Immigrant Integration in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods: Improving Economic Prospects and Strengthening Connections for Vulnerable Families

Explores the financial welfare of immigrant groups in ten low-income urban communities, comparing key indicators of economic well-being, advancement, and integration across six immigrant and four U.S.-born race/ethnic groups

Unidad de diagnóstico rápido (UDR) en patología tumoral

Objetivos: Desarrollar una UDR, vinculada al Servicio de Urgencias Hospitalario (SUH), proporcionando prioridad en el radiodiagnóstico y mayor accesibilidad a las consultas de especializada, supone un abordaje de la patología tumoral más dinámico. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar el impacto de la UDR en el manejo de dicha patología. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, de base poblacional, realizado en la Clínica USP-Palmaplanas, hospital de 150 camas Analizando el manejo del total de pacientes con tumores atendidos en la UDR desde abril 2006 a marzo 2008. Se utilizaron los indicadores de actividad y calidad creados para dicho fin. Resultados: Total pacientes atendidos en la UDR 2473, total pacientes con diagnóstico de patología tumoral 73. Tiempo de espera desde su atención en el SUH hasta valoración en la UDR (<48h 41%, 2-4 días 36%), tiempo de espera desde atención inicial- final en las UDR (mismo día 17%, <8 días 64%), tiempo de espera desde alta UDR hasta su atención para el abordaje terapéutico (<48h en el 91%), se cursaron 11 ingresos hospitalarios tras el diagnóstico desde la UDR. Conclusiones: La UDR permite agilizar el diagnóstico y tratamiento precoces de la patología tumoral, mejorando claramente la eficiencia y la seguridad con una reducción en la estancia media hospitalaria y en la carga emocional del paciente.Objectives: The implementation of a Hospital Emergency Unit based RDU in order to prioritise diagnostic imaging and the access to specialised outpatient clinics, has dynamized the management of patients first diagnosed with cancer. Our objective was to analyze the impact of an RDU in the management of this group of patients. Methods: Descriptive, retrospective study of the population seen at USP Palmaplanas Clinic, a 150 bed hospital, which analyses the management of patients seen in the RDU from April 2006 to March 2008. Activity and quality indicators were created to support this study. Results: Total number of patients seen in the RDU: 2473. 73 of these patients were diagnosed with possible cancer. Waiting times to be seen in RDU from the Emergency Unit: <48 hours in 41% of the cases, 2-4 days in 36%. Waiting times from first visit at RDU to last visit: same day in 17%, <8 days in 64%. Waiting times from first visit to RDU to treatment: <48 hours in 91% of the cases. 11 patients were admitted to hospital for management. Discussion: RDU allows a dynamic management of patients with cancer, from first diagnosis to early treatment, improving patient care, efficiency and safety. It also reduces hospital stay and reduces patients’ emotional distress

Nuevos enfoques sobre los vertebrados del Pérmico y Triásico de la Península Ibérica, con énfasis en las cuencas Pirenaica y Catalana

