Towards a measure for characterizing the informational content of audio signals and the relation between complexity and auditory encoding

The accurate description of a complex process should take into account not only the interacting elements involved but also the scale of the description. Therefore, there can not be a single measure for describing the associated complexity of a process nor a single metric applicable in all scenarios. This article introduces a framework based on multiscale entropy to characterize the complexity associated with the most identifiable characteristic of songs: the melody. We are particularly interested in measuring the complexity of popular songs and identifying levels of complexity that statistically explain the listeners’ preferences. We analyze the relationship between complexity and popularity using a database of popular songs and their relative position in a preferences ranking. There is a tendency toward a positive association between complexity and acceptance (success) of a song that is, however, not significant after adjusting for multiple testing.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Manejo anestésico para cirurgia de atresia de esôfago em um recém‐nascido com síndrome de Goldenhar

ResumoJustificativa e objetivosA síndrome de Goldenhar é um quadro de polimalformação que consiste em uma disostose craniofacial que determina uma via respiratória difícil em até 40% dos casos. Nós descrevemos um caso de um recém‐nascido com síndrome de Goldenhar com atresia de esôfago e fístula traqueoesofágica para a qual foi feita cirurgia de reparo.Relato de casoApresentamos o caso de um recém‐nascido de 24horas de vida com síndrome de Goldenhar. Ele apresentava atresia de esôfago, com fístula traqueoesofágica distal. Decidiu‐se por uma cirurgia de emergência para reparo. Ela foi feita sob sedação, intubação com fibrobroncoscópio distal à fístula, para limitar passagem do ar para o esôfago e possível distensão abdominal. Após o reparo completo da atresia de esôfago e ligadura da fístula, o paciente foi transferido para a unidade de terapia intensiva e intubado com sedoanalgesia.ConclusõesO achado de um paciente com síndrome de Goldenhar e atresia de esôfago supõe uma situação excepcional e um desafio para os anestesiologistas, pois o manejo anestésico depende da comorbidade do paciente, do tipo de fístula traqueoesofágica, da prática hospitalar habitual e das habilidades do anestesiologista responsável, sendo que a peculiaridade principal é manter uma ventilação pulmonar adequada na presença de uma comunicação entre a via respiratória e o esôfago. A intubação com fibrobroncoscópio distal à fístula resolve o manejo da via respiratória provavelmente difícil e limita a passagem de ar para o esôfago através da fístula.AbstractBackground and objectivesGoldenhar's syndrome is a polymalformative condition consisting of a craniofacial dysostosis that determines difficult airway in up to 40% of cases. We described a case of a newborn with Goldenhar's syndrome with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula who underwent repair surgery.Case reportWe report the case of a 24‐hour‐old newborn with Goldenhar's syndrome. He had esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula. It was decided that an emergency surgery would be performed for repairing it. It was carried out under sedation, intubation with fibrobronchoscope distal to the fistula, to limit the air flow into the esophagus, and possible abdominal distension. Following complete repair of the esophageal atresia and fistula ligation, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit and intubated under sedation and analgesia.ConclusionsThe finding of a patient with Goldenhar's syndrome and esophageal atresia assumes an exceptional situation and a challenge for anesthesiologists, since the anesthetic management depends on the patient comorbidity, the type of tracheoesophageal fistula, the usual hospital practice and the skills of the anesthesiologist in charge, with the main peculiarity being maintenance of adequate pulmonary ventilation in the presence of a communication between the airway and the esophagus. Intubation with fibrobronchoscope distal to the fistula deals with the management of a probably difficult airway and limits the passage of air to the esophagus through the fistula

Manejo anestésico para la cirugía de atresia de esófago en un neonato con síndrome de Goldenhar

