Electrical consumption patterns through machine learning

Electricity distribution companies have been incorporating new technologies that allow them to obtain complete information in real time about their customers´ consumption. Thus, a new concept called "Smart Metering" has been adopted, giving way to new types of meters that interact in an interconnected system. This will allow to make data analysis, accurate forecasts and detecting consumption patterns that will be relevant for the decision-making process. This research focuses on discovering common patterns among customers from data collected by smart meters

Retraction: using Big Data to determine potential dropouts in higher education

In higher education, student dropout is a relevant problem, not just in Latin America but also in developed countries. Although there is no consensus to measure the education quality, one of the important indicators of university success is the time to graduation (TTG), which is directly related to student dropout [1]. Global estimates put this dropout rate at 42% [2]. In the United States, this rate is around 30% and represents a loss of 9 billion dollars in the education of these students [3]. However, desertion not only affects the quality of education and the economy of a country, but also has effects on the development of society, since society demands the contributions derived from the population with higher education such as: innovation, knowledge production and scientific discovery [4]. Using basic statistical learning techniques, this paper presents a simple way to predict possible dropouts based on their demographic and academic characteristics

Characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with asthma on multiple-inhaler triple therapy in Spain

The aim of this observational, retrospective study was to describe characteristics, treatment patterns, and adherence among patients with asthma who initiated multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) in Catalonia, Spain. This study used data of patients initiating MITT in 2016 from the SIDIAP (Information System for Research in Primary Care) database, which covers ~80% of the Catalonian population (5.8 million). Of 1,204 patients initiating MITT, 361 (30.0%) stepped down (discontinued ≥ 1 and continued ≥1 MITT component) and 89 (7.4%) stopped all three components of MITT for a period of 60 days during the following 12 months. In the follow-up period, 196 (16.3%) patients were considered adherent to MITT (>0.8 proportion of days covered [PDC]), with a mean (standard deviation) PDC of 0.52 (0.51) days. Given the low adherence and substantial rates of step down/discontinuation among patients initiating MITT, there is an urgent need to implement strategies to improve treatment adherence/persistence

Environmental indicators through artificial neural networks

Indicators are the most important management tool for environmental monitoring. Environmental indicators condense the information and simplify the approach to environmental phenomena, which are often complex, and makes them very useful for communication. The usefulness of these indicators consists of providing relevant information, summarized in the form of concise and illustrative statements for decision making, both for the organization's management and for the rest of the members. The prediction of limit values, together with the potentialities offered by the recommendation system based on ontology make this system a powerful tool for supporting decision-making in the Environmental Management process with a wide possibility of generalization in the business sector

Temporary variables for predicting electricity consumption through data mining

In the new global and local scenario, the advent of intelligent distribution networks or Smart Grids allows real-time collection of data on the operating status of the electricity grid. Based on this availability of data, it is feasible and convenient to predict consumption in the short term, from a few hours to a week. The hypothesis of the study is that the method used to present time variables to a prediction system of electricity consumption affects the results

Solvent effect in the polyethylene recovery from multilayer postconsumer aseptic packaging

articuloPolyethylene films were separated and recovered from polyethylene–aluminum composites derived from recycling multilayer postconsumer aseptic packaging. A brief study about the separation process by dissolving PE–aluminum (PE–Al) composites into a series of organic solvents with a combination of time and temperature is presented. Through this procedure, 56% polyethylene is recovered from this kind of composites in optimized conditions. DSC and TGA studies were performed to determine the thermal stability of recovered polyethylene films and to establish a comparison with a PE reference commercial product, demonstrating that recovered polyethylene films kept their thermal properties.SIEA-UAEMEX (Project No. 3410/ 2013 M) and CONACYT (Project No. 135053

New variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin : structural simulations and clinical expression

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is characterized by reduced serum levels of the AAT protein and predisposes to liver and lung disease. The characterization at structural level of novel pathogenic SERPINA1 mutants coding for circulating AAT could provide novel insights into the mechanisms of AAT misfolding. The present study aimed to provide a practical framework for the identification and analysis of new AAT mutations, combining structural simulations and clinical data. We analysed a total of five mutations (four not previously described) in a total of six subjects presenting moderate to severe AATD: Gly95Alafs*18, Val210Glu, Asn247Ser, Pi*S + Asp341His and Pi*S + Leu383Phe + Lys394Ile. Clinical data, genotyping and phenotyping assays, structural mapping, and conformational characterization through molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were developed and combined. Newly discovered AAT missense variants were localized both on the interaction surface and the hydrophobic core of the protein. Distribution of mutations across the structure revealed Val210Glu at the solvent exposed s4C strand and close to the "Gate" region. Asn247Ser was located on the accessible surface, which is important for glycan attachment. On the other hand, Asp341His, Leu383Phe were mapped close to the "breach" and "shutter" regions. MD analysis revealed the reshaping of local interactions around the investigated substitutions that have varying effects on AAT conformational flexibility, hydrophobic packing, and electronic surface properties. The most severe structural changes were observed in the double- and triple-mutant (Pi*S + Asp341His and Pi*S + Leu383Phe + Lys394Ile) molecular models. The two carriers presented impaired lung function. The results characterize five variants, four of them previously unknown, of the SERPINA1 gene, which define new alleles contributing to the deficiency of AAT. Rare variants might be more frequent than expected, and therefore, in discordant cases, standardized screening of the S and Z alleles needs complementation with gene sequencing and structural approaches. The utility of computational modelling for providing supporting evidence of the pathogenicity of rare single nucleotide variations is discussed. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02271-8

Association between circulating alpha-1 antitrypsin polymers and lung and liver disease

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; Circulating polymers; EmphysemaDeficiència d'alfa-1 antitripsina; Polímers circulants; EmfisemaDeficiencia de alfa-1 antitripsina; Polímeros circulantes; EnfisemaBackground Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is considered one of the most common genetic diseases and is characterised by the misfolding and polymerisation of the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein within hepatocytes. The relevance of circulating polymers (CP) of AAT in the pathogenesis of lung and liver disease is not completely understood. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to determine whether there is an association between the levels of CP of AAT and the severity of lung and liver disease. Method This was a cross-sectional study in patients with different phenotypes of AATD and controls. To quantify CP, a sandwich ELISA was performed using the 2C1 monoclonal antibody against AAT polymers. Sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics, and liver and lung parameters were collected. Results A cohort of 70 patients was recruited: 32 Pi*ZZ (11 on augmentation therapy); 29 Z-heterozygous; 9 with other genotypes. CP were compared with a control group of 47 individuals (35 Pi*MM and 12 Pi*MS). ZZ patients had the highest concentrations of CP (p < 0.001) followed by Z heterozygous. The control group and patients with Pi*SS and Pi*SI had the lowest CP concentrations. Pi*ZZ also had higher levels of liver stiffness measurements (LSM) than the remaining AATD patients. Among patients with one or two Z alleles, two patients with lung and liver impairment showed the highest concentrations of CP (47.5 µg/mL), followed by those with only liver abnormality (n = 6, CP = 34 µg/mL), only lung (n = 18, CP = 26.5 µg/mL) and no abnormalities (n = 23, CP = 14.3 µg/mL). Differences were highly significant (p = 0.004). Conclusions Non-augmented Pi*ZZ and Z-patients with impaired lung function and increased liver stiffness presented higher levels of CP than other clinical phenotypes. Therefore, CP may help to identify patients more at risk of developing lung and liver disease and may provide some insight into the mechanisms of disease.This study was supported by funding from Grifols to the Catalan Center for Research in Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency of the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) in the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain and with a grant from the Fundació Catalana de Pneumologia (FUCAP)

Reporte de atención clínica integral

El Proyecto de Aplicación Profesional en Atención Clínica Interdisciplinaria tuvo como objetivo general ofrecer servicios de atención y orientación profesional a los consultantes que la solicitaron para encontrar respuesta a los diferentes motivos de consulta psicológica y nutricional. Se les brindó el acompañamiento psicológico y nutricional a niños, adolescentes, adultos y familias en los siguientes escenarios: el Centro de Atención Psicológica, Centros de Desarrollo Comunitario del DIF Zapopan como DIF Arenales Tapatíos, DIF Santa María del Pueblito, DIF Santa Ana Tepetitlán Centro Polanco, Bufete Jurídico Clínica Ignacio Ellacuría y Clínica Nutricia. El proyecto ofreció principalmente espacios de atención en modalidad presencial y algunos en línea, donde se atendieron problemáticas tales como: consecuencias tras vivir la Pandemia de Covid-19, diferentes tipos de violencia, TCAS, problemas relacionales, depresión, ideación suicida, situaciones postraumáticas, y complicaciones en el desarrollo de una vida saludable tanto en los aspectos nutricionales como en el acceso a la justicia. Asimismo, se describen los múltiples aprendizajes tanto personales como profesionales, a través de las experiencias e intervenciones a lo largo del Proyecto de Aplicación Profesional.ITESO, A.C

The role of the polymerization of the mutated alpha-1 antitrypsin in the pathogenesis of lung and liver disease in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

El dèficit d'alfa-1 antitripsina és una malaltia genètica rara que es caracteritza per presentar concentracions sèriques baixes d'alfa-1 antitripsina i pel plec i la polimerització de la proteïna en els hepatòcits. La polimerització de la proteïna mutada podria estar en relació tant a la malaltia hepàtica com pulmonar que causa la malaltia. Per tant, aquesta tesi s'enfoca a l'estudi del paper de la polimerització de l'alfa-1 antitripsina a la patogènesi de la malaltia. A més, en els darrers anys, hi ha hagut un increment en l'interès sobre el cribratge de la malaltia hepàtica causada pel dèficit, per la qual cosa part de la tesi s'enfocarà a demostrar la utilitat de l'elastografia hepàtica per al diagnòstic de l'afectació hepàtica.El deficit de alfa-1 antitripsina es una enfermedad genética rara que se caracteriza por presentar concentraciones séricas bajas de alfa-1 antitripsina y por el pliegue y polimerización de la proteína en los hepatocitos. La polimerización de la proteína mutada podría estar en relación tanto en la enfermedad hepática como pulmonar que causa la enfermedad. Por lo tanto, esta tesis se enfoca en el estudio del papel de la polimerización del alfa-1 antitripsina en la patogénesis de la enfermedad. Además en los últimos años, ha habido un incremento en el interés sobre el cribado de la enfermedad hepática causada por el déficit, por lo que parte de la tesis se enfocará en demostrar la utilidad de la elastografía hepática para el diagnóstico de la afectación hepática.Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic condition that is characterized by low circulating levels of the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein and by the misfolding and polymerisation of the protein within hepatocytes. The polymerization of the mutated protein may be in relation with the pathogenesis of the liver and lung disease, therefore this thesis focuses in the polymerization of alpha1-antitripsin. Moreover, since in the past years there has been increasing interest in the screening of liver disease in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, this thesis also focuses in demonstrating the utility of transient liver elastography for the diagnosis of liver impairment