Life stories: Unraveling the academic configuration of a multifaceted and multidisciplinary field of knowledge.

In the field of qualitative research, life stories are consolidated as one of the most important techniques within the biographical method. However, due to the multiplicity of techniques covered by this method and the disciplines in which it is applied, the contributions and scope of life histories do not present a clear delimitation. By contrast, a considerable conceptual confusion persists and the transfer of its production remains very narrow. In this sense, this article aims to clarify the field of knowledge generated through life stories. To this end, it innovatively applies the bibliometric method. Making use of performance analysis and scientific mapping through the VosViewer application, it studies a body of 2670 articles indexed in the Web of Science. The results show how knowledge transferred from psychology through its major schools of thought occupies a central place. This leaves in a secondary position the knowledge produced by other disciplines such as sociology or anthropology, which is not transferred in the main forums of scientific impact. In this way, the conclusion points to the need to open up new lines of research to find out the differences between the different techniques and disciplines when applying this methodology.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: analysis of variables influencing the interpretation of clinical trial results in NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: NAFLD clinical trials have shown suboptimal results, particularly for liver fibrosis, despite the robust preclinical drug development. We aimed to assess the histological response after the experimental treatment versus placebo by carrying out a meta-analysis of NAFLD clinical trials. METHODS: After a systematic review of NAFLD clinical trials to May 2021, applying strict selection criteria, the following primary outcomes were observed: (a) NASH resolution, with no worsening of fibrosis when available; (b) fibrosis improvement ≥ 1 stage, with no worsening of NAS when available; (c) worsening of NAS; (d) worsening of liver fibrosis ≥ 1 stage, including the progression to cirrhosis on histopathology. Other histological, clinical, and biochemical outcomes were considered secondary endpoints. Heterogeneity was explored by subgroup and sensitivity analyses, and univariable meta-regression. RESULTS: Twenty-seven randomized clinical trials were included. The pooled efficacy for NASH resolution receiving experimental therapy was 19% (95%CI 15-23; I2 96.2%) compared with placebo 10% (95%CI 7-12; I2 85.8%) (OR 1.66 (95%CI 1.24-2.21); I2 57.8%), while it was 26% (95%CI 22-29); I2 90%)) versus 18% (95%CI 15-21; I2 59%)) for fibrosis improvement (OR 1.34 (95%CI 1.13-1.58); I2 25.4%). For these outcomes, the therapy showed higher efficacy in trials longer than 48 weeks, with < 60% of diabetic population, and when it targeted FXR, PPAR, and antidiabetic mechanisms, and with a NAS < 5 for NASH resolution. Also, NASH (OR 0.57 (95%CI 0.39-0.84); I2 67%) and fibrosis worsening (OR 0.65 (95%CI 0.46-0.92); I2 61.9%) were prevented with the therapy. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides information about the efficacy of the therapy versus placebo by comparing different and combined trial outcomes such as NASH resolution, fibrosis improvement, and NAS and fibrosis worsening. Changes in the experimental design and selection criteria of the clinical trials might be suitable to increase the efficacy.

Model-Based Systems Engineering Applied to Trade-Off Analysis of Wireless Power Transfer Technologies for Implanted Biomedical Microdevices.

Decision-making is an important part of human life and particularly in any engineering process related to a complex product. New sensors and actuators based on MEMS technologies are increasingly complex and quickly evolving into products. New biomedical implanted devices may benefit from system engineering approaches, previously reserved to very large projects, and it is expected that this need will increase in the future. Here, we propose the application of Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to systematize and optimize the trade-off analysis process. The criteria, their utility functions and the weighting factors are applied in a systematic way for the selection of the best alternative. Combining trade-off with MBSE allow us to identify the more suitable technology to be implemented to transfer energy to an implanted biomedical micro device.

Caso de hipertermia maligna en paciente intervenida de apendicectomía laparoscópica / Malignant Hyperthermia after a laparoscopic appendicectomy: Case report

Malignant hyperthermia is an hypermetabolic syndrome in which the intracellular calcium receptors are altered. Patients who present compatible symptoms with this symdrome are genetically predisposed. Many of the cases have been described in the surgical area, due to the use of anesthesic drugs and neuromuscular blockers. However, there are some cases with an unknown trigger. The prevalence of the syndrome is very difficult to estimate. The diagnosis and early treatment are pronostic factors predicting the evolution of the syndrome.

