bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enseñanza básica en Chile: las escuelas que queremos
Authors: Gaete Alfredo , Ayala Cristián
Published: August 2018

This report presents the results of an opinion study carried out in June, 2013. Its central aim was to characterize the primary schools that citizens would like to have in Chile. A tendency was found to conceive of education quality as very dependent upon teacher quality; to prefer a unique, centralized curriculum (in charge of the Ministry of Education) over one developed at a local level; and to expect that primary education will provide a formative process orientated towards the holistic development of students, including such aspects as self-esteem, responsibility, and living together (which reveals a clear contrast between what citizens expect from our schools and what in fact happens in most of them, given the emphasis placed on the cognitive-intellectual aspects). We present different explanations for the citizens' preference for a unique, centralized curriculum, focusing on one that appeals to issues related to the construction of national identity. We also discuss the role of the citizens' voice in these matters as well as the evident gap that exists in certain areas between what people expect from, and what actually happens in, schools.
Escuelas inclusivas en el contexto de segregación social del sistema escolar chileno
Authors: Ortiz Iván
Published: August 2018

This study provides new evidence of the compositional effects of schools on student learning. First, it tries to find out to what extent, despite the social segregation of the Chilean school system, there are inclusive schools. Comparisons are made of inclusive and segregated schools on some general characteristics and for the mathematics learning opportunities offered to students. Second, the performance of students on the mathematics test PISA 2012 is analyzed; inclusive and segregated schools are compared, considering their social diversity. The results show that 23% of 15 year olds attend inclusive schools. In these schools, students from lower socioeconomic levels score higher than predicted given their socio-cultural backgrounds; the opposite occurs with students from higher socioeconomic levels. The segregated and inclusive institutions differ in regards to the mathematics learning opportunities offered to students.
Organización de docencia e investigación en universidades: Una exploración al caso chileno
Authors: Theurillat Daniel , Gareca Benjamín
Published: August 2018

The current investigation aims to explore the manner in which Chilean universities articulate their teaching and research activities. This is relevant as it has been shown that these activities do not always coexist harmonically, which can generate difficulties and tensions within the institutional organization. To approach this, a qualitative exploratory study was implemented, consisting of indepth semi-structured interviews of relevant institutional officials from diverse universities, belonging to different disciplines of knowledge. With the gathered information, a preliminary characterization of Chilean universities was constructed in reference to research and teaching. Among the main results, it can be observed that there are differences in regards to the following dimensions related to research and teaching: distribution of activities; promotion criteria; evaluation formats and incentives. In this sense, the more complex universities tend to present more rigid standards for the aforementioned dimensions. In addition, it has been concluded that the Chilean higher education system, in general, has a tendency to hold research in higher esteem, as occurs in industrialized countries.
Indicadores de resultados de las programas de pedagogía básica: evidencia para mejorar el aseguramiento de la calidad de los docentes en Chile
Authors: Rivero Rosario , Hurtado Constanza
Published: August 2018

The accreditation systems for teacher training programs generally combine input/process indicators with output/performance indicators. However, in Chile, the current national accreditation system of teacher training programs does not take into account output/performance indicators. The international context and the growing national demand for improving pre-service teacher education programs encourages us to explore and to expand the current quality indicators present in the teacher training programs. In this paper, indicators for teacher employment and retention rates of new teacher graduates are created and analyzed for their variance and coherence with the current accreditation system and with the institutional results on the teacher evaluation, INICIA.
Presencia de lenguaje académico en las educadoras de párvulos y su relación con el desarrollo del lenguaje de los niños.
Authors: Treviño Ernesto , Varela Carla , Romo Francisca , Nuñez Valeska
Published: August 2018

This article analyzes the relationship between pre-school teachers' language use in classrooms and students' language development. Specifically, this piece studies syntactic complexity, lexical diversity and the presence of sophisticated words in teachers' speech, in activities in which teachers tend to lead the conversation and to use language to transmit knowledge. The results indicate that controlling for socio-cultural variables of the child and variables of the classroom, such as the quality of the interactions and changing teachers from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten, the variables of the teacher's lexical diversity and use of sophisticated words significantly predict children's results on the identification of letters and words and emergent writing. Finally, this text discusses the importance of teacher language in reducing the gap between the language used in family contexts and the language required in school.
Malentendidos frecuentes acerca del financiamiento de la educación superior a nivel mundial.
Authors: Joohnstone D. Bruce
Published: August 2018

This article consolidates. from comparative international experience and theoretical and practical knowledge on the financing of higher education, fourteen proposals named common misunderstandings about the financing of higher education world wide. The fourteen misunderstandings relate to the weak technical grounds and/or ideological visions regarding shared financing of higher education; which are refuted in this article.
Director(a) por primera vez. Un estudio sobre la experiencia y socialización de los directores noveles en establecimientos municipales de Chile.
Authors: Weinstein José , Cuéllar Carolina , Hernández Macarena , Fernández Magdalena
Published: August 2018

