Myocardial infarction and post-traumatic stress disorder: frequency, outcome, and atherosclerotic mechanisms

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop in the aftermath of an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Whether PTSD is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is elusive. The biological mechanisms linking PTSD with atherosclerosis are unclear. DESIGN: A critical review of 31 studies in the English language pursuing three aims: (i) to estimate the prevalence of PTSD in post-MI patients; (ii) to investigate the association of PTSD with cardiovascular endpoints; and (iii) to search for low-grade systemic inflammatory changes in PTSD pertinent to atherosclerosis. METHODS: We located studies by PubMed electronic library search and through checking the bibliographies of these sources. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence of PTSD after MI was 14.7% (range 0-25%; a total of 13 studies and 827 post-MI patients). Two studies reported a prospective association between PTSD and an increased risk of cardiovascular readmission in post-MI patients and of cardiovascular mortality in combat veterans, respectively. In a total of 11 studies, patients with PTSD had increased rates of physician-rated and self-reported cardiovascular diseases. Various cytokines and C-reactive protein were investigated in a total of seven studies suggesting that PTSD confers a pro-inflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing evidence suggests that PTSD specifically related to MI develops considerably frequently in post-MI patients. More research is needed in larger cohorts applying a population design to substantiate findings suggesting PTSD is an atherogenic risk factor and to understand better the suspected behavioural and biological mechanisms involved.

Association of arterial blood pressure and vasopressor load with septic shock mortality: a post hoc analysis of a multicenter trial

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear to which level mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) should be increased during septic shock in order to improve outcome. In this study we investigated the association between MAP values of 70 mmHg or higher, vasopressor load, 28-day mortality and disease-related events in septic shock. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of data of the control group of a multicenter trial and includes 290 septic shock patients in whom a mean MAP > or = 70 mmHg could be maintained during shock. Demographic and clinical data, MAP, vasopressor requirements during the shock period, disease-related events and 28-day mortality were documented. Logistic regression models adjusted for the geographic region of the study center, age, presence of chronic arterial hypertension, simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II and the mean vasopressor load during the shock period was calculated to investigate the association between MAP or MAP quartiles > or = 70 mmHg and mortality or the frequency and occurrence of disease-related events. RESULTS: There was no association between MAP or MAP quartiles and mortality or the occurrence of disease-related events. These associations were not influenced by age or pre-existent arterial hypertension (all P > 0.05). The mean vasopressor load was associated with mortality (relative risk (RR), 1.83; confidence interval (CI) 95%, 1.4-2.38; P < 0.001), the number of disease-related events (P < 0.001) and the occurrence of acute circulatory failure (RR, 1.64; CI 95%, 1.28-2.11; P < 0.001), metabolic acidosis (RR, 1.79; CI 95%, 1.38-2.32; P < 0.001), renal failure (RR, 1.49; CI 95%, 1.17-1.89; P = 0.001) and thrombocytopenia (RR, 1.33; CI 95%, 1.06-1.68; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MAP levels of 70 mmHg or higher do not appear to be associated with improved survival in septic shock. Elevating MAP >70 mmHg by augmenting vasopressor dosages may increase mortality. Future trials are needed to identify the lowest acceptable MAP level to ensure tissue perfusion and avoid unnecessary high catecholamine infusions.

Ridge alterations post-extraction in the esthetic zone: a 3D analysis with CBCT

Dimensional alterations of the facial bone wall following tooth extractions in the esthetic zone have a profound effect on treatment outcomes. This prospective study in 39 patients is the first to investigate three-dimensional (3D) alterations of facial bone in the esthetic zone during the initial 8 wks following flapless tooth extraction. A novel 3D analysis was carried out, based on 2 consecutive cone beam computed tomographies (CBCTs). A risk zone for significant bone resorption was identified in central areas, whereas proximal areas yielded only minor changes. Correlation analysis identified a facial bone wall thickness of ≤ 1 mm as a critical factor associated with the extent of bone resorption. Thin-wall phenotypes displayed pronounced vertical bone resorption, with a median bone loss of 7.5 mm, as compared with thick-wall phenotypes, which decreased by only 1.1 mm. For the first time, 3D analysis has allowed for documentation of dimensional alterations of the facial bone wall in the esthetic zone of humans following extraction. It also characterized a risk zone prone to pronounced bone resorption in thin-wall phenotypes. Vertical bone loss was 3.5 times more severe than findings reported in the existing literature.

