Pulsating-campaigns of human prophylaxis driven by risk perception palliate oscillations of direct contact transmitted diseases

Human behavioral responses play an important role in the impact of disease outbreaks and yet they are often overlooked in epidemiological models. Understanding to what extent behavioral changes determine the outcome of spreading epidemics is essential to design effective intervention policies. Here we explore, analytically, the interplay between the personal decision to protect oneself from infection and the spreading of an epidemic. We do so by coupling a decision game based on the perceived risk of infection with a Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible model. Interestingly, we find that the simple decision on whether to protect oneself is enough to modify the course of the epidemics, by generating sustained steady oscillations in the prevalence. We deem these oscillations detrimental, and propose two intervention policies aimed at modifying behavioral patterns to help alleviate them. Surprisingly, we find that pulsating campaigns, compared to continuous ones, are more effective in diminishing such oscillations.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure

A framework for epidemic spreading in multiplex networks of metapopulations

We propose a theoretical framework for the study of epidemics in structured metapopulations, with heterogeneous agents, subjected to recurrent mobility patterns. We propose to represent the heterogeneity in the composition of the metapopulations as layers in a multiplex network, where nodes would correspond to geographical areas and layers account for the mobility patterns of agents of the same class. We analyze both the classical Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible and the Susceptible-Infected-Removed epidemic models within this framework, and compare macroscopic and microscopic indicators of the spreading process with extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Our results are in excellent agreement with the simulations. We also derive an exact expression of the epidemic threshold on this general framework revealing a non-trivial dependence on the mobility parameter. Finally, we use this new formalism to address the spread of diseases in real cities, specifically in the city of Medellin, Colombia, whose population is divided into six socio-economic classes, each one identified with a layer in this multiplex formalism.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Editorial: Novel insights on the role of bacterial membrane proteins in virulence and pathogenesis

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Sexual differences in blood parasite infections, circulating carotenoids and body condition in free-living red-legged partridges

The fieldwork was financed by CYCIT project CGL2004-06147-CO2/BOSA central issue in avian ecology deals with the trade-off between investment life-history components, such as reproductive effort, and parasite and disease resistance. During reproduction, differences in the particular needs of males and females may further affect the outcome of such trade-off. However, most studies performed to date on avian species have focused on males, while less is known about this subject in females. We investigated haemoparasite infections (genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon) in relation to sex, year, body condition and plasma concentrations of carotenoids in wild-breeding Red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa). Our aim was to examine whether there are differences in infections between sexes and how parasite infections relate to carotenoid levels, physical condition and breeding parameters in non-passerine wild birds. Males captured early in the breeding season were in better body condition than females, indicating a marked sexual difference in this trait in wild Red-legged partridges. The prevalence of blood parasites in males was higher than in females. However, we found that females infected by blood parasites had lower plasma carotenoid concentrations than uninfected females, whereas no association between infection and carotenoid levels was found in males. This suggests sex-related differences in the use of carotenoids to fight infections or for parasite resistance. A possible explanation of this contrasting pattern between sexes is that reproduction may not have to involve the same costs for males and females. We suggest that males would be under strong sexual selection and would trade health for signalling, which could simultaneously explain highest parasite prevalence being found in males and the contrasting patterns in blood carotenoid levels between males and females. Females in contrast, that were in worst body condition during early breeding season, were more sensitive to infections, diverting carotenoids to immune function more than males.CYCIT project CGL2004-06147-CO2/BO

Retórica deliberativa y racionalidad práctica. La rehabilitación de la argumentación pública en la vida política

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo defender una lectura adecuada de la retórica deliberativa aristotélica, que nos permita comprender la racionalidad práctica como un proceso de interpretación de las acciones humanas. A partir de la consideración de la retórica como una facultad humana general indispensable para la convivencia política, se insiste en el impacto de la propuesta retórica aristotélica no sólo como una defensa de la importancia de la retórica en una sociedad democrática, sino también como un intento novedoso por comprender qué significa hablar de racionalidad práctica

