Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Biomarkers in Heart Transplant Patient with Chronic Chagas Disease

Chagas disease is emerging in countries to which it is not endemic. Biomarkers for earlier therapeutic response assessment in patients with chronic Chagas disease are needed. We profiled plasma-derived extracellular vesicles from a heart transplant patient with chronic Chagas disease and showed the potential of this approach for discovering such biomarkers

Pacientes, médicos y enfermeros: tres puntos de vista distintos sobre una misma realidad. Actitudes y percepciones ante los derechos de los pacientes Patients, physicians and nurses: three different points of view on the same issue. Attitudes to and perceptions of patient rights

Objetivos: Analizar las actitudes y las percepciones de pacientes, médicos y enfermeros respecto a los derechos de los pacientes en el ámbito de los hospitales públicos del sector sanitario de Reus (Tarragona). Métodos: Análisis cualitativo, mediante grupos focales de profesionales sanitarios (médicos y enfermeros) y usuarios dados de alta, seguido de 3 encuestas dirigidas a cada uno de estos colectivos. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de los resultados y de las diferencias entre colectivos. Se utilizó el análisis de componentes principales categóricos para reducir el número de dimensiones y revelar las relaciones existentes entre las diversas variables. Resultados: Ex pacientes y enfermeros identifican los «derechos a la información» y «autonomía del paciente» como los más importantes, mientras que para los médicos las 2 dimensiones más importantes son «derecho a la autonomía» y «derecho a la formulación de la opinión del paciente». Una minoría de pacientes es refractaria a la toma de decisiones. Las mujeres, los más jóvenes y los niveles de educación altos son más favorables al respeto a la autonomía del paciente. Hay posiciones menos favorables a las visiones «autonomistas» por parte de los pacientes, en comparación con las visiones más favorables por parte de los médicos y radicalmente partidarias por parte de los enfermeros. Conclusiones: Los derechos de los pacientes no son suficientemente conocidos y el derecho a la información es valorado como más importante que el derecho al ejercicio de la autonomía. Ex pacientes, médicos y enfermeros tienen actitudes y percepciones diferentes frente a situaciones similares.Objectives: To analyze patients', physicians' and nurses' attitudes to and perceptions of patient rights in the public hospitals of the Reus health district in Catalonia (Spain). Methods: We performed a qualitative analysis, through focus groups composed of health professionals (physicians and nurses) and discharged patients, followed by three surveys aimed at physicians, nurses, and patients. A descriptive analysis was performed of the results and of the differences among the three collectives. A principal components analysis for categorical data was used to reduce the number of dimensions and to reveal the associations among the different variables. Results: Among discharged patients and nurses, the most important patient rights were «the right to information» and «patient autonomy», whereas among physicians, the most important dimensions were the «right to autonomy» and «the patient's right to form an opinion». A minority of patients was reluctant to participate in decision-making. The groups with the most favorable attitudes to exercising patient autonomy were women, younger patients, and those with the highest educational level. Patients were less in favor of patient autonomy than physicians while nurses had the most radical attitudes in favor of patient autonomy. Conclusions: Patient's rights are not sufficiently well known, and the right to information is valued more highly than the right to exercise autonomy. Discharged patients, physicians and nurses have different attitudes to and perceptions of the same issue

The Reproducibility and Relative Validity of a Mexican Diet Quality Index (ICDMx) for the Assessment of the Habitual Diet of Adults

DOI: 10.3390/nu8090516 URL: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/9/516 Filiació URV: SIThe Reproducibility and Relative Validity of a Mexican Diet Quality Index (ICDMx) for the Assessment of the Habitual Diet of Adult

The Reproducibility and Relative Validity of a Mexican Diet Quality Index (ICDMx) for the Assessment of the Habitual Diet of Adults

The study of diet quality in a population provides information for the development of programs to improve nutritional status through better directed actions. The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and relative validity of a Mexican Diet Quality Index (ICDMx) for the assessment of the habitual diet of adults. The ICDMx was designed to assess the characteristics of a healthy diet using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ-Mx). Reproducibility was determined by comparing 2 ICDMx based on FFQs (one-year interval). Relative validity was assessed by comparing the ICDMx (2nd FFQ) with that estimated based on the intake averages from dietary records (nine days). The questionnaires were answered by 97 adults (mean age in years = 27.5, SD = 12.6). Pearson (r) and intraclass correlations (ICC) were calculated; Bland-Altman plots, Cohen’s κ coefficients and blood lipid determinations complemented the analysis. Additional analysis compared ICDMx scores with nutrients derived from dietary records, using a Pearson correlation. These nutrient intakes were transformed logarithmically to improve normality (log10) and adjusted according to energy, prior to analyses. The ICDMx obtained ICC reproducibility values ranged from 0.33 to 0.87 (23/24 items with significant correlations; mean = 0.63), while relative validity ranged from 0.26 to 0.79 (mean = 0.45). Bland-Altman plots showed a high level of agreement between methods. ICDMx scores were inversely correlated (p < 0.05) with total blood cholesterol (r = −0.33) and triglycerides (r = −0.22). ICDMx (as calculated from FFQs and DRs) obtained positive correlations with fiber, magnesium, potassium, retinol, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and folate. The ICDMx obtained acceptable levels of reproducibility and relative validity in this population. It can be useful for population nutritional surveillance and to assess the changes resulting from the implementation of nutritional interventions

Introducció a l'estudi de la literatura, febrer 2010

Material docent de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.Material docente de la "Universitat Oberta de Catalunya".Learning material of the "Universitat Oberta de Catalunya"

Optimized design of a SAW sensor array for chemical warfare agents simulants detection

Chemical warfare agent simulants detection is of great interest for security reasons. An electronic nose based on Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors has been developed and sensor polymer coatings have been optimized. These allowed us to detect very low concentrations of certain simulants. A good classification was achieved.This work is being supported by the Spanish Education and Science Ministry under the project TEC2007-67962- C04-02.Peer reviewe