A New Electromechanical Analogy Approach Based on Electrostatic Coupling for Vertical Dynamic Analysis of Planar Vehicle Models

Article number 9524572Analogies between mechanical and electrical systems have been developed and applied for almost a century, and they have proved their usefulness in the study of mechanical and electrical systems. The development of new elements such as the inerter or the memristor is a clear example. However, new applications and possibilities of using these analogues remain to be explored. In this work, the electrical analogues of different vehicle models are presented. A new and not previously reported analogy between inertial coupling and electrostatic capacitive coupling is found and described. Several examples are provided to highlight the benefits of this analogy. Well-known mechanical systems like the half-car or three three-axle vehicle models are discussed and some numerical results are presented. To the best of the author’s knowledge, such systems were never dealt with by using a full electromechanical analogy. The mechanical equations are also derived and compared with those of the electrical domain for harmonic steady-state analysis.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades(España) PGC2018-098813-B-C3

SIMULACIÓN DE LA CONDUCTIVIDAD DE MODELOS DE MAMA CON SOFTWARE COMSOL (SIMULATION OF CONDUCTIVITY OF BREAST MODELS WITH COMSOL SOFTWARE)

Resumen El cáncer de mama constituye la primera causa de muerte por neoplasia en la mujer en el ámbito mundial. Nuevas técnicas de diagnóstico prebiopsia para uso global se han desarrollado en la última década para reducir el número de pacientes sometidos a procedimiento de biopsia innecesario. Este trabajo implementa la simulación en el software COMSOL Multiphysics para determinar la conductividad en modelos de senos con lóbulos de diferentes tamaños que simulan carcinomas. Para ello se propone tres anillos de 8 electrodos cada uno instalados sobre un molde que simula una copa del brasier. Las pruebas demostraron que se puede obtener un grado de éxito aceptable al momento de ubicar carcinomas con dimensiones mayores o iguales a 0.6 cm de diámetro, a una altura entre 0.2 cm y 3.95 cm con respecto de la base del modelo. Este trabajo abre las puertas a un proyecto futuro donde se puedan llevar pruebas en pacientes; ya que dispone una base para ejecutar las mediciones, que es lo que se debe de esperar y como interpretar los resultados obtenidos. Palabras Clave: carcinoma, impedancia, mama, simulación. Abstract Breast cancer is the leading cause of death from malignancy in women worldwide. New prebiopsy diagnostic techniques for global use have been developed in the last decade to reduce the number of patients undergoing the unnecessary biopsy procedure. This work implements simulation in COMSOL Multiphysics software to determine conductivity in breast models with lobes of different sizes that simulate carcinomas. To do this, three rings of 8 electrodes each are installed on a mold that simulates a bra cup. The tests showed that an acceptable degree of success can be obtained when locating carcinomas with dimensions greater than or equal to 0.6 cm in diameter, at a height between 0.2 cm and 3.95 cm with respect to the base of the model. This work opens the doors to a future project where tests can be carried out on patients; since it has a basis for executing the measurements, what to expect and how to interpret the results obtained. Keywords: carcinoma, impedance, breast, simulation

Integration of remote-sensing techniques for the preventive conservation of paleolithic cave art in the karst of the Altamira cave

Rock art offers traces of our most remote past and was made with mineral and organic substances in shelters, walls, or the ceilings of caves. As it is notably fragile, it is fortunate that some instances remain intact-but a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors can lead to its disappearance. Therefore, as a valuable cultural heritage, rock art requires special conservation and protection measures. Geomatic remote-sensing technologies such as 3D terrestrial laser scanning (3DTLS), drone flight, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) allow us to generate exhaustive documentation of caves and their environment in 2D, 2.5D, and 3D. However, only its combined use with 3D geographic information systems (GIS) lets us generate new cave maps with details such as overlying layer thickness, sinkholes, fractures, joints, and detachments that also more precisely reveal interior-exterior interconnections and gaseous exchange; i.e., the state of senescence of the karst that houses the cave. Information of this kind is of great value for the research, management, conservation, monitoring, and dissemination of cave art.This research was funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Tourism and Trade of the Regional Government of Cantabria in the context of aid to encourage industrial research and innovation in companies, project “SImulador Climático del Karst de cuevas de especial valor. (SICLIKA),” grant number 2016/INN/25

Impact of interstitial lung disease on the survival of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Respiratory tract diseases; Systemic sclerosisMalalties del tracte respiratori; Esclerosi sistèmicaEnfermedades del tracto respiratorio; Esclerosis sistémicaTo assess severity markers and outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-SSc/non-PAH-SSc), and the impact of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on PAH-SSc. Non-PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish SSc registry and PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish PAH registry were included. A total of 364 PAH-SSc and 1589 non-PAH-SSc patients were included. PAH-SSc patients had worse NYHA-functional class (NYHA-FC), worse forced vital capacity (FVC) (81.2 ± 20.6% vs 93.6 ± 20.6%, P < 0.001), worse tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (17.4 ± 5.2 mm vs 19.9 ± 6.7 mm, P < 0.001), higher incidence of pericardial effusion (30% vs 5.2%, P < 0.001) and similar prevalence of ILD (41.8% vs. 44.9%). In individuals with PAH-SSc, ILD was associated with worse hemodynamics and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Up-front combination therapy was used in 59.8% and 61.7% of patients with and without ILD, respectively. Five-year transplant-free survival rate was 41.1% in PAH-SSc patients and 93.9% in non-PAH-SSc patients (P < 0.001). Global survival of PAH-SSc patients was not affected by ILD regardless its severity. The multivariate survival analysis in PAH-SSc patients confirmed age at diagnosis, worse NYHA-FC, increased PVR, reduced DLCO, and lower management with up-front combination therapy as major risk factors. In conclusion, in PAH-SSc cohort risk of death was greatly increased by clinical, PFT, and hemodynamic factors, whereas it was decreased by up-front combination therapy. Concomitant ILD worsened hemodynamics and PFT in PAH-SSc but not survival regardless of FVC impairment

