Multicomplex number class for Matlab, with a focus on the accurate calculation of small imaginary terms for multicomplex step sensitivity calculations

A Matlab class for multicomplex numbers was developed with particular attention paid to the robust and accurate handling of smallimaginary components. This is primarily to allow the class to be used to obtainn-order derivative information using the multicomplexstep method for, amongst other applications, gradient-based optimization and optimum control problems. The algebra of multicomplexnumbers is described as is its accurate computational implementation, considering small term approximations and the identification ofprinciple values. The implementation of the method in Matlab is studied, and a class definition is constructed. This new class definitionenables Matlab to handlen-order multicomplex numbers, and perform arithmetic functions. It was found that with this method, thestep size could be arbitrarily decreased toward machine precision. Use of the method to obtain up to the 7th derivative of functions ispresented, as is timing data to demonstrate the efficiency of the class implementation

Datasets for transcriptomics, q-proteomics and phenotype microarrays of polyphosphate metabolism mutants from Escherichia coli

Indexación: Scopus.Author acknowledges Fondecyt Grants 1120209, 1121170 and Anillo ACT-1107Here, we provide the dataset associated with our research article on the polyphosphate metabolism entitled, “Multi-level evaluation of Escherichia coli polyphosphate related mutants using global transcriptomic, proteomic and phenomic analyses”. By integrating different omics levels (transcriptome, proteome and phenome), we were able to study Escherichia coli polyphosphate mutant strains (Δppk1, Δppx, and Δppk1-ppx). We have compiled here all datasets from DNA microarrys, q-proteomic (Isotope-Coded Protein Labeling, ICPL) and phenomic (Phenotype microarray) raw data we have obtained in all polyP metabolism mutants.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340917300860?via%3Dihu

Introducing Nuclear Energy to High-School Students: The Spanish Young Generation in Nuclear (Jóvenes Nucleares) Lectures

One of the main goals of Spanish Young Generation (JJNN) is to spread knowledge about nuclear energy, not only pointing out its advantages and its role in our society, but also trying to correct some of the ideas that are due to the biased information and to the lack of knowledge. With this goal in mind, lectures were given in several high schools, aimed at students ranging from 14 to 18 years old. This paper explains the experience accumulated during those talks and the conclusions that can be drawn, so as to better focus the communication about nuclear energy, especially the one aimed at a young public. In order to evaluate the degree of knowledge and information on a specific topic of a given group of individuals, statistical methods must be used. At the beginning of each lecture (and sometimes at the end, in order to evaluate the impact of the talk) the students were submitted to a short survey conducted by Spanish Young Generation. It consisted in eight questions, dealing with the relation between the main environmental issues (global warming, acid rain, radioactive waste…) and nuclear energy. The answers can be surprising, especially for professionals of the nuclear field who, since they are so familiar with this topic, often forget that this is just the case of a minority of people. A better knowledge of the degree of information of a given group enables to focus and personalize the communication. Another communication tool is the direct contact with students: it starts with their questions, which can then lead to a small debate. If the surveys inform about the topics they are unaware of, the direct exchange with them enables to find the most effective way to provide them the information. Of course, it depends a lot on the public attending the talk (age, background…) and on the debate following the talk: a good communication, adapted to the public, is necessary. Therefore, the outcome of the performed exercise is that Spanish teenagers have still a lack of knowledge about nuclear energy. We can learn that items that are evident for nuclear young professionals are unknown for high school teenager

Dynamics of crater formations in immersed granular materials

We report the formation of a crater at the free surface of an immersed granular bed,locally crossed by an ascending gas flow. In two dimensions, the crater consists of two piles which develop around the location of the gas emission. We observe that the typical size of the crater increases logarithmically with time, independently of the gas emission dynamics. We describe the related granular flows and give an account of the influence of the experimental parameters, especially of the grain size and of the gas flow.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Aprobación presidencial en Chile 2000-2012: Sus determinantes y su efecto en la toma de decisiones