Tratamiento quirúrgico de la deformidad de Madelung

Se presentan 6 deformidades de Madelung en 4 mujeres adolescentes (2 pacientes tenían afectadas ambas muñecas). Fueron tratadas quirúrgicamente realizando una osteotomía a nivel del radio distal, asociada o no a una resección de la parte distal del cubito. El método de fijación fue una placa palmar en T en 4 de los casos y un fijador externo en los 2 casos restantes. Los resultados fueron buenos en general, tanto en el plano funcional como cosmético, aunque fueron algo mejores cuando se utilizó la placa palmar como sistema de osteosíntesis y cuando se asoció la resección distal del cubito durante la intervención.Six cases of Madelung's deformity in 4 teenagers women are presented (2 patients had affected both wrists). They were treated surgically performing an osteotomy at level of the distal radius, associated or not to a resection of the distal part of the ulna. The fixing method was a T volar plate in 4 of the cases and an external fixation device in the 2 remaining cases. The results were usually good, as much at the functional as cosmetic plane, although they were slightly better when a T volar plate was used as fixation system and when the resection of the distal ulna was associated during the surgical operatio

Fracturas del cuello quirúrgico del húmero (B2-B3). Tratamiento quirúrgico.

Se presentan 36 casos de fractura de húmero proximal tipos B2 y B3 tratados quirúrgicamente mediante osteosíntesis con clavo proximal (4 casos) o placa bloqueada (29 casos) o utilizando una hemiartroplastia de hombro (3 casos). Los resultados fueron buenos en la mayor parte de los pacientes, con un dolor medio de 11,97/15 en la cotación cifrada de Constant, una fuerza de 13,42/25 puntos y una movilidad de 24,33/40 puntos. Las complicaciones más importantes fueron el conflicto subacromial (10 casos), la consolidación viciosa de la fractura en varo (6 casos) y la consolidación viciosa de las tuberosidades (5 casos). Las fracturas del húmero proximal tipo B2 y B3 son lesiones que evolucionan normalmente bien, cuando la técnica quirúrgica se realiza de Revista Española de Cirugía Osteoarticular. Nº 253. Vol. 48. ENERO-MARZO 2013/9 Fracturas del cuello quirúrgico del húmero (B2-B3). Tratamiento quirúrgico. A. J. ARENAS PLANELLES, A. D'ARRIGO, A. ARENAS MIQUÉLEZ, A. GARBAYO MARTURET. SERVICIO DE CIRUGÍA ORTOPÉDICA Y TRAUMATOLOGÍA. COMPLEJO HOSPITALARIO DE NAVARRA. CLÍNICA UBARMIN. PAMPLONA. Resumen. Se presentan 36 casos de fractura de húmero proximal tipos B2 y B3 tratados quirúr - gicamente mediante osteosíntesis con clavo proximal (4 casos) o placa bloqueada (29 casos) o uti - lizando una hemiartroplastia de hombro (3 casos). Los resultados fueron buenos en la mayor parte de los pacientes, con un dolor medio de 11,97/15 en la cotación cifrada de Constant, una fuerza de 13,42/25 puntos y una movilidad de 24,33/40 puntos. Las complicaciones más importantes fueron el conflicto subacromial (10 casos), la consolidación viciosa de la fractura en varo (6 casos) y la consolidación viciosa de las tuberosidades (5 casos). Las fracturas del húmero proximal tipo B2 y B3 son lesiones que evolucionan normalmente bien, cuando la técnica quirúrgica se realiza de forma correcta.36 cases of B2-B3 type fracture of the proximal humerus are presented. They were treated surgically by reduction and internal fixation with a proximal humeral nail (4 cases), a locking plate (29 cases); or using a shoulder hemi-arthroplasty (3 cases). The results were satisfactory at most of the patients concerning the residual pain (mean Constant-Murley pain score: 11,97/15), the strength (mean Constant-Murley strength score: 13,42/25) and joint mobility of the shoulder (mean Constant-Murley mobility score: 24,33/40). The most important complications were rotator cuff disorders (10 cases), varus consolidation of fracture (6 cases) and malunion of the tuberosities (5 cases). Proximal humerus fractures type B2 and B3 are lesions that evolve usually well, when the surgical procedure is performed correctly