Few studies paid attention to the Permian and Triassic vertebrates from the Iberian Peninsula and a re-evaluation of these faunas is needed in order to compare them with other European basins. As a first step, we present here the available data from the Catalonian and Pyrenean basins (NE of the Iberian Peninsula), offering new insights on the diversity and temporal distribution of their vertebrate faunas. The two basins have yielded unexpectedly abundant and diverse vertebrate assemblages, including fishes, amphibians and reptiles from continental and marine environments. The revision of classical finds and the analysis of new material provide data towards an understanding of the evolutionary and palaebiogeographical history of the Permian and Triassic vertebrate Iberian faunas. Permian remains mainly correspond to footprints recovered from alluvial deposits; the osteological record is scarce in the Iberian Peninsula. Early Triassic vertebrate localities are unknown. Middle Triassic faunas are abundant and reflect the change from continental environments to a wide diversity of coastal and marine depositional environments. During the Anisian, faunas are represented by footprints and skeletal remains of amphibians (capitosaurs) and terrestrial reptiles (archosauromorphs and procolophonoids). Ichthyofauna, sauropterygians, thalattosaurs and protorosaurians are known through the late Anisian and Ladinian. Finally, Late Triassic localities representing coastal environments have also yielded marine reptiles (sauropterygians) and a diverse ichthyofauna.Se han realizado hasta el momento pocos estudios de los vertebrados del Pérmico y el Triásico de la Península Ibérica y por este motivo, una re-evaluación de estas faunas es necesaria para compararlas con las halladas en otras cuencas europeas. Como primer paso, aquí presentamos la información disponible de las cuencas Catalana y Pirenaica (NE de la Península Ibérica), ofreciendo nuevos puntos de vista sobre la diversidad y distribución temporal de las faunas de vertebrados. Las dos cuencas muestran una inesperada abundancia y diversidad de faunas de vertebrados, incluyendo peces, anfibios y reptiles de ambientes continentales y marinos. La revisión de hallazgos clásicos y el análisis de nuevo material proporcionan nuevos datos para la comprensión de la historia evolutiva y paleobiogeográfica de las faunas de vertebrados durante el Pérmico y el Triásico en la Península Ibérica. Los hallazgos en el Pérmico corresponden mayoritariamente a pisadas encontradas en depósitos aluviales, siendo el registro osteológico muy escaso en la Península Ibérica. Se desconocen localidades de vertebrados del Triásico inferior. Las faunas del Triásico medio son abundantes y reflejan el cambio desde ambientes continentales hasta una amplia diversidad de ambientes deposicionales costeros y marinos. Durante el Anisiense, las faunas están representadas por pisadas y restos esqueléticos de anfibios (capitosaurios) y reptiles terrestres (arcosauriformes y procolofonoideos). De finales del Anisiense y el Ladiniense se conoce ictiofauna, sauropterigios, talattosaurios y protorosaurios. Finalmente, las localidades del Triásico superior están representadas por ambientes costeros conservando reptiles marinos (sauropterigios) y una diversa ictiofauna

The intervals method : a new approach to analyse finite element outputs using multivariate statistics

Background. In this paper, we propose a new method, named the intervals' method, to analyse data from finite element models in a comparative multivariate framework. As a case study, several armadillo mandibles are analysed, showing that the proposed method is useful to distinguish and characterise biomechanical differences related to diet/ecomorphology. - Methods. The intervals' method consists of generating a set of variables, each one defined by an interval of stress values. Each variable is expressed as a percentage of the area of the mandible occupied by those stress values. Afterwards these newly generated variables can be analysed using multivariate methods. - Results. Applying this novel method to the biological case study of whether armadillo mandibles differ according to dietary groups, we show that the intervals' method is a powerful tool to characterize biomechanical performance and how this relates to different diets. This allows us to positively discriminate between specialist and generalist species. - Discussion. We show that the proposed approach is a useful methodology not affected by the characteristics of the finite element mesh. Additionally, the positive discriminating results obtained when analysing a difficult case study suggest that the proposed method could be a very useful tool for comparative studies in finite element analysis using multivariate statistical approaches

Formation, stability and antioxidant activity of food-grade multilayer emulsions containing resveratrol

Interfacial deposition of biopolymer layers on oil droplets may be a suitable strategy for increasing the emulsion stability and protection of functional ingredients. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phenolic compound with numerous health-promoting properties, but its usage is still restricted due to its poor water solubility and high chemical instability. The aim of this study was to formulate single-layer (lactoferrin) and multilayer (lactoferrin/alginate and lactoferrin/alginate/-poly-l-lysine) emulsions containing resveratrol and to study the emulsions stability and antioxidant activity during storage. All primary (single-layer) emulsions had average droplet diameters below 300 nm and -potentials strongly positive, allowing the electrostatic deposition of another layer of anionic biopolymer, such as alginate. Secondary (multilayer) emulsions were highly unstable at low alginate concentrations, which was attributed to the bridging flocculation. At higher alginate concentrations, secondary emulsions were rather stable. Tertiary emulsions containing either low or high -poly-l-lysine concentrations presented flocculation, but formulations with 0.0036% (w/w) were fairly stable. The antioxidant activity of all resveratrol-loaded emulsions did not significantly change during storage, whereas it decreased in non-encapsulated resveratrol oil from the third week onwards. This study provides useful information for the design of delivery systems for resveratrol with relevance in food applications.This research was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) throughout the projects AGL2009-11475 and ALG2012-35635, and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684), Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124- FEDER-027462) and FCT Strategic Project of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit. The authors also thank the Project “BioInd - Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes, REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028” Co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 e O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. The author A. Acevedo-Fani thanks the University of Lleida for the pre-doctoral grant. The author H. D. Silva, (SFRH/BD/81288/2011) is the recipient of a fellowship from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal). The authors would like to acknowledge to Rui Fernandes from IBMC, University of Porto, for assistance in taking the TEM microphotographs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio