PhyberSIM: a tool for the generation of ground truth to evaluate brain fiber clustering algorithms.

Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging tractography is a non-invasive technique that produces a collection of streamlines representing the main white matter bundle trajectories. Methods, such as fiber clustering algorithms, are important in computational neuroscience and have been the basis of several white matter analysis methods and studies. Nevertheless, these clustering methods face the challenge of the absence of ground truth of white matter fibers, making their evaluation difficult. As an alternative solution, we present an innovative brain fiber bundle simulator that uses spline curves for fiber representation. The methodology uses a tubular model for the bundle simulation based on a bundle centroid and five radii along the bundle. The algorithm was tested by simulating 28 Deep White Matter atlas bundles, leading to low inter-bundle distances and high intersection percentages between the original and simulated bundles. To prove the utility of the simulator, we created three whole-brain datasets containing different numbers of fiber bundles to assess the quality performance of QuickBundles and Fast Fiber Clustering algorithms using five clustering metrics. Our results indicate that QuickBundles tends to split less and Fast Fiber Clustering tends to merge less, which is consistent with their expected behavior. The performance of both algorithms decreases when the number of bundles is increased due to higher bundle crossings. Additionally, the two algorithms exhibit robust behavior with input data permutation. To our knowledge, this is the first whole-brain fiber bundle simulator capable of assessing fiber clustering algorithms with realistic data.

Short fiber bundle filtering and test-retest reproducibility of the Superficial White Matter.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in studying the Superficial White Matter (SWM). The SWM consists of short association fibers connecting near giry of the cortex, with a complex organization due to their close relationship with the cortical folding patterns. Therefore, their segmentation from dMRI tractography datasets requires dedicated methodologies to identify the main fiber bundle shape and deal with spurious fibers. This paper presents an enhanced short fiber bundle segmentation based on a SWM bundle atlas and the filtering of noisy fibers. The method was tuned and evaluated over HCP test-retest probabilistic tractography datasets (44 subjects). We propose four fiber bundle filters to remove spurious fibers. Furthermore, we include the identification of the main fiber fascicle to obtain well-defined fiber bundles. First, we identified four main bundle shapes in the SWM atlas, and performed a filter tuning in a subset of 28 subjects. The filter based on the Convex Hull provided the highest similarity between corresponding test-retest fiber bundles. Subsequently, we applied the best filter in the 16 remaining subjects for all atlas bundles, showing that filtered fiber bundles significantly improve test-retest reproducibility indices when removing between ten and twenty percent of the fibers. Additionally, we applied the bundle segmentation with and without filtering to the ABIDE-II database. The fiber bundle filtering allowed us to obtain a higher number of bundles with significant differences in fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and radial diffusivity of Autism Spectrum Disorder patients relative to controls.

Phybers: a package for brain tractography analysis.

We present a Python library (Phybers) for analyzing brain tractography data. Tractography datasets contain streamlines (also called fibers) composed of 3D points representing the main white matter pathways. Several algorithms have been proposed to analyze this data, including clustering, segmentation, and visualization methods. The manipulation of tractography data is not straightforward due to the geometrical complexity of the streamlines, the file format, and the size of the datasets, which may contain millions of fibers. Hence, we collected and structured state-of-the-art methods for the analysis of tractography and packed them into a Python library, to integrate and share tools for tractography analysis. Due to the high computational requirements, the most demanding modules were implemented in C/C++. Available functions include brain Bundle Segmentation (FiberSeg), Hierarchical Fiber Clustering (HClust), Fast Fiber Clustering (FFClust), normalization to a reference coordinate system, fiber sampling, calculation of intersection between sets of brain fibers, tools for cluster filtering, calculation of measures from clusters, and fiber visualization. The library tools were structured into four principal modules: Segmentation, Clustering, Utils, and Visualization (Fibervis). Phybers is freely available on a GitHub repository under the GNU public license for non-commercial use and open-source development, which provides sample data and extensive documentation. In addition, the library can be easily installed on both Windows and Ubuntu operating systems through the pip library.

Effects of dietary supplementation with L-arginine on the endogenous losses of amino acids in growing pigs exposed to heat stress.

Exposing pigs to heat stress (HS) provokes higher death of intestinal cells, resulting in elevated endogenous intestinal losses (EIL) of amino acids (AA) and damage to intestinal epithelia. Arginine (Arg) is precursor for the synthesis of polyamines, which are involved in proliferation of intestinal cells and restoration of the intestinal epithelia. Thus the effect of adding L-Arg to diets for HS pigs on the EIL of AA was analyzed. Twelve pigs (23.1 ± 1.1 kg body weight) implanted with T-type cannulas at the end of ileum were individually housed and allowed 15-days for surgery recovery under thermoneutral (TN) conditions (22 ± 2 °C). Following, the pigs were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: TN pigs fed a semi-purified, corn starch-3% casein basal diet (TN-B); HS pigs with the basal diet (HS-B); HS pigs consuming the basal diet supplemented with 0.20% L-Arg (HS-Arg). The experiment consisted of two 9-day periods; each period included 7-days of adaptation to their respective diet, followed by a 2-day ileal digesta collection period. Digesta was collected during 12 consecutive hours each day. The pigs were fed twice a-day. Ambient temperature (AT) inside the TN and HS rooms ranged from 18.6 to 27.6 °C and from 29.5 to 40.7 °C, respectively. Body temperature followed a pattern similar to that of AT. The daily EIL of indispensable AA increased (P < 0.01) in the HS-B pigs compared to both the TN-B and the HS-Arg pigs, however, there was no EIL difference between the TN-B and the HS-Arg pigs (P > 0.05). Likewise, with the exception of serine, daily losses of endogenous dispensable AA in the HS-B pigs were higher (P < 0.01) in comparison with those of TN-B and HS-Arg pigs. In summary, HS exposure compared to TN conditions increases the loss of endogenous AA, but dietary supplementation with L-Arg helped to counteract the negative HS effect.

