bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk assessment of gallstone among indoor patients of chronic liver diseases secondary to Hepatitis C.
Authors: Sanaullah Kalwar  , Kailash Raj Makhejani  , Soomro Jamil Ahmed , Hafeezullah Shaikh
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Gallstones (GS) are widely reported as the major cause of mortality and morbidity globally.1 The frequency of GS in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) is considerably higher than in the general population.1-7 Moreover, prevailing risk of gallstone is associated with disease frequency and severity in advance stages of CLD.1,3 The predictable local incidence of gallstones in CLD patients is approximately 24-31%.6-7 HCV is presumed to be the major cause of CLD in the local settings6-7. Despite high prevalence of GS and HCV CLD in our population, the occurrence of GS in HCV CLD cases has not been assessed so far. Objective: To assess gallstone disease in indoor patients of chronic liver diseases secondary to Hepatitis-C.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Department of Gastroenterology, Liaquat National Hospital (LNH), Institute for postgraduate medical studies and health sciences, Karachi from January 2013 to July 2013. Totalof145 patients of chronic liver disease (CLD) secondary to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) of either gender, regardless of duration of disease, having age more than 30 years were selected purposively. Structured questionnaire used for data collection. Ultrasonography was done to diagnose gallstones. The routine investigations such as platelet count, anti HCV antibodies, and prothrombin time (PT) were performed. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze data. Variables like gallstone was presented through percentages and frequencies, age as mean and SD. After stratification of age, gender and severity of liver disease, chi-square test was applied and p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age of patients (n=145) was 54.8±9.4 years, whereas mean of males was 53.9±9.3 years and females were 56.2±9.5years. Among total cases86(59.3%) were males and59(40.7%) were females. The gallstones in male patients (n= 30, 58.8%) was higher than female patients (n=21, 41.2%). However, this difference with regards to gender, was not statistically significant (p-value=0.9). The Child-Pugh score with gallstones patients was (10.0±2.1) slightly higher than patients without gallstone (10.7±2.1). In patients with gallstone, Child’sPughclass-Cwasfoundin51(54.3%) patients, class-Bin37(39.4, %) and class-A in 6 (6.3%) patients.

Conclusion: HCV infection is independent risk factor for gallstones in cirrhotic patients. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Child-Pugh A and B patients with symptomatic gallstone disease is a safe procedure.

Keywords: Gallstones, HCVCLD, Child-Turcotte-Pugh, Cholecystectomy
Two testicles in left inguinal region: An unusual presentation of Polyorchidism.
Authors: Muhammad Rahim Bhurgri  , Mehtab Rahim Bhurgri  , Fareed Ahmed Bhurgri  , Noaman Ali Bagrani
Published: January 2024

We present a case of 1-year old boy who presented with left undescended testis and hernia. The testis on right side was normally placed. During surgery 2 testicle each with separate epididymis and vasa deferentia.

 

Keywords: Undescended double testes, Orchidopexy, Herniotomy.
Dynamic Compression Plate: A useful procedure for sub-trochanteric femur fracture with osteopetrosis.
Authors: Ateeque-ur-Rehman  , Muhammad Faraz Jokhio  , Muhammad Azeem Akhund
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Osteopetrosis is an un common disease. It is of infantile and adult type. With adult type osteopetrosis, bones are vulnerable to fracture even with minimal injury. As there is increased bone density and small medullary canal, therefore, these fractures are challenging for orthopedic surgeons.Objective: To evaluate the results of Dynamic Compression Plate (DCP) for the fixation of sub-trochanteric fractures of femur with osteopetrosis in term of union malunion, non-union and post-operative infection.Methodology: This prospective study was conducted in the department of Orthopedic surgery at Muhammad Medical College Mirpur Khas from March 2015 to February 2017. Patients, with sub-trochanteric fractures of femur having osteopetrosis, between the age of 20-60 years of either gender were included in this study. All fractures were fixed with DCP. Post-operatively patients were mobilized with crutches in 1st week, followed by partial weight bearing in 3rd week and full weight bearing in 6 weeks.Results: Union of fractures occur in 98 %patients. Mal union in one patient and nonunion in one patient. Post-operative infection was observed in one patient.Conclusion: This study shows management of sub trochanteric fractures of femur in patients with osteopetrosis are best treated with DCP with little or no complications.Key words: Osteopetrosis, sub trochanteric fractures, DCP.
The Importance of Astrocytes in Neural Conduction: A Paradigm Shift in Neuroscience
Authors: MONTGOMERY RICHARD
Published: January 2024

