Emergence, survival, and segregation of competing gangs.

In this paper, we approach the phenomenon of criminal activity from an infectious perspective by using tailored compartmental agent-based models that include the social flavor of the mechanisms governing the evolution of crime in society. Specifically, we focus on addressing how the existence of competing gangs shapes the penetration of crime. The mean-field analysis of the model proves that the introduction of dynamical rules favoring the simultaneous survival of both gangs reduces the overall number of criminals across the population as a result of the competition between them. The implementation of the model in networked populations with homogeneous contact patterns reveals that the evolution of crime substantially differs from that predicted by the mean-field equations. We prove that the system evolves toward a segregated configuration where, depending on the features of the underlying network, both gangs can form spatially separated clusters. In this scenario, we show that the beneficial effect of the coexistence of two gangs is hindered, resulting in a higher penetration of crime in the population.

Analyzing the potential impact of BREXIT on the European research collaboration network.

In this work, we study the impact that the withdrawal of institutions from the United Kingdom caused by BREXIT has on the European research collaboration networks. To this aim, we consider BREXIT as a targeted attack to those graphs composed by the European institutions that have collaborated in research projects belonging to the three main H2020 programs (Excellent Science, Industrial Leadership, and Societal Challenges). The consequences of this attack are analyzed at the global, mesoscopic, and local scales and compared with the changes suffered by the same collaboration networks when a similar quantity of nodes is randomly removed from the network. Our results suggest that changes depend on the specific program, with Excellent Science being the most affected by BREXIT perturbation. However, the structure of the integrated collaboration network is not significantly affected by BREXIT compared to the variations observed after the random removal of institutions.

Fear induced explosive transitions in the dynamics of corruption.

In this article, we analyze a compartmental model aimed at mimicking the role of imitation and delation of corruption in social systems. In particular, the model relies on a compartmental dynamics in which individuals can transit between three states: honesty, corruption, and ostracism. We model the transitions from honesty to corruption and from corruption to ostracism as pairwise interactions. In particular, honest agents imitate corrupt peers while corrupt individuals pass to ostracism due to the delation of honest acquaintances. Under this framework, we explore the effects of introducing social intimidation in the delation of corrupt people. To this aim, we model the probability that an honest delates a corrupt agent as a decreasing function of the number of corrupt agents, thus mimicking the fear of honest individuals to reprisals by those corrupt ones. When this mechanism is absent or weak, the phase diagram of the model shows three equilibria [(i) full honesty, (ii) full corruption, and (iii) a mixed state] that are connected via smooth transitions. However, when social intimidation is strong, the transitions connecting these states turn explosive leading to a bistable phase in which a stable full corruption phase coexists with either mixed or full honesty stable equilibria. To shed light on the generality of these transitions, we analyze the model in different network substrates by means of Monte Carlo simulations and deterministic microscopic Markov chain equations. This latter formulation allows us to derive analytically the different bifurcation points that separate the different phases of the system.

Norm violation versus punishment risk in a social model of corruption.

We analyze the onset of social-norm-violating behaviors when social punishment is present. To this aim, a compartmental model is introduced to illustrate the flows among the three possible states: honest, corrupt, and ostracism. With this simple model we attempt to capture some essential ingredients such as the contagion of corrupt behaviors to honest agents, the delation of corrupt individuals by honest ones, and the warning to wrongdoers (fear like that triggers the conversion of corrupt people into honesty). In nonequilibrium statistical physics terms, the former dynamics can be viewed as a non-Hamiltonian kinetic spin-1 Ising model. After developing in full detail its mean-field theory and comparing its predictions with simulations made on regular networks, we derive the conditions for the emergence of corrupt behaviors and, more importantly, illustrate the key role of the warning-to-wrongdoers mechanism in the latter.

Fluidoterapia perioperatoria en el paciente pediátrico. Recomendaciones / Perioperative fluid therapy in the pediatric patient. Recommendations

No disponible

[Update on the use of uterotonic agents]. / Actualización en el uso de uterotónicos.

