Batch and semi-continuous treatment of cassava wastewater using microbial fuel cells and metataxonomic analysis.

The treatment of agroindustrial wastewater using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is a technological strategy to harness its chemical energy while simultaneously purifying the water. This manuscript investigates the organic load effect as chemical oxygen demand (COD) on the production of electricity during the treatment of cassava wastewater by means of a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell in batch mode. Additionally, specific conditions were selected to evaluate the semi-continuous operational mode. The dynamics of microbial communities on the graphite anode were also investigated. The maximum power density delivered by the batch MFC (656.4 µW m - 2 ) was achieved at the highest evaluated organic load (6.8 g COD L - 1 ). Similarly, the largest COD removal efficiency (61.9%) was reached at the lowest organic load (1.17 g COD L - 1 ). Cyanide degradation percentages (50-70%) were achieved across treatments. The semi-continuous operation of the MFC for 2 months revealed that the voltage across the cell is dependent on the supply or suspension of the organic load feed. The electrode polarization resistance was observed to decreases over time, possibly due to the enrichment of the anode with electrogenic microbial communities. A metataxonomic analysis revealed a significant increase in bacteria from the phylum Firmicutes, primarily of the genus Enterococcus.

Enhancement of Electricity Production in Microbial Fuel Cells Using a Biosurfactant-Producing Co-Culture.

Microbial fuel cells are bio-electrochemical devices that enable the conversion of chemical energy into bioelectricity. In this manuscript, the use of biosurfactants (Tween 80 and surfactin) and the effect of coculturing E. coli and L. plantarum were used to investigate the generation of bioelectricity coming from an H-type microbial fuel cell. In this setup, E. coli acts as an electron donor while L. plantarum acts as an in situ biosurfactant producer. It was observed that the use of exogenous surfactants enhanced electricity production compared to conventional E. coli cultures. The utilization of Tween 80 and surfactin increased the power generation from 204 µW m-2 to 506 µW m-2 and 577 µW m-2, respectively. Furthermore, co-culturing E. coli and L. plantarum also resulted in a higher power output compared to pure cultures (132.8% more when compared to using E. coli alone and 68.1% more when compared to using L. plantarum alone). Due to the presence of surfactants, the internal resistance of the cell was reduced. The experimental evidence collected here clearly indicates that the production of endogenous surfactants, as well as the addition of exogenous surfactants, will enhance MFC electricity production.

GATEKEEPER's Strategy for the Multinational Large-Scale Piloting of an eHealth Platform: Tutorial on How to Identify Relevant Settings and Use Cases.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization's strategy toward healthy aging fosters person-centered integrated care sustained by eHealth systems. However, there is a need for standardized frameworks or platforms accommodating and interconnecting multiple of these systems while ensuring secure, relevant, fair, trust-based data sharing and use. The H2020 project GATEKEEPER aims to implement and test an open-source, European, standard-based, interoperable, and secure framework serving broad populations of aging citizens with heterogeneous health needs. OBJECTIVE: We aim to describe the rationale for the selection of an optimal group of settings for the multinational large-scale piloting of the GATEKEEPER platform. METHODS: The selection of implementation sites and reference use cases (RUCs) was based on the adoption of a double stratification pyramid reflecting the overall health of target populations and the intensity of proposed interventions; the identification of a principles guiding implementation site selection; and the elaboration of guidelines for RUC selection, ensuring clinical relevance and scientific excellence while covering the whole spectrum of citizen complexities and intervention intensities. RESULTS: Seven European countries were selected, covering Europe's geographical and socioeconomic heterogeneity: Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. These were complemented by the following 3 Asian pilots: Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. Implementation sites consisted of local ecosystems, including health care organizations and partners from industry, civil society, academia, and government, prioritizing the highly rated European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging reference sites. RUCs covered the whole spectrum of chronic diseases, citizen complexities, and intervention intensities while privileging clinical relevance and scientific rigor. These included lifestyle-related early detection and interventions, using artificial intelligence-based digital coaches to promote healthy lifestyle and delay the onset or worsening of chronic diseases in healthy citizens; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure decompensations management, proposing integrated care management based on advanced wearable monitoring and machine learning (ML) to predict decompensations; management of glycemic status in diabetes mellitus, based on beat to beat monitoring and short-term ML-based prediction of glycemic dynamics; treatment decision support systems for Parkinson disease, continuously monitoring motor and nonmotor complications to trigger enhanced treatment strategies; primary and secondary stroke prevention, using a coaching app and educational simulations with virtual and augmented reality; management of multimorbid older patients or patients with cancer, exploring novel chronic care models based on digital coaching, and advanced monitoring and ML; high blood pressure management, with ML-based predictions based on different intensities of monitoring through self-managed apps; and COVID-19 management, with integrated management tools limiting physical contact among actors. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides a methodology for selecting adequate settings for the large-scale piloting of eHealth frameworks and exemplifies with the decisions taken in GATEKEEPER the current views of the WHO and European Commission while moving forward toward a European Data Space.

