913 research outputs found

    Modelado de transmisión eficiente de datos para eventos multivariantes basados en umbral

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    This doctoral thesis delves into the optimization of communications in sensor networks for a specific purpose: to evaluate threshold-based events that depend on multiple distributed variables. This motivation is behind the detailed research presented here in the form of a compendium of papers. The developed work is structured in 3 scientific contributions in articles. Out of those 3 contributions, the most theoretical work has been described in 2 of them, leaving the third article for the presentation of a methodological support tool with great scientific impact and relevance in this doctoral thesis. Due to the two theoretical and large–scale contributions in the proposed field, a solution is proposed which is stated as an hypotheses. The first contribution is the mathematical foundations for modelling data reduction in the sensor network and measuring its influence on the quality of the event evaluation. For this purpose, a set of functions and parameters is defined. This logic modifies the cardinality of the mathematical domains in which information is defined in order to save traffic. Specific metrics that consider the time delays in the state changes of the evaluated condition are also defined. The second contribution is an adaptive algorithm that, taking into account the logical context of the system information, parameterizes the proposed model at runtime. As a result, this technique maximizes traffic reduction and minimizes error in the evaluation of the event simultaneously, obtaining promising results. As a methodological contribution, a procedure for generating pseudo-realistic random signals is also described, a useful tool for easily obtaining large datasets suitable for experimentation, which has been applied in the described contributions.Esta tesis doctoral profundiza en la optimización de las comunicaciones en redes de sensores con un propósito específico: evaluar eventos basados en umbral que dependen de múltiples variables distribuidas. Con esta motivación se desarrolla la investigación detallada aquí en forma compendio de artículos. El trabajo desarrollado se estructura en 3 aportaciones científicas en artículos. De esas 3 aportaciones, el trabajo en su vertiente más teórica se desarrolla en 2 de ellas, quedando el tercer artículo para la presentación de una herramienta de soporte metodológico con gran impacto científico y de relevancia en esta tesis doctoral. Gracias a las dos aportaciones teóricas y de gran calado en el ámbito propuesto se propone una solución que se plantea en forma de hipótesis. La primera aportación son los fundamentos matemáticos para modelar la reducción de datos en la red de sensores y medir su incidencia en la calidad de la evaluación del evento. Para ello define una serie de funciones y parámetros que alteran la cardinalidad de los dominios matemáticos en los que se define la información, así como métricas específicas que tienen en cuenta los desfases temporales en los cambios de estado de la condición evaluada. La segunda aportación es un algoritmo adaptativo que, considerando el contexto lógico de la información del sistema, parametriza el modelo propuesto en tiempo de ejecución. Como resultado, esta técnica maximiza la reducción de tráfico y minimiza el error en la evaluación del evento simultáneamente, obteniendo resultados prometedores. Como tercera aportación se describe también un procedimiento para generar señales aleatorias pseudo–realistas, una herramienta útil para disponer fácilmente de grandes conjuntos de datos adecuados para experimentación, que ha sido utilizada en las aportaciones descritas

    Changes in renal WT-1 expression preceding hypertension development

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    Background: Hypertension is a public health problem with mostly unknown causes, and where strong hereditary genetic alterations have not been fully elucidated. However, the use of experimental models has provided valuable information. Recent evidences suggest that alterations in key nephrogenic factors, such as Wilms' tumor 1 transcription factor (WT-1), could contribute to the development of hypertension. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the expression of WT-1 and related genes in the nephrogenic process in connection with the development of hypertension as well as the corresponding anatomical and functional correlation. Methods: Male spontaneously hypertensive and control rats were evaluated weekly from birth until week 8 of life. Their blood pressure was taken weekly using the tail-cuff blood pressure system. Weekly, 5 rats per group were sacrificed with a lethal injection of pentobarbital, and their kidneys were removed, decapsulated and weighed. The serum was collected for measuring biochemical parameters. The results were assessed using one-way analysis of variance for comparisons between groups. Results: The relationship between renal weight/total body weights was established, without significantly different values. These data were compared with apoptosis, fibrosis, number and size of the glomeruli. The elevation of systolic blood pressure was significant since week 6. Biochemical values differed slightly. Histology showed a slight increase in deposits of collagen fibers since week 4. Additionally, in kidney cortices, the expression of WT-1, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and vitamin D receptors (VDR) decreased since week 4. Finally, we demonstrated ultrastructural damage to mitochondria since week 4. Conclusions: Our results would suggest an unprecedented link, possibly a regulatory mechanism, between WT-1 on nephrogenic alteration processes and their relationship with hypertension. Moreover, and previous to the increase in blood pressure, we demonstrated low expressions of WT-1, VDR and Hsp70 in kidneys from neonatal SHRs. If so, this may suggest that deregulation in the expression of WT-1 and its impact on nephrogenesis induction could be crucial in understanding the development and maintenance of hypertension.Fil: Mazzei, Luciana Jorgelina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: García, Isabel Mercedes. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Juan Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Casarotto, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Fornes, Miguel Walter. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Abud, María Angélica. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Cuello Carrión, Fernando Darío. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Ferder, León. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Manucha, Walter Ariel Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentin

    Major dietary patterns and risk of frailty in older adults: A prospective cohort study

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    Background: There is emerging evidence of the role of certain nutrients as risk factors for frailty. However, people eat food, rather than nutrients, and no previous study has examined the association between dietary patterns empirically derived from food consumption and the risk of frailty in older adults. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of 1,872 non-institutionalized individuals aged ≥60 years recruited between 2008 and 2010. At baseline, food consumption was obtained with a validated diet history and, by using factor analysis, two dietary patterns were identified: a ‘prudent’ pattern, characterized by high intake of olive oil and vegetables, and a ‘Westernized’ pattern, with a high intake of refined bread, whole dairy products, and red and processed meat, as well as low consumption of fruit and vegetables. Participants were followed-up until 2012 to assess incident frailty, defined as at least three of the five Fried criteria (exhaustion, weakness, low physical activity, slow walking speed, and unintentional weight loss). Results: Over a 3.5-year follow-up, 96 cases of incident frailty were ascertained. The multivariate odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of frailty among those in the first (lowest), second, and third tertile of adherence to the prudent dietary pattern were 1, 0.64 (0.37–1.12), and 0.40 (0.2–0.81), respectively; P-trend = 0.009. The corresponding values for the Westernized pattern were 1, 1.53 (0.85–2.75), and 1.61 (0.85–3.03); P-trend = 0.14. Moreover, a greater adherence to the Westernized pattern was associated with an increasing risk of slow walking speed and weight loss. Conclusions: In older adults, a prudent dietary pattern showed an inverse dose-response relationship with the risk of frailty while a Westernized pattern had a direct relationship with some of their components. Clinical trials should test whether a prudent pattern is effective in preventing or delaying frailtyBaseline data collection was funded by Sanofi-Aventis. Data collection during follow-up was funded by the Spanish Government grants 09/1626 and 09/0104 (Ministry of Health of Spain). Funding specific for this analysis was obtained from the Spanish Government grant 12/1166 (Ministry of Health of Spain) and the FP7-HEALTH-2012-Proposal No: 305483–2 (FRAILOMIC Initiative). Funders had no role in data analyses, preparation of the manuscript, or in the decision to submit it for publicatio

    Aplicación del proceso enfemero a la acupuntura: simbiosis perfecta

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    En este trabajo de fin de grado se refleja la posibilidad de aplicar el Proceso de Atención de Enfermería dentro de una consulta de acupuntura. En particular se expone un caso de fibromialgia tratada con acupuntura y el supuesto de la aplicación del Proceso Enfermero dentro de la misma consulta

    Análisis de los patrones radiológicos en la IC descompensada y su correlación con las características clínicas y bioquímicas en pacientes con IC descompensada

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    Introducción y objetivos: La insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) es una enfermedad crónica de elevada prevalencia y morbimortalidad. La estrategia a seguir ante la sospecha de IC se sustenta en la recogida de parámetros clínicos y bioquímicos, y la realización de una ecocardiografía y radiografía de tórax en ciertas ocasiones. En esta última, se pueden observar diferentes patrones radiológicos. Se quiere demostrar si existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas que apoyen la correlación de los patrones radiológicos con los parámetros clínicos y bioquímicos. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo, epidemiológico, retrospectivo, observacional, en pacientes con ingreso índice por presentar IC. La muestra se dividió en cuatro grupos según el patrón radiológico predominante: cardiomegalia, derrame pleural, redistribución vascular y edema pulmonar. Se compararon con características epidemiológicas, demográficas, antropométricas, clínicas y analíticas mediante el programa de estadística SPSS15. La significación estadística se estableció en p<0.05. Resultados/Discusión: Muestra de 271 pacientes donde el 57.6% son varones, la mediana de edad es de 88 años y el IMC observado es mayor al de la población con IC. La HTA es la etiología primaria más frecuente en ambos sexos, significativamente más en mujeres (53.9%vs33.5%)(p<0.05), seguida de la CI en varones (32.9%)(p<0.05). Las comorbilidades más frecuentes son la HTA (75.6%) y la FA (66.7%). En la FA es más frecuente no tener asociada CI (77.8%), que tenerla (22.2%)(p<0.05). La CI y el EPOC son más frecuentes en varones, y la HTA en mujeres (p<0.05). El NTproBNP era menor en obesos que en no obesos (p<0.05). El 56.1% de la muestra tiene ICFE-c. Los varones tienen una FEVI% menor que las mujeres (48%vs54%), posiblemente por la alta prevalencia de HTA en ambos sexos y CI en varones. Los patrones radiológicos no se corresponden con datos demográficos, NTproBNP y ecocardiográficos (Índice masa de VI, dilatación de cavidades, alteración de la contractibilidad, FEVI%, presión arterial pulmonar estimada, diámetro de aurícula izquierda). Conclusión: No existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas de los resultados obtenidos. Dado que no hay correlación entre los datos radiológicos, morfológicos y hemodinámicos, la ecocardiografía es la prueba ‘’gold estándar’’ en sospecha de IC, frente a la Rx de tórax, por su baja rentabilidad diagnóstica.<br /