Estrategias y necesidades educativas de padres de bebés prematuros en un hospital de tercer nivel de Cali, Colombia / Strategies and educational needs of parents of premature infants in a third level hospital in Cali, Colombia / Estratégias e necessidades educacionais de pais de bebês prematuros em um hospital de nível terciário em Cali, Colômbia

Resumen El objetivo fue determinar las estrategias y necesidades educativas de padres de bebés prematuros en un hospital de Cali, Colombia. El estudio fue cualitativo de sistematización de experiencias centrada en un proceso de intervención mediada. Los ejes de la sistematización fueron: las necesidades educativas y las estrategias de mejoramiento. La muestra estuvo conformada por 11 madres y padres quienes recibieron educación en el contexto de un programa de seguimiento, seleccionados a través de un muestreo opinático por criterios, entrevistados en profundidad. Se realizó análisis de contenido temático. Se encontró que las necesidades educativas se agrupan en los cuidados del bebé: conocimientos básicos, conductas y emociones, condición de salud y alimentación y cuidados del cuidador. Las estrategias se enfocaron en el uso y aprovechamiento de las tecnologías de la información, la escuela de padres y la integración del grupo familiar. (AU)

Abstract We aimed to identify educational strategies and needs of parents of premature babies hospital in Cali, Colombia. We conducted a qualitative study of systematization of experiences focused on a process of mediated intervention. The axes of the systematization were: parental educational needs and improvement strategies for the follow-up program. The sample consisted of 11 mothers and parents who received education during a follow-up program, selected through an opinion-based sampling criterion. We conducted in-depth interviews with the parents and then used thematic content analysis. We found parental educational needs grouped into baby care: basic knowledge, behaviors and emotions, health and nutritional condition, and caregiver care. Improvement strategies suggested for the program focused on the use of information technologies, the parents' school, and the integration of families (AU)

Resumo O objetivo foi determinar as estratégias e necessidades educativas dos pais de bebês prematuros em um hospital de Cali, Colômbia. O estudo foi qualitativo de sistematização de experiências centradas num processo de intervenção mediado. Os eixos de sistematização foram: necessidades educativas e estratégias de melhoria. A amostra foi composta por 11 pais e mães que receberam educação no contexto de um programa de acompanhamento, selecionados por amostragem de opinião por critérios, entrevistados em profundidade. Foi realizada análise de conteúdo temática. Constatou-se que as necessidades educativas se agrupam nos seguintes cuidados com o bebê: conhecimentos básicos, comportamentos e emoções, estado de saúde, alimentação e cuidados do cuidador. As estratégias centraram-se na utilização e exploração das tecnologias de informação, na escola para os pais e na integração do grupo familiar. (AU)

Superficial white matter bundle atlas based on hierarchical fiber clustering over probabilistic tractography data.

The study of short association fibers is still an incomplete task due to their higher inter-subject variability and the smaller size of this kind of fibers in comparison to known long association bundles. However, their description is essential to understand human brain dysfunction and better characterize the human brain connectome. In this work, we present a multi-subject atlas of short association fibers, which was computed using a superficial white matter bundle identification method based on fiber clustering. To create the atlas, we used probabilistic tractography from one hundred subjects from the HCP database, aligned with non-linear registration. The method starts with an intra-subject clustering of short fibers (30-85 mm). Based on a cortical atlas, the intra-subject cluster centroids from all subjects are segmented to identify the centroids connecting each region of interest (ROI) of the atlas. To reduce computational load, the centroids from each ROI group are randomly separated into ten subgroups. Then, an inter-subject hierarchical clustering is applied to each centroid subgroup, followed by a second level of clustering to select the most-reproducible clusters across subjects for each ROI group. Finally, the clusters are labeled according to the regions that they connect, and clustered to create the final bundle atlas. The resulting atlas is composed of 525 bundles of superficial short association fibers along the whole brain, with 384 bundles connecting pairs of different ROIs and 141 bundles connecting portions of the same ROI. The reproducibility of the bundles was verified using automatic segmentation on three different tractogram databases. Results for deterministic and probabilistic tractography data show high reproducibility, especially for probabilistic tractography in HCP data. In comparison to previous work, our atlas features a higher number of bundles and greater cortical surface coverage.

Condiciones del aprendizaje en las residencias del equipo de salud durante la pandemia COVID-19, Argentina 2020 / Learning conditions in health team residences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Argentina 2020

Resumen La pandemia COVID-19 afectó las condiciones de aprendizaje en las residencias del equipo de salud. El objetivo fue explorar las percepciones de residentes de Argentina sobre las condiciones generales de su formación en este contexto. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, cuali-cuantitativo, a través de un cuestionario en línea, anónimo, con 17 ítems de opciones cerradas y 25 con escala de Likert de 1 a 5, con un muestreo no probabilístico e intencional. Respondieron 1595 residentes, 74% médicos, 47.1% pertenecía a una especialidad clínica y 21.8% a la primera línea de atención. El 77.2% se desempeñó en residencias públicas y el 89.4% en el ámbito hospitalario. El 42.1% asumió tareas no propias de su especialidad. Hubo acuerdo sobre la disponibilidad de insumos y protección personal (media 3.8 ± 1.3), la afectación de clases y conferencias (media 3.5 ± 1.6), procedimientos (media 3.8 ± 1.4) y rotaciones (media 3.7 ± 1.2). Asimismo, sobre prorrogar la formación para recuperar aprendizajes (media 3 ± 1.6). La disminución de prácticas se asoció a especialidades quirúrgicas (p = 0.0001) y no estar en la primera línea de atención (p = 0.007). Percibieron positivamente el fortalecimiento de vínculos entre residentes y con familiares, y negativos los efectos en la salud por estrés y distanciamiento social. En conclusión, las condiciones generales de la formación se vieron afectadas. Esto conduce a pensar tanto en la necesidad de alternativas curriculares de enseñanza y evaluación, como en intervenciones vinculadas al bienestar de los residentes.