Production of acetone, butanol, and ethanol by electro-fermentation with Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4.

This manuscript describes the effect of altering the extracellular redox potential during the production of acetone, butanol, and ethanol on a dual chamber H-type microbial fuel cell by fermenting glucose with Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4. Extracellular redox potential modification was achieved by either supplementing the microbial broth with the redox agent NADH or by poising the cathode potential at -600 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. The addition of NADH was found to foment the production of acetone via fermentation of glucose. The addition of 200 mM of NADH to the catholyte rendered the highest production of acetone (2.4 g L-1), thus outperforming the production of acetone by conventional fermentation means (control treatment) by a factor of 2.2. The experimental evidence gathered here, indicates that cathodic electro-fermentation of glucose favors the production of butanol. When poising the cathode potential at -600 mV vs Ag/AgCl (electro-fermentation), the largest production of butanol was achieved (5.8 g L-1), outperforming the control treatment by a factor of 1.5. The production of ABE solvents and the electrochemical measurements demonstrate the electroactive properties of C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4 and illustrates the usefulness of bio-electrochemical systems to improve conventional fermentative processes.

A Bibliometric Perspective on AI Research for Job-Résumé Matching.

The search for the right person for the right job, or in other words the selection of the candidate who best reflects the skills demanded by employers to perform a specific set of duties in a job appointment, is a key premise of the personnel selection pipeline of recruitment departments. This task is usually performed by human experts who examine the résumé or curriculum vitae of candidates in search of the right skills necessary to fit the vacant position. Recent advances in AI, specifically in the fields of text analytics and natural language processing, have sparked the interest of research on the application of these technologies to help recruiters accomplish this task or part of it automatically, applying algorithms for information extraction, parsing, representation, and matching of résumés and job descriptions, or sections within. In this study, we aim to better understand how the research landscape in this field has evolved. To do this, we follow a multifaceted bibliometric approach aimed at identifying trends, dynamics, structures, and visual mapping of the most relevant topics, highly cited or influential papers, authors, and universities working on these topics, based on a publication record retrieved from Scopus and Google Scholar bibliographic databases. We conclude that, unlike a traditional literature review, the bibliometric-guided approach allowed us to discover a more comprehensive picture of the evolution of research in this subject and to clearly identify paradigm shifts from the earliest stages to the most recent efforts proposed to address this problem.

Bioética, biopolítica y políticas públicas: urdimbre para potenciar la vida

Propósito/Contexto. Este texto busca generar y establecer la relación que existe entre Bioética, biopolítica y políticas públicas, teniendo en cuenta el cómo la Bioética se ha visto relacionada y cobijada dentro de intereses políticos y económicos. Metodología/Enfoque. Para hacerlo, se empezará con la relación de política con Bioética, luego se mirará a la biopolítica en relación con la Zoé y el Bíos y se terminará con la relación de políticas públicas con la Bioética. Resultados/Hallazgos. Primero, la bioética, en el estudio de las políticas públicas, observa la forma cómo se desenvuelven las sociedades, su relación con las normas, las jerarquías y los sistemas de decisión que versan sobre la potencia de la vida, pero que también delimitan la misma. Segundo, las políticas públicas tienen dos atributos: por una parte revelan el rasgo gubernativo de todo régimen político y el dispositivo en su forma institucional. Discusión/Conclusiones/Contribuciones. Se observa cómo estos términos en conjunto buscan establecer relaciones flexibles, transdisciplinares e interdisciplinares, donde se potencia el sentido crítico de la acción política dentro de la Bioética, además de ampliar el panorama del investigador y las posibilidades de abordaje en la sociedad.