ResumenJustificación y objetivosEl síndrome de Goldenhar es un cuadro polimalformativo consistente en una disostosis craneofacial que condiciona una vía aérea difícil hasta en el 40% de los casos. Describimos un caso de un neonato con síndrome de Goldenhar con atresia de esófago y fístula traqueoesofágica al que se practicó cirugía de reparación de la misma.Relato del casoPresentamos un caso de un neonato con síndrome de Goldenhar de 24 h de vida. Presentaba atresia esofágica con fístula traqueoesofágica distal. Se decidió una intervención quirúrgica urgente para la reparación de la misma. Se realizó bajo sedación, intubación con fibrobroncoscopio distal a la fístula, para limitar el paso de aire a esófago y la posible distensión abdominal. Tras la completa reparación de la atresia esofágica y la ligadura de la fístula, el paciente fue trasladado a la unidad de cuidados intensivos con sedoanalgesia e intubado.Conclusionesel hallazgo de un paciente con síndrome de Goldenhar y atresia de esófago supone una situación excepcional y un reto para los anestesiólogos, por lo que el manejo anestésico depende de la comorbilidad del paciente, del tipo de fístula traqueoesofágica, de la práctica hospitalaria habitual y de las habilidades del anestesiólogo responsable, siendo la principal particularidad el mantenimiento de una adecuada ventilación pulmonar en presencia de una comunicación entre la vía aérea y el esófago. La intubación con fibrobroncoscopio distal a la fístula solventa el manejo de la vía aérea probablemente difícil y limita el paso de aire al esófago a través de la fístula.AbstractBackground and objectivesGoldenhar's syndrome is a polymalformative condition consisting of a craniofacial dysostosis that determines difficult airway in up to 40% of cases. We described a case of a newborn with Goldenhar's syndrome with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula who underwent repair surgery.Case reportWe report the case of a 24-hour-old newborn with Goldenhar's syndrome. He had esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula. It was decided that an emergency surgery would be performed for repairing it. It was carried out under sedation, intubation with fibrobronchoscope distal to the fistula, to limit the air flow into the esophagus, and possible abdominal distension. Following complete repair of the esophageal atresia and fistula ligation, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit and intubated under sedation and analgesia.ConclusionsThe finding of a patient with Goldenhar's syndrome and esophageal atresia assumes an exceptional situation and a challenge for anesthesiologists, since the anesthetic management depends on the patient comorbidity, the type of tracheoesophageal fistula, the usual hospital practice and the skills of the anesthesiologist in charge, with the main peculiarity being maintenance of adequate pulmonary ventilation in the presence of a communication between the airway and the esophagus. Intubation with fibrobronchoscope distal to the fistula deals with the management of a probably difficult airway and limits the passage of air to the esophagus through the fistula

Implicaciones anestésicas en la enfermedad de Von Recklinghausen

ResumenLa enfermedad de Von Recklinghausen (EVR) o neurofibromatosis tipoi (NF1) es una enfermedad con herencia autosómica dominante con un amplio espectro de manifestaciones clínicas. Los neurofibromas son las lesiones características. Este trastorno se asocia con importantes consideraciones anestésicas, principalmente cuando los neurofibromas aparecen en la orofaringe y laringe, produciendo dificultades en la laringoscopia y en la intubación endotraqueal. Describimos el manejo anestésico de un paciente con NF1 bajo anestesia general para extirpación de neurofibromas faciales. Hemos realizado un breve repaso de la literatura existente para optimizar el manejo anestésico y reducir el número de complicaciones asociadas con las manifestaciones sistémicas de este síndrome.AbstractVon Recklinghausen disease or neurofibromatosis Type I (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Neurofibromas are the characteristic lesions. This disorder is associated with important anaesthetic considerations, mainly when neurofibromas occur in the oropharnyx and larynx, leading to difficult laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. We describe the anaesthetic management of a patient with NF1 under general anaesthesia for facial neurofibroma excision. We performed a brief review of the literature with the aim of optimizing the anaesthetic management and reduce the number of complications associated with the systemic manifestations of this syndrome

Traqueostomía percutánea guiada con ecografía frente a técnica clásica: ensayo clínico aleatorizado

