado para su aplicación a las fases del proceso edilicio. Establecer con claridad estos principios permitirá comprobar la validez para el objetivo propuesto de indicadores, herramientas de diseño, programación y evaluación, procesos de ejecución, edificios, sistemas incluidos en ellos, uso durante y después de su vida útil, mantenimiento,…. Este enfoque permite la elaboración de sistemas de comprobación relacional e interactiva en el entorno físico, social, económico y de la naturaleza de las instituciones, con la finalidad de un desarrollo humano sostenible. Esto permitirá una reflexión sobre las decisiones inherentes al proyecto de edificación con suficiente perspectiva para conseguir su colaboración con un desarrollo sostenible

Rapid clonal analysis of recurrent tuberculosis by direct MIRU-VNTR typing on stored isolates

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The application of molecular tools to the analysis of tuberculosis has revealed examples of clonal complexity, such as exogenous reinfection, coinfection, microevolution or compartmentalization. The detection of clonal heterogeneity by standard genotyping approaches is laborious and often requires expertise. This restricts the rapid availability of <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>(MTB) genotypes for clinical or therapeutic decision-making. A new PCR-based technique, MIRU-VNTR, has made it possible to genotype MTB in a time frame close to real-time fingerprinting. Our purpose was to evaluate the capacity of this technique to provide clinicians with a rapid discrimination between reactivation and exogenous reinfection and whether MIRU-VNTR makes it possible to obtain data directly from stored MTB isolates from recurrent episodes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected differences, between the MIRUtypes of recurrent isolates in 38.5% (5/13) of the cases studied. These included cases of i) exogenous reinfection, often with more resistant strains, ii) likely examples of microevolution, leading to the appearance of new clonal variants and iii) a combination of microevolution, coinfection and competition.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MIRU-VNTR rapidly obtained clinically useful genotyping data in a challenging situation, directly from stored MTB isolates without subculturing them or purifying their DNA. Our results also mean that MIRU-VNTR could be applied for easy, rapid and affordable massive screening of collections of stored MTB isolates, which could establish the real dimension of clonal heterogeneity in MTB infection.</p

People’s Perception of Experimental Installations for Sustainable Energy: The Case of IFMIF-DONES

This research and the APC were funded by the European Commission as part of the Project "DONES Preparatory Phase" (Ref. 870186).Nuclear facilities are a main milestone in the long way to sustainable energy. Beyond the well-known fission centrals, the necessity of cleaner, more efficient and almost unlimited energy reducing waste to almost zero is a major challenge in the next decades. This is the case with nuclear fusion. Different experimental installations to definitively control this nuclear power are proliferating in different countries. However, citizens in the surroundings of cities and villages where these installations are going to be settled are frequently reluctant because of doubts about the expected benefits and the potential hazards. In this framework, knowing the opinion of people and their perception of experimental fusion facilities is essential for researchers, administrations and rulemaking bodies planning future fusion plants. This is the case for IFMIF-DONES, a neutron irradiation facility to determine the most suitable materials for the future fusion reactors. The construction of this installation is starting in Escúzar (Granada, Spain), and this work presents a large survey among 311 people living or working in the village. Their perception, fears, hopes and other variables are analyzed, and the conclusions for future installations and their impact on the energy policy are presented.European Commission European Commission Joint Research Centre 87018

Optimized molecular resolution of cross-contamination alerts in clinical mycobacteriology laboratories

