Looking Forward to a Dynamic Third Age - Spanish Mapping Report

The population analysis presented here has been performed on the Spanish population as a whole and, in nearly all cases, whenever it was possible for us, also on the differential demographic evolution of the Alicante province. The data used were obtained from the INE (Spanish initials for National Statistics Institute), basically from the aspects included in Demography and Population (singularly, Population and Household Projection, Ongoing Municipal Register Statistics, Population Censuses, Population Natural Movement and Basic Demographic Indicators; and we have also resorted to the Active Population Survey at some stage). No special mention has been made of the migratory movements which, despite their importance and decisiveness during the last decade, have seen their influence on the population as a whole reflected on all the remaining demographic magnitudes (population growth, greater or lesser ageing degree, contribution to birth rate) and, especially, because the medium-term projections may strongly fluctuate, as it can be easily verified through the analysis of the last few years. We have nearly always resorted to the projections available until 2028-29 because almost all of them can refer both to the whole of Spain and to the specific area that we are dealing with, the Alicante province, whereas those available until 2064 only refer to Spain as a whole and, moreover, they are practically a sort of continuation of the medium-term data available

Workshop Diversified strip- and inter-cropping systems: what can we gain in modern organic farming?

The main questions at the workshop are: What can strip- and inter-cropped vegetable and arable systems look like in space, time and genetic material - to increase biodiversity and biocontrol - to increase soil nutrient use efficiency - when managed with new agronomic technology, e.g. robots and sensors to support the development of strip- and inter-cropping on medium and larger-scale farms? What are experiences, challenges and barriers in practice and what can we learn from researchers

Everolimus safety and efficacy for renal angiomyolipomas associated with tuberous sclerosis complex: A Spanish expanded access trial

Background: Renal angiomyolipomas (AML) are usual manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) that may cause aneurism-related haemorrhages and renal impairment. Everolimus has emerged as an alternative to surgery/embolization. We provide further insight into everolimus safety and efficacy for TSC-related AML. Methods: This was a Spanish expanded access trial including patients aged ≥18 years with TSC-related AML. They received 10 mg everolimus once daily until AML progression, unacceptable toxicity, death/withdrawal, commercialisation for TSC-related AML, or 1 year after first patient enrolment. The primary outcome was dose-limiting safety according to grade 3/4 adverse events, serious adverse events, or adverse events leading to treatment modification. Secondary outcomes included overall safety and efficacy. Results: Nineteen patients were enrolled and received everolimus for a median of 6.6 (5.3-10.9) months. Eleven (57.9 %) remained on 10 mg/day throughout the study and eight (42.1 %) required treatment modifications due to adverse events; none permanently discontinued treatment. Adverse events were overall grade 1/2 and most frequently included aphthous stomatitis/mucosal inflammation, hypercholesterolaemia/hypertriglyceridaemia, urinary tract infection, hypertension, dermatitis acneiform, and insomnia. Four (21.1 %) patients experienced grade 3 adverse events, none was grade 4, and only one (5.3 %) was serious (pneumonia). AML volume was reduced ≥30 % in 11 (57.9 %) patients and ≥50 % in 9 (47.4 %); none progressed. Right and left kidney sizes decreased in 16 and 14 patients, respectively. Conclusions: These findings support the benefit of everolimus for renal AML due to a manageable safety profile accompanied by reduced AML and kidney volumes. Trial registration: EudraCT number 2012-005397-63; date of registration 22 Nov 2012.This work was funded by Novartis Farmacéutica S.A., which was involved in study design, data analysis and interpretation, and writing of the manuscrip

Hemodiafiltración con reinfusión endógena del ultrafiltrado (HFR): hacia una diálisis convectiva, difusiva y adsortiva

Resumen: La hemodiafiltración con reinfusión endógena del ultrafiltrado (HFR) es una técnica de diálisis caracterizada por un cartucho de resina con poder adsorbente que combina los mecanismos difusión, convección y adsorción en un solo esquema terapéutico. Después de cerca de 20 años de experiencia clínica con HFR, el presente artículo revisa la evidencia acumulada con esta técnica, planteando si la adición de la adsorción, como tercer mecanismo depurativo, debería ser el siguiente paso en el tratamiento de los pacientes en hemodiálisis. La HFR, a pesar de producir una extensa eliminación de toxinas urémicas, ha demostrado reducir la pérdida de nutrientes y componentes fisiológicos durante la sesión de diálisis frente a la hemodiafiltración on-line, mitigando el estado inflamatorio y el estrés oxidativo en esta población. Además de su facilidad de uso, la técnica también es altamente biocompatible y puede utilizarse en situaciones de un acceso vascular comprometido. En base a estas observaciones, la HFR parece ser una técnica especialmente útil para pacientes con elevada comorbilidad, incluyendo aquellos con fragilidad, desnutrición o enfermedad cardiovascular. En esta revisión, como panel de consenso de nefrólogos con experiencia clínica en HFR, examinamos la literatura existente y resumimos nuestros puntos de vista sobre cómo usar esta técnica, qué perfil de paciente puede ser más adecuado para la HFR, y cómo prescribir y monitorizar de manera práctica esta modalidad de diálisis. Abstract: Hemodiafiltration with endogenous reinfusion of the ultrafiltrate (HFR) is a dialysis technique characterized by a resin cartridge with adsorptive properties that combines the mechanisms of diffusion, convection, and adsorption in a single therapeutic regimen. After nearly 20 years of clinical experience with HFR, this article reviews the accumulated evidence with this technique, considering whether adsorption reduction, as a third purification mechanism, should be the next step in the treatment of hemodialysis patients. HFR, beyond producing an extensive removal of uremic toxins, has demonstrated to reduce the loss of nutrients and other physiological components during the dialysis session as compared to online hemodiafiltration, ameliorating the inflammatory state and oxidative stress in this population. In addition to its ease of use, the technique is also highly biocompatible and can be used in patients with a compromised vascular access. Based on these observations, HFR appears to be an especially useful therapy for high-comorbidity patients, including those with frailty, malnutrition, or cardiovascular disease. In this review, we, as a consensus panel of nephrologists experienced with HFR, survey existing literature and summarize our views on when to use this technique, which patients may be best suited for HFR, and how to effectively prescribe and monitor this modality of dialysis in daily clinical practice

Psychometric properties of the questionnaire on threat perception of chronic illnesses in pediatric patients

