Robust mortality prediction on a recirculating aquaculture system.

Aquaculture presents itself as one of the most rapidly developing means of sustainable production of animal protein to feed ever-growing populations. Recirculating aquaculture systems offer higher control and fewer inconveniences than traditional systems, making them an attractive option for fish production. Although the sector's digitalization is in its early stages, its application should increase its rentability while conserving the environment. This paper aims to promote the sector's evolution by assessing parameter importance in mortality with tree-based machine learning models, verifying the method's natural robustness and how it compares to a specially devised one, and at the same time evaluating the concept's relevance in predicting categorical mortality values. In particular, to better understand the aquaculture production process through a systematic data evaluation, an exploration based on real-time data acquisition is fully needed. Moreover, algorithm robustness is a key ingredient in this application since measurements are greatly affected by errors. This invalidates the application of traditional machine learning methods, where models are sensitive to production data variations and sensor noise. The study found the parameters that play relevant roles in the production phases, such as pH and nitrate concentration. While the obtained predictive metrics are still sub-optimal, further enhancements could be achieved through rigorous analysis of feature engineering, fine-tuning model hyperparameters, and exploring more advanced algorithms. Additionally, incorporating larger and more diverse datasets, refining data pre-processing techniques, and iteratively optimizing the model architecture may contribute to significant improvements in predictive performance. Despite that, the impact costs of using adjusted machine learning metrics are clear, as are the importance of data rounding in pre-processing and directions for improvement regarding data acquisition and transformation.

Circular economy in plastic waste - Efficiency analysis of European countries.

The way plastics are currently produced, used and disposed does not capture the economic benefits of a more 'circular' approach and is dramatically harming the environment. It is relevant to determine which European countries can be considered more or less efficient in the end-of-life of plastic products processes, what the sources of the inefficiencies are, and how those less efficient countries could improve their performance towards a more circular economy. Although some countries have developed a variety of quantitative indicators, there is scarcity of adequate metrics for performance measurements. This paper estimates the efficiency of 26 European countries in the context of Circular Economy, for the period 2006-2016, considering the generation of waste, recovery and recycling of plastic, with a methodology based on the Multidirectional Efficiency Analysis. Apart from identifying the most efficient countries in the studied period, results show that efficiency increases for most countries with time, and that many countries reach the full efficiency by the end of the study period, and especially by 2016. Input analysis shows that increasing capital seems to be a main driver towards efficiency, since the other inputs are used with a similar efficiency by most countries. Output analysis suggest that the difference among countries efficiency is not in their reduction of total waste or emissions, but rather in the improvement of their economic growth in a circular way, that is, improving GDP but also the recovering and recycling activities. These results could be useful to design policies towards a more efficient and circular use of plastics.

On a class of N-dimensional anisotropic Sobolev inequalities.

In this paper, we study the smallest constant α in the anisotropic Sobolev inequality of the form ∥u∥pp≤α∥u∥22(2N-1)+(3-2N)p2∥ux∥2N(p-2)2∏k=1N-1∥Dx-1∂yku∥2p-22 and the smallest constant ß in the inequality ∥u∥p∗p∗≤ß∥ux∥22N2N-3∏k=1N-1∥Dx-1∂yku∥222N-3, where V:=(x,y1,…,yN-1)∈RN with N≥3 and 2

Análisis de eficiencia multidireccional en hospitales públicos del Valle del Cauca / Multidirectional Efficiency Analysis in Public Hospitals of Valle Del Cauca / Análise de eficiência multidirecional em hospitais públicos do Valle del Cauca

Resumen La crisis financiera de los hospitales públicos en Colombia conlleva un análisis detallado de cómo funcionan los diferentes servicios de salud, a fin de detectar fallas y generar una mejor utilización de los recursos. En esta investigación se estudiaron los niveles de eficiencia de 44 hospitales públicos del departamento del Valle del Cauca, referente a los servicios de ginecología y obstetricia, odontología y urgencias, entre los años 2007 y 2014. Adoptamos un método determinístico no paramétrico reciente, hasta ahora no aplicado en estudios científicos de salud en Colombia, el cual combina el análisis de eficiencia multidireccional con otras relevantes técnicas para comparar grupos con diferentes niveles de eficiencia. Los resultados indicaron que más del 60 % de los hospitales quedaron en el rango de poco eficientes, lo cual evidencia un inadecuado uso de los insumos (inputs). Esperamos motivar a burócratas a incorporar este tipo de técnicas de evaluación en su proceso de toma de decisiones.

Abstract Financial crises in the Colombian public hospitals call for a detailed analysis on how its different health services work, in order to detect the failures and attain a better use of the resources. This research examined the efficacy levels in 44 public hospitals throughout the Valle del Cauca province, covering the gynecology and obstetrics, dentistry, and emergency services between 2007 and 2014. A recent non-parametric deterministic method was used. Thus far, it has not been applied to health scientific studies in Colombia. It combines the multidirectional efficacy analysis with other relevant techniques in order to compare groups with different efficiency levels. Results showed that more than 60% of the hospitals were in the poor efficiency level, which evinces they are not making an appropriate use of their inputs. This report is expected to encourage the bureaucrats to include evaluation techniques like this in their decision-making processes.

