Diseño de un bipedestador semiautomático reajustable para el desplazamiento de personas con paraplejia / Design of a semi-automatic adjustable standing frame for paraplegics

Introducción: La paraplejia es una condición de salud ocasionada por lesiones lumbares que conlleva a las personas a permanecer la mayor parte de su tiempo postradas, ocasionando problemas de respiración, variaciones en la presión arterial y la aparición de úlceras en sus partes de apoyo. Objetivo: Desarrollar un sistema mecatrónico que permita la bipedestación de personas con condición de paraplejias. Métodos: La investigación se realizó en dos etapas, el desarrollo de un sistema mecatrónico y una fase de validación de uso por usuarios con discapacidad motora. Resultados: Las pruebas de funcionamiento muestran que los atractivos más importantes del equipo son su capacidad de ajuste (permitiendo su uso a personas con diferencias antropométricas) y su operatividad. Conclusiones: El bipedestador diseñado cumplió las condiciones requeridas para realizar la transición a condición bípeda, con las medidas de seguridad en las partes críticas que garantizan la estabilidad del usuario. Además, el bipedestador posee mecanismos sencillos de operar, acorde con sus capacidades. La validación del implemento demostró que es de un tamaño adecuado y de fácil utilización, además al ser reajustable para su uso independientemente de la condición morfométrica.(AU)

Introduction: Paraplegia is an impairment in motor functioning of the lower extremities. Caused by lumbar lesions, it deprives its sufferers from their ability to move about, which results in breathing problems, arterial pressure variations and the appearance of ulcers in pressure areas. Objective: Develop a mechatronic system permitting the bipedal locomotion of paraplegics. Methods: The study was structured into two stages: development of a mechatronic system and validation of its use by people with motor disability. Results: Function tests show that the most attractive features of the device are its adjustability (allowing use by anthropometrically different people) and its operability. Conclusions: The standing frame designed met the conditions required for the transition to bipedal condition, with safety measures in its critical parts which ensure user stability. Additionally, its mechanisms are easy to operate, in keeping with its capabilities. Validation of the device showed that its size is appropriate, its operation simple, and it may be readjusted for use in different morphometric conditions(AU)

A synthetic biology approach for consistent production of plant-made recombinant polyclonal antibodies against snake venom toxins.

Antivenoms developed from the plasma of hyperimmunized animals are the only effective treatment available against snakebite envenomation but shortage of supply contributes to the high morbidity and mortality toll of this tropical disease. We describe a synthetic biology approach to affordable and cost-effective antivenom production based on plant-made recombinant polyclonal antibodies (termed pluribodies). The strategy takes advantage of virus superinfection exclusion to induce the formation of somatic expression mosaics in agroinfiltrated plants, which enables the expression of complex antibody repertoires in a highly reproducible manner. Pluribodies developed using toxin-binding genetic information captured from peripheral blood lymphocytes of hyperimmunized camels recapitulated the overall binding activity of the immune response. Furthermore, an improved plant-made antivenom (plantivenom) was formulated using an in vitro selected pluribody against Bothrops asper snake venom toxins and has been shown to neutralize a wide range of toxin activities and provide protection against lethal venom doses in mice.

[Mortality cost of smoking in Spain]. / El coste de mortalidad asociado al consumo de tabaco en España.

BACKGROUND: Public policies are crucial for smoking prevention and improving health among the population. Despite the positive impact in Spain of the law for smoking prevention in 2006, there is room for further improvement in this area of public policy. The estimate of the mortality cost per pack of cigarretes is a crucial factor in cost-benefit analysis for policies aimed to reducing smoking induced mortality. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we estimate the Value of Statistical Life (VSL) among Spanish smokers. Secondly, we quantify the mortality cost of smoking. METHODS: We use a hedonic wage model to quantify the marginal value of an increase in the mortality risk in monetary terms. We estimate the model for the Spanish labour market using the European Community Household Data and the Encuesta de Accidentes de Trabajo from the Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración. RESULTS: We estimate a VSL of 3.78 million Euros for Spanish smokers. Using this value, in conjunction with the increase in the mortality risk over the life cycle due to smoking, the private mortality cost of smoking is 78 Euros per pack for men, and 54 Euros per pack for women (in 2000 Euros). CONCLUSIONS: The mortality cost per pack of cigarettes is highly above its market price.