La hipertermia maligna es conocida como un síndrome de estimulación masiva del metabolismo, debido a la alteración en la liberación de calcio intracelular. Muchos pacientes que presentan clínica compatible con este síndrome están genéticamente predispuestos. La mayoría de los casos se describen en el ámbito quirúrgico, con el empleo de fármacos anestésicos y determinados relajantes neuromusculares, aunque también existen casos en los que no se halla desencadenante. De prevalencia difícil de estimar, la sospecha diagnóstica y el tratamiento precoz marcan el pronóstico evolutivo de estos pacientes.

Tromboembolismo pulmonar masivo paciente neumonía COVID-19 positivo / Massive pulmonary embolism in a COVID-19 patient

In December 2019, the infection with COVID-19 was released from the city of Wuhan, China, spreading throughout the world these last months of 2020. Affected patients develop bilateral interstitial pneumonia that, in some cases, evolve into severe forms of respiratory distress syndrome, therefore requiring admission to Intensive Care Units, whose mortality rate is between 20-60%. In these critically ill patients, the massive release of proinflammatory mediators known as cytokine storm is described as one of the causes of poor prognosis, predisposing the development of multi-organ failure. Another of the markers of poor prognosis studied in ICU patients with COVID-19 infection is D-dimer. Serious infection is accompanied by alterations in coagulation factors, associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation processes. We present the case of a patient diagnosed with massive pulmonary thromboembolism and secondary multiple organ failure, in the context of severe COVID infection 19.

En diciembre de 2019 se dió a conocer la infección por COVID-19, desde la ciudad de Wuhan en China, extendiéndose por todo el mundo a lo largo de estos últimos meses del año 2020. Los pacientes afectados desarrollan neumonías bilaterales intersticiales que, en algunos casos, evolucionan a formas graves de síndrome de distrés respiratorio, requiriendo por ello ingreso en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos, cuya mortalidad se encuentra entre el 20-60%. En estos pacientes críticos, se describe como una de las causas de mal pronóstico la liberación masiva de mediadores proinflamatorios conocida como tormenta de citoquinas, predisponiendo el desarrollo de fracaso multiorgánico. Otro de los marcadores de mal pronóstico estudiado en los pacientes de UCI con infección por COVID-19 es el dímero D. La infección grave se acompaña de alteraciones en los factores de coagulación, asociándose a procesos de coagulación diseminada. Presentamos el caso de un paciente diagnosticado de tromboembolismo pulmonar masivo y fracaso multiorgánico secundario, en contexto de infección grave por COVID-19.

Bend and Moisture Effects on the Performance of a U-Shaped Slotted Wearable Antenna for Off-Body Communications in an Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz Band.

In recent years, the study and design of wearable antennas have been empowered given the success of Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) for healthcare and medical purposes. This work analyses a flexible textile antenna whose performance can be optimised by the careful selection of the substrate thickness of the textile material, and by varying the antenna's geometrical shape. After considering these parameters, several arrangements of antennas were simulated using the Computer Simulation Technology software (CST). The results of the simulations were compared to the experimental prototypes manufactured on a flexible felt material for a range of thicknesses and curvatures of the antenna substrate. Such antenna designs can be utilised in off-body communications and ISM applications.

Optimal Design of a Planar Textile Antenna for Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) with the CRO-SL Algorithm.

This paper proposes a low-profile textile-modified meander line Inverted-F Antenna (IFA) with variable width and spacing meanders, for Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) 2.4-GHz Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN), optimized with a novel metaheuristic algorithm. Specifically, a metaheuristic known as Coral Reefs Optimization with Substrate Layer (CRO-SL) is used to obtain an optimal antenna for sensor systems, which allows covering properly and resiliently the 2.4⁻2.45-GHz industrial scientific medical bandwidth. Flexible pad foam has been used to make the designed prototype with a 1.1-mm thickness. We have used a version of the algorithm that is able to combine different searching operators within a single population of solutions. This approach is ideal to deal with hard optimization problems, such as the design of the proposed meander line IFA. During the optimization phase with the CRO-SL, the proposed antenna has been simulated using CST Microwave Studio software, linked to the CRO-SL by means of MATLAB implementation and Visual Basic Applications (VBA) code. We fully describe the antenna design process, the adaptation of the CRO-SL approach to this problem and several practical aspects of the optimization and details on the algorithm’s performance. To validate the simulation results, we have constructed and measured two prototypes of the antenna, designed with the proposed algorithm. Several practical aspects such as sensitivity during the antenna manufacturing or the agreement between the simulated and constructed antenna are also detailed in the paper.

