Scratching the structure of moral agency: insights from philosophy applied to neuroscience.

This paper explores the intersection between neuroscience and philosophy, particularly in the areas of moral philosophy and philosophy of mind. While traditional philosophical questions, such as those relating to free will and moral motivation, have been subject to much debate, the rise of neuroscience has led to a reinterpretation of these questions considering empirical evidence. This has led to tensions between those who believe neuroscience can provide definitive answers to very complex philosophical questions and those who are skeptical about the scope of these studies. However, the paper argues that neuroscientists and philosophers can work together to generate major scientific and social advances. To contribute to bridge the gap, in this paper we expose the complexity of moral experience from a philosophical point of view and point to two great challenges and gaps to cover from neurosciences.

Optimization of Dominant Frequency and Bandwidth Analysis in Multi-Frequency 3D GPR Signals to Identify Contaminated Areas.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been widely used in investigations of contaminated areas because of its sensitivity to variations associated with the nature of pore fluids. However, most of the studies were usually based on the visual interpretation of radargrams or on a time domain amplitude analysis. In this work, we propose a methodology that consists of analyzing the spectral content of the signal recorded in multi-frequency 3D GPR profiles. A remarkable advantage of this type of antenna is its step-frequency system, which provides a much wider emission spectrum than the one corresponding to conventional single-frequency antennas. From the data in the frequency domain, the dominant frequency and bandwidth were calculated as parameters whose variation could be related to the presence of light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) in the subsurface. By analyzing the variations of these two parameters simultaneously, we were able to delimit the contaminated zones in a case study, associating them with a significant shift of the frequency spectrum with respect to the average of the study area. Finally, as a validation method of the proposed methodology, the results of the frequency analysis were compared with resistivity data obtained with an electromagnetic conductivity meter, showing a very good correlation between the results.

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction of hydroxyarenes with nitroenynes to access chiral heterocycles via sequential catalysis.

Naphthols, hydroxyindoles and an activated phenol are reacted with differently substituted (E)-nitrobut-1-en-3-ynes using the commercially available Rawal's chiral squaramide. The corresponding ß-nitroalkynes were obtained with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Moreover, dihydronaphthofurans can be accessed via silver catalysed cyclization in a tandem one-pot procedure, with high preservation of the optical purity.

HTMoL: full-stack solution for remote access, visualization, and analysis of molecular dynamics trajectory data.

Research on biology has seen significant advances with the use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD methodology enables explanation and discovery of molecular mechanisms in a wide range of natural processes and biological systems. The need to readily share the ever-increasing amount of MD data has been hindered by the lack of specialized bioinformatic tools. The difficulty lies in the efficient management of the data, i.e., in sending and processing 3D information for its visualization. In this work, we present HTMoL, a plug-in-free, secure GPU-accelerated web application specifically designed to stream and visualize MD trajectory data on a web browser. Now, individual research labs can publish MD data on the Internet, or use HTMoL to profoundly improve scientific reports by including supplemental MD data in a journal publication. HTMoL can also be used as a visualization interface to access MD trajectories generated on a high-performance computer center directly. Furthermore, the HTMoL architecture can be leveraged with educational efforts to improve learning in the fields of biology, chemistry, and physics.

Description of the behavior of dichloroalkanes-containing solutions with three [bXmpy][BF4] isomers, using the experimental information of thermodynamic properties, 1H NMR spectral and the COSMO-RS-methodology.

This work studies the binaries of 1-butyl-X-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate [bXmpy][BF4] (X = 2, 3, and 4) with four 1,ω-dichloroalkanes, ω = 1-4, using the results obtained for the mixing properties h(E) and v(E) at two temperatures. The three isomers of the ionic liquid (IL) are weakly miscible with the 1,ω-dichloroalkanes when ω ≥ 5 and moderately soluble for ω = 4. The v(E)s of all the binaries present contractive effects, v(E) < 0, which are more pronounced with increasing temperature; the variation in v(E) with ω is positive, although this changes after ω = 4 due to problems of immiscibility. The energetic effects of the mixing process are exothermic in the solutions with the shorter dichloroalkanes, ω = 1 and 2, and this effect increases slightly with temperature. However, mildly exothermic effects are found in the binaries with larger halides, where (dh(E)/dT) > 0. The experimental data are correlated with a suitable equation. The study is completed with (1)H NMR measurements of both the pure compounds and some of the solutions, which showed minor diamagnetic shifts with increasing IL compositions, related to the anisotropy of the pyridine ring. The variation in h(E) with ω for a same IL, due to an increase in the contact surfaces, is related to the reduction in polarity which, in turn, depends on the smaller chemical shifts of the pure dihalide compounds. The COSMO-RS method determines the energetic effects of the mixing process and predicts an exothermic contribution for the electrostatic Misfit-interaction which is quantitatively very similar for the three IL isomers. The differences proposed by the model are mainly reflected in the van der Waals interactions, which are exothermic and clearly influenced by the position of the methylene group in the IL. The contribution made by hydrogen bonds is negligible.

Understanding bipolar disorder in late life: clinical and treatment correlates of a sample of elderly outpatients.

The aim of this study was to examine the demographic, clinical, and treatment correlates of bipolar disorder (BD) in outpatients 65 years or older and to compare patients with BD subtype I (BD-I) versus BD subtype II (BD-II) and patients with early onset (EO; <=50 years old) versus late onset (LO; >50 years old) of the illness. Sixty-nine consecutive outpatients with BD were included. Diagnosis was delayed for a mean of 14.1 years, significantly longer in patients with EO (18.6 years) than with LO (3.3 years). Mild to moderate depressive symptoms were detected in 29% of the patients. The patients were receiving a mean of 3 different psychotropic medications. Antidepressantswere more frequently prescribed to patients with BD-II than to patients with BD-I (75.80% vs. 48.60%) and to patients with EO (71.7%) than to LO (35.3%). Geriatric BD has similar clinical characteristics with those of younger ages, and these do not seem to greatly differ with subtype or age of onset.

Discapacidad en pacientes bipolares ancianos en tratamiento ambulatorio. Variables asociadas(AU) / Variables associated with disability in elderly bipolar patients on ambulatory treatment

Discapacidad en pacientes bipolares ancianos en tratamiento ambulatorio. Variables asociadas(AU)

Introduction. Studies on adult bipolar patients have demonstrated a disability associated with the bipolar disorder, even in euthymic patients, but there is a lack of data in the elderly population. Material and method. A cross-sectional, multicentre study on a consecutive sample of ambulatory bipolar patients (DSM-IV-TR criteria), aged 65 years or over. Retrospective and cross-sectional sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, as well as the Clinical Global Impression for Bipolar Modified scale (CGI-BP-M) and the level of disability using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO/DAS). The disability was assessed globally and by areas. The presence of a moderate to maximum disability compared to a mild to no disability was considered a dependent variable. Results. A moderate to maximum global disability was present in 43.6% of the sample. By areas, occupational functioning was the area most frequently affected, and personal care the least affected. The only variables which were associated with disability were the presence of medical comorbidity (P = .01), increased age (P = .005) global clinical severity (P = .0001) and in the depressive pole (P = .03). There was no relationship between clinical subtype, duration of the disease, number of previous episodes, number of hospitalisations, or other clinical variables and the degree of disability. Conclusions. These data underline the need to establish specific therapeutic strategies in the approach to depressive symptoms and medical comorbidity, with the aim of minimising the disability in elderly bipolar patients. Given the lack of current data, new studies are needed with larger samples and control groups(AU)

[Variables associated with disability in elderly bipolar patients on ambulatory treatment]. / Discapacidad en pacientes bipolares ancianos en tratamiento ambulatorio. Variables asociadas.