Purpose/Context. This text seeks to generate and stablish the relationship that exist between bioethics, impolitic and public policies, having in mind how the bioethic has been related and sheltered inside politics and economic interests. Methodology/Focus. To do this, it starts with the relation between politics and bioethics, then a look to the biopolitics in relation either Zoe and Bios, finishing with the relation politic policies with a bioethics. Results/Findings. First, bioethics, in the study of public policies, observes the way societies develop, their relationship with norms, hierarchies and decision systems that deal with the potency of life, but also delimit it. Second, public policies have two attributes: On the one hand, they reveal the governmental feature of any political regime and the device in its institutional form. Discussion/Conclusions/Contribution. Seeing how these in sets stablish flexible transdiciplimaty and interdisciplinary relations, where there's an enhance of critical sense of political action inside bioethics, in addition of expanding the investigator's views, as well as possibilities of approaches to society.

Objetivo/Contextos. Este texto procura gerar e estabelecer a relação que existe entre bioética, biopolítica e política pública, tendo em conta a forma como a bioética tem sido relacionada e abrigada dentro dos interesses políticos e económicos. Metodologia/Aproximação. Para o fazer, começaremos com a relação entre política e bioética, depois analisaremos a biopolítica em relação a Zoé e Bíos, e terminaremos com a relação entre política pública e bioética. Resultados/Descobertas. Em primeiro lugar, a bioética, no estudo das políticas públicas, observa a forma como as sociedades se desenvolvem, a sua relação com normas, hierarquias e sistemas de decisão que lidam com a potência da vida, mas que também delimitam a própria vida. Em segundo lugar, a política pública tem dois atributos: por um lado, revela a característica governamental de qualquer regime político e a forma institucional do sistema. Discussão/Conclusões/Contribuições. Veremos como estes juntos procuram estabelecer relações transdisciplinares e interdisciplinares flexíveis, onde o sentido crítico da acção política no âmbito da bioética é reforçado, bem como alargar a perspectiva do investigador e as possibilidades de aproximação à sociedade.

Visual Analytics Platform for Centralized Covid-19 Digital Contact Tracing.

The Covid-19 pandemic and its dramatic worldwide impact have required global multidisciplinary actions to mitigate its effects. Mobile phone activity-based digital contact tracing (DCT) via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology has been considered a powerful pandemic monitoring tool, yet it sparked a controversial debate about privacy risks for people. In order to explore the potential benefits of a DCT system in the context of Occupational Risk Prevention, this paper presents the potential of Visual Analytics methods to summarize and extract relevant information from complex DCT data collected during a long-term experiment at our research centre. Visual tools were combined with quantitative metrics to provide insights into contact patterns among volunteers. Results showed that crucial actors such as participants acting as bridges between groups could be easily identified - ultimately allowing for making more informed management decisions aimed at containing the potential spread of a disease.

Randomized controlled trials of remdesivir in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 patients: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The first cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported in Wuhan, China. No antiviral treatment options are currently available with proven clinical efficacy. However, preliminary findings from phase III trials suggest that remdesivir is an effective and safe treatment option for COVID-19 patients with both moderate and severe disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present meta-analysis was to investigate whether remdesivir was effective for treating COVID-19 including reduced in-hospital adverse events, oxygen support, and mortality rates. METHODS: According to the PRISMA reporting guidelines, a review was conducted from January 1, 2020, until August 25, 2020, with MeSH terms including COVID-19, COVID, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, remdesivir, adenosine nucleoside triphosphate analog, and Veklury using MEDLINE, Scopus, and CINAHL Plus. A modified Delphi process was utilized to include the studies and ensure that the objectives were addressed. Using dichotomous data for select values, the unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated applying Mantel-Haenszel random-effects method in Review Manager 5.4. RESULTS: Randomized controlled trials pooled in 3013 participants with 46.3% (n = 1395) in the remdesivir group and 53.7% (n = 1618) in the placebo group. The placebo group had a higher risk of mortality as compared to the intervention group with significant OR (0.61) (95% confidence interval of 0.45-0.82; P = 0.001). There was minimal heterogeneity among the studies (I 2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that remdesivir extends clinical benefits by reducing mortality, adverse events, and oxygen support in moderate to severely ill COVID-19 patients. Concerted efforts and further randomized placebo-controlled trials are warranted to examine the potency of antiviral drugs and immunopathological host responses contributing to the severity of COVID-19.

