Publications by authors named "Alfonso Ramos"

This research focused its interest on the mathematical modeling of the demographic dynamics of semelparous biological species through branching processes. We continued the research line started in previous papers, providing new methodological contributions of biological and ecological interest. We determined the probability distribution associated with the number of generations elapsed before the possible extinction of the population in its natural habitat.

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Background And Hypothesis: Remote monitoring (RM) of patients on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) prevent complications and improve treatment quality. We analyzed the effect of RM-APD on mortality and complications related to cardiovascular disease (VD), fluid overload and insufficient dialysis efficiency.

Methods: In a cluster-randomized, open-label, controlled trial, 21 hospitals with APD programs were assigned to use either RM-APD (10 hospitals; 403 patients) or conventional APD (11 hospitals; 398 patients) for the treatment of adult patients starting PD.

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CNDOL is an a priori, approximate Fockian for molecular wave functions. In this study, we employ several modes of singly excited configuration interaction (CIS) to model molecular excitation properties by using four combinations of the one electron operator terms. Those options are compared to the experimental and theoretical data for a carefully selected set of molecules.

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Vaccination against PCV2 has been proven to be an effective measure to reduce the severity of TB in wild boar. The combination of this measure with strategies focused on treating other key concomitant pathogens, such as nematodes, could be a useful strategy. This study assesses whether a combination of deworming treatments and PCV2 vaccination may reduce the prevalence and severity of TB in wild boar.

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Home hemodialysis (HD) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) have advantages over HD in hospitals or HD centers. Home therapies are generally less expensive and give patients greater mobility and freedom for work, school, family, and recreational activities. Technological advances have made it possible to complement APD with devices for remote monitoring (RM) of the patient.

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Molecular quantum mechanical modeling, accelerated by machine learning, has opened the door to high-throughput screening campaigns of complex properties, such as the activation energies of chemical reactions and absorption/emission spectra of materials and molecules; in silico. Here, we present an overview of the main principles, concepts, and design considerations involved in such hybrid computational quantum chemistry/machine learning screening workflows, with a special emphasis on some recent examples of their successful application. We end with a brief outlook of further advances that will benefit the field.

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The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in people with Intellectual Disability (ID) is statistically higher than in the general population. There is a lack of consensus on the role that epilepsy plays in psychiatric disorders in people with ID. We carried out a systematic review of articles published between 1960 and 2022, focusing on high-quality, case-control original research studies that only included adult populations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Climate change is leading to more frequent and intense marine heatwaves (MHWs), which result in mass mortality events (MMEs) among marine species.
  • From 2015 to 2019, the Mediterranean Sea saw five consecutive years of widespread MMEs impacting a variety of marine habitats and species.
  • The study highlights the urgent need for improved observational methods to better understand and manage the ecological effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.
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Contaminant monitoring in tissues of wild species can help in the knowledge not only of their health, but also of the environmental health conditions in the zones where they live. In this study, concentrations of toxic metals (As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) and an essential metal (Zn) were measured in the hair of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) inhabiting in protected areas of South-Western Spain. Zn (69.

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Peritoneal dialysis (PD) modalities affect solute removal differently. However, the impacts of switching PD modalities on serum levels of biomarkers of different sizes are not known. Our objective was to analyze whether a change in the PD modality associates with the levels of two routine biochemical laboratories.

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Objectives: We aimed to establish new cut-off values for SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) variables in the obstetric population.

Methods: A prospective cohort study in pregnant and postpartum women admitted with systemic infections between December 2017 and January 2019. Patients were divided into three cohorts: Group A, patients with infection but without severe maternal outcomes (SMO); Group B, patients with infection and SMO or admission to the intensive care unit (ICU); and Group C, a control group.

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With the purpose of modeling the demographic dynamics of biological species in which different mating and reproduction alternatives are feasible, in Molina et al. (2014) we introduced a new mathematical model based on discrete-time branching processes. Assuming that the reproduction phase is governed by probability distributions belonging to the power series family, some reproductive parameters for such species were estimated.

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Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has many advantages compared to in-center hemodialysis, which include technical simplicity, and being a home therapy it allows patients significant autonomy for all their daily activities. Nephrologists require trustworthy information from patients for the appropriate management of PD, that is, a careful record of adherence to the prescribed schedule, effective time of dialysis, and a detailed volume of ultrafiltration (UF) is required. All these tasks demand time and commitment from patients, resulting frequently in incomplete or inconsistent information.