Involvement of stanniocalcins in the deregulation of glycaemia in obese mice and type 2 diabetic patients.

Stanniocalcins are expressed in the pancreas tissue, and it was suggested a direct correlation between circulating insulin and STC2 concentrations in human. Here, we show a significant correlation between STC1 and both glycaemia and glycosylated haemoglobin among DM2 patients, while DM2 patients who present the greatest glycosylated haemoglobin values exhibited the lowest STC2 expression. However, treatment of patients with antiglycaemic drugs does not significantly modify the expression of both STCs. On the other hand, STC2-/- mice that exhibited neonatal and adult overweight further presented deregulated glycaemia when they were feed with a hypercaloric diet (breeding pellet, BP). This alteration is more evident at the early stages of the animal life. Deregulated glycaemia in these mice was confirmed using glucose oral test. In addition, STC2-/- mice present enhanced pancreas size; thus, the histological analysis reveals that WT mice respond to BP diet by increasing the size of the pancreatic islets through inducing cell division, and STC2-/- mice lack this compensatory mechanism. Contrary, BP fed STC2-/- mice show enhanced number of islets but of similar size than those fed with regular pellet. Histopathological analysis demonstrates tissue structure disruption and erythrocytes infiltrations in STC2-/- mice, possibly due to the stress evoked by the BP diet. Finally, enhanced glucagon immunostaining was observed in the islet of STC2-/- mice, and the glucagon ELISA assay confirmed the increase in the circulating glucagon. Summarizing, we present evidence of the role of STCs, mainly STC2, as a possible early marker during development of diabetes mellitus.

Towards Miniaturization of Magnetic Gears: Torque Performance Assessment.

Magnetomechanical components can be a good solution in order to reduce, or even completely avoid, friction phenomena in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) since they can transmit forces through magnetic fields without contacts. In this communication, electromagnetic simulations of the expected specific torque of a coaxial magnetic gear are given. The results show that micromagnetic gears (3 mm of diameter) could provide a specific torque up to 8.98 Nm/kg, several times larger than the specific torque that microgears (<9 mm of diameter) can provide. This implies that micromagnetic gears could provide speed conversion without contact in the teeth, avoiding corresponding friction, but also that it would even improve the specific torque transmission with respect to contact microgears.

[Effect of Capsicum annum L (pucunucho, ají mono) in gastric ulcer experimentally induced in rats]. / Efecto del Capsicum annum L (pucunucho, ají mono) en úlcera gástrica experimental inducida en ratas.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of the Capsicum annum L lyophilized fruit extract in experimentally-induced gastric ulcer in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the model of indomethacin gastric ulcer-induced and the gastric ulcer model induced by pylorus ligation in rats. The rats were divided in five treatment groups as follow: G1: Distilled water 1 ml/Kg; G2: Ranitidine 50 mg/kg, G3: Capsicum 10mg/kg, G4: Capsicum 100 mg/kg, G5: Capsicum 1000 mg/kg. RESULTS: The results of the first model showed an ulcer inhibition of 60,4% and 66,7% using the doses of Capsicum at 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The results of the second model showed that neither the pH nor the volume of the gastric content were modified by the administered extract (p >0.05); however, by using the doses of Capsicum at 100 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, there was clearly an ulcer inhibition of 75.59% and 81.63% respectively, which were even greater than the inhibition obtained by ranitidine (75.51%). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, in this experiment we demonstrated that the Capsicum annum L lyophilized fruit extract has a gastroprotective effect in experimentally-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

Efecto del Capsicum annum L (pucunucho, ají mono) en úlcera gástrica experimental inducida en ratas / Effect of Capsicum annum L (pucunucho, ají mono) in gastric ulcer experimentally induced in rats