Abstract COVID-19 pandemic modified learning conditions in health professions´ residences. The objective of the research was to explore Argentinian residents´ perceptions regarding training conditions during the first year of pandemic. A descriptive, quali-quantitative study was developed through an online, anonymous questionnaire, with 42 items: 17 closed options and 25 Likert scale from 1 to 5; and 2 open questions. Sampling was intentional and non-probabilistic. The questionnaire was answered by 1595 residents, 74% were physicians, 47.1% belonged to clinical specialties and 21.8% worked on the front line of care. A 77.2% worked in the public sector and 89.4% in hospital practice, 42.1% assumed tasks not typical of their specialty. They agreed on the availability of personal protection and supplies (mean 3.8 ± 1.3), reduction of lectures (mean 3.5 ± 1.6), proce dures (mean 3.8 ± 1.4) and rotations (mean 3.7 ± 1.2). They concurred on the need to extend training to recover learning (mean 3 ± 1.6). The decrease in practices was associated with surgical specialties (p = 0.0001) and not practicing in the front line of care (p = 0.007). They perceived as positive aspects the chance to strengthen bonds between residents and closeness with relatives, and negative aspects the effects on health due to stress and social distancing. In conclusion, the general conditions of training were affected. This leads to rethink the teaching and assessment curricular alternatives, as well as interventions related to the well-being of the residents.

[Learning conditions in health team residences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Argentina 2020]. / Condiciones del aprendizaje en las residencias del equipo de salud durante la pandemia COVID-19, Argentina 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic modified learning conditions in health professions' residences. The objective of the research was to explore Argentinian residents' perceptions regarding training conditions during the first year of pandemic. A descriptive, quali-quantitative study was developed through an online, anonymous questionnaire, with 42 items: 17 closed options and 25 Likert scale from 1 to 5; and 2 open questions. Sampling was intentional and non-probabilistic. The questionnaire was answered by 1595 residents, 74% were physicians, 47.1% belonged to clinical specialties and 21.8% worked on the front line of care. A 77.2% worked in the public sector and 89.4% in hospital practice, 42.1% assumed tasks not typical of their specialty. They agreed on the availability of personal protection and supplies (mean 3.8 ± 1.3), reduction of lectures (mean 3.5 ± 1.6), procedures (mean 3.8 ± 1.4) and rotations (mean 3.7 ± 1.2). They concurred on the need to extend training to recover learning (mean 3 ± 1.6). The decrease in practices was associated with surgical specialties (p = 0.0001) and not practicing in the front line of care (p = 0.007). They perceived as positive aspects the chance to strengthen bonds between residents and closeness with relatives, and negative aspects the effects on health due to stress and social distancing. In conclusion, the general conditions of training were affected. This leads to rethink the teaching and assessment curricular alternatives, as well as interventions related to the well-being of the residents.

La pandemia COVID-19 afectó las condiciones de aprendizaje en las residencias del equipo de salud. El objetivo fue explorar las percepciones de residentes de Argentina sobre las condiciones generales de su formación en este contexto. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, cuali-cuantitativo, a través de un cuestionario en línea, anónimo, con 17 ítems de opciones cerradas y 25 con escala de Likert de 1 a 5, con un muestreo no probabilístico e intencional. Respondieron 1595 residentes, 74% médicos, 47.1% pertenecía a una especialidad clínica y 21.8% a la primera línea de atención. El 77.2% se desempeñó en residencias públicas y el 89.4% en el ámbito hospitalario. El 42.1% asumió tareas no propias de su especialidad. Hubo acuerdo sobre la disponibilidad de insumos y protección personal (media 3.8 ± 1.3), la afectación de clases y conferencias (media 3.5 ± 1.6), procedimientos (media 3.8 ± 1.4) y rotaciones (media 3.7 ± 1.2). Asimismo, sobre prorrogar la formación para recuperar aprendizajes (media 3 ± 1.6). La disminución de prácticas se asoció a especialidades quirúrgicas (p = 0.0001) y no estar en la primera línea de atención (p = 0.007). Percibieron positivamente el fortalecimiento de vínculos entre residentes y con familiares, y negativos los efectos en la salud por estrés y distanciamiento social. En conclusión, las condiciones generales de la formación se vieron afectadas. Esto conduce a pensar tanto en la necesidad de alternativas curriculares de enseñanza y evaluación, como en intervenciones vinculadas al bienestar de los residentes.

Quality of work life and health-related quality of life in women working in the informal economy in the commune 9 of Cali, Colombia / Calidad de vida en el trabajo y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en trabajadoras del sector informal de la comuna 9 de Cali, Colombia

Abstract Introduction: Quality of work life (QWL) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) determine health, social participation and productivity indices of women working in the informal economy. Objectives: To establish the relationship between QWL and HRQOL in women workers in informal economies from the commune 9 of Cali, Colombia. Materials and methods: Analytical and correlational cross-sectional study conducted in 2019 in 48 in women working in the informal economy who were administered the Quality of Life at Work (CVT-GOHISALO)" and the Health-Related Quality of Life-HRQOL (SF-36) questionnaires. The correlation between the dimensions of both instruments was established using the Spearman's correlation coefficient (weak: rho=0.1-0.3; moderate: rho=0.31-0.6; strong: rho=0.61-0.9, and perfect: rho=09.-1.0), considering a significance level of p<0.05. Results: There is dissatisfaction in 5 dimensions of the CVT-GOHISALO questionnaire, with the highest levels of dissatisfaction found in personal development (97.91%) and well-being achieved through work (95.83%). In the SF-36 questionnaire, the mean score was low in both the physical and mental summary components (45.89.3 and 44.712.9, respectively). A moderate positive and statistically significant correlation was observed between the overall score of the CVT-GOHISALO scale and the physical summary component of the SF-36 questionnaire (rho=o.4i9; p=0.004) and the four dimensions of this component (p<0.05). Conclusion: The lower the QWL, the lower the HRQOL. Therefore, it is necessary to implement comprehensive public health programs in Cali considering work-related and social aspects that impact the personal development and well-being of the people working in the informal economy.

Resumen Introducción. La calidad de vida en el trabajo (CVT) y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) determinan los índices de salud, participación social y productividad en trabajadoras del sector informal. Objetivo. Establecer la relación entre CVT y CVRS en trabajadoras del sector informal de la comuna 9 de Cali, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Estudio transversal analítico y correlacional realizado en 2019 en 48 trabajadoras informales a las que se les aplicaron los cuestionarios CVT-GOHISALO y SF-36 para medir la CVT y la CVRT, respectivamente. La correlación entre las dimensiones de ambos instrumentos se estableció mediante el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman (débil: rho=0.1-0.3; moderada: rho=0.31-0.6; fuerte: rho=0.61-0.9, y perfecta: rho=0.9-1.0), considerando un nivel de significancia de p<0.05. Resultados. Existe insatisfacción en 5 dimensiones del CVT-GOHISALO, con los niveles más altos de insatisfacción en desarrollo personal (97.91%) y bienestar logrado a través del trabajo (95.83%). En el cuestionario SF-36, según la combinación de las puntuaciones de cada dimensión, el promedio obtenido en los componentes físico y mental fue bajo (45.819.3 y 44.7112.9, respectivamente). Se observó una correlación moderada positiva y estadísticamente significativa entre el puntaje global del cuestionario CVT-GOHISALO y el componente físico del cuestionario SF-36 (rho=0.419; p=0.004) y las cuatro dimensiones de este componente (p<0.05). Conclusión. A menor CVT, menor CVRS. Por lo tanto, es necesario implementar programas integrales de salud pública en Cali que consideren aspectos laborales y sociales que impacten el desarrollo personal y el bienestar de la población trabajadora del sector informal.

Percepción de la salud por adultos mayores que realizan actividad física en un parque público de Cali, Colombia / Perception of health by older adults who perform physical activity in a public park in Cali, Colombia / Percepção da saúde pelos idosos que realizam atividade física num parque público em Cali, Colômbia

Resumen Objetivo: Comprender la percepción que sobre la salud tienen los adultos mayores que realizan actividad física en un parque público de Cali, Colombia. Metodología: Se llevó a cabo un estudio de caso cualitativo, con enfoque fenomenológico. El grupo de estudio estuvo conformado por siete adultos que realizan actividad física en el parque, seleccionados por muestreo propositivo por conveniencia. La técnica utilizada fue la entrevista en profundidad. Resultados: Se encontró que la percepción que sobre la salud tienen los adultos mayores es positiva y está relacionada con la independencia, la autonomía, el poder valerse por sí mismos, sentirse útiles y relacionarse con otras personas. Conclusión: La actividad física es utilizada por el adulto mayor para conservar la salud y como un pretexto para interactuar con sus pares, utilizar el tiempo libre y desarrollar tareas en pro de su comunidad

Abstract Objective: To understand the perception of health by older adults who perform physical activity in a public park in Cali, Colombia. Methodology: A qualitative case study was carried out with a phenomenological approach. The study group was made up of seven adults who perform physical activity in the park, selected by convenience and purposeful sampling. The technique used was the in-depth interview. Results: It was found that the perception that older adults have about health is positive and is related to independence, autonomy, being able to fend for themselves, feeling useful, and interacting with other people. Conclusion: Physical activity is used by the elderly to maintain health and as a pretext to interact with their peers, use their free time, and undertake tasks in favor of their community.

Resumo Objetivo: Compreender a percepção que os idosos que realizam atividade física num parque público em Cali, Colômbia, têm sobre a saúde. Metodologia: Foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa com análise fenomenológica. O grupo de estudo foi formado por sete adultos que realizam atividade física no parque, selecionados por amostragem propositiva por conveniência. A técnica utilizada foi entrevista em profundidade. Resultados: Encontrou-se que a percepção que os idosos têm sobre a saúde é positiva e está relacionada com a independência, a autonomia, o poder de se defenderem por si mesmos, sentirem-se úteis e relacionar-se com outras pessoas. Conclusão: A atividade física é usada pelo idoso para conservar a saúde e como um pretexto para interagir com seus pares, utilizar o tempo livre e desenvolver tarefas em prol da sua comunidade.

Fiber Clustering Acceleration With a Modified Kmeans++ Algorithm Using Data Parallelism.

