El papel de los recursos de salud pública en el afrontamiento y tratamiento de la COVID-19 / The role of Public Health resources in coping and treating COVID-19

Introducción: La crisis de la COVID-19 ha puesto a la gestión de diversos sistemas políticos a prueba. Posiblemente, no hay nada más evidente que el número de infectados y muertos de un país como índice de la eficacia de los políticos a la hora de afrontar una crisis. El ciudadano es un cliente. Paga sus impuestos y tiene toda la licencia moral de exigir a sus gobernantes que sean eficientes en la protección de sus derechos. Algunos gobiernos han intentado desviar el foco de su responsabilidad sobre el dinero destinado a salud pública en los presupuestos del Estado de gobiernos anteriores; a modo de excusa de su nefasta gestión. Objetivo: Este trabajo precisamente analiza si existe alguna relación estadísticamente significativa entre el dinero destinado a los servicios públicos de salud y el número de infectados y muertes por la COVID-19. Métodos: Se realizó un análisis no-paramétrico Tau b de Kendall para el gasto público en salud (tanto la inversión pública como privada) y el número de contagiados (en 178 países) y muertes (en 162 países) por la COVID-19; proporcionado por la Universidad John Hopkins. Resultados: No sólo no se ha encontrado una relación negativa (de mayor gasto en salud y menor número de afectados) sino que, sorprendentemente, se ha desvelado que hay una relación positiva. Conclusiones: Una posible hipótesis es que disponer de un sistema de salud con mayores recursos hace que los políticos sean más confiados a la hora de enfrentarse a crisis sanitarias(AU)

Introduction: The COVID-19 crisis has put the management of various political systems to the test. There is possibly nothing more evident than the number of infected and deaths in a country as an index of the effectiveness of politicians in coping a crisis. The citizen is a customer. They pay their taxes and they have all the right to demand their politicians to be efficient in protecting their rights. In this sense, there is no right above the right to life. Some governments have attempted to shift the focus of their responsibility on the public health state budgets of previous governments, as an excuse for its catastrophic management. Objective: This work precisely analyzes whether there is any statistically significant relationship between the budget dedicated to public health services and the number of infected and deaths by COVID-19. Methods: A non-parametric analysis of Kendall's Tau b was carried out for Public Health Expenditure (both public and private investment) and the number of COVID-19 infections (in 178 countries) and deaths (in 162 countries; provided by John Hopkins University). Results: Results showed that there is not only a negative relationship (between higher spending on health and fewer affected people) but, surprisingly, there is a positive relationship between these variables. Conclusions: One possible hypothesis is that the fact of having a health system with more resources makes politicians be more confident when facing health crisis(AU)

Multifocus HDR VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging and its application to works of art.

This paper presents a complete framework for capturing and processing hyperspectral reflectance images of artworks in situ, using a hyperspectral line scanner. These capturing systems are commonly used in laboratory conditions synchronized with scanning stages specifically designed for planar surfaces. However, when the intended application domain does not allow for image capture in these controlled conditions, achieving useful spectral reflectance image data can be a very challenging task (due to uncontrolled illumination, high-dynamic range (HDR) conditions in the scene, and the influence of chromatic aberration on the image quality, among other factors). We show, for the first time, all the necessary steps in the image capturing and post-processing in order to obtain high-quality HDR-based reflectance in the visible and near infrared, directly from the data captured by using a hyperspectral line scanner coupled to a rotating tripod. Our results show that the proposed method outperforms the normal capturing process in terms of dynamic range, color and spectral accuracy. To demonstrate the potential interest of this processing strategy for on-site analysis of artworks, we applied it to the study of a vintage copy of the famous painting "Transfiguration" by Raphael, as well as a facsimile of "The Golden Haggadah" from the British Library of London. The second piece has been studied for the identification of highly reflective gold-foil covered areas.

Relación entre estilos parentales y conductas autolesivas sin intención suicida en población ecuatoriana / Relationship between parenting styles and self-harm without suicide intention in Ecuadorian population

Introducción: La familia es un contexto de protección que salvaguarda el desarrollo del individuo. En este ámbito, para el niño, se comienza no solo el aprendizaje de modelos útiles para relacionarse con la sociedad sino que, en su lado deficitario, es el foco de necesidades que han de resolverse por otros medios. Los estilos parentales determinan e influyen en gran medida, las conductas pro sociales o desadaptativas, positivas o negativas, integrativas o disruptivas de los hijos. En este sentido, la necesidad de llamar la atención ha sido relacionada en la literatura con conductas tales como la realización de tatuajes. Objetivo: Desvelar la relación entre conductas autolesivas, llamada de atención y ciertos estilos parentales. Métodos: Se llevaron a cabo distintos análisis correlacionales (utilizando una r de Pearson) con una muestra de 881 estudiantes universitarios, entre los diferentes estilos parentales, las conductas autolesivas y la intención de realizarse un tatuaje. Resultados: Conductas parentales (como el control materno) correlacionan tanto con la realización de tatuajes como con ciertas conductas autolesivas. El amor parental de ambos progenitores, por el contrario, es un factor protector que correlaciona negativamente con este tipo de conductas de autolesión. El dato más claro reside en la correlación positiva entre la negligencia parental (la falta de atención) con las conductas autolesivas. Conclusiones: Se concluye que la llamada de atención es un factor inherente a las conductas autolesivas, aunque tan solo es uno de tantos factores(AU)

