bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opening the door: inviting youth and parent perspectives on youth mental health emergency department use
Authors: Campbell Leslie Anne , Lovas David , Withers Ellen , Peacock Kylie
Published: May 2020

Background

Canadian Emergency Departments (EDs) have seen increasing use by children and youth for mental health concerns in recent years. This trend is likely a result of several complex factors, and researcher-posed potential explanations include gaps or access problems in primary care or mental health services, increasing prevalence or awareness of mental disorders and fear of potentially harmful outcomes, or expectations of need for urgent specialist care. Youth, parent, or caregiver perceptions and reasons for increasing mental health ED use may differ, and to date have been underrepresented in informing research directions. We sought to engage with youth and parents or caregivers served by a Canadian tertiary paediatric health centre to: 1) inform research directions for an emerging program of research in child and youth ED use for mental health care; and 2) develop strategies to support ongoing patient engagement in our research.

Methods

Youth and parents were consulted to inform the development of a research engagement strategy. Partnerships with local community agencies facilitated supported engagement with both youth and parents. Group and individual in-person engagement opportunities were offered, as well as opportunities for written submissions and information sharing.

Results

Youth and parents identified specific mechanisms to support engagement and for sharing ongoing opportunities and progress, including providing multiple platforms for engagement, offering separate opportunities for youth and parents or caregivers, and minimizing the potential for distress by ensuring appropriate supports and providing alternative opportunities for feedback, including written submissions. They identified lack of timely access to mental health care in primary care and community mental health settings, and accessibility, dependability, and familiarity of the ED as areas for further research.

Conclusions

Strategies to mitigate potential concerns regarding distress, readiness for participation, literacy, and protection of privacy were highlighted as important considerations. Youth and parents were interested in ongoing research engagement through consultation and information sharing. Youth and parents identified areas of interest for research and refined the research team’s proposed research directions by adding contextualizing information.

Trial registration

Not applicable.
Compatibility of entomopathogenic fungi and Azadirachta indica extract against the cotton pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under controlled conditions
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Asif , Atta Bilal , Gogi Muhammad Dildar , Arif Muhammad Jalal , Arain Qurban Ali
Published: May 2020

Compatibility of entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) viz. Verticillium lecanii, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana with Azadirachta indica extract (alone and in combinations) was evaluated against 2nd instar larvae of the cotton pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under controlled conditions. Results indicated that maximum mortality rate of P. gossypiella larvae was recorded at combination of the highest conidial concentrations of V. lecanii + M. anisopliae + B. bassiana along with A. indica extract, while minimum mortality rate was recorded at A. indica extract alone, 12 days post exposure interval. Maximum mycosis and sporulation from dead cadavers of P. gossypiella larvae were recorded at the highest concentration of B. bassiana, while the lowest mycosis and sporulation were recorded at the highest conidial concentrations of V. lecanii + M. anisopliae + B. bassiana along with A. indica extract. Maximum percent of pupation and adult emergence in P. gossypiella larvae was observed in the treatment, where A. indica extract was applied alone, while the minimum percent of pupation and adult emergence was observed at the treatment combination of the highest concentration of B. bassiana + V. lecanii + M. anisopliae along with A. indica extract was applied. EPFs proved their enhanced long-term protection potential for cotton crop against P. gossypiella. A. indica extract integrated with the EPFs can be a potential alternative to the chemicals and as an effective component of IPM program against P. gossypiella.
Perioperative Considerations for Tracheostomies in the Era of COVID-19
Authors: Gosling Andre F. , Bose Somnath , Gomez Ernest , Parikh Mihir , Cook Charles , Sarge Todd , Shaefi Shahzad , Leibowitz Akiva
Published: May 2020

The morbidity, mortality, and blistering pace of transmission of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to an unprecedented worldwide health crisis. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease produced by SARS-CoV-2 infection, is remarkable for persistent, severe respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation that places considerable strain on critical care resources. Because recovery from COVID-19–associated respiratory failure can be prolonged, tracheostomy may facilitate patient management and optimize the use of mechanical ventilators. Several important considerations apply to plan tracheostomies for COVID-19–infected patients. After performing a literature review of tracheostomies during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreaks, we synthesized important learning points from these experiences and suggested an approach for perioperative teams involved in these procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multidisciplinary teams should be involved in decisions regarding timing and appropriateness of the procedure. As the theoretical risk of disease transmission is increased during aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), stringent infectious precautions are warranted. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be available and worn by all personnel present during tracheostomy. The number of people in the room should be limited to those absolutely necessary. Using the most experienced available operators will minimize the total time that staff is exposed to an infectious aerosolized environment. An approach that secures the airway in the safest and quickest manner will minimize the time any part of the airway is open to the environment. Deep neuromuscular blockade (train-of-four ratio = 0) will facilitate surgical exposure and prevent aerosolization due to patient movement or coughing. For percutaneous tracheostomies, the bronchoscopist should be able to reintubate if needed. Closed-loop communication must occur at all times among members of the team. If possible, after tracheostomy is performed, waiting until the patient is virus-free before changing the cannula or downsizing may reduce the chances of health care worker infection. Tracheostomies in COVID-19 patients present themselves as extremely high risk for all members of the procedural team. To mitigate risk, systematic meticulous planning of each procedural step is warranted along with strict adherence to local/institutional protocols.
It is time to think inside the (collimation) box; a quality improvement project to reduce over-scanning in CT scanning of the kidneys, ureters and bladder
Authors: Netke Tejas , Spurr Matthew , Vosough Alireza
Published: May 2020

