Differences in the Same OMI/MLS Aura Tropospheric Ozone Data Set Published Before and After January 2013

On the website "NASA Goddard Homepage for Tropospheric Ozone", global data of tropospheric ozone obtained from observations of OMI and MLS Aura satellite instruments, are reported. In mid-2013, the data was covering the period between October 2004 and January 2013. Subsequently, in early 2014, the time series was extended until December 2013. At present time, the published series has been extended to December 2014. Analysing this new series, we observed that the data already published to January 2013 had been replaced; not only the missing months of 2013 were added but all the values published since 2004 were recalculated. We present the detected differences in the comparison between common data to both time series (the original, before January 2013, and the new one, currently published on the website). These differences are important considering that they represent the result of the same satellite observation and should be considered when comparing results before/after January 2013, especially when adopting a certain confidence level in the spectral analysis of these data to intraseasonal scale. A warn of caution is suggested in the use of these observations and intercomparison with other values of these and other instruments, because of possible recurrent problems of instrumental calibration.Fil: Cionco, Rodolfo Gustavo. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Agosta Scarel, Eduardo Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Rubén L.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Quaranta, Nancy Esther. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional; Argentin

Analytical Model of Socio-Technical Sustainability of Dynamic Hypermedia Devices

Este artículo presenta un modelo analítico de sostenibilidad de redes socio-técnicas para la construcción colaborativa de conocimiento en contextos institucionales y organizacionales. El objetivo se centra en fundamentar una perspectiva teórica-metodológica a partir de la noción de “dispositivo hipermedial dinámico” (DHD). En lo metodológico, desde un posicionamiento sociotécnico, se realiza una revisión de los principales debates y perspectivas teóricas sobre la expansión de TIC en relación a la problemática a tratar. Luego se desarrollan propositivamente las componentes del modelo de sostenibilidad-DHD siguiendo sus cuatro dimensiones: social, institucional, tecnológica y textual. El diseño del modelo, no jerárquico y relacional, se estima a su vez beneficioso para orientar el proceso constructivo de este tipo de dispositivos. Además, puede colaborar de manera flexible para analizar transformaciones socio-tecnológicas en diversos contextos situados. Finalmente, la consistencia de los resultados analíticos a alcanzar podría ser efectiva, ya que es posible vincular: el carácter dinámico, relacional e interactivo de las características de una tecnología; las tensiones sociales y políticas existentes en el marco socio-institucional donde se desarrolla; las posibles formas de diseño participativo, en función de los requerimientos de una institución u organización; y la producción colaborativa en red, promoviendo responsabilidades de gestión organizacional.Este artigo apresenta um modelo analítico de sustentabilidade de redes sociotécnicas para a construção colaborativa de conhecimento em contextos institucionais/organizacionais. O objetivo é focado na fundamentação de uma perspectiva teórico-metodológica a partir da noção de “dispositivo hipermedial dinâmico” (DHD). No metodológico, a partir de um posicionamento sociotécnico, é feita uma revisão dos principais debates e perspectivas teóricas sobre a expansão de TIC em relação à problemática a ser tratada. Depois, são desenvolvidos propositivamente os componentes do modelo de sustentabilidade-DHD seguindo suas quatro dimensões: social, institucional, tecnológica e textual. O design do modelo, não hierárquico e relacional, é também considerado propício para orientar o processo construtivo deste tipo de dispositivos. Além disso, pode colaborar de forma flexível para analisar transformações sociais tecnológicas em diversos contextos. Finalmente, a consistência dos resultados analíticos a serem alcançados poderia ser efetiva, pois é possível vincular: o caráter dinâmico, relacional e interativo das características de uma tecnologia; as tensões sociais e políticas existentes no plano social institucional onde é desenvolvido; as possíveis formas de design participativo, em função dos requerimentos de uma instituição ou organização; e a produção colaborativa em rede, promovendo responsabilidades de gestão organizacional.This paper presents an analytical model of sustainable socio-technical networks for the collaborative knowledge building in organizational/institutional contexts. Its objective focuses on supporting a theoretic-methodological perspective based on the idea of a “dynamic hypermedia device” (DHD). With regard to the methodological aspect, from a socio-technical position, the main debates and theoretical perspectives about the expansion of information and communication technologies pertinent to the issue to be discussed are reviewed. Then the components of the sustainability-DHD model are developed proactively, following its four dimensions: social, institutional, technological and textual. The design of the model, nonhierarchical and relational, is considered beneficial to guide the building process of these kinds of devices. In addition, it can collaborate in a flexible way in order to analyze the sociotechnological transformations in diverse situational contexts. Finally, the consistency of the analytical results to be reached could be effective, since it is possible to connect: the dynamic, relational and interactive aspects of the technology’s characteristics; the social and political tensions within the socio-institutional framework in which it develops; the possible ways of participative design, as a function of the institution or organization’s requirements; and the networked collaborative production, promoting organizational management responsibilities.Fil: Andres, Gonzalo Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación; ArgentinaFil: San Martin, Patricia Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Guillermo L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación; Argentin

