Use of sonic tomography to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees.

Premise of the studyField methodology and image analysis protocols using acoustic tomography were developed and evaluated as a tool to estimate the amount of internal decay and damage of living trees, with special attention to tropical rainforest trees with irregular trunk shapes.Methods and resultsLiving trunks of a diversity of tree species in tropical rainforests in the Republic of Panama were scanned using an Argus Electronic PiCUS 3 Sonic Tomograph and evaluated for the amount and patterns of internal decay. A protocol using ImageJ analysis software was used to quantify the proportions of intact and compromised wood. The protocols provide replicable estimates of internal decay and cavities for trees of varying shapes, wood density, and bark thickness.ConclusionsSonic tomography, coupled with image analysis, provides an efficient, noninvasive approach to evaluate decay patterns and structural integrity of even irregularly shaped living trees

Clinical Audits in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Methodological Considerations and Workflow

Objectives: Previous clinical audits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have provided valuable information on the clinical care delivered to patients admitted to medical wards because of COPD exacerbations. However, clinical audits of COPD in an outpatient setting are scarce and no methodological guidelines are currently available. Based on our previous experience, herein we describe a clinical audit for COPD patients in specialized outpatient clinics with the overall goal of establishing a potential methodological workflow.Methods: A pilot clinical audit of COPD patients referred to respiratory outpatient clinics in the region of Andalusia, Spain (over 8 million inhabitants), was performed. The audit took place between October 2013 and September 2014, and 10 centers (20% of all public hospitals) were invited to participate. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The usefulness of formally scheduled regular follow-up visits was assessed. Two different databases (resources and clinical database) were constructed. Assessments were planned over a year divided by 4 three-month periods, with the goal of determining seasonal-related changes. Exacerbations and survival served as the main endpoints.Conclusions: This paper describes a methodological framework for conducting a clinical audit of COPD patients in an outpatient setting. Results from such audits can guide health information systems development and implementation in real-world settings.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain)

El daño que nos hacen: glifosato y guerra en Caquetá

En esta nueva emisión de “Las Voces del Libro” tuvimos la oportunidad de hablar con Luis Felipe Cruz y Ana María Malagón, autores del informe: “El daño que nos hacen: Glifosato y guerra en Caquetá. Ejercicio de memoria histórica sobre el territorio caqueteño en medio de la guerra contra las drogas” de Editorial DeJusticia, sobre las múltiples experiencias que se han configurado en el territorio caqueteño alrededor de la guerra contra las drogas. Para nuestra segunda sección de recomendados, sobre últimas adquisiciones en literatura, contamos con la participación de Juan Diego Villamizar, estudiante de Medicina de la Universidad del Rosario

Plan Colombia. Atrocidades, aliados de Estados Unidos y activismo comunitario

Para esta nueva emisión de “Las Voces del libro” estuvimos hablando con John Lindsay-Poland, Asociado de Justicia Restaurativa en la organización American Friends Service Committee y autor del libro, “Plan Colombia. Atrocidades, aliados de Estados Unidos y activismo comunitario”, sobre una de las dinámicas de asistencia militar de Estados Unidos en Colombia, específicamente el Plan Colombia. Para nuestra segunda sección de recomendados, sobre literatura colombiana, contamos con la participación de Juan David Quijano, estudiante de décimo semestre de Medicina e integrante de la Sociedad de Debate de la Universidad del Rosario

La muerte en el cine: ética narrativa al final de la vida

Para esta nueva emisión de “Las Voces del libro” estuvimos hablando con Boris Pinto Bustamante y Ana Isabel Gómez Córdoba, profesores de la Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud y editores académicos del libro, “La muerte en el cine: ética narrativa en el final de la vida”, sobre algunos de los conflictos bioéticos y jurídicos que se presentan en escenarios de emergencia como: cuidados paliativos, eutanasia, suicidio asistido y trasplante de órganos. Para nuestra segunda sección de recomendados estuvimos hablando de crónicas sobre asesinos

Propiedad intelectual sobre los conocimientos tradicionales agrícolas

En esta nueva emisión de “Las Voces del Libro” estuvimos hablando con Iván Vargas Chaves, uno de los autores del libro: “Propiedad intelectual sobre los conocimientos tradicionales agrícolas. Elementos para su caracterización en el ordenamiento jurídico colombiano”, sobre el estado actual de los conocimientos agrícolas tradicionales y los avances y amenazas que han presentado desde el contexto de soberanía alimentaria. Para nuestra segunda sección de recomendados, sobre poesía que hace referencia a los mundos rurales, contamos con la participación de Irana Herrera, estudiante de Antropología de la Universidad del Rosario

Ediciones Godot

Para esta nueva emisión de “Las Voces del libro” estuvimos hablando con Víctor Malumián, uno de los fundadores de la editorial independiente: Ediciones Godot, sobre la apuesta editorial, comercial y de difusión que ha desarrollado este grupo editorial argentino, desde el año 2008. Durante la segunda parte del programa, conversamos sobre una de las más recientes publicaciones de esta editorial: “La lengua en disputa. Un debate sobre el lenguaje inclusivo”

Guideline Adherence in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results from a Clinical Audit.

Journal ArticleOBJECTIVES Previous clinical audits of COPD have provided relevant information about medical intervention in exacerbation admissions. The present study aims to evaluate adherence to current guidelines in COPD through a clinical audit. METHODS This is a pilot clinical audit performed in hospital outpatient respiratory clinics in Andalusia, Spain (eight provinces with more than 8 million inhabitants), including 9 centers (20% of the public centers in the area) between 2013 and 2014. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The performance of the outpatient clinics was benchmarked against three guidance documents available at the time of the audit. The appropriateness of the performance was categorized as excellent (>80%), good (60-80%), adequate (40-59%), inadequate (20-39%), and highly inadequate (<20%). RESULTS During the audit, 621 clinical records were audited. Adherence to the different guidelines presented a considerable variability among the different participating hospitals, with an excellent or good adherence for symptom recording, MRC or CAT use, smoking status evaluation, spirometry, or bronchodilation therapy. The most outstanding areas for improvement were the use of the BODE index, the monitoring of treatments, the determination of alpha1-antitrypsin, the performance of exercise testing, and vaccination recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The present study reflects the situation of clinical care for COPD patients in specialized secondary care outpatient clinics. Adherence to clinical guidelines shows considerable variability in outpatient clinics managing COPD patients, and some aspects of the clinical care can clearly be improved.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain).Ye