Los pacientes que son asistidos con ventilación mecánica en las unidades de cuidados críticos (UCC) son sometidos con relativa frecuencia a traqueostomías percutáneas (en adelante, TP), que en estudios anteriores se ha mostrado superior al acceso quirúrgico. Aunque las tasas de complicaciones derivadas de la TP son bajas, aún hay constancia de efectos adversos derivados de la técnica, incluso la muerte. Trabajos recientes han mostrado beneficios del uso de la ecografía antes o durante la realización de la TP en las UCC, pero hasta el presente estudio no se habían realizado ensayos clínicos aleatorizados al respecto. Pretende establecer la utilidad de la ecografía para mejorar la eficacia y seguridad de la TP. Para ello realiza mediciones en el grado de precisión de la punción (desviación menor de 30º desde la línea media y realizada entre el primer y cuarto anillos traqueales). Una segunda medida de eficacia fue la tasa de consecución de la TP en el primer intento

Valor diagnóstico de la ecografía torácica tras cirugía cardíaca: comparación con la radiografía de tórax y la auscultación: Vezzani A, Manca T, Brusasco C, Santori G, Valentino M, Nicolini F et al. Diagnostic value of chest ultrasound after cardiac surgery: a comparison with chest X-ray and auscultation. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2014 Dec; 28(6):1527-32.

El postoperatorio de los pacientes sometidos a cirugía cardíaca en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) incluye una serie de medidas de rutina para detectar anormalidades o posibles complicaciones, tales como la auscultación o la realización de pruebas de imagen. La radiografía de tórax (RT) sigue siendo el referente para la evaluación del estado pulmonar del paciente, a pesar de haber sido cuestionado su uso diario para este fin tanto en los enfermos críticos generales como en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardíaca. El artículo que se comenta compara la utilidad de la ecografía torácica con la radiografía de tórax y la auscultación para detectar las complicaciones tempranas más frecuentes en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardíaca, teniendo como objetivo el valorar si se trata de una alternativa eficaz en este tipo de enfermos. El objetivo del presente estudio es determinar si la ecografía torácica (ET) supone una alternativa efectiva para identificar las alteraciones torácicas precoces en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardíaca

Manejo de la vía aérea en un paciente con secuencia de Pierre Robin para la cirugía de distracción osteogénica mandibular

El síndrome o secuencia de Pierre Robin (SPR) es una rara afección genética con una incidencia de 1 por cada 8.500 recién nacidos, descrita en 1923 por Robin. Se caracteriza por la triada clásica de glosoptosis, obstrucción de la vía aérea y alteraciones mandibulares como hipognatia, micrognatia o retrognatia. No obstante, el 60-90% de los casos también asocian deformidades en el paladar, como paladar hendido o fisura palatina. En el 40% de los pacientes con SPR éste se presenta de forma aislada, mientras que en un 60 % lo hace coexistiendo con otros síndromes con alteraciones craneofaciales. La hipoplasia mandibular causa un prolapso de la base de la lengua contra la pared faríngea posterior provocando una obstrucción a nivel del espacio retrofaríngeo que puede requerir, en casos severos, tratamiento quirúrgico como la cirugía de distracción osteogénica mandibular (DOM). Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 8 meses de edad y 6,5 kg de peso con diagnóstico de SPR. Se programó para realizar de forma electiva una cirugía de DOM por obstrucción severa de la vía aérea superior. Como antecedentes personales presentaba dificultad para la deglución, retraso psicomotor, comunicación interauricular (CIA) ostium secundum, laringomalacia y fisura palatina

Fresnel solar cooling plant for buildings: Optimal operation of an absorption chiller through inverse modelling

