Producción de caña rolliza y laminados de caña guadúa (bambú) utilizada en pisos para exportación

La producción de bambú es una idea que surge de elaborar algo diferente utilizando un recurso abundante en nuestro país. El bambú es mucho más fuerte de lo que aparenta pero con una flexibilidad que le da movilidad. El bambú tiene alta velocidad de crecimiento y alcanza su desarrollo máximo en los tres primeros años, cuando para cortar cualquier otro árbol de madera se necesitan 20 años. Es por esto que escogimos esta alternativa para elaborar dos productos. La caña rolliza destinada para la construcción, y los laminados para pisos utilizando una alternativa muy similar a la madera que con los años puede sustituirla. Los mercados a los que destinamos nuestra producción fueron elegidos de acuerdo a un estudio realizado en base a el análisis de datos secundarios y entrevistas realizadas a expertos en el tema, así como a posibles compradores para descubrir sus requerimientos. Concluimos que nuestro proyecto presenta una alternativa no explotada en el país y que puede resultar rentable no solo económicamente sino también en lo social y ecológico. Además resaltamos que nuestra estrategia será promocionar un producto de calidad que esté al nivel de los estándares internacionales y que nos permita crecer en el mercado

Anxiety towards Statistics and Its Relationship with Students' Attitudes and Learning Approach

[EN] Many university students have difficulties when facing statistics related tasks, leading to an increase in their levels of anxiety and poor performance. Researchers have identified negative attitudes towards statistics, which have been shaped through students' secondary education experience, as a major driver for their failure. In this study we want to uncover the causal recipes of attitudes leading to high and low levels of anxiety in secondary education students, and the role that the learning approach plays in these relationships. We used fuzzy sets comparative qualitative analysis (fsQCA) in a sample of 325 students surveyed on the multifactorial scale of attitudes toward statistics (MSATS) and the revised two factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F). The results indicate that, respectively, a high or a low level of self-confidence is the most important and a sufficient condition by itself for achieving a low or a high level of anxiety, while the learning approaches and other attitudes are only present in other causal combinations that represent a small number of cases.Peiró Signes, A.; Trull, O.; Segarra-Oña, M.; García-Díaz, JC. (2021). Anxiety towards Statistics and Its Relationship with Students' Attitudes and Learning Approach. Behavioral Sciences. 11(3):1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs11030032S11311

The use of amino acid formulas in pediatric patients with allergy to cow’s milk proteins: Recommendations from a group of experts

Amino acid formula; Cow’s milk allergy; Infant formulaFórmula d'aminoàcids; Al·lèrgia a la llet de vaca; Fórmula infantilFórmula de aminoácidos; Alergia a la leche de vaca; Fórmula infantilOne of the most common food allergies in children is cow’s milk allergy (CMA). In breast-fed infants with CMA, the mother is encouraged to avoid dairy products. If this is not possible, or in formula fed infants, use of hypoallergenic replacement formulas such as extensively hydrolyzed formulas (EHF) is recommended. However, in ∼5% of patients EHFs are not tolerated and/or allergy symptoms can persist. When EHFs are ineffective and in severe forms of CMA, amino acid-based formulas (AAF) should be considered. Six pediatric gastroenterologists with extensive experience in food allergy management reviewed scientific publications and international clinical practice guidelines to provide practical recommendations on AAF. The guidelines reviewed had discrepancies and ambiguities around the specific indications for using formulas as a milk substitute. The panel recommends AAFs as the first therapeutic option in anaphylaxis due to CMA, in acute and chronic severe food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, in CMA associated with multiple food allergy, and in cases of eosinophilic esophagitis not responding to an extended exclusion diet or not eating solids. The main benefit of AAF is its absence of residual allergenicity, making it a safe treatment option in severe CMA patients who do not tolerate or respond to an EHF.This research was funded by Nutricia to support the face-to-face and online meetings

Polymorphisms indicating risk of inflammatory bowel disease or antigenicity to anti-TNF drugs as biomarkers of response in children

