Los usos sociales de la cultura : la lucha por la estética, o la estetización de la lucha

Hablar de estética y cultura, así como de su dimensión social, representa un verdadero desafío, particularmente considerando la complejidad característica de estas esferas, así como la envergadura del tratamiento ya concedido desde nuestra disciplina. El presente trabajo se caracterizó por indagar acerca de las tensiones en la definición de los principios de legitimidad legítimos, valga la redundancia, del arte y de la cultura, situándose fundamentalmente sobre el campo de producción cultural. Esta empresa ha implicado de forma central el abordaje de las dimensiones sociológicas del microcosmos cultural: sus tensiones constitutivas, sus condiciones de existencia relativamente autónoma, su complejo vínculo con la lógica de la administración y la gestión política y, a su vez, su relación con la lógica mediática. Con tal objetivo, el punto de partida y clave para el acceso se derivó de la selección del conflicto suscitado por la gestión del Centre de Creativitat Arts Santa Mònica. El centro se caracteriza por poseer una historia de vaivenes políticos, y ha sido el foco de cierta conflictividad a partir de la destitución de su anterior Director, Vicenç Altaió, y de su designio político por parte de la actual gestión del Departament de Cultura. Es menester aclarar que el ASM no se caracteriza particularmente por tener un peso decisivo en el escenario actual de la cultura catalana; sin embargo, la emergencia de determinados acontecimientos recientes en torno al centro ha puesto de relieve una serie de elementos significativos útiles para un análisis en profundidad de la estructura del campo. A partir de un exhaustivo análisis documental introductorio y de una aproximación etnográfica al centro, se efectuaron entrevistas a tres actores seleccionados ad hoc por su papel y posición en el microcosmos cultural: Vicenç Altaió, poeta y ex director del Arts Santa Mònica, Joan-Francesc Ainaud, actual Subdirector General de Creació i Industrias Culturals, y Joan Minguet, escritor y actual director de la Associació Catalana de Crítics d'Art. El análisis manifestó, a nivel inicial, la tensión estructural entre la "estética pura" y la "estética media", o midcult, y la lucha entre las dos vías posibles de consagración en el campo: la legítima y la heterónoma. Expresó también la discutible autonomía del campo cultural, amenazada por las lógicas comercial, mediática y de la administraciónParlar d'estètica i cultura, així com de la seva dimensió social, representa un veritable desafiament, particularment considerant la complexitat característica d'aquestes esferes, així com l'envergadura del tractament ja concedit des de la nostra disciplina. Aquest treball es va caracteritzar per indagar sobre les tensions en la definició dels principis de legitimitat legítims, valgui la redundància, de l'art i de la cultura, situant-se fonamentalment sobre el camp de producció cultural. Aquesta empresa ha implicat de forma central l'abordatge de les dimensions sociològiques del microcosmos cultural: les seves tensions constitutives, les seves condicions d'existència relativament autònoma, el seu complex vincle amb la lògica de l'administració i la gestió política i, a més, la seva relació amb la lògica mediàtica. Amb aquest objectiu, el punt de partida i clau per a l'accés es va derivar de la selecció del conflicte suscitat per la gestió del Centre de Creativitat Arts Santa Mònica. El centre es caracteritza per posseir una història de vaivens polítics, i ha estat el focus de certa conflictivitat a partir de la destitució del seu anterior director, Vicenç Altaió, i del seu designi polític per part de l'actual gestió del Departament de Cultura. És menester aclarir que l'ASM no es caracteritza particularment per tenir un pes decisiu en l'escenari actual de la cultura catalana; però, l'emergència de determinats esdeveniments recents al voltant del centre ha posat en relleu una sèrie d'elements significatius útils per a una anàlisi en profunditat de l'estructura del camp. A partir d'una exhaustiva anàlisi documental introductori i d'una aproximació etnogràfica al centre, es van efectuar entrevistes a tres actors seleccionats ad hoc pel seu paper i posició en el microcosmos cultural: Vicenç Altaió, poeta i ex director de l'Arts Santa Mònica, Joan-Francesc Ainaud, actual subdirector general de Creació i Indústries Culturals, i Joan Minguet, escriptor i actual director de l'Associació Catalana de Crítics d'Art. L'anàlisi va manifestar, a nivell inicial, la tensió estructural entre la "estètica pura" i la "estètica mitjana", o midcult, i la lluita entre les dues vies possibles de consagració al camp: la legítima i la heterònoma. Va expressar també la qüestionable autonomia del camp cultural, amenaçada per les lògiques comercial, mediàtica i de l'administraci

