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Reading naïvely again: A critique of historicist hermeneutics according to the tought of Leo Strauss
Get PDFEl presente artículo recupera las lecciones hermenéuticas del filósofo Leo Strauss (1899-1973) y, participando en el debate sobre cómo deben ser comprendidas, las contrapone al modo de leer propuesto por el historicismo filosófico e historiográfico. A lo largo del texto, se reivindican las contribuciones de Strauss como capaces de abordar un debate incluso con la hermenéutica historicista posterior a dicho autor. La esperanza que mueve esta reflexión es que los argumentos presentados puedan contribuir, no solo a la comprensión del pensamiento de Leo Strauss, sino también a la recuperación de un modo de leer emancipado del filtro y de la carga de una filosofía actual que dificulta un diálogo genuino
con el pasado.This paper revisits the hermeneutical lessons of the philosopher Leo Strauss (1899-1973) and, engaging in the debate on how they should be understood, contrasts them with the mode of reading proposed by philosophical and historiographical historicism. Throughout the text, Strauss' contributions are vindicated as capable of addressing a debate even with the historicist hermeneutics appeared after him. The hope driving this reflection is that the arguments presented can contribute not only to the understanding of Leo Strauss's thought but also to the recovery of a way of reading freed from the filter and burden of contemporary philosophy, which hinders a genuine dialogue with the pastinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Artificial intelligence for autism diagnosis: Algorithms, data and challenges
Get PDFAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents diverse and complex diagnostic challenges, traditionally reliant on subjective behavioral assessments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a transformative approach to enhancing ASD diagnosis by enabling objective, data-driven insights from multimodal sources. This paper examines the breadth of available datasets, including neuroimaging, genetics, behavioral assessments, and electronic health records (EHRs), and provides a comprehensive review of current AI methodologies used in ASD diagnosis, including traditional machine learning, deep learning architectures, and ensemble techniques. The paper explores the parallel evolution of data modalities and AI techniques, as well as critical issues such as data heterogeneity, privacy concerns, and standardization gaps. Key technical challenges—such as model generalizability, explainability, and ethical considerations surrounding bias and transparency—are also addressed. To assess real-world applicability, we present a preliminary study using structured EHR data from Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu. Our findings reveal limited predictive power from structured variables alone. Therefore, future work will focus on mining clinical insights by applying Natural Language Processing techniques to the unstructured EHR data available. This work offers a roadmap for advancing AI-driven ASD diagnosis toward more robust, interpretable, and clinically relevant systems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Impacte d’un programa de marxa nòrdica en la cardiotoxicitat derivada del tractament del càncer de mama: protocol d’un assaig clínic aleatoritzat
Get PDFTFG del grau de Fisioteràpia tutoritzat per Paula Moreno TusetIntroducció: El tractament del càncer de mama amb antraciclines i anticossos dirigits al receptor HER2 ha millorat la supervivència, però pot causar cardiotoxicitat i afectar la salut a llarg termini d’aquestes pacients. Per això, hi ha un interès creixent en estratègies complementàries per preservar la salut cardiovascular durant el tractament. L’exercici físic, especialment la marxa nòrdica, és una opció segura i accessible amb possibles beneficis sobre la funció cardíaca, la capacitat funcional i el benestar emocional. No obstant això, hi ha pocs estudis que n’avaluïn l’impacte de manera estructurada en aquest context.
Objetius: L’objectiu principal és avaluar l’efecte d’un programa de marxa nòrdica supervisada en la reducció i prevenció de la cardiotoxicitat en dones amb càncer de mama tractades amb fàrmacs cardiotòxics. Els objectius secundaris inclouen analitzar els canvis en marcadors cardiovasculars i la capacitat funcional (VO₂max), l’impacte sobre la qualitat de vida i l’estat emocional, l’adherència al programa i la seva relació amb la salut cardiovascular, així com les variacions en biomarcadors sanguinis, la composició corporal i la força muscular, amb la finalitat d’identificar possibles beneficis integrals associats a la pràctica regular d’exercici físic.
