Changes in mobility and socioeconomic conditions during the COVID-19 outbreak

Since the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, governments have been implementing containment measures aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus, including restrictions to human mobility. The ability to adapt to the pandemic and respond to containment measures can be bound by socioeconomic conditions, which are heterogeneous in large urban areas of low-income and middle-income countries. In this paper, we analyse mobility changes following the implementation of containment measures in Bogotá, Colombia. We characterise the mobility network before and during the pandemic and analyse its evolution and changes between January and July 2020. We observe a general reduction in mobility trends, but the overall connectivity between different areas of the city remains after the lockdown, reflecting the resilience of the mobility network. Then, we estimate a gravity model to assess the effect of socioeconomic conditions on mobility flows. We find that the responses to lockdown policies depend on the socioeconomic conditions of the population. Before the pandemic, the population with better socioeconomic conditions shows higher mobility flows. Since the lockdown, mobility presents a general decrease, but the population with worse socioeconomic conditions shows lower reductions in mobility flows. We conclude by deriving policy implications.Fil: Dueñas, Marco. Universidad de Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano; ColombiaFil: Campi, Mercedes Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Política de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Política de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Olmos, Luis E.. University of California; Estados Unidos. Universidad de Medellin; Colombi

Comparative study of the indicated cycle of a diesel engine using simulation CFD and experimental data

En este trabajo se presenta un estudio comparativo entre la simulación numérica y datos experimentales del ciclo indicado de un motor diesel de inyección directa. Para esto se han efectuado una simulación multidimensional utilizando un paquete CFD y empleando un modelo predictivo, para varias condiciones de operación del motor. Ambos resultados se han comparado con datos experimentales medidos sobre un motor montado en banco de ensayos. El estudio se ha hecho en términos de los parámetros habituales del ciclo indicado como la evolución temporal de presión, temperatura y calor liberado, así como de la potencia, efciencia, consumo específco de combustible y presión media indicada. Los resultados muestran que las curvas de presiones simuladas son bastante próximas a las medidas en todos los casos analizados, con las mayores diferencias en los modos de baja carga en torno a un 5% como mucho en el pico de máxima presión, aunque si se encuentran diferencias en las curvas de temperatura y de tasa de calor liberado, debido en parte a la calidad de los modelos de combustión y transferencia de calor empleados en la simulación. No obstante, queda demostrada la conveniencia del uso de herramientas basadas en CFD aplicadas al estudio de la combustión en motores.In this paper, a comparative study between numerical simulations and experimental data of the indicated cycle of a direct injection diesel engine is presented. A CFD package and a predictive model were used to simulate several engine operating conditions. Results were compared with experimental data obtained from an engine test bench. The comparison was based on indicated-cycle parameters such as pressure, temperature, heat release, power, effciency, specifc fuel consumption and mean effective pressure. Results show that in all cases simulated cylinder-pressure curves are in very good agreement with the experimental results. For the low-load mode, differences are around 5% at maximum pressure peak. On the other hand, temperature and heat release rate curves present signifcant differences between simulations and experiments. This could be a consequence of the combustion and heat transfer models used for the simulations. However, it is shown that the use of CFD tools for studying combustion phenomena in diesel engines is highly convenient

Platelet serotonin levels are associated with plasma soluble leptin receptor concentrations in normoglycemic women

Most peripheral serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT)) is synthetized in the gut with platelets being its main circulating reservoir. 5HT is acting as a hormone in key organs to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. However, the relation between platelet 5HT levels and traits related to glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism in humans remains poorly explored. The objectives of this study were (a) to assess the association between platelet 5HT levels and plasma concentration of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and some adipokines including leptin and its soluble leptin receptor (sOb-R), (b) to assess the association between platelet 5HT levels and anthropometric traits and indexes of insulin secretion/sensitivity derived from oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and (c) to evaluate changes in platelet 5HT levels in response to OGTT. In a cross-sectional study, 59 normoglycemic women underwent a standard 2-hour OGTT. Plasma leptin, sOb-R, total and high molecular weight adiponectin, TNFα, and MCP1 were determined by immunoassays. Platelet 5HT levels and NEFAs were measured before and after OGTT. The free leptin index was calculated from leptin and sOb-R measurements. Insulin sensitivity indexes derived from OGTT (HOMA-S and Matsuda ISICOMP) and plasma NEFAs (Adipose-IR, Revised QUICKI) were also calculated. Our data show that among metabolic traits, platelet 5HT levels were associated with plasma sOb-R (r = 0 39, p = 0 003, corrected p = 0 018). Platelet 5HT levels were reduced in response to OGTT (779 ± 237 vs 731 ± 217 ng/109 platelets, p = 0 005). In conclusion, platelet 5HT levels are positively associated with plasma sOb-R concentrations and reduced in response to glucose intake possibly indicating a role of peripheral 5HT in leptin-mediated appetite regulation

WEARABLE DEVICE FOR REAL TIME pH MEASUREMENT IN SWEAT

Nowadays, it is more and more common to find devices that permits to everybody carry out analysis of different analytes of interest as glucose in blood or creatinine in urine by themselves, thanks to the development of the Point-of-Care (POC) devices. POC’s permit the in situ analysis of the samples, in an easy way, quickly and by the use of a small amount of sample in the sampling area of the device, obtaining result with no need of instrumentation or by the use of a very simple one. In order to match these objectives and make the device useful for everybody in any condition, the WHO has described the ASSURED guidelines for the POC devices[1]. In the recent years, and thanks to the capillary properties of different materials as paper, thread or cloth, the development of the POC devices are turning to a new strategy that implies the inclusion of the POC devices in t-shirts, bracelets or patches obtaining in this way wearables sensors. In this kind of sensor, instead of the addition of the sample in the sampling area, it moves through the device arriving to recognition/transduction area were the property of the sensor changes and can be measured and related to the concentration of the analyte. In this work, we present a wearable POC that permits the real-time determination of the pH in sweat. For this purpose, we have developed a μCAD (Figure) that contains a pH indicator (4-[4-(2-hydroxyethanesulfonyl)-phenylazo]-2,6-dimethoxyphenol (GJM-534) [2]) covalently immobilized on cotton cloth, which color is going to change from yellow (pH around 6) to pink (pH around 9) depending on the pH. The size and shape of the μCAD (see Figure) was designed taking into account the low flow rate of sweat generated in the wrist when sweating (0.01 μL/min) including a superabsorbent material working as passive pump to avoid the saturation of sample of the μCAD. The colorimetric device was calibrated using the H parameter from the HSV color space as analytical parameter, obtaining the calibration function and analytical parameters of the device, the reversibility of the μCAD, response time and stability. Finally, the μCAD was integrated into a bracelet that includes a color detector and a microprocessor that registered the color of the μCAD in real-time and send the information via Bluetooth to a smartphone, obtaining and registering the pH of the sweat while doing exercise.This study was supported by project from the Spanish MINECO (CTQ2016-78754-C2-1-R)

QRsens:dual-purpose quick response code with built-in colorimetric sensors

QRsens represents a family of Quick Response (QR) sensing codes for in-situ air analysis with a customized smartphone application to simultaneously read the QR code and the colorimetric sensors. Five colorimetric sensors (temperature, relative humidity (RH), and three gas sensors (CO₂, NH₃ and H₂S)) were designed with the aim of proposing two end-use applications for ambient analysis, i.e., enclosed spaces monitoring, and smart packaging. Both QR code and colorimetric sensing inks were deposited by standard screen printing on white paper. To ensure minimal ambient light dependence of QRsens during the real-time analysis, the smartphone application was programmed for an effective colour correction procedure based on black and white references for three standard illumination temperatures (3000, 4000 and 5000 K). Depending on the type of sensor being analysed, this integration achieved a reduction of ∼71 – 87% of QRsens's dependence on the light temperature. After the illumination colour correction, colorimetric gas sensors exhibited a detection range of 0.7–4.1%, 0.7–7.5 ppm, and 0.13–0.7 ppm for CO2, NH3 and H2S, respectively. In summary, the study presents an affordable built-in multi-sensing platform in the form of QRsens for in-situ monitoring with potential in different types of ambient air analysis applications

A multiple stakeholder multicriteria decision analysis in diabetic macular edema management: the MULTIDEX‑EMD study