Loss to follow-up and opportunities for reengagement in HIV care in rural Mozambique: A prospective cohort study.

"Patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) over the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cascade have poor clinical outcomes and contribute to onward HIV transmission. We assessed true care outcomes and factors associated with successful reengagement in patients LTFU in southern Mozambique.Newly diagnosed HIV-positive adults were consecutively recruited in the Manhi\xC3\xA7a District. Patients LTFU within 12 months after HIV diagnosis were visited at home from June 2015 to July 2016 and interviewed for ascertainment of outcomes and reasons for LTFU. Factors associated with reengagement in care within 90 days after the home visit were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model.Among 1122 newly HIV-diagnosed adults, 691 (61.6%) were identified as LTFU. Of those, 557 (80.6%) were approached at their homes and 321 (57.6%) found at home. Over 50% had died or migrated, 10% had been misclassified as LTFU, and 252 (78.5%) were interviewed. Following the visit, 79 (31.3%) reengaged in care. Having registered in care and a shorter time between LTFU and visit were associated with reengagement in multivariate analyses: adjusted hazards ratio of 3.54 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.81-6.92; P\xE2\x80\x8A<\xE2\x80\x8A.001] and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87-1.00; P\xE2\x80\x8A=\xE2\x80\x8A.045), respectively. The most frequently reported barriers were the lack of trust in the HIV-diagnosis, the perception of being in good health, and fear of being badly treated by health personnel and differed by type of LTFU.Estimates of LTFU in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa are likely to be overestimated in the absence of active tracing strategies. Home visits are resource-intensive but useful strategies for reengagement for at least one-third of LTFU patients when applied in the context of differentiated care for those LTFU individuals who had already enrolled in HIV care at some point.

Risk factors associated with premalignant lesions in office patients 26. Roberto Reyes. Bayamo. 2016

Se realizó una investigación observacional del tipo analítica de caso y control para determinar qué factores de riesgo influyen en la aparición de lesiones premalignas en pacientes de 15-59 años en el consultorio 26 de Roberto Reyes, Bayamo, Granma, en el periodo 2015-2016. Se obtuvo como resultado que, los pacientes más afectados por lesiones premalignas de la cavidad bucal estuvieron en el grupo de 15-23 años predominando el sexo masculino. Los factores de riesgos que predispusieron a las lesiones premalignas fueron tabaquismo, alcoholismo y los irritantes traumáticos. Las lesiones premalignas tuvieron asociación estrecha con el tabaquismo, el alcoholismo y los irritantes traumáticos. Se demostró, que existe relación entre los factores de riesgo y la aparición de la enfermedad.An observational case control study was carried out to determine which risk factors influence the appearance of premalignant lesions in patients aged 15-59 years in the office 26 of Roberto Reyes, Bayamo, Granma, in the period 2015-2016. As a result, the patients most affected by premalignant lesions of the oral cavity were in the group of 15-23 years, predominantly male. Risk factors predisposing to premalignant lesions were smoking, alcoholism, and traumatic irritants. Premalignant lesions were closely associated with smoking, alcoholism, and traumatic irritants. It was shown that there is a relationship between the risk factors and the onset of the disease

Factores de riesgo asociados a las lesiones premalignas en pacientes del consultorio 26. Roberto Reyes. Bayamo. 2016

RESUMEN Se realizó una investigación observacional del tipo analítica de caso y control para determinar qué factores de riesgo influyen en la aparición de lesiones premalignas en pacientes de 15-59 años en el consultorio 26 de Roberto Reyes, Bayamo, Granma, en el periodo 2015-2016. Se obtuvo como resultado que, los pacientes más afectados por lesiones premalignas de la cavidad bucal estuvieron en el grupo de 15-23 años predominando el sexo masculino. Los factores de riesgos que predispusieron a las lesiones premalignas fueron tabaquismo, alcoholismo y los irritantes traumáticos. Las lesiones premalignas tuvieron asociación estrecha con el tabaquismo, el alcoholismo y los irritantes traumáticos. Se demostró, que existe relación entre los factores de riesgo y la aparición de la enfermedad. ABSTRACT An observational case control study was carried out to determine which risk factors influence the appearance of premalignant lesions in patients aged 15-59 years in the office 26 of Roberto Reyes, Bayamo, Granma, in the period 2015-2016. As a result, the patients most affected by premalignant lesions of the oral cavity were in the group of 15-23 years, predominantly male. Risk factors predisposing to premalignant lesions were smoking, alcoholism, and traumatic irritants. Premalignant lesions were closely associated with smoking, alcoholism, and traumatic irritants. It was shown that there is a relationship between the risk factors and the onset of the disease

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