Objective:

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) recommend CT of the kidneys, ureters and bladder (CTKUB) as the first-line investigation for renal colic, stating that excess scan length above the upper pole of the highest kidney should not exceed 10% of the total scan length. The project aim was to determine what proportion of CTKUB scans performed at a district general hospital (DGH) were meeting this standard and explore improvement options as necessary.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed on 100 consecutive patients who attended a Radiology Department with renal colic. The number of CTKUB slices above the upper pole of the highest kidney, relative to scan length, was recorded. The DGH radiographers believed over scanning could be reduced by viewing image acquisition in real-time and manually stopping the scan at the top of the highest kidney. This was implemented and a re-audit of 50 patients was performed.

Results:

Scan length exceeded the standard on 81% of scans (81/100). Over scanning was reduced to 14% (7/50) post-intervention.

Conclusion:

This DGH was over scanning a large proportion of patients. Manually stopping the CTKUB significantly reduced over scanning.

Advances in knowledge:

A small change to CTKUB scanning technique can significantly improve adherence to RCR guidelines.
An evolutionarily conserved RNA structure in the functional core of the lincRNA Cyrano
Authors: Jones Alisha N. , Pisignano Giuseppina , Pavelitz Thomas , White Jessica , Kinisu Martin , Forino Nicholas , Albin Dreycey , Varani Gabriele
Published: May 2020

The wide prevalence and regulated expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) highlight their functional roles, but the molecular basis for their activities and structure-function relationships remains to be investigated, with few exceptions. Among the relatively few lncRNAs conserved over significant evolutionary distances is the long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA) Cyrano (orthologous to human OIP5-AS1), which contains a region of 300 highly conserved nucleotides within tetrapods, which in turn contains a functional stretch of 26 nt of deep conservation. This region binds to and facilitates the degradation of the microRNA miR-7, a short ncRNA with multiple cellular functions, including modulation of oncogenic expression. We probed the secondary structure of Cyrano in vitro and in cells using chemical and enzymatic probing, and validated the results using comparative sequence analysis. At the center of the functional core of Cyrano is a cloverleaf structure maintained over the >400 million years of divergent evolution that separates fish and primates. This strikingly conserved motif provides interaction sites for several RNA-binding proteins and masks a conserved recognition site for miR-7. Conservation in this region strongly suggests that the function of Cyrano depends on the formation of this RNA structure, which could modulate the rate and efficiency of degradation of miR-7.
Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders and Anxiety State Levels in Ballet Dancers A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hilgenberg-Sydney Priscila Brenner , Wilhelm Julia Michalach , Pimentel Giovanna , Petterle Ricardo , Bonotto Daniel
Published: May 2020

This study evaluated the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in ballet dancers and explored their association with levels of anxiety. Participants were 51 male and female ballet dancers with a mean age of 31.5 ± 12.6 years. The diagnosis of TMDs was made in accordance
with Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (RDC/TMD). All subjects completed the state part of an anxiety questionnaire (STAI). Data were gathered and analyzed using the R statistical software (version: 3.4.0.) with level of significance set at 5%. The prevalence
of all TMDs in the sample was 78%; that is, of the 51 participants, 39 had at least one positive diagnosis. The two most prevalence diagnoses were disk displacement with reduction and arthralgia. Individuals with TMD had a mean anxiety score of 42.55 ± 9.92 on the STAI, whereas for
those without TMD it was 44.27 ± 11.89, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.53). It is concluded that the general prevalence of TMDs in ballet dancer is higher than in the population at large. Disk displacement with reduction and arthralgia are the most common TMDs,
and the presence of TMDs does not seem to affect anxiety state levels in this population.
Patient treatment pathways of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases in coastal South India: Road to a drug resistant tuberculosis center
Authors: Rathi Priya , Shringarpure Kalpita , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Pandey Abhinav , Nair Abhirami
Published: May 2020

Background: Delays in initiating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) treatment adds risk to individual patients and the community due to disease progression, and on-going transmission. The Government of India offers free TB diagnosis and treatment, however many presumptive MDR TB patients wander within the Indian healthcare system and delay accessing the programme. To improve access to care, it is imperative to understand the treatment pathways taken by MDR TB patients. We aimed to describe the diagnostic and treatment pathway taken by presumptive MDR TB patients registered under Programmatic Management of Drug-resistant TB Program.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study amongst patients registered during August 2016 – April 2017 at one District Drug Resistance Tuberculosis centre of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, India. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the number, type (private and public sector), and dates of healthcare facilities (HCFs) visits prior to the initiation of MDR TB treatment. Delays in pathway were measured in days and summarised as median and interquartile range (IQR), from the date of onset of illness until the initiation of MDR TB treatment.

Results: We found that patients preferred private HCFs; however, due to lack of treatment and unaffordability they shifted to public HCFs. Median delay to register under the program was more in private HCFs (180 days) in comparison with public HCFs (120 days). We also found that the detection rates were much higher in public HCFs (80%).

Conclusion: The present study found that there was substantial patient delay and total delay in diagnosis and treatment of MDR TB patients. Private HCF was first point of contact for most of the patients; however the diagnostic rate was high in public HCF. The government should involve private HCFs to provide standard diagnostics and treatment to the patients seeking a private facility.
Highlights of the 3rd ISCB Africa Student Council Symposium 2019 in Ghana
Authors: Akurugu Wisdom A. , Doughan Albert , Adamu Bukari Abdul-Rahman , Hayat Mahtaab , San Emmanuel James , Nyarko Hannah Nyarkoah , Mogaka John , Harrison Ndung'u Mwangi , Rahman Farzana , Shome Sayane
Published: May 2020

The article elaborates on the program highlights of the 3rd African Student Council Symposium 2019. The one-day symposium was held in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, on 11 November 2019 during the 6th joint international bioinformatics conference of the ISCB and ASBCB. It consisted of three sessions that included keynote talks by Prof Christine Orengo and Dr. Amel Ghouila, and seven selected student speaker talks from different areas of bioinformatics. The students benefited from networking and learning about ongoing research work by their peers hailing from different countries of the African region. The symposium proved to be pivotal to strengthen connections in the African bioinformatics student community.
Recent advances in understanding the role of leptin in energy homeostasis
Authors: Münzberg Heike , Singh Prachi , Heymsfield Steven B. , Yu Sangho , Morrison Christopher D.
Published: May 2020

The hormone leptin plays a critical role in energy homeostasis, although our overall understanding of acutely changing leptin levels still needs improvement. Several developments allow a fresh look at recent and early data on leptin action. This review highlights select recent publications that are relevant for understanding the role played by dynamic changes in circulating leptin levels. We further discuss the relevance for our current understanding of leptin signaling in central neuronal feeding and energy expenditure circuits and highlight cohesive and discrepant findings that need to be addressed in future studies to understand how leptin couples with physiological adaptations of food intake and energy expenditure.
A multi-perspective analysis of dissemination, etiology, clinical view and therapeutic approach for binge eating disorder (BED)
Authors: Jowik Katarzyna , Dutkiewicz Agata , Słopień Agnieszka , Tyszkiewicz- Nwafor Marta
Published: May 2020

Zaburzenia odżywiania (Eating Disorder, ED) stanowią trzecią po astmie i otyłości najczęstszą grupę chorób przewlekłych wśród osób w wieku 14-19 lat, a jedną z ich form jest zaburzenie z napadami objadania się (Binge Eating Disorders, BED). Celem niniejszej pracy jest podsumowanie dotychczasowych badań naukowych dotyczących epidemiologii, charakterystyki klinicznej, etiopatogenezy i leczenia tego zaburzenia. Etiopatogeneza BED jest wciąż słabo poznana, a aktualny stan wiedzy prowadzi do wniosku, że patomechanizm powstawania i utrzymywania się jego objawów jest bardzo złożony- czynniki wpływające na prezentowane objawy mają podłoże genetyczne, neurobiologiczne, biochemiczne, poznawcze i emocjonalne. Leczenie skierowane ściśle na wybrane z mechanizmy patogenetyczne-m.in. zaburzenia krążenia korowo-prążkowego, nieprawidłowości neurohormonalne, czy niewłaściwa regulacja emocji- może być kluczowe dla osób z BED. Często współwystępujące problemy psychiczne, np. zaburzenia nastroju, lękowe, osobowości, nadużywanie substancji psychoaktywnych, myśli i próby samobójcze oraz somatyczne są szczególnie ważne w kontekście pracy lekarzy podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej oraz psychiatry i powinny skłaniać do upowszechniania wiedzy o BED, a także tworzenia interdyscyplinarnych zespołów terapeutycznych.
Persistent-Idle Load-Distribution
Authors: Atar Rami , Keslassy Isaac , Mendelson Gal , Orda Ariel , Vargaftik Shay
Published: May 2020

A parallel server system is considered in which a dispatcher routes incoming jobs to a fixed number of heterogeneous servers, each with its own queue. Much effort has been previously made to design policies that use limited state information (e.g., the queue lengths in a small subset of the set of servers, or the identity of the idle servers). However, existing policies either do not achieve the stability region or perform poorly in terms of job completion time. We introduce Persistent-Idle (PI), a new, perhaps counterintuitive, load-distribution policy that is designed to work with limited state information. Roughly speaking, PI always routes to the server that has last been idle. Our main result is that this policy achieves the stability region. Because it operates quite differently from existing policies, our proof method differs from standard arguments in the literature. Specifically, large time properties of reflected random walk, along with a careful choice of a Lyapunov function, are combined to obtain a Lyapunov condition over sufficiently long-time intervals. We also provide simulation results that indicate that job completion times under PI are low for different choices of system parameters, compared with several state-of-the-art load-distribution schemes.
Suffrianaltica, a new genus of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) from the West Indies