Evaluar el efecto del extracto liofilizado del fruto de Capsicum annum L en úlcera gástrica experimental inducida en ratas. Materiales y métodos: Empleamos el modelo de úlcera gástrica inducida por indometacina y el modelo de úlcera gástrica inducida por ligadura del píloro en ratas separadas en 5 grupos de tratamiento: G1: agua destilada 1 ml/Kg; G2: Ranitidina 50 mg/kg, G3: Capsicum 10 mg/kg, G4: Capsicum 100 mg/kg, G5: Capsicum 1000 mg/kg. Resultados: Los resultados del primer modelo muestran que a las dosis de 10 mg/Kg y 100 mg/Kg se obtuvo un porcentaje de inhibición de la lesión ulcerosa de 60,4% y 66,7% respectivamente; mientras que en el segundo modelo, el extracto no modificó el volumen gástrico ni en el pH gástrico (p >0,05); sin embargo a las dosis de 100 y 1000 mg/Kg la lesión ulcerosa se inhibió en 75,59% y 81,63% respectivamente; siendo además la inhibición mayor que con ranitidina (75,51%). Conclusiones: En conclusión demostramos que el extracto liofilizado del fruto de Capsicum annum L presenta efecto gastroprotector en úlcera gástrica experimental inducida en ratas...

To examine the effects of the Capsicum annum L lyophilized fruit extract in experimentally-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Materials and methods: We used the model of indomethacin gastric ulcer-induced and the gastric ulcer model induced by pylorus ligation in rats. The rats were divided in five treatment groups as follow: G1: Distilled water 1 ml/Kg; G2: Ranitidine 50 mg/kg, G3: Capsicum 10mg/kg, G4: Capsicum 100 mg/kg, G5: Capsicum 1000 mg/kg. Results: The results of the first model showed an ulcer inhibition of 60,4% and 66,7% using the doses of Capsicum at 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The results of the second model showed that neither the pH nor the volume of the gastric content were modified by the administered extract (p >0.05); however, by using the doses of Capsicum at 100 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, there was clearly an ulcer inhibition of 75.59% and 81.63% respectively, which were even greater than the inhibition obtained by ranitidine (75.51%). Conclusions: Therefore, in this experiment we demonstrated that the Capsicum annum L lyophilized fruit extract has a gastroprotective effect in experimentally-induced gastric ulcer in rats...

Methodological aspects of the molecular and histological study of prostate cancer: focus on PTEN.

Prostate cancer is among the most frequent cancers in men, and despite its high rate of cure, the high number of cases results in an elevated mortality worldwide. Importantly, prostate cancer incidence is dramatically increasing in western societies in the past decades, suggesting that this type of tumor is exquisitely sensitive to lifestyle changes. Prostate cancer frequently exhibits alterations in the PTEN gene (inactivating mutations or gene deletions) or at the protein level (reduced protein expression or altered sub-cellular compartmentalization). The relevance of PTEN in this type of cancer is further supported by the fact that the sole deletion of PTEN in the murine prostate epithelium recapitulates many of the features of the human disease. In order to study the molecular alterations in prostate cancer, we need to overcome the methodological challenges that this tissue imposes. In this review we present protocols and methods, using PTEN as proof of concept, to study different molecular characteristics of prostate cancer.

Equidad, eficiencia, cobertura y calidad de los servicios de salud en el modelo tradicional de asignación de recursos financieros, comparado con un nuevo modelo, Costa Rica 1995-1997 / Equity, efficency, cover and quality of the services of health in the traditional model of asignation of financial recourses, compared with a new model, Costa Rica 1995-1997

Resume los principales resultados, las conclusiones y las recomendaciones de la investigación titulada "Determinación de la equidad, la eficiencia, la cobertura y la calidad de los servicios de salud en el modelo tradicional de asignación de recursos financieros, comparado con un nuevo modelo, Costa Rica 1995-1997". Los resultados de la investigación constituyen la base de comparación que permitirá en el futuro evaluar el impacto del nuevo modelo de asignación de recursos financieros (SARF) en los aspectos señalados. Se determinan los indicadores mínimos a considerar en la evaluación, su forma de cálculo y el comportamiento esperado si el nuevo modelo logra alcanzar los objetivos propuestos. Se establece la línea base de comparación en tres áreas de salud (Chacarita, Barranca y Esparza) seleccionadas como piloto para la implantación del nuevo SARF y se plantean hipótesis futuras que deben someterse a prueba (cuando se disponga de suficiente información) y que responden a los cambios esperados si el nuevo modelo es exitoso.

Integración de los Diferentes Niveles de Atención Sobre el Eje da la APS: Formulación de Propuestas para un Cambio Hacia la Equidad e Inclusión Social.

Relatório geral de todas as atividades e colóquios do evento.