Resumo A crise financeira dos hospitais públicos na Colômbia envolve uma análise detalhada de como funcionam os diferentes serviços de saúde, a fim de detectar falhas e gerar um melhor uso dos recursos. Nesta pesquisa estudaram-se os níveis de eficiência de 44 hospitais públicos do departamento do Valle del Cauca, referente aos serviços de ginecologia e obstetrícia, odontologia e urgências, entre os anos 2007 e 2014. Pegamos um método determinístico não paramétrico recente, até agora não aplicado em estudos científicos de saúde na Colômbia, o qual combina análise de eficiência multidirecional a outras relevantes técnicas para comparar grupos com diferentes níveis de eficiência. Os resultados indicaram que mais de 60 % dos hospitais ficou na faixa de pouco eficientes, o que evidencia um inadequado uso dos insumos (inputs). Esperamos motivar os burocratas para incorporarem este tipo de técnicas de avaliação no seu processo de tomada de decisões.

The origin of the LCST on the liquid-liquid equilibrium of thiophene with ionic liquids.

Mixtures of thiophene with two ionic liquids, namely, [C(4)C(1)im][SCN] and [C(4)C(1)im][NTf(2)], were chosen as prototypes of systems presenting lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior, respectively. This distinct behavior is due to different interactions between the constituting species which are investigated here by means of experimental and computational studies. Experimentally, density measurements were conducted to assess the excess molar volumes and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopies were used to obtain the corresponding nuclear chemical shifts with respect to those measured for the pure ionic liquids. Computationally, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to analyze the radial distribution neighborhoods of each species. Negative values of excess molar volumes and strong positive chemical shift deviations for [C(4)C(1)im][SCN] systems, along with results obtained from MD simulations, allowed the identification of specific interactions between [SCN](-) anion and the molecular solvent (thiophene), which are not observed for [NTf(2)](-). It is suggested that these specific [SCN](-)-thiophene interactions are responsible for the LCST behavior observed for mixtures of thiophene with ionic liquids.

La integración de la cirugía y el tratamiento quimioterápico en el cáncer de vejiga infiltrante / Comprehensive surgical and chemotherapy treatment for invasive bladder cancer

Introducción: El tratamiento del cáncer vesical de células transicionales con invasión muscular sigue siendo difícil, debido a los múltiples patrones de comportamiento biológico que muestra esta enfermedad. Hay controversia en cuanto a la aplicación de tratamiento sistémico en el carcinoma vesical infiltrante y el momento ideal de la indicación de la quimioterapia perioperatoria. Se presenta una visión general de la terapia sistémica en cáncer vesical infiltrante. Material y métodos: Realizamos una búsqueda informática en PubMed limitando la información a los últimos 5 años y seleccionamos artículos en inglés y en español referentes a “chemotherapy in bladder cancer”. Se seleccionaron estudios aleatorizados, metaanálisis y ensayos clínicos. Resultados: Obtuvimos 241 artículos. Un total de 31 artículos fueron referentes a quimioterapia neoadyuvante y adyuvante en el carcinoma vesical infiltrante. Agrupamos los artículos en tres grupos según su referencia a neoadyuvancia, adyuvancia o neoadyuvancia y adyuvancia de forma conjunta. Dicha información se encuentra reflejada en las tablas anexas al manuscrito. Conclusiones: El abordaje multidisciplinario en el tratamiento del carcinoma vesical infiltrante es indispensable para garantizar un adecuado control oncológico. La evaluación detallada y la selección adecuada del paciente son la herramienta fundamental para determinar el mejor momento para indicar la quimioterapia (AU)

Introduction: Treating patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder remains difficult due to the multiple biological behaviour patterns found in this disease. There is still controversy regarding the use of systemic treatment in invasive bladder carcinoma and the ideal moment for launching perioperative chemotherapy. We present an overview of current trends for systemic treatment of invasive bladder carcinoma. Material and methods: Using MEDLINE, we reviewed relevant English and Spanish language literature published during the last five years, with “chemotherapy in bladder cancer” as key words. We selected randomized trials, meta-analyses and clinical trials. Results: We obtained a total of 241 articles. Thirty-one of them referred to neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer. We classified the articles in three different groups neoadjuvant, adjuvant and neoadjuvant plus chemotherapy. All of that information is displayed in the tables within the text. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of invasive bladder cancer is essential to guarantee adequate oncological control. A detailed evaluation and proper selection of each patient is fundamental in determining the best moment to start chemotherapy (AU)

Comprehensive surgical and chemotherapy treatment for invasive bladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of transitional cell bladder cancer with muscular invasion remains difficult, due to the numerous patterns of biological behaviour of the disease. There is controversy regarding the application of systemic therapy in invasive bladder carcinoma and the ideal time for the indication of perioperative chemotherapy. This is an overview of systemic therapy in invasive bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using MEDLINE, we reviewed relevant English and Spanish literature published during the last five years, with "chemotherapy in bladder cancer" as keywords. We selected randomised trials, meta-analyses and clinical trials. RESULTS: We obtained 241 articles, 31 of which referred to neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer. We classified the articles into three different groups: neoadjuvant, adjuvant and neoadjuvant plus chemotherapy. This information is shown in the tables within the text. CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of invasive bladder cancer is essential to guarantee adequate oncological control. Detailed evaluation and proper selection of each patient is fundamental in determining the best moment to start chemotherapy.