Intensive Care Unit Admission Parameters Improve the Accuracy of Operative Mortality Predictive Models in Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND: Operative mortality risk in cardiac surgery is usually assessed using preoperative risk models. However, intraoperative factors may change the risk profile of the patients, and parameters at the admission in the intensive care unit may be relevant in determining the operative mortality. This study investigates the association between a number of parameters at the admission in the intensive care unit and the operative mortality, and verifies the hypothesis that including these parameters into the preoperative risk models may increase the accuracy of prediction of the operative mortality. METHODOLOGY: 929 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery were admitted to the study. The preoperative risk profile was assessed using the logistic EuroSCORE and the ACEF score. A number of parameters recorded at the admission in the intensive care unit were explored for univariate and multivariable association with the operative mortality. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A heart rate higher than 120 beats per minute and a blood lactate value higher than 4 mmol/L at the admission in the intensive care unit were independent predictors of operative mortality, with odds ratio of 6.7 and 13.4 respectively. Including these parameters into the logistic EuroSCORE and the ACEF score increased their accuracy (area under the curve 0.85 to 0.88 for the logistic EuroSCORE and 0.81 to 0.86 for the ACEF score). CONCLUSIONS: A double-stage assessment of operative mortality risk provides a higher accuracy of the prediction. Elevated blood lactates and tachycardia reflect a condition of inadequate cardiac output. Their inclusion in the assessment of the severity of the clinical conditions after cardiac surgery may offer a useful tool to introduce more sophisticated hemodynamic monitoring techniques. Comparison between the predicted operative mortality risk before and after the operation may offer an assessment of the operative performance

Imageability ratings across languages

Imageability is a psycholinguistic variable that indicates how well a word gives rise to a mental image or sensory experience. Imageability ratings are used extensively in psycholinguistic, neuropsychological, and aphasiological studies. However, little formal knowledge exists about whether and how these ratings are associated between and within languages. Fifteen imageability databases were cross-correlated using nonparametric statistics. Some of these corresponded to unpublished data collected within a European research network-the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (COST IS1208). All but four of the correlations were significant. The average strength of the correlations (rho = .68) and the variance explained (R (2) = 46%) were moderate. This implies that factors other than imageability may explain 54% of the results. Imageability ratings often correlate across languages. Different possibly interacting factors may explain the moderate strength and variance explained in the correlations: (1) linguistic and cultural factors; (2) intrinsic differences between the databases; (3) range effects; (4) small numbers of words in each database, equivalent words, and participants; and (5) mean age of the participants. The results suggest that imageability ratings may be used cross-linguistically. However, further understanding of the factors explaining the variance in the correlations will be needed before research and practical recommendations can be made

Electron energy loss spectroscopy in ACrO3 (A = Ca, Sr and Pb) perovskites

We present the experimental ELNES spectra of the Cr-L2,3 and O-K edges in three high pressure synthesized perovskites, ACrO3 (A = Ca, Sr and Pb). A comparison of the experimental spectra against the theoretical calculations shows the influence of the A cation in the features of the spectrum. The Cr-L2,3 multiplet structure of these perovskites shows similar integrated intensity ratio (IL3/IL2) between them and with the CrO2, implying that all of them are indeed composed by Cr4+. But the O-K pre-edge observed in CrO2, typical of its d3L character (L-ligand hole), is not present in these perovskites. The effect of the A cation manifests itself in the O-K edge. The different features in the peak edges are caused by the change in the interaction between oxygen and the A cation from being via p orbitals (with Pb) to being via d orbitals (with Ca, Sr). The experimental spectra of the samples are reproduced well by the presented DFT calculations

H2O learn: hybrid and human-oriented learning: trustworthy and human-centered learning analytics (TaHCLA) for hybrid education

Comunicació presentada a 2022 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), celebrat del 28 al 31 de març de 2022 a Tunis, Tunísia.This paper presents the H2O Learn (Hybrid and Human-Oriented Learning) project, a coordinated research project funded by the Spanish Research Agency, which just started in 2021 and will last for three years. The main goal of the H2O Learn project is to build Trustworthy and Human-Centered Learning Analytics (TaHCLA) solutions to support human stakeholders when designing, orchestrating and (self-,socially- or co-) regulating learning in Hybrid Learning (HL). The contributions of H2O Learn consider key requirements for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI), as defined by the European Commission: 1) fostering human (i.e., teachers, learners…) agency; 2) enabling transparency of the Learning Analytics (LA) systems; 3) seeking socio-emotional and inclusive wellbeing; and 4) promoting accountability by enabling the assessment of algorithms and design processes.This work was partially supported by the H2O Learn project, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) (grant numbers PID2020-112584RB-C31, PID2020-112584RBC32, and PID2020-112584RB-C33). This work also received partial support from the Madrid Regional Government through the e-Madrid-CM Project (grant number S2018/TCS4307). D. Hernández-Leo (Serra Húnter) acknowledges the support by ICREA under the ICREA Academia program

Territorial Distribution of Projects Within the LEADER Approach (2007–2013) in Extremadura and Andalusia

Libro embargadoThe LEADER initiative has had an undeniable impact on shaping rural development policies across broad areas of Spain. Ever since its launch in 1991, it has been one of the most successful pillars of development intervention in rural areas, especially in more deprived parts of the country such as Andalusia and Extremadura. In this chapter we make a comparative analysis of the programme’s impact over the period 2007–2013, and analyse the levels of investment and of public funding in the different projects and measures. We also assess their spatial distribution in order to draw conclusions as regards the effects of LEADER on each region.This work has been supported by the next research projects: “Successes and failures in the practice of neo-endogenous rural development in the European Union (1991– 2014), RURALWIN” funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness within its Excellence Programme, CSO2017-89657-P; and “Development programmes and rural change in the European Union: governance and lessons to share 2007-13, RURALINNOVADOR” funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness within its Excellence Programme, CSO2014-56 223-P. In addition, the editors would like to show their appreciation to all of the contributing authors and reviewers. The strength of this book lies in the international cooperation and the huge diversity of approaches and interpretations of rural development