Fiber clustering methods are typically used in brain research to study the organization of white matter bundles from large diffusion MRI tractography datasets. These methods enable exploratory bundle inspection using visualization and other methods that require identifying brain white matter structures in individuals or a population. Some applications, such as real-time visualization and inter-subject clustering, need fast and high-quality intra-subject clustering algorithms. This work proposes a parallel algorithm using a General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit (GPGPU) for fiber clustering based on the FFClust algorithm. The proposed GPGPU implementation exploits data parallelism using both multicore and GPU fine-grained parallelism present in commodity architectures, including current laptops and desktop computers. Our approach implements all FFClust steps in parallel, improving execution times in all of them. In addition, our parallel approach includes a parallel Kmeans++ algorithm implementation and defines a new variant of Kmeans++ to reduce the impact of choosing outliers as initial centroids. The results show that our approach provides clustering quality results very similar to FFClust, and it requires an execution time of 3.5 s for processing about a million fibers, achieving a speedup of 11.5 times compared to FFClust.

Condiciones de salud asociadas a discapacidad en adultos mayores de un programa de actividad física / Health conditions associated to disability in older adults attending a physical activity program

Introducción: Existe la tendencia mundial del aumento de población adulta mayor. Colombia no es un país ajeno a esta situación. Objetivo: Determinar las condiciones crónicas de salud asociadas al desarrollo de discapacidad en adultos mayores de la ciudad de Santiago de Cali, Colombia. Métodos: Estudio transversal en el que participaron 322 adultos mayores, seleccionados con muestreo aleatorio estratificado proporcional. Se aplicó la Encuesta de Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento Colombia, en su sección 8, y el WHODAS 2.0, versión de 36 preguntas. Resultados: El 90,4 por ciento de los participantes en el estudio eran mujeres, la mediana de edad fue de 70 años. La media de discapacidad global fue de 9,39 ± 10,2 puntos. La movilidad obtuvo la mayor puntuación 13,80 ± 17,79 (escala de 0-100 puntos) y las de menor puntuación fueron AVD-trabajo remunerado y participación (2,240 ± 11,15 puntos). La hipertensión arterial fue el padecimiento con mayor prevalencia. Los adultos que han sufrido embolias reportaron el mayor nivel de discapacidad (18,395), seguido de los que manifestaron haber tenido algún tipo de alteración mental (14,15 por ciento ). El dominio con mayor significancia estadística fue la participación, más afectada en los adultos con diabetes, ataques al corazón, embolia cerebral, artritis, osteoporosis y cataratas. Conclusiones: Hubo presencia de enfermedades crónicas en los sistemas cardiovascular, pulmonar y músculo-esquelético, aunque se reportaron niveles bajos discapacidad. Las actividades de la vida diaria más complejas son las que primero presentan dificultad; además, la movilidad es crucial para el funcionamiento de los adultos mayores(AU)

Introduction: Increase in the number of older adults is a current worldwide tendency. Colombia is not an exception. Objective: Determine the chronic health conditions associated to the development of disability in older adults from the city of Santiago de Cali, Colombia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 322 older adults selected by proportional stratified random sampling. Data were obtained with the survey Health, Wellbeing and Aging Colombia, section 8, and the tool WHODAS 2.0, 36-item version. Results: Of the participants in the study, 90.4 percent were women; mean age was 70 years. Mean global disability was 9.39 ± 10.2 points. Mobility obtained the highest score (13.80 ± 17.79 on a 0-100 scale), whereas the lowest ranking variables were ADL - paid work and participation (2.240 ± 11.15 points). Arterial hypertension was the most common condition. Patients who had had embolisms reported the highest level of disability (18.395), followed by those reporting having had some sort of mental disorder (14.15 percent). The domain with the greatest statistical significance was participation, which was more affected in adults with diabetes, heart attacks, cerebral embolism, arthritis, osteoporosis and cataract. Conclusions: A presence was observed of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems, though low disability levels were reported. The most complex activities of daily living are the first to present difficulty. On the other hand, mobility is crucial for the functioning of older adults(AU)

Perception of the healthcare accreditation system in Colombia / Percepción del sistema de acreditación sanitaria en Colombia

Abstract Introduction: Accreditation is an external, systematic, periodic, and voluntary evaluation process to which health care institutions submit themselves in order to demonstrate compliance with superior levels of quality of care. The Icontec, through an evaluative model, accredits the quality of health institutions in Colombia. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study following the recommendations of the survey study report. Using an electronic format, 22 health institutions with experience in the Icontec accreditation process were surveyed. The instrument evaluated three thematic axes of the process: added value provided by the accreditation process, evaluation process and final report. The measurement was carried out using a Likert-type scale and a descriptive statistical analysis to establish the perception of the phases of the process. Results: the items with the best perception were the humanization of care (86.4%) followed by patient safety and teamwork (81.8%). After accreditation, the quality of the processes improved (77.4%), infection prevention and control (68.1%) and physician commitment (63.6%). 54.6% felt that evaluators use different methods of evaluation. 63.6% of the respondents considered that Icontec does not comply with the times defined for the delivery of the report. Conclusion: the Icontec accreditation system adds value to health institutions in most of the thematic areas evaluated, especially in the humanization of care and patient safety. The lowest perception is presented in the increase of physicians' commitment.

