Statistical measure of complexity for quantum systems with continuous variables

The Fisher-Shannon statistical measure of complexity is analyzed for a continuous manifold of quantum observables. It is probed then than calculating it only in the configuration and momentum spaces will not give a complete description for certain systems. Then a more general measure for the complexity of a quantum system by the integration of the usual Fisher-Shannon measure over all the parameter space is proposed. Finally, these measures are applied to the concrete case of a free particle in a box.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Published versio

Development and use of digital educative objects in nursing teaching

Este trabalho descreve um projeto de desenvolvimento de objetos educacionais digitais em enfermagem e a avaliação da sua utilização junto aos alunos e professores de um curso de graduação em enfermagem. As estratégias para o desenvolvimento de objetos educacionais digitais em enfermagem foram constituídas pelas etapas de modelagem conceitual, de desenvolvimento dos materiais instrucionais, sua implementação em ambiente virtual de aprendizagem e a avaliação. O estudo encontra-se em andamento e os resultados preliminares demonstram que os professores e os alunos consideram os objetos educacionais digitais sobre semiotécnica adequados quanto à sua apresentação visual e seu conteúdo, porém apresentam dificuldades quanto à utilização. Os resultados apontam para o impacto da inovação, que o uso de tecnologias educacionais digitais traz ao ensino de enfermagem, assim como a necessidade de atualização do corpo docente sobre o processo de ensino em ambiente virtual.This paper describes a development project of digital learning objects in nursing, and the evaluation of their use by teachers and undergraduate nursing students. The strategies for their development were composed of the following stages: conceptual modeling, development of instructional materials, implementation in a virtual learning environment, and evaluation. This is an ongoing study and preliminary results demonstrate that teachers and students evaluated the design and the content of the nursing digital learning objects satisfactorily, but demonstrate difficulties in using them. The results point to the impact of innovation through the consolidation of the use of educational technologies integrated to the teaching of nursing, as well as a support program for teachers.Este trabajo constituye la descripción de un proyecto del desarrollo de objetos educacionales digitales en enfermería, y la evaluación de su utilización por alumnos de la carrera universitaria de enfermería. Las estrategias para su desarrollo se constituyeron por las etapas de modelaje conceptual, de desarrollo de los materiales instruccionales, su implementación en ambiente virtual de aprendizaje y la evaluación. El estudio se encuentra en curso, y los resultados preliminares demuestran que los profesores y los estudiantes evaluaron el diseño y el contenido de los objetos educacionales digitales en enfermería satisfactoriamente, pero demuestran dificultades al usarlas. Los resultados apuntan para el impacto con relación a la innovación, por la consolidación del uso de tecnologías educacionales integradas a la enseñanza de enfermería, así como un programa de ayuda para los profesores

Objetos educacionais digitais em enfermagem: avaliação por docentes de um curso de graduação

Trata-se de investigação sobre a utilização de objetos educacionais digitais nas formas de hipertexto, jogo educativo e simulação sobre o tema oxigenoterapia junto a docentes do curso de graduação em enfermagem. Estudo transversal do tipo exploratório, com 10 docentes selecionados de forma intencional, realizado na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul em 2006. Para coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionário, utilizando-se uma escala do tipo Likert para avaliar a adequação dos conteúdos, da apresentação visual e a utilização dos objetos educacionais. Os dados foram organizados e processados pela estatística descritiva. Os resultados apontaram que os docentes foram favoráveis à apresentação dos objetos educacionais, assim como à adequação dos conteúdos mostrados e a utilização dos mesmos com o conteúdo sobre oxigenoterapia. Não foi significativa a relação da opinião dos professores com a faixa etária ou com o seu conhecimento em informática, assim como o tempo de docência e os conteúdos ministrados.This study addresses the use of digital learning materials in the format of hypertext, educational games and simulations about oxygen therapy with professors of an Undergraduate Nursing Course. It is a cross-sectional exploratory study that was carried out at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in 2006 with 10 intentionally selected professors. Data collection was performed by means of a questionnaire, using a Likert scale to assess the suitability of the content, visual presentation and use of learning materials. Descriptive statistics was used to organize and process the data. Results showed that the professors approved of the presentation of educational materials, they agreed with the suitability of the contents presented and with using the materials with the content regarding oxygen therapy. There was no significant relation between the professors' opinion and their age group, nor with their computer technology knowledge, their time in teaching and the addressed contents.Se trata de investigación sobre la utilización de objetos educacionales digitales en las formas de hipertexto, juegos educativos y simulación sobre oxigenoterapia junto a docentes del curso de graduación en enfermería. Estudio transversal del tipo exploratorio con 10 docentes seleccionados de forma intencional, realizado en la Universidad Federal de Río Grande del Sur en 2.006. Para recolectar los datos fue utilizado un cuestionario, utilizándose la escala de tipo likert para evaluar la adecuación de los contenidos, de la presentación visual y la utilización de los objetos educacionales. Los datos fueron organizados y procesados por la estadística descriptiva. Los resultados apuntaron que los docentes fueron favorables a la presentación de los objetos educacionales así como a la adecuación de los contenidos mostrados y a la utilización de los mismos en el contenido sobre oxigenoterapia. No fue significativa la relación de la opinión de los profesores con el intervalo de edad, con su conocimiento en informática, así como con el tiempo de docencia y los contenidos ministrados