Astrocytes, once relegated to the role of mere 'support cells' in the central nervous system, areemerging as key players in neural conduction and overall brain function. This article aims toelucidate the multifaceted roles of astrocytes, exploring why they have been historicallyovershadowed by neurons and how they contribute to the complexity of brain wave patterns.Through a series of computational simulations and a comprehensive review of existing literature,we demonstrate that astrocytes are not just passive bystanders but active participants in neuralsignaling. The article also discusses the implications of astrocyte function for cognitive abilitieslike learning, memory, and attention, as well as their role in pathological conditions like epilepsy.With 15 pertinent references, this article serves as a comprehensive review that challenges theneuron-centric view of brain function and calls for a reevaluation of the roles of astrocytes inneuroscience.
The Development of Podcast-Based-Audio Learning in Material Introducing Ourselves at 10th Grade SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pekanbaru
Authors: Hanum Hafra , Niah Siti , Pahmi Pahmi
Published: January 2024

This Podcast development research aims to produce a quality Podcast with the eligibility criteria for teaching materials and to determine the feasibility of the product based on the assessment of the material validator, media validator and students. This type of research is development research with ADDIE research model. The practicality test was carried out on students of SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pekanbaru in the first semester (I) of the 2022/2023 academic year. Practicality test subjects consisted of 32 students to test the practicality of Podcast products designed with anchor applications. The assessment results obtained from the media validator are categorized as "very good" for use with an average of 4.61. The material validator assessment are also categorized as "very good" with an average material validator of 4.65. Furthermore, the practicality of the products carried out is in the category of practical use with an average Overall 4.56 which are in the very decent category. Based on the results of the validity and practicality tests, it can be concluded that the Podcast product is ready to be developed and is practically used in the learning process in particular the process of learning English on Introducing Ourselves material.
La oposición entre el rock y la nueva ola: un constructo de autenticidad en la historiografía del rock peruano
Authors: Melgar Wong José Francisco
Published: January 2024

En la historiografía del rock peruano la nueva ola es asumida como un movimiento musical correspondiente a un estilo particular, marcadamente opuesto a la concepción de la música rock. Este artículo muestra que, en el Perú, en la década del sesenta del siglo xx, lo que se llamaba nueva ola no denotaba expresamente un estilo musical, sino un género y una escena de práctica musical integrada por músicos, agrupaciones, oyentes, sellos discográficos y medios de prensa, en la cual coexistían diversos subgéneros musicales, como el rock ’n’ roll, el twist, el surf rock, la canción pop melódica y la balada. Su asunción como un estilo opuesto al rock corresponde a una construcción historiográfica que tiene su base en una idealizada autenticidad del rock.
Un género cortesano en un siglo romántico: esquemas galantes en los minuetos para guitarra de Pedro Ximénez (1784-1856)
Authors: Vega Salvatierra Zoila Elena
Published: January 2024

El minueto es un género musical que disfrutó de un éxito singular tanto como danza y como música instrumental en los siglos XVII y XVIII, y que a su vez se constituyó en un modelo compositivo que superó los límites de su propio tiempo y fue bien acogido por sociedades que lo asimilaron, reestructuraron y resignificaron de acuerdo con sus propias realidades. El repertorio de minuetos para guitarra sola, escritos por Pedro Ximénez Abrill (1785-1856) y publicados en 1844, es una colección ideal para estudiar la permanencia de lenguajes del siglo anterior en espacios seglares como el salón sudamericano en tiempos de la independencia. Comparado a menudo con autores como Fernando Sor o Mauro Giuliani, guitarristas contemporáneos suyos, Ximénez podría estar más relacionado, musicalmente hablando, con compositores españoles de una generación anterior. Para dar respaldo a esta idea, se analiza el primer cuaderno de su Colecsion de minuetos (sic), donde se identifican estructuras melódicas y de acompañamiento próximas a los esquemas galantes descritos por Robert Gjerdingen (2014) y que estuvieron en boga en la música europea en la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII.
TIME MANAGEMENT AND PRIORITY SCALE AS STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE LEARNING MOTIVATION AND SELF-LEADERSHIP AT SMP MA'ARIF, BATU CITY
Authors: Maulida Adiska Rahma , Yulyantika Nadya Rindy , Sabrina Alifah Tesha Nur , Fadilla Asylia Rahma , Romadlona Nohan Arum
Published: January 2024

According to the World Health Organization, junior high school students have an age of 10-19 years which is a transition period from childhood to adolescence which has a leadership spirit. The target of this service activity is class 8C students as many as 28 people at SMP Ma'Arif, Batu City. Time management and prioritization play an important role in leadership because it helps to increase effectiveness, efficiency and productivity so as to get the goals achieved. This community service activity aims to increase knowledge about time management and priority scale so as to increase learning motivation and self-leadership of students in class 8C of SMP Ma'Arif, Batu City. The method used is the lecture method through Power Point media. The implementation of the activity began through the preparation stage, pre-test, presentation of leadership materials on time management and prioritization, and post-test. The pre-test results showed a high knowledge category of 39% and a post-test of 68% so that there was an increase of 27% in terms of knowledge.  The results of the service show that there is an increase in knowledge about time management and priority scale so that it can increase learning motivation and self-leadership. The conclusion of this service activity is that through socialization by providing leadership material regarding time management and priority scale, it can increase learning motivation and self-leadership of students in class 8C of SMP Ma’Arif, Batu City.
PSSE: PARENTING STYLE SEX EDUCATION, ON UNDERSTANDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHAT PARENTS DO TOWARDS CHILDREN IN TIKTOK
Authors: Fitri Azalia Cahya Gita , Putri Dhea Anggraeni , Desyasti Falaah Azurra , Humaira Lenggogeni Trity
Published: January 2024