European veterinary public health specialization: post-graduate training and expectations of potential employers

Residents of the European College of Veterinary Public Health (ECVPH) carried out a survey to explore the expectations and needs of potential employers of ECVPH diplomates and to assess the extent to which the ECVPH post-graduate training program meets those requirements. An online questionnaire was sent to 707 individuals working for universities, government organizations, and private companies active in the field of public health in 16 countries. Details on the structure and activities of the participants' organizations, their current knowledge of the ECVPH, and potential interest in employing veterinary public health (VPH) experts or hosting internships were collected. Participants were requested to rate 22 relevant competencies according to their importance for VPH professionals exiting the ECVPH training. A total of 138 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. While generic skills such as "problem solving" and "broad horizon and inter-/multidisciplinary thinking" were consistently given high grades by all participants, the importance ascribed to more specialized skills was less homogeneous. The current ECVPH training more closely complies with the profile sought in academia, which may partly explain the lower employment rate of residents and diplomates within government and industry sectors. The study revealed a lack of awareness of the ECVPH among public health institutions and demonstrated the need for greater promotion of this veterinary specialization within Europe, both in terms of its training capacity and the professional skill-set of its diplomates. This study provides input for a critical revision of the ECVPH curriculum and the design of post-graduate training programs in VPH.

Using 'Generic Abilities' to Foster Professionalism in a Post-Professional Program

Introduction To be successful in a profession, persons must have mastery of professional affective behaviors in addition to that profession’s core knowledge base. Health care delivery is more than just developing a good plan of care. The effective health care provider also will have good interpersonal and communication skills, have a commitment to learning, act professionally and responsibly, and have abilities in problem solving and critical thinking. But, these behaviors and characteristics are not taught directly in a professional program. This presentation will demonstrate how these ‘generic abilities’ have been incorporated in a post-professional program and how they can be used in other professional health care, professional development, and leadership programs. [See PDF for complete abstract]

New Law against an Old State: Land Restitution as a Transition to Justice in Post-Apartheid South Africa?

The research on which this text is based has been financially supported by the Berne University Research Foundation (2009–2011) as well as by an Ambizione Research Fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation (2012–2014). During my stays in South Africa, the Departments of Anthropology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and the University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, provided me with welcoming and inspiring research environments. This article benefitted greatly from engaged discussions around its presentation at various occasions, notably our ECAS 2011 panel Transition and Justice: Negotiating the Terms of New Beginnings in Africa, held in Uppsala. I am particularly grateful to my co-convener and co-editor Gerhard Anders as well as Laurens Bakker, Keebet von Benda-Beckmann, Ben Cousins, Julia Eckert, Marion Fresia, Vinodh Jaichand, Steffen Jensen, Tim Kelsall, Hanri Mostert, Johanna Mugler, David O'Kane, Julia Pauli, Mats Utas, Julia Zenker and the anonymous referees of Development and Change for their critical engagements.

Vulnerability Following a Critical Life Event: Temporary Crisis or Chronic Distress? A Psychological Controversy, Methodological Considerations, and Empirical Evidence

This contribution deals with psychological vulnerability resulting from marital breakup after a long-term relationship. Despite the existing vast body of consolidated knowledge on divorce and psychological adaptation, there are still several controversies concerning the vulnerabilizing impact of marital breakup. One major issue refers to the question of whether vulnerability after marital breakup is a temporary crisis or rather a chronic strain. In this chapter we want to present two possible methodological options to tackle this question: First, comparing a sample of almost 1000 middle-aged persons, who were married on average 19 years, and who experienced a marital split within the last 5 years (4 time groups), with a group of age-matched married controls with regard to various indicators of psychological vulnerability (such as depression and hopelessness). Second, comparing within the divorced group the most vulnerable individuals (in terms of depression, hopelessness, life satisfaction) with those who were the least affected, regarding intra-personal resources (personality, resilience), divorce circumstances, post-divorce situation, and socio-economic resources. The study results underline the vulnerabilizing impact of marital breakup, but at the same time they reveal individual differences in psychological adaptation especially due to personality, new partnership, economic resources, and last but not least due to time. Furthermore our data strongly suggest that there is not a generalized psychological vulnerability after marital breakup, but that the emotional dimensions such as depression or feelings of not overcoming the loss are more affected than the more cognitive ones such as life satisfaction.

Transgressive sporting bodies - A theoretical and critical dicourse analysis of the representation of Caster Semenya in Swiss print media

A debate about Caster Semenya's female sex began shortly after the South African runner won gold in the women’s 800m final at the 2009 Athletic World Championships held in Berlin. Her victory was disputed through questions about her right to compete as a ‘woman’, with the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) announcing she would be required to undergo a gender verification test before her victory could be confirmed. Using the theoretical frame of social constructionism (Berger & Luckmann), poststructuralism (Foucault), gender- and postcolonial theories (Butler; Hall; Spivak) and the methodology of critical discourse analysis (Jaeger), the paper explores the way the possible intersexuality of Caster Semenya was contextualised in mainstream Swiss German-language print media. The analyses will firstly look at the way in which Caster Semenya was constructed as a ʻfallen hero’ and stigmatised as a double-dealer and unacceptable deviant body. The rumours amongst athletes and commentators became news in the media, which focused on descriptions of her habitus, her muscular body and her deep voice. Through theoretical discussion the paper argues that the media response to Caster Semenya exemplifies Butler’s claim that the discursive framework of gender constructs and naturalises sex. A key question is therefore whether the designation of deviant bodies to a ʻfield of deformation’ (Butler) works to pluralise the field of gender, or rather, as Butler suggests, it tends that those bodies might call into questions. The final part of the paper discusses how gender, ethnicity and sexuality combine to constitute the black female sporting body as a spectacle of otherness. It is evident that this otherness is made manifest through the function of those bodies as a site of transgression, as the boundary between male and female, and often as the boundary between culture and nature (Hall). Using the example of the controversy surrounding Caster Semenya, this paper aims to demonstrate how the post/colonial white female body is reproduced by western norms of gender, sexuality, beauty and sporting behaviour, in the sense of a feminine sporting genderperformance. The media controversy will be also read through the lens of the globalisation of certain ideas of normative bodies, sex, ethnicity and gender and the challenge of changing stereotypes through transgression. Keywords: gender- and postcolonial theories, discourse analysis, print media, Caster Semen-ya, deviant body, ethnicity, intersexuality

Transgressive sporting bodies - A theoretical and critical dicourse analysis of the representation of Caster Semenya in Swiss print media

A debate about Caster Semenya's female sex began shortly after the South African runner won gold in the women’s 800m final at the 2009 Athletic World Championships held in Berlin. Her victory was disputed through questions about her right to compete as a ‘woman’, with the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) announcing she would be required to undergo a gender verification test before her victory could be confirmed. Using the theoretical frame of social constructionism (Berger & Luckmann), poststructuralism (Foucault), gender- and postcolonial theories (Butler; Hall; Spivak) and the methodology of critical discourse analysis (Jaeger), the paper explores the way the possible intersexuality of Caster Semenya was contextualised in mainstream Swiss German-language print media. The analyses will firstly look at the way in which Caster Semenya was constructed as a ʻfallen hero’ and stigmatised as a double-dealer and unacceptable deviant body. The rumours amongst athletes and commentators became news in the media, which focused on descriptions of her habitus, her muscular body and her deep voice. Through theoretical discussion the paper argues that the media response to Caster Semenya exemplifies Butler’s claim that the discursive framework of gender constructs and naturalises sex. A key question is therefore whether the designation of deviant bodies to a ʻfield of deformation’ (Butler) works to pluralise the field of gender, or rather, as Butler suggests, it tends that those bodies might call into questions. The final part of the paper discusses how gender, ethnicity and sexuality combine to constitute the black female sporting body as a spectacle of otherness. It is evident that this otherness is made manifest through the function of those bodies as a site of transgression, as the boundary between male and female, and often as the boundary between culture and nature (Hall). Using the example of the controversy surrounding Caster Semenya, this paper aims to demonstrate how the post/colonial white female body is reproduced by western norms of gender, sexuality, beauty and sporting behaviour, in the sense of a feminine sporting genderperformance. The media controversy will be also read through the lens of the globalisation of certain ideas of normative bodies, sex, ethnicity and gender and the challenge of changing stereotypes through transgression. Keywords: gender- and postcolonial theories, discourse analysis, print media, Caster Semen-ya, deviant body, ethnicity, intersexuality

Clinical findings and diagnostic value of post-traumatic thoracic radiographs in dogs and cats with blunt trauma

