Conectando con el autismo: aplicaciones informáticas en el ámbito de los transtornos del espectro autista II

[Resumen] El objetivo principal es explicar cómo a través de varias teorías actuales, podemos elaborar un modelo de cómo funciona la mente de las personas con Trastornos del Espectro del Autismo (TEA) y dar ideas prácticas que se puedan llevar al contexto del aula o al trabajo con adultos, a través de soporte informático. En la primera parte, se da una visión general del funcionamiento de la mente de las personas con TEA, a través de ejemplos lo más visuales posibles (El continuo o espectro autista, Tríada de alteraciones y Comprendiendo el autismo). En la segunda parte se explica el trabajo realizado desde la Asociación a través del programa Intercentros “Disfrutando y aprendiendo con el ordenador”. Utilizando distintos programas informáticos, se presentan ejemplos de adaptaciones de actividades, cuentos,… Por último se hace un repaso de las páginas webs más interesantes en el campo de los TEA y una bibliografía de referencia

Desarrollo de un biomarcador basado en el análisis de variables estadísticas para el diagnóstico de la miocardiopatía hipertrófica a partir del análisis de texturas en imágenes de resonancia magnética

[ES] Dada la elevada prevalencia de las enfermedades cardiovasculares en la actualidad, se hace cada vez más necesario el desarrollo de sistemas de ayuda a la decisión que proporcionen una información adicional al médico con el fin de poder diagnosticarlas adecuadamente y realizar el tratamiento más apropiado. En este caso, se pretende desarrollar un biomarcador para el diagnóstico de miocardiopatía hipertrófica. La miocardiopatía hipertrófica (MCH) es una enfermedad del músculo del corazón que se caracteriza por el aumento del grosor de sus paredes, que no se deba a una causa externa al músculo (por ejemplo, hipertensión, valvulopatías, etc.). Se estima que la miocardiopatía hipertrófica afecta a 1 de cada 500 personas. No puede atribuirse a una causa evidente, pero es hereditaria en un alto porcentaje de casos. Existen varías patologías que provocan el engrosamiento del músculo cardíaco, por lo que un biomarcador que permita identificar la miocardiopatía hipertrófica podría ser de gran utilidad. Con el análisis de texturas a partir de imágenes médicas se pretende llegar a distinguir entre pacientes con miocardiopatía hipertrófica y sanos, sin tener que recurrir a pruebas invasivas en el paciente. Para investigar la capacidad del análisis de texturas para diferenciar pacientes con MCH, se ha realizado un estudio retrospectivo que incluirá pacientes que sufren MCH y el mismo número de pacientes sanos. Se empleará una técnica de segmentación semiautomática que proporciona más fiabilidad mediante el uso del software Segment. El miocardio del ventrículo izquierdo se segmentará de acuerdo con el modelo de 17 segmentos a partir de secuencias de cine de RM de imágenes en eje corto. Una vez obtenida la segmentación, se realizará un análisis de texturas del miocardio y se obtendrán variables estadísticas con las que se evaluará la posibilidad de distinguir MCH y pacientes sanos. Para la clasificación se empleará un clasificador basado en técnicas de aprendizaje máquina mediante el uso diferentes combinaciones de características de textura para obtener un modelo que proporcione una clasificación óptima.[EN] Given the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, it is becoming necessary to develop decision support systems which are able to provide additional information to the doctor, in order to be able to diagnose them adequately and perform the most appropriate treatment. In this case, we aim to develop a biomarker for the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease of the heart muscle that is characterized by an increase in the thickness of its walls, which is not caused by any external element of the muscle (for example, hypertension, valvular heart disease, etc.). It is estimated that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects 1 in 500 people. It cannot be attributed to an obvious cause, but it is hereditary in a high percentage of cases. There are several pathologies that cause thickening of the heart muscle, so a biomarker that allows identification of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy could be very useful. With the analysis of textures from medical images we aim to distinguish between patients with hypertrophic and healthy cardiomyopathy, without having to perform invasive testing in the patient. To investigate the ability of texture analysis to differentiate patients with HCM, a retrospective study has been conducted. It will include patients suffering from HCM and the same number of healthy patients. A semi-automatic segmentation technique will be used that provides more reliability through the use of Segment software. The myocardium of the left ventricle will be segmented according to the 17-segment model from short-axis MR imaging sequences. Once the segmentation is obtained, an analysis of myocardial textures will be performed and statistical variables will be obtained with which the possibility of distinguishing HCM and healthy patients will be evaluated. For classification, a classifier based on machine learning techniques will be used by using different combinations of texture characteristics to obtain a model that provides an optimal classification.Piñeiro Vidal, T. (2019). Desarrollo de un biomarcador basado en el análisis de variables estadísticas para el diagnóstico de la miocardiopatía hipertrófica a partir del análisis de texturas en imágenes de resonancia magnética. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/124588TFG

