University of Extremadura

About: University of Extremadura is a education organization based out in Badajoz, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Hyperspectral imaging. The organization has 7856 authors who have published 18299 publications receiving 396126 citations. The organization is also known as: Universidad de Extremadura.

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990–2013: Quantifying the epidemiological transition

Abstract: Background The Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) aims to bring together all available epidemiological data using a coherent measurement framework, standardised estimation methods, and transparent data sources to enable comparisons of health loss over time and across causes, age–sex groups, and countries. The GBD can be used to generate summary measures such as disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) that make possible comparative assessments of broad epidemiological patterns across countries and time. These summary measures can also be used to quantify the component of variation in epidemiology that is related to sociodemographic development. Methods We used the published GBD 2013 data for age-specific mortality, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) to calculate DALYs and HALE for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 for 188 countries. We calculated HALE using the Sullivan method; 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) represent uncertainty in age-specific death rates and YLDs per person for each country, age, sex, and year. We estimated DALYs for 306 causes for each country as the sum of YLLs and YLDs; 95% UIs represent uncertainty in YLL and YLD rates. We quantified patterns of the epidemiological transition with a composite indicator of sociodemographic status, which we constructed from income per person, average years of schooling after age 15 years, and the total fertility rate and mean age of the population. We applied hierarchical regression to DALY rates by cause across countries to decompose variance related to the sociodemographic status variable, country, and time. Findings Worldwide, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy at birth rose by 6·2 years (95% UI 5·6–6·6), from 65·3 years (65·0–65·6) in 1990 to 71·5 years (71·0–71·9) in 2013, HALE at birth rose by 5·4 years (4·9–5·8), from 56·9 years (54·5–59·1) to 62·3 years (59·7–64·8), total DALYs fell by 3·6% (0·3–7·4), and age-standardised DALY rates per 100 000 people fell by 26·7% (24·6–29·1). For communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, global DALY numbers, crude rates, and age-standardised rates have all declined between 1990 and 2013, whereas for non–communicable diseases, global DALYs have been increasing, DALY rates have remained nearly constant, and age-standardised DALY rates declined during the same period. From 2005 to 2013, the number of DALYs increased for most specific non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, in addition to dengue, food-borne trematodes, and leishmaniasis; DALYs decreased for nearly all other causes. By 2013, the five leading causes of DALYs were ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, low back and neck pain, and road injuries. Sociodemographic status explained more than 50% of the variance between countries and over time for diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and other common infectious diseases; maternal disorders; neonatal disorders; nutritional deficiencies; other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; musculoskeletal disorders; and other non-communicable diseases. However, sociodemographic status explained less than 10% of the variance in DALY rates for cardiovascular diseases; chronic respiratory diseases; cirrhosis; diabetes, urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; unintentional injuries; and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Predictably, increased sociodemographic status was associated with a shift in burden from YLLs to YLDs, driven by declines in YLLs and increases in YLDs from musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and mental and substance use disorders. In most country-specific estimates, the increase in life expectancy was greater than that in HALE. Leading causes of DALYs are highly variable across countries. Interpretation Global health is improving. Population growth and ageing have driven up numbers of DALYs, but crude rates have remained relatively constant, showing that progress in health does not mean fewer demands on health systems. The notion of an epidemiological transition—in which increasing sociodemographic status brings structured change in disease burden—is useful, but there is tremendous variation in burden of disease that is not associated with sociodemographic status. This further underscores the need for country-specific assessments of DALYs and HALE to appropriately inform health policy decisions and attendant actions.

Second-order and higher-order multivariate calibration methods applied to non-multilinear data using different algorithms

Abstract: We discuss and evaluate the current state of second-order and higher-order multivariate calibration methods devoted to the determination of compounds in non-multilinear data systems. We examine possible causes of multilinearity deviations: (1) a non-linear relationship between signal and analyte concentration; (2) a signal for a given sample that is non-multilinear; and, (3) component profiles that are not constant across the different samples. We discuss the advantages and the limitations of the algorithms available to cope with these different situations. The review covers relevant analytical problems found in samples of environmental and biological interest, highlighting some significant examples, and evaluating the advantages and the limitations of the different algorithms available.

Low-cost disordered carbons for Li/S batteries: A high-performance carbon with dual porosity derived from cherry pits

Abstract: A micro- and mesoporous carbon obtained from cherry pit waste and activated with H3PO4 acid has been studied as the sulfur host for Li/S batteries. The carbon has a high specific surface area of 1,662 m2·g–1 (SBET) and micropore and mesopore volumes of 0.57 and 0.40 cm3·g–1, respectively. The S/C composite, with a sulfur content of 57% deposited by the disproportionate reaction of a S2O3 2− solution in an acid medium without an additional heating step above the S melting point, delivers an initial specific capacity of 1,148 mAh·g–1 at a current of C/16. It also has a high capacity retention of 915 mAh·g–1 after 100 cycles and a Coulombic efficiency close to 100%. The good performance of the composite was also observed under higher current rates and long-term cycling tests. The capacities delivered by the cell after 200 cycles were 707 and 410 mAh·g–1 at C/2 and 1C (1C = 1,675 mA·g–1), respectively, maintaining the high Coulombic efficiency. The overall electrochemical response of this carbon as the sulfur matrix is among the best reported so far among the other biomass-derived carbons, probably because of the micro- and mesopore system formed upon activation.