Objective: To characterize the clinical findings in dogs and cats that sustained blunt trauma and to compare clinical respiratory examination results with post-traumatic thoracic radiography findings. Design: Retrospective clinical study. Setting: University small animal teaching hospital. Animals, interventions and measurements: Case records of 63 dogs and 96 cats presenting with a history of blunt trauma and thoracic radiographs between September 2001 and May 2003 were examined. Clinical signs of respiratory distress (respiratory rate (RR), pulmonary auscultation) and outcome were compared with radiographic signs of blunt trauma. Results: Forty-nine percent of dogs and 63.5% of cats had radiographic signs attributed to thoracic trauma. Twenty-two percent of dogs and 28% of cats had normal radiographs. Abnormal auscultation results were significantly associated with radiographic signs of thoracic trauma, radiography score and presence and degree of contusions. Seventy-two percent of animals with no other injuries showed signs of thoracic trauma on chest radiographs. No correlation was found between the radiographic findings and outcome, whereas the trauma score at presentation was significantly associated with outcome and with signs of chest trauma but not with the radiography score. Conclusion: Thoracic trauma is encountered in many blunt trauma patients. The RR of animals with blunt trauma is not useful in predicting thoracic injury, whereas abnormal chest auscultation results are indicative of chest abnormalities. Thorough chest auscultation is, therefore, mandatory in all trauma animals and might help in the assessment of necessity of chest radiographs.

Tres versiones contemporáneas de la comunidad : Hacia una teoría política post-fundacionalista

Ante el embate del particularismo, la emergencia de los nacionalismos reaccionarios en el mundo contemporáneo, y la difusión del comunitarismo en la filosofía política, es necesario que la teoría política asuma un rol crítico ante estos procesos teóricos y políticos. Esa es la tarea que desde el postfundacionalismo se plantean la obra de Jean-Luc Nancy, Roberto Espósito y Ernesto Laclau. En este trabajo intentamos escrutar la visión que estos autores postulan sobre la comunidad. Se verá que, mas allá de sus distintas estrategias argumentativas y de perspectiva, se desarrolla en estos tres autores una idea de la comunidad fundamentalmente anti-esencialista, una comunidad improductiva (Nancy), estructurada en torno a una nada (Espósito) y cuya única manera de reconstitución es a través de la articulación política (Laclau)

Tres versiones contemporáneas de la comunidad : Hacia una teoría política post-fundacionalista

Ante el embate del particularismo, la emergencia de los nacionalismos reaccionarios en el mundo contemporáneo, y la difusión del comunitarismo en la filosofía política, es necesario que la teoría política asuma un rol crítico ante estos procesos teóricos y políticos. Esa es la tarea que desde el postfundacionalismo se plantean la obra de Jean-Luc Nancy, Roberto Espósito y Ernesto Laclau. En este trabajo intentamos escrutar la visión que estos autores postulan sobre la comunidad. Se verá que, mas allá de sus distintas estrategias argumentativas y de perspectiva, se desarrolla en estos tres autores una idea de la comunidad fundamentalmente anti-esencialista, una comunidad improductiva (Nancy), estructurada en torno a una nada (Espósito) y cuya única manera de reconstitución es a través de la articulación política (Laclau)

Tres versiones contemporáneas de la comunidad : Hacia una teoría política post-fundacionalista

Ante el embate del particularismo, la emergencia de los nacionalismos reaccionarios en el mundo contemporáneo, y la difusión del comunitarismo en la filosofía política, es necesario que la teoría política asuma un rol crítico ante estos procesos teóricos y políticos. Esa es la tarea que desde el postfundacionalismo se plantean la obra de Jean-Luc Nancy, Roberto Espósito y Ernesto Laclau. En este trabajo intentamos escrutar la visión que estos autores postulan sobre la comunidad. Se verá que, mas allá de sus distintas estrategias argumentativas y de perspectiva, se desarrolla en estos tres autores una idea de la comunidad fundamentalmente anti-esencialista, una comunidad improductiva (Nancy), estructurada en torno a una nada (Espósito) y cuya única manera de reconstitución es a través de la articulación política (Laclau)

Effects of elevated pCO2 on the post-settlement development of Pocillopora damicornis

