Factors affecting the adherence of personal health standards biosafety, Medellin, 2016

RESUMEN: La adherencia a las normas de Bioseguridad y al uso de los elementos de protección personal (EPP) juega un papel importante en la seguridad y salud del personal asistencial involucrado en los procesos de Atención en Salud. No obstante algunos trabajadores no se adhieren a ellas. Objetivo: Analizar los factores que influyen en la adherencia del personal de salud a las normas de Bioseguridad en una institución hospitalaria. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, en que se aplicó una encuesta tipo CAP a 248 trabajadores de la salud, empleados y contratistas, seleccionados por muestreo aleatorio simple de un total de 826 que están expuestos a factores de riesgo biológico, y se realizaron entrevistas a informantes claves. Resultados: El 72,3% del personal encuestado respondió correctamente las preguntas de conocimiento, el 50.4% manifiesta que la sobrecarga de trabajo les impide cumplir a veces las normas de bioseguridad, el 89.1% dice que el uso de los EPP les parece una medida muy significativa para protección y prevención de infecciones, el 69% de la población conoce y aplica el procedimiento a seguir en caso de que se presente un accidente de trabajo. Conclusión: Los factores que contribuyen en forma negativa a la adhesión de las normas de bioseguridad son: situaciones de emergencia, accesibilidad a los equipos en el momento de la atención, sobrecarga laboral, exceso de confianza, sin embargo estos factores están determinados por un comportamiento individual influenciados por valores y creencias.ABSTRACT: Adherence to Biosecurity standards and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) plays an important role in the safety and health care personnel involved in the processes of health care. However some workers do not adhere to them. Objective: To analyze the factors that influence adherence of health personnel to biosafety standards in a hospital. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study in a survey type CAP was applied to 248 health workers, employees and contractors selected by simple random sampling a total of 826 who are exposed to biological risk factors, and conducted interviews with informant’s keys. Results: 72.3% of staff surveyed correctly answered the knowledge questions, 50.4% said that work overload sometimes prevents them meet biosafety standards, 89.1% say that the use of PPE seems a measure very significant for protection and prevention of infections, 69% of the population knows and applies the procedure to follow in case they present a work accident. Conclusion: Factors contributing negatively to the accession of biosafety standards form are: emergencies, access to computers at the time of care, work overload, overconfidence, however these factors are determined by individual behavior influenced by values and beliefs

New records of agaricoid macrofungi (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) in an urban fragment of tropical dry forest from Colombian Caribbean Region

Three new records of Agaricales species from the Colombian Caribbean region are presented: Agrocybe pediades (Fr.) Fayod, Macrocybe titans (H.E. Bigelow & Kimbr.) Pegler, Lodge & Nakasone, and Podaxis pistillaris (L.) Fr. Descriptions, photographs, and illustrations of the macroscopic and microscopic features of each species are presented, as well as a brief discussion of their distribution

Observational Record and Self-Report of Teacher-Student Performance in High School Lessons

There are different strategies to analyze teacher and student performance when they interact with each other in class. The most used strategies are direct observation and verbal reports. Even though what is observed or reported depends on theoretical frameworks regarding didactic interactions, these must be related to teacher functions such as supervision, providing feedback, and evaluation of student performance. In this study, instruments for observational recording and verbal reports were developed and validated considering teacher functions and their student performance counterparts to compare the degree of correspondence or divergence between data gathered from both strategies. 135 students enrolled in a science class and their teachers participated. The class was taught in a public high school located in center/south Mexico. Classes were videotaped and the corresponding observational records were analyzed. Two months later, verbal reports were administered to students and teachers. Coincidences and differences that were found revealed that observer-observe interaction is conditioned by social norms. These results were interpreted considering the notion of silence as a communicative element

Factores de competitividad de las pymes del sector de restaurantes en Bogotá, localidad la Candelaria

La presente investigación tuvo como objeto identificar los factores de competitividad de las PYMES del sector de restaurantes, ubicadas en la localidad de La Candelaria-Bogotá. La investigación fue de corte cuantitativo, descriptivo, con diseño longitudinal; se utilizó como instrumento de recolección de datos la encuesta estructurada, los datos se procesaron en Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). El estudio arrojó como datos significativos distribuciones de frecuencias que permitieron determinar los factores  de competitividad de estas PYMES. Entre las conclusiones se encuentra que las estrategias competitivas de los restaurantes de La Candelaria, se basan en el buen servicio e identidad folclórica, también en la sazón que se origina en la combinación de sabores de diferentes regiones colombianas. AbstractThe present research has as main objective to identify the factors of competitiveness of SMEs in the sector of restaurants located in La Candelaria, Bogota. Cutting of the research was quantitative, descriptive, with longitudinal design; the structured survey, was used as a data collection instrument, the data were processed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the study showed as significant data frequency distributions that allowed determining the competitiveness factors of these SMEs. Between the conclusions, it find that the competitive strategies of the restaurants in La Candelaria, are based  in good service and identity folk, also in the seasoning, that originates in the combination of flavors from different regions of Colombia. Keywords: SMEs, Competitiveness, Restaurants Bogotá, Quantitative Research, Gastronomic Sector

Biodegradable FeMnSi sputter-coated macroporous polypropylene membranes for the sustained release of drugs

Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the aim to obtain biocompatible, biodegradable and, eventually, magnetically-steerable platforms. Room-temperature ferromagnetic response was observed in both Fe- and FeMnSi-coated membranes. Good cell viability was observed in both cases by means of cytotoxicity studies, though the FeMnSi-coated membranes showed higher biodegradability than the Fe-coated ones. Various strategies to functionalize the porous platforms with transferrin-Alexa Fluor 488 (Tf-AF488) molecules were tested to determine an optimal balance between the functionalization yield and the cargo release. The distribution of Tf-AF488 within the FeMnSi-coated PP membranes, as well as its release and uptake by cells, was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A homogeneous distribution of the drug within the membrane skeleton and its sustained release was achieved after three consecutive impregnations followed by the addition of a layer made of gelatin and maltodextrin, which prevented exceedingly fast release. The here-prepared organic-inorganic macroporous membranes could find applications as fixed or magnetically-steerable drug delivery platforms

Breast Cancer Detection by Means of Artificial Neural Networks

Breast cancer is a fatal disease causing high mortality in women. Constant efforts are being made for creating more efficient techniques for early and accurate diagnosis. Classical methods require oncologists to examine the breast lesions for detection and classification of various stages of cancer. Such manual attempts are time consuming and inefficient in many cases. Hence, there is a need for efficient methods that diagnoses the cancerous cells without human involvement with high accuracies. In this research, image processing techniques were used to develop imaging biomarkers through mammography analysis and based on artificial intelligence technology aiming to detect breast cancer in early stages to support diagnosis and prioritization of high-risk patients. For automatic classification of breast cancer on mammograms, a generalized regression artificial neural network was trained and tested to separate malignant and benign tumors reaching an accuracy of 95.83%. With the biomarker and trained neural net, a computer-aided diagnosis system is being designed. The results obtained show that generalized regression artificial neural network is a promising and robust system for breast cancer detection. The Laboratorio de Innovacion y Desarrollo Tecnologico en Inteligencia Artificial is seeking collaboration with research groups interested in validating the technology being developed

Phase III Trial of Adjuvant Capecitabine After Standard Neo-/Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Early Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (GEICAM/2003-11_CIBOMA/2004-01)

Altres ajuts: Agustí Barnadas: Honoraria: Pfizer. Consulting or Advisory Role: Pfizer, Novartis, Eli Lilly. Speakers'Bureau: Roche, Pfizer, Novartis, Genomic Health International. Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche, Pfizer; Miguel A. Seguí: Consulting or Advisory Role: Roche, Pfizer, Novartis, Amgen, Eisai, Eli Lilly. Speakers' Bureau: Roche, Pfizer, Amgen. Research Funding: Roche (Inst), Novartis (Inst). Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche, Pfizer, Novartis, Amgen.Operable triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a higher risk of relapse than non-TNBCs with standard therapy. The GEICAM/2003-11_CIBOMA/2004-01 trial explored extended adjuvant capecitabine after completion of standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. Eligible patients were those with operable, node-positive-or node negative with tumor 1 cm or greater-TNBC, with prior anthracycline- and/or taxane-containing chemotherapy. After central confirmation of TNBC status by immunohistochemistry, patients were randomly assigned to either capecitabine or observation. Stratification factors included institution, prior taxane-based therapy, involved axillary lymph nodes, and centrally determined phenotype (basal v nonbasal, according to cytokeratins 5/6 and/or epidermal growth factor receptor positivity by immunohistochemistry). The primary objective was to compare disease-free survival (DFS) between both arms. Eight hundred seventy-six patients were randomly assigned to capecitabine (n = 448) or observation (n = 428). Median age was 49 years, 55.9% were lymph node negative, 73.9% had a basal phenotype, and 67.5% received previous anthracyclines plus taxanes. Median length of follow-up was 7.3 years. DFS was not significantly prolonged with capecitabine versus observation [hazard ratio (HR), 0.82; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.06; P =.136]. In a preplanned subgroup analysis, nonbasal patients seemed to derive benefit from the addition of capecitabine with a DFS HR of 0.53 versus 0.94 in those with basal phenotype (interaction test P =.0694) and an HR for overall survival of 0.42 versus 1.23 in basal phenotype (interaction test P =.0052). Tolerance of capecitabine was as expected, with 75.2% of patients completing the planned 8 cycles. This study failed to show a statistically significant increase in DFS by adding extended capecitabine to standard chemotherapy in patients with early TNBC. In a preplanned subset analysis, patients with nonbasal phenotype seemed to obtain benefit with capecitabine, although this will require additional validation

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome

5to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

El V Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2019, realizado del 6 al 8 de febrero de 2019 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, ofreció a la comunidad académica nacional e internacional una plataforma de comunicación unificada, dirigida a cubrir los problemas teóricos y prácticos de mayor impacto en la sociedad moderna desde la ingeniería. En esta edición, dedicada a los 25 años de vida de la UPS, los ejes temáticos estuvieron relacionados con la aplicación de la ciencia, el desarrollo tecnológico y la innovación en cinco pilares fundamentales de nuestra sociedad: la industria, la movilidad, la sostenibilidad ambiental, la información y las telecomunicaciones. El comité científico estuvo conformado formado por 48 investigadores procedentes de diez países: España, Reino Unido, Italia, Bélgica, México, Venezuela, Colombia, Brasil, Estados Unidos y Ecuador. Fueron recibidas un centenar de contribuciones, de las cuales 39 fueron aprobadas en forma de ponencias y 15 en formato poster. Estas contribuciones fueron presentadas de forma oral ante toda la comunidad académica que se dio cita en el Congreso, quienes desde el aula magna, el auditorio y la sala de usos múltiples de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, cumplieron respetuosamente la responsabilidad de representar a toda la sociedad en la revisión, aceptación y validación del conocimiento nuevo que fue presentado en cada exposición por los investigadores. Paralelo a las sesiones técnicas, el Congreso contó con espacios de presentación de posters científicos y cinco workshops en temáticas de vanguardia que cautivaron la atención de nuestros docentes y estudiantes. También en el marco del evento se impartieron un total de ocho conferencias magistrales en temas tan actuales como la gestión del conocimiento en la universidad-ecosistema, los retos y oportunidades de la industria 4.0, los avances de la investigación básica y aplicada en mecatrónica para el estudio de robots de nueva generación, la optimización en ingeniería con técnicas multi-objetivo, el desarrollo de las redes avanzadas en Latinoamérica y los mundos, la contaminación del aire debido al tránsito vehicular, el radón y los riesgos que representa este gas radiactivo para la salud humana, entre otros

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection induces an exacerbated inflammation driven by innate immunity components. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the defense against viral infections, for instance plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), have the capacity to produce vast amounts of interferon-alpha (IFN-α). In COVID-19 there is a deficit in DC numbers and IFN-α production, which has been associated with disease severity. In this work, we described that in addition to the DC deficiency, several DC activation and homing markers were altered in acute COVID-19 patients, which were associated with multiple inflammatory markers. Remarkably, previously hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients remained with decreased numbers of CD1c+ myeloid DCs and pDCs seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the expression of DC markers such as CD86 and CD4 were only restored in previously nonhospitalized patients, while no restoration of integrin β7 and indoleamine 2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO) levels were observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the immunological sequelae of COVID-19