Pre- and Postnatal Surgery, Most Common Conditions, Diagnosis and Treatment

The authors make a general but relevant description of the most common surgical problems occurring both in the human being that develops in the uterus and in the one that has already been born

Responsible production and consumption from a sustainable approach

The article aims to reflect on the role that human beings have in the face of responsible consumption, by recognizing sustainability as a promoter of actions to care for the environment, by making rational use of resources and generating constructive dialogues on the situation of planet, that promote care actions in the new generations. In such a way that the coexistence of the species in it is possible and viable. We present education as a promoter of sustainable practices, since it can promote the acquisition of awareness, values ​​and behaviors that benefit the environment. These actions aimed at transforming conceptions, habits and visions from the individual, will succeed in transforming the collective ideology. We rely mainly on thinkers who express their contributions on the subject, such as: Adela Cortina, Antonio Elizalde, Boris Marañón, Fritjof Capra and Leonardo Boff. Likewise, their positions are explored and we express ours, aimed at recognizing the eminent interconnection between living and non-living beings. And in the final reflections we highlight the role that we all have individually, through sustainable lifestyles for the preservation, conservation and protection of natural resources

Review of automated systems for upper limbs functional assessment in neurorehabilitation

Traditionally, the assessment of upper limb (UL) motor function in neurorehabilitation is carried out by clinicians using standard clinical tests for objective evaluation, but which could be influenced by the clinician's subjectivity or expertise. The automation of such traditional outcome measures (tests) is an interesting and emerging field in neurorehabilitation. In this paper, a systematic review of systems focused on automation of traditional tests for assessment of UL motor function used in neurological rehabilitation is presented. A systematic search and review of related articles in the literature were conducted. The chosen works were analyzed according to the automation level, the data acquisition systems, the outcome generation method, and the focus of assessment. Finally, a series of technical requirements, guidelines, and challenges that must be considered when designing and implementing fully-automated systems for upper extremity functional assessment are summarized. This paper advocates the use of automated assessment systems (AAS) to build a rehabilitation framework that is more autonomous and objective.This work was supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness via the ROBOHEALTH (DPI2013-47944-C4-1-R) and ROBOESPAS (DPI2017-87562-C2-1-R) Projects, and in part by the RoboCity2030-III-CM project (S2013/MIT-2748) which is funded by the Programas de Actividades I+D Comunidad de Madrid and cofunded by the Structural Funds of the EU

Rendimiento y eficiencia de recuperacion aparente de nitrogeno en tomate industrial por riego por cinta

Resumen (Spanish, English)45 p.Una investigación de aplicación de nitrógeno (N) con riego por cinta, se realizó en la Estación Experimental Panguilemo de la Universidad de Talca para estudiar la eficiencia de recuperación aparente de N, i.e., el N recuperado por el cultivo del total aplicado y evaluar el rendimiento comercial y total de un cultivo de tomate industrial (cultivar Heinz 9665). Se utilizó un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar. Los tratamientos consistieron en tres dosis de N, 100, 120 y 146 kg N ha-1 más un testigo sin fertilización. Parte del N se entregó en preplantación y el complemento se aplicó a través del sistema de riego. El rendimiento comercial y total no fue afectado por las dosis de N. En promedio se obtuvo 105 y 114 ton ha-1, respectivamente. Sin embargo, en ambos casos el rendimiento del testigo fue significativamente menor. El contenido de sólidos solubles no varió entre tratamientos con un rango entre 4,1 y 4,3 °Brix. La eficiencia de recuperación aparente de N, fluctuó entre 47,5% y 59,9% sin presentar diferencias. En promedio la eficiencia fue de 51,9%. La dosis óptima de N estimada a través de un balance de N en el suelo, fue de 98 kg N ha-1, lo que indicaría que la dosis óptima a través del riego por cinta es menor o cercana a 100 kg N ha-1

Validity of a Fully-Immersive VR-Based Version of the Box and Blocks Test for Upper Limb Function Assessment in Parkinson's Disease