Ocean acidification represents a key threat to the recruitment of scleractinian corals. Here, we investigated the effect of increased partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) on the early development of Pocillopora damicornis by rearing the recruits for 12 days at 3 pCO2 levels (446, 896 and 1681 µatm). Results showed that increased pCO2 exerted minor effects on symbiont density and maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm), while significantly enhanced the relative electron transport through photosystem II (PSII) of Symbiodinium. Notably, calcification and biomass of recruits decreased sharply by 34% and 24% respectively in 896 µatm, and tended to remain constant as pCO2 was raised from 896 to 1681 µatm. Furthermore, recruits in 1681 ?atm, with comparable surface area as those in 896 µatm, produced fewer buds. These findings indicated that juvenile P. damicornis under high pCO2 would enhance electron transport rate and suppress asexual budding to favor skeletal and tissue growths, which are more critical for their persistence and survival in a high pCO2 environment. This work suggested the physiological plasticity of juvenile corals under short-term exposure to elevated pCO2.

Contribution to the quality improvement of the antenna measurement using post-processing techniques = Contribución a la mejora de la calidad de medida de antena usando técnicas de post-procesado

One important task in the design of an antenna is to carry out an analysis to find out the characteristics of the antenna that best fulfills the specifications fixed by the application. After that, a prototype is manufactured and the next stage in design process is to check if the radiation pattern differs from the designed one. Besides the radiation pattern, other radiation parameters like directivity, gain, impedance, beamwidth, efficiency, polarization, etc. must be also evaluated. For this purpose, accurate antenna measurement techniques are needed in order to know exactly the actual electromagnetic behavior of the antenna under test. Due to this fact, most of the measurements are performed in anechoic chambers, which are closed areas, normally shielded, covered by electromagnetic absorbing material, that simulate free space propagation conditions, due to the absorption of the radiation absorbing material. Moreover, these facilities can be employed independently of the weather conditions and allow measurements free from interferences. Despite all the advantages of the anechoic chambers, the results obtained both from far-field measurements and near-field measurements are inevitably affected by errors. Thus, the main objective of this Thesis is to propose algorithms to improve the quality of the results obtained in antenna measurements by using post-processing techniques and without requiring additional measurements. First, a deep revision work of the state of the art has been made in order to give a general vision of the possibilities to characterize or to reduce the effects of errors in antenna measurements. Later, new methods to reduce the unwanted effects of four of the most commons errors in antenna measurements are described and theoretical and numerically validated. The basis of all them is the same, to perform a transformation from the measurement surface to another domain where there is enough information to easily remove the contribution of the errors. The four errors analyzed are noise, reflections, truncation errors and leakage and the tools used to suppress them are mainly source reconstruction techniques, spatial and modal filtering and iterative algorithms to extrapolate functions. Therefore, the main idea of all the methods is to modify the classical near-field-to-far-field transformations by including additional steps with which errors can be greatly suppressed. Moreover, the proposed methods are not computationally complex and, because they are applied in post-processing, additional measurements are not required. The noise is the most widely studied error in this Thesis, proposing a total of three alternatives to filter out an important noise contribution before obtaining the far-field pattern. The first one is based on a modal filtering. The second alternative uses a source reconstruction technique to obtain the extreme near-field where it is possible to apply a spatial filtering. The last one is to back-propagate the measured field to a surface with the same geometry than the measurement surface but closer to the AUT and then to apply also a spatial filtering. All the alternatives are analyzed in the three most common near-field systems, including comprehensive noise statistical analyses in order to deduce the signal-to-noise ratio improvement achieved in each case. The method to suppress reflections in antenna measurements is also based on a source reconstruction technique and the main idea is to reconstruct the field over a surface larger than the antenna aperture in order to be able to identify and later suppress the virtual sources related to the reflective waves. The truncation error presents in the results obtained from planar, cylindrical and partial spherical near-field measurements is the third error analyzed in this Thesis. The method to reduce this error is based on an iterative algorithm to extrapolate the reliable region of the far-field pattern from the knowledge of the field distribution on the AUT plane. The proper termination point of this iterative algorithm as well as other critical aspects of the method are also studied. The last part of this work is dedicated to the detection and suppression of the two most common leakage sources in antenna