Child sexual abuse is the involvement of children in all forms of sexual activity that occurs before the child reaches the age limit set by state law and is carried out by adults or older people for sexual pleasure. Based on data from the Online Information System for the Protection of Women and Children in 2023, the highest number of cases of violence based on the place of occurrence occurred in the household sphere, which amounted to 15,450 cases with the most experienced type of violence being sexual violence at 11,191 cases. The purpose of this study is to provide information and education about "Sexual Violence According to the Aspects of Parents" so that people, especially parents, can find out about sexual violence and will not do this to their children. The method used is the literature review method by collecting various articles that have discussed sexual violence according to the views of parents and quantitative methods in calculating research results. The results of the study obtained that our educational video aired for a week received a total audience of 1,171 views with 24 likes, 1 comment, 8 shares and 6 accounts saved the video. 52% of the video viewers were female and 56% were in the age range of 25-34 years. With the results of the audience mentioned above, which is mostly adults, it is hoped that it can increase their insight and empathy to be more concerned about preventing sexual violence against children.
SELF LEADERSHIP: UNVEILING THE KEY STRATEGIES FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EMPOWERMENT AT SMP MA'ARIF BATU
Authors: Alfenny Derivaty Neo , Yulyantika Nadya Rindy , Wardani Fransisca Puspita , Romadlona Nohan Arum
Published: January 2024

Self-leadership is the practice of intentionally influencing one's own thoughts, feelings, and actions toward achieving personal and professional goals. This service aims to increase middle school students' understanding of self-leadership. The target of this service activity is grade 8 students at Ma'arif Batu Middle School with a total of 28 students. The method used in this activity is the socialization method, namely providing leadership material regarding self-leadership with the media used being PowerPoint to support the delivery of the material. As a process of assessing aspects of students' knowledge, a pre-test and post-test were carried out to measure the level of understanding of students' self-leadership before and after being given the material. Before being given the material, an average score of 55 was obtained, and it increased after being given the material with an average score of 77.14. The results of the pre-test and post-test stated that the material given to grade 8 students at Ma'arif Batu Middle School was useful in increasing students' knowledge regarding self-leadership. This service activity concludes that through socialization, providing material about self-leadership can increase understanding of personal strategies and professional empowerment for grade 8 students at Ma'arif Middle School in Batu.
PEMANFAATAN EKSTRAK BUNGA KECOMBRANG (ETLINGERA ELATIOR) SEBAGAI ALTERNATIF BAHAN SURFAKTAN DETERGEN GUNA MEMAKSIMALKAN POTENSI TUMBUHAN LOKAL SUMATRA UTARA
Authors: Dakwan Soaloon Harahap  , Teguh Parmonangan Hasibuan
Published: January 2024

Detergent is a chemical compound used to wash clothes. Unfortunately, detergents contain the dangerous substance LAS (Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate). Detergent waste containing LAS can pollute rivers, thereby hampering Sustainable Development Goal number 6, namely clean water and sanitation, even though many Indonesians still use river water as a source of clean water. Therefore, an environmentally friendly substitute for LAS is needed, such as the saponin contained in the kecombrang plant, which is a local plant from North Sumatra. Saponin is a nonionic surfactant and has the potential to be used as a cleaning agent. From the formulation of the problem, the objectives of this research are: 1) to find out liquid detergent formulations that are environmentally friendly and in accordance with SNI 06-4075-1996 by minimizing the use of LAS and replacing it with kecombrang flower extract from North Sumatra; 2) prove the potential for the saponin content in kecombrang flowers from North Sumatra to be an ingredient in making liquid detergent that can replace LAS. The research uses quantitative analysis chemical methods, namely carrying out formulations in making detergent products. There are four detergent formulations with varying ratios of kecombrang flower extract and LAS of 1:1 (formula 1), 2:1 (formula 2), 3:0 (formula 3), and 0:3 (control formula). Research stages: 1) extraction of kecombrang flowers; 2) making detergent; 3) testing saponins in combrang extract; 4) detergent quality testing. The research results show that formula 1 is recommended as the best formula because it has a pH value of 11.7; specific gravity 0.99 g/ml; as well as organoleptic test results (homogeneous shape, color and distinctive odor) which are in accordance with SNI (Indonesian National Standardization). Combrang extract has also been proven to contain saponin which forms foam, thereby increasing the detergency power of detergent.
Bibliometric Analysis of Research Publications of the University of Dhaka during 1971-2021: A Study
Authors: Islam Md. Shiful , Akter Rowshon , Islam Md. Anwarul
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Established in 1921, the University of Dhaka celebrated the 100 years of its establishment in 2021. As part of the celebration of this milestone, DU offered centennial research grants. The primary objectives of this project are to review the status of journals published by Dhaka University and examine and analyze the trend of scientific publications nationally and internationally for a period of 50 years from 1971 to 2021. We found that 13 faculties, 83 departments, 13 institutes and 56 research centers & bureaus of Dhaka University have published thirtynine journals from 1971 to 2021. Collectively these journals have published 9,378 scientific articles in fifty years. The average publication of the journal per year is 187.56. Among these only 1148 scientific articles are available online. The Dhaka University Studies (Faculty of Arts) has published the highest number of scientific articles (1504) in 46 years. Researchers from 61 countries have collaborated with DU researchers and published in the DU journals. None of these journals are indexed by the leading databases like Scopus and Web of Science. The findings of this study help us to come up with some recommendations. Department-wise journal publications should be stopped and only the leading faculties of DU can take the responsibility to publish few journals with maintaining the standard set by the flagship journals. While the recent moves of DU show a positive direction to improve the ranking of this university, materializing these recommendations will further improve the ranking of Dhaka University.
An analysis of suicide during the Covid 19 Pandemic in the Jhenaidah district
Authors: Bhuiya Sharmin , Sharmin Mir Farjana
Published: January 2024