Increasing comfort conditions in buildings imply higher energy demands. However, these needs can be mitigated by solar cooling solutions. These systems, such as absorption chillers, are complex and require stable operation, with strict control to maximise the solar fraction and minimise gas consumption. This is incompatible with the variability of renewable resources, so they are often coupled with auxiliary gas systems. Although gas-free operation is possible if these systems are optimally controlled, they would require special supervision. This paper aims to develop an experimental validation of an inverse model to manage an absorption chiller coupled with a solar cooling plant. To know its real behaviour, long-term experiments have been performed using this plant, which consists of a linear Fresnel solar collector and an auxiliary natural gas boiler. The inverse model is used as a predictive control tool to decide the auxiliary boiler commands of the absorption chiller to optimise its operation: maximum cooling production by minimising gas consumption and maximising solar contribution. It has been identified with data from two weeks and validated with data from one summer month. Results show that the model estimates, on a time base of fewer than 30 min, are acceptable with errors of less than 5%. In addition, the maximum error of the estimated seasonal COP and the renewable fraction are less than 6% per day. Therefore, the results prove the usefulness of the proposal as a predictive control for optimal operation. Furthermore, it could be used as a baseline for preventive maintenance. If the proposed model is used for optimal management of the absorption chiller, the thermal efficiency of the plant increases significantly, doubling the solar contribution. As a result, the gas consumption of the solar cooling plant is halved and the total cost of air conditioning the building decreases by 16%.Comisión Europea A_B.4.3_02

Adaptative Cover to Achieve Thermal Comfort in Open Spaces of Buildings: Experimental Assessment and Modelling

The global need for healthy and safe open spaces faces continuous temperature rise due to the heat island phenomenon and climate change. This problem requires new strategies for improving the habitability of open spaces (indoor and outdoor conditions in buildings). These techniques include reducing solar radiation, reducing the temperature of surrounding surfaces, and reducing the air temperature. The radiant solutions are essential for outdoor comfort, both in summer and in winter. They are easy to integrate into open spaces. This study explores a new concept of radiant solutions adapted for outdoor spaces. The solution was evaluated in a test cell to obtain its thermal behaviour in different operation conditions. Solutions were optimised for operating in a cooling regimen since it has been identified that the demands for comfort in open spaces in hot climates during the most severe summer months are more pronounced. Experimental results have allowed getting an inverse model to analyse the thermal behaviour of the solution. The inverse model achieved high precision in its estimations. Also, it facilitated knowing the radiant and convective effects. Only the radiant heat flux is relevant in open spaces with a low level of air confinement. Finally, the discussion describes the application of the proposed model. The model allows the replicability of the solution—creating new designs (integration) or evaluating into different operating conditions of the system. This discussion demonstrates the high level of knowledge acquired in the characterisation of the solution studied.e European Commission / European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) UIA03-301-CartujaQanat of Urban Innovative Action (UIA

Un generador de metadatos openaire conforme con el repositorio nacional de México

Open Science aims to increase access to scientific, technological, educational and innovation works. This task has been possible thanks to digital repositories and their standards-based metadata that facilitate interoperability. In Mexico there is a national repository, made up of institutional repositories, which has established its own metadata scheme based on OpenAIRE. However, it was identified that there was no tool for generating metadata compatible with said repository. This work presents a technological tool that solves the problem, incorporating the catalogs of controlled languages defined by the national repository. The methodology consists of the analysis of the national repository documentation, the creation of templates for metadata and the construction of the user interface in charge of generating the metadata in XML format, which were successfully validated. The benefits ensure greater consistency with what is requested from institutional repositories for the interoperability of their resources.La Ciencia Abierta tiene como objetivo incrementar el acceso a los trabajos científicos, tecnológicos, educativos y de innovación. Esta tarea ha sido posible gracias a los repositorios digitales y sus metadatos basados en estándares que facilitan la interoperabilidad. En México existe el repositorio nacional, compuesto por repositorios institucionales, mismo que ha establecido su propio esquema de metadatos basado en OpenAIRE. Sin embargo, se identificó que no existía una herramienta para la generación de metadatos compatible con dicho repositorio. Este trabajo presenta una herramienta tecnológica que soluciona la problemática, incorporando los catálogos de lenguajes controlados definidos por el repositorio nacional. La metodología consiste en el análisis de la documentación del repositorio nacional, la creación de las plantillas para metadatos y en la construcción de la interfaz del usuario encargada de generar los metadatos en formato XML, los cuales fueron validados exitosamente. Los beneficios aseguran una mayor consistencia con lo solicitado a los repositorios institucionales para la interoperabilidad de sus recursos