Integrated treatment of first episode psychosis with online training (e-learning): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: The integrated treatment of first episode psychosis has been shown to improve functionality and negative symptoms in previous studies. In this paper, we describe a study of integrated treatment (individual psychoeducation complementary to pharmacotherapy) versus treatment as usual, comparing results at baseline with those at 6-month re-assessment (at the end of the study) for these patients, and online training of professionals to provide this complementary treatment, with the following objectives: 1) to compare the efficacy of individual psychoeducation as add-on treatment versus treatment as usual in improving psychotic and mood symptoms; 2) to compare adherence to medication, functioning, insight, social response, quality of life, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, between both groups; and 3) to analyse the efficacy of online training of psychotherapists. Methods/design: This is a single-blind randomised clinical trial including patients with first episode psychosis from hospitals across Spain, randomly assigned to either a control group with pharmacotherapy and regular sessions with their psychiatrist (treatment as usual) or an intervention group with integrated care including treatment as usual plus a psychoeducational intervention (14 sessions). Training for professionals involved at each participating centre was provided by the coordinating centre (University Hospital of Alava) through video conferences. Patients are evaluated with an extensive battery of tests assessing clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders, Strauss and Carpenter Prognostic Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, Morisky Green Adherence Scale, Functioning Assessment Short Test, World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument WHOQOL-BREF (an abbreviated version of the WHOQOL-100), and EuroQoL questionnaire), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are measured in peripheral blood at baseline and at 6 months. The statistical analysis, including bivariate analysis, linear and logistic regression models, will be performed using SPSS. Discussion: This is an innovative study that includes the assessment of an integrated intervention for patients with first episode psychosis provided by professionals who are trained online, potentially making it possible to offer the intervention to more patients.

El teatro romano de Córdoba. Novedades en torno al edificio como fruto de los trabajos relacionados con su musealización (2006-2010)

[ES] Para más información sobre este trabajo, puede consultarse el registro: "Documentación geométrica de los restos del Teatro Romano de Córdoba", http://hdl.handle.net/10810/9167

[A_Llodio_Goikoetxea] Documentación geométrica de los restos de una prensa de sidra en el Caserío Goikoetxea, barrio de Isusi (Laudio/Llodio, Álava)

[ES] Los restos corresponden a un agujero que se han encontrado en la excavación del pórtico y que se relaciona con un posible poste y un pilar de madera en el interior del caserío que parece una reutilización de los elementos de la antigua prensa.

Addressing students' difficulties with Faraday's law: A guided problem solving approach

In traditional teaching, the fundamental concepts of electromagnetic induction are usually quickly analyzed, spending most of the time solving problems in a more or less rote manner. However, physics education research has shown that the fundamental concepts of the electromagnetic induction theory are barely understood by students. This article proposes an interactive teaching sequence introducing the topic of electromagnetic induction. The sequence has been designed based on contributions from physics education research. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between experimental findings (macroscopic level) and theoretical interpretation (microscopic level). An example of the activities that have been designed will also be presented, describing the implementation context and the corresponding findings. Since implementing the sequence, a considerable number of students have a more satisfactory grasp of the electromagnetic induction explicative model. However, difficulties are manifested in aspects that require a multilevel explanation, referring to deep structures where the system description is better defined.

Pitch Based Wind Turbine Intelligent Speed Setpoint Adjustment Algorithms

This work is aimed at optimizing the wind turbine rotor speed setpoint algorithm. Several intelligent adjustment strategies have been investigated in order to improve a reward function that takes into account the power captured from the wind and the turbine speed error. After different approaches including Reinforcement Learning, the best results were obtained using a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based wind turbine speed setpoint algorithm. A reward improvement of up to 10.67% has been achieved using PSO compared to a constant approach and 0.48% compared to a conventional approach. We conclude that the pitch angle is the most adequate input variable for the turbine speed setpoint algorithm compared to others such as rotor speed, or rotor angular acceleration.

Equilibrio de Cournot en el mercado eléctrico.

(EN) My project is about the Cournot equilibrium in the electric power market. The differences in this situacion depend on the number of the firms in the market.

Valuation of Wind Energy Projects: A Real Options Approach

We address the valuation of an operating wind farm and the finite-lived option to invest in it under different reward/support schemes: a constant feed-in tariff, a premium on top of the electricity market price (either a fixed premium or a variable subsidy such as a renewable obligation certificate or ROC), and a transitory subsidy, among others. Futures contracts on electricity with ever longer maturities enable market-based valuations to be undertaken. The model considers up to three sources of uncertainty: the electricity price, the level of wind generation, and the certificate (ROC) price where appropriate. When analytical solutions are lacking, we resort to a trinomial lattice combined with Monte Carlo simulation; we also use a two-dimensional binomial lattice when uncertainty in the ROC price is considered. Our data set refers to the UK. The numerical results show the impact of several factors involved in the decision to invest: the subsidy per MWh generated, the initial lump-sum subsidy, the maturity of the investment option, and electricity price volatility. Different combinations of variables can help bring forward investments in wind generation. One-off policies, e.g., a transitory initial subsidy, seem to have a stronger effect than a fixed premium per MWh produced.

Regulación bancaria

[ES] Se realiza un estudio sobre la necesidad de que exista una regulación en el sector bancario, así como la explicación de los diferentes riesgo que se asumen. Finalmente, se habla de la trayectoria de Basilea para llegar a la conclusión de si es necesario o merece la pena mantenerla para una estabilidad futura.

