A new manual wheelchair propulsion system with self-locking capability on ramps

A wheelchair user faces many difficulties in their everyday attempts to use ramps, especially those of some length. The present work describes the design and build of a propulsion system for manual wheelchairs for use in ascending or descending long ramps. The design is characterized by a self-locking mechanism that activates automatically to brake the chair when the user stops pushing. The system consists of a planetary transmission with a self-locking capacity coupled to a push rim with which the user moves the system. Different transmission ratios are proposed, adapted to the slope and to the user’s physical capacity (measured as the power the user can apply over ample time periods). The design is shown to be viable in terms of resistance, and approximate dimensions are established for the height and width of the propulsion system. Also, a prototype was built in order to test the self-locking system on ramps

Social support from developmental contexts and adolescent substance use and well-being: a comparative study of Spain and Portugal

The aim of this study was to analyse the contribution of social support from family, friend and school (teacher and classmate) contexts in substance use (tobacco and alcohol use) and well-being (life satisfaction and health-related quality of life). Participants were 5,784 Portuguese and 22,610 Spanish adolescents aged 11 to 16 years, from the 2014 edition of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Portugal and Spain. Results showed that for a higher life satisfaction, family ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .032), teacher ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .018) and classmate ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .031) support were important in Portugal, and family ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .056) and friend ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .015) support in Spain. Similarly, for a better health-related quality of life, all the social support variables were relevant in Portugal (family: p < .001, partial η 2 = .063; teacher: p < .001, partial η 2 = .032; classmate: p < .001, partial η 2 = .054; friend: p < .001, partial η 2 = .034) and in Spain (family: p < .001, partial η 2 = .054; teacher: p < .001, partial η 2 = .014; classmate: p < .001, partial η 2 = .018; friend: p < .001, partial η 2 = .040). In contrast, only family support ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .014) was relevant in Portugal for tobacco use. Therefore, social support was more relevant for adolescent well-being than for adolescent substance use, and the most relevant source of support was family support, in both Spain and Portugal

Avances hacia la equidad familiar en Colombia: un enfoque propositivo en la revisión de los derechos constitucionales de las familias de crianza

El propósito de este estudio es revisar la realidad material y jurídica de los derechos constitucionales reconocidos a las familias de crianza colombianas, con un enfoque propositivo y crítico de la normatividad vigente, en procura del derecho a la igualdad que debería ser protegido para la pluralidad de tipos de familia existentes. Las familias sustitutas juegan un papel vital para el desarrollo integral de los niños, niñas y adolescentes, al brindar un entorno seguro y afectivo a quienes no tienen la posibilidad de convivir con sus padres biológicos. Sin embargo, el estudio refuta las críticas realizadas por diferentes doctrinas, donde se realiza un análisis crítico de las disposiciones normativas positivas que regulan esta figura y que no las incluyen como familia, siendo sólo algunos derechos parcialmente reconocidos por la jurisprudencia."Universidad Libre"--Facultad de derecho--Especialización en Derecho de FamiliaThe purpose of this study is to examine the material and legal reality of constitutional rights recognized for Colombian foster families, adopting a proactive and critical approach to current regulations, with the aim of safeguarding the right to equality for the plurality of existing family types. Foster families play a crucial role in the comprehensive development of children and adolescents by providing a secure and nurturing environment for those who are unable to live with their biological parents. However, this study challenges the criticisms raised by various doctrines and critically analyzes the positive legal provisions that regulate this framework, which do not explicitly include foster families within the definition of family. Only some rights are partially recognized through jurisprudence

Brothers and sisters—“More” is better? Effects on school, violence and health

Aims: The aim of this study was to understand the differences between adolescents with and without brothers and sisters, in what concerns to risk behaviours, health and the relationship with their peers and family. Sample: The Portuguese HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) survey included a total of 6026 students where 47.7% were boys. Results: Male adolescents with three or more brothers drink and smoke more, feel sadder, are more nervous and angrier, have more worries, and more frequently act as bullies. Boys who are only child are more satisfied with life and report more frequently that they like school. Boys with more than three sisters practice more physical activity. Girls with one brother are less victimized and have better relationships with their friends

An approach for identifyation of areas with higher expected damage and definition of priority levels for prevention plans in Murcia Province (SE Spain)