Resumen Introducción: la acreditación es un proceso de evaluación externo, sistemático, periódico y voluntario al que se someten instituciones de salud para demostrar el cumplimiento de niveles superiores de calidad en la atención. El Icontec, Instituto colombiano de normas técnicas, es la organización colombiana no gubernamental designada por el Ministerio de Salud para ser la entidad que acredita la calidad de las instituciones de salud en Colombia. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la percepción del valor que agrega la acreditación a la calidad de la atención en clínicas y hospitales en Colombia. Métodos: estudio transversal observacional. Se encuestaron 22 profesionales con experiencia en el proceso de acreditación Icontec. El instrumento evaluó tres ejes temáticos del proceso: valor agregado que aporta el proceso de acreditación, proceso de evaluación e informe final. La percepción de las fases del proceso fue medida a través de una escala tipo Likert y un análisis estadístico descriptivo. Resultados: los ítems con mejor percepción fueron la humanización de la atención (86.4%), la seguridad de los pacientes y el trabajo en equipo (81.8%). Laacreditación mejora la calidad de los procesos (77.4%), la prevención y el control de infecciones (68.1%) y el compromiso de los médicos (63.6%). El 54.6% consideró que los evaluadores utilizan métodos diferentes de evaluación. Conclusión: el sistema de acreditación Icontec en Colombia, agrega valor a las instituciones de salud en la mayoría de los ejes temáticos evaluados. La percepción más baja se presenta en el incremento de compromiso de los médicos.

Novel genotyping assay for the nt230 (del4) ABCB1 gene mutation and its allele frequency in Border Collie dogs in Mexico.

A 4-bp deletion in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1) gene, also referred to as the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1), produces stop codons that cause premature termination of P-glycoprotein 1 (P-gp) synthesis. Dogs with the homozygous mutation do not express functional P-gp, which increases their sensitivity markedly to many common veterinary drugs. We detected the nt230 (del4) ABCB1 mutation in Border Collie dogs in western Mexico with a simple and affordable primer-introduced restriction analysis PCR (PIRA-PCR). PIRA-PCR clearly identified all genotypes in our sample of 104 dogs. Genotype frequencies were 0.952 (wild/wild), 0.029 (wild/mut) and 0.019 (mut/mut). Allele frequencies were 0.033 (mutant alleles) and 0.966 (wild-type alleles). In this small subset of the Mexican dog population, we found a higher prevalence of the nt230 (del4) MDR1/ABCB1 gene mutation than reported in other countries.

ABrainVis: an android brain image visualization tool.

BACKGROUND: The visualization and analysis of brain data such as white matter diffusion tractography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumes is commonly used by neuro-specialist and researchers to help the understanding of brain structure, functionality and connectivity. As mobile devices are widely used among users and their technology shows a continuous improvement in performance, different types of applications have been designed to help users in different work areas. RESULTS: We present, ABrainVis, an Android mobile tool that allows users to visualize different types of brain images, such as white matter diffusion tractographies, represented as fibers in 3D, segmented fiber bundles, MRI 3D images as rendered volumes and slices, and meshes. The tool enables users to choose and combine different types of brain imaging data to provide visual anatomical context for specific visualization needs. ABrainVis provides high performance over a wide range of Android devices, including tablets and cell phones using medium and large tractography datasets. Interesting visualizations including brain tumors and arteries, along with fiber, are given as examples of case studies using ABrainVis. CONCLUSIONS: The functionality, flexibility and performance of ABrainVis tool introduce an improvement in user experience enabling neurophysicians and neuroscientists fast visualization of large tractography datasets, as well as the ability to incorporate other brain imaging data such as MRI volumes and meshes, adding anatomical contextual information.

Filmografia Actualizada para Visualizar las Etapas y las Problemáticas del Proceso de Jubilación / Updated Filmography to Visualize the Stages and Problems of the Retirement Process / Filmografia Atualizada para Visualizar os Estágios e Problemas do Processo de Aposentadoria

Resumen Introducción: en 2017 se publicó la filmografía "Mirar y reflexionar la jubilación" para ejemplificar el proceso de jubilación. Contiene 57 películas, clasificadas, con base en la teoría de continuidad, en siete etapas (prejubilación, luna de miel, descanso, desencanto, reorientación, rutina y final) y tres problemáticas (resistencia a jubilarse, jubilación forzada y falta de seguridad social para jubilarse). Tiene el propósito de propiciar la reflexión sobre la jubilación, pero requiere renovación para incluir más cantidad de filmes que mejoren en cantidad y calidad la ejemplificación. Objetivo: actualizar y enriquecer la filmografía de 2017. Materiales y métodos: estudio documental de recopilación y actualización de filmes. La búsqueda fue electrónica y física. Se incluyeron todas las películas, en idioma español, o en otro idioma con subtítulos en español, con argumentos, títulos, sinopsis y críticas relacionadas con la jubilación. El análisis comprendió la selección, captura, categorización y recategorización de los filmes. Resultados: se seleccionaron 115 filmes, sumados a los 57 anteriores, conforman una nueva filmografía de 172 películas, con producciones de 24 países, que incluyen dramas, comedias, documentales, romances, animaciones, aventuras, acción e intriga, en su mayoría protagonizada por hombres. La película más antigua es de 1924 y la más reciente de 2019. Conclusiones: se logró ampliar en 301.75 % la cantidad de filmes. En cuanto a la calidad se logró ilustrar abundante y profundamente el proceso y los problemas de la jubilación. La nueva filmografía es material didáctico útil, adecuado y suficiente para futuras intervenciones de sensibilización y preparación para la jubilación.

Abstract Introduction: in 2017 the filmography "Mirar y reflexionar la jubilación" was published to exemplify the retirement process. It contains 57 films, classified, based on the theory of continuity, in seven stages (pre retirement, honeymoon, rest, disenchantment, reorientation, routine and final) and three problems (resistance to retirement, forced retirement and lack of social security to retire). It has the purpose of promoting reflection on retirement but requires renewal to include more films that improve the quantity and quality of the exemplification. Objective: Update and enrich the filmography of 2017. Materials and methods: Documentary study of compilation and updating of films. The search was electronic and physical. All films were included, in Spanish, or in another language with Spanish subtitles, with arguments, titles, synopsis or criticisms related to retirement. The analysis included the selection, capture, categorization and recategorization of films. Results: 115 films were selected, added to the previous 57, to make up a new filmography of 172 films, with productions from 24 countries, including dramas, comedies, documentaries, romances, animations, adventures, action and intrigue, mostly starring men. The oldest film is from 1924 and the most recent in 2019. Conclusions: The number of films was expanded by 301.75 %. In terms of quality, the process and problems of retirement were abundantly and deeply illustrated. The new filmography is useful, adequate and sufficient teaching material for future awareness raising and retirement preparation interventions.