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The phenomenon of misdiagnosing tuberculosis (TB) by laboratory cross-contamination when culturing <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>(MTB) has been widely reported and it has an obvious clinical, therapeutic and social impact. The final confirmation of a cross-contamination event requires the molecular identification of the same MTB strain cultured from both the potential source of the contamination and from the false-positive candidate. The molecular tool usually applied in this context is IS6110-RFLP which takes a long time to provide an answer, usually longer than is acceptable for microbiologists and clinicians to make decisions. Our purpose in this study is to evaluate a novel PCR-based method, MIRU-VNTR as an alternative to assure a rapid and optimized analysis of cross-contamination alerts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MIRU-VNTR was prospectively compared with IS6110-RFLP for clarifying 19 alerts of false positivity from other laboratories. MIRU-VNTR highly correlated with IS6110-RFLP, reduced the response time by 27 days and clarified six alerts unresolved by RFLP. Additionally, MIRU-VNTR revealed complex situations such as contamination events involving polyclonal isolates and a false-positive case due to the simultaneous cross-contamination from two independent sources.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Unlike standard RFLP-based genotyping, MIRU-VNTR i) could help reduce the impact of a false positive diagnosis of TB, ii) increased the number of events that could be solved and iii) revealed the complexity of some cross-contamination events that could not be dissected by IS6110-RFLP.</p

Revealing hidden clonal complexity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by qualitative and quantitative improvement of sampling

AbstractThe analysis of microevolution events, its functional relevance and impact on molecular epidemiology strategies, constitutes one of the most challenging aspects of the study of clonal complexity in infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated whether two improved sampling schemes could provide access to the clonal complexity that is undetected by the current standards (analysis of one isolate from one sputum). We evaluated in 48 patients the analysis by mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit–variable number tandem repeat of M. tuberculosis isolates cultured from bronchial aspirate (BAS) or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and, in another 16 cases, the analysis of a higher number of isolates from independent sputum samples. Analysis of the isolates from BAS/BAL specimens revealed clonal complexity in a very high proportion of cases (5/48); in most of these cases, complexity was not detected when the isolates from sputum samples were analysed. Systematic analysis of isolates from multiple sputum samples also improved the detection of clonal complexity. We found coexisting clonal variants in two of 16 cases that would have gone undetected in the analysis of the isolate from a single sputum specimen. Our results suggest that analysis of isolates from BAS/BAL specimens is highly efficient for recording the true clonal composition of M. tuberculosis in the lungs. When these samples are not available, we recommend increasing the number of isolates from independent sputum specimens, because they might not harbour the same pool of bacteria. Our data suggest that the degree of clonal complexity in tuberculosis has been underestimated because of the deficiencies inherent in a simplified procedure

Evaluation of the new advanced 15-loci MIRU-VNTR genotyping tool in Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular epidemiology studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the last few years, PCR-based methods have been developed to simplify and reduce the time required for genotyping <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>(MTB) by standard approaches based on <it>IS6110</it>-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Of these, MIRU-12-VNTR (Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units- variable number of tandem repeats) (MIRU-12) has been considered a good alternative. Nevertheless, some limitations and discrepancies with RFLP, which are minimized if the technique is complemented with spoligotyping, have been found. Recently, a new version of MIRU-VNTR targeting 15 loci (MIRU-15) has been proposed to improve the MIRU-12 format.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We evaluated the new MIRU-15 tool in two different samples. First, we analyzed the same convenience sample that had been used to evaluate MIRU-12 in a previous study, and the new 15-loci version offered higher discriminatory power (Hunter-Gaston discriminatory index [HGDI]: 0.995 <it>vs </it>0.978; 34.4% of clustered cases <it>vs </it>57.5%) and better correlation (full or high correlation with RFLP for 82% of the clusters <it>vs </it>47%). Second, we evaluated MIRU-15 on a population-based sample and, once again, good correlation with the RFLP clustering data was observed (for 83% of the RFLP clusters). To understand the meaning of the discrepancies still found between MIRU-15 and RFLP, we analyzed the epidemiological data for the clustered patients. In most cases, splitting of RFLP-clustered patients by MIRU-15 occurred for those without epidemiological links, and RFLP-clustered patients with epidemiological links were also clustered by MIRU-15, suggesting a good epidemiological background for clustering defined by MIRU-15.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The data obtained by MIRU-15 suggest that the new design is very efficient at assigning clusters confirmed by epidemiological data. If we add this to the speed with which it provides results, MIRU-15 could be considered a suitable tool for real-time genotyping.</p