What do healthcare professionals need to turn risk models for type 2 diabetes into usable computerized clinical decision support systems? Lessons learned from the MOSAIC project.

BACKGROUND: To understand user needs, system requirements and organizational conditions towards successful design and adoption of Clinical Decision Support Systems for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) care built on top of computerized risk models. METHODS: The holistic and evidence-based CEHRES Roadmap, used to create eHealth solutions through participatory development approach, persuasive design techniques and business modelling, was adopted in the MOSAIC project to define the sequence of multidisciplinary methods organized in three phases, user needs, implementation and evaluation. The research was qualitative, the total number of participants was ninety, about five-seventeen involved in each round of experiment. RESULTS: Prediction models for the onset of T2D are built on clinical studies, while for T2D care are derived from healthcare registries. Accordingly, two set of DSSs were defined: the first, T2D Screening, introduces a novel routine; in the second case, T2D Care, DSSs can support managers at population level, and daily practitioners at individual level. In the user needs phase, T2D Screening and solution T2D Care at population level share similar priorities, as both deal with risk-stratification. End-users of T2D Screening and solution T2D Care at individual level prioritize easiness of use and satisfaction, while managers prefer the tools to be available every time and everywhere. In the implementation phase, three Use Cases were defined for T2D Screening, adapting the tool to different settings and granularity of information. Two Use Cases were defined around solutions T2D Care at population and T2D Care at individual, to be used in primary or secondary care. Suitable filtering options were equipped with "attractive" visual analytics to focus the attention of end-users on specific parameters and events. In the evaluation phase, good levels of user experience versus bad level of usability suggest that end-users of T2D Screening perceived the potential, but they are worried about complexity. Usability and user experience were above acceptable thresholds for T2D Care at population and T2D Care at individual. CONCLUSIONS: By using a holistic approach, we have been able to understand user needs, behaviours and interactions and give new insights in the definition of effective Decision Support Systems to deal with the complexity of T2D care.

Highly efficient MoOx-free semitransparent perovskite cell for 4 T tandem application improving the efficiency of commercially-available Al-BSF silicon.

In this work, the fabrication of MoOx-free semitransparent perovskite solar cells (PSC) with Power Conversion Efficiencies (PCE) up to 15.7% is reported. Firstly, opaque PSCs up to 19.7% were fabricated. Then, the rear metal contact was replaced by a highly transparent and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) film, directly sputtered onto the hole selective layer, without any protective layer between Spiro-OMeTAD and rear ITO. To the best of our knowledge, this corresponds to the most efficient buffer layer-free semitransparent PSC ever reported. Using time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) technique on both sides of the semitransparent PSC, Spiro-OMeTAD/perovskite and perovskite/TiO2 interfaces were compared, confirming the great quality of Spiro-OMeTAD/perovskite interface, even after damage-less ITO sputtering, where degradation phenomena result less important than for perovskite/TiO2 one. Finally, a 4-terminal tandem was built combining semitransparent PSC with a commercially-available Aluminium Back Surface Field (Al-BSF) silicon wafer. That silicon wafer presents PCE = 19.52% (18.53% after being reduced to cell size), and 5.75% once filtered, to generate an overall 4 T tandem efficiency of 21.18% in combination with our champion large semitransparent PSC of 15.43%. It means an absolute increase of 1.66% over the original silicon wafer efficiency and a 2.65% over the cut Si cell.

Graphics and Media Technologies for Operators in Industry 4.0.

Visual computing technologies have an important role in manufacturing and production, particularly in new Industry 4.0 scenarios with intelligent machines, human-robot collaboration and learning factories. In this article, we explore challenges and examples on how the fusion of graphics, vision and media technologies can enhance the role of operators in this new context.

Fast Analytic Simulation for Multi-Laser Heating of Sheet Metal in GPU.

Interactive multi-beam laser machining simulation is crucial in the context of tool path planning and optimization of laser machining parameters. Current simulation approaches for heat transfer analysis (1) rely on numerical Finite Element methods (or any of its variants), non-suitable for interactive applications; and (2) require the multiple laser beams to be completely synchronized in trajectories, parameters and time frames. To overcome this limitation, this manuscript presents an algorithm for interactive simulation of the transient temperature field on the sheet metal. Contrary to standard numerical methods, our algorithm is based on an analytic solution in the frequency domain, allowing arbitrary time/space discretizations without loss of precision and non-monotonic retrieval of the temperature history. In addition, the method allows complete asynchronous laser beams with independent trajectories, parameters and time frames. Our implementation in a GPU device allows simulations at interactive rates even for a large amount of simultaneous laser beams. The presented method is already integrated into an interactive simulation environment for sheet cutting. Ongoing work addresses thermal stress coupling and laser ablation.