Resumo Introdução: em 2017, a filmografia "Mirar y reflexionar la jubilación" foi publicada para exemplificar o processo de aposentadoria. Contém 57 filmes, classificados, com base na teoria da continuidade, em sete etapas (aposentadoria precoce, lua de mel, descanso, desencanto, reorientação, rotina e final) e três problemas (resistência à aposentadoria, aposentadoria forçada e falta de previdência social). Tem como objetivo promover a reflexão sobre a aposentadoria, mas requer renovação para incluir mais filmes para uma compreensão mais ampla e profunda. Objetivo: atualizar e enriquecer a filmografia de 2017. Materiais e métodos: estudo documental da compilação e atualização de filmes. A busca foi eletrônica e física. Todos os filmes foram incluídos, em espanhol ou em outro idioma, com legendas em espanhol, com argumentos e parcelas relacionadas à aposentadoria. A análise incluiu a seleção, captura, categorização e recategorização dos filmes. Resultados: foram selecionados 115 filmes, somados aos 57 anteriores, compõem uma nova filmografia de 172 filmes, com produções de 24 países, incluindo dramas, comédias, documentários, romances, animações, aventuras, ações e intrigas, principalmente estrelando homens. O filme mais antigo é de 1924 e o mais recente em 2019. Conclusões: o número de filmes foi ampliado em 301.75 %. Em termos de qualidade, o processo e os problemas da aposentadoria foram abundantemente e profundamente ilustrados. A nova filmografia é material didático útil, adequado e suficiente para futuras intervenções de conscientização e preparação para a aposentadoria.

Perception of the healthcare accreditation system in Colombia.

Introduction: Accreditation is an external, systematic, periodic, and voluntary evaluation process to which health care institutions submit themselves in order to demonstrate compliance with superior levels of quality of care. The Icontec, through an evaluative model, accredits the quality of health institutions in Colombia. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study following the recommendations of the survey study report. Using an electronic format, 22 health institutions with experience in the Icontec accreditation process were surveyed. The instrument evaluated three thematic axes of the process: added value provided by the accreditation process, evaluation process and final report. The measurement was carried out using a Likert-type scale and a descriptive statistical analysis to establish the perception of the phases of the process. Results: the items with the best perception were the humanization of care (86.4%) followed by patient safety and teamwork (81.8%). After accreditation, the quality of the processes improved (77.4%), infection prevention and control (68.1%) and physician commitment (63.6%). 54.6% felt that evaluators use different methods of evaluation. 63.6% of the respondents considered that Icontec does not comply with the times defined for the delivery of the report. Conclusion: the Icontec accreditation system adds value to health institutions in most of the thematic areas evaluated, especially in the humanization of care and patient safety. The lowest perception is presented in the increase of physicians' commitment.

Introducción: la acreditación es un proceso de evaluación externo, sistemático, periódico y voluntario al que se someten instituciones de salud para demostrar el cumplimiento de niveles superiores de calidad en la atención. El Icontec, Instituto colombiano de normas técnicas, es la organización colombiana no gubernamental designada por el Ministerio de Salud para ser la entidad que acredita la calidad de las instituciones de salud en Colombia. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la percepción del valor que agrega la acreditación a la calidad de la atención en clínicas y hospitales en Colombia. Métodos: estudio transversal observacional. Se encuestaron 22 profesionales con experiencia en el proceso de acreditación Icontec. El instrumento evaluó tres ejes temáticos del proceso: valor agregado que aporta el proceso de acreditación, proceso de evaluación e informe final. La percepción de las fases del proceso fue medida a través de una escala tipo Likert y un análisis estadístico descriptivo. Resultados: los ítems con mejor percepción fueron la humanización de la atención (86.4%), la seguridad de los pacientes y el trabajo en equipo (81.8%). Laacreditación mejora la calidad de los procesos (77.4%), la prevención y el control de infecciones (68.1%) y el compromiso de los médicos (63.6%). El 54.6% consideró que los evaluadores utilizan métodos diferentes de evaluación. El 63.6% de los encuestados consideró que Icontec no cumple con los tiempos definidos para la entrega del informe. Conclusión: el sistema de acreditación Icontec en Colombia, agrega valor a las instituciones de salud en la mayoría de los ejes temáticos evaluados. La percepción más baja se presenta en el incremento de compromiso de los médicos.

FFClust: Fast fiber clustering for large tractography datasets for a detailed study of brain connectivity.

Automated methods that can identify white matter bundles from large tractography datasets have several applications in neuroscience research. In these applications, clustering algorithms have shown to play an important role in the analysis and visualization of white matter structure, generating useful data which can be the basis for further studies. This work proposes FFClust, an efficient fiber clustering method for large tractography datasets containing millions of fibers. Resulting clusters describe the whole set of main white matter fascicles present on an individual brain. The method aims to identify compact and homogeneous clusters, which enables several applications. In individuals, the clusters can be used to study the local connectivity in pathological brains, while at population level, the processing and analysis of reproducible bundles, and other post-processing algorithms can be carried out to study the brain connectivity and create new white matter bundle atlases. The proposed method was evaluated in terms of quality and execution time performance versus the state-of-the-art clustering techniques used in the area. Results show that FFClust is effective in the creation of compact clusters, with a low intra-cluster distance, while keeping a good quality Davies-Bouldin index, which is a metric that quantifies the quality of clustering approaches. Furthermore, it is about 8.6 times faster than the most efficient state-of-the-art method for one million fibers dataset. In addition, we show that FFClust is able to correctly identify atlas bundles connecting different brain regions, as an example of application and the utility of compact clusters.