Abstract: On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the Covid 19 epidemic had reached pandemic proportions. To lessen the likelihood that the virus would spread throughout their countries, most nations, including Bangladesh, resorted to preventative measures that did not involve medical treatment. These measures include social isolation, self-isolation, quarantine, lockdowns, etc. It was assumed that the spread of the Covid 19 epidemic was responsible for the rise in the rate of suicide in Bangladesh, which has been found to be the primary cause of unexpected deaths in Bangladesh. The southwestern district of Jhenaidah in the Khulna division of Bangladesh is the 19th most populous and alongside, a leading region in terms of a high number of suicides committed in the country. Within the context of the pandemic-stricken world, discussions have revolved around Emile Durkheim’s concept of anomie and how suicide should be understood as a social rather than an individualistic act. This study found inconsistencies with previous research on a number of factors related to suicide, including the age and education level of the victims, the time of year, and the motivations for their actions. On the other hand, the gender, marital status, employment status, and income level of the victims showed a pattern that was comparable to what it was before the pandemic. The pattern of suicide in the Jhenaidah district is relatively comparable to the findings of the pre-Covid 19 study, and the pandemic has minimal impact on the decision of the people living in this area to commit suicide.
University Students’ Productive Engagement: A Study from COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh
Authors: Prodhan Shamima
Published: January 2024

Abstract: The purpose of the study is to encapsulate the engagement of university students in diversified productive activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the pre-COVID situation. A total of 215 responses from university students representing both males (60.5%) and females (39.5%) were collected through an online survey and the questionnaire included both open and closed-ended questions. The result shows the involvement of 32.1 percent of students in different volunteering, 61.4 percent in different self-development, and 53.5 percent in various income-generating activities during the period of COVID-19 academic shutdown together with various challenges faced by the students for not being engaged in any of these productive activities during this period. The findings also revealed that time spent on each category of activities remained higher during the COVID-19 situation than in the pre-COVID period. Online involvement (27%) during the COVID-19 restricted period and physical involvement (40.9%) in the pre-COVID period have dominated their manner of participation in productive activities. The outcome of the present study and the model generated by the authors will promote the scope to know more comprehensively about students’ engagement in different productive activities giving them important insight to utilize their valuable time and future course of action amid the loss of the COVID-19 pandemic with the support from public and private organizations, educational institutions. The value of these findings and the associated model can be used to create a suitable ambiance for doing productive activities for university students and for being proactive.
Fairs and Females: A Socio-cultural Perspective of 19th and 20th Century Bengal
Authors: Jahan Fairooz , Haq Lyric Taskia
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Fair or Mela has been an integral part of Bengali culture since time immemorial. A fair is generally a conglomeration of people in a festive arrangement for buying and selling goods centering on religious or other special occasions at a specific time and a place. Fair was an integral part of colonial Bengal’s socio-cultural and economic spheres as well. Numerous fairs used to be held in 19th and 20th century Bengal for various reasons which concerned seasonal harvesting, religious festivals, marketing, occasional cultural events, promoting entertainment including traditional games and sports, arts. In a broader aspect, fairs have played role in shaping colonial Bengal’s society and in several ways helped to develop our rich culture over the decades. Another major yet less valued aspect of these fairs is the involvement of women in these which speak in volumes about the socio-economic participation of different classes of women in colonial Bengal. Women of lower social classes participated in these fairs mostly as sellers or entertainers whereas women of higher social classes were found as occasional visitors. Though, due to ‘purdah’ restrictions the numbers of native elite women visitors were often low, women of British or Anglo-Indian families often visited such fairs in their proximity. A number of British women have written about their splendid experiences at Bengali fairs in their memoirs. This vivid participation of women of all strata in different categories in Bengali fairs has not gained much focus in earlier studies. Not merely in the lens of feminism, the role of the womenfolk in those Bengali fairs to contribute in accelerating their families’ economic standard, deserves historical recognition. This paper attempts to study the roles of such women, played in the fairs in both parts of Bengal in 19th and 20th centuries and its grave significance in revisiting gender roles in colonial Bengal’s society.
The Influence of Work Connectivity Behavior After-hours on Employees' Withdrawal Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Work Stress
Authors: Wei Peishan
Published: January 2024