La biopolítica de la deuda: relación acreedor-deudor / The biopolitics of debt: creditor-debtor relationship / A biopolítica da dívida: relação credor-devedor

Resumen El presente artículo propone un análisis de los dispositivos biopolíticos que se encuentran detrás de la figura del crédito o la deuda en el campo de la educación superior, a partir de una lectura histórica de la deuda y la relación acreedor-deudor en su interior, planteada esta como una relación de poder. Desde la comprensión de la deuda como un dispositivo de control biopolítico constitutivo del aparato neoliberal, esta se traslada al campo de la educación a través de la figura de crédito educativo, que está disponible a toda la población y facilita el acceso a la educación superior, y alimenta así un ideal de inversión a largo plazo con la promesa infinita de la conquista de un sujeto "empresario de sí mismo", que se encuentra en una procura permanente de recursos que le permitan mantener la inversión en sí mismo como aparato productivo. Así, este análisis consigue plantear el ideal del sujeto aparentemente independiente, que se sumerge en la deuda como mecanismo de acceso a los recursos que le acercan a la meta de ser "su propio jefe", como la esencia de uno de los engranajes principales en los modos de sujeción de la conducta, propios del neoliberalismo, y su mecanismo de la deuda, aplicados al campo de la educación. Sobre esta base tiene lugar una "pedagogía de la deuda" en la cual emergen como elementos indispensables en la fabricación de dicho sujeto la universidad y la educación superior.

Abstract This article proposes an analysis of the biopolitical devices that are behind the figure of credit or debt in the higher education field, based on a historical reading of the debt and the creditor-debtor relationship, explained as a relationship of power. From the understanding of the debt as a biopolitical constitutive device of control of the neoliberal apparatus, it is transferred to the field of education through the figure of educational credit, which is available to the entire population and facilitates access to higher education. And thus feeds an idea of long-term investment with the infinite promise of the conquest of a subject "entrepreneur of himself," who finds himself in a permanent pursuit of resources that allow him to maintain the investment in himself as a productive apparatus. Therefore, this analysis manages to pose the idea of the apparently independent subject, who immerses himself in the debt as a mechanism of access to resources that bring him closer to the goal of being "his own boss", as the essence of one of the main gears in modes of subjection of behavior, typical of neoliberalism, and its mechanism of debt, applied to the field of education. On this basis, there is a "debt pedagogy" in which the university and higher education emerge as indispensable elements in the manufacture of said subject.

Resumo O presente artigo propõe uma análise dos dispositivos biopolíticos que estão por trás da figura do crédito ou a dívida no campo do ensino superior, desde em uma leitura histórica da dívida e do relacionamento credor-devedor dentro dela, levantada ela como uma relação de poder. Desde a compreensão da dívida como um dispositivo de controle biopolítico constitutivo do aparelho neoliberal, esta é transferida para o campo da educação através da figura do crédito educacional, que está disponível para toda a população e facilita o acesso ao ensino superior, e assim alimenta um ideal de investimento em longo prazo com a infinita promessa da conquista de um sujeito "empresário de si mesmo", que se encontra em uma busca permanente de recursos que lhe permitam manter o investimento em si mesmo como um aparelho produtivo. Assim, esta análise consegue levantar o ideal do sujeito aparentemente independente, que se submerge na dívida como um mecanismo de acesso aos recursos que o aproximam ao objetivo de ser "seu próprio chefe", como a essência de uma das engrenagens principais nos modos de sujeição do comportamento, próprio do neoliberalismo, e seu mecanismo da dívida, aplicados ao campo da educação. Nesta base, tem lugar uma "pedagogia da dívida" na qual emergem como elementos indispensáveis na fabricação do referido sujeito à universidade e o ensino superior.

A dashboard-based system for supporting diabetes care.

Objective: To describe the development, as part of the European Union MOSAIC (Models and Simulation Techniques for Discovering Diabetes Influence Factors) project, of a dashboard-based system for the management of type 2 diabetes and assess its impact on clinical practice. Methods: The MOSAIC dashboard system is based on predictive modeling, longitudinal data analytics, and the reuse and integration of data from hospitals and public health repositories. Data are merged into an i2b2 data warehouse, which feeds a set of advanced temporal analytic models, including temporal abstractions, care-flow mining, drug exposure pattern detection, and risk-prediction models for type 2 diabetes complications. The dashboard has 2 components, designed for (1) clinical decision support during follow-up consultations and (2) outcome assessment on populations of interest. To assess the impact of the clinical decision support component, a pre-post study was conducted considering visit duration, number of screening examinations, and lifestyle interventions. A pilot sample of 700 Italian patients was investigated. Judgments on the outcome assessment component were obtained via focus groups with clinicians and health care managers. Results: The use of the decision support component in clinical activities produced a reduction in visit duration (P ≪ .01) and an increase in the number of screening exams for complications (P < .01). We also observed a relevant, although nonstatistically significant, increase in the proportion of patients receiving lifestyle interventions (from 69% to 77%). Regarding the outcome assessment component, focus groups highlighted the system's capability of identifying and understanding the characteristics of patient subgroups treated at the center. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that decision support tools based on the integration of multiple-source data and visual and predictive analytics do improve the management of a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes by enacting a successful implementation of the learning health care system cycle.

El realismo Davidsoniano: una posibilidad en medio de la discusión realismo-antirrealismo

Este artículo intenta mostrar la posición de Donald Davidson en la discusión filosófica entre realismo y antirrealismo. Para tal propósito, el presente manuscrito está dividido en tres partes: en la primera se exponen, en términos generales, algunas de las del realismo y el antirrealismo, así como ciertas aproximaciones al naturalismo. En la segunda parte, se intenta mostrar las razones que, según Davidson, llevan al antirrealismo; que para él es una popular versión del relativismo conceptual; además, se muestran las tentativas de algunas filosofías por evitar caer en el escepticismo, las cuales conducen innecesariamente a posiciones antirrealistas. Finalmente, en la tercera parte, se describe por qué para Davidson una adecuada teoría del lenguaje puede cuestionar el antirrealismo, salvándose las convicciones más simples y naturales sobre lo real

This article aims to shows Donald Davidson´s position consideraciones que se suelen presentar respecto concerning the philosophical discussion between realism and anti-realism. For such purpose, this paper is divided into three parts: in the first, in general terms, some considerations about realism and anti-realism are presented, along with certain approaches to naturalism. In the second part, the reasons that lead to anti-realism, according to Davidson, are shown. For him, it is a popular version of the conceptual relativism. Besides, the attempts of some philosophies to avoid skepticism are also shown, as they necessarily lead to anti-realistic positions. Finally, part three describes why, for Davidson, an adequate language theory can question anti-realism, and the simplest and most natural convictions on what is real, survive

Este artigo tenta mostrar a posição de Donald Davidson na discussão filosófica entre realismo e antirrealismo. Para tal propósito, o presente manuscrito está dividido em três partes: na primeira se expõe, em termos gerais, algumas das considerações que se acostumam apresentar com respeito do realismo e o antirrealismo, assim como certas aproximações ao naturalismo. Na segunda parte, se tenta mostrar as razões que, segundo Davidson, levam ao antirrealismo; que para ele é uma popular versão do relativismo conceitual; ademais, se mostram as tentativas de algumas filosofias por evitar cair no ceticismo, as quais conduzem sem necessidade a posições antirrealistas. Finalmente, na terceira parte, se descreve por que para Davidson uma adequada teoria da linguagem pode questionar o antirrealismo, salvando-se as convicções mais simples e naturais sobre o real

Aproximación a nna cartografía conceptual de la biopllítica / Appraching a connceptual mapping of biopliitics / Aproxmação a um mapeamento conceitual da biopolítica

Cuando nos referimos a la noción de biopolítica podemos percibir que se refiere a la idea de una política de vida (Castro, 2011, p. 15) que se manifiesta en el control de la conducta humana, así como en la construcción de supuestos de verdad, la moralidad de la sociedad. De la biopolítica existen diferentes concepciones genealógicas que posibilitan el debate y la reflexión sobre su concepto. Por esa razón, el presente escrito tiene como propósito analizar y contrastar los aportes de Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agambem y Roberto Espósito, quienes han realizado una elaboración teórica que permite complejizar y evidenciar las diferencias entre autores, además de analizar cómo de la vida (el bíos) se ocupa la Bioética, como protección de cada ser humano en su integridad.

