Urban sound quality: influence of audio-visual interactions on sound environment assessment

17 págs, 3 figuras.[EN] Some studies have proved that the perception of the environment is intersensorial. However, the studies focused on the evaluation of sound environment have been conducted without taking into account the influence of other sensorial information perceived in the environment. With the aim of analysing the incidence of the audio-visual interactions in the soundscape and how they affect the global assessment of the urban contexts, an experimental study was carried out on a sample of 313 subjects. The visual and auditory stimuli representing several urban environments were presented individually and combined. Their evaluation was made in a 7 point-scale of pleasantness. The results show that visual settings influence on the assessment of natural, technological and social sound environments. This interaction is significant and complex, depending on the pleasantness given to both visual and auditory stimuli. Results also emphasize that the global evaluation of urban environments depends on the audio-visual interactions.[ES] Diferentes estudios han comprobado que la percepción del medio es intersensorial. Sin embargo, los trabajos que analizan la respuesta de la población ante el ambiente sonoro no suelen contemplar la influencia de otras informaciones sensoriales del entorno en dicha respuesta. Con objeto de conocer la incidencia de las interacciones audiovisuales en la valoración del paisaje sonoro, así como en la evaluación global del ambiente urbano, se llevó a cabo un estudio experimental en el que participaron 313 sujetos. Los estímulos visuales y auditivos fueron presentados individualmente y combinados. Su evaluación se realizó en términos de agrado en una escala de 7 puntos. Los resultados muestran una incidencia de la imagen en la valoración de los diversos ambientes sonoros evaluados, tanto naturales como sociales y tecnológicos. Esta relación es significativa y compleja, dependiendo principalmente del nivel de agrado sentido en relación a ambos estímulos. Asimismo, se constató que la valoración global del ambiente depende de la interacción entre ambas informaciones, visuales y auditivas.Peer reviewe

Paisaje sonoro y visual: la dimensión intersensorial en la caracterización de la calidad acústica urbana

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ecología. Fecha de lectura: 18-01-200

Usos de los probióticos en el tratamiento de las enfermedades digestivas

Estudios recientes han mostrado una correlación entre los cambios en el microbioma gastrointestinal y las enfermedades digestivas. También se ha sugerido que los probióticos influyen en el equilibrio de las especies bacterianas. Los efectos positivos del consumo de probióticos se atribuyen a su capacidad para regular la permeabilidad intestinal, normalizar el microbioma gastrointestinal del huésped, mejorar la función inmune de la barrera intestinal y equilibrar el balance entre citocinas proinflamatorias y antiinflamatorias. Se ha comprobado que los probióticos son beneficiosos para los pacientes con enfermedades inflamatorias o infecciosas del tracto gastrointestinal. Existe evidencia para el uso terapéutico de los probióticos en la diarrea aguda infecciosa en niños, en infecciones intestinales recurrentes inducidas por Clostridium difficile y en la reservoritis postoperatoria. Se está adquiriendo evidencia adicional en otras enfermedades gastrointestinales tales como la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal, el síndrome del intestino irritable y la gastritis crónica causada por la infección por Helicobacter pylori, donde el uso de probióticos parece prometedor. Desafortunadamente, las deficiencias metodológicas de algunos ensayos clínicos llevados a cabo obligan a ser cautos y a no considerar concluyentes algunos de los resultados. Además, incluso cuando los resultados de los ensayos apoyan los efectos beneficiosos de un probiótico particular para una indicación específica, los beneficios logrados por el probiótico no son extrapolables a otros probióticos debido al hecho de que no todas las cepas probióticas individuales tienen la misma eficacia y a que sus efectos son dependientes de la cepa. Este trabajo resume la evidencia que apoya el uso de ciertos probióticos específicos para el tratamiento o prevención de ciertas enfermedades gastrointestinales

γ-Aminobutyric acid treatments of pomegranate trees increase crop yield and fruit quality at harvest