Consenso cultural y experiencias de asesoría en la práctica formativa de estudiantes de fisioterapia en Cali / Cultural consensus and experiences of advisory for the training practice of physiotherapy students from Cali

Introducción: La práctica formativa se reconoce como el espacio donde los estudiantes articulan conocimientos, habilidades y destrezas con el conocimiento adquirido en los niveles básicos. En este proceso, la asesoría docente desempeña un papel muy importante. Objetivo: Identificar el consenso cultural y las experiencias de los estudiantes universitarios en torno a la asesoría de práctica formativa en fisioterapia. Métodos: Estudio cualitativo en el cual participaron 70 estudiantes. A 34 de ellos, de primer semestre de práctica, se les aplicó un listado libre de palabras para determinar el consenso cultural y a los 36 restantes, matriculados entre el octavo y el décimo semestres, se les convocó a la conformación de los grupos de discusión para conocer las experiencias de asesoría en práctica formativa. Los datos se analizaron a través del modelo de dominios culturales y el análisis de contenido. Resultados: El consenso cultural sobre práctica formativa en fisioterapia se fundamentó en las habilidades del asesor como el liderazgo, la ayuda, la empatía y el apoyo, las cuales valoraron muy positivamente. Mientras que las experiencias de asesoría en práctica formativa se relacionaron con el acompañamiento, la retroalimentación y el compañerismo de los asesores, valorados deficientemente. Conclusiones: El liderazgo, la empatía y el apoyo se reconocen como las principales competencias que debe tener un asesor de práctica formativa. El acompañamiento y la retroalimentación en la práctica deben permitir el desarrollo de destrezas y habilidades propias de la profesión, en un ejercicio de construcción colectiva entre el asesor y el estudiante(AU)

Introduction: The training practice is recognized as the space for students to articulate knowledge, capabilities and skills with the knowledge acquired at the basic levels. In this process, professorial advisory plays a very important role. Objective: To identify cultural consensus and the experiences of university students about advisory of training practice in physiotherapy. Methods: Qualitative study carried out with the participation of 70 students. Thirty-four of them, from the first semester of practice, were applied a free list of words to determine cultural consensus, while the other 36 students, enrolled the semester from eighth to tenth, were summoned to gather in discussion groups to know the experiences of advising about training practice. The data were analyzed using the cultural domains model and content analysis. Results: The cultural consensus about training practice in physiotherapy was based on the advisor's skills such as leadership, help, empathy and support, which they valued very positively. Meantime, advisory experiences in training practice were related to accompaniment, feedback and companionship of the advisers, poorly valued. Conclusions: Leadership, empathy and support are recognized as the main competences of a training practice advisor. Accompaniment and feedback during the practice must allow the development of skills and capabilities typical of the profession, in an exercise of collective construction between advisor and student(AU)

Carga física, estrés y morbilidad sentida osteomuscular en trabajadores administrativos del sector público / Physical load, stress and musculoskeletal morbidity in administrative workers in the public sector

Introducción: Los desórdenes musculoesqueléticos se asocian entre otros, con la carga física y aspectos organizacionales del trabajo. Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre la carga física, los niveles de estrés y la morbilidad sentida osteomuscular en trabajadores administrativos del sector público de Popayán (Colombia). Materiales y métodos: Estudio cuantitativo, transversal analítico-correlacional. La muestra aleatoria simple fue de 104 trabajadores, los instrumentos de recolección fueron: Evaluación de puesto de trabajo RULA (acrónimo de Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), cuestionario de Maslach y cuestionario nórdico estandarizado (Kuorinka et al., 1987), se realizó análisis uni y bivariado, para la comprobación hipótesis se utilizó el estadístico Chi Cuadrado. Resultados: Se encontró que 76% de los puestos de trabajo requiere investigación con posible necesidad de cambios. El 79% de los trabajadores tuvo un nivel bajo de cansancio y 83% de despersonalización. El dolor más prevalente en los últimos seis meses fue de cuello (51%), seguido de espalda (36%) y hombro (33%). Se encontró correlación estadísticamente significativa entre la carga postural y presencia del dolor muscular (p=0,301). Conclusión: La carga postural aumentada está relacionada con la presencia de dolor de cuello, sin embargo, el dolor no está relacionado con la presencia de estrés laboral.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders are associated with physical and organizational aspects of work, among others. Objective: To determine the relationship between physical load, levels of stress, and musculoskeletal morbidity in administrative workers in the public sector of Popayán (Colombia), between 2016 and 2017. Materials and methods: An analytical-correlational, cross-sectional, quantitative study of a random sample of 104 workers. The data collection instruments were: the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire (Kuorinka et al., 1987). Uni- and bivariate analysis were conducted, as well as a Chi-square to test the hypothesis. Results: It was found that 76% of the workplaces require further research and need changes. 79% of employees experienced low fatigue levels, whereas 83% manifested depersonalization. During the last six months, the most common pains reported were neck pain (51%), followed by back pain (36%) and shoulder pain (33%). There was a statistically significant correlation between postural load and muscle pain (p=0.301). Conclusion: Although an increased postural load is related to neck pain, this pain is not associated with workplace stress.