El coste de mortalidad asociado al consumo de tabaco en España / Mortality cost of smoking in Spain

Fundamento: Las políticas públicas juegan un papel crucial enla prevención del tabaquismo y la mejora de la salud de la población.A pesar del impacto positivo de la entrada en vigor de la ley de medidassanitarias frente al tabaquismo en España en 2006, aún es posibleseguir progresando en las medidas de control sobre el consumo detabaco.La estimación del coste de la mortalidad prematura por paquetede tabaco es un elemento clave en el análisis coste-beneficio delas políticas de prevención y control del tabaquismo. Los objetivosde este estudio son estimar el Valor Estadístico de la Vida(VEV) en la población de fumadores españoles, así como el costede mortalidad asociado al consumo de tabaco.Métodos: Utilizamos un modelo de salarios hedónicos que permitecuantificar la valoración marginal de un incremento del riesgode muerte en términos monetarios. Estimamos dicho modelo para elmercado laboral español, con datos del Panel de Hogares de la UniónEuropea y la Encuesta de Accidentes de Trabajo del Ministerio deTrabajo e Inmigración.Resultados: Estimamos que el VEV en la población de fumadoresespañoles asciende a 3,78 millones de euros. Utilizando estevalor, junto con el incremento en el riesgo mortal a lo largo del ciclovital causado por el consumo de tabaco, calculamos que el coste demortalidad asociado al tabaquismo es de 78 euros por paquete decigarrillos en el caso de los hombres, y 54 euros para las mujeres(euros año 2000).Conclusiones: El coste por mortalidad prematura por paquetede cigarrillos que se obtiene sobrepasa con creces su precio de ventaal público(AU)

Background: Public policies are crucial for smoking preventionand improving health among the population. Despite the positiveimpact in Spain of the law for smoking prevention in 2006, thereis room for further improvement in this area of public policy. Theestimate of the mortality cost per pack of cigarretes is a crucial factorin cost-benefit analysis for policies aimed to reducing smoking inducedmortality. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we estimate theValue of Statistical Life (VSL) among Spanish smokers. Secondly,we quantify the mortality cost of smoking.Methods: We use a hedonic wage model to quantify the marginalvalue of an increase in the mortality risk in monetary terms. Weestimate the model for the Spanish labour market using the EuropeanCommunity Household Data and the Encuesta de Accidentes deTrabajo from the Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración.Results: We estimate a VSL of 3.78 million Euros for Spanishsmokers. Using this value, in conjunction with the increase in themortality risk over the life cycle due to smoking, the private mortalitycost of smoking is 78 Euros per pack for men, and 54 Euros perpack for women (in 2000 Euros).Conclusions: The mortality cost per pack of cigarettes is highlyabove its market price.

[Health services utilization by the immigrant and native-born populations in the autonomous region of Murcia (Spain)]. / Utilización de servicios sanitarios por parte de las poblaciones inmigrante y nativa en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the patterns of utilisation for three types of public health services (outpatient specialist visits, emergency visits and hospitalisations) in the Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia. We examine the differences between the average rates of utilization of these services among natives and non-Spanish immigrants, and whether these differences are due to differences in demographic structure, or to different behaviour between these groups. METHODS: We use econometric models for utilisation to exploit administrative records on health care utilisation and the well established Oaxaca decomposition method. This splits average rates of utilisation and/or average health expenditure into two components: the first one stands for the part of the difference that can be attributed to differential patterns of behaviour among the two groups; the second one represents the part of the difference in average expenditure that can be attributed to the fact that average demographic characteristics among both groups differ. RESULTS: The rates of use of outpatient specialist visits, emergencies and hospital nights by the native population are greater than the corresponding rates for the immigrant population. For individuals aged between 20 to 40 years old, the utilisation rates of African and Latin-American females are higher than those for native females. The average health expenditure of native males is greater than that of immigrants. The difference is mainly due to different demographic features among the native and immigrant populations, except for the <> group, whose individuals show a different behaviour. In fact, among the 20 to 40 age group, the average health expenditure of native females equals that of Latin-American women, which is in turn below that of African females. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper we show that the remarkable differences in the age-gender balance among different (in terms of nationality) groups of insured residents in Murcia has a considerable effect on consumption of health services and therefore on the average health care expenditure attributable to these groups.