Socioeconomic and demographic disparities in breast cancer stage at presentation and survival in Switzerland

A major goal of health care systems is to improve health equally in all groups of the population. However, socioeconomic and socio-demographic health inequalities in breast cancer (BC) detection and survival have been observed in many countries. Methods : We explored socioeconomic and socio-demographic disparities in BC stage at presentation and survival in female BC patients from population-based cancer registries anonymously linked to the Swiss National Cohort (SNC). Tumour stage was classified according to SEER summary stage (in situ/localized/regional/distant). We used highest education level attained from the SNC to characterize socioeconomic position (SEP) in 3 levels (low/middle/high). Further characteristics included in the analyses were age, living in a canton with organized mammography screening (yes/no), civil status and Swiss nationality. We used ordered logistic regression models to analyse factors associated with BC stage at presentation and competing risk regression models for factors associated with death from BC

Options for early breast cancer follow-up in primary and secondary care : a systematic review

Background Both incidence of breast cancer and survival have increased in recent years and there is a need to review follow up strategies. This study aims to assess the evidence for benefits of follow-up in different settings for women who have had treatment for early breast cancer. Method A systematic review to identify key criteria for follow up and then address research questions. Key criteria were: 1) Risk of second breast cancer over time - incidence compared to general population. 2) Incidence and method of detection of local recurrence and second ipsi and contra-lateral breast cancer. 3) Level 1–4 evidence of the benefits of hospital or alternative setting follow-up for survival and well-being. Data sources to identify criteria were MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, PSYCHINFO, ZETOC, Health Management Information Consortium, Science Direct. For the systematic review to address research questions searches were performed using MEDLINE (2011). Studies included were population studies using cancer registry data for incidence of new cancers, cohort studies with long term follow up for recurrence and detection of new primaries and RCTs not restricted to special populations for trials of alternative follow up and lifestyle interventions. Results Women who have had breast cancer have an increased risk of a second primary breast cancer for at least 20 years compared to the general population. Mammographically detected local recurrences or those detected by women themselves gave better survival than those detected by clinical examination. Follow up in alternative settings to the specialist clinic is acceptable to women but trials are underpowered for survival. Conclusions Long term support, surveillance mammography and fast access to medical treatment at point of need may be better than hospital based surveillance limited to five years but further large, randomised controlled trials are needed

Treatment challenges in and outside a specialist network setting: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms comprise a group of rare tumours with special biology, an often indolent behaviour and particular diagnostic and therapeutic requirements. The specialized biochemical tests and radiological investigations, the complexity of surgical options and the variety of medical treatments that require individual tailoring, mandate a multidisciplinary approach that can be optimally achieved through an organized network. The present study describes currents concepts in the management of these tumours as well as an insight into the challenges of delivering the pathway in and outside a Network

Treatment challenges in and outside a network setting: Head and neck cancers

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a rare disease that can affect different sites and is characterized by variable incidence and 5-year survival rates across Europe. Multiple factors need to be considered when choosing the most appropriate treatment for HNC patients, such as age, comorbidities, social issues, and especially whether to prefer surgery or radiation-based protocols. Given the complexity of this scenario, the creation of a highly specialized multidisciplinary team is recommended to guarantee the best oncological outcome and prevent or adequately treat any adverse effect. Data from literature suggest that the multidisciplinary team-based approach is beneficial for HNC patients and lead to improved survival rates. This result is likely due to improved diagnostic and staging accuracy, a more efficacious therapeutic approach and enhanced communication across disciplines. Despite the benefit of MTD, it must be noted that this approach requires considerable time, effort and financial resources and is usually more frequent in highly organized and high-volume centers. Literature data on clinical research suggest that patients treated in high-accrual centers report better treatment outcomes compared to patients treated in low-volume centers, where a lower radiotherapy-compliance and worst overall survival have been reported. There is general agreement that treatment of rare cancers such as HNC should be concentrated in high volume, specialized and multidisciplinary centers. In order to achieve this goal, the creation of international collaboration network is fundamental. The European Reference Networks for example aim to create an international virtual advisory board, whose objectives are the exchange of expertise, training, clinical collaboration and the reduction of disparities and enhancement of rationalize migration across Europe. The purpose of our work is to review all aspects and challenges in and outside this network setting planned for the management of HNC patients

