Towards Dependable IoT via Interface Selection: Predicting Packet Delivery at the End Node in LoRaWAN Networks.

Estimating channel conditions to predict packet delivery can be exploited as a powerful tool to ensure wireless networks dependability. In this article we explore the practical application of this idea from the end-device perspective, using the LoRaWAN protocol stack. We aim to understand if packet delivery can be estimated considering different levels of feedback at the end-device. For that, an extensive data collection campaign is carried out. Through an analysis of the obtained traces, we establish correlations between connectivity metrics at the end node and the fact that a packet is received at the gateway. The study is complemented considering different levels of feedback: (i) No feedback, (ii) enabling acknowledgements frames, and (iii) considering application/control plane data about the channel status at the gateway side. The results show that it is possible to estimate packet delivery in all the evaluated cases.

Exploring students' learning experience in online education: analysis and improvement proposals based on the case of a Spanish open learning university.

Not surprisingly, the number of online universities continues to expand-especially in Covid-19 times. These institutions all offer "online education" with diverse institutional, technological, and pedagogical processes. However, a fundamental element has to do with the experience of the students, and how they adapt to the educational model of the online university in which they are studying. In this article, we present the main results of the case-study developed in one of the most historical and relevant virtual universities in an international context. We have explored and analysed the process of adaptation to the educational model by the student body, and their perceptions of their interactions with the pedagogical, institutional, and technological elements designed to support their learning. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to gather and analyse the data. From 1715 students who participated in the survey and the perceptions of 30 students individually interviewed, the results show positive evaluations regarding the integration and adoption of technological competencies, and also, that the online education generally serves as a responsive model to the emergent needs of the learner. However, the results also show that students have important concerns regarding the pedagogical and institutional support provided.

Predictive factors for erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To identify predictive factors related to the development of erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum, in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Epidemiological and clinical data from 270 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 125 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were collected between 2003 and 2011. The variables retrospectively analyzed were: gender, age at diagnosis, type of IBD (CD or UC), smoking habit, pattern of disease (IBD), location and extension, family history, previous IBD-related surgery, other extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), and previous biological and immunosuppressive therapy. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients showed at least one cutaneous manifestation. These lesions were more frequent in women (15.4%) than in men (4.2%; P = 0.0001) and in CD (12.2%) than in UC patients (3.2%; P = 0.005). These manifestations were more frequently associated with other EIMs (25% vs 7.2%; P = 0.0001), and they were less frequent in patients who received a previous biological therapy for IBD (6.8% vs 11.2%; P = 0.1). Patients with skin manifestations were younger at diagnosis of IBD than those patients without them (26.3 ± 10 vs 32.9 ± 14.5, P = 0.008). Independent variables significantly associated with development of skin manifestations were: female (P = 0.008), previous biological therapy (P = 0.007), age at diagnosis (young, P = 0.026), type of IBD (CD, P = 0.043) and presence of other EIMs (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Predictive factors involved in the development of main cutaneous manifestations are: female, CD, young age at diagnosis of IBD, and presence of other EIMs. Early use of biological therapies prevents the development of cutaneous manifestations.

Measurement of IFN-γ and IL-2 for the assessment of the cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

The study of specific T-cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 is important for understanding long-term immunity and infection management. The aim of this study was to assess the dual IFN-γ and IL-2 detection, using a SARS-CoV-2 specific fluorescence ELISPOT, in patients undergoing acute disease, during convalescence, and after vaccination. We also evaluated humoral response and compared with T-cells with the aim of correlating both types of responses, and increase the number of specific response detection. Blood samples were drawn from acute COVID-19 patients and convalescent individuals classified according to disease severity; and from unvaccinated and vaccinated uninfected individuals. IgGs against Spike and nucleocapsid, IgMs against nucleocapsid, and neutralizing antibodies were also analyzed. Our results show that IFN-γ in combination with IL-2 increases response detection in acute and convalescent individuals (p = 0.023). In addition, IFN-γ detection can be a useful biomarker for monitoring severe acute patients, as our results indicate that those individuals with a poor outcome have lower levels of this cytokine. In some cases, the lack of cellular immunity is compensated by antibodies, confirming the role of both types of immune responses in infection, and confirming that their dual detection can increase the number of specific response detections. In summary, IFN-γ/IL-2 dual detection is promising for characterizing and assessing the immunization status, and helping in the patient management.

Citicoline May Prevent Cognitive Decline in Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease.

Introduction: Neuroprotective drugs such as citicoline could improve cognitive performance and quality of life. We studied the effect of citicoline treatment and its association with Vascular Risk Factors (VRF) and APOE on cognition in patients with Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Methods: This is an observational and prospective study with citicoline during 12 months follow-up. Eighty-one subjects who met criteria for SCC/MCI, aged 50-75 years with VRF were included and prescribed citicoline 1g/day. Subjects with previous cognitive impairment and any other central nervous system affection were excluded. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and paired samples t-test were used to analyze the change in neuropsychological performance. Results: Mean age of the sample was 68.2 (SD 6.8) years and 26 (32.09%) were females. Fifteen subjects (24.6%) were APOE-ε4 carriers, fifty-six (76.7%) had hypertension, fifty-eight (79.5%) had dyslipidemia, twenty-one (28.8%) had diabetes mellitus and twenty-six (35.6%) had cardiopathy. Thirty-two (43.8%) subjects were diagnosed as SCC and forty-one (56.16%) as MCI. During the follow-up, Tweny-six patients (81.25%) in the group of SCC remained stable, six subjects (18.8%) converted to MCI. Twelve patients (29.9%) with MCI reverted to SCC and twenty-nine patients (70.7%) remained stable. At follow-up, SCC subjects had an improvement in the global language domain (p=0.03), naming (p<0.001), attention (p=0.01) and visuospatial abilities (p<0.01). MCI group showed an improvement in the screening test (p=0.03), delayed memory (p<0.01), global cognition (p=0.04) and in cognitive flexibility (p=0.03). Presence of APOE-ε4 had no impact on the above findings. Discussion: SCC subjects showed an improvement in language and attention domains, while those with MCI performed better after 12 months in total scores of MoCA and RBANS domains, some converting back to SCC. This supports the idea that citicoline may prevent cognitive decline in patients with cognitive deficits.

Assessment of content, behavior change techniques, and quality of unintended pregnancy apps in Spain: Systematic search on app stores.

Objective: Unintended pregnancies are a public health problem that represents 48% of global pregnancies. Despite the proliferation of smartphones there is limited data on the app's features on unintended pregnancy. The purpose of this research was to identify free apps available in Spanish, in the iOS Store and Google Play, which can be recommended to prevent unintended pregnancies in adolescents. Methods: A systematic search to identify apps was performed in the iOS App Store and in Google Play aiming to replicate the way a patient might access an "unintended pregnancy prevention" app. Additionally, the quality, using the Mobile Application Rating Scale, and content were assessed. Results: A total of 4614 apps were identified, of which 8 were retrieved for assessment (0.17%). The mean for objective and subject quality was 3.39 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.694) and 1.84 (SD = 0.626), respectively. A total of 16 thematic categories were identified. The mean of topics covered in the apps was 5.38 (SD = 2.925) being those related to contraception the more frequent. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that only a small percentage of free pregnancy prevention apps in Spanish should be recommended. The contents of the apps retrieved meet the potential necessities of adolescents.

Measuring T-Cell Responses against SARS-CoV-2 Is of Utility for Disease and Vaccination Management.

The measurement of specific T-cell responses can be a useful tool for COVID-19 diagnostics and clinical management. In this study, we evaluated the IFN-γ T-cell response against the main SARS-CoV-2 antigens (spike, nucleocapsid and membrane) in acute and convalescent individuals classified according to severity, and in vaccinated and unvaccinated controls. IgG against spike and nucleocapsid were also measured. Spike antigen triggered the highest number of T-cell responses. Acute patients showed a low percentage of positive responses when compared to convalescent (71.6% vs. 91.7%, respectively), but increased during hospitalization and with severity. Some convalescent patients showed an IFN-γ T-cell response more than 200 days after diagnosis. Only half of the vaccinated individuals displayed an IFN-γ T-cell response after the second dose. IgG response was found in a higher percentage of individuals compared to IFN-γ T-cell responses, and moderate correlations between both responses were seen. However, in some acute COVID-19 patients specific T-cell response was detected, but not IgG production. We found that the chances of an IFN-γ T-cell response against SARS-CoV-2 is low during acute phase, but may increase over time, and that only half of the vaccinated individuals had an IFN-γ T-cell response after the second dose.

The direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 pandemic in a real-life hematological setting.

BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes of novel coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) in onco-hematological patients are unknown. When compared to non-immunocompromised patients, onco-hematological patients seem to have higher mortality rates. AIMS: We describe the characteristics and outcomes of a consecutive cohort of 24 onco-hematological patients with COVID-19 during the first month of the pandemic. We also describe variations in healthcare resource utilization within our hematology department. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from patients between the first month of the pandemic were retrospectively collected. Clinical and logistic data were also collected and compared with the average values from the prior 3 months of activity. Prevalence of COVID-19 in our hematological population was 0.4%. Baseline characteristics were as follows: male sex: 83%, lymphoid diseases: 46%, median age: 69 (22-82) years. Median follow-up in survivors was 14 (9-28) days and inpatient mortality rate was 46%. Average time to moderate/severe respiratory insufficiency and death were 3 (1-10) and 10 (3-18) days, respectively. Only 1 out of every 12 patients who developed moderate to severe respiratory insufficiency recovered. Upon univariate analysis, the following factors were associated with higher mortality: age ≥ 70 years (P = .01) and D-dimer ≥900 mcg/L (P = .04). With respect to indirect effects during the COVID-19 pandemic, and when compared with the prior 3 months of activity, inpatient mortality (excluding patients with COVID-19 included in the study) increased by 56%. This was associated with a more frequent use of vasoactive drugs (+300%) and advanced respiratory support (+133%) in the hematology ward. In the outpatient setting, there was a reduction in initial visits (-55%) and chemotherapy sessions (-19%). A significant increase in phone visits was reported (+581%). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic is associated with elevated mortality in hematological patients. Negative indirect effects are also evident within this setting.

Development and validation of a questionnaire for assessing the characteristics of diet and physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The aim ofthis study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Motiva.Diaf-DM2 questionnaire, which assesses adherence to a healthy diet and physical activity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). METHOD: Participants were 206 patients who attended primary care services, with a mean age of 69.63 years (SD = 11.05), with 39.3% of the participants being women. To assess the test-retest reliability of the measure, a random subsample (n = 40) of patients who had another appointment scheduled was selected to fill in the questionnaire once again two weeks after the initial administration. RESULTS: The reliability of the scores was found to be appropriate both in terms of internal consistency (α first factor = .756; α second factor = .821) and temporal stability (r first factor = .604; r second factor = .638). The structure of the test is two-dimensional. The scores for the second dimension (adherence to physical activity) are in agreement with the scores for basic psychological needs (r physical activity = .281), resilience (r = .216), and glycated haemoglobin (r = -.182). CONCLUSIONS: The Motiva.Diaf-DM2 test was shown to have the appropriate relia-bility and validity to assess adherence to a healthy diet and physical activity in patients diagnosed with T2D.

Development and validation of a questionnaire for assessing the characteristics of diet and physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes / Desarrollo y validación de un cuestionario para medir las características de la dieta y la actividad física en pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 diabetes

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Motiva.Diaf-DM2 questionnaire, which assesses adherence to a healthy diet and physical activity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Method: Participants were 206 patients who attended primary care services, with a mean age of 69.63 years (SD = 11.05), with 39.3% of the participants being women. To assess the test-retest reliability of the measure, a random subsample (n = 40) of patients who had another appointment scheduled was selected to fill in the questionnaire once again two weeks after the initial administration. Results: The reliability of the scores was found to be appropriate both in terms of internal consistency (alfafirst factor = .756; alfasecond factor = .821) and temporal stability (r first factor = .604; r second factor = .638). The structure of the test is two-dimensional. The scores for the second dimension (adherence to physical activity) are in agreement with the scores for basic psychological needs (r physical activity = .281), resilience (r = .216), and glycated haemoglobin (r = -.182). Conclusions: The Motiva.Diaf-DM2 test was shown to have the appropriate relia-bility and validity to assess adherence to a healthy diet and physical activity in patients diagnosed with T2D (AU)

Antecedentes: el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario Motiv.Diaf-DM2, diseñado para medir la adherencia a las recomendaciones dietéticas y de actividad física en pacientes con diabetes tipo 2. Método: participaron 206 pacientes que asistieron a consultas en atención primaria, cuya media de edad era de 69,63 años (DE = 11,05). El 39,3% fueron mujeres. Para evaluar la fiabilidad test-retest se seleccionaron 40 pacientes de la muestra inicial de entre los que tenían otra cita en el centro de salud, a los que se les ad-ministró nuevamente el cuestionario dos semanas tras la primera entrega. Resultados: se observó que la fiabilidad de las puntuaciones era adecuada en cuanto a consistencia interna (alfaprimer factor = .756; alfasegundo factor = .821) y estabilidad temporal (r primer factor = .604; r segundo factor = .638). La estructura del test es bidimensional. Las puntuaciones de la segunda dimensión (actividad física) convergen con las puntuaciones de las necesidades psicológicas básicas (r actividad física = .281), resiliencia (r = .216) y hemoglobina glicosilada (r = -.182). Conclusiones: Motiva.Diaf-DM2 ha demostrado tener una adecuada fiabilidad y validez para evaluar la adherencia a las recomendaciones relacionadas con la dieta y la actividad física en pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 (AU)