INTRODUCTION: Studies on adult bipolar patients have demonstrated a disability associated with the bipolar disorder, even in euthymic patients, but there is a lack of data in the elderly population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional, multicentre study on a consecutive sample of ambulatory bipolar patients (DSM-IV-TR criteria), aged 65 years or over. Retrospective and cross-sectional sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, as well as the Clinical Global Impression for Bipolar Modified scale (CGI-BP-M) and the level of disability using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO/DAS). The disability was assessed globally and by areas. The presence of a moderate to maximum disability compared to a mild to no disability was considered a dependent variable. RESULTS: A moderate to maximum global disability was present in 43.6% of the sample. By areas, occupational functioning was the area most frequently affected, and personal care the least affected. The only variables which were associated with disability were the presence of medical comorbidity (P = .01), increased age (P = .005) global clinical severity (P = .0001) and in the depressive pole (P = .03). There was no relationship between clinical subtype, duration of the disease, number of previous episodes, number of hospitalisations, or other clinical variables and the degree of disability. CONCLUSIONS: These data underline the need to establish specific therapeutic strategies in the approach to depressive symptoms and medical comorbidity, with the aim of minimising the disability in elderly bipolar patients. Given the lack of current data, new studies are needed with larger samples and control groups.

Intervención cardiovascular semiambulatoria en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo / Outpatients cardiovascular intervention in patient with coronary syndrom

Se realiza un estudio en pacientes diagnosticados con síndrome coronario agudo hospitalizados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos del Hospital General Comandante Pinares durante los años 2006-2007, los cuales aceptaron ser sometidos a intervención coronaria semiambulatoria, con el objetivo de determinar la eficacia de este proceder. Se conforma un grupo estudio de 118 pacientes que dieron su consentimiento informado y cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión asumidos para la investigación. Se utiliza como grupo control igual cantidad de pacientes seleccionados al azar en el Instituto de Cardiología de La Habana, con igual diagnóstico y criterios para el examen. Como resultado se obtuvo predominio del sexo masculino y del grupo etario 60 y más años. El mayor número de pacientes no presentó complicaciones durante el traslado ni en las primeras 24 horas. Predominaron siempre las complicaciones menores y no se registraron fallecidos, lo que demuestra la eficacia del proceder realizado (AU)

Régimen jurídico del tratamiento de datos personales obtenidos en el ejercicio de la Atención Farmacéutica / No disponible

No disponible

Empleo de la Nisoldipina en una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con Tc99m Tetrofosmín para el diagnóstico de viabilidad / Use of miseldipine in myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc99m Tetrofosmin for viability diagnosis

Con el propósito de explorar si el diagnóstico de viabilidad puede lograrse con un radiofármaco marcado con tecnecio, se les realizó a 25 pacientes con infarto del miocardio (IM) previo, una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con Tc99m -Tetrofosmín en protocolo de esfuerzo/reposo, y además en una tercera parte se les inyectó el fármaco radiactivo 55 min después de administrar 5 mg de nisoldipina oral, una dihidropiridina vasodilatadora coronaria. El resultado del examen tetrofosmín-nisoldipina se comparó con una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con talio realizada en los mismos pacientes entre 20 y 35 días después de concluida la primera. El diagnóstico de viabilidad se basó en un aumento de la captación de radiofármaco dentro del área del infarto post-nisoldipina en el caso del tetrofosmín y tras la reinyección en el caso del talio. De los 25 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 18 presentaron imágenes de viabilidad, 17 de ellos con tetrofosmín (post-nisoldipina) y los 18 con reinyección de talio, la correlación obtenida entre ambos métodos fue del 96 porciento, demostrando que la nisoldipina es una opción para determinar la existencia de viabilidad (AU)

Empleo de la Nisoldipina en una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con Tc99m Tetrofosmín para el diagnóstico de viabilidad / Use of miseldipine in myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc99m Tetrofosmin for viability diagnosis

