An integrated model for computer assisted diagnosis, treatment and design of insoles for the diabetic foot

The incidence of diabetes has increased significantly in recent decades. In Germany, there is an estimate of three million diabetics and this number is growing at a rate of about 2 percent per year. In the U.S.A., the American Diabetes Association estimates that thirteen million people suffer from this condition, representing 5.2 percent of the entire population and every year, some 35 thousand patients have a lower limb amputated. In Latin America, it has been reported that the prevalence of diabetes is of the order of 14 to 20 percent, according to a research conducted by the WHO's Ad Hoc Diabetes Reporting Group. In Colombia, a study by Ashner et al concludes that the prevalence is 7 percent in both sexes

Colored Spin Systems, BKP Evolution and finite N_c effects

Even within the framework of the leading logarithmic approximation the eigenvalues of the BKP kernel for states of more than three reggeized gluons are unknown in general, contrary to the planar limit case where the problem becomes integrable. We consider a 4-gluon kernel for a finite number of colors and define some simple toy models for the configuration space dynamics, which are directly solvable with group theoretical methods. Then we study the dependence of the spectrum of these models with respect to the number of colors and make comparisons with the large limit case.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, references update, to appear on EPJ

Baxter Q-operator and Separation of Variables for the open SL(2,R) spin chain

We construct the Baxter Q-operator and the representation of the Separated Variables (SoV) for the homogeneous open SL(2,R) spin chain. Applying the diagrammatical approach, we calculate Sklyanin's integration measure in the separated variables and obtain the solution to the spectral problem for the model in terms of the eigenvalues of the Q-operator. We show that the transition kernel to the SoV representation is factorized into the product of certain operators each depending on a single separated variable. As a consequence, it has a universal pyramid-like form that has been already observed for various quantum integrable models such as periodic Toda chain, closed SL(2,R) and SL(2,C) spin chains.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, Latex styl

Historical Trends in pH and Carbonate Biogeochemistry on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

Coral reefs are important ecosystems that are increasingly negatively impacted by human activities. Understanding which anthropogenic stressors play the most significant role in their decline is vital for the accurate prediction of future trends in coral reef health and for effective mitigation of these threats. Here we present annually resolved boron and carbon isotope measurements of two cores capturing the past 90 years of growth of the tropical reef-building coral Siderastrea siderea from the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The pairing of these two isotope systems allows us to parse the reconstructed pH change into relative changes in net ecosystem productivity and net ecosystem calcification between the two locations. This approach reveals that the relationship between seawater pH and coral calcification, at both a colony and ecosystem level, is complex and cannot simply be modeled as linear or even positive. This study also underscores both the utility of coupled δ11B-δ13C measurements in tracing past biogeochemical cycling in coral reefs and the complexity of this cycling relative to the open ocean

The RTU Graduate School Executive Master's Program for school year 2011-2012 as viewed by its respondents

This study was conducted to ascertain the views and opinions of the faculty and personnel as recipients of the Rizal Technological University (RTU) Graduate School Executive Master's program as to its reasons for availment, importance of the core and major subjects of the curriculum, lecturers' professional skills, duration/time allotment, level of satisfaction, significant difference of the two programs, problem encountered and gathered possible solutions to the problems; determine whether the Executive Master's Program was able to realize its goals and objectives and find out the overall impression of the recipients about the Executive Master's Program. A total of fifty (50) RTU faculty and personnel graduated from this Executive Master's program, twenty six (26) Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) and twenty four (24) Master of Arts in Engineering (MAE)

Amabilidad, confort y espiritualidad en los cuidados paliativos oncológicos: Aporte para la humanización en salud