Testicular germ-cell tumours and penile squamous cell carcinoma: Appropriate management makes the difference

Germ-cell tumours (GCT) of the testis and penile squamous cell carcinoma (PeSCC) are a rare and a very rare uro-genital cancers, respectively. Both tumours are well defined entities in terms of management, where specific recommendations - in the form of continuously up-to-dated guide lines-are provided. Impact of these tumour is relevant. Testicular GCT affects young, healthy men at the beginning of their adult life. PeSCC affects older men, but a proportion of these patients are young and the personal consequences of the disease may be devastating. Deviation from recommended management may be a reason of a significant prognostic worsening, as proper treatment favourably impacts on these tumours, dramatically on GCT and significantly on PeSCC. RARECAREnet data may permit to analyse how survivals may vary according to geographical areas, histology and age, leading to assume that non-homogeneous health-care resources may impact the cure and definitive outcomes. In support of this hypothesis, some epidemiologic datasets and clinical findings would indicate that survival may improve when appropriate treatments are delivered, linked to a different accessibility to the best health institutions, as a consequence of geographical, cultural and economic barriers. Finally, strong clues based on epidemiological and clinical data support the hypothesis that treatment delivered at reference centres or under the aegis of a qualified multi-institutional network is associated with a better prognosis of patients with these malignancies. The ERN EURACAN represents the best current European effort to answer this clinical need

Automated inter-rater reliability assessment and electronic data collection in a multi-center breast cancer study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The choice between paper data collection methods and electronic data collection (EDC) methods has become a key question for clinical researchers. There remains a need to examine potential benefits, efficiencies, and innovations associated with an EDC system in a multi-center medical record review study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A computer-based automated menu-driven system with 658 data fields was developed for a cohort study of women aged 65 years or older, diagnosed with invasive histologically confirmed primary breast cancer (N = 1859), at 6 Cancer Research Network sites. Medical record review with direct data entry into the EDC system was implemented. An inter-rater and intra-rater reliability (IRR) system was developed using a modified version of the EDC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Automation of EDC accelerated the flow of study information and resulted in an efficient data collection process. Data collection time was reduced by approximately four months compared to the project schedule and funded time available for manuscript preparation increased by 12 months. In addition, an innovative modified version of the EDC permitted an automated evaluation of inter-rater and intra-rater reliability across six data collection sites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Automated EDC is a powerful tool for research efficiency and innovation, especially when multiple data collection sites are involved.</p

Connecting Peptide Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties by a Rational Prediction Model

The increasing rate in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has become an imperative health issue. Thus, pharmaceutical industries have focussed their efforts to find new potent, non-toxic compounds to treat bacterial infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates in the fight against antibiotic-resistant pathogens due to their low toxicity, broad range of activity and unspecific mechanism of action. In this context, bioinformatics' strategies can inspire the design of new peptide leads with enhanced activity. Here, we describe an artificial neural network approach, based on the AMP's physicochemical characteristics, that is able not only to identify active peptides but also to assess its antimicrobial potency. The physicochemical properties considered are directly derived from the peptide sequence and comprise a complete set of parameters that accurately describe AMPs. Most interesting, the results obtained dovetail with a model for the AMP's mechanism of action that takes into account new concepts such as peptide aggregation. Moreover, this classification system displays high accuracy and is well correlated with the experimentally reported data. All together, these results suggest that the physicochemical properties of AMPs determine its action. In addition, we conclude that sequence derived parameters are enough to characterize antimicrobial peptides