The Murcia Region is one of the most active zones in Spain, where three earthquakes took place in 1999, 2002 and 2005. In spite of their low magnitudes (Mw 4.8), these earthquakes caused important damage, the last one reaching an EMS-98 intensity of VII. After that event, the RISMUR project started, aimed at providing a general picture of the seismic risk, which allows us to identify zones requiring a more detailed analysis of where prevention plans should be prioritized. A multidisciplinary study, starting with the seismic hazard assessment, which follows the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment methodology has been carried out at a regional scale. The expected ground motion (rock sites), for a return period of 475 years, has been characterized in terms of PGA and spectral ordinates and the corresponding maps have been drawn. In addition, a regional geotechnical study has been done and a classification of eight types of soils has been proposed, with the corresponding amplification factors. The combination of previous maps and factors, gives a new hazard map which already includes local effects. In parallel, a vulnerability assessment of the Murcian building stock is carried out, based fundamentally on the age of construction and following the EMS-98 criteria. Taking into account the expected ground motions and building vulnerabilities, the distribution of expected damage is estimated by the application of probability damage matrixes. A suite of maps representing seismic risk in terms of damage parameters for the entire region and from which we can identify the locations with higher expected damage have been obtained. We use the Coulomb stress transfer map of the region as additional criteria for defining priority areas where detailed studies should be performed. This gives information about the zones with stress load due to the previous seismicity and where new events could be triggered. The superposition of this map with the active faults of the region and the locations with higher expected damage allows us to establish a four-level priority ranking where future local-scale analyses should be made

Recensiones [Revista de Historia Económica Año XV Otoño-Invierno 1996 n. 3 pp. 187-228]

Editada en la Fundación Empresa PúblicaM. Crusafont i Sabater. Historia de la moneda catalana. Interpretació i criteris metodológics (Por Gaspar Feliú).-- Peguerto Saavedra Fernández. A Facenda real na Galicia do antigo réxime (Por Rafael Vallejo).-- José Ramón Moreno Fernández. El monte público en La Rioja durante los siglos XVIII y XIX: aproximación a la desarticulación del régimen comunal (Por José Ignacio Jiménez Blanco).-- R. Domínguez. El campesino adaptativo. Campesinos y mercado en el norte de España, 1750-1880 (Por Pablo Sánchez León).-- Emilio Pérez Romero. Patrimonios comunales, ganadería trashumante y sociedad en la Tierra de Soria, siglos XVIII-XIX (Por Miguel A. Melón Jiménez).-- Montserrat Gárate y Javier Martin Rudi. Cien años de la vida económica de San Sebastián (1887-1987) (Por Carlos Larrinaga).-- Ramón Garrabou y José Manuel Naredo. La fertilización en los sistemas agrarios. Una perspectiva histórica (Por Juan Pan-Montojo).-- Jordi Catalán. La economía española y la segunda guerra mundial (Por Concha Berrán).-- Enric Tello i Aragay. Guía práctica de historia económica mundial (Por Antonio Santamaría).-- Francisco Comín y Pablo Martín Aceña. La empresa en la Historia de España (Por Juan Hernández Andreu).-- Carlos Dávila L. de Guevara. Empresa e Historia en América Latina. Un balance historiográfico (Por Eugenio Torres Villanueva).-- Óscar Cornblit. Power and violence in the colonial city. Oruro /rom the mining renaissance to the rebellion of Tupac Amaru (1740-1782) (Por Carlos Rodríguez Braun).-- Timothy J. Hatton y Jeffrey G. Williamson. Migration and the intemational Labor Market, 1830-1939 (Por Blanca Sánchez Alonso)Publicad

Adjuvant interferon gamma in patients with pulmonary atypical Mycobacteriosis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High antibiotic resistance is described in atypical Mycobacteriosis, mainly by <it>Mycobacterium avium </it>complex (MAC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in two hospitals to evaluate the effect of interferon (IFN) gamma as immunoadjuvant to chemotherapy on patients with atypical mycobacteria lung disease. Patients received placebo or 1 × 10⁶IU recombinant human IFN gamma intramuscularly, daily for one month and then three times per week up to 6 months as adjuvant to daily oral azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ethambutol and rifampin. Sputum samples collection for direct smear observation and culture as well as clinical and thorax radiography assessments were done during treatment and one year after. Cytokines and oxidative stress determinations were carried out in peripheral blood before and after treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eighteen patients were included in the IFN group and 14 received placebo. Groups were homogeneous at entry; average age was 60 years, 75% men, 84% white; MAC infection prevailed (94%). At the end of treatment, 72% of patients treated with IFN gamma were evaluated as complete responders, but only 36% in the placebo group. The difference was maintained during follow-up. A more rapid complete response was obtained in the IFN group (5 months before), with a significantly earlier improvement in respiratory symptoms and pulmonary lesions reduction. Disease-related deaths were 35.7% of the patients in the placebo group and only 11.1% in the IFN group. Three patients in the IFN group normalized their globular sedimentation rate values. Although differences in bacteriology were not significant during the treatment period, some patients in the placebo group converted again to positive during follow-up. Significant increments in serum TGF-beta and advanced oxidation protein products were observed in the placebo group but not among IFN receiving patients. Treatments were well tolerated. Flu-like symptoms predominated in the IFN gamma group. No severe events were recorded.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggest that IFN gamma is useful and well tolerated as adjuvant therapy in patients with pulmonary atypical Mycobacteriosis, predominantly MAC. Further wider clinical trials are encouraged.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70900209.</p