Diseño y puesta en obra de una pista de circunstancias

El proyecto consistirá en el diseño y la posterior puesta en obra de una pista de circunstancias, en la comandancia de Melilla, para mejorar la instrucción y adiestramiento de sus unidades, que dotaría a la plaza de una instalación para completar el adiestramiento físico-militar, de la cual hoy carece. Este complejo, dotado de múltiples obstáculos, permitirá el adiestramiento del combatiente en múltiples situaciones de paso de obstáculos. Las innovaciones propuestas en el proyecto se refieren al diseño de los obstáculos, y se desarrollan otros nuevos que se adaptan a las situaciones que se dan en las misiones.<br /

El Design Thinking com a procés de reflexió per a la remodelació de la biblioteca: el cas de la Biblioteca de la Facultat d’Informació i Mitjans Audiovisuals de la UB

[cat] En aquesta comunicació es presenten alguns dels resultats obtinguts a partir del procés de Design Thinking dut a terme a la Facultat d’Informació i Mitjans Audiovisuals (FIMA) de la Universitat de Barcelona. Aquesta experiència forma part d’un procés més ampli, que el deganat va iniciar l’any 2020, amb l’objectiu de fer una proposta de remodelació que situés el CRAI biblioteca en el centre del procés d’aprenentatge i docència dels diferents ensenyaments de la FIMA. A través d’entrevistes individuals, els participants en el procés de Design Thinking han expressat el seu nivell de satisfacció i l’opinió sobre els resultats obtinguts. L’anàlisi d’aquestes dades aporta una mirada interna a una metodologia que ja ha estat utilitzada per altres biblioteques.[spa] En esta comunicación se presentan algunos de los resultados obtenidos a partir del proceso de Design Thinking realizado en la Facultad de Información y Medios Audiovisuales (FIMA) de la Universitat de Barcelona. Esta experiencia forma parte de un proceso más amplio, que el decanato inició en 2020, con el objetivo de hacer una propuesta de remodelación que situara al CRAI biblioteca en el centro del proceso de aprendizaje y docencia de las diferentes enseñanzas de la FIMA. A través de entrevistas individuales, los participantes en el proceso de Design Thinking han expresado su nivel de satisfacción y opinión sobre los resultados obtenidos. El análisis de estos datos aporta una mirada interna a una metodología que ya ha sido utilizada por otras bibliotecas.[eng] With this communication we present some results we have gotten from the process of Design Thinking done in the University of Barcelona’s Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media (FIMA). This experience is part of a wider process promoted by the deanship, that began in 2020 with the main goal of writing a proposal to remodel the CRAI and make it the center of the learning and teaching process of the Faculty. People who have been involved in the process shared their opinions about the results by taking part in individual interviews. The data analysis gives us an internal view of the methodology, already used by other libraries

Predictive model to identify multiple failure to biological therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Despite advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the wide range of therapies available, there is a percentage of patients whose treatment presents a challenge for clinicians due to lack of response to multiple biologic and target-specific disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs).To develop and validate an algorithm to predict multiple failure to biological therapy in patients with RA.Observational retrospective study involving subjects from a cohort of patients with RA receiving b/tsDMARDs.Based on the number of prior failures to b/tsDMARDs, patients were classified as either multi-refractory (MR) or non-refractory (NR). Patient characteristics were considered in the statistical analysis to design the predictive model, selecting those variables with a predictive capability. A decision algorithm known as 'classification and regression tree' (CART) was developed to create a prediction model of multi-drug resistance. Performance of the prediction algorithm was evaluated in an external independent cohort using area under the curve (AUC).A total of 136 patients were included: 51 MR and 85 NR. The CART model was able to predict multiple failures to b/tsDMARDs using disease activity score-28 (DAS-28) values at 6 months after the start time of the initial b/tsDMARD, as well as DAS-28 improvement in the first 6 months and baseline DAS-28. The CART model showed a capability to correctly classify 94.1% NR and 87.5% MR patients with a sensitivity = 0.88, a specificity = 0.94, and an AUC = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.74-1.00). In the external validation cohort, 35 MR and 47 NR patients were included. The AUC value for the CART model in this cohort was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73-0.9).Our model correctly classified NR and MR patients based on simple measurements available in routine clinical practice, which provides the possibility to characterize and individualize patient treatments during early stages.© The Author(s), 2022

Correspondence on: 'EULAR definition of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis'.