Using a quantitative analysis of CEP polls from 2000 to 20012, this article studies the determinants of presidential approval in Chile. It also seeks to contribute to the research agenda relating to the impact of presidential approval on decision-making and the configuration of political cycles.  To do so, we analyze cabinet shuffles as possible responses to the publication of presidential approval levels. Amongst the possible findings of the econometric analysis is that the probability and influence of presidential approval are not constant in time, but depend on the president of the day. At the same time, there is no clear relationship between the publication of CEP poll results and strategic decision-making within the executive regarding cabinet configuration.    El artículo estudia los determinantes de la aprobación presidencial en Chile mediante análisis cuantitativo de los resultados de la encuesta CEP para el periodo 2000-2012. Por otra parte, se busca contribuir al desarrollo de una línea de investigación sobre el impacto de la aprobación presidencial en la toma de decisiones y la configuración de ciclos políticos. Para ello, se analizan los cambios de gabinete como posible respuesta a la divulgación de lascifras de aprobación presidencial. Entre los principales hallazgos del análisis econométrico se observa que la probabilidad de aprobación presidencial, y su influencia, no son constantes en el tiempo, sino que dependen del presidente de turno. Del mismo modo, no se observa un claro patrón de asociación entre la divulgación de resultados la encuesta CEP y la toma de decisiones estratégicas del ejecutivo, en materia de conformación de gabinetes.  

SiO Outflows in the Most Luminous and Massive Protostellar Sources of the Southern Sky

(Abridged) High-mass star formation is far less understood than low-mass star formation. It entails molecular outflows, which disturb the protostellar clump. Studying these outflows and the shocked gas they cause is key for a better understanding of this process. This study aims to characterise the behaviour of molecular outflows in the most massive protostellar sources in the Southern Galaxy by looking for evolutionary trends and associating shocked gas with outflow activity. We present APEX SEPIA180 observations (beamwidth $\sim$36") of SiO outflow candidates of a sample of 32 luminous and dense clumps, candidates to harbouring Hot Molecular Cores. We study the SiO(4-3) line emission, an unambiguous tracer of shocked gas and recent outflow activity, the HCO$^+$(2-1) and H$^{13}$CO$^+$(2-1) lines. 78% of our sample present SiO emission. Nine of these also have wings in the HCO$^+$ line, indicating outflow activity. The SiO emission of these 9 sources is more intense and wider than the rest, suggesting that the outflows in this group are faster and more energetic. Three positive correlations between the outflow properties were found, which suggest that more energetic outflows bear to mobilise more material. No correlation was found between the evolutionary stage indicator $L/M$ and SiO outflow properties, supporting that outflows happen throughout the whole high-mass star formation process. We conclude that sources with both SiO emission and HCO$^+$ wings and sources with only SiO emission are in virtually the same advanced stage of evolution in the high-mass star formation process. The former present more massive and more powerful SiO outflows than the latter. Thus, looking for more outflow signatures such as HCO$^+$ wings could help identify more massive and active massive star-forming regions in samples of similarly evolved sources, as well as sources with older outflow activity.Comment: 24 pages, 37 figures, 11 table

Selenium isotope evidence for pulsed flow of oxidative slab fluids

Isotope systematics of the redox sensitive and chalcophile element selenium (Se) were investigated on exhumed parts of subducted oceanic lithosphere to provide new constraints on slab dehydration conditions during subduction. The samples c,, show increasing delta(82/76)Se(NIST3149 )with higher abundances of fluid mobile elements, comprising a larger range (-1.89 to +0.48 parts per thousand) than that of mantle (-0.13 +/- 0.12 parts per thousand) and altered ocean crust (-0.35 to -0.07 parts per thousand). Our data point to pronounced, local scale redox variations within the subducting crust, wherein oxidative fluids dissolve sulfides and mobilise oxidised Se species. Subsequently recrystallising sulfides preferentially incorporate isotopically lighter, reduced Se, which shifts evolving fluids and late stage sulfides to higher delta Se-82/76(NIST3149). Redistribution of Se by repeated cydes of sulfide reworking within the subducted crust can be reconciled with episodes of oxidised fluid pulses from underlying slab mantle in modem subduction zones