Authors: KONSTANTINOV ALEXANDER S. , LINZMEIER ADELITA MARIA
Published: May 2020

New genus Suffrianaltica gen. nov. is described to accommodate Chaetocnema tuberculata (Suffrian, 1868). It is illustrated and compared to Apraea Baly, 1877, Glyptina LeConte, 1859, and Guadeloupena Bechyne, 1956 and their distinguishing characters are illustrated. The lectotype of Chaetocnema tuberculata (Suffrian, 1868) is designated. Key words: Neotropical region, Cuba, new genus, lectotype designation, Suffrian
A new species Asproparthenis omeri sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae) from the Aras valley in Northeastern Turkey

Authors: KOROTYAEV BORIS A. , GÜLTEKİN NESLİHAN , GÜLTEKİN LEVENT
Published: May 2020

A new species Asproparthenis omeri sp. nov. closely related to A. vexata (Gyllenhal, 1834) is described in the tribe Cleonini (Curculionidae) from the Aras River valley in Northeastern Turkey. The new species is the first representative of the genus Asproparthenis Gozis, 1886 with vestigial hind wings. Digital photographs of diagnostic morphological features of the new species and A. vexata are provided. Adults of the new species feed on leaves of a halophilic chenopod Bassia hirsuta (L.) Ascherson that dominates vegetation in the saline and desertified habitat in the type locality. Key words: Asproparthenis, new species, taxonomy, bionomics, halophyte, Bassia hirsuta, Turkey
First Order Kinetics of Biodiesel Synthesis Using Used Frying Oil through Transesterification Reaction
Authors: Haryanto Agus , Gita Amieria Citra , Saputra Tri Wahyu , Telaumbanua Mareli
Published: May 2020

This research aims to study the first-order kinetics of biodiesel production from used frying oil (UFO) through transesterification with methanol. Used frying oil was collected from fried peddlers around the campus of the University of Lampung. Technical grade methanol and NaOH catalyst were purchased from a local chemical supplier. The experiment was carried out with 100 ml of UFO at various combinations of oil to methanol molar ratio (1:4, 1:5, and 1:6), reaction temperatures(30 to 55oC, the ramping temperature of 5o C), and reaction time of 0.25 to 10 minutes. First-order kinetic was employed using 126 data pairs (87.5%). The acquired kinetic model was validated using 18 data sets (12.5%) observed at a reaction time of eight min. Results show that biodiesel yield was increased with reaction time, its molar ratio, and temperature. The maximum return of 78.44% was achieved at 55oC and molar ratio of 1:6. The kinetic analysis obtains the reaction rate constant (k) in the range of 0.045 to 0.130. The value of k increases with the reaction temperature and molar ratio. The analysis also reveals the average activation energy (Ea) of the UFO transesterification reaction with methanol and NaOH catalyst to be 21.59 kJ/mol. First-order kinetic is suitable to predict biodiesel yield from UFO because of low %RMSE (3.39%) and high R2 (0.8454
Water and Sediment Quality Index Due To Gold Mining in The Krueng Kluet Hilir Watershed, Aceh Selatan Regency
Authors: Ramli Ichwana , . Syahrul , Lestari Mutia Rizka
Published: May 2020

Increasing population growth, economic and industrial development will lead to the utilization of natural resources effected on water pollution. One of those activities related to natural resource utilization is gold mining. Mining activities cannot be separated from the use of chemicals that are harmful to living things; for example, it is mercury. This study aims to determine levels of mercury (Hg) that accumulate in water and sediments. The tools used in this research are QGIS 2.18.27 software and Global Positioning System. The material used is water and sediment samples. Water and sediment samples were analyzed at the Industrial Standardization Research Institute Laboratory to obtain several potential parameters such as hydrogen (pH), mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu). These potential parameters are further analyzed using the Pollution Index (PI) method and Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs). The results demonstrated that the water quality in downstream of Krueng Kluet sub-watershed in for 2019 using the Pollution Index (PI) method for the drinking water (Class I) with the value is 6.2036. It is classified as moderately polluted water quality criteria and for the agricultural water (Class IV) with the value is 6.0796, classified as moderately polluted water quality criteria. The quality of sediments in the downstream of Krueng Kluet sub-watershed using the sediment quality guidelines method with the value is 0.2343 is classified as an adverse effect for the biota of heavy metals on medium value. This shows that neither the water quality nor the sediment in the downstream of Krueng Kluet sub-watershed does not accord with the water and sediment quality standards. Pollution Index can assess the quality of water bodies and becomes a consideration in taking actions to improve water quality. At the same time, SQGs show chemical concentrations that have biological effects on aquatic biodata.
An Exploration of Factor Affecting Household’s Travel Cost Budget Considering Household Life Stages Applying to Urban Bus Ridership
Authors: Sugiarto Sugiarto , Lulusi Lulusi , Mutiawati Cut , Saleh Sofyan M. , A'yuni Qurrata , Iskandar Irham
Published: May 2020