After-hours work connectivity behavior caused by the use of instant messaging software will lead to negative outcomes, however, the exploration of the negative outcomes in current research is limited, and no research has focused on off-hours work caused by the use of instant messaging software and the impact of connectedness behavior on employees' job withdrawal behavior. Therefore, based on the resource conservation theory and interactive determinism, this research study constructs a relevant theoretical models to explore the impact of after-hours work connectivity behavior on work withdrawal behavior. A total of 265 ordinary employees in China were surveyed using the method of literature review and the survey through a questionnaire. The results of the study found that after-hours work connectivity behavior will increase work withdrawal behavior; after-hours work connectivity behavior will increase work stress; work pressure will increase work withdrawal behavior; after-hours work connectivity behavior leads to work withdrawal behavior through work pressure; active personality will weaken the impact of work pressure on work withdrawal behavior, and at the same time weaken the after-hours work connectivity behavior through the most work pressure on work withdrawal, behavioral impact.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Authors: Prudhvi Sanjana , Shah Ria , Ren Iris Jia ,   Graphic Medicine Club (GMC), Boston University
Published: January 2024

It is common for people to experience brief episodes of sadness or feeling unlike themselves. Such mood swings may persist with changing seasons, become more severe, and impact a person's feelings, thoughts, and actions. Although the leading cause of it is unclear, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common mood disorder that people face in winter months due to the brain chemistry reactions to reduced sunlight and shorter days (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2021). As students of Boston University’s (BU) Graphic Medicine Club (GMC), we wanted to find ways to improve health literacy amongst BU students and provide the necessary health resources to help students. Two content creators of GMC worked together to create this comic and split the task of typography and illustration. This comic utilizes visuals and text to explain the common symptoms and treatment methods for SAD. Through our work at the intersection of art and medicine, we hope to offer a creative avenue for conversations about health topics such as SAD and provide informative narratives to others.
Emotional Vocalizations Alter Behaviors and Neurochemical Release into the Amygdala
Authors: Ghasemahmad Zahra , Mrvelj Aaron , Panditi Rishitha , Sharma Bhavya , Perumal Karthic Drishna , Wenstrup Jeffrey J.
Published: January 2024

The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to acoustic communication by first interpreting the meaning of social sounds in the context of the listener’s internal state, then organizing the appropriate behavioral responses. We propose that modulatory neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) provide internal-state signals to the BLA while an animal listens to social vocalizations. We tested this in a vocal playback experiment utilizing highly affective vocal sequences associated with either mating or restraint, then sampled and analyzed fluids within the BLA for a broad range of neurochemicals and observed behavioral responses of male and female mice. In male mice, playback of restraint vocalizations increased ACh release and usually decreased DA release, while playback of mating sequences evoked the opposite neurochemical release patterns. In non-estrus female mice, patterns of ACh and DA release with mating playback were similar to males. Estrus females, however, showed increased ACh, associated with vigilance, as well as increased DA, associated with reward-seeking. Experimental groups that showed increased ACh release also showed the largest increases in an aversive behavior. These neurochemical release patterns and several behavioral responses depended on a single prior experience with the mating and restraint behaviors. Our results support a model in which ACh and DA provide contextual information to sound analyzing BLA neurons that modulate their output to downstream brain regions controlling behavioral responses to social vocalizations.In social communication by sound, an animal interprets the meaning of vocalizations based on its prior experience, other sensory stimuli, and its internal state. The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to this analysis. We found that the modulatory neurochemicals acetylcholine and dopamine were released differentially into the BLA depending on the emotional content of the vocalizations, the sex and hormonal state of the animal, as well as its prior experience. Our results suggest that acetylcholine and dopamine provide experience- and hormonal state-dependent contextual information to sound-analyzing BLA neurons that modulates their output to downstream brain centers controlling behavioral responses to social vocalizations.
Septin 7 Interacts With Numb To Preserve Sarcomere Structural Organization And Muscle Contractile Function
Authors: Gasperi Rita De , Csernoch Laszlo , Dienes Beatrix , Gonczi Monika , Chakrabarty Jayanta K. , Goeta Shahar , Aslan Abdurrahman , Toro Carlos A. , Karasik David , Brown Lewis M. , Brotto Marco , Cardozo Christopher P.
Published: January 2024