γ-Aminobutyric (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid that has been reported to affect different plant developmental processes, including delay of fruit senescence and maintenance of quality when applied as postharvest treatment. In this experiment, GABA treatments (10, 50 and 100 mM) were applied by foliar spray to ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate trees at three key points of fruit development. Results showed that GABA treatments increased crop yield in a dose-dependent way, this effect being due to a higher number of fruit harvested per tree. In addition, GABA treatments led to a deeper red colour of pomegranate skin and arils, the highest effects being observed for 100 mM dose. Total phenolic and total anthocyanin concentrations were also increased by GABA treatment, while other quality parameters such as total soluble solids, total acidity or firmness were not affected by treatments. Then, GABA preharvest treatment, applied at 100 mM, could be a useful tool to increase the economic profit of pomegranate crop, since higher yield and fruit with higher colour were obtained, which is an important quality parameter for this cultivar. In addition, aril total phenolics and anthocyanin content were increased, which would lead to enhance the antioxidant properties and health benefits for consumers

Experiencia de organización del Primer Concurso Español de Programación Paralela

El primer Concurso Español de Programación Paralela se organizó en septiembre de 2011 en las Jornadas de Paralelismo en La Laguna. La finalidad del concurso es difundir la programación paralela entre estudiantes de informática, generando además material docente. El concurso es similar a otros concursos de programación secuencial o paralela, con equipos que resuelven problemas en un tiempo limitado, pero tiene algunas características diferenciadoras: se utiliza una herramienta automática (Mooshak) para validación, y se ha modificado para enviar las soluciones a un cluster y obtener la clasificación en función del speed-up; se puede participar de forma presencial u online; en la página del concurso se mantienen los records para cada problema, con explicaciones y códigos de las soluciones, de forma que el material se puede utilizar para docencia. El artículo resume la experiencia y perspectivas del concurso.SUMMARY -- The first Spanish Parallel Programming Contest was organized in September 2011 within the Jornadas de Paralelismo in La Laguna. The aim of the contest is to disseminate parallelism among Computer Science students who can use the material generated in the contest for educational purposes. The contest is similar to other sequential and parallel programming contests in which teams participate by solving a set of problems in a given time. But the Spanish contest has characteristics which distinguish it from other contests: an automatic tool (Mooshak) is used to validate the solutions and it has been modified to send the solutions to a cluster and to obtain the classification based on the speed-ups; candidates can participate both in situ and online; a classification with the records for each problem is maintained on the page of the contest, with explanations and codes of the record solutions so that the page can be used for educational purposes. This paper summarizes the experience and perspectives of the contest.Peer Reviewe

Opinions and perceptions of patients with cardiovascular disease on adherence: a qualitative study of focus groups

Background Cardiovascular diseases are becoming more frequent throughout the world. Adherence to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, as well as lifestyles, is important for good management and control of the disease. This study aims to explore the opinions and perceptions of patients with ischemic heart disease on the difculties associated with therapeutic adherence. Methods An interpretive phenomenological study was carried out using focus groups and one semi-structured interview. The MAXQDA qualitative data analysis program was used for inductive interpretation of the group discourses and interview. Data were coded, and these were grouped by categories and then consolidated under the main themes identifed. Results Two in-person focus groups and one remote semi-structured interview were performed. Twelve participants (6 men and 6 women) from the Hospital de San Juan de Alicante participated, two of them being family companions. The main themes identifed were aspects related to the individual, heart disease, drug treatment, and the perception of the health care system. Conclusions Adhering to recommendations on healthy behaviors and taking prescribed medications for cardiovascular disease was important for most participants. However, they sometimes found polypharmacy difcult to manage, especially when they did not perceive the symptoms of their disease. Participants related the concept of fear to therapeutic adherence, believing that the latter increased with the former. The relationship with health professionals was described as optimal, but, nevertheless, the coordination of the health care system was seen as limited.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) and Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII)/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), (RICAPPS: RD21/0016/0024). The authors acknowledge support from the Health Research Projects—Strategic Action in Health (Reference: PI20/01304) of the SpanishFondo de Investigación Sanitaria—Instituto de Salud Carlos III, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund: A way to make Europe/Investing in Your Future

Una Experiencia de iniciación al paralelismo en segundo curso del Grado de Ingeniería Informática

En este artículo se analiza una experiencia de introducción del paralelismo de forma temprana en el Grado de Ingeniería Informática. En la experiencia participan cuatro asignaturas de segundo curso, impartidas por tres departamentos distintos y con la colaboración de un centro de computación. En este curso se realiza la primera aproximación de los alumnos al paralelismo, y se pretende realizar un acercamiento coordinado y práctico a diferentes materias.SUMMARY -- This work presents an experience of early introduction to parallelism in the Degree on Computing Engineering. Four courses of the second year participate in the experience and also a computing centre. The courses are tought by three departments. In the second year the students are introduced to parallelism for the first time, and with our experience we intend to approach different topics of parallelism in a coordinated and practical way.Peer Reviewe