Computational study of the interplay between intermolecular interactions and CO2 orientations in type I hydrates

Carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules show a rich orientation landscape when they are enclathrated in type I hydrates. Previous studies have described experimentally their preferential orientations, and some theoretical works have explained, but only partially, these experimental results. In the present paper, we use classical molecular dynamics and electronic density functional theory to advance in the theoretical description of CO2 orientations within type I hydrates. Our results are fully compatible with those previously reported, both theoretical and experimental, the geometric shape of the cavities in hydrate being, and therefore, the steric constraints, responsible for some (but not all) preferential angles. In addition, our calculations also show that guest–guest interactions in neighbouring cages are a key factor to explain the remaining experimental angles. Besides the implication concerning equation of state hydrate modeling approximations, the conclusion is that these guest–guest interactions should not be neglected, contrary to the usual practice

DFT calculation of the potential energy landscape topology and Raman spectra of type I CH4 and CO2 hydrates

CO2 and CH4 clathrate hydrates of type I were studied by means of DFT and QTAIM, in order to better understand their properties at the molecular level. Sub-cells of type I hydrates were modeled as independent rigid cages, both empty and containing guest molecules. Interaction potentials of guest molecules inside each cage, and moving from a cell to the adjacent one, were calculated using the DFT approximation B3LYP/6-311+g(d,p), considering the cases with and without long range Coulombic corrections. The selected theory level was validated by comparison of the simulated Raman spectra with the experimental ones, for the case of type I lattice at full occupation of CO2 and CH4, respectively. For this comparison, Fermi resonances of CO2 were taken into account by transforming experimental bands to the corresponding theoretical non-mixed states. On the one hand, our results confirm the validity of the theory level selected for the model. We have shown the high anisotropy of the guest–cell interaction potential of the molecules analyzed, which has implications in the formulation and use of equations of state, and in the study of transport properties as well. On the other hand, our results suggest that the concentration of guest species inside type I hydrates could be computed from the comparison of experimental and predicted Raman spectra, although there are non-trivial experimental limitations to get over for that purpose

Outcomes of Intra- versus Extra-Corporeal Ileocolic Anastomosis after Minimally Invasive Right Colectomy for Cancer: An Observational Study

Càncer colorectal; Anastomosi extracorpòria; Col·lectomia dreta mínimament invasivaCáncer colorrectal; Anastomosis extracorpórea; Colectomía derecha mínimamente invasivaColorectal cancer; Extracorporeal anastomosis; Minimally invasive right colectomyIntracorporeal anastomoses (IA) are increasingly being used in colorectal surgery. Some data suggest that these might confer benefits compared with extracorporeal anastomoses (EA). The aim of this study is to compare the short-term complications associated with IA versus EA for minimally invasive right colectomy. This is a single-centre, retrospective study on a prospective database. Patients who underwent minimally invasive right colectomy for cancer between January 2017 and December 2019 were assessed for inclusion. The primary outcome was global 30-day morbidity. Overall, 189 patients were included, of whom 102 had IA. Global morbidity and medical complications were higher in patients with EA (23.5% vs. 40.2%, p = 0.014; 5.9% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.039, respectively). None of the patients with IA had non-infectious surgical wound complications, compared to 4.6% in the EA group (p = 0.029). No differences were found in anastomotic leakage (9.8% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.55). At multivariable analysis, EA was an independent risk factor for both surgical (OR = 3.71 95% CI: 1.06–12.91, p = 0.04) and overall complications (OR = 3.58 95% CI: 1.06–12.12, p = 0.04). IA lowers the risk for global, medical, and surgical complications with minimum risk for wound complications, without increasing the risk of ALThis research received no external funding

Relationship between cerebrospinal fluid neurodegeneration biomarkers and temporal brain atrophy in cognitively healthy older adults

It is unclear whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of neurodegeneration predict brain atrophy in cognitively healthy older adults, whether these associations can be explained by phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau) and the 42 amino acid form of amyloid-ꞵ (Aꞵ42) biomarkers, and which neural substrates may drive these associations. We addressed these questions in two samples of cognitively healthy older adults who underwent longitudinal structural MRI up to 7 years and had baseline CSF levels of heart-type fatty-acid binding protein [FABP3], total-tau, neurogranin, and neurofilament light [NFL] (n=189, scans=721). The results showed that NFL, total-tau, and FABP3 predicted entorhinal thinning and hippocampal atrophy. Brain atrophy was not moderated by Aꞵ42 and the associations between NFL and FABP3 with brain atrophy were independent of p-tau. The spatial pattern of cortical atrophy associated with the biomarkers overlapped with neurogenetic profiles associated with expression in the axonal (total-tau, NFL) and dendritic (neurogranin) components. CSF biomarkers of neurodegeneration are useful for predicting specific features of brain atrophy in older adults, independently of amyloid and tau pathology biomarkers