Crohn’s disease; Polymorphism; PediatricEnfermedad de Crohn; Polimorfismo; PediátricoMalaltia de Crohn; Polimorfisme; PediatriaFew genetic polymorphisms predict early response to anti-TNF drugs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and even fewer have been identified in the pediatric population. However, it would be of considerable clinical interest to identify and validate genetic biomarkers of long-term response. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the usefulness of biomarkers of response to anti-TNFs in pediatric IBD (pIBD) as long-term biomarkers and to find differences by type of IBD and type of anti-TNF drug. The study population comprised 340 children diagnosed with IBD who were treated with infliximab or adalimumab. Genotyping of 9 selected SNPs for their association with early response and/or immunogenicity to anti-TNFs was performed using real-time PCR. Variants C rs10508884 (CXCL12), A rs2241880 (ATG16L1), and T rs6100556 (PHACTR3) (p value 0.049; p value 0.03; p value 0.031) were associated with worse long-term response to anti-TNFs in pIBD. DNA variants specific to disease type and anti-TNF type were identified in the pediatric population. Genotyping of these genetic variants before initiation of anti-TNFs would enable, if validated in a prospective cohort, the identification of pediatric patients who are long-term responders to this therapy.This research was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant number PI19/00792 and PI22/00584 (L.L-F.), both cofunded by the European Union, by Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, grant number 2021-II-postdoc-01 (S.S-M.), and by Consejería de Educación, Universidades, Ciencia y Portavocía Comunidad de Madrid, grant number PEJ-2021-AI/BMD-21866 (P.Z-C.)

Modification of stool's water content in constipated infants: management with an adapted infant formula

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Constipation is a common occurrence in formula-fed infants. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of a formula with high levels of lactose and magnesium, in compliance with the official regulations, on stool water content, as well as a parental assessment of constipation.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>Thirty healthy term-born, formula-fed infants, aged 4-10 weeks, with functional constipation were included. All infants were full-term and fed standard formula. Exclusion criteria were preterm and/or low birth weight, organic constipation, being breast fed or fed a formula specially designed to treat constipation. Stool composition was measured by near-infrared reflectance analysis (NIRA) and parents answered questions about crying associated with defecation and stool consistency at baseline and after two weeks of the adapted formula.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 2 weeks of the adapted formula, stool water content increased from 71 +/- 8.1% to 84 +/- 5.9%, (p < 0.02). There was no significant change in the stool's fat, protein or carbohydrate content. Parental impressions of constipation were improved with the decrease in stool hardness (100% with hard stools at baseline, 10% after 2 weeks), pain with defecation (90% at baseline, 10% after 2 weeks), and the requirement for rectal stimulation to achieve defecation (70% at baseline, 30% after 2 weeks, p < 0.001 for all three indicators).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This preliminary study suggests that an adapted formula with high levels of lactose and magnesium increases stool water content and improves symptoms of constipation in term-born, formula-fed infants. A larger randomized placebo-controlled trial is indicated.</p

Utilitat dels marcadors fecals (calprotectina) en la pràctica clínica pediàtrica /

La calprotectina és una proteïna present en el citosol dels neutròfils, i es troba elevada a nivell fecal de forma inespecífica davant qualsevol situació patològica on hi participi un cert grau d'inflamació intestinal. La seva elevada resistència al calor i a la degradació metabòlica, tant per part de la flora bacteriana, com per les pròpies proteases intestinals, li permet ser un biomarcador no invasiu d'activitat inflamatòria a nivell intestinal. La nostra hipòtesi de treball és analitzar si l'aplicació de la calprotectina fecal (CF) en diferents escenaris pediàtrics pot tenir importants implicacions, tant diagnòstiques com terapèutiques, que ens permetin millorar la nostra pràctica clínica. Els quatre escenaris clínics pediàtrics prospectius triats són: el dolor abdominal recurrent (DAR), els processos reumatològics amb manifestacions digestives (REU), la malaltia inflamatòria intestinal (MII) i el síndrome de l'intesti curt (SIC). La demostració que la determinació de CF és un bon biomarcador no invasiu i econòmic per discriminar l'activitat inflamatòria intraluminal en un moment donat, i que alhora té una bona correlació amb les altres proves "clàssicament" emprades, més costoses i molestes per detectar-la com la proteïna C reactiva plasmàtica, l'ecografia abdominal o l'endoscòpia digestiva, hauria de plantejar la possibilitat d'aplicar la CF, tant a Atenció Primària, com a nivell intrahospitalari, ja sigui en cas de DAR, REU o en qualsevol altre procés o situació on sigui necessari descartar la participació digestiva en el mateix. La demostració que la determinació de CF és un bon biomarcador no invasiu i econòmic per monitoritzar l'activitat inflamatòria intraluminal en els diferents escenaris que una MII experimenta al llarg del temps (remissions i recaigudes), i que alhora té una bona correlació amb les altres proves "clàssicament" emprades, més costoses i molestes per detectar-la com la proteïna C reactiva plasmàtica, l'enteroRMN o l'endoscòpia digestiva, hauria de plantejar la possibilitat d'aplicar la CF, en unes ocasions, de forma complementària (sumant informació) i en d'altres, substitutiva (estalviant la realització de certes exploracions), en funció de cada cas i/o situació. La demostració que la determinació de CF és un bon biomarcador no invasiu i econòmic per monitoritzar la potencial activitat inflamatòria intraluminal que pot aparèixer en un SIC al llarg del seu període d'adaptació intestinal, i que alhora té una bona correlació amb les altres proves "clàssicament" emprades, més costoses i molestes per detectar-la com la proteïna C reactiva plasmàtica, el fecatest, el trànsit intestinal baritat o l'endoscòpia digestiva, hauria de plantejar la possibilitat d'aplicar la CF, en unes ocasions, de forma complementària (sumant informació) i en d'altres, substitutiva (estalviant la realització de certes exploracions), en funció de cada cas i/o situació. En conclusió, la determinació de CF presenta una alta sensibilitat per detectar activitat inflamatòria a nivell del tracte digestiu pediàtric i, ben aplicada i interpretada, podria ser d'utilitat, tant en escenaris de discriminació, com de monitorització de possibles processos inflamatoris digestius tant aguts com crònics.Calprotectin is a protein present in the cytosol of neutrophils, and its fecal levels rise on nonspecific way in any pathological situation where a degree of intestinal inflammation is involved. Their high resistance to heat and to metabolic degradation, both bacterial flora such as intestinal proteases, allows calprotectin to be a noninvasive biomarker of intestinal inflammatory activity. Our working hypothesis is to analyze whether the application of the fecal calprotectin (FC) in different pediatric settings may have important implications, both diagnostic and therapeutic, that allow us to improve our clinical practice. The four prospective pediatric clinical scenarios chosen are: recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), rheumatological diseases with gastrointestinal manifestations (RHE), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and short bowel syndrome (SBS). The proof that FC level is an economical noninvasive biomarker for discriminating intraluminal inflammatory activity at a given time. FC has a good correlation with other "traditionally", more expensive and annoying tests to detect intestinal inflammatory activity such as C-reactive protein, abdominal ultrasound or endoscopy. It should consider the possibility of applying FC levels, both in primary care as in hospitals in case of RAP, RHE or any other process or situation where it is necessary to rule out digestive inflammation involvement on it. The proof that FC level is an economical noninvasive biomarker to monitor intraluminal inflammatory activity in the different scenarios that IBD suffers over time (remissions and relapses). FC has a good correlation with other "traditionally", more expensive and troublesome tests to detect intestinal inflammatory activity such as C-reactive protein, MRI enterography or endoscopy. It should consider the possibility of applying FC levels, in some cases, in a complementary manner (adding information) and in others, in an alternative manner (saving the completion of certain examinations), depending on each case or situation. The proof that FC level is an economical noninvasive biomarker for monitoring the potential intraluminal inflammatory activity that can occur in SBS during the period of intestinal adaptation. FC has good correlation with other "traditionally", more expensive and troublesome tests to detect intestinal inflammatory activity such as C-reactive protein, fecal occult blood test, small bowel follow-through or endoscopy. It should consider the possibility of applying FC levels, in some cases, in a complementary manner (adding information) and in others, in an alternative manner (saving the completion of certain examinations), depending on each case or situation. In conclusion, FC level has a high sensitivity for detecting inflammatory activity in pediatric digestive tract. Well applied and interpreted, FC level could be useful to discriminate and to monitor inflammatory digestive activity both acute as chronic

Clinical usefulness of the screen for cognitive impairment in psychiatry (SCIP-S) scale in patients with type I bipolar disorder