Urban bus reform so-called Trans Koetaradja (TK) is regarded as a potential urban transport policy aiming at alleviating autos traffic congestion and mitigating highly private mode dependency in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The new bus system proposed by the Government has been operated since early 2018, and it remains free of fare services due to subsidy provide by the Government as the bus corridors have been expanded the budget getting escalating year by year. To reduce the burden of subsidies, the Government intends to drop monetary aid by applying full fare for the bus. However, declining the subsidy could affect bus ridership, especially low-income households whose captive riders may not afford the ticket. It hypothesizes that the travel cost budget (TCB) has significantly influenced the ability to pay for a particular household to afford the bus fare. The TCB for this study defines the maximum amount of money allocated by a specific family for their transportation within a month. Therefore, this study is aiming at exploring factors that effecting the households' transportation expenditures, taking into account household life stages (HLS) among TK' bus users. The use of revealed preference data obtained in 2019, the regression analysis of the ordinary least square (OLS) method, was used to calibrate and teste the exogenous variables across HLS. To simplify, the HLS in this study is segmented as early, middle, and established HLS. The distribution of TCB across HLS revealed that the share of transport expenditure on average to their monthly income had shared about 10-11 %. The finding from the OLS indicates that the variables of the female gender, monthly income, and the number of owned motorcycles have significant contributions to the TCB. The most significant finding is the impact of monthly income on the TCB across HLS. It exhibited early, and middle HLS has shown more spending share on income compared to the established HLS
Fiber directional position sensor based on multimode interference imaging and machine learning
Authors: Sun Kai , Ding Zhenming , Zhang Ziyang
Published: May 2020

A fiber directional position sensor based on multimode interference and image processing by machine learning is presented. Upon single-mode injection, light in multimode fiber generates a multi-ring-shaped interference pattern at the end facet, which is susceptible to the amplitude and direction of the fiber distortions. The fiber is mounted on an automatic translation stage, with repeating movement in four directions. The images are captured from an infrared camera and fed to a machine-learning program to train, validate, and test the fiber conditions. As a result, accuracy over 97% is achieved in recognizing fiber positions in these four directions, each with 10 classes, totaling an 8 mm span. The number of images taken for each class is merely 320. Detailed investigation reveals that the system can achieve over 60% accuracy in recognizing positions on a 5 µm resolution with a larger dataset, approaching the limit of the chosen translation stage.
Two-photon imaging of oxidative stress in living erythrocytes as a measure for human aging
Authors: Tsakanova Gohar , Arakelova Elina , Ayvazyan Violetta , Ayvazyan Anna , Tatikyan Stepan , Grigoryan Ruzanna , Sargsyan Natalya , Arakelyan Arsen
Published: May 2020

According to the “oxidative stress theory” of aging, this process is accompanied by a progressive and irreversible accumulation of oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). This, in turn, has a deleterious impact on molecular mechanisms in aging thereby altering the physiological function of the organism, increasing the risk of different aging-related diseases, as well as impacting the life span. The aim of the current study was to investigate oxidative stress in living red blood cells (RBCs) in human aging as an oxidative stress-related pathological condition. Two-photon laser scanning and light microscopy techniques were applied to analyze the oxidative stress in RBCs and the cell viability. Spectrophotometric analyzes were performed to determine the percentage of RBC hemolysis, activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in RBCs, as well as the ferroxidase activities of ceruloplasmin in blood plasma samples. The studies included three human aging groups, young, middle-aged, and elderly. According to the results, the two-photon fluorescence of carboxy-DCFDA, indicating the intensity of oxidative stress, significantly increase in RBCs by the increase of age (P < 0.05), and these intensities are in statistically significant positive correlation with age (P < 0.001) and a strong negative correlation (P < 0.05) with the activity of catalase in RBCs and ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin in plasma. In conclusion, two-photon fluorescent imaging of oxidative stress in human living RBCs is a valuable and accurate method for the determination of aging processes in humans and can be suggested as a novel indicator for human aging processes in individual aging.
Intereses subestatales en legislativos bicamerales: sobre la cooperación interinstitucional en entornos descentralizados
Authors: Navarro Marc
Published: May 2020

Este artículo busca sistematizar el papel de la segunda Cámara legislativa en la coordinación de intereses de forma vertical entre el nivel central y los subestatales. En primer lugar, se señalan las variables que deben analizarse para medir los incentivos y restricciones que ofrece la gobernanza legislativa de los países bicamerales en favor de la coordinación interinstitucional vertical, con la consecuente profundización de la descentralización política. En segundo lugar, las variables –simetría, congruencia y particularismo político de las Cámaras Altas– son desglosadas y dotadas de puntuación para, a continuación, testarlas empíricamente para los nueve países latinoamericanos que disponen de un Legislativo compuesto por dos Cámaras. Por último, con los resultados obtenidos, se elabora un índice de bicameralismo que mide la capacidad de las segundas Cámaras para incorporar las demandas subestatales en el Legislativo central y, por tanto, en el fomento de las relaciones verticales entre instituciones.
Ciudadanía y participación ciudadana en la Ciudad de México
Authors: Estrella Juan
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: El concepto de ciudadanía y la búsqueda de su consecución plena por parte de la población ha sido el objeto de estudio de diferentes corrientes intelectuales. No se trata de un concepto que se agote en la esfera política, sino que su significado alcanza tanto a la dimensión social como a la civil. El objetivo de este trabajo es observar cómo en el Distrito Federal de México, dadas sus peculiares condiciones histórico-políticas, la ciudadanía política –traducida como participación– no se ajusta a una definición ideal del concepto, sino a una relación clientelar y corporativa que condiciona esta participación.ABSTRACT: The concept of citizenship and the quest for its full realization by the population has been studied from a number of intellectual perspectives. It is a concept which is not limited to the political sphere, as its meaning has also a social and civil dimension. The aim of this article, through a study of Mexico D.F. with its particular historical and political characteristics, is to observe how political citizenship, translated into participation, does not fit an ideal definition of the concept, but rather works through clientelist and corporatist structures which condition this participation.
¿América Latina ya no es católica? Pluralismo cultural y religioso creciente
Authors: Parker Cristian
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: Estamos en presencia del pluralismo en el campo religioso latinoamericano. América Latina ya no es católica en el sentido tradicional del término. Han crecido las otras religiones –entre ellas el protestantismo pentecostal– y también es notable la presencia de no creyentes y de «católicos a mi manera». Esta transformación tiene raíces en la expansión de la educación, en el acceso a los medios de comunicación (incluyendo Internet) y en la creciente presencia de movimientos sociales e indígenas. En conjunto, representan un pluralismo social y cultural que puede servir de base para un avance democrático en la vida política del continente.ABSTRACT: There is now real religious pluralism in Latin America. Latin America can no longer be considered «Catholic» in the traditional sense of the term. Other religions –including pentecostal Protestantism– have grown and there is now a notable presence of non believers and of those who define themselves as «Catholics in my own way». This transformation has roots in the expansion of education, in the access to mass media and to Internet, and in the growing presence of new social movements, including indigenous movements. Together, they constitute a social and cultural pluralism that may provide the bases for greater democracy in political life.
El sistema de comisiones en el Senado Brasileño: jerarquía y concentración de poderes en la década de los 1990
Authors: Lemos Leany Barreiro
Published: May 2020

Senado brasileño, demostrando el tipo de institucionalización que éstas tenían en la década de 1990: la consolidación de un sistema estratificado, con actividades concentradas en las Comisiones de Constitución, Justicia y Ciudadanía y de Asuntos Económicos; el fuerte control partidario por partidos que integraban el gobierno en esa década (Partido del Movimiento Democrático Brasileño y el Partido del Frente Liberal), el fortalecimiento interno de esos partidos y el aumento de su poder de negociación con el Ejecutivo. Por último, se analiza cómo funcionaron las comisiones permanentes del Senado en relación a las enmiendas presupuestarias, cuando se demostró que los grupos que concentran la actividad legislativa no siempre acumulan los privilegios de distribución de recursos.ABSTRACT: This article describes the structure and activity of standing committees in the Brazilian Senate during the 90’s, a stratified system with strong power concentration in both Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee and Economic Issues Committee. Also, it demonstrates how PMDB (Party of Brazilian Democratic Movement) and PFL (Party of Liberal Front) controlled the chairmanship of both committees and the speakership during the decade. The paper also brings the performance of each committee concerning budgetary issues.
Reforma política en brasil: una historia sin fin
Authors: Fleischer David
Published: May 2020

Este artículo trata sobre los intentos de reforma política en Brasil desde 1946, poniendo especial énfasis en el Proyecto de Ley 2679/2003 que se encuentra en tramitación en la Cámara de Diputados. La aprobación del proyecto en la Cámara y después en el Senado, cuya aprobación está prevista para septiembre de 2005, produciría grandes cambios en el sistema electoral brasileño, como son la adopción de listas cerradas en las elecciones proporcionales y la adopción de financiamiento público para la realización de las campañas electorales.
A Study Of Water Quality In The Amaravathi Area, Guntur Dist, Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: p Srinivasa Rao , kommathoti sumanth , M Kamal Teja
Published: May 2020

Water is the important for everyone for land and regulating the climate. It is one of the most important compounds that profoundly influence life. The quality of water usually described according to its physical and chemical characteristics. The quality of water is studied in the villages of AMARAVATHI, Andhra Pradesh, India. The water samples from ten locations within the area of the Amaravathi region are collected with monthly variations for three month and analysed for their suitability with respect to drinking, irrigation . The results are compared with the respective BIS codes and Indian standards coads analysed using different approaches (a) National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) (b) Nemerows pollution index method . However, the overall ground water quality is suitable for irrigation purposes, though a few parameters showed high values at few locations.. Parameters that are tested include temperature ,pH, Hardness ,Acidity, Alkalinity ,turbidity ,chlorides ,DO,BOD and based on the quality treatment plant will also be designed. The water quality is ranked as Excellent Good Poor to Very Poor in the study region based on test results.
Identificação de programas de qualidade aplicados em alguns laticínios do oeste de Santa Catarina
Authors: Thomaz Maria Regina , Silva Rosana Da , Verdi Nédio Luiz , Mello Josiane Maria Muneron de , Costella Marcelo Fabiano , Dalcanton Francieli
Published: May 2020

O leite é considerado um dos alimentos mais completos e consumidos por grande parte da população. Nos últimos anos as exigências das legislações e do mercado consumidor pela melhoria da qualidade no setor lácteo têm sido constantes. Os Laticínios estão investindo cada vez mais na adoção de normas e ferramentas com foco em gestão da qualidade e segurança de alimentos, garantindo a sua sobrevivência e competitividade no mercado globalizado. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo identificar a situação da implantação de sistemas de gestão da qualidade em Laticínios localizados no oeste de Santa Catarina e analisar as iniciativas para garantir a qualidade dos produtos processados. Foi realizado um estudo de caso, sendo que o método survey foi utilizado para levantamento de dados por meio de um questionário aplicado a quatro Laticínios. Os Laticínios em estudo utilizam os programas básicos do sistema de gestão da qualidade exigidos pela legislação brasileira vigente podendo-se citar as Boas Práticas de Higiene (BPH), as Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPF), a Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle (APPCC) e o Monitoramento Interno de Pragas (MIP). Além disso, demonstram a preocupação em manter e adequar o sistema de qualidade a fim de proporcionar a segurança de seus produtos, a padronização e a organização dos processos, para garantir a competitividade e a qualidade dos produtos finais.
Survey on Measurement Methods for IPv6 Deployment
Authors: Iró Viktória , Lencse Gábor
Published: May 2020

Nowadays we use Internet Protocol (IP) versions 4 (IPv4) and 6 (IPv6) at the same time. It is very difficult to determine the rate of IPv6 and the state of its deployment exactly. In our survey, paper we present some tools and methods that can be used to estimate the proportion of IPv6. First, we will show some server side methods that mostly use provider-measurable data, so they may not be available to everyone. Next, we introduce various client-side tools that can be used in a much broader context, and then present the use of survey methods. Then we are reviewing some researches, which provide more comprehensive insight into the transition to IPv6 using complex measurement methods. Finally, we compare and categorize the presented metrics based on the availability of data sources and the extent of the measurement duration. We know that there is clearly no best among the various methods. Choosing the right technique depends greatly on the data and tools available to the researcher.
Metabolic syndrome is associated with reduced flow mediated dilation independent of obesity status
Authors: Sprung Victoria S , Bowden Davies Kelly A , Norman Juliette A , Thompson Andrew , Mitchell Katie L , Wilding John P H , Kemp Graham J , Cuthbertson Daniel J
Published: May 2020

Background

Data suggest that metabolic health status, incorporating components of metabolic syndrome (MetS), predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk better than BMI. This study explored the association of MetS and obesity with endothelial function, a prognostic risk factor for incident CVD.

Methods

Forty-four participants were phenotyped according to BMI as non-obese vs obese (<30 or >30 kg/m2) and according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria of MetS: ≤2 criteria MetS (MetS−) vs ≥3 criteria MetS (MetS+); (1.)non-obese MetS− vs (2.) non-obese MetS+ and (3.) obese MetS− vs (4.) obese MetS+. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), body composition including liver fat (MRI and spectroscopy), dietary intake, intensities of habitual physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness were determined. Variables were analysed using a one-factor between-groups ANOVA and linear regression; mean (95% CI) are presented.

Results

Individuals with MetS+ displayed lower FMD than those with MetS−. For non-obese individuals mean difference between MetS+ and MetS− was 4.1% ((1.0, 7.3); P = 0.004) and obese individuals had a mean difference between MetS+ and MetS− of 6.2% ((3.1, 9.2); P < 0.001). Although there was no association between BMI and FMD (P = 0.27), an increased number of MetS components was associated with a lower FMD (P = 0.005), and after adjustment for age and sex, 19.7% of the variance of FMD was explained by MetS, whereas only 1.1% was explained by BMI.

Conclusions

In this study cohort, components of MetS, rather than obesity per se, contribute to reduced FMD, which suggests a reduced bioavailability of nitric oxide and thus increased risk of CVD.
GEAR UP: DESIGNING AN ESP COURSE FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Authors: Elizondo González Jose Fabián , Pilgrim Yannick , Sánchez Víquez Andrea
Published: May 2020

This article presents the design of the course Gear Up, an ESP course addressed to Mechanical Engineering students at the University of Costa Rica. To gather the necessary data, a needs analysis and a diagnostic test were conducted to determine the contents, macro-skills, and evaluated activities to be included in the course. This article presents the findings of these two major initial activities and the subsequent course design proposal to satisfy the needs, wants, and lacks of both the students and stakeholders that participated in the process. Consequently, Gear Up was created as a 16-week course in which the Task-Based Language Teaching approach would guide both the content and performance-based, assessed activities throughout the course.
FILOSOFÍA DE LA HISTORIA EN CARMEN LYRA Y RODOLFO CERDAS CRUZ
Authors: Herrera -Zúñiga Roberto
Published: May 2020

El artículo busca ser una crítica a los elementos ideológicos presentes en las lecturas históricas de Carmen Lyra y Rodolfo Cerdas Cruz, encontrando las marcas y criticando los rastros y registros de la subjetividad eurocéntrica presente en estos autores. Sostenemos que estas marcas son producidas por la afiliación de estos autores a los tópicos básicos del DIAMAT soviético y del comunismo “a la tica”.
PYMES, RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL Y DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
Authors: Campos-Campos Diego , Bermúdez-Carrillo Luis Alberto
Published: May 2020

En el presente artículo se identifican y analizan las acciones o actividades concretas que realizan las pymes en materia de responsabilidad social y empresarial que puedan facilitar el desarrollo sostenible, de tal forma que, conociéndolas, se puedan implementar programas de capacitación y orientación en favor de ellas en esta temática.  Para obtener la información requerida se les aplicó una encuesta a 72 pymes de la zona de Guanacaste, específicamente a las de los cantones de Santa Cruz, Carrillo y Liberia. La encuesta permitió lograr el objetivo de determinar dichas acciones en tres niveles: ambiental, social y económico. Como resultado de la investigación se puede afirmar que las pymes estudiadas desarrollan muy poca labor que favorezca el desarrollo sostenible, lo que a la vez muestra que en ellas existe la necesidad de programas de capacitación y apoyo en los campos mencionados, la responsabilidad socio-empresarial, mediante los cuales se pueda inculcar la relevancia de prácticas efectivas para favorecer el desarrollo sostenible.  Aunado a lo anterior, los resultados en efecto ponen en evidencia la necesidad de plantear una orientación integral que les asegure la enseñanza y la aplicación de más conocimientos en el tema.
COMPARACIÓN DE LAS CARACTERÍSTICAS DE PRODUCTIVIDAD ENTRE LAS DISTINTAS VARIEDADES DE UVA DE MAYOR PRODUCCIÓN EN LA VIÑA “EL ESPAVEY” DEL CANTÓN ACOSTA, COSTA RICA
Authors: Fonseca Brenes Michael , Retana Alvarado Diego Armando , Camacho Álvarez María Marta , Badilla Hernández Iván
Published: May 2020

El propósito de este artículo es dar a conocer el resultado de la evaluación de la productividad de cinco variedades de uva en el viñedo El Espavey, ubicado en el cantón Acosta (San José, Costa Rica), en sus condiciones respectivas de cultivo (sistemas de siembra en parrilla y espaldera). Se llevó a cabo un muestreo aleatorio de 277 plantas en las zonas denominadas como Alto Espavey y Bajo Espavey. El análisis de los datos se basa en el cálculo de racimos promedio, área foliar máxima media, largo en espaldera para cada muestra por variedad y pruebas de correlación entre la variable número de racimos tanto para con el área foliar máxima estimada como para con la variable de crecimiento. Los resultados sugieren que las variedades Labruscas son las de mayor rendimiento y es en el Alto Espavey y en espaldera donde se desarrolla la mayor producción de la Uva Labrusca que para este estudio se ha denominado Isabella. Este proyecto surgió como una iniciativa de vínculo universidad- sociedad en el marco de la relación existente entre investigación y acción social y de acuerdo con lo estipulado en las políticas universitarias.
A rapid and sensitive High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry method for determining apremilast in beagle dog plasma and urine: Application in a pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Yan Genquan , Yu Lu , Chen Xu , Tran Triet , Nguyen Lam , Wang Zhijun , Wang Ling
Published: May 2020

A rapid and sensitive High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) method for determining apremilast in beagle dog plasma and urine samples was developed and validated using clopidogrel as the internal standard (IS). Apremilast was extracted from the plasma and urine samples by liquid–liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation was performed using a C8 column with gradient elution and a mobile phase containing methanol and 0.1% formic acid. Quantification was achieved in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with a transition of m/z 461.3→178.2 for apremilast and m/z 322.2→184.1 for clopidogrel (IS). This method was validated regarding its specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and stability. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for this method was 5 ng/mL, and the calibration curve was linear over 5–1,000 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-run coefficients of variance (CV) of aprelimast in plasma samples were less than 12.92% and 10.64%, respectively, while in urine samples, the CV were less than 11.84% and 10.20%, respectively. The samples were stable under the tested conditions. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs following oral administration of 10 mg of apremilast.