Management of Natural History collections: criteria and parameters of evaluation

[ES] Las colecciones de historia natural son una herramienta básica para la investigación científica y el estudio de la distribución en el pasado de muchas especies, así como de la propia historia de la ciencia. Además del uso científico de estas colecciones, destacan otros como el histórico, el divulgativo-pedagógico y el estético. De ahí la importancia que tiene una gestión eficaz de las mismas, la cual implica diversos aspectos, que van desde la conservación y su mantenimiento, su inventario, ordenación y procesamiento informático hasta las múltiples tareas relacionadas con su uso en consultas, visitas, préstamos científicos y participación en actividades de carácter divulgativo. En este artículo se examinan los criterios para evaluar la gestión de las colecciones de historia natural y se definen una serie de parámetros, útiles para medir el estado de una colección y su evolución en el tiempo, tanto en su crecimiento como en su uso, principalmente. Se ejemplifica todo ello en el grupo de los poliquetos, del que el Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales de Madrid (MNCN) cuenta con una estimable colección, y se comparan los resultados, según varios parámetros seleccionados, con los de otras colecciones de poliquetos de diversas instituciones de todo el mundo.[EN] Natural History collections are a basic and essential tool for scientific research, the study of the distribution in the past of many species of animals and plants and the History of Science. As well as the scientific aspect of these collections, stand outs other uses as the historic one, the educational and the aesthetic. All these are reasons that show the importance of an effective management of the Natural History collections as well as the several tasks related to it, as consults, visits, scientific loans and educational activities. In this article various criteria and useful parameters are provided for evaluating the curatorial state of a Natural History collection and its evolution, both in growth and use mainly. Finally, an example based on the Polychaeta, an estimable group in the Invertebrates Collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid (MNCN), is provided. The results of several selected parameters are compared with other Polychaeta collections from several institutions around the world.Peer reviewe

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guideline for acute kidney injury 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome which has a broad range of etiologic factors depending on different clinical settings. Because AKI has significant impacts on prognosis in any clinical settings, early detection and intervention are necessary to improve the outcomes of AKI patients. This clinical guideline for AKI was developed by a multidisciplinary approach with nephrology, intensive care medicine, blood purification, and pediatrics. Of note, clinical practice for AKI management which was widely performed in Japan was also evaluated with comprehensive literature search

Novel haemodialysis (HD) treatment employing molecular hydrogen (H2)-enriched dialysis solution improves prognosis of chronic dialysis patients: A prospective observational study

Abstract Recent studies have revealed unique biological characteristics of molecular hydrogen (H2) as an anti-inflammatory agent. We developed a novel haemodialysis (E-HD) system delivering an H2 (30–80 ppb)-enriched dialysis solution by water electrolysis, and conducted a non-randomized, non-blinded, prospective observational study exploring its clinical impact. Prevalent chronic HD patients were allocated to either the E-HD (n = 161) group or the conventional HD (C-HD: n = 148) group, and received the respective HD treatments during the study. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality and development of non-lethal cardio-cerebrovascular events (cardiac disease, apoplexy, and leg amputation due to peripheral artery disease). During the 3.28-year mean observation period, there were no differences in dialysis parameters between the two groups; however, post-dialysis hypertension was ameliorated with significant reductions in antihypertensive agents in the E-HD patients. There were 91 events (50 in the C-HD group and 41 in the E-HD group). Multivariate analysis of the Cox proportional hazards model revealed E-HD as an independent significant factor for the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 0.59; [95% confidence interval: 0.38–0.92]) after adjusting for confounding factors (age, cardiovascular disease history, serum albumin, and C-reactive protein). HD applying an H2-dissolved HD solution could improve the prognosis of chronic HD patients

Influencial factors for the presence of severe fatigue (Grade 1+2) at 12 months.

<p>Influencial factors for the presence of severe fatigue (Grade 1+2) at 12 months.</p

Profiles of the Defined Daily Dose (DDD) of anti-hypertensive agents in the two study groups by function of basal DDD levels.

<p>Time course of changes in the Defined Daily Dose of anti-hypertensive agents in the two groups is shown. Each treatment group was further divided into two groups at DDD baseline levels; those of DDD = 0 (43 cases in E-HD, 31in C-HD), and those of DDD >0 (97 cases in E-HD, 91 in C-HD). In cases of DDD = 0, there was a significant change in C-HD, while, no change was found in E-HD, respectively (repeated-measure ANOVA). In cases of DDD >0, there was a significant change in E-HD, while, no change was found in C-HD, respectively (repeated-measure ANOVA). *P<0.001. **P<0.05. E-HD, electrolyzed water HD; C-HD, conventional HD. Circle denotes outliers.</p

Changes of clinical and laboratory parameters of the two groups during 12 months.

<p>Changes of clinical and laboratory parameters of the two groups during 12 months.</p

Changes in the defined daily dose of anti-hypertensive agents of the two groups at 12 months.

<p>The distribution of changes in the Defined Daily Dose (DDD) of anti-hypertensive agents, categorized as increased, reduced and unchanged, was statistically analyzed using a chi-square test. *P<0.05 E-HD, electrolyzed water HD; C-HD, conventional HD.</p

Influential factors for changes of defined daily dose of anti-hypertensive agents at 12 months.

<p>Influential factors for changes of defined daily dose of anti-hypertensive agents at 12 months.</p

Self-assessment questionnaires regarding fatigue and itching.

<p>Self-assessment questionnaires regarding fatigue and itching.</p