    Differences in RAAS/vitamin D linked to genetics and socioeconomic factors could explain the higher mortality rate in African Americans with COVID-19

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    COVID-19 is said to be a pandemic that does not distinguish between skin color or ethnic origin. However, data in many parts of the world, especially in the United States, begin to show that there is a sector of society suffering a more significant impact from this pandemic. The Black population is more vulnerable than the White population to infection and death by COVID-19, with hypertension and diabetes mellitus as probable predisposing factors. Over time, multiple disparities have been observed between the health of Black and White populations, associated mainly with socioeconomic inequalities. However, some mechanisms and pathophysiological susceptibilities begin to be elucidated that are related directly to the higher prevalence of multiple diseases in the Black population, including infection and death by COVID-19. Plasma vitamin D levels and evolutionary adaptations of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in Black people differ considerably from those of other races. The role of these factors in the development and progression of hypertension and multiple lung diseases, among them SARS-CoV-2 infection, is well established. In this sense, the present review attempts to elucidate the link between vitamin D and RAAS ethnic disparities and susceptibility to infection and death by COVID-19 in Black people, and suggests possible mechanisms for this susceptibility.Fil: Martín Giménez, Virna Margarita. Universidad Catolica de Cuyo - Sede San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentación, Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Químicas; ArgentinaFil: Ferder, León. Universidad de Maimónides; ArgentinaFil: Inserra, Felipe. Universidad de Maimónides; ArgentinaFil: García, Joxel. No especifíca;Fil: Manucha, Walter Ariel Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

    On statistical convergence and strong Cesaro convergence by moduli for double sequences

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    A remarkable result on summability states that the statistical convergence and the strong Cesàro convergence are closely connected. Given a modulus function f, we will establish that a double sequence that is f -strong Cesàro convergent is always f -statistically convergent. The converse, in general, is false even for bounded sequences. However, we will characterize analytically the modulus functions f for which the converse of this result remains true. The results of this paper adapt to several variables the results obtained in (León-Saavedra et al. in J. Inequal. Appl. 12:298, 2019)

    Resultados a largo plazo del tratamiento de las fracturas de rótula mediante hemipatelectomia

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    Han sido revisadas retrospectivamente 48 fracturas de rótula tratadas mediante hemipatelectomía, con un seguimiento medio de 14,6 años. Para la valoración se han seguido criterios clínicos, radiológicos, subjetivos y de potencia del aparato extensor. El rango de movilidad de la extremidad intervenida es del 89%, la potencia del aparato extensor de 83% y la medición de la circunferencia del muslo del 97%, tomando como referencia la extremidad no intervenida. Encontramos un 45% de resultados excelentes, 39,58% de buenos resultados, 10,41% de resultados regulares y 4,16% de malos resultados. Existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el tipo de fractura, la edad de los pacientes, la existencia de patología previa en la rodilla, las lesiones asociadas a la fractura rotuliana por el traumatismo y el resultado final obtenido. A la vista de estos resultados podemos concluir que la hemipatelectomía es una técnica eficaz y segura para el tratamiento de algunos tipos de fracturas de rótula.A retrospective stydy was made of 48 patellar fractures who were threated with a hemipatellectomy. The mean time of follow-up was 14,6 years. The results were assessed with use of clinical, radiological, subjective and isokinetic quadriceps strength-testing criteria. The mean active range of motion was 89%, the strength of quadriceps was 83% and the circumference of the thigh was 97% of these measurements in the contralateral extremity. The over-all results was rated as excellent in 45,83%, dood in 39,58%, fair in 10,41% and poor in 4,16%. There was a significant statistical correlation between the type of fracture, the previous patology in the knee, the associated lesions caused by trauma and the outcome. The results of this study indicate that hemipatellectomy can be an effective and secure treatment for selected patellar fractures

    Combined impact of traditional and non-traditional health behaviors on mortality: A national prospective cohort study in Spanish older adults

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    Background: Data on the combined effect of lifestyles on mortality in older people have generally been collected from highly selected populations and have been limited to traditional health behaviors. In this study, we examined the combined impact of three traditional (smoking, physical activity and diet) and three non-traditional health behaviors (sleep duration, sedentary time and social interaction) on mortality among older adults. Methods: A cohort of 3,465 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥60 years, was established in 2000/2001 and followed-up prospectively through 2011. At baseline, the following positive behaviors were selfreported: never smoking or quitting tobacco >15 years, being very or moderately physically active, having a healthy diet score ≥ median in the cohort, sleeping 7 to 8 h/d, spending <8 h/d in sitting time, and seeing friends daily. Analyses were performed with Cox regression and adjusted for the main confounders. Results: During an average nine-year follow-up, 1,244 persons died. Hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for allcause mortality among participants with two, three, four, five and six compared to those with zero to one positive behaviors were, respectively, 0.63 (0.46 to 0.85), 0.41 (0.31 to 0.55), 0.32 (0.24 to 0.42), 0.26 (0.20 to 0.35) and 0.20 (0.15 to 0.28) (P for trend <0.001). The results were similar regardless of age, sex and health status at baseline. Those with six vs. zero to one positive health behaviors had an all-cause mortality risk equivalent to being 14 years younger. Adding the three non-traditional to the four traditional behaviors improved the model fit (likelihood ratio test, P <0.001) and the accuracy of mortality prediction (c-statistic: + 0.0031, P = 0.040). Conclusions: Adherence to some traditional and non-traditional health behaviors may substantially reduce mortality risk in older adults.This work was funded by grants from the FIS (ref. 12/1166) and the ‘Plan Nacional sobre Drogas’ (ref. 06/2010), and by the ‘Cátedra UAM de Epidemiología y Control del Riesgo Cardiovascular’. DMG had a “Juan de la Cierva” contract from the Spanish Ministry of Scienc

    Evolutionary history of the endangered fish Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis (Bean, 1898) (Cyprinodontiformes: Goodeidae) using a sequential approach to phylogeography based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tectonic, volcanic and climatic events that produce changes in hydrographic systems are the main causes of diversification and speciation of freshwater fishes. Elucidate the evolutionary history of freshwater fishes permits to infer theories on the biotic and geological evolution of a region, which can further be applied to understand processes of population divergence, speciation and for conservation purposes. The freshwater ecosystems in Central Mexico are characterized by their genesis dynamism, destruction, and compartmentalization induced by intense geologic activity and climatic changes since the early Miocene. The endangered goodeid <it>Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis </it>is widely distributed across Central México, thus making it a good model for phylogeographic analyses in this area.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We addressed the phylogeography, evolutionary history and genetic structure of populations of <it>Z. quitzeoensis </it>through a sequential approach, based on both microsatellite and mitochondrial cytochrome <it>b </it>sequences. Most haplotypes were private to particular locations. All the populations analysed showed a remarkable number of haplotypes. The level of gene diversity within populations was <inline-formula><m:math name="1471-2148-8-161-i1" xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><m:semantics><m:mover accent="true"><m:mi>H</m:mi><m:mo>¯</m:mo></m:mover><m:annotation encoding="MathType-MTEF"> MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfKttLearuWrP9MDH5MBPbIqV92AaeXatLxBI9gBaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacPC6xNi=xH8viVGI8Gi=hEeeu0xXdbba9frFj0xb9qqpG0dXdb9aspeI8k8fiI+fsY=rqGqVepae9pg0db9vqaiVgFr0xfr=xfr=xc9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaaeqabiWaaaGcbaGafmisaGKbaebaaaa@2D06@</m:annotation></m:semantics></m:math></inline-formula><sub><it>d </it></sub>= 0.987 (0.714 – 1.00). However, in general the nucleotide diversity was low, π = 0.0173 (0.0015 – 0.0049). Significant genetic structure was found among populations at the mitochondrial and nuclear level (Φ<sub>ST </sub>= 0.836 and <it>F</it><sub><it>ST </it></sub>= 0.262, respectively). We distinguished two well-defined mitochondrial lineages that were separated <it>ca</it>. 3.3 million years ago (Mya). The time since expansion was <it>ca</it>. 1.5 × 10<sup>6 </sup>years ago for Lineage I and <it>ca</it>. 860,000 years ago for Lineage II. Also, genetic patterns of differentiation, between and within lineages, are described at different historical timescales.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our mtDNA data indicates that the evolution of the different genetic groups is more related to ancient geological and climatic events (Middle Pliocene, <it>ca</it>. 3.3 Mya) than to the current hydrographic configuration of the basins. In general, mitochondrial and nuclear data supported the same relationships between populations, with the exception of some reduced populations in highly polluted basins (Lower Lerma River), where the effects of genetic drift are suggested by the different analyses at the nuclear and mitochondrial level. Further, our findings are of special interest for the conservation of this endangered species.</p
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