Statistical Mechanics of finite arrays of coupled bistable elements

We discuss the equilibrium of a single collective variable characterizing a finite set of coupled, noisy, bistable systems as the noise strength, the size and the coupling parameter are varied. We identify distinct regions in parameter space. The results obtained in prior works in the asymptotic infinite size limit are significantly different from the finite size results. A procedure to construct approximate 1-dimensional Langevin equation is adopted. This equation provides a useful tool to understand the collective behavior even in the presence of an external driving force

Impacto en los resultados de salud cardiovascular de la implantación del contrato de Dirección Clínica en atención primaria de Tarragona

ObjetivoLos objetivos del presente estudio son: a) determinar la mejora en la salud cardiovascular de una población tras la implantación del contrato de Dirección Clínica en los profesionales de los Equipos de Atención Primaria de Tarragona-Reus y Terres de l’Ebre (provincia de Tarragona), y b) identificar los factores predictivos que determinan una mejor salud cardiovascular tras la implantación del contrato de Dirección Clínica. La implantación del contrato de Dirección Clínica (basada en el liderazgo profesional, feedback de la información asistencial, control de los indicadores de riesgo cardiovascular basados en la evidencia científica concretadas en guías de práctica clínica) mejorará los resultados de salud cardiovascular de la población de referencia.DiseñoSe trata de un estudio antes-después y multicéntrico.EmplazamientoAtención primaria de salud.ParticipantesParticipan 30 centros de salud (totalidad de los centros de salud del ámbito de atención primaria del Institut Català de la Salut).Mediciones principalesCaracterísticas del centro. Variables de proceso: indicadores de buena práctica asistencial, cálculo del riesgo cardiovascular, aplicación de la guía de práctica clínica (hipertensión arterial, diabetes, dislipemia, tabaquismo y factores de riesgo cardiovascular), estándares de calidad de la prescripción farmacológica. Variables de resultados: cifras de riesgo cardiovascular, número de visitas en atención continuada, urgencias hospitalarias e ingresos por angina, infarto agudo de miocardio y accidente cerebrovascular, y cribados poblacionales de factores de riesgo.DiscusiónEste estudio es útil, ya que la dirección clinica pretende ser un motor para que los profesionales lideren la gestión asistencial y, mediante el control de indicadores y la «retroalimentación» de estos resultados a los profesionales, se mejore la calidad asistencial. Con este trabajo se pretende demostrar que una estrategia de gestión puede mejorar la salud cardiovascular de la población. La originalidad de este proyecto se basa en el desarrollo de una nueva herramienta de evaluación basada en una novedosa estrategia de gestión para medir resultados en salud cardiovascular.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study are: 1) to determine the improvement in the cardiovascular health of the population after the introduction of the clinical governance contract for primary care team professionals in Tarragona-Reus and the Terres de l’Ebre area (Tarragona province, Spain); 2) to identify the factors predictive of better cardiovascular health after the introduction of the clinical governance contract. The introduction of the clinical governance contract, which is based on professional leadership, feed-back of care information, and monitoring of indicators of cardiovascular risk based on scientific evidence and concretised in clinical practice guidelines, will improve the cardiovascular health results of the reference population. Improvements in indicators of procedure and result are specified in “Material and methods.”DesignThis is a before-and-after, multicentre study.SettingPrimary health care.ParticipantsTirty health centres (all the primary care Centres in the area).Main measurementsCharacteristics of the centre. Variables in procedures: indicators of good care practice, calculation of cardiovascular risk, application of clinical practice guidelines (hypertension, diabetes, lipaemia, tobacco and cardiovascular risk) and quality standards for drug prescription. Result variables: cardiovascular risk figures, number of ongoing care visits, hospital emergencies and admissions for angina, heart attack or stroke, and risk factor screenings of the population.DiscussionThis study is useful, in that clinical governance aims to be a dynamic device to bring professionals into the leadership of health care management and, through monitoring indicators and feeding the findings back to the professionals, to improve health care quality. The study aims to show that management strategy can improve the populatiońs cardiovascular health. The originality of the study lies in the development of a new tool of evaluation based on a novel management strategy for measuring cardiovascular health findings

Gain in Stochastic Resonance: Precise Numerics versus Linear Response Theory beyond the Two-Mode Approximation

In the context of the phenomenon of Stochastic Resonance (SR) we study the correlation function, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the ratio of output over input SNR, i.e. the gain, which is associated to the nonlinear response of a bistable system driven by time-periodic forces and white Gaussian noise. These quantifiers for SR are evaluated using the techniques of Linear Response Theory (LRT) beyond the usually employed two-mode approximation scheme. We analytically demonstrate within such an extended LRT description that the gain can indeed not exceed unity. We implement an efficient algorithm, based on work by Greenside and Helfand (detailed in the Appendix), to integrate the driven Langevin equation over a wide range of parameter values. The predictions of LRT are carefully tested against the results obtained from numerical solutions of the corresponding Langevin equation over a wide range of parameter values. We further present an accurate procedure to evaluate the distinct contributions of the coherent and incoherent parts of the correlation function to the SNR and the gain. As a main result we show for subthreshold driving that both, the correlation function and the SNR can deviate substantially from the predictions of LRT and yet, the gain can be either larger or smaller than unity. In particular, we find that the gain can exceed unity in the strongly nonlinear regime which is characterized by weak noise and very slow multifrequency subthreshold input signals with a small duty cycle. This latter result is in agreement with recent analogue simulation results by Gingl et al. in Refs. [18, 19].Comment: 22 pages, 5 eps figures, submitted to PR