Metodologia: Estudi experimental dissenyat com un assaig clínic aleatoritzat, prospectiu i controlat amb dos grups paral·lels. Es compararà un programa de marxa nòrdica supervisada (grup experimental) amb atenció habitual i recomanacions generals d’activitat física (grup control) en dones amb càncer de mama en fase inicial que reben antraciclines i/o anticossos anti-HER2. La intervenció durarà 6 mesos, amb un seguiment total de 12 mesos. El reclutament es realitzarà a l’Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron durant la pràctica clínica habitual, seguint el protocol de detecció de cardiotoxicitat.Introduction: Treatment of breast cancer with anthracyclines and HER2-targeted antibodies has improved survival but may cause cardiotoxicity and affect long-term patients’ health. Therefore, there is growing interest in complementary strategies to preserve cardiovascular health during treatment. Physical exercise, especially Nordic walking, is a safe and accessible option with potential benefits for cardiac function, functional capacity, and emotional well-being. However, few studies have systematically evaluated its impact in this context.
Objectives: The main objective is to evaluate the effect of a supervised Nordic walking program on the reduction and prevention of cardiotoxicity in women with breast cancer treated with cardiotoxic drugs. Secondary objectives include analyzing changes in cardiovascular markers and functional capacity (VO₂max), the impact on quality of life and emotional status, adherence to the program and its relationship with cardiovascular health, as well as variations in blood biomarkers, body composition, and muscle strength, with the aim of identifying potential comprehensive benefits associated with regular physical exercise.
Methodology: Experimental study designed as a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical trial with two parallel groups. A supervised Nordic walking program (experimental group) will be compared with usual care and general physical activity recommendations (control group) in women with early-stage breast cancer receiving anthracyclines and/or anti-HER2 antibodies. The intervention will last 6 months, with a total follow-up of 12 months. Recruitment will take place at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital during routine clinical practice, following the cardiotoxicity detection protocol
Analyzing motivation for tele-exercise in adult fitness app users
Get PDFBackground: Tele-exercise—using mobile apps or digital platforms—has expanded access to guided physical activity, potentially contributing to public health. The motivational mechanisms that drive individuals to use mobile fitness apps may differ from more traditional forms of exercise and remain limited. Given that motivation undeniably plays a role in the uptake and maintenance of exercise, this study aims to provide insight into the motivational regulation of tele-exercise users, based on the self-determination theory.
Methods: An ad hoc scale was developed. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the scale. Data were inferentially analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Bonferroni post hoc tests.
Results: The ad hoc scale showed adequate consistency indices with reliability values ≥0.83, for all (i.e., intrinsic, identified, introjected) motivation dimensions. CFA confirmed the factor structure, with loads >0.51, and composite reliabilities 0.54 to 0.74, for each factor. Construct validity was proven adequate through adjustment of indices tests [Comparative Fit Index (CFI) =0.990; Tucker & Lewis Index (TLI) =0.976, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) =0.058]. Statistically significant differences were found relative to sex, previous activity level and fitness goal, for some but not all motivation types (n=753). No statistically significant differences were found for motivation, relative to age.
Conclusions: The common understanding that intrinsic motivation is desirable for sustained behavior change may need to be reinterpreted for the field of leisure-time, tele-exercise. These findings provide new insights into how motivation varies among fitness app users and suggest that digital interventions may benefit from reframing motivational strategies to better support exercise adherence.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Comentario a ““Pensamientos que vienen con pies de paloma”: Una conversación inacabada entre George Steiner y Walter Benjamin”
Get PDFinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Efectivitat de l’entrenament de la musculatura inspiratòria sobre la dispnea en la prehabilitació de pacients candidats a cirurgia de càncer de pulmó: un protocol d’assaig clínic aleatoritzat
Get PDFTFG del grau de Fisioteràpia tutoritzat per Paula Moreno TusetEl càncer de pulmó és un dels tipus de càncers amb major prevalença i mortalitat a nivell mundial. Actualment es disposen de diverses línies de tractament, sent la cirurgia la principal quan aquest càncer és diagnosticat en els seus estadis més inicials. Tanmateix, aquest tipus d’intervencions poden suposar certs riscs i complicacions postoperatòries per als pacients.