Multimodal treatment for smoking cessation with varenicline in alcoholic, methadone-maintained, and psychotic patients: A one-year follow-up

Introduction: Numerous studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation in smokers in the general population and, to a lesser extent, among the psychiatric population. However, few studies have evaluated varenicline in patients with other addictions. The present study was conducted to assess outcomes of a multimodal treatment for smoking cessation intervention with varenicline in a sample of alcohol and substance use disorders and patients with psychotic disorders. Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter study. The patient sample comprised alcoholics in remission, methadone-maintained patients, and patients with psychotic disorders, all of whom wanted to stop smoking. All participants received multimodal treatment for smoking cessation therapy (psychological therapy plus varenicline). Smoking abstinence and changes in the psychopathological state of patients were assessed at predefined time points during a 12-month follow-up. The probability of tobacco abstinence after one year of treatment was computed using Kaplan-Meier life tables. Results: The probability of abstinence at one year was 0.225 (95% CI: 0.143- 0.319). By group, the probabilities were as follows: patients with psychotic disorders 0.254 (95% CI: 0.118-0.415); alcoholics 0.237 (95% CI: 0.098- 0.409); and methadone-maintained patients 0.177 (95% CI: 0.065-0.335). Patients with previous quit attempts had a higher probability of achieving abstinence at one year (p<0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study support the use of multimodal treatment with varenicline in patients with alcohol addiction in remission, patients on methadone maintenance, and patients with stable psychotic disorders. Previous smoking cessation attempts were predictive of smoking cessation success in these patients

Red-fleshed apples rich in anthocyanins and white-fleshed apples modulate the aorta and heart proteome in hypercholesterolaemic rats: the AppleCOR study

The impact of a red-fleshed apple (RFA) rich in anthocyanins (ACNs), a white-fleshed apple (WFA) without ACNs, and an extract infusion from Aronia fruit (AI) equivalent in dose of cyanidin-3-O-galactoside (main ACN) as RFA was determined by the proteome profile of aorta and heart as key cardiovascular tissues. Hypercholesterolaemic Wistar rats were separated into six groups (n = 6/group; three males and three females) and the proteomic profiles were analyzed using nanoliquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. No adverse events were reported and all products were well tolerated. RFA downregulated C1QB and CFP in aorta and CRP in heart. WFA downregulated C1QB and CFP in aorta and C9 and C3 in aorta and heart, among other proteins. AI downregulated PRKACA, IQGAP1, and HSP90AB1 related to cellular signaling. Thus, both apples showed an anti-inflammatory effect through the complement system, while RFA reduced CRP. Regardless of the ACN content, an apple matrix effect was observed that involved different bioactive components, and inflammatory proteins were reduced.The work summarized in this manuscript was supported in part by grants (Grant Nos. MEFOPC Project, AGL2012-40144-C03-02, and AppleCOR Project, AGL2016-76943-C2-2-R) from the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). L. Rubió enjoys a Sara Borrell post-doctoral grant (CD14/00275; Spain), A. Pedret enjoys a post-doctoral grant (PTQ-15-08068; Spain), Ú. Catalán enjoys a Pla estratègic de recerca i innovació en salut (PERIS) post-doctoral grant (SLT002/16/00239; Catalunya, Spain), and S.Yuste enjoys a grant from the University of Lleida. M.J. Motilva thanks to Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-CSIC for partial funding through the “Ayudas incorporación a escalas científicas CSIC, 2018” (Reference 201870I129). We also thank the support of Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) and Fundació EURECAT, Reus, Spain. NFOC- Salut group is a consolidated research group of Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (2014 SGR 873 and 2017 SGR 522)

A pharmacogenetic intervention for the improvement of the safety profile of antipsychotic treatments

Antipsychotic drugs fail to achieve adequate response in 30-50% of treated patients and about 50% of them develop severe and lasting side effects. Treatment failure results in poorer prognosis with devastating repercussions for the patients, carers and broader society. Our study evaluated the clinical benefits of a pharmacogenetic intervention for the personalisation of antipsychotic treatment. Pharmacogenetic information in key CYP polymorphisms was used to adjust clinical doses in a group of patients who started or switched treatment with antipsychotic drugs (PharmG+, N = 123), and their results were compared with those of a group of patients treated following existing clinical guides (PharmG−, N = 167). There was no evidence of significant differences in side effects between the two arms. Although patients who had their antipsychotic dose adjusted according to CYPs polymorphisms (PharmG+) had a bigger reduction in side effects than those treated as usual (PharmG−), the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). However, PharmG+ patients treated with CYP2D6 substrates that were carriers of CYP2D6 UMs or PMs variants showed a significantly higher improvement in global, psychic and other UKU side effects than PharmG− patients (p = 0.02, p = 0.05 and p = 0.01, respectively). PharmG+ clozapine treated patients with CYP1A2 or CYP2C19 UM and PMs variants also showed higher reductions in UKU scores than PharmG− clozapine patients in general. However, those differences were not statistically significant. Pharmacogenetic interventions may improve the safety of antipsychotic treatments by reducing associated side effects. This intervention may be particularly useful when considering treatment with antipsychotics with one major metabolic pathway, and therefore more susceptible to be affected by functional variants of CYP enzymes

Configuration Complexities of Hydrogenic Atoms

The Fisher-Shannon and Cramer-Rao information measures, and the LMC-like or shape complexity (i.e., the disequilibrium times the Shannon entropic power) of hydrogenic stationary states are investigated in both position and momentum spaces. First, it is shown that not only the Fisher information and the variance (then, the Cramer-Rao measure) but also the disequilibrium associated to the quantum-mechanical probability density can be explicitly expressed in terms of the three quantum numbers (n, l, m) of the corresponding state. Second, the three composite measures mentioned above are analytically, numerically and physically discussed for both ground and excited states. It is observed, in particular, that these configuration complexities do not depend on the nuclear charge Z. Moreover, the Fisher-Shannon measure is shown to quadratically depend on the principal quantum number n. Finally, sharp upper bounds to the Fisher-Shannon measure and the shape complexity of a general hydrogenic orbital are given in terms of the quantum numbers.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, accepted i

O uso de objetos educacionais no ensino de enfermagem : aplicabilidade e avaliação

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CYP2D6 Genetic Variation and Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic-induced weight gain is a contributing factor in the reduced life expectancy reported amongst people with psychotic disorders. CYP2D6 is a liver enzyme involved in the metabolism of many commonly used antipsychotic medications. We investigated if CYP2D6 genetic variation influenced weight or BMI among people taking antipsychotic treatment. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and a random effects meta-analysis of publications in Pubmed, Embase, PsychInfo, and CENTRAAL that had BMI and/or weight measurements of patients on long-term antipsychotics by their CYP2D6-defined metabolic groups (poor, intermediate, normal/extensive, and ultra-rapid metabolizers, UMs). RESULTS: Twelve studies were included in the systematic review. All cohort studies suggested that the presence of reduced-function or non-functional alleles for CYP2D6 was associated with greater antipsychotic-induced weight gain, whereas most cross-sectional studies did not find any significant associations. Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis with clinical data of 2,041 patients, including 93 poor metabolizers (PMs), 633 intermediate metabolizers (IMs), 1,272 normal metabolizers (NMs), and 30 UMs. Overall, we did not find associations in any of the comparisons made. The estimated pooled standardized differences for the following comparisons were (i) PM versus NM; weight = –0.07 (95%CI: –0.49 to 0.35, p = 0.74), BMI = 0.40 (95%CI: –0.19 to 0.99, p = 0.19). (ii) IM versus NM; weight = 0.09 (95% CI: –0.04 to 0.22, p = 0.16) and BMI = 0.09 (95% CI: –0.24 to 0.41, p = 0.60). (iii) UM versus EM; weight = 0.01 (95% CI: –0.37 to 0.40, p = 0.94) and BMI = –0.08 (95%CI: –0.57 to 0.42, p = 0.77). CONCLUSION: Our systematic review of cohort studies suggested that CYP2D6 poor metabolizers have higher BMI than normal metabolizers, but the data of cross-sectional studies and the meta-analysis did not show this association. Although our review and meta-analysis constitutes one of the largest studies with comprehensively genotyped samples, the literature is still limited by small numbers of participants with genetic variants resulting in poor or UMs status. We need further studies with larger numbers of extreme metabolizers to establish its clinical utility in antipsychotic treatment. CYP2D6 is a key gene for personalized prescribing in mental health

Three-Year Clinical Follow-Up of Children Intrauterine Exposed to Zika Virus

Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection may present with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Some sequelae, particularly neurodevelopmental problems, may have a later onset. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 799 high-risk pregnant women who were followed up until delivery. Eighty-three women and/or newborns were considered ZIKV exposed and/or infected. Laboratory diagnosis was made by polymerase chain reaction in the pregnant mothers and their respective newborns, as well as Dengue virus, Chikungunya virus, and ZIKV serology. Serology for toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and syphilis infections were also performed in microcephalic newborns. The newborns included in the study were followed up until their third birthday. Developmental delay was observed in nine patients (13.2%): mild cognitive delay in three patients, speech delay in three patients, autism spectrum disorder in two patients, and severe neurological abnormalities in one microcephalic patient; sensorineural hearing loss, three patients and dysphagia, six patients. Microcephaly due to ZIKV occurred in three patients (3.6%). Clinical manifestations can appear after the first year of life in children infected/exposed to ZIKV, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up