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Beneficial Effect of Short-Term Supplementation of High Dose of Vitamin D3 in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Multicenter, Single-Blinded, Prospective Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial.

There is now sufficient evidence to support that vitamin D deficiency may predispose to SARS-CoV-2 infection and increase COVID-19 severity and mortality. It has been suggested that vitamin D3 supplementation may be used prophylactically as an affordable and safe strategy that could be added to the existing COVID-19 standard treatment. This multicenter, single-blinded, prospective randomized pilot clinical trial aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of 10,000 IU/day in comparison with 2000 IU/day of cholecalciferol supplementation for 14 days to reduce the duration and severity of COVID-19 in 85 hospitalized individuals. The median age of the participants was 65 years (Interquartile range (IQR): 53-74), most of them (71%) were men and the mean baseline of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in serum was 15 ng/ml (standard deviation (SD):6). After 14 days of supplementation, serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly increased in the group who received 10,000IU/day (p < 0.0001) (n = 44) in comparison with the 2,000IU/day group (n = 41), especially in overweight and obese participants, and the higher dose was well tolerated. A fraction of the individuals in our cohort (10/85) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The median length of hospital stay in these patients with ARDS was significantly different in the participants assigned to the 10,000IU/day group (n = 4; 7 days; IQR: 4-13) and the 2,000IU/day group (n = 6; 27 days; IQR: 12-45) (p = 0.04). Moreover, the inspired oxygen fraction was reduced 7.6-fold in the high dose group (p = 0.049). In terms of blood parameters, we did not identify overall significant improvements, although the platelet count showed a modest but significant difference in those patients who were supplemented with the higher dose (p = 0.0492). In conclusion, the administration of 10,000IU/day of vitamin D3 for 14 days in association with the standard clinical care during hospitalization for COVID-19 was safe, tolerable, and beneficial, thereby helping to improve the prognosis during the recovery process.This work was supported by Fundación Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (FUAX, Madrid, Spain; ID Project: 1.012.010; ID Project EQA: 925.280); the Coordinated Research Activities at the National Center of Microbiology (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) (COV20_00679) to promote an integrated response against SARS-CoV-2 in Spain (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) that is coordinated by Dr. Inmaculada Casas (WHO National Influenza Center of the CNM); a generous donation provided by Chiesi España, S.A.U. (Barcelona, Spain). The work of Montserrat Torres was financed by the Coordinated Research Activities at the CNM (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) (COV20_00679). The work of Lorena Vigón was supported by a pre-doctoral grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI16CIII/00034-ISCIII-FEDER). The work of Sara Rodríguez-Mora was financed by NIH grant R01AI143567.S

Demonstration of the event identification capabilities of the NEXT-White detector

In experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay, the possibility of identifying the two emitted electrons is a powerful tool in rejecting background events and therefore improving the overall sensitivity of the experiment. In this paper we present the first measurement of the efficiency of a cut based on the different event signatures of double and single electron tracks, using the data of the NEXT-White detector, the first detector of the NEXT experiment operating underground. Using a 228Th calibration source to produce signal-like and background-like events with energies near 1.6 MeV, a signal efficiency of 71.6 ± 1.5 stat± 0.3 sys% for a background acceptance of 20.6 ± 0.4 stat± 0.3 sys% is found, in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. An extrapolation to the energy region of the neutrinoless double beta decay by means of Monte Carlo simulations is also carried out, and the results obtained show an improvement in background rejection over those obtained at lower energies. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Radiogenic backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment

Natural radioactivity represents one of the main backgrounds in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Within the NEXT physics program, the radioactivity- induced backgrounds are measured with the NEXT-White detector. Data from 37.9 days of low-background operations at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc with xenon depleted in 136Xe are analyzed to derive a total background rate of (0.84±0.02) mHz above 1000 keV. The comparison of data samples with and without the use of the radon abatement system demonstrates that the contribution of airborne-Rn is negligible. A radiogenic background model is built upon the extensive radiopurity screening campaign conducted by the NEXT collaboration. A spectral fit to this model yields the specific contributions of 60Co, 40K, 214Bi and 208Tl to the total background rate, as well as their location in the detector volumes. The results are used to evaluate the impact of the radiogenic backgrounds in the double beta decay analyses, after the application of topological cuts that reduce the total rate to (0.25±0.01) mHz. Based on the best-fit background model, the NEXT-White median sensitivity to the two-neutrino double beta decay is found to be 3.5σ after 1 year of data taking. The background measurement in a Qββ±100 keV energy window validates the best-fit background model also for the neutrinoless double beta decay search with NEXT-100. Only one event is found, while the model expectation is (0.75±0.12) events. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Efficacy of a Strategy for Implementing Guidelines for the Control of Cardiovascular Risk in Primary Healthcare

Background: A number of strategies exist for the implementation of clinical practice guides (CPGs). Aim: To assess the efficacy of implementing a cardiovascular risk CPG based on an educational method involving opinion leaders, and the habitual method of dissemination among primary healthcare teams. Design and Setting: Controlled, blinded, community intervention trial randomised by clusters. Methods: 21 primary healthcare centres were randomly assigned to either the intervention arm (n = 11) or the control arm (n = 10). The study subjects were patients aged ≥45 years assigned to the centres. The overall impact of the intervention was measured as the difference between the increase in the proportion of patients whose medical records showed the recording of all the variables necessary to calculate cardiovascular risk in both arms. Analyses were performed with Generalized Lineal Model on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: 917 subjects were included at the beginning of the trial (437 in the intervention arm and 480 in the control arm). 826 subjects were included in the final evaluation (436 in the intervention group and 390 in the control arm). At the end of the trial, the recording of the variables necessary for the calculation of the cardiovascular risk in the intervention group had increased more than in the control group (difference between increases 7.49% (95% CI 4.62 - 10.35)) after adjusting for confounding variables. Conclusions: Compared to the habitual method of dissemination, the implementation of this CPG using an educational method involving opinion leaders, improved the recording of the variables needed to calculate patients’ cardiovascular risk.Funding for the trial was provided by the Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica (I+D+I). Instituto de Salud Carlos III—Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. Expediente N˚ 031216.S

Low-diffusion Xe-He gas mixtures for rare-event detection: electroluminescence yield

High pressure xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification are being proposed for rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The discrimination of the rare event through the topological signature of primary ionisation trails is a major asset for this type of TPC when compared to single liquid or double-phase TPCs, limited mainly by the high electron diffusion in pure xenon. Helium admixtures with xenon can be an attractive solution to reduce the electron diffu- sion significantly, improving the discrimination efficiency of these optical TPCs. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe–He mixtures, in the range of 0 to 30% He and demonstrated the small impact on the EL yield of the addition of helium to pure xenon. For a typical reduced electric field of 2.5 kV/cm/bar in the EL region, the EL yield is lowered by ∼ 2%, 3%, 6% and 10% for 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% of helium concentration, respectively. This decrease is less than what has been obtained from the most recent simulation framework in the literature. The impact of the addition of helium on EL statistical fluctuations is negligible, within the experimental uncertainties. The present results are an important benchmark for the simulation tools to be applied to future optical TPCs based on Xe-He mixtures. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]