Clinical impact of a pharmacist-led medication review with follow up for aged polypharmacy patients: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Medication review with follow-up (MRF) is a service where community pharmacists undertake a medication review with monthly follow-up to provide continuing care. The ConSIGUE Program assessed the impact and implementation of MRF for aged polypharmacy patients in Spanish Community Pharmacies. The present paper reports on the clinical impact evaluation phase of ConSIGUE. Objective: The main objective of the study was to measure the effect of MRF on the primary outcome of the number of uncontrolled health problems. Secondary objectives were to analyze the drug-related problems (DRPs) identified as potential causes of ineffective or unsafe medications and the pharmacists’ interventions implemented during MRF provision. Methods: An open-label multi-centered cluster randomized study with comparison group (CG) was carried out in community pharmacies from 4 provinces in Spain during 6 months. The main inclusion criteria were patients over 64 years old, using 5 or more medicines. The intervention group (IG) received the MRF service (advanced medication review-type 3 MR) whereas patients in the CG received usual care. Results: 178 pharmacies recruited 1403 patients (IG= 688 patients; CG= 715 patients). During the 6 months of the study 72 patients were lost to follow up. The adjusted multi-level random effects models showed a significant reduction in the number of uncontrolled health problems over the periods in the IG (-0.72, 95% CI: -0.80, -0.65) and no change in the CG (-0.03, 95%CI: -0.10, 0.04). Main DRPs identified as potential causes of failures of uncontrolled health problems’ treatment were undertreated condition (559 DRPs; 35.81%), lack of treatment adherence (261 DRP; 16.67%) and risk of adverse effects (207 DRPs; 13.53%). Interventions performed by pharmacist to solve DRP mainly included the addition (246 interventions; 14.67%) and change (330 interventions; 19.68%) of a medicine and educational interventions on medicine adherence (231 interventions; 13.78%) and non-pharmacological interventions (369 interventions; 22.01%). Conclusions: This study provides evidence of the impact of community pharmacist on clinical outcomes for aged patients. It suggests that the provision of an MRF in collaboration with general medical practitioners and patients contributes to the improvement of aged polypharmacy patients’ health status and reduces their problems related with the use of medicines.Cinfa Laboratorie

Evaluating an implementation programme for medication review with follow-up in community pharmacy using a hybrid effectiveness study design: translating evidence into practice.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate an implementation programme of a community pharmacy medication review with follow-up (MRF) service using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study design, and to compare the clinical and humanistic outcomes with those in a previously conducted cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT). SETTING: Community pharmacies in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 135 community pharmacies and 222 pharmacists providing MRF to polymedicated patients aged 65 or over. INTERVENTION: The intervention was an implementation programme for the MRF service. A national level group was established, mirrored with a provincial level group. A series of interventions were defined (1) to engage pharmacy owners with the implementation model and (2) to provide training to pharmacists consisting of clinical case studies, process of MRF, communication skills and data collection methods and (3) practice change facilitators. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes for the implementation programme were progress, reach, fidelity and integration. The secondary outcomes were number of medications, non-controlled health problems, emergency visits, hospitalisations and health-related quality of life, which were compared with a previous 6-month cluster RCT. RESULTS: 55% of pharmacies reached the implementation phase and 35.6% remained in the testing phase at 12 months. A reach of 89.3% (n=844) was achieved. Fidelity average score was 8.45 (min: 6.2, max: 9.3) out of 10. The integration mean score was 3.39 (SD: 0.72) out of 5. MRF service outcomes were similar to the cluster RCT study; however, the magnitude of the outcomes was delayed. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of pharmacy services is a complex multifactorial process, conditioned by numerous implementation factors. In the absence of remuneration, the implementation of the MRF service is a slow process, taking at least 12 months to complete. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CGFTRA-2017-01

Systematic review of pragmatic randomised control trials assessing the effectiveness of professional pharmacy services in community pharmacies

Background: Implementation of Professional Pharmacy Services (PPSs) requires a demonstration of the service’s impact (efficacy) and its effectiveness. Several systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCT) have shown the efficacy of PPSs in patient’s outcomes in community pharmacy. There is, however, a need to determine the level of evidence on the effectiveness of PPSs in daily practice by means of pragmatic trials. To identify and analyse pragmatic RCTs that measure the effectiveness of PPSs in clinical, economic and humanistic outcomes in the community pharmacy setting. Methods: A systematic search was undertaken in MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and SCIELO. The search was performed on January 31, 2020. Papers were assessed against the following inclusion criteria (1) The intervention could be defined as a PPS; (2) Undertaken in a community pharmacy setting; (3) Was an original paper; (4) Reported quantitative measures of at least one health outcome indicator (ECHO model); (5) The design was considered as a pragmatic RCT, that is, it fulfilled 3 predefined attributes. External validity was analyzed with PRECIS- 2 tool. Results: The search strategy retrieved 1,587 papers. A total of 12 pragmatic RCTs assessing 5 different types of PPSs were included. Nine out of the 12 papers showed positive statistically significant differences in one or more of the primary outcomes (clinical, economic or humanistic) that could be associated with the following PPS: Smoking cessation, Dispensing/Adherence service, Independent prescribing and MTM. No paper reported on costeffectiveness outcomes. Conclusions: There is limited available evidence on the effectiveness of community-based PPS. Pragmatic RCTs to evaluate clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes of PPS are needed