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is defined by the WHO as a blood loss >500mL after vaginal delivery or >1000mL after caesarean section during the first 24hours post-delivery. Although the incidence of maternal mortality caused by PPH has decreased, it continues to be the major cause of maternal mortality due to obstetric haemorrhage. Furthermore, the incidence of uterine atony, which is the most prevalent cause of PPH, is still increasing in both vaginal delivery and caesarean section. Although PPH occurs in more than two thirds of patients without any identifiable risk factor, a prolonged third stage of labour is the main risk factor. Active management of the third stage of labour has been postulated to reduce the risk of bleeding in this period. It includes the administration of uterotonic agents after the birth of the baby. Uterotonic agents are defined as drugs that produce adequate uterine contraction. These drugs can be used as prophylactic therapy or treatment. The prophylactic use of uterotonic agents has been reported to be associated with a shorter third stage of labour, less risk of PPH and less need of additional uterotonic agents. There are currently four drugs or groups of drugs with uterotonic action: oxytocin, carbetocin, ergot derivatives and prostaglandins. The literature on this subject is extensive, heterogeneous and sometimes discordant. Oxytocin is still the first-line uterotonic drug for prophylaxis and treatment of uterine atony. There is a common trend to use high doses of uterotonics for fear of inadequate uterine contraction, but the current literature recommends its reduction. Methylergonovine continues being the second-line uterotonic agent in the prophylaxis and treatment of PPH, because of its side effects. Despite carboprost (PGF2α) side effects, it is still the first-line prostaglandin for PPH treatment. Misoprostol may be an alternative to oxytocin when it is not available, although it needs further studies to support this. Finally, the prophylactic use of carbetocin should be individualised.

Actualización en el uso de uterotónicos / Update on the use of uterotonic agents

La hemorragia posparto supone la pérdida de más de 500 ml de sangre tras un parto vaginal o de más de 1.000 ml tras una cesárea en las primeras 24 h posparto. Aunque la incidencia de muerte materna por hemorragia posparto ha disminuido, esta continúa siendo la causa más frecuente de muerte materna por hemorragia obstétrica. La incidencia de atonía uterina, primera causa de hemorragia posparto, va en aumento tanto en el parto vaginal como en la cesárea. Aunque en más de dos terceras partes las hemorragias posparto tienen lugar en pacientes sin factores de riesgo identificables, el tercer estadio del parto prolongado es el principal factor de riesgo. El manejo activo de este periodo incluye la administración de uterotónicos, fármacos que producen una contracción uterina adecuada, tras el nacimiento del neonato. Se puede administrarlos de forma profiláctica o terapéutica. Se ha comprobado que la administración profiláctica se relaciona con un tercer estadio más corto, menor riesgo de hemorragia y menor necesidad de uterotónicos adicionales. Actualmente existen cuatro fármacos o grupos de fármacos con actividad uterotónica: oxitocina, carbetocina, alcaloides del cornezuelo del centeno y prostaglandinas. Aunque la literatura es heterogénea, la oxitocina es el uterotónico de elección en la profilaxis y el tratamiento de la hemorragia posparto, pero se debe disminuir la dosis; la metilergometrina es uterotónico de segunda línea en la profilaxis y el tratamiento; a pesar de los efectos secundarios, el carboprost (prostaglandina F2alfa) es la prostaglandina de elección en el tratamiento de la hemorragia; el misoprostol puede ser una alternativa a la oxitocina, y el uso profiláctico de carbetocina debe individualizarse(AU)

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is defined by the WHO as a blood loss >500 mL after vaginal delivery or >1000 mL after caesarean section during the first 24 hours post-delivery. Although the incidence of maternal mortality caused by PPH has decreased, it continues to be the major cause of maternal mortality due to obstetric haemorrhage. Furthermore, the incidence of uterine atony, which is the most prevalent cause of PPH, is still increasing in both vaginal delivery and caesarean section. Although PPH occurs in more than two thirds of patients without any identifiable risk factor, a prolonged third stage of labour is the main risk factor. Active management of the third stage of labour has been postulated to reduce the risk of bleeding in this period. It includes the administration of uterotonic agents after the birth of the baby. Uterotonic agents are defined as drugs that produce adequate uterine contraction. These drugs can be used as prophylactic therapy or treatment. The prophylactic use of uterotonic agents has been reported to be associated with a shorter third stage of labour, less risk of PPH and less need of additional uterotonic agents. There are currently four drugs or groups of drugs with uterotonic action: oxytocin, carbetocin, ergot derivatives and prostaglandins. The literature on this subject is extensive, heterogeneous and sometimes discordant. Oxytocin is still the first-line uterotonic drug for prophylaxis and treatment of uterine atony. There is a common trend to use high doses of uterotonics for fear of inadequate uterine contraction, but the current literature recommends its reduction. Methylergonovine continues being the second-line uterotonic agent in the prophylaxis and treatment of PPH, because of its side effects. Despite carboprost (PGF2alpha) side effects, it is still the first-line prostaglandin for PPH treatment. Misoprostol may be an alternative to oxytocin when it is not available, although it needs further studies to support this. Finally, the prophylactic use of carbetocin should be individualised(AU)

[The results of the operation of a monitoring unit for home oxygen therapy]. / Resultados de la actuación de una unidad de control de la oxigenoterapia domiciliaria.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to a) analyze the prevalence of domiciliary oxygen therapy (DOT) in Mallorca, b) evaluate the cost effectiveness of the DOT monitoring unit, and c) determine the survival of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are presently receiving DOT. METHOD: When the DOT unit was created in April 1994, the situation of all patients receiving DOT in Mallorca was assessed in a transversal study. Over the next three years, these patients were reassessed regularly and all new prescriptions were evaluated (longitudinal study). RESULTS: Before the unit began work, DOT was prescribed for 71 out of 100,000 inhabitants. DOT was withdrawn from 31% of patients assessed in the transversal study. By the end of the longitudinal study, DOT was being prescribed at a rate of 56 times per 10,000 inhabitants. The activities of the DOT unit brought about annual savings of approximately 38 million pesetas. The number of patients with liquid oxygen and concentrators increased such that the latter has become the main delivery system. The survival of COPD patients with DOT in this study seems to be longer than report. CONCLUSIONS: a) The prevalence of DOT use in Mallorca before the DOT unit began operating was too high. b) The cost effectiveness of DOT monitoring is positive because DOT use has been optimized and significant savings have ensued (= 38 millions pesetas/year). c) The survival of COPD patients receiving DOT at present appears better than that reported in the literature, possibly related to the greater efficacy of modern treatment.

[Comparative evaluation of 3 types of syringes routinely used for arterial gas analysis]. / Análisis comparativo de tres tipos de jeringas utilizadas habitualmente para gasometría arterial.

This prospective study evaluates the practical utility of a special plastic syringe for collecting arterial blood samples for gasometry, comparing it to a glass syringe and a conventional plastic one, in 120 patients who came to our hospital for arterial blood analysis for a variety of reasons. The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups according to type of syringe assigned. Technicians with experience in the technique prepared the syringes and collected the arterial blood samples after providing local anesthesia. The results showed that the special plastic syringe took less time (p < 0.05) to prepare than did the glass or conventional plastic ones. The differences were quite small, however, in absolute terms, with the special syringe requiring 17 seconds less than the glass syringe and 6 seconds less than the plastic one; the practical importance is therefore slight. No other advantages of the special syringe were observed. No patient required more than one puncture to obtain a valid arterial blood sample, the extraction times (time between arterial puncture until end of process) were similar in the three groups of patients, and the presence of post-puncture hematoma was rare in all groups. There were no differences in level of pain reported (on an analog scale) and the subjective quality of the radial pulse wave was good and similar in all three groups. In conclusion, these results show that use of the special syringe offers no important practical advantages for experienced technicians that would justify the higher price. In fact, as the conventional plastic syringes are cheaper, disposable and similarly effective in expert hands, our results suggest that their routine use for collecting arterial blood gas samples can help improve the cost-benefit ratio for a common procedure in pulmonary function units.

[Determination of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with morphea, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and erythema chronicum migrans]. / Determinación de anticuerpos frente a Borrelia burgdorferi en pacientes con morfea, liquen escleroso y atrófico y eritema crónico migrans.

Several cutaneous entities described in Europe as Chronic Migrans Erythema (CME), Mild Cutis Lymphadenosis (MCL) and Chronic Atrophyc Acrodermatitis (CAA) constitute clinical manifestations of a Borrellia Burgdorferi. The presence of clinical and hystologic lesions similar to those of liquen esclerosus and atrophyc (LEA) and localized esclerodermia (morphea) in patients with CAA has driven to several authors to demonstrate the aethiologic participation of B. Burgdorferi in patients carrying those cutaneous lesions with contradictory results. A serologic study with indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and FIAX test was performed in 16 patients (9 with morphea, 6 with LEA and 1 with CME) in order to evaluate the role of this microorganism in our environment. Five reactive sera were obtained of which only one presented IgG antibodies titrated at 1/256. The IgM antibodies by IIF and IgG by FIAX test turned out to be negative. A specific relationship between B. Burgdorferi and the studied entities could not be established.

[Study of calcium and magnesium in cerebrospinal fluid and its' relation to different neurological diseases (author's transl)]. / Estudio de calcio y magnesio en líquido cefalorraquídeo en diversas enfermedades neurológicas.

Calcium and magnesium have been measured in cerebrospinal fluid by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in children. The normal values on 194 C.S.F., obtaining for the calcium x: 5.24 mg. % and s: +/- 0.378 mg. % [50--56 % lower than serum values] and for magnesium x: 2.64 mg. % and s: +/- 0.155 mg. % [19--33 % higher than serum values] are found. Higher values of calcium at birth and on the first year of life and no differences with magnesium are noted. Applying the t-test, between normal values obtained and the different pathological entities, authors find singificant differences on the level of calcium, finding higher values on the following diseases: dehydration by diarrhoea, poliomyelitis, anoxy, tumours, bacterial meningitis. Magnesium showed values significantly higher in dehydration by diarrhoea and epilepsy, and values significantly lower on febrile convulsions and virical and bacterial meningitis.