Background: The relevance of persistent cognitive deficits to the pathogenesis and prognosis of bipolar disorders (BD) is understudied, and its translation into clinical practice has been limited by the absence of brief methods assessing cognitive status in Psychiatry. This investigation assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S) for the detection of cognitive impairment in BD. Methods: After short training, psychiatrists at 40 outpatient clinics administered the SCIP three times over two weeks to a total of 76 consecutive type I BD admissions. Experienced psychologists also administered a comprehensive battery of standard neuropsychological instruments to clinical sample and 45 healthy control subjects. Results: Feasibility was supported by a brief administration time (approximately 15 minutes) and minimal scoring errors. The reliability of the SCIP was confirmed by good equivalence of forms, acceptable stability (ICC range 0.59 to 0.87) and adequate internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha of 0.74). Construct validity was granted by extraction of a single factor (accounting 52% of the variance), acceptable correlations with conventional neuropsychological instruments, and a clear differentiation between bipolar I and normal samples. Efficiency was also provided by the adequate sensitivity and specificity. Limitations: The sample size is not very large. The SCIP and the neurocognitive battery do not cover all potentially relevant cognitive domains. Also, sensitivity to change remains unexplored. Conclusion: With minimal training, physicians obtained a reliable and valid estimate of cognitive impairment in approximately 15 minutes from an application of the SCIP to type I BD patients

Neurocognitive diagnosis and cut-off scores of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S)

[EN] Objectives: To demonstrate the ability of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S) to discriminate between cognitively-impaired individuals and those with adequate functioning in a sample of schizophrenic and bipolar patients, as well as in a control group. Methods: The SCIP-S, together with a full neuropsychological battery, was administered to three groups: patients with schizophrenia, patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder I, and controls. The battery scores were used to perform a standardization with respect to the control group and this served to determine the comparison groups (cognitively impaired versus unimpaired) for each of the subtests of the SCIP-S. A full analysis of decision validity was conducted on the basis of receiver operating characteristic curves (sensitivity and specificity, +LR and −LR, PPV and NPV). Results: All the subtests yielded adequate values for sensitivity and specificity with the proposed cut-off points, while the total score of the SCIP (<70) was associated with a sensitivity of 87.9 and specificity of 80.6. Conclusions: The SCIP-S shows adequate decision validity as a screening tool for cognitive deficit in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S): Psychometric properties of a brief scale for cognitive evaluation in schizophrenia

[EN] Objective: The Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) is a brief scale designed for detecting cognitive deficits in several psychotic and affective disorders. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the SCIP in a sample of outpatients suffering schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Methods: Psychometric properties were evaluated in a sample of 126 stable patients with schizophrenia. Men and women 18 to 55 years of age were recruited from consecutive admissions to 40 psychiatric outpatient clinics in Spain and asked to complete a series of cognitive measures at baseline, as well as three versions of the SCIP separated by one week intervals. A matched sample of 39 healthy controls was also subjected to the baseline examination. The feasibility, reliability and validity of the SCIP was examined; concurrent validity was assessed by means of a complete neuropsychological battery. Results: Average time for SCIP administration was 16.02 (SD=5.01) minutes. Test–retest reliability intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.74 to 0.90, with an internal consistency Cronbach's alpha value of 0.73. The three parallel forms of SCIP were shown to be equivalent. The SCIP scales were correlated with corresponding neuropsychological instruments, with Pearson's r between 0.38 and 0.60, pb0.01. The SCIP effectively discriminated between the patient and control samples. Factor analysis revealed one significant dimension, cognitive performance, that accounted for 49.8% of the total variance. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the SCIP is a simple, brief, valid and reliable tool for detection of cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia by minimally trained healthcare personnel

Brief cognitive assessment instruments in schizophrenia and bipolar patients, and healthy control subjects: A comparison study between the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP)

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and psychosis is ubiquitous and acknowledged as a core feature of clinical expression, pathophysiology, and prediction of functioning. However, assessment of cognitive functioning is excessively time-consuming in routine practice, and brief cognitive instruments specific to psychosis would be of value. Two screening tools have recently been created to address this issue, i.e., the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP). The aim of this research was to examine the comparative validity of these two brief instruments in relation to a global cognitive score. 161 patients with psychosis (96 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 65 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder) and 76 healthy control subjects were tested with both instruments to examine their concurrent validity relative to a more comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery. Scores from the B-CATS and the SCIP were highly correlated in the three diagnostic groups, and both scales showed good to excellent concurrent validity relative to a Global Cognitive Composite Score (GCCS) derived from the more comprehensive examination. The SCIP-S showed better predictive value of global cognitive impairment than the B-CATS. Partial and semi-partial correlations showed slightly higher percentages of both shared and unique variance between the SCIP-S and the GCCS than between the B-CATS and the GCCS. Brief instruments for assessing cognition in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, such as the SCIP-S and B-CATS, seem to be reliable and promising tools for use in routine clinical practice