Introduction. For terminally ill cancer patients, it is essential to feel welcome, comfortable, and receive spiritual support during hospitalization. Objective. Describe the kindness, comfort measures and support provided spiritual care to the terminally ill cancer patients as perceived by nurses and family caregivers in a hospital in Chiclayo, Peru. Methods: Qualitative descriptive research, the convenience sample and the sample so formed 06 nurses and 06 family caregivers of cancer patients at terminal stage, obtained by the technique of saturation and redundancy. To collect data was used to guide semistructured interview validated by expert judgment and pilot, which was recorded prior informed consent. Data were processed manually by thematic content analysis. Results. a) The friendliness of the nurse-patient, b) Measures of comfort for satisfying basic needs, c) Spiritual support for the relief of suffering. Conclusions. Humanization in caring for cancer patients starts with the kindness that refers to the greeting, respect and therapeutic touch, even at a time when nurses perform comfort measures to relieve pain and satisfaction of basic needs the collaboration of the accompanying family; certainly the spiritual support, expressed in promoting faith rescues hope, prayer, respecting the religious beliefs and practices. Cancer is likely to generate higher sensitivity and compassion in health personnel.Introducción. Para los pacientes oncológicos en fase terminal, es fundamental sentirse acogidos, cómodos, y recibir apoyo espiritual durante su hospitalización. Objetivo: Describir la amabilidad, las medidas de confort y el apoyo espiritual que se brinda en el cuidado al paciente oncológico en fase terminal según la percepción de enfermeras y familiares cuidadores en un hospital de Chiclayo-Perú. Método. Investigación cualitativa descriptiva, el muestreo fue por conveniencia y la muestra lo conformó 06 enfermeras y 06 familiares cuidadores de pacientes oncológicos en fase terminal, obtenidos por la técnica de saturación y redundancia. Para recolectar los datos se usó guía de entrevista semiestructurada validado por juicio de expertos y prueba piloto, la cual fue grabada previo consentimiento informado. Los datos fueron procesados de manera manual mediante el análisis de contenido temático. Resultados. a) La amabilidad en la relación enfermera-paciente, b) Medidas de confort para satisfacción de necesidades básicas, c) Apoyo espiritual para el alivio del sufrimiento. Conclusiones. Existe humanización en el cuidado a pacientes oncológicos, se inicia con la amabilidad que se refiere al saludo, el respeto y el toque terapéutico, aun en momentos en que las enfermeras realizan las medidas de confort para aliviar el dolor y la satisfacción de las necesidades básicas con la colaboración del familiar acompañante; sin duda se rescata el apoyo espiritual, que se expresa en el fomento de la fe, la esperanza, la oración, respetando las creencias y prácticas religiosas. Es probable que el cáncer genere mayor sensibilidad y compasión en el personal de salud.Introdução. Para pacientes com câncer em estado terminal, é essencial para se sentir bem-vindo, confortável, e receber apoio espiritual durante a hospitalização. Objetivo. Descreva a bondade, medidas de conforto e apoio prestado assistência espiritual aos pacientes com câncer em estado terminal, como percebido pelos enfermeiros e cuidadores familiares em um hospital em Chiclayo, Peru. Método. Pesquisa qualitativa descritiva, a amostra de conveniência e a amostra assim formado 06 enfermeiras e 06 cuidadores familiares de doentes com cancro na fase terminal, obtidos pela técnica de saturação e redundância. Para coleta de dados foi usado para guiar entrevista semi-estruturada validada pelo julgamento e perito piloto, que foi gravado consentimento prévio. Os dados foram processados manualmente por meio de análise de conteúdo temática. Resultados. a) A simpatia das Medidas de enfermeiro-paciente, b) de conforto para satisfazer as necessidades básicas, c) apoio espiritual para o alívio do sofrimento. Conclusões. Humanização no atendimento de pacientes com câncer começa com a bondade que se refere ao cumprimento, respeito e toque terapêutico, mesmo num momento em que os enfermeiros executar medidas de conforto para aliviar a dor e satisfação das necessidades básicas a colaboração da família de acompanhamento; certamente o apoio espiritual, expressa na promoção resgata esperança fé, oração, respeitando as crenças e práticas religiosas. O câncer é susceptível de gerar maior sensibilidade e compaixão em pessoal de saúde

An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome Analytics

For a decade, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program collected clinicopathologic annotation data along with multi-platform molecular profiles of more than 11,000 human tumors across 33 different cancer types. TCGA clinical data contain key features representing the democratized nature of the data collection process. To ensure proper use of this large clinical dataset associated with genomic features, we developed a standardized dataset named the TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource (TCGA-CDR), which includes four major clinical outcome endpoints. In addition to detailing major challenges and statistical limitations encountered during the effort of integrating the acquired clinical data, we present a summary that includes endpoint usage recommendations for each cancer type. These TCGA-CDR findings appear to be consistent with cancer genomics studies independent of the TCGA effort and provide opportunities for investigating cancer biology using clinical correlates at an unprecedented scale. Analysis of clinicopathologic annotations for over 11,000 cancer patients in the TCGA program leads to the generation of TCGA Clinical Data Resource, which provides recommendations of clinical outcome endpoint usage for 33 cancer types

Rheological behaviour of native silk feedstocks

Whilst much is known about the properties of silks, the means by which native silk feedstocks are spun still represent a gap in our knowledge. Rheology of the native silk feedstocks is germane to an understanding of the natural spinning process. Yet, an overview of the literature reveals subtle limitations and inconsistencies between studies, which has been largely attributed to sample-to-sample variation when testing these exquisitely flow-sensitive materials. This ambiguity has prevented reliable, consistent inferences from standard polymer rheology and constitutes an obstacle to further development. To address this challenge, we present the largest study to date into the rheological properties of native silk feedstocks from Bombyx mori larvae. A combination of shear and oscillatory measurements were used to examine in detail the relationships between concentration, low shear viscosity, relaxation times, complex modulus and estimates of the molecular weights between entanglements. The results from this highly detailed survey will provide a sound basis for further experimental or theoretical work and lay the foundations for future bio-inspired processing of proteins

Genetic drivers of kidney defects in the digeorge syndrome

BACKGROUND The DiGeorge syndrome, the most common of the microdeletion syndromes, affects multiple organs, including the heart, the nervous system, and the kidney. It is caused by deletions on chromosome 22q11.2; the genetic driver of the kidney defects is unknown. METHODS We conducted a genomewide search for structural variants in two cohorts: 2080 patients with congenital kidney and urinary tract anomalies and 22,094 controls. We performed exome and targeted resequencing in samples obtained from 586 additional patients with congenital kidney anomalies. We also carried out functional studies using zebrafish and mice. RESULTS We identified heterozygous deletions of 22q11.2 in 1.1% of the patients with congenital kidney anomalies and in 0.01% of population controls (odds ratio, 81.5; P = 4.5×1014). We localized the main drivers of renal disease in the DiGeorge syndrome to a 370-kb region containing nine genes. In zebrafish embryos, an induced loss of function in snap29, aifm3, and crkl resulted in renal defects; the loss of crkl alone was sufficient to induce defects. Five of 586 patients with congenital urinary anomalies had newly identified, heterozygous protein-Altering variants, including a premature termination codon, in CRKL. The inactivation of Crkl in the mouse model induced developmental defects similar to those observed in patients with congenital urinary anomalies. CONCLUSIONS We identified a recurrent 370-kb deletion at the 22q11.2 locus as a driver of kidney defects in the DiGeorge syndrome and in sporadic congenital kidney and urinary tract anomalies. Of the nine genes at this locus, SNAP29, AIFM3, and CRKL appear to be critical to the phenotype, with haploinsufficiency of CRKL emerging as the main genetic driver