182 research outputs found

    Social capabilities in Alzheimer’s patients

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    Patients with stage-I (very mild and mild) Alzheimer’s disease were asked to participate in a Dictator Game, a type of game in which a subject has to decide how to allocate a certain amount of money between himself and another person. The game enables the experimenter to examine the influence of social norms and social preferences on the decision-making process. When the results of treatments involving Alzheimer’s disease patients were compared with those of identical treatments involving patients with mild cognitive impairment or healthy control subjects, with similar ages and social backgrounds, no statistically significant difference was found. This finding suggests that stage-I Alzheimer’s disease patients may be as capable of making decisions involving social norms and preferences as other individuals of their age. Whatever brain structures are affected by the disease, they do not appear to influence, at this early stage, the neural basis for cooperation-enhancing social interactions.Alzheimer patients, social behavior, dictator games

    Related Factors of Anemia in Critically Ill Patients: A Prospective Multicenter Study

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    Anemia; Blood; Practice managementAnemia; Sangre; Gestión prácticaAnèmia; Sang; Gestió pràcticaAnemia is common in critically ill patients; almost 95% of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) have hemoglobin levels below normal. Several causes may explain this phenomenon as well as the tendency to transfuse patients without adequate cause: due to a lack of adherence to protocols, lack of supervision, incomplete transfusion request forms, or a lack of knowledge about the indications, risks, and costs of transfusions. Daily sampling to monitor the coagulation parameters and the acid–base balance can aggravate anemia as the main iatrogenic factor in its production. We studied the association and importance of iatrogenic blood loss and other factors in the incidence of anemia in ICUs. We performed a prospective, observational, multicenter study in five Spanish hospitals. A total of 142 patients with a median age of 58 years (IQI: 48–69), 71.83% male and 28.17% female, were admitted to ICUs without a diagnosis of iatrogenic anemia. During their ICU stay, anemia appeared in 66.90% of the sample, 95 patients, (95% CI: 58.51–74.56%). Risk factors associated with the occurrence of iatrogenic anemia were arterial catheter insertion (72.63% vs. 46.81%, p-value = 0.003), venous catheter insertion (87.37% vs. 72.34%, p-value = 0.023), drainages (33.68% vs. 12. 77%, p-value = 0.038), and ICU stay, where the longer the stay, the higher the rate of iatrogenic anemia (p-value < 0.001). We concluded that there was a statistical significance in the production of iatrogenic anemia due to the daily sampling for laboratory monitoring and critical procedures in intensive care units. The implementation of patient blood management programs could address these issues

    El proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en la formación interuniversitaria: una experiencia a nivel de máster universitario

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    La incorporación del EEES provocó una infinidad de desafíos y retos a las Universidades que a día de hoy aún están siendo solucionados. Además, ha conllevado nuevas oportunidades para la formación de estudiantes pero también para las Universidades. Entre ellas, la formación interuniversitaria entre estados miembro de la UE. El EEES permite unificar a través del sistema ECTS la carga de trabajo de los estudiantes facilitando la propuesta de planes de estudios interuniversitarios. Sin embargo, surgen desafíos a la hora de llevarlos a la práctica. Independientemente de los retos en la propuesta de los planes de estudio, es necesario implementar procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje que salven la distancia en el espacio físico entre el alumnado y el profesorado. En este artículo se presenta la experiencia docente de la asignatura e-home del Máster Machine Learning and Data Mining de la Universidad de Alicante y la Universidad Jean Monnet (Francia). En este caso, se combina la formación en aula presencial con formación en aula virtual a través de videoconferencia. La evaluación del método de enseñanza-aprendizaje propuesto utiliza la propia experiencia docente y encuestas realizadas a los alumnos para poner de manifiesto la ruptura de barreras espaciales y un éxito a nivel docente

    Related Factors of Anemia in Critically Ill Patients : A Prospective Multicenter Study