Here, we investigated mechanisms by which aging-related reductions of the levels of Numb in skeletal muscle fibers contribute to loss of muscle strength and power, two critical features of sarcopenia. Numb is an adaptor protein best known for its critical roles in development including asymmetric cell division, cell-type specification and termination of intracellular signaling. Numb expression is reduced in old humans and mice. We previously showed that, in mouse skeletal muscle fibers, Numb is localized to sarcomeres where it is concentrated near triads; conditional inactivation of Numb and a closely related protein Numb-like (NumbL) in mouse myofibers caused weakness, disorganization of sarcomeres and smaller mitochondria with impaired function. Here, we found that a single knockout of Numb in myofibers causes reduction in tetanic force comparable to a double Numb, NumbL knockout. We found by proteomics analysis of protein complexes isolated from C2C12 myotubes by immunoprecipitation using antibodies against Numb, that Septin 7 is a potential Numb binding partner. Septin 7 is a member of the family of GTP-binding proteins that organize into filaments, sheets and rings, and is considered part of the cytoskeleton. Immunofluorescence evaluation revealed a partial overlap of staining for Numb and Septin 7 in myofibers. Conditional, inducible knockouts of Numb led to disorganization of Septin 7 staining in myofibers. These findings indicate that Septin 7 is a Numb binding partner and suggest that interactions between Numb and Septin 7 are critical for structural organization of the sarcomere and muscle contractile function.
Insights in neuronal tuning: Navigating the statistical challenges of autocorrelation and missing variables
Authors: Nevjen Fredrik , Dunn Benjamin Adric
Published: January 2024

Recent advances in neuroscience have improved our ability to investigate neural activity by making it possible to measure vast amounts of neurons and behavioral variables, and explore the underlying mechanisms that connect them. However, comprehensively understanding neuronal tuning poses challenges due to statistical issues such as temporal autocorrelation and missing variables, as neurons are likely driven in part by unknown factors. The field consequently needs a systematic approach to address these challenges. This study compares various methods for covariate selection using both simulated data and calcium data from the medial entorhinal cortex. We conclude that a combination of cross-validation and a cyclical shift permutation test yields higher test power than other evaluated methods while maintaining proper error rate control, albeit at a higher computational cost. This research sheds light on the quest for a systematic understanding of neuronal tuning and provides insight into covariate selection in the presence of statistical complexities.
Perceptual error based on Bayesian cue combination drives implicit motor adaptation
Authors: Zhang Zhaoran , Wang Huijun , Zhang Tianyang , Nie Zixuan , Wei Kunlin
Published: January 2024

The sensorimotor system can recalibrate itself without our conscious awareness, a type of procedural learning whose computational mechanism remains undefined. Recent findings on implicit motor adaptation, such as over-learning from small perturbations and fast saturation for increasing perturbation size, challenge existing theories based on sensory errors. We argue that perceptual error, arising from the optimal combination of movement-related cues, is the primary driver of implicit adaptation. Central to our theory is the increasing sensory uncertainty of visual cues with increasing perturbations, which was validated through perceptual psychophysics (Experiment 1). Our theory predicts the learning dynamics of implicit adaptation across a spectrum of perturbation sizes on a trial-by-trial basis (Experiment 2). It explains proprioception changes and their relation to visual perturbation (Experiment 3). By modulating visual uncertainty in perturbation, we induced unique adaptation responses in line with our model predictions (Experiment 4). Overall, our perceptual error framework outperforms existing models based on sensory errors, suggesting that perceptual error in locating one’s effector, supported by Bayesian cue integration, underpins the sensorimotor system’s implicit adaptation.
Perceptual error based on Bayesian cue combination drives implicit motor adaptation
Authors: Zhang Zhaoran , Wang Huijun , Zhang Tianyang , Nie Zixuan , Wei Kunlin
Published: January 2024

The sensorimotor system can recalibrate itself without our conscious awareness, a type of procedural learning whose computational mechanism remains undefined. Recent findings on implicit motor adaptation, such as over-learning from minor perturbations and swift saturation for increasing perturbation size, challenge existing theories based on sensory errors. We argue that perceptual error, arising from the optimal combination of movement-related cues, is the primary driver of implicit adaptation. Central to our theory is the linear relationship between the sensory uncertainty of visual cues and perturbation, validated through perceptual psychophysics (Experiment 1). Our theory predicts diverse features of implicit adaptation across a spectrum of perturbation conditions on trial-by-trial basis (Experiment 2) and explains proprioception changes and their relation to visual perturbation (Experiment 3). By altering visual uncertainty in perturbation, we induced unique adaptation responses (Experiment 4). Overall, our perceptual error framework outperforms existing models, suggesting that Bayesian cue integration underpins the sensorimotor system’s implicit adaptation.
Efecto de la fertilización nitrogenada en el rendimiento y calidad de la semilla de diferentes genotipos de quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
Authors:   , Infanti Tidy Anaïs
Published: January 2024

La quinoa es un pseudocereal popular debido a su alta calidad nutricional. En Chile se cultivan genotipos del ecotipo de la costa que resultan de gran interés debido a su diversidad genética. Sin embargo, existe poca información sobre el efecto de la fertilización nitrogenada en el rendimiento y calidad fisiológica de las semillas de este ecotipo. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar el suministro óptimo de nitrógeno para potenciar rendimiento y calidad en la producción de semilla de quinoa en genotipos del ecotipo de la costa. Para ello se cultivaron cuatro genotipos (NCH, QLUC-05, RCH y REG) en macetas en un medio hidropónico fertiirrigadas con soluciones nutritivas que diferían en su concentración de nitrógeno (0.25, 1, 10 y 20 mM). Se midieron parámetros fotosintéticos, de rendimiento y calidad de semilla. Los parámetros fotosintéticos mostraron un aumento en Amax y de Rdark a medida que aumenta la dosis de fertilización, mientras que los valores de LCP solo varían según genotipo, siendo RCH el más eficiente frente a bajos niveles de radiación. El rendimiento de las plantas aumentó y llegó a su máximo con la dosis de 10 mM, lo cual se explica por un aumento en el número de semillas. La calidad de las semillas se vio perjudicada por una alta humedad durante la maduración de estas, sin embargo, se logró identificar a QLUC-05 como el más vigoroso, aumentando su potencial con la dosis de 1 mM. Considerando lo anterior, el suministro de fertilización óptimo dependerá del objetivo productivo.
Vínculo docencia-investigación: las experiencias de estudiantes, académicos y autoridades de dos carreras del área de biología
Authors:   , Olivares Donoso Ruby Carolina
Published: January 2024

Hoy en día existe acuerdo en la literatura respecto de que la formación de pregrado debe vincular docencia e investigación, incorporando la investigación como un elemento central en los programas de estudio de todas las disciplinas. Por otra parte, se ha evidenciado que existen diferencias entre las disciplinas en la forma en la cual estudiantes y académicos experimentan el vínculo docencia-investigación. En este sentido, este estudio busca comprender las experiencias del vínculo docencia-investigación que tienen estudiantes de último año, académicos y autoridades de dos carreras del área de Biología que pertenecen a distintas disciplinas: Licenciatura en Ciencias Biológicas, una disciplina dura-pura, y Licenciatura en Medicina, una disciplina dura-aplicada. Para realizar esta investigación se utilizó un diseño de métodos mixtos de tipo exploratorio secuencial, en cuatro fases. En la fase 1, se realizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas a estudiantes, académicos y autoridades; posteriormente, en la fase 2, se aplicó un cuestionario y un inventario a los estudiantes. A partir de los resultados de las fases 1 y 2, se realizó un análisis intra-disciplina (fase 3) e inter-disciplinas (fase 4). El análisis comprensivo de los resultados muestra que la comunidad educativa –estudiantes, académicos y autoridades– de Biología y Medicina reconoce la existencia del vínculo entre docencia e investigación –percibiendo ambas actividades como relacionadas entre sí– y experimentándolo en tres formas similares. Sin embargo, en el caso de Biología, a diferencia de Medicina, existe una tensión entre docencia e investigación, donde la docencia se ve desfavorecida frente a la investigación, lo cual repercute directamente en los estudiantes. Estos resultados tienen implicancias tanto prácticas, en la forma de recomendaciones para la comunidad educativa de las carreras estudiadas, como de investigación, en relación con futuras líneas de investigación.
Proyecto de gestión para favorecer habilidades predictoras de la lectura en estudiantes de segundo nivel de transición de una escuela pública en San Joaquín
Authors:   , Mena González Paulina Pilar
Published: January 2024

El desempeño lector de los niños en educación básica está fuertemente influido por las experiencias de favorecimiento de las habilidades predictoras de la lectura realizado en la etapa preescolar, entre las que se identifican tres como principales: conciencia fonológica, velocidad de denominación y principio alfabético. Pese a la importancia que otorga la literatura a estos procesos educacionales, hay establecimientos en los que existen dificultades para intencionar adecuadamente su desarrollo en el nivel preescolar y su progresión articulada a lo largo de los ciclos de enseñanza. Este estudio tiene como objetivo gestionar un plan de favorecimiento de dichas habilidades prelectoras en estudiantes de segundo nivel de transición mediante algunas prácticas de liderazgo distribuido, implementadas en un colegio público de la comuna de San Joaquín. Esta investigación está enmarcada en una investigación de tipo profesional y su metodología es la investigación acción. Se realizaron actividades de estimulación de estas habilidades lectoras con una frecuencia diaria y semanal a cargo de la investigadora y educadoras de párvulo, las que fueron modeladas, monitorizadas y retroalimentadas. Los resultados indican que la gestión de la participación de las educadoras de párvulos en estas actividades incrementó el conocimiento, compromiso, motivación y las habilidades predictoras de la lectura en los estudiantes.
In situ high-resolution mapping sensor alignment calibration method for underwater vehicles
Authors:   , Martín Vial José Agustín
Published: January 2024

En esta tesis se presenta un nuevo método para la calibración in-situ de los desalineamientos rotacionales y traslacionales entre un sensor de mapeo, como la ecosonda multihaz (multibeam echosounder (MB)) o el lidar submarino, y el sistema de navegación inercial (inertial navigation system (INS)) necesario para crear mapas de batimetría de alta resolución con vehículos submarinos. Las soluciones anteriormente descritas para este problema de calibración de la alineación lograron una precisión de desplazamiento suficiente para los sensores operados lejos del fondo marino. Para los sensores de alta resolución a baja altitud, incluso pequeños errores de alineación angular y posicional producen grandes artefactos en el mapa. El nuevo método de calibración de la alineación combina optimización por enjambre de partículas (particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO)) con una métrica de error computacionalmente práctica basada en la distancia al vecino más cercano (nearest neighbor distance (NND)). El rendimiento de la calibración se evalúa utilizando datos simulados y de terreno en el mar recogidos de un vehículo remotamente operado (remotely operated underwater robotic vehicle (ROV)), y estos resultados se comparan con un método basado en mínimos cuadrados ponderados previamente reportado. Estos análisis demuestran que el algoritmo propuesto consigue mejorar los datos del estudio y que este rendimiento es superior al del método de mínimos cuadrados.
Infancias migrantes en la narrativa latinoamericana
Authors:   , Alzate Natalia Andrea
Published: January 2024

Esta investigación aborda el problema de la representación de las infancias migrantes en la narrativa latinoamericana de las últimas dos décadas. Aquí la infancia funciona como un símbolo que permite pensar lo imperceptible de las subjetividades desplazadas y entender mejor el efecto de los traslados en quienes los experimentan y se ven despojados de una insignia originaria o territorial. El corpus seleccionado da cuenta de relatos que ficcionalizan y reescriben la experiencia de niños migrantes en América Latina, a través de voces que asumen el rol de protagonistas, y abarca: 1) las ‘infancias exiliadas’ a consecuencia de la violencia dictatorial en el Cono Sur; 2) las ‘infancias desplazadas’ en el marco de la violencia por la disputa de territorios en Colombia; 3) y los desplazamientos no menos violentos de niños que se ven en la necesidad de dejar sus países de origen para dirigirse, desde Centroamérica y México, hacia Estados Unidos. A través de este corpus se abordará la noción de infancias migrantes desde la perspectiva cultural y estética para hablar de niños que como cuerpos menores, en una zona liminar que los apresa entre los ya conocidos tópicos colonizadores: civilización/barbarie, bios/zoé, vidas a conservar/vidas a explotar, establecen una alianza y una comunidad narrada desde dimensiones lúdicas y estéticas. Su trayecto adquiere matices de una herida abierta (Derrida) que, por un lado, desdibuja la idea de sujetos y, por el otro, gesta un lenguaje alternativo, que esboza lentamente la subjetividad infantil en lo íntimo.
The effect of a genre-based approach to the enhancing of writing skills in exposition texts in Eleventh-grade students
Authors:   , Cruz Cariñe Roxana Antonia
Published: January 2024

The Chilean Ministry of Education for many years has emphasized the importance of developing the four language skills of the English language, being the writing skill one of the most present in activities in textbooks at all different school levels. In higher levels, such as eleventh grade, students are asked to write more complex texts, for example exposition texts. This type of text implies students to manage the 21st century skills which comprise higher order thinking abilities among other abilities. However, there has been little development on socializing a successful writing teaching approach nor has been explicit explanation of the differences found in all the existent text types, that is to say, their social purpose, intended audience, structure, and characteristics. This situation has led students to write different types of texts following the same steps and using the same linguistic resources available for them without much understanding. The present study aims to demonstrate how important is to become aware of the relevance of the linguistic choices that students have when writing an analytical exposition text through a through a contextualized explicit language teaching based on a genre-based approach (GBA) informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which consists of different specific stages. This study was carried out in a nine-week time using a methodological framework designed following a mixed method approach consisting of quantitative and qualitatively data analysis focusing on the written compositions of 15 eleventh-grade students of a middle class subsidized school in Santiago de Chile. The results of this research concluded that students’ writing skill in producing an exposition text was enhanced. Based on the positive results of this study, it is recommended that GBA aligned with the Teaching Learning Cycle should be implemented, at least, in higher levels of secondary education in Chilean schools with the objective of boosting students’ genre knowledge in generating different types of texts, especially, academic texts.