[A_Llodio_Yermo] Documentación geométrica para la puesta en valor y difusión social del Santuario de Santa María del Yermo (Laudio/Llodio, Álava)

[ES] La iglesia de Santa María tiene una planta de unos 22x18 metros y cuenta con tres pórticos (sur, oeste y norte) así como una espadaña exenta. Adyacente al sudeste se encuentra la ermita de Santa Lucía. Las excavaciones arqueológicas de dos zonas de unos 6 x 3 metros en el interior y el exterior de la iglesia sirven como hilo conductor a las jornadas de puertas abiertas al público.

Exploring Genetic Factors Involved in Huntington Disease Age of Onset: E2F2 as a New Potential Modifier Gene

Age of onset (AO) of Huntington disease (HD) is mainly determined by the length of the CAG repeat expansion (CAGexp) in exon 1 of the HTT gene. Additional genetic variation has been suggested to contribute to AO, although the mechanism by which it could affect AO is presently unknown. The aim of this study is to explore the contribution of candidate genetic factors to HD AO in order to gain insight into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying this disorder. For that purpose, two AO definitions were used: the earliest age with unequivocal signs of HD (earliest AO or eAO), and the first motor symptoms age (motor AO or mAO). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed between genetic variation within 20 candidate genes and eAO or mAO, using DNA and clinical information of 253 HD patients from REGISTRY project. Gene expression analyses were carried out by RT-qPCR with an independent sample of 35 HD patients from Basque Country Hospitals. We found suggestive association signals between HD eAO and/or mAO and genetic variation within the E2F2, ATF7IP, GRIN2A, GRIN2B, LINC01559, HIP1 and GRIK2 genes. Among them, the most significant was the association between eAO and rs2742976, mapping to the promoter region of E2F2 transcription factor. Furthermore, rs2742976 T allele patient carriers exhibited significantly lower lymphocyte E2F2 gene expression, suggesting a possible implication of E2F2-dependent transcriptional activity in HD pathogenesis. Thus, E2F2 emerges as a new potential HD AO modifier factor.

Análisis de los factores relacionados con los niveles óseos periimplantarios en senos maxilares injertados

137 p.

Eficiencia y persistencia de los fondos de inversión inmobiliaria en España

[ES] El presente trabajo tiene como objeto el estudio de la eficiencia y persistencia de los rendimientos del total de fondos de inversión inmobiliaria españoles, desde el inicio de su actividad a finales de 1994 a agosto de 2012. Para este propósito se ha utilizado el alfa de Jensen, la ratio de Sharpe, y la aproximación propuesta por Carhart (1997). En cuanto a la eficiencia, la ratio de Sharpe presenta valores negativos en los tres primeros años de actividad de cada fondo y valores muy bajos o incluso negativos en los tres o cuatro últimos años. El indicador de Jensen muestra que la mayoría de los fondos presentan un rendimiento inferior al del mercado, aproximado mediante la rentabilidad de la vivienda y una media de la rentabilidad de todos los fondos inmobiliarios. Carteras de referencia vinculadas a los mercados de deuda o bolsa, no resultan significativas. En el análisis de la persistencia de los rendimientos se confirma su existencia a plazo de uno, dos, tres y cuatro años, para todos los fondos. La evidencia obtenida en nuestro trabajo para los fondos inmobiliarios en España, eficiencia inferior a la del mercado y persistencia en los rendimientos, nos permite confirmar la difícil situación que ha atravesado y en la que sigue inmersa este tipo de inversión colectiva, poniendo de manifiesto la necesidad y la urgencia de medidas impulsoras de su actividad.

Luminescence and Magnetic Properties of Two Three -Dimensional Terbium and Dysprosium MOFs Based on Azobenzene-4,4 '-Dicarboxylic Linker

We report the in situ formation of two novel metal-organic frameworks based on terbium and dysprosium ions using azobenzene-4,4-dicarboxylic acid (H(2)abd) as ligand, synthesized by soft hydrothermal routes. Both materials show isostructural three-dimensional networks with channels along a axis and display intense photoluminescence properties in the solid state at room temperature. Textural properties of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been fully characterized although no appreciable porosity was obtained. Magnetic properties of these materials were studied, highlighting the dysprosium material displays slightly frequency-dependent out of phase signals when measured under zero external field and under an applied field of 1000 Oe.

Short-term changes in light distortion in orthokeratology subjects

Quantifying adaptation to light distortion of subjects undergoing orthokeratology (OK) for myopia during the first month of treatment. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers (age: 22.34 ± 8.08 years) with mean spherical equivalent refractive error −2.10 ± 0.93D were evaluated at baseline and days 1, 7, 15, and 30 of OK treatment. Light distortion was determined using an experimental prototype. Corneal aberrations were derived from corneal topography for different pupil sizes. Contrast sensitivity function (CSF) was analyzed for frequencies of 1.50, 2.12, 3.00, 4.24, 6.00, 8.49, 12.00, 16.97, and 24.00 cpd under photopic conditions.

Corrigendum to "Short-term changes in light distortion in orthokeratology subjects"

2.134 JCR (2015) Q3, 74/124 Medicine, research & experimental, 81/161 Biotechnology & applied microbiology