measurements. A first method tries to estimate the leakage bias constant added by the receiver’s quadrature detector to every near-field data and then suppress its effect on the far-field pattern. The second method can be divided into two parts; the first one to find the position of the faulty component that radiates or receives unwanted radiation, making easier its identification within the measurement environment and its later substitution; and the second part of this method is able to computationally remove the leakage effect without requiring the substitution of the faulty component. Resumen Una tarea importante en el diseño de una antena es llevar a cabo un análisis para averiguar las características de la antena que mejor cumple las especificaciones fijadas por la aplicación. Después de esto, se fabrica un prototipo de la antena y el siguiente paso en el proceso de diseño es comprobar si el patrón de radiación difiere del diseñado. Además del patrón de radiación, otros parámetros de radiación como la directividad, la ganancia, impedancia, ancho de haz, eficiencia, polarización, etc. deben ser también evaluados. Para lograr este propósito, se necesitan técnicas de medida de antenas muy precisas con el fin de saber exactamente el comportamiento electromagnético real de la antena bajo prueba. Debido a esto, la mayoría de las medidas se realizan en cámaras anecoicas, que son áreas cerradas, normalmente revestidas, cubiertas con material absorbente electromagnético. Además, estas instalaciones se pueden emplear independientemente de las condiciones climatológicas y permiten realizar medidas libres de interferencias. A pesar de todas las ventajas de las cámaras anecoicas, los resultados obtenidos tanto en medidas en campo lejano como en medidas en campo próximo están inevitablemente afectados por errores. Así, el principal objetivo de esta Tesis es proponer algoritmos para mejorar la calidad de los resultados obtenidos en medida de antenas mediante el uso de técnicas de post-procesado. Primeramente, se ha realizado un profundo trabajo de revisión del estado del arte con el fin de dar una visión general de las posibilidades para caracterizar o reducir los efectos de errores en medida de antenas. Después, se han descrito y validado tanto teórica como numéricamente nuevos métodos para reducir el efecto indeseado de cuatro de los errores más comunes en medida de antenas. La base de todos ellos es la misma, realizar una transformación de la superficie de medida a otro dominio donde hay suficiente información para eliminar fácilmente la contribución de los errores. Los cuatro errores analizados son ruido, reflexiones, errores de truncamiento y leakage y las herramientas usadas para suprimirlos son principalmente técnicas de reconstrucción de fuentes, filtrado espacial y modal y algoritmos iterativos para extrapolar funciones. Por lo tanto, la principal idea de todos los métodos es modificar las transformaciones clásicas de campo cercano a campo lejano incluyendo pasos adicionales con los que los errores pueden ser enormemente suprimidos. Además, los métodos propuestos no son computacionalmente complejos y dado que se aplican en post-procesado, no se necesitan medidas adicionales. El ruido es el error más ampliamente estudiado en esta Tesis, proponiéndose un total de tres alternativas para filtrar una importante contribución de ruido antes de obtener el patrón de campo lejano. La primera está basada en un filtrado modal. La segunda alternativa usa una técnica de reconstrucción de fuentes para obtener el campo sobre el plano de la antena donde es posible aplicar un filtrado espacial. La última es propagar el campo medido a una superficie con la misma geometría que la superficie de medida pero más próxima a la antena y luego aplicar también un filtrado espacial. Todas las alternativas han sido analizadas en los sistemas de campo próximos más comunes, incluyendo detallados análisis estadísticos del ruido con el fin de deducir la mejora de la relación señal a ruido lograda en cada caso. El método para suprimir reflexiones en medida de antenas está también basado en una técnica de reconstrucción de fuentes y la principal idea es reconstruir el campo sobre una superficie mayor que la apertura de la antena con el fin de ser capaces de identificar y después suprimir fuentes virtuales relacionadas con las ondas reflejadas. El error de truncamiento que aparece en los resultados obtenidos a partir de medidas en un plano, cilindro o en la porción de una esfera es el tercer error analizado en esta Tesis. El método para reducir este error está basado en un algoritmo iterativo para extrapolar la región fiable del patrón de campo lejano a partir de información de la distribución del campo sobre el plano de la antena. Además, se ha estudiado el punto apropiado de terminación de este algoritmo iterativo así como otros aspectos críticos del método. La última parte de este trabajo está dedicado a la detección y supresión de dos de las fuentes de leakage más comunes en medida de antenas. El primer método intenta realizar una estimación de la constante de fuga del leakage añadido por el detector en cuadratura del receptor a todos los datos en campo próximo y después suprimir su efecto en el patrón de campo lejano. El segundo método se puede dividir en dos partes; la primera de ellas para encontrar la posición de elementos defectuosos que radian o reciben radiación indeseada, haciendo más fácil su identificación dentro del entorno de medida y su posterior substitución. La segunda parte del método es capaz de eliminar computacionalmente el efector del leakage sin necesidad de la substitución del elemento defectuoso.