L’entrenament de la musculatura inspiratòria (IMT, per les seves sigles en anglès) és una tècnica utilitzada en diversos àmbits de la fisioteràpia respiratòria i la seva implementació com a part del tractament de prehabilitació a la cirurgia podria ser quelcom beneficiós, tot i que actualment no disposem d’evidència científica concloent per tal de poder afirmar-ho.
Objectius: L'objectiu principal d’aquest treball és valorar l’eficàcia de la inclusió d’aquesta tècnica en el tractament prehabilitador d’aquests pacients, mitjançant la valoració de les següents variables en el període posterior a la intervenció quirúrgica: dispnea, qualitat de vida i funcionalitat.
Metodologia: Es realitzarà un assaig clínic controlat en pacients adults que se sotmetran a una cirurgia de càncer de pulmó, separant-los en dos grups diferenciats. El grup control rebrà tractament prehabilitador convencional de cara a la cirurgia, mentre que el grup experimental rebrà el mateix tractament prehabilitador, amb l’excepció que aquest també inclourà l’IMT com part de la intervenció. La durada de la intervenció en ambdós grups serà de sis setmanes.Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent and with higher mortality type of cancer around the world. Nowadays, there are many treatments for this disease, surgery being the main option when the cancer is diagnosed in its early stages. Nonetheless, these types of interventions may have some risks and postoperative complications for the patients.
Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a technique used in different respiratory therapy areas, and its implementation in the prehabilitation programs for the patients undergoing lung cancer surgery could be beneficial, although there is no clear scientific evidence about it.
Objectives: The overall objective of this thesis is to determine the efficacy of the inspiratory muscle training as a part of these patients’ prehabilitation programs, using the following parameters: dyspnoea, quality of life, and functionality.
Methodology: A randomized controlled trial will be performed on surgery-candidate lung cancer adult patients, dividing them into two groups. The control group will receive conventional prehabilitation treatment prior to their surgery, meanwhile the experimental group will receive a prehabilitation program which will include IMT as a part of the intervention. The duration of the intervention will be six weeks for both groups
Fritz Lang's Cinema and the Uncomfortable Legacy of Populism: From M (1931) to Fury (1936)
Get PDFEl artículo analiza la evolución de las ideas plasmadas por Fritz Lang en M (1931) y reformuladas con posterioridad en Furia (1936), explorando su relación con el populismo y la justicia en contextos democráticos en crisis. Se destaca la crítica de Gabriele Tergit a M, señalando su ambigüedad respecto a la venganza y los tribunales populares, en un periodo marcado por la inestabilidad de la República de Weimar. Lang, inicialmente influenciado por esta atmósfera, muestra en M un discurso que se presta a lecturas populistas. Sin embargo, su exilio y su inserción en Hollywood lo llevan a reformular su visión en la posterior Furia, donde denuncia el linchamiento y aboga por la justicia institucional. A través del análisis comparativo de ambas películas, el artículo explora el paso de una posición moralmente ambigua hacia una más cercana al liberalismo clásico, y cómo dichas ideas están marcadas por los cambios políticos y sociales entre la Alemania de entreguerras y la democracia estadounidense de los años treinta.This article analyzes the evolution of the ideas expressed by Fritz Lang in M (1931) and later reformulated in Fury (1936), exploring their relationship with populism and justice in democratic contexts in crisis. It highlights Gabriele Tergit's criticism of M, pointing out its ambiguity regarding revenge and popular courts, in a period marked by the instability of the Weimar Republic. Lang, initially influenced by this atmosphere, displays in M a discourse that lends itself to populist readings. However, his exile and insertion in Hollywood led him to reformulate his vision in the subsequent Fury, where he denounces lynching and advocates for institutional justice. Through a comparative analysis of both films, the article explores the transition from a morally ambiguous position to one closer to classical liberalism, and how these ideas are marked by the political and social changes between interwar Germany and the present.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
De Novo Design of Peptide Masks Enables Rapid Generation of Conditionally-Active Miniprotein Binders