Con el propósito de explorar si el diagnóstico de viabilidad puede lograrse con un radiofármaco marcado con tecnecio, se les realizó a 25 pacientes con infarto del miocardio (IM) previo, una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con Tc99m -Tetrofosmín en protocolo de esfuerzo/reposo, y además en una tercera parte se les inyectó el fármaco radiactivo 55 min después de administrar 5 mg de nisoldipina oral, una dihidropiridina vasodilatadora coronaria. El resultado del examen tetrofosmín-nisoldipina se comparó con una gammagrafía de perfusión miocárdica con talio realizada en los mismos pacientes entre 20 y 35 días después de concluida la primera. El diagnóstico de viabilidad se basó en un aumento de la captación de radiofármaco dentro del área del infarto post-nisoldipina en el caso del tetrofosmín y tras la reinyección en el caso del talio. De los 25 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 18 presentaron imágenes de viabilidad, 17 de ellos con tetrofosmín (post-nisoldipina) y los 18 con reinyección de talio, la correlación obtenida entre ambos métodos fue del 96 porciento, demostrando que la nisoldipina es una opción para determinar la existencia de viabilidad

Influencia de la rehabilitación cardiaca en pacientes con infarto del miocardio bajo tratamiento con betabloqueadores / Influence of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with myocardial infarction treated with betablockers

Para precisar si el estado de betabloqueo adrenérgico atenúa el grado de entrenamiento físico en pacientes que han sufrido un infarto agudo del miocardio, se estudiaron 111 pacientes de ambos sexos, con una media de 49,8 años, divididos en 2 grupos: grupo 1 (sin tratamiento betabloqueador) y grupo 2 (bajo tratamiento betabloqueador). Se les realizaron 3 pruebas ergométricas en bicilceta eléctrica a los 3,6 y 12 meses de estar incorporados a un programa de entrenamiento físico. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las variables que no son influidas directamente por los betabloqueadores en ambos grupos: media del consumo de oxígeno valor medio de la capacidad funcional, tiempo de ejercicio y potencia media. Se concluye que los pacientes infartados y tratados con betabloqueadores pueden beneficiarse cuando son incorporados a un Programa de Rehabilitación Cardiovascular Integral (AU)

Influencia de la rehabilitacion cardiaca en pacientes con infarto del miocardio bajo tratamiento con betabloqueadores / Influence of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with myocardial infarction treated with betablockers

Para precisar si el estado de betabloqueo adrenergico atenua el grado de entrenamiento fisico en pacientes que han sufrido un infarto agudo del miocardio, se estudiaron 111 pacientes de ambos sexos, con una media de 49,8 anos, divididos en 2 grupos: grupo 1 (sin tratamiento betabloqueador) y grupo 2 (bajo tratamiento betabloqueador). Se les realizaron 3 pruebas ergometricas en bicilceta electrica a los 3,6 y 12 meses de estar incorporados a un programa de entrenamiento fisico. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las variables que no son influidas directamente por los betabloqueadores en ambos grupos: media del consumo de oxigeno valor medio de la capacidad funcional, tiempo de ejercicio y potencia media. Se concluye que los pacientes infartados y tratados con betabloqueadores pueden beneficiarse cuando son incorporados a un Programa de Rehabilitacion Cardiovascular Integral

Pé diabético / Diabetic foot

Os autores apresentam sua experiência no tratamento de 200 casos de pé diabético observados na Clínica de Cirurgia Vascular do Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias no período de janeiro de 1981 a junho de 1989. O tratamento clínico foi realizado através do controle do diabetes com uma dieta apropriada, insulina, hipoglicemiantes orais, além do uso de antibióticos específicos no combate às infeccöes. Com relaçäo ao tratamento cirúrgico, procedimentos com as amputaçöes, simpatectomias e reconstruçöes arteriais foram utilizadas. Dos 200 pacientes, 96 (48//) sofreram algum tipo de amputaçäo. Destas, 38 (19//) foram a nível de pododáctilos, 24 (12//) no terço supeiror da perna, 20 (10//) a nível de coxa e 14(7//) do tipo transmetatársica. Recentemente empregamos a pulsoterapia venosa retrógrada e a oxigenoterapia hiperbárica com excelentes resultados, decaindo a incidência de grandes amputaçöes. Finalmente os autores enfatizam o fato de que as lesöes tróficas dos diabéticos continuam sendo complicaçöes freqüentes com risco para a integridade do membro ou da própria vida

Aneurisma dissecante da aorta: relato de um caso operado com sucesso pela técnica da inclusäo / Dissecting aneurysm of the aorta: report of a case operated by inclusion technique

Os autores relatam um caso complicado de A.D.A., operado na Clínica de Cirurgia Vascular do Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias. No pós-operatório imediato desenvolveu insuficiência renal aguda e paraparesia. Foi feito tratamento hemodialítico com recuperaçäo da funçäo renal. O paciente teve alta dois meses após, com a funçäo renal restaurada, mas ainda com paraparesia. Três meses após, uma tentativa de dilataçäo transluminal das artérias renais, apresentou trombose desses vasos e insuficiência renal irreversível levando ao programa de hemodiálise permanente. Após 12 meses de pós-operatório houve a recuperaçäo total do comprometimento neurológico dos membros inferiores, permitindo ao paciente a realizaçäo de suas atividades normais

Via de acesso extra-peritoneal na cirurgia da aorta abdominal / Extraperitoneal approach in the abdominal aortic surgery

Os autores relatam sua experiência com a utilizaçäo da via de acesso extraperitoneal em 41 pacientes com aneurisma e doença oclusiva de aorta e artéria ilíacas. Dos 41 pacientes, 09 (21,9%) eram portadores de aneurisma, 29 (70,73%) apresentavam lesöes oclusivas aorto-ilíaca e 03 (7,3%) doença oclusiva de ilíacas. Dos 09 pacientes com aneurisma do segmento infra-renal da aorta, 02 foram submetidos a reconstruçäo aorto-aórtico, em 06 foram feitas derivaçöes do tipo aorto-bi-ilíaco e em 01 a derivaçäo foi do tipo aortobifemoral. Nos pacientes portadores de doença oclusiva aorto-ilíaca foram feitos os seguintes procedimentos: endarterectomia em 03, derivaçäo aorto-bi-ilíaca em 20 e derivaçäo aortobifemoral em 06 pacientes. Os 03 casos de oclusäo das ilíacas sofreram tromboendarterectomia, sendo em 01 caso do tipo por eversäo. Os resultados foram comparados com os obtidos em 72 casos de cirurgia do segmento aorto ilíaco por via transperitoneal. A conclusäo foi que a via extraperitoneal apresenta uma série de vantagens sobre a via transperitoneal, quando se analisam alguns parâmetros como perda sanguínea, supsorte cardiorespiratório, tempo de CTI, início da alimentaçäo sólida, morbidade e mortalidade

Derivaçöes porto-sistêmicas com veia e próteses sintéticas: estudo experimental em cäes

O presente trabalho relata os resultados de uma pesquisa realizada em 30 cäes mestiços, distribuídos em 03 grupos (Gupos I, II e III). No grupo I, foi estabelecida uma derivaçäo porto-cava com segmento infra-renal da veia caa inferior; no grupo II, o mesmo procedimento foi realizado com prótese de dacron de 10 mm e no grupo III a derivaçäo foi feita com prótese de PTFE anelada externamente. Após um acompanhamento de 180 dias, os resultados foram os seguintes: Grupo I: 80% das derivaçöes estavam pérvias; Grupo II, 50% das derivaçöes encomtravam-se pérvias; Grupo III: 70% de perviedade das derivaçöes. após análise dos resultados, os autores puderam concluir que a veia e o PTFE se mostraram superiores ao Dacron, quando utilizados nas derivaçöes porto-sistêmicas