Utilización de servicios sanitarios por parte de las poblaciones inmigrante y nativa en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia / Health services utilization by the immigrant and native-born populations in the autonomous region of Murcia (Spain)

Objetivos: Analizar los patrones de utilización de tres tipos de servicios sanitarios públicos en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia: consultas externas, visitas a urgencias y hospitalizaciones. Discernir si hay diferencias en la utilización media entre asegurados autóctonos e inmigrantes, y si éstas se deben a diferencias en la estructura demográfica o en el comportamiento del usuario. Métodos: Estimamos modelos econométricos con datos administrativos de uso de servicios sanitarios mediante la descomposición de Oaxaca, que permite desagregar las tasas de utilización medias y el gasto sanitario medio de cada grupo en dos componentes: el primero representa la parte de la diferencia en gasto medio que se puede atribuir a patrones diferenciales de consumo entre los dos grupos; el segundo representa la parte de la diferencia en gasto medio atribuible al hecho de que las características demográficas medias de los dos grupos pueden diferir. Resultados: Las tasas de utilización de las consultas externas y de urgencias, y la de hospitalizaciones, de los autóctonos superan las correspondientes tasas de los inmigrantes. Para individuos entre 20 y 40 años, las mujeres africanas y las latinoamericanas generan una tasa de utilización de urgencias y hospitalizaciones mayor que la de las españolas. El gasto sanitario medio de los titulares españoles es superior al del resto de los colectivos. La diferencia en el gasto sanitario medio respecto a los asegurados del resto de Europa se explica por el efecto comportamiento; con respecto al resto de los colectivos, se debe a las diferencias demográficas. Para individuos entre 20 y 40 años, el gasto sanitario medio de las mujeres españolas es igualado por el de las latinoamericanas y superado por el de las africanas y las de otros países. Conclusiones: Este trabajo pone de manifiesto las acusadas diferencias en la estructura por edades y el balance de sexos de las distintas subpoblaciones de asegurados según su origen, la incidencia sobre el consumo de los servicios sanitarios y la traducción a gasto sanitario (AU)

Objective: To analyze the patterns of utilisation for three types of public health services (outpatient specialist visits, emergency visits and hospitalisations) in the Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia. We examine the differences between the average rates of utilization of these services among natives and non-Spanish immigrants, and whether these differences are due to differences in demographic structure, or to different behaviour between these groups. Methods: We use econometric models for utilisation to exploit administrative records on health care utilisation and the well established Oaxaca decomposition method. This splits average rates of utilisation and/or average health expenditure into two components: the first one stands for the part of the difference that can be attributed to differential patterns of behaviour among the two groups; the second one represents the part of the difference in average expenditure that can be attributed to the fact that average demographic characteristics among both groups differ. Results: The rates of use of outpatient specialist visits, emergencies and hospital nights by the native population are greater than the corresponding rates for the immigrant population. For individuals aged between 20 to 40 years old, the utilisation rates of African and Latin-American females are higher than those for native females. The average health expenditure of native males is greater than that of immigrants. The difference is mainly due to different demographic features among the native and immigrant populations, except for the «rest of Europe» group, whose individuals show a different behaviour. In fact, among the 20 to 40 age group, the average health expenditure of native females equals that of Latin-American women, which is in turn below that of African females. Conclusions: In this paper we show that the remarkable differences in the age-gender balance among different (in terms of nationality) groups of insured residents in Murcia has a considerable effect on consumption of health services and therefore on the average health care expenditure attributable to these groups (AU)