Inserción laboral en mujeres después de un cáncer de mama: Cáncer de mama una ayuda a la integración social / Laboral insertion in women after breast cancer: a help to social integration

La intersección laboral represente el último paso en la superación de la enfermedad para un gran número de mujeres diagnósticadas de cáncer de mama. Debido a las dificultades físicas y psicológicas que aparecen frecuentemente tras las enfermedad y sus tratamientos, la intersección laboral requiere un abordaje multidisciplinar y un trabajo en red. La Asociación española Contra el Cáncer ECC en coordinación con el Servicio Andaluz de Empleo trabaja, desde el año 2005, en un Programa de Inserción laboral con el objetivo de promover la inserción socio-laboral de este colectivo. Es fundamental el abordaje de factores modulares en el proceso de inserción labora, especialmente de aquellos relacionados con el cáncer. Para detectarlos precozmente se ah adaptado el Cuestionario de Factores Psicosociales de Ocupabilidad. El análisis de estos elementos junto a un diagnóstico de empleabilidad personalizado facilitan la adopción de estrategias concretas. Durante la edición actual del programa (fase V) la inserción laboral es del 62,5%. Las intervenciones realizadas y el acompañamiento a lo largo del proceso favorecen la empleabilidad de este colectivo (AU)

Job placement represent the final step in overcoming he disease to a large number of women diagnosed with breast cancer. Due to physical and psychological difficulties that commonly appear after the disease and its treatment, job placement requires a multidisciplinary approach and networking. Spanish Association against Cancer (AECC), in coordination with the Employment Service in Andalusia, works since 2005 in a Job Placement program to promote socio-labour integration of this group. It is essential addressing modulation factors in the job placement process, especially those related to cancer. For an ear detection of those factors, it was adapted a Job Placement Psichological Factors´Questionnaire. Those elements ‘analysis, along with a customized employability diagnosis provides the adoption of specific strategies. During the current edition of the program (V phase) job placement is 62,5%. Interventions and accompaniment throughout the process promote the employment opportunities of this group (AU)

Preexposición al programa de comida y desarrollo de anorexia basada en actividad en ratas / Preexposure to food regime and development of activity-based anorexia in rats

Este experimento se diseñó para investigar si la experiencia previa de comer una vez al día afecta a la anorexia basada en actividad (ABA). Durante la primera fase del experimento, dos grupos de ratas fueron preexpuestos a 1 h de acceso diario a la comida, otros dos grupos no fueron preexpuestos a dicho régimen de alimentación. La segunda fase experimental fue el procedimiento tradicional de ABA, dos grupos de ratas (uno preexpuesto y otro no) tuvieron acceso a la comida durante 1 h diaria y libre acceso a una rueda de actividad durante las 23 h restantes. Los otros dos grupos (uno preexpuesto y otro no) simplemente recibieron el régimen de comida pero no tuvieron acceso a las ruedas deactividad. Los resultados mostraron que las ratas preexpuestas con acceso a la rueda deactividad mostraron una reducción relativa menor del peso corporal, y comieron y corrieron más que las ratas no preexpuestas. De acuerdo con la hipótesis de la adaptación, seconcluye que la ABA resulta de la interferencia en la adaptación a un nuevo programa de disponibilidad de comida debido al desarrollo de una conducta anticipatoria. No se puede descartar completamente, sin embargo, la contribución de la actividad a la ABA

This experiment was designed to investigate if prior experience of eating once a day will affectactivity-based anorexia (ABA). During a first phase of the experiment, two groups of preexposed rats were given daily access to food during 1 h, another two groups were notexposed to the food restriction schedule. The second experimental phase consisted of the traditional procedure to develop ABA, two groups of rats (one preexposed and anothern on-preexposed) received access to food for 1 h a day and had free access to a running wheel for the remaining 23 h. The other two groups (one preexposed and one non-preexposed) were simply submitted to the food schedule but had no access to the running wheels. Results showed that preexposed rats with access to running wheels showed a relative less reduction in body weight, and that they ate and ran more than non-preexposed rats. Inagreement to the adaptation hypothesis, it is concluded that ABA results from interference with the adaptation to a new schedule of food availability due to the development of ananticipatory behaviour. The contribution of activity to ABA, however, cannot be discarded