Special Issue on Networks-on-Chip Again on the Rise: From Emerging Applications to Emerging Technologies.

Twenty years after the advent of interconnection networks to tackle the on-chip communication bottleneck [...

[Cognitive, ethical, social and political aspects in risk assessment: regarding vaccines against SARS-CoV-2].

Risk is a concept that is usually evaluated by scientists and public health experts by comparing probabilities. However, this ethical utilitarian perspective, which considers that the best decision is the one that has less probability of harm than of benefit, does not consider normative aspects based on other ethical perspectives. Interpreting the origin of public controversies arising from people's reactions to the small risks of attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and evaluating the responses of public institutions requires an understanding of both the cognitive aspects that introduce systematic biases in the assessment of probabilities and the sociological, ethical, and political framework that contextualizes risk management in modern societies.

METADOCK 2: a high-throughput parallel metaheuristic scheme for molecular docking.

Motivation: Molecular docking methods are extensively used to predict the interaction between protein-ligand systems in terms of structure and binding affinity, through the optimization of a physics-based scoring function. However, the computational requirements of these simulations grow exponentially with: (i) the global optimization procedure, (ii) the number and degrees of freedom of molecular conformations generated and (iii) the mathematical complexity of the scoring function.

Results: In this work, we introduce a novel molecular docking method named METADOCK 2, which incorporates several novel features, such as (i) a ligand-dependent blind docking approach that exhaustively scans the whole protein surface to detect novel allosteric sites, (ii) an optimization method to enable the use of a wide branch of metaheuristics and (iii) a heterogeneous implementation based on multicore CPUs and multiple graphics processing units.

[Behavioral economics to improve lifestyle choices and to reduce risk factors].

A large part of morbimortality is caused by lifestyle habits and modifiable risk factors. A promising strategy to promote the change of such factors is the implementation of public health interventions based on behavioral economics, a discipline that combines psychological and economic principles. In the present article, we focus on a type of intervention known as "nudge" (that has been translated into Spanish as empujón or acicate), that changes behaviour without limiting the individual's choice.

BIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES WITH PREVENTIVE EFFECT IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES.

The effect of diet on cardiovascular disease prevention has been widely studied for many years. Numerous studies have confirmed that diets rich in fruits and vegetables (Mediterranean diet) are beneficial to the cardiovascular system and various bioactive food components have preventive effect on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. In this paper we review the effect of bioactive substances included in the group of flavonoids (catechins and proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and isoflavones), stilbenes such as resveratrol, bioactive peptides, plant sterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids omega- 3 on the cardiovascular system.

Discovery of human urinary biomarkers of aronia-citrus juice intake by HPLC-q-TOF-based metabolomic approach.

Metabolomics has emerged in the field of food and nutrition sciences as a powerful tool for doing profiling approaches. In this context, HPLC-q-TOF-based metabolomics approach was applied to unveil changes in the urinary metabolome in human subjects (n = 51, 23 men and 28 women) after regular aronia-citrus juice (AC-juice) intake (250 mL/day) during 16 weeks compared to individuals given a placebo beverage. Samples were analyzed by HPLC-q-TOF followed by multivariate data analysis (orthogonal signal filtering-partial least square discriminant analysis) that discriminated relevant mass features related to AC-juice intake.

Economic evaluation of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

Because of its incidence and mortality colorectal cancer represents a serious public health issue in industrial countries. In order to reduce its social impact a number of screening strategies have been implemented, which allow an early diagnosis and treatment. These basically include faecal tests and studies that directly explore the colon and rectum.

[Analysis of the rational use of anti-hypertensives in the Murcia (Spain) region].

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of use of antihypertensive drugs in the Murcia Region, comparing the results with the national data, and detecting problems in order to make improvements, or establish hypotheses and to plan new studies.

Design: Pharmacoepidemiological study (from 2004 to 2008) in accordance with the recommendations from World Heath Organization.

Setting: : Murcia Region.

Variations on cardiovascular risk factors in metabolic syndrome after consume of a citrus-based juice.

Background & Aims: Inflammation and oxidative stress plays a critical role in cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome often occurs with these two variables. The aim of the study is to estimate variations on cardiovascular risk factors in Metabolic Syndrome patients after consume of a citrus-based juice compared with control groups.

Methods: The study comprised 20 healthy subjects and 33 patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

Effects of aquatic resistance training on health and fitness in postmenopausal women.

To investigate effects of 24 weeks of resistance training with aquatic resistance devices or elastic bands (EB) on markers of cardiovascular health and physical capacity. Forty-six healthy, sedentary postmenopausal women participated. The groups were aquatic exercise (AE; n = 15), EB (n = 21), and control (n = 10).

Efficacy of moxonidine in the treatment of hypertension in obese, noncontrolled hypertensive patients.

Background: Obesity has become an epidemic problem, contributing to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. An adequate blood pressure control in this population of obese individuals is extremely difficult to achieve, and in most cases, therapeutic combinations are required. Pharmacologic treatment with moxonidine, a central I(1) imidazole receptor agonist, is a very interesting option because it acts upon the mechanisms implicated in the development of arterial hypertension in these patients.

[Usefulness of sonographically guided thrombin injection of iatrogenic femoral pseudoaneurysms].

Background And Objective: In december 2000, we began to treat iatrogenic femoral pseudoaneurysms with direct thrombin injection under sonographic guidance after failed sonographically guided compression repair. Our purpose was to determine the success and complications rate of this technique.

Patients And Method: We treated 50 patients who had iatrogenic femoral pseudoanerysms using direct thrombin injection.

[Relationship between clinical and therapeutic variables and health-related quality of life in patients with hypertension. MINICHAL Study].

Background And Objective: Our objective was to evaluate, through the health related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire MINICHAL, the influence of socio-demographic, clinical and therapeutic variables on health related quality of life of hypertensive patients.

Patients And Method: An observational, prospective and multi-center study was carried out in hypertensive patients who were either starting or undergoing a modification of antihypertensive treatment. A total of three visits was done: a baseline visit and two follow-up visits at one and six months.

Application of hollow fiber membrane contactors for catalyst recovery in the WPO process.

In this work the use of a membrane based liquid extraction process for recovery of the homogeneous catalyst employed in the wet peroxide oxidation process (WPO) is studied. In the WPO process the oxidation agent is the hydroxyl radical that is obtained by using a combination of hydrogen peroxide and a mixture of Fe(II), Cu(II), and Mn(II) in aqueous solution. The mixture of metallic cations permits the almost total degradation of the refractory organic compounds, but the use of metallic salts as catalysts induces additional pollution.

Validation of the short form of the Spanish Hypertension Quality of Life Questionnaire (MINICHAL).

Background: The finding that low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be a risk factor for future cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension emphasizes the need for disease-specific HRQoL assessment tools in this population.

Objective: This study evaluated the feasibility and psychometric properties of the short form of the Spanish Hypertension Quality of Life Questionnaire (MINICHAL).

Methods: An observational, prospective, multicenter study was carried out among patients with hypertension, stratified by sex and disease stage.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade to control blood pressure in postmenopausal women: influence of hormone replacement therapy.

Background: Hypertension is twice as common in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) with candesartan cilexetil (CC) to control blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive menopausal women, and the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Methods: This was designed as a prospective, open-label and non-comparative study.