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The high-affinity IgE receptor (Fcε RI) is a heterotetramer of three subunits: Fcε RIα, Fcε RIβ, and Fcε RIγ (α2) encoded by three genes designated as (), and , respectively. Recent evidence points to FCERI gene variability as a relevant factor in the risk of developing allergic diseases. Because Fcε RI plays a key role in the events downstream of the triggering factors in immunological response, we hypothesized that FCERI gene variants might be related with the risk of, or with the clinical response to, selective (IgE mediated) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) hypersensitivity.

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The presence of infection with Mycoplasma species in association with lung consolidation, environmental temperature and relative humidity was investigated in 410 clinically healthy fattening lambs from five different feedlots in Extremadura (southwestern Spain). Isolates of Mycoplasma species were obtained (n= 117), including Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (n = 18) and Mycoplasma arginini (n = 99). Two seasonal periods were identified.

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The motivation behind this research is to develop appropriate mathematical models to describe the demographic dynamics of animal populations with sexual reproduction. We introduce a new class of two-sex branching models where several mating strategies between females and males and a variety of possibilities for the process of reproduction are taken into account. Unlike other classes of two-sex models which assume that mating and reproduction are influenced by the number of couples in the population, we now consider the most realistic case where both biological processes are affected by the numbers of females and males in the population, which may differ.

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This work deals with mathematical modeling through branching processes. We consider sexually reproducing animal populations where, in each generation, the number of progenitor couples is determined in a non-predictable environment. By using a class of two-sex branching processes, we describe their demographic dynamics and provide several probabilistic and inferential contributions.

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Branching models have a long history of biological applications, particularly in population dynamics. In this work, our interest is the development of mathematical models to describe the demographic dynamics of socially structured animal populations, focusing our attention on lineages, usually matrilines, as the basic structure in the population. Significant efforts have been made to develop models based on the assumption that all individuals behave identically with respect to reproduction.

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Objectives: Few studies have examined hospitalization costs for unplanned initiation of peritoneal dialysis (PD). We used data from a health care facility in Mexico to examine first hospitalization costs associated with the unplanned initiation of PD.

Methods: Descriptive analyses focusing on initial hospitalization costs during the unplanned initiation of PD were conducted.

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Background: N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a marker of both fluid volume overload and myocardial damage, and it has been useful as a predictor of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It has been suggested that continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and haemodialysis (HD) may have different effects on fluid volume and blood pressure control; however, whether the independent predictive value of NT-proBNP for mortality is preserved when analysed in conjunction with fluid overload and dialysis modality is not clear.

Methods: A prospective multicentre cohort of 753 prevalent adult patients on CAPD, APD and HD was followed up for 16 months.

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Background And Objectives: Natriuretic peptides have been suggested to be of value in risk stratification in dialysis patients. Data in patients on peritoneal dialysis remain limited.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Patients of the ADEMEX trial (ADEquacy of peritoneal dialysis in MEXico) were randomized to a control group [standard 4 x 2L continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD); n = 484] and an intervention group (CAPD with a target creatinine clearance > or =60 L/wk/1.

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The increasing rates in incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are important challenges for health systems around the world, and are even more significant for undeveloped countries. In Mexico the prevalence of CKD seems to be similar to that in highly developed nations, with diabetes as the leading cause of CKD; however, human and economic resources seem to be insufficient for treatment needs. This is reflected in the unacceptably high mortality rates and in noncompliance with established standards and guidelines.

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Latin America is a heterogeneous region comprised of 20 countries, former colonies of European countries, in which Latin-derived languages are spoken. According to the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension/Sociedad Latino Americana de Nefrologia e Hipertensión (SLANH), the acceptance rate for renal replacement therapy is 103 new patients per million population. In Latin America, hemodialysis is the predominant form of replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease; however, some countries employ peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 30% or more patients.

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Small-solute clearance targets for peritoneal dialysis (PD) have been based on the tacit assumption that peritoneal and renal clearances are equivalent and therefore additive. Although several studies have established that patient survival is directly correlated with renal clearances, there have been no randomized, controlled, interventional trials examining the effects of increases in peritoneal small-solute clearances on patient survival. A prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial was performed to study the effects of increased peritoneal small-solute clearances on clinical outcomes among patients with end-stage renal disease who were being treated with PD.

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