Objetivo: o objetivo do estudo foi avaliar as propriedades psicométricas do Questionário de Percepção de Doenças Versão Breve em uma amostra de adolescentes com condições endócrinas ou pneumológicas crônicas. Analisar a dimensionalidade e reduzir a escala elaborando baremas por sexo e diagnóstico médico. Método: avaliamos 510 pacientes com idades entre 9 e 16 anos usando o Questionário de Percepção de Doenças Versão Breve e a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão. Foram realizados testes de confiabilidade, validade do construto, validade de critério e comparação de médias segundo o diagnóstico e as variáveis sociodemográficas. As análises de confiabilidade e validade mostraram propriedades psicométricas adequadas para essa escala, obtendo melhores resultados para uma única dimensão após a exclusão de 3 itens. Resultados: observou-se que adolescentes com diabetes tipo 1 e meninas demonstraram maior percepção da ameaça da doença. A ansiedade/ depressão associou-se positivamente à percepção da doença. Conclusão: este questionário é uma ferramenta útil e prática para avaliar o ajuste à doença em pacientes pediátricos.Objective: the objective of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire in a sample of adolescents with chronic endocrine or pneumological conditions and to analyze the dimensionality and reduce the scale elaborating scales by sex and medical diagnosis. Method: we evaluated 510 patients aged 9-16 years using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We carried out tests of reliability, construct and criterion validity and a comparison of means based on the diagnosis and socio-demographic variables. The reliability and validity analyses showed adequate psychometric properties for this scale, with better results obtained for a single dimension after eliminating 3 items. Results: adolescents with type 1 diabetes and girls were found to have an increased threat perception of their illness. Anxiety/depression was positively associated with the perception of illness. Conclusion: this questionnaire is a useful and practical tool for evaluating adjustment to illness in pediatric patients.Objetivo: el objetivo del estudio ha sido valorar las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario Breve de Percepción de la Enfermedad en una muestra de adolescentes con condiciones crónicas endocrinas o neumológicas. Analizar la dimensionalidad y reducir la escala elaborando baremos por sexo y diagnóstico médico. Método: evaluamos 510 pacientes de entre 9-16 años mediante el Cuestionario Breve de Percepción de la Enfermedad y la Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión. Realizamos pruebas de fiabilidad, validez de constructo y criterial y comparación de medias en función del diagnóstico y variables sociodemográficas. Los análisis de fiabilidad y validez mostraron adecuadas propiedades psicométricas para esta escala, obteniendo mejores resultados para una única dimensión después de eliminar 3 ítems. Resultados: se observó que los adolescentes con diabetes tipo 1 y las niñas mostraban mayor percepción de amenaza de la enfermedad. La ansiedad/depresión se asociaron positivamente con la percepción de enfermedad. Conclusión: este cuestionario resulta una herramienta útil y práctica, con la que evaluar el ajuste a la enfermedad en pacientes pediátricos

A 172 μ\muW Compressively Sampled Photoplethysmographic (PPG) readout ASIC with Heart Rate Estimation Directly from Compressively Sampled Data

A compressive sampling (CS) photoplethysmographic (PPG) readout with embedded feature extraction to estimate heart rate (HR) directly from compressively sampled data is presented. It integrates a low-power analog front end together with a digital back end to perform feature extraction to estimate the average HR over a 4 s interval directly from compressively sampled PPG data. The application-specified integrated circuit (ASIC) supports uniform sampling mode (1x compression) as well as CS modes with compression ratios of 8x, 10x, and 30x. CS is performed through nonuniformly subsampling the PPG signal, while feature extraction is performed using least square spectral fitting through Lomb-Scargle periodogram. The ASIC consumes 172  μ W of power from a 1.2 V supply while reducing the relative LED driver power consumption by up to 30 times without significant loss of relevant information for accurate HR estimation.status: publishe

Looking Forward to a Dynamic Third Age - Spanish Mapping Report

The population analysis presented here has been performed on the Spanish population as a whole and, in nearly all cases, whenever it was possible for us, also on the differential demographic evolution of the Alicante province. The data used were obtained from the INE (Spanish initials for National Statistics Institute), basically from the aspects included in Demography and Population (singularly, Population and Household Projection, Ongoing Municipal Register Statistics, Population Censuses, Population Natural Movement and Basic Demographic Indicators; and we have also resorted to the Active Population Survey at some stage). No special mention has been made of the migratory movements which, despite their importance and decisiveness during the last decade, have seen their influence on the population as a whole reflected on all the remaining demographic magnitudes (population growth, greater or lesser ageing degree, contribution to birth rate) and, especially, because the medium-term projections may strongly fluctuate, as it can be easily verified through the analysis of the last few years. We have nearly always resorted to the projections available until 2028-29 because almost all of them can refer both to the whole of Spain and to the specific area that we are dealing with, the Alicante province, whereas those available until 2064 only refer to Spain as a whole and, moreover, they are practically a sort of continuation of the medium-term data available

Práctica clínica diaria en el manejo de la urticaria crónica en España: resultados del estudio UCREX

Background: Chronic Urticaria (CU) is a debilitating disease whose treatment is mainly symptomatic. UCREX study aimed to identify CU patients' profile, disease management and quality-of-life (QoL) in daily clinical practice in Spain. Methods: Observational, 12-months prospective, multicenter study, included de novo or established CU patients attending to dermatology/allergy consultations in 39 Spanish hospitals. Main variables: Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), UAS over 7 days (UAS7). Secondary variables: CU-QoL Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL), EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOS-Sleep) scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: 361 patients included. Of them, 176 (48.8%) considered for the main objective analysis. Mean age (SD) of 46.6 (14.2) years and 71.8% women. The year prior to inclusion, most patients (57.1%) were treated with non-sedating H1-antihistamines (NS-H1AH). At baseline, mean (SD) 3.6 (6.8) visits were registered to primary care. Mean (SD) UAS7 at baseline was 14.3 (11.0) and CU-Q2oL 24.1 (17.0) which tended to improve by 8.6 (9.7) and 13.9 (15.0), respectively, at 12-months. MOS-Sleep and EQ-5D remained steady during the study, except pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression which went from 58.7% and 49.6% to 29.6% and 26.9%, respectively. At baseline, HADS showed a mean (SD) anxiety of 8.7 (4.5) and depression 5.1 (4.4), decreasing to 7.0 (4.3) and 4.7 (4.3), respectively, at 12-months. Conclusions: Although most CU patients are treated with NS-H1AH, disease activity is still important, negatively affecting patients' QoL, work activity and healthcare resources use. An appropriate disease management could be the basis for symptoms control, QoL improvement and resources optimization.Antecedentes: La urticaria crónica (UC) es una enfermedad debilitante cuyo tratamiento es principalmente sintomático. El estudio UCREX tuvo como objetivo identificar el perfil de los pacientes con UC, el manejo de la enfermedad y la calidad de vida (CdV) en la práctica clínica diaria en España. Métodos: Estudio observacional, prospectivo, multicéntrico de 12 meses, que incluyó pacientes con UC de novo o establecida que acudieron a la consulta de dermatología/alergología de 39 hospitales españoles. Las variables principales fueron: el Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) y el UAS por siete días (UAS7). Las variables secundarias fueron: el cuestionario de CdV de urticaria crónica (CU-Q2oL), el EuroQol-5 Dimensiones (EQ-5D), la escala Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOS-Sleep) y la escala hospitalaria de ansiedad y depresión (HADS). Resultados: Se incluyeron 361 pacientes, de los cuales 176 (48,8%) formaron parte del análisis del objetivo principal. La edad media (DE) fue de 46,6 (14,2) años y el 71,8% eran del sexo femenino. El año anterior al periodo de inclusión de los pacientes, la mayoría de ellos (57,1%) se habían tratado con antihistamínicos H1 no sedantes (AHNS-H1). En la basal, se registró una media (DE) de 3,6 (6,8) de visitas a atención primaria. La media (DE) del UAS7 en la basal fue de 14,3 (11,0) y del CU-Q2oL 24,1 (17,0), observándose una tendencia en la mejoría en 8,6 (9,7) y 13,9 (15,0), respectivamente, a los 12 meses. El MOS-Sleep y el EQ-5D se mantuvieron estables durante el estudio, excepto por el dolor/malestar y la ansiedad/depresión que pasaron de 58,7 y 49,6% a 29,6 y 26,9%, respectivamente. En situación basal, el HADS mostró una ansiedad media (DE) de 8,7 (4,5) y una depresión de 5,1 (4,4), disminuyendo respectivamente a 7,0 (4,3) y 4,7 (4,3) a los 12 meses. Conclusiones: Aunque la mayoría de los pacientes son tratados con AHNS-H1, la actividad de la enfermedad sigue siendo importante, afectando negativamente a su CdV, su actividad laboral y repercutiendo negativamente en el uso de recursos sanitarios. Un manejo adecuado de la enfermedad podría ser la base para alcanzar el control de los síntomas, la mejora de la CdV y la optimización de los recursos sanitarios necesarios