Background The clinical and economic management of retinal diseases has become more complex following the introduction of new intravitreal treatments. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) ofers the potential to overcome the challenges associated with traditional decision-making tools. Objectives A MCDA to determine the most relevant criteria to decision-making in the management of diabetic macular edema (DME) based on the perspectives of multiple stakeholders in Spain was developed. This MCDA was termed the MULTIDEX-EMD study. Methods Nineteen stakeholders (7 physicians, 4 pharmacists, 5 health authorities and health management experts, 1 psychologist, and 2 patient representatives) participated in this three-phase project. In phase A, an advisory board defned all of the criteria that could infuence DME treatment decision-making. These criteria were then screened using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) (phase B). Next, a multinomial logit model was ftted by applying the backward elimination algorithm (relevant criteria: p value<0.05). Finally, the results were discussed in a deliberative process (phase C). Results Thirty-one criteria were initially defned (phase A) and grouped into 5 categories: efcacy/efectiveness, safety, organizational and economic impact, patient-reported outcomes, and other therapeutic features. The DCE results (phase B) showed that 10 criteria were relevant to the decision-making process for a 50- to 65-year-old DME patient: mean change in best corrected visual acuity (p value<0.001), percentage of patients with an improvement of ≥15 letters (p value<0.001), efect duration per administration (p value=0.008), retinal detachment (p value<0.001), endophthalmitis (p value=0.012), myocardial infarction (p value<0.001), intravitreal hemorrhage (p value=0.021), annual treatment cost per patient (p value=0.001), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (p value=0.004), and disability level (p value=0.021). Conclusions From a multi-stakeholder perspective, the selection of an appropriate treatment for DME patients should guarantee patient safety and maximize the visual acuity improvement and treatment efect duration. It should also contribute to system sustainability by being afordable, it should have a positive impact on HRQoL, and it should prevent disability

Home enteral nutrition in Spain: NADYA registry 2010

Objetivos: Describir los resultados del registro de nutrición enteral domiciliaria (NED) del grupo NADYASENPE del año 2010. Material y métodos: Se recopilaron los datos introducidos en el registro desde el 1 de enero al 31 de diciembre de 2010. Resultados: Se registraron 6.591 pacientes (51% varones) con 6.688 episodios de NED, procedentes de 32 hospitales. La edad media en los menores de 14 años (4%) fue de 1 ± 2 años (m ± DS) y de 69,9 ± 17,8 en los mayores de 14 años. El 76% de los pacientes recibieron la NED por un tiempo superior a 2 años. La patología más prevalente fue la neurológica 42%, seguida de la neoplasia 28% (en su mayoría cáncer de cabeza y cuello 18%). La información referente a la vía de acceso sólo se recogió en 626 casos (9,4%), el 51% de los pacientes utilizaron sonda nasogástrica, 27% gastrostomías, 10% vía oral y 3% yeyunostomías. Sólo 251 episodios finalizaron a lo largo del año, siendo el motivo más frecuente el fallecimiento del paciente en el 57% de los casos y el paso a la alimentación oral en el 14%. El 29% de los pacientes presentaban una actividad limitada y el 39% estaba confinado en cama/ sillón. El 68% de los adultos requerían ayuda total o parcial. El suministro del producto se realizó desde el hospital o la farmacia de referencia en el 63% y 34%, respectivamente. El suministro del material fungible se realizó desde el hospital o atención primaria en el 83% y 16%, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos en el registro de NED del año 2010 muestran características muy similares a las recogidas en los años previos en cuanto al número y características de los pacientes registrados. Seguimos encontrando problemas en la recogida de datos relativos a la vía de acceso y finalización de los episodiosObjective: To describe the results of the home enteral nutrition (HEN) registry of the NADYA-SENPE group in 2010. Material and methods: We retrieved the data of the patients recorded from January 1st to December 31st 2010. Results: We registered 6,591 patients (51% males) with 6,688 episodes of HEN, from 32 hospitals. Mean age in those younger than 14 yr (4%) was 1 ± 2 yrs (m ± SD) and 69,9 ± 17,8 yrs in those older than 14 yr. The length of HEN was longer than 2 yrs in 76% of the patients. The most frequent underlying disease was neurological disorders 42%, followed by cancer 28% (mostly head and neck cancer 18%). We had information related to the enteral access route in only 626 cases (9,4%), 51% of them used nasogastric tubes, 27% gastrostomies, 10% oral route and 3% jejunostomies. Only 251 episodes were closed during the year, mostly due to patient death 57% and progress to oral diet 14%. The activity level was limited in 29% of the patients and 39% of them were bed- or chairridden. Total or partial help was needed by 68% of the patients. The hospitals and the private pharmacies delivered the enteral formula in 63% and 34% of the cases, respectively. The hospitals and the primary care centres delivered the disposables in 83% and16% of the cases, respectively. Conclusions: The results of the 2010 HEN registry are similar to those published in previous years regarding the number and characteristics of the patients. We continue finding problems in the entrance of data referred to the enteral access route and the closing of the episode