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    Anemia is common in critically ill patients; almost 95% of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) have hemoglobin levels below normal. Several causes may explain this phenomenon as well as the tendency to transfuse patients without adequate cause: due to a lack of adherence to protocols, lack of supervision, incomplete transfusion request forms, or a lack of knowledge about the indications, risks, and costs of transfusions. Daily sampling to monitor the coagulation parameters and the acid-base balance can aggravate anemia as the main iatrogenic factor in its production. We studied the association and importance of iatrogenic blood loss and other factors in the incidence of anemia in ICUs. We performed a prospective, observational, multicenter study in five Spanish hospitals. A total of 142 patients with a median age of 58 years (IQI: 48-69), 71.83% male and 28.17% female, were admitted to ICUs without a diagnosis of iatrogenic anemia. During their ICU stay, anemia appeared in 66.90% of the sample, 95 patients, (95% CI: 58.51-74.56%). Risk factors associated with the occurrence of iatrogenic anemia were arterial catheter insertion (72.63% vs. 46.81%, p -value = 0.003), venous catheter insertion (87.37% vs. 72.34%, p -value = 0.023), drainages (33.68% vs. 12. 77%, p -value = 0.038), and ICU stay, where the longer the stay, the higher the rate of iatrogenic anemia (p -value < 0.001). We concluded that there was a statistical significance in the production of iatrogenic anemia due to the daily sampling for laboratory monitoring and critical procedures in intensive care units. The implementation of patient blood management programs could address these issue

    Kinetic and Compositional Study of Phenolic Extraction from Olive Leaves (var.Serrana) by Using Power Ultrasound

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    [EN] Power ultrasound is being used as a novel technique for process intensification. In this study, the feasibility of using power ultrasound to improve the phenolic extraction from olive leaves was approached taking both compositional and kinetic issues into account and also determining the influence of the main process parameters (the electric power supplied, emitter surface and temperature). For this purpose, the extraction kinetics were monitored by measuring the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity and mathematically described by Naik's model, and HPLC DAD/MS MS was used to identify and quantify the main polyphenols. The electric power supplied and the emitter surface greatly affected the effective ultrasonic power applied to the medium, and hence the extraction rate. However, the influence of temperature on ultrasound assisted extraction was not clear. Compared with conventional extraction, ultrasound assisted extraction reduced the extraction time from 24 h to 15 min and did not modify the extract composition. Industrial relevance: Olive crop produces a significant quantity of byproducts (leaves, branches, solid and liquid wastes), coming from the tree pruning, fruit harvest and oil production, which are rich in phenolic compounds with bioactive properties. The extraction of the bioactive compounds could be an interesting option with which to increase the value of these byproducts, as it requires efficient extraction techniques in order to reduce processing costs and improve productivity. In this sense, ultrasound assisted extraction is considered a novel technique used as ameans of intensifying a slow process, such as the leaching of polyphenols fromvegetablematrices. In order to further address the industrial applications of ultrasound assisted extraction, a kinetic study should be carried out determining both the effective energy introduced into the medium, as well as its influence on the extract quality.The authors thank the Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2010/062 and PROMETEO/2012/007) for its financial support. M. H. Ahmad Qasem was the recipient of a fellowship from Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte of Spain (Programa de Formacion de Profesorado Universitario del Programa Nacional de Formacion de Recursos Humanos de Investigacion).Ahmad-Qasem Mateo, MH.; Canovas, J.; Barrajon-Catalan, E.; Micol, V.; Cárcel Carrión, JA.; García Pérez, JV. (2013). Kinetic and Compositional Study of Phenolic Extraction from Olive Leaves (var.Serrana) by Using Power Ultrasound. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies. (17):120-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2012.11.008S1201291

    Lansoprazole Increases Inorganic Pyrophosphate in Patients with Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial

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    Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is characterized by low levels of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) and a high activity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP). Lansoprazole is a partial inhibitor of TNAP. The aim was to investigate whether lansoprazole increases plasma PPi levels in subjects with PXE. We conducted a 2 × 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in patients with PXE. Patients were allocated 30 mg/day of lansoprazole or a placebo in two sequences of 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the differences in plasma PPi levels between the placebo and lansoprazole phases. 29 patients were included in the study. There were eight drop-outs due to the pandemic lockdown after the first visit and one due to gastric intolerance, so twenty patients completed the trial. A generalized linear mixed model was used to evaluate the effect of lansoprazole. Overall, lansoprazole increased plasma PPi levels from 0.34 ± 0.10 µM to 0.41 ± 0.16 µM (p = 0.0302), with no statistically significant changes in TNAP activity. There were no important adverse events. 30 mg/day of lansoprazole was able to significantly increase plasma PPi in patients with PXE; despite this, the study should be replicated with a large number of participants in a multicenter trial, with a clinical end point as the primary outcome.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

    La consulta previa y su influencia en los proyectos de interés nacional estratégico en Colombia

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    Artículo de investigaciónLa consulta previa es un derecho fundamental que consiste en un mecanismo de participación de las comunidades étnicas e indígenas sobre las medidas administrativas o legislativas que pueden afectar su integridad social, cultural y económica, entre otros. El desarrollo que este mecanismo ha presentado en Colombia, según cifras del Ministerio del Interior (2018) puede calificarse como desmedido. En este sentido, es necesario realizar un análisis acerca del exceso de consultas previas presentadas hoy en día en Colombia. Lo anterior, tiene como finalidad identificar las posibles mejoras que pueden desarrollarse a través de la reglamentación consiente de los procesos de consulta previa, a partir de la identificación real de las afectaciones que puede constituir cada proyecto (PINES). Ponderando el interés general y la necesidad de los proyectos que se encuentran en marcha.1. INTRODUCCIÓN 2. LA CONSULTA PREVIA COMO DERECHO FUNDAMENTAL 3. FUNDAMENTO CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CONSULTA PREVIA 4. AUTODETERMINACIÓN, CONSENTIMIENTO PREVIO LIBRE E INFORMADO DE LAS COMUNIDADES ÉTNICAS CONCLUSIONES REFERENCIAS 5. PROYECTOS DE INTERÉS NACIONAL Y ESTRATÉGICOS – PINES 6. LA CONSULTA PREVIA Y LOS PROYECTOS DE INTERÉS NACIONAL Y ESTRATÉGICOS – PINES. 7. LA CONSULTA PREVIA Y LA CONSULTA POPULAR Y SU INFLUENCIA EN EL DESARROLLO DEL PAÍSPregradoAbogad

    Results of a survey on peri-operative nutritional support in pancreatic and biliary surgery in Spain

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    Introduction: a survey on peri-operative nutritional support in pancreatic and biliary surgery among Spanish hospitals in 2007 showed that few surgical groups followed the 2006 ESPEN guidelines. Ten years later we sent a questionnaire to check the current situation. Methods: a questionnaire with 21 items sent to 38 centers, related to fasting time before and after surgery, nutritional screening use and type, time and type of peri-operative nutritional support, and number of procedures. Results: thirty-four institutions responded. The median number of pancreatic resections (head/total) was 29.5 (95 % CI: 23.0-35; range, 5-68) (total, 1002); of surgeries for biliary malignancies (non-pancreatic), 9.8 (95 % CI: 7.3-12.4; range, 2-30); and of main biliary resections for benign conditions, 10.4 (95 % CI: 7.6-13.3; range, 2-33). Before surgery, only 41.2 % of the sites used nutritional support (< 50 % used any nutritional screening procedure). The mean duration of preoperative fasting for solid foods was 9.3 h (range, 6-24 h); it was 6.6 h for liquids (range, 2-12). Following pancreatic surgery, 29.4 % tried to use early oral feeding, but 88.2 % of the surveyed teams used some nutritional support; 26.5 % of respondents used TPN in 100 % of cases. Different percentages of TPN and EN were used in the other centers. In malignant biliary surgery, 22.6 % used TPN always, and EN in 19.3 % of cases. Conclusions: TPN is the commonest nutrition approach after pancreatic head surgery. Only 29.4 % of the units used early oral feeding, and 32.3 % used EN; 22.6 % used TPN regularly after surgery for malignant biliary tumours. The 2006 ESPEN guideline recommendations are not regularly followed 12 years after their publication in our country
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