In recent decades, gaming technology has been accepted as a feasible method for complementing traditional clinical practice, especially in neurorehabilitation; however, the viability of using 3D Virtual Reality (VR) for the assessment of upper limb motor function has not been fully explored. For that purpose, we developed a VR-based version of the Box and Blocks Test (BBT), a clinical test for the assessment of manual dexterity, as an automated alternative to the classical procedure. Our VR-based BBT (VR-BBT) integrates the traditional BBT mechanics into gameplay using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) to capture the user’s hand motion and the Oculus Rift headset to provide a fully immersive experience. This paper focuses on evaluating the validity of our VR-BBT to reliably measure the manual dexterity in a sample of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). For this study, a group of twenty individuals in a mild to moderate stage of PD were recruited. Participants were asked to perform the physical BBT (once) and our proposed VR-BBT (twice) system,separately. Correlation analysis of collected data was carried out. Statistical analysis proved that the performance data collected by the VR-BBT significantly correlated with the conventional assessment of the BBT. The VR-BBT scores have shown a significant association with PD severity measured by the Hoehn and Yahr scale. This fact suggests that the VR-BBT could be used as a reliable indicator for health improvements in patients with PD. Finally, the VR-BBT system presented high usability and acceptability rated by clinicians and patients.This work was supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness via the ROBOESPAS project (DPI2017-87562-C2-1-R), and in part by the RoboCity2030-DIH-CM, Madrid Robotics Digital Innovation Hub (S2018/NMT-4331), which is funded by the Programas de Actividades I+D Comunidad de Madrid and cofunded by the Structural Funds of the EU

Monitoring Lipase/Esterase Activity by Stopped Flow in a Sequential Injection Analysis System Using p-Nitrophenyl Butyrate

Lipases and esterases are biocatalysts used at the laboratory and industrial level.To obtain the maximum yield in a bioprocess, it is important to measure key variables, such as enzymatic activity. The conventional method for monitoring hydrolytic activity is to take out a sample from the bioreactor to be analyzed off-line at the laboratory. The disadvantage of this approach is the long time required to recover the information from the process, hindering the possibility to develop control systems. New strategies to monitor lipase/esterase activity are necessary. In this context and in the first approach, we proposed a lab-made sequential injection analysis system to analyze off-line samples from shake flasks. Lipase/esterase activity was determined using p-nitrophenyl butyrate as the substrate. The sequential injection analysis allowed us to measure the hydrolytic activity from a sample without dilution in a linear range from 0.05-1.60 U/mL, with the capability to reach sample dilutions up to 1000 times, a sampling frequency of five samples/h, with a kinetic reaction of 5 min and a relative standard deviation of 8.75%. The results are promising to monitor lipase/esterase activity in real time, in which optimization and control strategies can be designed

Effects of virtual reality associated with serious games for upper limb rehabilitation inpatients with multiple sclerosis: randomized controlled trial

Background: Dexterity and activities of daily living limitations on the upper limb (UL) represent one of the most common problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the specially developed Serious Games that make use of the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) as main user interface for improving UL grip muscle strength, dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted. The sample was randomized into two groups: an experimental group who received treatment based on serious games designed by the research team using the developed LMC based Serious Games for the UL plus conventional rehabilitation, and a control group who received the same conventional rehabilitation for the UL. Both groups received two 60 min sessions per week over a ten-week period. Grip muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance were assessed in both groups pre-treatment, post-treatment and in a follow-up period of 1 month without receiving any treatment. Results: In the experimental group compared to the control group, significant improvements were observed in the post-treatment assessment for coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity. Also, significant results were found in the follow-up in coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross for the more affected side. Conclusions: An experimental protocol using an LMC based Serious Games designed for UL rehabilitation showed improvements for unilateral gross manual dexterity, fine manual dexterity, and coordination in MS patients with high satisfaction and excellent compliance. Trial registration: This randomized controlled trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04171908, Nov 2019.The research leading to these results has received funding from the ROBOHEALTH-A project (DPI2013-47944-C4-1-R) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness

The Impact of a Novel Immersive Virtual Reality Technology Associated with Serious Games in Parkinson’s Disease Patients on Upper Limb Rehabilitation: A Mixed Methods Intervention Study.

Background: Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes impaired motor functions. Virtual reality technology may be recommended to optimize motor learning in a safe environment. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the e ects of a novel immersive virtual reality technology used for serious games (Oculus Rift 2 plus leap motion controller—OR2-LMC) for upper limb outcomes (muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross dexterity). Another objective was to obtain qualitative data for participants’ experiences related to the intervention. Methods: A mixed methods intervention (embedded) study was used, with a qualitative design after a technology intervention (quantitative design). The intervention and qualitative design followed international guidelines and were integrated into the method and reporting subheadings. Results: Significant improvements were observed in strength (p = 0.028), fine (p = 0.026 to 0.028) and gross coordination dexterity, and speed movements (p = 0.039) in the a ected side, with excellent compliance (100%) and a high level of satisfaction (3.66 0.18 points out of the maximum of 4). No adverse side e ects were observed. Qualitative findings described patients’ perspectives regarding OR2-LMC treatment, facilitators and barriers for adherence, OR2-LMC applications, and treatment improvements. Conclusions: The intervention showed positive results for the upper limbs, with elements of discordance, expansion, and confirmation between qualitative and quantitative results.post-print1.962 K

Appendicitis in Children: Fundamentals and Particularities

Acute appendicitis in children under 5 years of age is a diagnostic challenge, its delay is usually dramatic and leaves serious sequelae. It is one of the main causes of surgical intervention, it is common for other diseases to be associated with it and to simulate it. Acute appendicitis is of obstructive etiology and its pathophysiology, the bacteriology involved and the evolution of the disease progresses through its phases, from the simple to the complex, is addressed in each case. The typical abdominal pain of appendicitis, in addition to vomiting and fever at a young age, is most often accompanied by an atypical clinical picture such as diarrhea. Integrating the clinical signs at this age requires the full capacity and good sense of the pediatric surgeon. For a correct and timely diagnosis, unfortunately many pediatric patients present in complicated stages of the disease, which implies decision-making regarding the type of surgical intervention and subsequent treatments

Second GHEP-ISFG exercise for DVI: “DNA-led” victims’ identification in a simulated air crash

The Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking Working Group of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (GHEP-ISFG) has organized a second collaborative exercise on a simulated case of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), with the participation of eighteen laboratories. The exercise focused on the analysis of a simulated plane crash case of medium-size resulting in 66 victims with varying degrees of fragmentation of the bodies (with commingled remains). As an additional difficulty, this second exercise included 21 related victims belonging to 6 families among the 66 missings to be identified. A total number of 228 post-mortem samples were represented with aSTR and mtDNA profiles, with a proportion of partial aSTR profiles simulating charred remains. To perform the exercise, participants were provided with aSTR and mtDNA data of 51 reference pedigrees —some of which deficient—including 128 donors for identification purposes. The exercise consisted firstly in the comparison of the post-mortem genetic profiles in order to re-associate fragmented remains to the same individual and secondly in the identification of the re-associated remains by comparing aSTR and mtDNA profiles with reference pedigrees using pre-established thresholds to report a positive identification. Regarding the results of the post-mortem samples re-associations, only a small number of discrepancies among participants were detected, all of which were from just a few labs. However, in the identification process by kinship analysis with family references, there were more discrepancies in comparison to the correct results. The identification results of single victims yielded fewer problems than the identification of multiple related victims within the same family groups. Several reasons for the discrepant results were detected: a) the identity/non-identity hypotheses were sometimes wrongly expressed in the likelihood ratio calculations, b) some laboratories failed to use all family references to report the DNA match, c) In families with several related victims, some laboratories firstly identified some victims and then unnecessarily used their genetic information to identify the remaining victims within the family, d) some laboratories did not correctly use “prior odds” values for the Bayesian treatment of the episode for both post-mortem/post-mortem re-associations as well as the ante-mortem/post-mortem comparisons to evaluate the probability of identity. For some of the above reasons, certain laboratories failed to identify some victims. This simulated “DNA-led” identification exercise may help forensic genetic laboratories to gain experience and expertize for DVI or MPI in using genetic data and comparing their own results with the ones in this collaborative exercise.This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.Peer reviewe