Get PDFThe widespread expression of therapeutic targets in both diseased and healthy tissues poses a major challenge for protein-based therapeutics, often leading to dose-limiting side effects. One promising strategy to enhance selectivity is reversible inactivation via affinity masks tethered through cleavable linkers responsive to disease-specific cues. Here, we introduce a workflow for the de novo design of peptide masks that reversibly inactivate miniprotein binders. By extending the C-terminus of the binder with a protease-cleavable linker and a masking helix, we generated minimal constructs that sterically block the receptor-binding interface. We applied this strategy to four therapeutically relevant targets, EGFR domains I and III, FGFR2, and IL7Rα, demonstrating broad applicability. Nearly half of the 20 designs achieved >100-fold affinity reduction, with the most effective mask decreasing EGFR binding by over 3 orders of magnitude. Upon cleavage by tumor-associated proteases, binding was restored in 19 out of 20 cases, confirming reversibility. We further show that micromolar or weaker affinity between the binder and the isolated mask is sufficient for robust inactivation and rapid activation. Additionally, by chemically conjugating a photocleavable linker, we created a light-responsive version of the masked binder, enabling external control with comparable efficiency to protease-sensitive designs. This work establishes a generalizable, rapid, and efficient platform for designing cleavable peptide masks from scratch, paving the way for conditionally active protein therapeutics responsive to endogenous or exogenous stimuli.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The first look: a biometric analysis of emotion recognition using key facial features
Get PDFIntroduction: Facial expressions play a crucial role in human emotion recognition and social interaction. Prior research has highlighted the significance of the eyes and mouth in identifying emotions; however, limited studies have validated these claims using robust biometric evidence. This study investigates the prioritization of facial features during emotion recognition and introduces an optimized approach to landmark-based analysis, enhancing efficiency without compromising accuracy.
Methods: A total of 30 participants were recruited to evaluate images depicting six emotions: anger, disgust, fear, neutrality, sadness, and happiness. Eye-tracking technology was utilized to record gaze patterns, identifying the specific facial regions participants focused on during emotion recognition. The collected data informed the development of a streamlined facial landmark model, reducing the complexity of traditional approaches while preserving essential information.
Results: The findings confirmed a consistent prioritization of the eyes and mouth, with minimal attention allocated to other facial areas. Leveraging these insights, we designed a reduced landmark model that minimizes the conventional 68-point structure to just 24 critical points, maintaining recognition accuracy while significantly improving processing speed.
Discussion: The proposed model was evaluated using multiple classifiers, including Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Random Decision Forest (RDF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), demonstrating its robustness across various machine learning approaches. The optimized landmark selection reduces computational costs and enhances real-time emotion recognition applications. These results suggest that focusing on key facial features can improve the efficiency of biometric-based emotion recognition systems without sacrificing accuracy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Preventing a public health issue by quantification of illegally added sexual enhancers in natural dietary supplements
Get PDFThe lack of regulation for "natural" dietary supplements raises public health concerns as they may contain undisclosed active ingredients, without proper labelling. Natural libido boosters, marketed as dietary supplements for male sexual function improvement, have been linked to serious side effects, prompting health authorities to issue warnings. Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods are commonly used to detect non-regulated substances in these supplements. In the present work, an LC-MS/MS method was validated to verify that it provides robust and reliable results, with enough sensitivity (LOD ≤ 10 µg·kg-1 and LOQ ≤ 45 µg·kg-1), precision (RSD ≤ 15%), and accuracy (80–120% recovery). Then, the concentration of sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, yohimbine and desmethyl carbodenafil was evaluated in several dietary supplements commercially available in Spain. 17 samples were analyzed, and 4 presented contaminations of sildenafil, yohimbine or tadalafil. The outstanding results lead to a robust analytical method that can be used to detect and prevent fraud, ensure food security and prevent public health issues.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio