Una propuesta para la inclusión del parámetro protocolo de cabina en la evaluación de la calidad de la interpretación simultánea de conferencia

This paper seeks to present a new Spanish parameter called “protocolo de cabina” (booth manners) to assess quality in simultaneous conference interpreting and to create a new assessment system. In professional interpreting, delegates and boothmates can often perceive a deterioration in the quality of the interpreting, chiefly due to the fact that interpreters lack awareness of booth manners. Of the components of booth manners, ‘noise’ seems to impact negatively on the product. Nevertheless, the parameter ‘booth manners’ and the intraparameter ‘noise’ are only given a very minor role in the theoretical models of quality assessment if they are included at all. To overcome this problem, the paper surveys this parameter and its main components. It also proposes a categorization of the intraparameter ‘noise’, so that simultaneous interpreters can be more aware of noise reduction as a key factor in interpreting quality. In fact, solving noise problems in interpreting could shift the way simultaneous interpreters interact with the booth and its equipment.En este artículo, se presenta un nuevo parámetro, protocolo de cabina, como valor normativo para calificar la calidad de la interpretación simultánea de conferencia y obtener un nuevo sistema de evaluación. La profesión ve mermado el desempeño del intérprete en la percepción del compañero de cabina y del usuario, por desconocimiento de los componentes del protocolo de cabina, particularmente, del ruido, que impacta negativamente al producto. En los modelos teóricos, el parámetro protocolo de cabina, no ocupa un lugar preponderante para la evaluación de la calidad. Por estas razones, esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar y segmentar el parámetro y categorizar al intraparámetro ruido, para que el intérprete simultáneo pueda considerar la eliminación de éste último como pieza clave para la optimización de su producto. La resolución del problema del ruido en la profesión puede llevar a una revolución de la manera de interactuar con la cabina

Systemic thrombolytic therapy for acute pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim Thrombolytic therapy induces faster clot dissolution than anticoagulation in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) but is associated with an increased risk of haemorrhage. We reviewed the risks and benefits of thrombolytic therapy in the management of patients with acute PE. Methods and results We systematically reviewed randomized controlled studies comparing systemic thrombolytic therapy plus anticoagulation with anticoagulation alone in patients with acute PE. Fifteen trials involving 2057 patients were included in our meta-analysis. Compared with heparin, thrombolytic therapy was associated with a significant reduction of overall mortality (OR; 0.59, 95% CI: 0.36-0.96). This reduction was not statistically significant after exclusion of studies including high-risk PE (OR; 0.64, 95% CI: 0.35-1.17). Thrombolytic therapy was associated with a significant reduction in the combined endpoint of death or treatment escalation (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.22-0.53), PE-related mortality (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14-0.60) and PE recurrence (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.27-0.94). Major haemorrhage (OR; 2.91, 95% CI: 1.95-4.36) and fatal or intracranial bleeding (OR: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.25-8.11) were significantly more frequent among patients receiving thrombolysis. Conclusions Thrombolytic therapy reduces total mortality, PE recurrence, and PE-related mortality in patients with acute PE. The decrease in overall mortality is, however, not significant in haemodynamically stable patients with acute PE. Thrombolytic therapy is associated with an increase of major and fatal or intracranial haemorrhag

A snow cover climatology for the Pyrenees from MODIS snow products

International audienceThe seasonal snow in the Pyrenees is critical for hydropower production, crop irrigation and tourism in France, Spain and Andorra. Complementary to in situ observations , satellite remote sensing is useful to monitor the effect of climate on the snow dynamics. The MODIS daily snow products (Terra/MOD10A1 and Aqua/MYD10A1) are widely used to generate snow cover climatologies, yet it is preferable to assess their accuracies prior to their use. Here, we use both in situ snow observations and remote sensing data to evaluate the MODIS snow products in the Pyrenees. First, we compare the MODIS products to in situ snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements. We estimate the values of the SWE and SD best detection thresholds to 40 mm water equivalent (w.e.) and 150 mm, respectively , for both MOD10A1 and MYD10A1. κ coefficients are within 0.74 and 0.92 depending on the product and the variable for these thresholds. However, we also find a seasonal trend in the optimal SWE and SD thresholds, reflecting the hysteresis in the relationship between the depth of the snow-pack (or SWE) and its extent within a MODIS pixel. Then, a set of Landsat images is used to validate MOD10A1 and MYD10A1 for 157 dates between 2002 and 2010. The resulting accuracies are 97 % (κ = 0.85) for MOD10A1 and 96 % (κ = 0.81) for MYD10A1, which indicates a good agreement between both data sets. The effect of vegetation on the results is analyzed by filtering the forested areas using a land cover map. As expected, the accuracies decrease over the forests but the agreement remains acceptable (MOD10A1: 96 %, κ = 0.77; MYD10A1: 95 %, κ = 0.67). We conclude that MODIS snow products have a sufficient accuracy for hy-droclimate studies at the scale of the Pyrenees range. Using a gap-filling algorithm we generate a consistent snow cover climatology, which allows us to compute the mean monthly snow cover duration per elevation band and aspect classes. There is snow on the ground at least 50 % of the time above 1600 m between December and April. We finally analyze the snow patterns for the atypical winter 2011–2012. Snow cover duration anomalies reveal a deficient snowpack on the Span-ish side of the Pyrenees, which seems to have caused a drop in the national hydropower production

A W-Band On-Wafer Active Load-Pull System Based on Down-Conversion Techniques

A new W-band active load-pull system is presented. It is the first load-pull system to implement a 94 GHz load by means of an active loop exploiting frequency conversion techniques. The active loop configuration demonstrates a number of advantages that overcome the typical limitations of W-band passive tuners or conventional active open loop techniques in a cost effective way: load reflection coefficients Γ L as high as 0.95 in magnitude can be achieved at 94 GHz, thus providing a nearly full coverage of the Smith Chart. Possible applications of the setup include technology assessment, large-signal device model verification at sub-THz frequencies, and W-band MMIC design and characterization. The availability of direct and accurate load-pull measurements at W-band should prove an asset in the development of sub-THz integrated circuits. First measure- ments performed on high performance InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs) and GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are presente

Effect of body position on the redistribution of regional lung aeration during invasive and non-invasive ventilation of COVID-19 patients

Severe COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (C-ARDS) requires mechanical ventilation. While this intervention is often performed in the prone position to improve oxygenation, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the improvement in respiratory function during invasive ventilation and awake prone positioning in C-ARDS have not yet been elucidated. In this prospective observational trial, we evaluated the respiratory function of C-ARDS patients while in the supine and prone positions during invasive (n = 13) or non-invasive ventilation (n = 15). The primary endpoint was the positional change in lung regional aeration, assessed with electrical impedance tomography. Secondary endpoints included parameters of ventilation and oxygenation, volumetric capnography, respiratory system mechanics and intrapulmonary shunt fraction. In comparison to the supine position, the prone position significantly increased ventilation distribution in dorsal lung zones for patients under invasive ventilation (53.3 ± 18.3% vs. 43.8 ± 12.3%, percentage of dorsal lung aeration ± standard deviation in prone and supine positions, respectively; p = 0.014); whereas, regional aeration in both positions did not change during non-invasive ventilation (36.4 ± 11.4% vs. 33.7 ± 10.1%; p = 0.43). Prone positioning significantly improved the oxygenation both during invasive and non-invasive ventilation. For invasively ventilated patients reduced intrapulmonary shunt fraction, ventilation dead space and respiratory resistance were observed in the prone position. Oxygenation is improved during non-invasive and invasive ventilation with prone positioning in patients with C-ARDS. Different mechanisms may underly this benefit during these two ventilation modalities, driven by improved distribution of lung regional aeration, intrapulmonary shunt fraction and ventilation-perfusion matching. However, the differences in the severity of C-ARDS may have biased the sensitivity of electrical impedance tomography when comparing positional changes between the protocol groups

Characterisation of pellicles formed by acinetobacter baumannii at the air-liquidi interface

The clinical importance of Acinetobacter baumannii is partly due to its natural ability to survive in the hospital environment. This persistence may be explained by its capacity to form biofilms and, interestingly, A. baumannii can form pellicles at the air-liquid interface more readily than other less pathogenic Acinetobacter species. Pellicles from twenty-six strains were morphologically classified into three groups: I) egg-shaped (27%); II) ball-shaped (50%); and III) irregular pellicles (23%). One strain representative of each group was further analysed by Brewster's Angle Microscopy to follow pellicle development, demonstrating that their formation did not require anchoring to a solid surface. Total carbohydrate analysis of the matrix showed three main components: Glucose, GlcNAc and Kdo. Dispersin B, an enzyme that hydrolyzes poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) polysaccharide, inhibited A. baumannii pellicle formation, suggesting that this exopolysaccharide contributes to pellicle formation. Also associated with the pellicle matrix were three subunits of pili assembled by chaperon-usher systems: the major CsuA/B, A1S_1510 (presented 45% of identity with the main pilin F17-A from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli pili) and A1S_2091. The presence of both PNAG polysaccharide and pili systems in matrix of pellicles might contribute to the virulence of this emerging pathogen

The demand for money in developing countries: Assessing the role of financial innovation

Traditional specifications of money demand have been commonly plagU4:!d by persistent overprediction, implausible parameter estimates, and highly autocorrelated errors. This paper argues that some of those problems stem from the failure to account for the impact of financial innovation. We estimate money demand for ten developing countries employing various proxies for the innovation process and provide an assessment of the relative importance of this variable. We find that financial innovation plays an important role in determining money demand and its fluctuations, and that the importance of this role increases with the rate of inflation.

Safety of meglumine gadoterate (Gd-DOTA)-enhanced MRI compared to unenhanced MRI in patients with chronic kidney disease (RESCUE study)

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the renal safety of meglumine gadoterate (Gd-DOTA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to a control group (unenhanced MRI) in high-risk patients. METHODS: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) scheduled for MRI procedures were screened. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with an elevation of serum creatinine levels, measured 72 ± 24 h after the MRI procedure, by at least 25 % or 44.2 μmol/l (0.5 mg/dl) from baseline. A non-inferiority margin of the between-group difference was set at −15 % for statistical analysis of the primary endpoint. Main secondary endpoints were the variation in serum creatinine and eGFR values between baseline and 72 ± 24 h after MRI and the percentage of patients with a decrease in eGFR of at least 25 % from baseline. Patients were screened for signs of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) at 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Among the 114 evaluable patients, one (1.4 %) in the Gd-DOTA-MRI group and none in the control group met the criteria of the primary endpoint [Δ = −1.4 %, 95%CI = (−7.9 %; 6.7 %)]. Non-inferiority was therefore demonstrated (P = 0.001). No clinically significant differences were observed between groups for the secondary endpoints. No serious safety events (including NSF) were noted. CONCLUSION: Meglumine gadoterate did not affect renal function and was a safe contrast agent in patients with CKD. KEY POINTS: • Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a potential problem following gadolinium administration for MRI. • Meglumine gadoterate (Gd-DOTA) appears safe, even in patients with chronic kidney disease. • Gd-DOTA only caused a temporary creatinine level increase in 1/70 such patients. • No case or sign of NSF was detected at 3-month follow-up