Mapping networks of anti-HIV drug cocktails vs. AIDS epidemiology in the US counties

[Abstract] The implementation of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and the combination of anti-HIV drugs have resulted in longer survival and a better quality of life for the people infected with the virus. In this work, a method is proposed to map complex networks of AIDS prevalence in the US counties, incorporating information about the chemical structure, molecular target, organism, and results in preclinical protocols of assay for all drugs in the cocktail. Different machine learning methods were trained and validated to select the best model. The Shannon information invariants of molecular graphs for drugs, and social networks of income inequality were used as input. The nodes in molecular graphs represent atoms weighed by Pauling electronegativity values, and the links correspond to the chemical bonds. On the other hand, the nodes in the social network represent the US counties and have Gini coefficients as weights. We obtained the data about anti-HIV drugs from the ChEMBL database and the data about AIDS prevalence and Gini coefficient from the AIDSVu database of Emory University. Box–Jenkins operators were used to measure the shift with respect to average behavior of drugs from reference compounds assayed with/in a given protocol, target, or organism. To train/validate the model and predict the complex network, we needed to analyze 152,628 data points including values of AIDS prevalence in 2310 counties in the US vs. ChEMBL results for 21,582 unique drugs, 9 viral or human protein targets, 4856 protocols, and 10 possible experimental measures. The best model found was a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) with accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity above 0.80 in training and external validation series.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deportes; AGL2011-30563-C03-0

Estudio De La Brecha Empresario-Investigador: La Percepción Del Empresario

Competitiveness and productivity are crucial for the development of a country. A more competitive economy can grow faster over time. Technological innovation is the strongest pillar that guarantees long term competitiveness and quality of life for both developed and emerging countries. The University-Enterprise relationship (RUE) is a resource that is used to build a strong pillar of innovation. Therefore, it is important that a good relationship should be established between the main participants, the entrepreneur and the researcher (E-I). However, current literature has largely ignored the problem of the personnel involved. In contributing to the knowledge of this subject, we examined the gap that exists between the entrepreneur and the researcher (ERG), the importance of empathy in the E-I collaboration, and the factors that impact this collaboration the most from the entrepreneur stand point. The study was exploratory and transversal and data was gathered through interviews and questionnaires. The sample consisted of expert entrepreneurs with experience in innovation projects carried out in collaboration with researchers. The results show that 70% of the interviewed entrepreneurs recognize the existence of ERG. 87.5% of the entrepreneurs surveyed see empathy as a very significant factor for the E-I relationship, and there were 32 factors that are most influential on this collaboration

Assessing Environmental Management of Tomato Production under Protected Agriculture

This study examines the impact of environmental strategies on profitability of protected agriculture production systems in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico using the approach of Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) and Total Cost Assessment (TCA). We identified environmental management practices currently used by production units and analyzed the existing situation, plus two hypothetical scenarios. Profitability indicators show that adopting conservation production practices will not only improve the image of the organization but permit better access to markets, maintain positive profitability and contribute to the conservation of natural resources

Total cost assessment of greenhouse tomato production in Zacatecas, Mexico

Agriculture in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, consumes 77% of the available groundwater. In this region, the main source of water is 34 aquifers, of which 44% are over exploited. Over extraction of the aquifers damages the environment, increases pumping costs and decreases water quality. Greenhouse tomato production systems have increased considerably in recent years. Besides the environmental problems that agriculture generates, there is also the problem of emissions and solid waste. The objective of this paper is to assess the environmental impact on profitability of protected agriculture systems in the state of Zacatecas. The methodology used was total cost assessment. This study assesses the total cost of four production units in their present situation, as well as in two scenarios: one denominated sustainable and the other unsustainable. Profitability indicators in the sustainable and unsustainable scenarios show that adopting conservation production practices, besides improving the image of the organization and permitting better access to markets, will maintain profitability and contribute to the conservation of natural resources

Mapping chemical structure-activity information of HAART-drug cocktails over complex networks of AIDS epidemiology and socioeconomic data of U.S. counties

[Abstract] Using computational algorithms to design tailored drug cocktails for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on specific populations is a goal of major importance for both pharmaceutical industry and public health policy institutions. New combinations of compounds need to be predicted in order to design HAART cocktails. On the one hand, there are the biomolecular factors related to the drugs in the cocktail (experimental measure, chemical structure, drug target, assay organisms, etc.); on the other hand, there are the socioeconomic factors of the specific population (income inequalities, employment levels, fiscal pressure, education, migration, population structure, etc.) to study the relationship between the socioeconomic status and the disease. In this context, machine learning algorithms, able to seek models for problems with multi-source data, have to be used. In this work, the first artificial neural network (ANN) model is proposed for the prediction of HAART cocktails, to halt AIDS on epidemic networks of U.S. counties using information indices that codify both biomolecular and several socioeconomic factors. The data was obtained from at least three major sources. The first dataset included assays of anti-HIV chemical compounds released to ChEMBL. The second dataset is the AIDSVu database of Emory University. AIDSVu compiled AIDS prevalence for >2300 U.S. counties. The third data set included socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Three scales or levels were employed to group the counties according to the location or population structure codes: state, rural urban continuum code (RUCC) and urban influence code (UIC). An analysis of >130,000 pairs (network links) was performed, corresponding to AIDS prevalence in 2310 counties in U.S. vs. drug cocktails made up of combinations of ChEMBL results for 21,582 unique drugs, 9 viral or human protein targets, 4856 protocols, and 10 possible experimental measures. The best model found with the original data was a linear neural network (LNN) with AUROC > 0.80 and accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity ≈ 77% in training and external validation series. The change of the spatial and population structure scale (State, UIC, or RUCC codes) does not affect the quality of the model. Unbalance was detected in all the models found comparing positive/negative cases and linear/non-linear model accuracy ratios. Using synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE), data pre-processing and machine-learning algorithms implemented into the WEKA software, more balanced models were found. In particular, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) with AUROC = 97.4% and precision, recall, and F-measure >90% was found