Introduction: Family is a context of protection that safeguards the development of the individual. In this area, for the child, learning of useful models begins which they will relate to society later on. It is also the focus of needs to solve by other means. The parental styles, therefore, largely determine and influence the prosocial or maladaptive behaviors, positive or negative, integrative or disruptive of children. In this sense, literature has related the need to draw attention been with behaviors such receiving tattoos. Objective: To show the relationship between self-injurious behavior, attention call and certain parental styles. Methods: We conducted various correlational analysis (using Pearson r) with a sample of 881 college students between the different parenting styles, self-injurious behavior and intent of receiving tattoo. Results: Parental behaviors (such as maternal control) correlate both with receiving tattoo and with certain self-injurious behaviors. Parental love (of both parents), on the other hand, is a protective factor since it correlates negatively with this type of self-harm behavior. The clearest information lies in the positive correlation between parental negligence (and therefore, lack of attention) with self-injurious behaviors. Conclusions: Our study concludes that drawing attention is an inherent factor in self-injurious behavior, although it is only one of many factors(AU)

Polar stir bars for isolation and preconcentration of perfluoroalkyl substances from human milk samples prior to UHPLC-MS/MS analysis.

BACKGROUND: A new method for the determination of four perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (from C5 to C8) and perfluorooctane sulfonate in human milk samples using stir-bar sorptive extraction-ultra-HPLC-MS/MS has been accurately optimized and validated. METHODOLOGY: Polydimethylsiloxane and polyethyleneglycol modified silicone materials were evaluated. DISCUSSION: Overall, polyethyleneglycol led to a better sensitivity. After optimizing experimental variables, the method was validated reaching detection limits in the range of 0.05-0.20 ng ml(-1); recovery rates from 81 to 105% and relative standard deviations fewer than 13% in all cases. The method was applied to milk samples from five randomly selected women. All samples were positive for at least one of the target compounds with concentrations ranging between 0.8 and 6.6 ng ml(-1), being the most abundant perfluorooctane sulfonate.

Environmental monitoring study of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and insoluble soap in Spanish sewage sludge samples.

In this work we present a monitoring study of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and insoluble soap performed on Spanish sewage sludge samples. This work focuses on finding statistical relations between LAS concentrations and insoluble soap in sewage sludge samples and variables related to wastewater treatment plants such as water hardness, population and treatment type. It is worth to mention that 38 samples, collected from different Spanish regions, were studied. The statistical tool we used was Principal Component Analysis (PC), in order to reduce the number of response variables. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and a non-parametric test such as the Kruskal-Wallis test were also studied through the estimation of the p-value (probability of obtaining a test statistic at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed, assuming that the null hypothesis is true) in order to study possible relations between the concentration of both analytes and the rest of variables. We also compared LAS and insoluble soap behaviors. In addition, the results obtained for LAS (mean value) were compared with the limit value proposed by the future Directive entitled "Working Document on Sludge". According to the results, the mean obtained for soap and LAS was 26.49 g kg(-1) and 6.15 g kg(-1) respectively. It is worth noting that LAS mean was significantly higher than the limit value (2.6 g kg(-1)). In addition, LAS and soap concentrations depend largely on water hardness. However, only LAS concentration depends on treatment type.

Matrix effect study in the determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates in sewage sludge samples.

We propose a study of the matrix effect in the determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) in sewage sludge samples. First, a rapid, selective and sensitive method is proposed. The method involves two stages: the extraction of the compound from the samples and analysis by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FLD). Three different techniques of extraction (microwave-assisted extraction, Soxhlet, and ultrasounds) were compared, and microwave-assisted extraction was selected as the best suited for our purpose. Microwave-assisted extraction allows reducing the extraction time (25 min compared with 12 h for conventional Soxhlet extraction) and solvent waste (25 ml of methanol compared with 200 ml for Soxhlet or more than 50 ml for the ultrasonic procedure). Absence of matrix effect was evaluated with two standards (2ØC(8:0) and 2ØC(16:0) ) that are not commercial; therefore, neither of them was detected in sewage sludge samples and they showed similar environmental behavior (adsorption and precipitation) to LAS (C(11:0) -C(13.0) ), which allow us to evaluate the matrix effect. Validation was carried out by a recovery assay, and the method was applied to samples from different sources; therefore, they had different compositions.

Determination of insoluble soap in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

We have developed a new analytical procedure for determining insoluble Ca and Mg fatty acid salts (soaps) in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples. The number of analytical methodologies that focus in the determination of insoluble soap salts in different environmental compartments is very limited. In this work, we propose a methodology that involves a sample clean-up step with petroleum ether to remove soluble salts and a conversion of Ca and Mg insoluble salts into soluble potassium salts using tripotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate salt and potassium carbonate, followed by the extraction of analytes from the samples using microwave-assisted extraction with methanol. An improved esterification procedure using 2,4-dibromoacetophenone before the liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection analysis also has been developed. The absence of matrix effect was demonstrated with two fatty acid Ca salts that are not commercial and are never detected in natural samples (C13:0 and C17:0). Therefore, it was possible to evaluate the matrix effect because both standards have similar environmental behavior (adsorption and precipitation) to commercial soaps (C10:0) to C18:0). We also studied the effect of the different variables on the clean-up, the conversion of Ca soap, and the extraction and derivatization procedures. The quantification limits found ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg. The proposed method was satisfactorily applied for the development of a study on soap behavior in agricultural soil and sewage sludge samples.