When we refer to the notion of biopolitics we can perceive that it alludes to the idea of a politic of life (Castro, 2011, p. 15) that is show in the control of human behavior as well in the construction of suppositions of truth, the morality of society. There are different perceptions of biopolitics that make possible to debate and to think about its concept. For that reason, the purpose of this paper is to analyze and contrast the contributions of Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agambem and Roberto Esposito, those who have done a theoretical production that allows joining and showing the difference between authors, besides analyzing how bioethics take care of life as a protection of each human being in its integrity.

Quando nos referimos à noção de biopolítica podemos perceber que se refere à idéia de uma política de vida (Castro, 2011, 15 p.) que se manifesta no controle do comportamento humano, bem como a construção de supostos de verdade, a moralidade da sociedade. Da biopolítica existem diferentes concepções genealógicas que permitem o debate e a reflexão sobre seu conceito. Por essa razão, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar e comparar as contribuições de Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agambem e Roberto Esposito, que fizeram uma elaboração teórica que permite complicar e demonstrar as diferenças entre autores, além de analisar como da vida (o bíos) ocupa-se a Bioética, como proteção de cada ser humano em sua integridade.

Contextualización teórica al tema de las juventudes: una mirada desde las ciencias sociales a la juventud / Contextualização teórica ao assunto das juventudes: uma visão a partir das ciências sociais para a juventude / Theoretical contextualization on youths: a view from the social sciences

Presentamos una aproximación a las teorías sociológicas contemporáneas desde la temática de las juventudes, a partir de algunos conceptos desde los cuales las ciencias sociales, y la sociología de manera específica, han entendido las dinámicas juveniles. En este articulo resaltamos la esencia problemática y compleja del concepto de juventud, hecho que evidencia su necesario abordaje desde una perspectiva transdisciplinaria que permita delimitar las especificidades de lo juvenil, y con ello una mejor comprensión de sus mundos de vida, que no conlleven necesariamente la adopción de miradas panópticas como únicas formas de abordaje. Se estudian las dinámicas juveniles entre la proscripción social y la anticipación moral, y las formas de comprensión del sujeto joven, desde el adultocentrismo(considerado como la hegemonía de la interpretación del mundo desde la postura del sujeto adulto/masculino/occidental), el tiempo panóptico (como alusión a la intención de las sociedades del control y autocontrol, de poder vigilar los cursos vitales de los sujetos, operando para ello desde la particularización de momentos en sus vidas, tendiente a la atomización del "espacio-tiempo vital" en relación con el mundo social) y su condición de cronotopo, es decir, de su capacidad constructora de espacios vitales.

Apresentamos uma aproximação às teorias sociológicas contemporâneas desde a temática das juventudes, desde alguns conceitos a partir dos quais as ciências sociais e a sociologia, de maneira especifica, têm compreendido as dinâmicas juvenis. Neste artigo ressaltamos a essência problemática e complexa do conceito de juventude, fato que evidencia a aproximação necessária desde uma perspectiva transdisciplinar que permita delimitar as especificidades juvenis e, conseqüentemente, uma melhor compreensão dos seus mundos de vida, e que não necessariamente conduzcam a uma adoção de olhadas panópticas como as únicas formas de aproximação. Estudam-se as dinâmicas juvenis entre a proscrição e a antecipação moral, como também as formas de compreensão do sujeito jovem, desde o adultocentrismo (considerado como a hegemonia da interpretação do mundo desde a postura do sujeito adulto/masculino/ocidental); o tempo panoptico (como alusão à intenção das sociedades de controle e autocontrole, de poder vigiar os cursos vitais dos sujeitos, visando à atomização do "espaço-tempo vital com relação ao mundo social) e sua condição de cronotope, isto é, sua capacidade construtora de espaços vitais.

We present an approach to contemporary sociological theories from the theme of youth groups, from the perspective of some concepts from which social sciences and sociology have understood, in a very specific way, the youth dynamics. This paper highlights the questions and complex essence of the concept of youth, a fact that evidences its necessary approach from a transdisciplinary perspective in order to define juvenile specificities and, accordingly, to result in a better comprehension of their lifestyles, which do not necessarily adopt panoptic views as the unique approaching methods. It examines the juvenile dynamic social proscription, anticipation morality as well as the ways to understand the young subject from adult centrism (considered as the hegemony in the interpretation of the world from the adult/ male/western subject), the panoptic time (as an allusion to the attempt of control and self-control societies to monitor the vital subject’s vital processes, based upon the particularization of moments in their lives, leading to the fragmentation of "critical space-time" with reference to the social world) and its chronotope status, that is, the construction ability for living spaces.

Experiencia con venlafaxina en Venezuela / Experience with venlafaxine in Venezuela

Se realizó un estudio abierto, no comparativo, multicéntrico, prospectivo en el cual fueron incluidos 171 pacientes con diagnóstico de depreción mayor (leve, moderada y severa), fue realizado por 39 psiquiatras en 10 ciudades de Venezuela. Los objetivos del estudio fueron determinar la eficacia, seguridad y tolerancia de la venlafaxina, una nueva droga antidepresiva en pacientes ambulatorios. La Sociedad Venezolana de Psiquiatría aprobó el protocolo del estudio. Los pacientes llenaban los criterios diagnósticos para depresión mayor de la DSM-III-R. La escala para evaluación de depresión de hamilton y la de impresión clínica global (ICG) fueron utilizadas para determinar la respuesta clínica de los pacientes a la medición. Los pacientes fueron distribuidos en diferentes grupos de dosis (37,5 - 75 mg, 100 - 150 mg y de 175 - 300 mg) de acuerdo a su puntuación al inicio del estudio en la escala de hamilton. Los pacientes fueron evaluados durante 6 semanas. Un total de 118 pacientes completaron el estudio (69 por ciento) de los 118 casos, 50 tenían depresión leve, 39 moderada y 29 severa. Después de 7 días de tratamiento con venlafaxina se apreció una mejoría estadísticamente significativa en pacientes con depresión leve a moderada en la escala ICG como se observa a continuación: en dosis de 37,5 a 75 mg hubo una mejoría marcada a los 7 días en el 36,8 por ciento, después de 14 días en el 76,3, después de 28 días en el 91,1 por ciento y a los 42 días en el 94,7 por ciento. En el grupo de dosis de 100 a 150 mg hubo una mejoría marcada a los 7 días del 37,5 por ciento, en el día 14 del 53,3 por ciento, en el día 28, 78,1 por ciento y al día 42 de 89,3 por ciento. Todos estos resultados fueron estadísticamente significativos. En el grupo de dosis de 150 a 300 mg a los 7 días fue de 0 por ciento, al día 14 de 33,3 por ciento, al día 28 de 55,6 por ciento y al día 42 de 41,4 por ciento. Todos estos resultados fueron estadísticamente significativos. De acuerdo a la esc...

Pterigio: cirugia y quimioterapia; curacion total, Medellin 1983-1988 / Pterygium: surgery and chemotherapy; complete healing, Medellin 1983-1988

Durante un periodo de observacion de 5 anos, se trataron 600 pterigios, divididos en dos grupos, cada uno compuesto por 250 casos primarios y 50 recidivados. Todos los ojos, de los dos grupos, fueron operados con la misma tecnica quirurgica y al terminar la intervencion se aplicaron 5 mgs de triamcinolona, subconjuntivales, en las areas adyacentes a la reseccion del pterigio. Al segundo grupo, se le agrego ademas, una inyeccion subconjuntival de 5 a 20 mgs de fluorouracilo a lo largo del postoperatorio. El fluorouracilo se aplico en relacion con las distintas etapas de la cicatrizacion, de acuerdo a la reaccion individual y al tipo de pterigio intervenido, primario o recidivado. La comparacion de los resultados entre los dos grupos mostro, que en el primero, el indice de recidivas fue en conjunto del 18%. En el segundo grupo con la adicion de fluorouracilo, la curacion fue practicamente del 100%, tanto en los primarios con en los recidivados. No se presentaron complicaciones locales ni generales graves y el resultado estetico y funcional fue perfecto. Una cicatriz brillante y una zona blanca paralimbar, libre de vasos, se parecio en caso todos los ojos. Este nuevo avance en el tratamiento del pterigio, permite al cirujano, asegurar a su paciente, el exito del procedimiento