Taking the role of a school principal for the first time is a critical period in their job performance, issue that has been sparsely studied in Chile despite of the increasing renovation of school leaders at the time. Based on 12 case studies and a survey administered to 76 principals, this article explores the experience and socialization of beginning principals at public schools, capturing their professional development needs as well. The main results include: a profile of beginning principals; the confirmation of an abrupt start at school organization; focus on short term actions emphasizing school climate and institutional management actions (delaying focus on pedagogical management); experiencing external and internal school difficulties combined with a lack of personal competencies to overcome challenges; the absence of institutional support during this initial period, which is compensated by school internal actorsâ€™ support and individualsâ€™ personal networks with other principals; and the need to differentiate between the experiences of beginning principals depending on whether they are insiders or outsiders to the school organization or the municipal sector.
Más que palabras por minuto: las otras habilidades que afectan la comprensión en 1º básico
Authors: Vergara Daniela , Strasser Katherine , Del Río María Francisca
Published: August 2018

The present study examines the explanatory power of a set of skills regarding two measures of text comprehension: Listening Comprehension (LC) and Reading Comprehension (RC) in first grade students. We evaluated the contribution to LC and RC of three higher-order cognitive skills, two measurements of knowledge, three measurements of executive function, phonological awareness and decoding, to examine their role in the comprehension of children who are just beginning to decode. We hypothesized that higher-order cognitive skills and knowledge would have a smaller role, in comparison to decoding. Two hundred and two first graders from the Santiago metropolitan area were assessed. Multiple regression models revealed that the variables of higher-order cognitive skills and knowledge were as important and in some cases more so, than decoding in explaining the RC of these first graders. LC was difficult to model in this sample. Implications for early teaching of reading and language are discussed.
Medición de la calidad universitaria en Chile: la influencia de los rankings
Authors: Reyes Claudia
Published: August 2018

This article focuses on the analysis of performative effects of rankings on university quality, showing the main results of a qualitative study on a sample of Chilean universities. From a sociological perspective and assimilating the presence of a fact-totem, a critical analysis of university rankings is presented in regards to its production and release, showing the subscribed quality model. The article describes the effects the rankings have on institutions and how the modeling of the current concept of quality operates, through an agency network which they are part of, along with the media and representatives of the participating universities, whom are ascribed a performative role. Finally, following the metaphor of imagining the ideal university, elements excluded from the current definition of university quality are identified and offered as a new reference, considering aspects such as the idea of community, improved teaching, and relevant research among others.
El concepto de sistema de los sistemas de educación superior: el caso chileno
Authors: Labraña Julio
Published: August 2018

The concept of system is central to the analysis of contemporary universities. This publication has two purposes. First, it criticizes the notion of a national system used in higher education studies and, secondly, in its place, it proposes the concept of an inter-organizational system. The historical evolution of Chilean universities is subsequently analyzed in these terms, to explore the possibilities of this approach. This essay ends by indicating the consequences of using the proposed notion of a university system.
Rediseño curricular en la Universidad de Concepción: la experiencia de las carreras de formación inicial docente
Authors: Cisterna Cecilia , Soto Valentina , Rojas Constanza
Published: August 2018

The main aim of this article is to describe and analyze the curriculum redesign experience of 19 teacher education programs of the University of Concepción. This process was developed in the context of a performance agreement in the area of teacher training, subscribed between the Ministry of Education and the university. In the first section, information is provided about the context in which the curriculum redesign occurred, in regards to changes in university education, the incorporation of the concept of competencies and learning outcomes, and the challenges of initial teacher training. In the second part, the origin and development of the curriculum redesign experience are presented, followed by a description of the multiple stages, highlighting the process as well as the results. The paper concludes with an analysis of the legal or administrative, institutional and academic aspects of the primary innovations resulting from the curriculum design experience.
¿Son las habilidades matemáticas un asunto de Género? Los estereotipos de género acerca de las matemáticas en niños y niñas de Kínder, sus familias y educadoras.
Authors: Del Río María Francisca , Strasser Katherine , Susperreguy María Inés
Published: August 2018

National as well as international standardized assessments reveal that Chile has a large genderÂ gap in math achievement that favors male students. Some theories propose that at least part of this gap can be explained by the effects of gender stereotypes that refer to abilities in math.In the present study, we examine the implicit and explicit gender stereotypes related to math of kindergarten children, their mothers, fathers and teachers in Santiago, Chile. The participantsÂ were 180 kindergarteners from mid-low and high SES (87 girls and 93 boys, from 19 classrooms),Â their parents and classroom teachers, from the urban area of Santiago, Chile. Participants were assessed on explicit and implicit gender stereotypes on math ability. Results show that, on average, both adults and children hold a stereotype that associates math to the male gender. In the case of children, the results of the implicit assessments reveal that all of the boys and mid-low-SES girls relate math to the male gender, while high-SES girls do not associate math to any gender. These findings suggest that math and gender stereotypes could help explain part of the math gender gap present in Chile, and thus suggest opportunities for early interventions and public policies that seek to offer children equal learning opportunities, particularly for girls and mothers from mid-low SES, who most intensely present this stereotype.Â
Usos de datos y mejora escolar: Una aproximación a los sentidos y prácticas educativas subyacentes a los procesos de toma de decisiones.
Authors: Parra Victoria , Matus Gladys
Published: August 2018