Gender Inequalities in Diagnostic Inertia around the Three Most Prevalent Cardiovascular Risk Studies: Protocol for a Population-Based Cohort Study

Evidence shows that objectives for detecting and controlling cardiovascular risk factors are not being effectively met, and moreover, outcomes differ between men and women. This study will assess the gender-related differences in diagnostic inertia around the three most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors: dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, and to evaluate the consequences on cardiovascular disease incidence. This is an epidemiological and cohort study. Eligible patients will be adults who presented to public primary health care centers in a Spanish region from 2008 to 2011, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, or/and diabetes and without cardiovascular disease. Participants’ electronic health records will be used to collect the study variables in a window of six months from inclusion. Diagnostic inertia of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or diabetes is defined as the registry of abnormal diagnostic parameters—but no diagnosis—on the person’s health record. The cohort will be followed from the date of inclusion until the end of 2019. Outcomes will be cardiovascular events, defined as hospital admission due to ischemic cardiopathy, stroke, and death from any cause. The results of this study could inform actions to rectify the structure, organization and training of health care teams in order to correct the inequality

Experiencia de organización del Primer Concurso Español de Programación Paralela

El primer Concurso Español de Programación Paralela se organizó en septiembre de 2011 en las Jornadas de Paralelismo en La Laguna. La finalidad del concurso es difundir la programación paralela entre estudiantes de informática, generando además material docente. El concurso es similar a otros concursos de programación secuencial o paralela, con equipos que resuelven problemas en un tiempo limitado, pero tiene algunas características diferenciadoras: se utiliza una herramienta automática (Mooshak) para validación, y se ha modificado para enviar las soluciones a un cluster y obtener la clasificación en función del speed-up; se puede participar de forma presencial u online; en la página del concurso se mantienen los records para cada problema, con explicaciones y códigos de las soluciones, de forma que el material se puede utilizar para docencia. El artículo resume la experiencia y perspectivas del concurso.The first Spanish Parallel Programming Contest was organized in September 2011 within the Jornadas de Paralelismo in La Laguna. The aim of the contest is to disseminate parallelism among Computer Science students who can use the material generated in the contest for educational purposes. The contest is similar to other sequential and parallel programming contests in which teams participate by solving a set of problems in a given time. But the Spanish contest has characteristics which distinguish it from other contests: an automatic tool (Mooshak) is used to validate the solutions and it has been modified to send the solutions to a cluster and to obtain the classification based on the speed-ups; candidates can participate both in situ and online; a classification with the records for each problem is maintained on the page of the contest, with explanations and codes of the record solutions so that the page can be used for educational purposes. This paper summarizes the experience and perspectives of the contest.Subvencionado por la Fundación Séneca de la Región de Murcia, 08763/PI/08, y el Ministerio de Educación, TIN2008-06570-C04 y TIN2011-24598

High sensitivity and negative predictive value of the DETECT algorithm for an early diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis : application in a single center

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the most relevant causes of death in systemic sclerosis. The aims of this study were to analyse the recently published DETECT algorithm comparing it with European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) 2009 guidelines: as screening of PAH; (2) identifying median pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥21 mmHg; and (3) determining any group of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Eighty-three patients fulfilling LeRoy's systemic sclerosis diagnostic criteria with at least right heart catheterization were studied retrospectively. Clinical data, serological biomarkers, echocardiographic and hemodynamic features were collected. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. According to right heart catheterization findings, 35 patients with PAH and 28 with no PH met the standards for DETECT algorithm analysis: 27.0% of patients presented with functional class III/IV. Applying DETECT, the sensitivity was 100%, specificity 42.9%, the positive predictive value 68.6% and the negative predictive value 100%, whereas employing the ESC/ERS guidelines these were 91.4%, 85.7%, 88.9% and 89.3%, respectively. There were no missed diagnoses of PAH using DETECT compared with three patients missed (8.5%) using ESC/ERS guidelines. The DETECT algorithm also showed greater sensitivity and negative predictive value to identify patients with mPAP ≥21 mmHg or with any type of PH. The DETECT algorithm is confirmed as an excellent screening method due to its high sensitivity and negative predictive value, minimizing missed diagnosis of PAH. DETECT would be accurate either for early diagnosis of borderline mPAP or any group of PH