Pt(II) coordination complexes as visible light photocatalysts for the oxidation of sulfides using batch and flow processes

A new catalytic system for the photooxidation of sulfides based on Pt(ii) complexes is presented. The catalyst is capable of oxidizing a large number of sulfides containing aryl, alkyl, allyl, benzyl, as well as more complex structures such as heterocycles and methionine amino acid, with complete chemoselectivity. In addition, the first sulfur oxidation in a continuous flow process has been developedJ. A. would also like to thank the MICINN for their ‘Ramón y Cajal’ contract and the European Research Council (ERC-CG, contract number 647550

Trece años de evaluación compartida en Educación Física

En este trabajo realizamos una revisión de trece años de experiencia docente e investigación educativa sobre la Autoevaluación y la Evaluación Compartida en Educación Física. En una primera parte llevamos a cabo una revisión del estado de la cuestión, describimos el objeto de estudio y la metodología utilizada, para pasar posteriormente a analizar los resultados generales de estos trece años de experimentación. Los resultados los hemos organizado en dos grandes apartados: a-ventajas y posibilidades y b- inconvenientes, dificultades y posibles soluciones, de modo que puedan ser de utilidad para el profesorado interesado en el estudio y la puesta en práctica de este tipo de sistemas de evaluación

Psychosocial factors related to physical activity in frail and prefrail elderly people

Background: Increased physical activity (PA) is a very important factor in a healthy aging lifestyle. Psychosocial factors have also a main role in the initiation and maintenance of this behavior, but nowadays its implications for frailty elderly people are unknown, therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the psychosociological variables of behavior change that influence the practice of (PA) in frail and prefrail elderly. Methods: A total of 103 frail and pre-frail elderly people (72 females) participated in this cross-sectional study, on the framework of the EXERNET-Elder3.0 project. Age ranged from 68–94 years (mean = 80.4 ± 5.9 years). Individualized face-to-face interviews according to the constructs of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) (decisional balance (DB) and self-efficacy (SE)], social support (SS) (family and friends) and outcome expectations (OE) were administered to all participants. Results: Significant differences were found in DB, perceived benefits (PBn), SE, family-related SS and OE as a function of stages of change (SoC) (p < 0.005), but no significant were found in perceived barriers (PBrr) (p = 0.259) and friends-related SS (p = 0.068). According to the Scheffé post-hoc test, those in advanced SoC (Action-Maintenance), scored higher than those in lower SoC (Precontemplation-Contemplation and Preparation). Conclusion: The scores obtained from the study variables differed according to the SoC, supporting the external validity for the use of the TTM in frailty elderly. Further research is needed to determine the impact of PBrr and friends-related SS on this people, as well as to identify the validity of this model in the long-term in this population

Las costas rocosas del Migjorn de Menorca: acantilados y calas

&#091;spa&#093;La zona meridional de Menorca (Migjorn) se caracteriza por ser una plataforma carbonatada desarrollada en un ambiente arrecifal durante el Mioceno superior. Está surcada por una serie de cursos torrenciales fuertemente encajados que en su desembocadura al mar dan lugar a una forma de bahía denominada “cala” que está delimitada por paredes de elevada pendiente. La fracturación y la diaclasación penetrativa que afecta a la alternancia de materiales calcareníticos y calcisiltiticos miocenos, junto con la distribución de éstos, es el principal factor que condiciona el trazado de los cursos fluviales, así como el desarrollo de los procesos de tipo kárstico asociados a la circulación preferencial y la formación de conductos. La interacción en la zona litoral de los procesos endokársticos, en los cuales la mezcla de aguas favorece los procesos de disolución, la actividad torrencial, así como la dinámica marina –teniendo presente la variabilidad glacio-eustàtica acontecida durante el Cuaternario– favorece el desarrollo y dinamismo del propio karst (i.e. colapso de cavidades, formación de dolinas, etc.) lo que se traduce, finalmente, en la configuración de la geoforma tan característica y compleja que es la cala.&#091;eng&#093;The southern region of Menorca –Migjorn– is built up by a carbonate platform developed in a reef environment during the Upper Miocene. This structural platform is dissected by a set of canyon-like creeks that when reach the coast result in narrow and cliffy bays known as “cala”. Joints and penetrative fractures that affect the Upper Miocene calcarenites and calcilutites rock outcroups exert the main control of the streams pathway and direction. Karst processes also play a critical contribution related to the preferential circulation and void formation. The interaction at the coast between marine and endokarstic processes –where mixing zone waters enhance rock solution–, between the fluvial processes and sea level (including sea level fluctuations during Quaternary times– enhance the dynamics and the development of karst (i.e. cave collapse, dolines formation, etc.) and this, finally, results in the configuration of a very representative rock coast macroform such as the “cala”