Nitrogen determination on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seedlings by color image analysis (RGB)

In order to investigate the effectiveness of a new method based on color image analysis and the Minolta SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter for the diagnosis of nitrogen deficiencies of tomato seedlings, a field experiment was conducted. In this study, five levels of nitrogen fertilization were established so as to induce nitrogen deficiencies in tomato seedlings. Thirty-five days after sowing, total nitrogen was evaluated by laboratory analysis. The chlorophyll index was determined using a SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter. Also, color images were taken with a digital camera; the color images were processed in MATLAB in order to determine the averages of the red color, green color and the blue color. The relationships between variables were analyzed by linear regressions and a one way analysis of variance (p < 0.01). Results showed that color image analysis correlated better with the status of plant nitrogen than the SPAD. From the color image analysis, the red and blue colors were more accurate predictors of nitrogen status on plants with R2 above 0.89. Color image analysis provides an accurate and quick way for nitrogen estimation and can contribute for early detection of nitrogen deficiency in tomato seedlings. The SPAD method is not a reliable way to estimate the nitrogen status on tomato seedlings.Keywords: Color image analysis (RGB), chlorophyll meter, nitrogen deficiencyAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(33), pp. 5326-5332, 16 August, 201

Renewable medium-small projects in Spain: Past and present of microgrid development

This paper reviews the on-going research studies and microgrid pilot projects focusing on the Spanish case because of its renewable energy potential with the objective set on highlights the main investigation drifts in the field such as the used technologies, control methods and operation challenges. That way, several smart grids have been commented and compared, finding that photovoltaic and wind power are the favourites energy generation technologies. Although batteries are the most widespread energy storage systems, green hydrogen has a strong presence, showing up in a third of the Spanish smart grids. Traditional control strategies are being displaced by advanced ones such as MPC or fuzzy logic due to its higher efficiency. The reader will have a clear view of the potential of renewable energy penetration in the form of smart grids in Spain, through the study of the equipment involved in the different facilities contribution and the main control strategies implemented, in a comparative analysis of the key aspect of this emerging technology.Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidad - Junta de Andalucía PY18-RE-002

Valoración de la ciudadanía en el municipio de Monterrey a partir de su desarrollo educativo.

En el tema de educación existe un solido consenso mundial sobre la necesidad y la importancia de educar para los derechos humanos y la vida en democracia. Resulta acertado pensar en la educación como propósito deliberado que promueve la realización plena de las potencialidades del hombre y de la mujer, y se basa en los mismos principios de la democracia y asegura su vigencia y continuidad en lo personal y en lo social

Environmental management in the vegetable sector of Mexico

The major environmental concerns of agriculture in Mexico are related to water resources and deforestation, in addition to the increasingly important issues of pesticide use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion. This situation worsens in arid or semiarid regions, such as the state of Zacatecas, where the main source of water is 34 aquifers, 15 of which are overexploited. One option for reducing environmental deterioration is to encourage production units to adopt environmental management systems (EMS). These systems, however, are not well known to growers at the local or national level. The establishment of an EMS in the agricultural sector is relatively new, although it is widely used in other industrial sectors. This study determined the views, drivers and barriers to adopting an EMS in the vegetable sector of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. A questionnaire was given to 202 technicians or owners of vegetable production units. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Improving access to markets was the most important driver for EMS adoption, while the lack of government support was the main barrier. The study demonstrated that views of sustainability are closely related to attitudes toward environmental management actions and environmental sustainability

Investigation of EBT3 radiochromic film’s response to humidity

Purpose: The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of immersing EBT3 radiochromic film in water and to evaluate its contribution to the total uncertainty in dose determination. Materials and methods: We used 3 cm 9 3 cm EBT3 radiochromic films irradiated in the range of 0–70 Gy to study the impact of water immersion on the change in net optical density. These films were placed in a water container for a period of 24 h. The net optical density was measured before (0 h) and after of the immersion in water (1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h). The absorbance spectrum of the EBT3 radiochromic film was measured at 0 h and 24 h after immersion in water. The uncertainty in dose determination due to the effects of keeping the EBT3 radiochromic film submerged in water at 0, 1, and 24 h were recorded in the red, green, and blue channels. Results: We observed an increase in the net optical density as an effect on the film due to its immersion in water. The penetration of the water at the edges of the radiochromic film was observed to be a function of time during which the film remained in the water. On the other hand, the penetration of water at the edges of the film was found to be independent of irradiation dose. Conclusions: EBT3 radiochromic film is found more resistant to water penetration through the edges than its predecessors. However, there is evidence that suggest that liquid water damage the Nylon cover layer of the film by changing its optical properties. Therefore, it is recommended to build a new calibration curve for radiochromic films for a specific situation involving dose measurements in liquid water.UAEMex INN