The implementation of the National System of Quality Assurance in Education (SNAC) in Chile, fosters a relationship between ministerial agencies and schools characterized by the production of external evaluations and data to guide school improvement. The present article contributes information on the challenges public schools face, in response to the first implementation phase of SNAC performed by the Quality Assurance Agency (ACE). To this end, and based on a review Â of international literature, the authors propose a conceptual definition of data highlighting a reflexive approach. This definition was employed to study four municipal schools located in the Metropolitan Region. The main findings of the study illustrate the strategies and processes of data analysis/use, performed by the schools, along with identifying the factors that influence these actions. The findings further underscore the strong influence of accountability on how the school actors conceptualize the value and use of data provided by SNAC, which influences how this data is used to inform school decision-making. The article suggests guidelines for education policy that would promote a contextualized, timely, and systemic use of data in municipal schools.
Estudio de casos de la enseñanza de la lengua y cultura Mapuche y su implementación como asignatura del currículo de educación básica.
Authors: Calderón Margarita , Castillo Silvia , Fuenzalida Diego , Hasler Felipe , Mariano Héctor , Vargas Cristián
Published: August 2018

This research explores the content and teaching strategies of the language and culture of the Mapuche, taught in primary school, by analyzing the perceptions and practices of the pedagogical pairs who implement the subject of Indigenous Language in the early years of primary education.Â  The sample was comprised of six schools who offer this subject, that met the following selection criteria: 1) effective implementation, 2) geographic zone; 3) numberÂ  of years implementing the subject and/or initiatives on intercultural education and bilingualism. In each school, classroom observations and interviews with the school leaders, traditional educators and teachers were conducted. The research results showed there are two main types of teaching strategies: those related to the mapuche culture and those which are not directly related to this culture. The teaching contents are very similar among all the cases; however, they are contextualized to the local contexts of each community. In addition, the contents are predominantly oriented towards cultural, instead of language. Due to the autonomy in which the traditional educators work, their pedagogical decisions are based on their own beliefs on how to motivate students to develop a sense of belonging towards the mapuche identity instead of focusing on bilingualism.
Consideraciones sobre empleabilidad en educación superior
Authors: Orellana Natalia
Published: August 2018

This paper provides a review of central features on the debates about the relationship between higher education and the labour market with the aim to contextualize the emergence of employability as a concept, practice, and policy in higher education. In this environment, despite its extensive international diffusion, it suffers significant and criticized contradictions regarding its appropriation, due to the presence of multiple interpretations and the lack of interdisciplinary dialogue to approach it. Thus, in this context, employability tends to be presented as an accountability tool for the teaching and learning process, due to conceptually weak bases completely unrelated to educational research, that give way to a problematic configuration. Its conceptualization does not take into account, for example, contributions from career theory, career education, and career orientation for the development of career management (or employability) skills, from a process-oriented perspective.
¿Cuán preparados llegan los directores escolares?: un análisis sobre su formación y trayectorias laborales previas a ejercer su cargo
Authors: Rivero Rosario , Hurtado Constanza , Morandé Ángeles
Published: August 2018

The evidence shows that student learning is influenced by school principals and their leadership teams. In Chile, however, school leaders' practices present some weaknesses. Based on a survey of 500 principals of subsidized schools, this study analyzes the training and work experience of school principals prior to their first job in this role. Graduate training programs as well as previous experience in schools with some leadership responsibilities are key opportunities to develop skills and knowledge to yield effective leadership. Nonetheless, the results show that before becoming principals, one out of four did not attend specialized graduate programs or have some type of leadership role in schools. Furthermore, only 13% of the school principals were highly prepared for the role, with both specialized education and prior work experience. These results highlight the challenge of advancing policies that improve principals' specialized training as well as the need of articulation between educational leadership policies and other educational policies. The objective is to generate policies that will improve specialized leadership training and promote the importance of prior leadership experiences in schools, to yield effective school leadership practices.
Tensiones y nudos críticos en la implementación de la(s) política(s) de convivencia escolar en Chile
Authors: López Verónica , Ramírez Lorena , Valdés René , Ascorra Paula , Carrasco-Aguilar Claudia
Published: August 2018

During the last 15 years, Chile has designed and implemented various laws and education policies aimed at improving, promoting and developing school climate and reducing levels of school violence. However, paradigmatic tensions have been identified in the foundations of these policies and laws, which create an ambivalent scenario for their implementation. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the tensions and critical aspects identified by the actors involved in the design and implementation of education policies on school climate. Through a qualitative methodology, ten active-reflexive interviews were carried out with key informants from three of the different organisms that conform the new structure of Chile's educational system (Quality Agency, Ministry of Education and Superintendence of Education). Thematic content analysis revealed that the participants identified critical tensions and aspects at the conceptual level (what is school climate), methodological level (how to evaluate it), and procedural level (how to improve it). These findings are discussed from the perspective of implementation science.
Los factores individuales y su efecto en los resultados escolares. Una medición a partir del SIMCE TIC 2013
Authors: Mora Freddy , Martínez Jaime , Serrano Gonzalo
Published: August 2018

This paper presents the results of the study of "Individual factors and their effect on school results. An analysis of data from the Simce TIC 2013" among Chilean students. The objective of this research was to describe the relationships among the self-perception of ICT skills, the attitude towards its use, and the type of use, based on tenth-grade student results on the Simce TICS 2013. Through a set of statistical analyses, we identified factors associated with dimensions of ICT skills for learning, attitude towards use and types of use. The study's results suggest a relationship between the variables analyzed. The model explains 24.4% of the variance of the Simce TIC score.
Relación entre la composición social de la comuna y la de las escuelas en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago
Authors: Ortiz Iván
Published: August 2018

This article addresses the social inclusion of schools. It explores the extent to which the social composition of schools is associated with that of the municipality, based on the premise that this would determine opportunities for school social mix. Data obtained from different sources, namely the fourth-grade results from Simce 2013 and the 2013 Casen Survey, were used to find out if variables based on territory such as population size, household monetary income, social heterogeneity and poverty would predict social composition of schools in the Santiago Metropolitan Area. Since the focus is on the social inclusion of the school, within a general context of segmentation, an appropriate indicator is proposed to make it visible. On average, 20% of fourth-grade students in 2013 attended schools that could be categorized as mixed, with peers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. A logistic regression model was used to adjust the data. While the model better predicted segregated schools than mixed ones, it provided valuable clues to understand how territorial variables can affect school mix.
Surgeon specialty and patient outcomes in carotid endarterectomy
Authors: Seicean Andreea , Kumar Prateek , Seicean Sinziana , Neuhauser Duncan , Weil Robert J.
Published: August 2018

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to compare outcomes of carotid endarterectomy performed by neurological, general, and vascular surgeons.

METHODS

The authors identified 80,475 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy between 2006 and 2015 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a prospectively collected, national clinical database with established reproducibility and validity. Nine hundred forty-three patients were operated on by a neurosurgeon; 75,649 by a vascular surgeon; and 3734 by a general surgeon. Preoperative and intraoperative characteristics and 30-day outcomes were stratified by the surgeon’s primary specialty. Using propensity scores, comprising pre- and intraoperative characteristics as well as procedure and diagnostic codes, the authors matched 203 neurosurgery (NS) patients to 203 vascular surgery (VS) patients and 203 NS patients to 203 general surgery (GS) patients. No pre- or intraoperative factors were significantly different between specialties in the matched sample. Regular logistic regression and conditional logistic regression were used to predict postoperative complications in the full sample and in the matched sample.

RESULTS

In the complete population sample, NS patients, when compared to patients of general and vascular surgeons, were less likely to be admitted from home and more likely to have carotid artery occlusion or stenosis with cerebral infarction, to be a current smoker, to have had recent chemo- or radiotherapy, to have surgery under general anesthesia, to undergo multiple procedures, and to have longer surgery times. In unadjusted analyses, NS patients were more likely to experience major complications (NS vs VS: odds ratio 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.6; NS vs GS: odds ratio 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.7); minor complications (NS vs VS: odds ratio 2.9, 95% CI 2.0–4.1; NS vs GS: odds ratio 2.7, 95% CI 1.7–4.2); intra- or postoperative transfusions (NS vs VS: odds ratio 1.6, 95% CI 1.4–1.9; NS vs GS: odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.6–2.3); prolonged hospitalization (NS vs VS: odds ratio 3.0, 95% CI 2.6–3.5; NS vs GS: odds ratio 2.6, 95% CI 2.2–3.0); and discharge to skilled care facilities (NS vs VS: odds ratio 2.8, 95% CI 2.3–3.4; NS vs GS: odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI 2.4–4.1). In adjusted, propensity-matched analyses, however, patients’ outcome with carotid endarterectomy performed by NS was comparable with those completed by GS and VS.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who undergo carotid endarterectomy performed by a neurosurgeon tend to have a greater preoperative disease burden than do those treated by a general or vascular surgeon, which contributes significantly to more morbid postoperative courses. In patients matched carefully on the basis of health status at the time of surgery and intraoperative variables that affect results, patients’ outcomes after carotid endarterectomy do not appear to depend on the attending surgeon’s primary specialty.
Nervus intermedius and the surgical management of geniculate neuralgia
Authors: Peris-Celda Maria , Oushy Soliman , Perry Avital , Graffeo Christopher S. , Carlstrom Lucas P. , Zimmerman Richard S. , Meyer Fredric B. , Pollock Bruce E. , Link Michael J.
Published: August 2018

OBJECTIVE

Geniculate neuralgia (GN) is an uncommon craniofacial pain syndrome attributable to nervus intermedius (NI) dysfunction. Diagnosis and treatment can be challenging, due to the complex nature of ear sensory innervation, resulting in clinical overlap with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN).

METHODS

A retrospective review of a prospective neurosurgical database at our institution was performed, 2000–2017, with a corresponding systematic literature review. Pain outcomes were dichotomized as unfavorable for unchanged/worsened symptoms versus favorable if improved/resolved. Eight formalin-fixed brains were examined to describe NI at the brainstem.

RESULTS

Eleven patients were surgically treated for GN—9 primary, 2 reoperations. The median age was 48, 7 patients were female, and the median follow-up was 11 months (range 3–143). Seven had ≥ 2 probable cranial neuralgias. NI was sectioned in 9 and treated via microvascular decompression (MVD) in 2. Five patients underwent simultaneous treatment for TN (4 MVD; 1 rhizotomy) and 5 for GPN (3 MVD; 2 rhizotomy). Eleven reported symptomatic improvement (100%); 8 initially reported complete resolution (73%). Pain outcomes at last contact were favorable in 8 (73%)—all among the 9 primary operations (89% vs 0%, p = 0.054). Six prior series reported outcomes in 111 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

GN is rare, and diagnosis is confounded by symptomatic overlap with TN/GPN. Directed treatment of all possible neuralgias improved pain control in almost all primary operations. Repeat surgery seems a risk factor for an unfavorable outcome. NI is adherent to superomedial VIII at the brainstem; the intermediate/cisternal portion is optimal for visualization and sectioning.
Intraoperative real-time identification of abnormal vessels within the bright field by superselective arterial injection of saline and its slow-motion recording using a high frame rate digital camera during surgical treatment of spinal arteriovenous shunts: technical note
Authors: Hamauchi Shuji , Osanai Toshiya , Seki Toshitaka , Kawabori Masahito , Okamoto Michinari , Hida Kazutoshi , Houkin Kiyohiro
Published: August 2018

The usefulness of superselective arterial injection of indocyanine green (SAI-ICG) during the surgical treatment of a spinal arteriovenous shunts (AVSs) has occasionally been reported. However, SAI-ICG lacks the temporal resolution for recording rapid blood flow. The authors found that SAI of saline (SAIS) via a microcatheter renders the vessels transparent because of the replacement of intravascular blood with saline. By combining SAIS with SAI-ICG, they were able to identify abnormal vessels in the bright field during the surgical treatment of spinal AVS. Furthermore, they performed slow-motion video recording of blood flow in abnormal vessels by mounting a high frame rate (HFR) digital camera on the microscope eyepiece during SAIS. In this paper, the authors present two cases of patients with spinal AVSs. The first patient had a cervical dural arteriovenous fistula, and the second had a thoracic spinal arteriovenous malformation. SAIS delineated abnormal vessels within the bright field in real time in both cases. HFR video was recorded in the second case during SAIS. The slow-motion video showed a smooth and seamless motion of the blood flow in the feeding artery, which facilitated an understanding of the blood flow direction.
Currarino syndrome: repair of the dysraphic anomalies and resection of the presacral mass in a combined neurosurgical and general surgical approach
Authors: Cearns Michael D. , Hettige Samantha , De Coppi Paolo , Thompson Dominic N. P.
Published: August 2018

OBJECTIVE

It is well established that Currarino syndrome (CS) may be associated with spinal dysraphism. Here, the authors report on 10 CS patients with dysraphic anomalies who had undergone a combined neurosurgical and general surgical approach to repair the dysraphic anomalies and resect the presacral mass in a single operation. They discuss the spectrum of spinal dysraphism that may coexist in CS in the context of its developmental etiology.

METHODS

Children with a confirmed CS diagnosis who had undergone the combined operative approach were identified from a departmental database. Presenting features were recorded and preoperative imaging was analyzed to record features of the presacral mass and the dysraphic anomalies. The histopathological nature of the resected presacral mass and the outcomes postoperatively and at the last follow-up were reviewed.

RESULTS

Between 2008 and 2015, 10 patients presented with CS, 9 with constipation. Median age at the time of surgery was 1.3 years. Six of the 10 patients had anorectal malformation consisting of anal stenosis, rectal stenosis, or imperforate anus. Spinal anomalies included anterior meningocele (5 cases), low-lying conus (8), terminal syrinx (4), fatty filum (5), caudal lipoma (3), and intraspinal cyst (1). In all cases, the lumbosacral spinal canal was accessed via a midline approach with laminoplasty, allowing spinal cord untethering and repair of the dysraphic anomalies. Following dural closure, the incision was extended inferiorly to incorporate a posterior sagittal approach to resect the presacral mass. The histopathological nature of the mass was mature teratoma (8 cases), complex hamartomatous malformation (1), or neurenteric cyst (1). There were no new instances of neurological deterioration, with most instances of persisting morbidity related to constipation (6 cases) or neurogenic bladder dysfunction (8). There were no infective complications, no instances of cerebrospinal fluid fistula, no recurrences of the presacral mass, and no cases of retethering of the spinal cord.

CONCLUSIONS

Although not part of the original triad, spinal dysraphic anomalies are common in CS and in keeping with a disorder of secondary neurulation. Lumbosacral MRI is an essential investigation when CS is suspected. Children are at risk of sphincter impairment due to the anorectal malformation; however, both spinal cord tethering and compression from the presacral mass may further compromise long-term continence. A combined operative approach to repair the dysraphic anomalies and resect the presacral mass is described with good postoperative and long-term outcomes.
Urgencias psiquiátricas infanto-juveniles: 7 años de seguimiento
Authors: Fernández-Quintana Águeda , Novo-Ponte Ana , Quiroga-Fernández Candela , Méndez-Iglesias Rebeca , Pereiro-Gómez César
Published: August 2018

Introducción: A pesar de la mayor demanda de urgencias psiquiátricas infanto-juveniles, las características de este colectivo no han sido definidas con precisión.

Objetivos: Analizar variables clínicas y sociodemográficas de los menores de 17 años evaluados en Urgencias Psiquiátricas de un hospital general. Estudiar la adherencia terapéutica y la estabilidad diagnóstica tras la atención urgente.

Método: Estudio retrospectivo en una muestra de 218 atenciones psiquiátricas infanto-juveniles durante 7 años (2010-2017).

Resultados: Edad media 13,60 años (DE: 2,36). Sexo: 54% mujeres, 46% varones. El número de atenciones psiquiátricas infanto-juveniles aumentó desde 11,6% en 2010 hasta 23,3% en 2016. Motivo de consulta más frecuente: alteraciones conductuales en varones y autolesiones en mujeres. Antecedentes de intento autolítico mujeres: 46,4%, varones: 14%. La mayoría de los pacientes presentaban antecedentes psiquiátricos personales y familiares. Antecedentes somáticos (17,1%), la enfermedad más prevalente fue la epilepsia (9,7%). El 11,5% consumían tóxicos (droga más frecuente: THC), el abuso de alcohol era más prevalente entre las mujeres. Tasa de hospitalización (14,7%), los pacientes más jóvenes precisaban ingreso con mayor frecuencia. En Urgencias se prescribieron psicofármacos en el 62,3% de los casos (grupo más recetado: antipsicóticos 38,9%). Derivación para seguimiento ambulatorio (72,5%), asistencia a la primera consulta (81%), retirada de prescripciones farmacológicas (58%). Estabilidad diagnostica: 77,8%.

Conclusiones: Existen importantes diferencias de género en las urgencias psiquiátricas infanto-juveniles. Se trata de un colectivo vulnerable, la mayoría de los pacientes tienen antecedentes psiquiátricos personales y familiares, con perfil socio-demográfico desfavorable. Es necesario mejorar la adherencia terapéutica tras la atención urgente.
FEATURES OF HEAVY METALS DISTRIBUTION IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF THE RIVERS OF UKRAINE
Authors: Lyuta N. G.
Published: August 2018

The chemical composition of bottom sediments is an important indicator of the ecological state of both water systems and watershed areas, since contaminated bottom sediments are a potential source of secondary pollution of aquatic systems. The analysis of recent publications shows that great attention has been paid to the chemical composition of bottom sediments, however, as a rule, these studies are of a local nature, that is, they cover very small areas. This often raises the issue of criteria for assessing the ecological and geochemical status of bottom sediments, since a small number of samples does not allow correctly determining the local geochemical background. In addition, generally accepted norms, for example, the maximum allowable concentrations, do not exist for bottom sediments. In these conditions, data on regional geochemical backgrounds of pollutants are needed. The need for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Ukraine, which requires the introduction of water management basin-based, necessitates the determination of the geochemical characteristics of bottom sediments within the river basin territories. To study the distribution of heavy metals and determine their regional backgrounds in the bottom sediments, a database of environmental and geochemical information was used in the GIS, one of the blocks of which is information on the content of chemical elements and compounds in the bottom sediments of watercourses and water bodies of Ukraine, and the electronic map of river basins of Ukraine. Based on the analysis in the GIS of information on the chemical composition of the bottom sediments of the rivers of Ukraine (about 8,1 thousand samples), regional geochemical background of lead, zinc, copper, chromium, nickel and cobalt have been determined. The main regularities of distribution of chemical elements in bottom sediments in the territory of Ukraine are established. For the chemical elements in question, a gradual increase in their content in soils from north to south, that is, from the river basins of the Polissya zone to the basins of the Steppe landscape-climatic zone, is consistent with the geochemical features of the soil cover of the catchment areas. The increased background content of chemical elements in bottom sediments often spatially coincides with the spread of soil differences in the catchment areas, which also have a high content of these elements. The maximum background content of most heavy metals in bottom sediments is naturally clearly recorded within the Carpathian-Crimean metallogenic province. Thus, despite the long and intensive technogenic impact on the surface water bodies of Ukraine, it is necessary to note the priority of natural factors in the formation of the chemical composition of bottom sediments, at least for the heavy metals considered above.
SEISMOGEODYNAMIC ACTIVATION OF OIL AND GAS AREAS OF PRE-CARPATHIAN FOREDEEP
Authors: Nazarevych L. Ye. , Nazarevych A. V.
Published: August 2018

The modern seismic activation of the main oil and gas areas of the Pre-Carpathian foredeep – Dolyna (1974–1976), Nadvirna (1996–2013) and Boryslav (2014–2017) was traced. The refinement of the location of the studied earthquakes courses is carried out on the regional travel time tables and the method of residuals minimizing. The directions of ruptures breaking in the foci of the stronger ones were studied, the ruptures lengths and other parameters of these courses were estimated. The spatial models of seismic activity of the main seismogenic structures in these areas have been constructed. It has been established that most of the earthquakes courses tend to transverse faults of the anti-Carpathian (northeastern) direction (in the zones of their intersection with the Precarpathian deep fault), which cross or limit the oil and gas structures, part of the courses tend to the ones available here thrusts and folds of different depth. Taking into account the long-lasting (starting from the 19th century) active production of oil and gas condensate here the local seismicity, obviously, is additionally technogenically provoked (induced).
MATLAB/Simulink Simulation of Renewable Energy Distribution System Using MPPT
Authors: Saini Dharmender , Rai Nikita
Published: August 2018

The conventional sources of energy are generally not replenished easily and are thus exhaustible in nature. This implies that they draw finite resources which would eventually diminish. As a result, there would be a scarcity of energy supplies if we continue to depend entirely on these non-renewable energy sources. In contrast, the renewable sources of energy, commonly known as the non-conventional sources such as the wind, geo-thermal, hydro as well as solar are non-exhaustible and can be replenished. The only drawback they face is their intermittent nature as well as high installation and maintenance cost. It is always of due concern regarding the consistent developing energy systems which involves that the final product requirements should be noted, hence this paper focuses on the storehouse in a renewable energy system. Basically, two sources of renewable energy namely, solar and wind are incorporated and their unpredictable nature leads to the use of battery as the source of energy. The energy is supplied in intervals from the two renewable sources with the provision of battery as backup source. MPPT is used to ensure maximum power output. The benefits related to environmental aspect of these energy resources are recognized widely and on a large scale. The renewable energy resources are not affected greatly from the monotonous long-term availability issues in regard to finite fuels location restriction, but at the same time include different problems such as the interdependence on flowing resources that are not constant.
Impact of Photovoltaic Penetration on Static Voltage Stability of Distribution Networks: A Probabilistic Approach
Authors: Rawat Mahiraj Singh , Vadhera Shelly
Published: August 2018

Increased penetration of renewable energy sources in distribution networks has imposed a significant challenge for power system stability. In this paper, the uncertainty associated with solar irradiation and load demands are modelled as probabilistic distribution functions (PDFs). The static voltage stability index (VSI) is used to find the optimal locations of distributed generation (DG). To investigate the impact of photovoltaic (PV) based DGs on distribution network, Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method, a probabilistic load flow method, is used in this work. Distribution test networks i.e. IEEE 33 and 69 bus networks are used for case study. The results obtained are presented and discussed.
Three VCP Mutations in Patients with Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Wong Tsz Hang , Pottier Cyril , Hondius David C. , Meeter Lieke H.H. , van Rooij Jeroen G.J. , Melhem Shami ,   The Netherlands Brain bank, van Minkelen Rick , van Duijn Cornelia M. , Rozemuller Annemieke J.M. , Seelaar Harro , Rademakers Rosa , van Swieten John C.
Published: August 2018

Valosin-containing protein ( VCP) is involved in multiple cellular activities. Mutations in VCP lead to heterogeneous clinical presentations including inclusion body myopathy with Paget’s disease of the bone, frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, even in patients carrying the same mutation. We screened a cohort of 48 patients with familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) negative for MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72 mutations for other known FTD genes by using whole exome sequencing. In addition, we carried out targeted sequencing of a cohort of 37 patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration with Transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) subtype from the Netherlands Brain bank. Two novel (p.Thr262Ser and p.Arg159Ser) and one reported (p.Met158Val) VCP mutations in three patients with a clinical diagnosis of FTD were identified, and were absence in population-match controls. All three patients presented with behavioral changes, with additional semantic deficits in one. No signs of Paget or muscle disease were observed. Pathological examination of the patient with VCP p.Arg159Ser mutation showed numerous TDP-43 immunoreactive (IR) neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NII) and dystrophic neurites (DN), while a lower number of NII and DN were observed in the patient with the VCP p.Thr262Ser mutation. Pathological findings of both patients were consistent with FTLD-TDP subtype D. Furthermore, only rare VCP-IR NII was observed in both cases. Our study expands the clinical heterogeneity of VCP mutations carriers, and indicates that other additional factors, such as genetic modifiers, may determine the clinical phenotype.
Postmortem T2*- Weighted MRI Imaging of Cortical Iron Reflects Severity of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Bulk Marjolein , Kenkhuis Boyd , van der Graaf Linda M. , Goeman Jelle J. , Natté Remco , van der Weerd Louise
Published: August 2018

The value of iron-based MRI changes for the diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) depends on an association between cortical iron accumulation and AD pathology. Therefore, this study determined the cortical distribution pattern of MRI contrast changes in cortical regions selected based on the known distribution pattern of tau pathology and investigated whether MRI contrast changes reflect the underlying AD pathology in the different lobes. T2*-weighted MRI was performed on postmortem cortical tissue of controls, late-onset AD (LOAD), and early-onset AD (EOAD) followed by histology and correlation analyses. Combining ex vivo high-resolution MRI and histopathology revealed that: 1) LOAD and EOAD have a different distribution pattern of AD pathological hallmarks and MRI contrast changes over the cortex, with EOAD showing more severe MRI changes; 2) per lobe, severity of AD pathological hallmarks correlates with iron accumulation, and hence with MRI. Therefore, iron-sensitive MRI sequences allow detection of the cortical distribution pattern of AD pathology ex vivo.
No Significant Difference in Cognitive Decline and Mortality between Parkinson’s Disease Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies: Naturalistic Longitudinal Data from the Swedish Dementia Registry
Authors: Fereshtehnejad Seyed-Mohammad , Lökk Johan , Wimo Anders , Eriksdotter Maria
Published: August 2018

Background:

Whether dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are distinct disorders or two subtypes of the same entity, is not yet fully understood. There is a dearth of knowledge on differences in longitudinal clinical outcomes between DLB and PDD.

Objective:

We aimed to compare longitudinal trend of cognitive decline, mortality, and their determinant factors between patients with DLB and PDD.

Methods:

At baseline, we recruited 1110 DLB, and 764 PDD patients registered in the Swedish dementia registry (SveDem) during 2007–2015. Cognitive status was assessed at baseline and each follow-up visit by mini-mental state examination (MMSE). At least one follow-up MMSE was available for 411 (37.0%) DLB and 229 (30.0%) PDD patients. Rate of cognitive decline and mortality risk were compared between the two groups.

Results:

After an average of 2-years, the rate of cognitive decline did not differ between DLB (1.1 MMSE unit/year) and PDD (1.2 MMSE unit/year) groups ( p = 0.970). There was no significant difference in the median survival time between DLB (4.0 years) and PDD (4.1 years) groups (Log rank p = 0.614). Antipsychotic drug use in DLB and larger number of medications in PDD were the most important determinants of faster annual cognitive decline.

Conclusions:

Our findings from real-world clinical practice demonstrated that the rate of cognitive decline and mortality do not differ significantly between DLB and PDD at least over 2 years, yet, various factors might determine clinical outcome in these two groups. It seems that DLB and PDD are probably similar synucleinopathies, with phenotypical variations in the order of manifestations rather than course of progression and clinical outcome.
The small animal material discrimination study based on equivalent monochromatic energy projection decomposition method with dual-energy CT system
Authors: Wu Xiaochuan , He Peng , Zhang Yi , Chen Mianyi , Wei Biao , Liu Fenglin , An Kang , Feng Peng
Published: August 2018

Material discrimination is an important application of dual-energy computed tomography (CT) techniques. Projection decomposition is a key problem for pre-reconstruction material discrimination. In this study, we focused on the pre-reconstruction space based on the photoelectric and Compton effect decomposition model to characterize different material components, and proposed an efficient method to calculate the projection decomposition coefficient. We converted the complex projection integral into a linear equation by calculating the equivalent monochromatic energy from the high and low energy spectrum. Meanwhile, we constructed a dual-energy CT system based on a photon-counting detector to take small animal scan and material discrimination analysis. Finally, the results of simulation and experimental study demonstrated the feasibility of our proposed new method, and explained the characteristics of photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering reconstruction images.