Factors Associated With Within-Herd Transmission of Serotype A Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Cattle, During the 2001 Outbreak in Argentina: A Protective Effect of Vaccination

Argentina suffered an extensive foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemic between July 2000 and January 2002, 3months after obtaining the official FMD-free without vaccination status conferred by the World Organization for Animal Health. This is one of the largest FMD epidemics controlled by implementation of a systematic mass vaccination campaign in an FMD-free country. In 2000, 124 herds were reported as FMD positive, 2394 herds in 2001 and one in January 2002; the total number of cattle herds in the country at that time was approximately 230000. Estimates of FMD transmission are important to understand the dynamics of disease spread and for estimating the value for the parameterization of disease transmission models, with the ultimate goals of predicting its spread, assessing and designing control strategies, conducting economic analyses and supporting the decision-making process. In this study, the within-herd coefficient of transmission, β, was computed for herds affected in the 2001 FMD epidemic and categorized as low or high based on the median value of β. A logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors significantly associated with high values of β. Results suggested that the odds of having a high within-herd transmission were significantly associated with time from initial herd infection to disease detection, date of report, vaccination, and time from initial herd infection to herd vaccination. Results presented in this study demonstrate, in quantifiable terms, the protective impact of vaccination in reducing FMD transmission in infected herds. These results will be useful for the parameterization of epidemiological models aimed at quantifying the impact of vaccination and for the design and implementation of FMD emergency vaccination strategies in face of an epidemic.Fil: Brito, B. P.. University of California at Davis; Estados Unidos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Andres Maximiliano. University of California at Davis; Estados Unidos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, B.. Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimento. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, L. L.. No especifíca;Fil: König, Guido Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentin

Nontaxable income and necessary consumption: the Rousseau’s paradox of fiscal egalitarianism

The traditional concept of a strict minimum of necessary consumption and nontaxable income equal for all taxpayers embedded in most current income-tax systems is the result of a paradox of fiscal egalitarianism. The paper shows that substituting the traditional notion of a strict minimum of nontaxable income (Surplus Income Tax Method) for a scheme of growing personal allowances to meet the amounts of necessary consumption required by the different living standards of the taxpayers (Discretionary Income Tax Method) generates an income-tax scheme more progressive than the traditional one. In the paper we also show that this alternative proposal for nontaxable incomes generates an after-tax income distribution less unequal (Lorenz dominance) and superior in terms of social welfare (Atkinson, 1970)

Nontaxable income and necessary consumption: the Rousseau’s paradox of fiscal egalitarianism

The traditional concept of a strict minimum of necessary consumption and nontaxable income equal for all taxpayers embedded in most current income-tax systems is the result of a paradox of fiscal egalitarianism. The paper shows that substituting the traditional notion of a strict minimum of nontaxable income (Surplus Income Tax Method) for a scheme of growing personal allowances to meet the amounts of necessary consumption required by the different living standards of the taxpayers (Discretionary Income Tax Method) generates an income-tax scheme more progressive than the traditional one. In the paper we also show that this alternative proposal for nontaxable incomes generates an after-tax income distribution less unequal (Lorenz dominance) and superior in terms of social welfare (Atkinson, 1970)

Nontaxable income and necessary consumption: the Rousseau’s paradox of fiscal egalitarianism

The traditional concept of a strict minimum of necessary consumption and nontaxable income equal for all taxpayers embedded in most current income-tax systems is the result of a paradox of fiscal egalitarianism. The paper shows that substituting the traditional notion of a strict minimum of nontaxable income (Surplus Income Tax Method) for a scheme of growing personal allowances to meet the amounts of necessary consumption required by the different living standards of the taxpayers (Discretionary Income Tax Method) generates an income-tax scheme more progressive than the traditional one. In the paper we also show that this alternative proposal for nontaxable incomes generates an after-tax income distribution less unequal (Lorenz dominance) and superior in terms of social welfare (Atkinson, 1970)

It Is Not Pneumocystis jiroveci (PCP), It Is Cyclophosphamide-Induced Pneumonitis

Cyclophosphamide (CYC) is an immunosuppressive medication used to treat life-threatening complications of various rheumatic diseases like vasculitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. A rare side effect of this medication is pneumonitis, which occurs in less than 1% of patients. We describe a case of an 83-year-old woman with a past medical history of microscopic polyangiitis, who presented with progressive dyspnea at rest, exacerbated on exertion, and associated with orthopnea that was attributed to CYC-induced pneumonitis. Three months before this presentation, the patient was diagnosed with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-positive pauci-immune crescentic and necrotizing glomerulonephritis and started on CYC. On admission, a computed tomography (CT) chest showed worsening bilateral ground-glass opacities in a mosaic distribution and inter and intralobular septal thickening, not present on the CT performed three months prior. The patient underwent an extensive workup, which included an echocardiogram, bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, and viral respiratory panel to rule out infectious and cardiac pathologies. She was started on empiric treatment with antibiotics and diuretics, however, despite these interventions, she continued with respiratory distress. A multidisciplinary team convened, and the diagnosis of CYC-induced lung injury was entertained. The CYC was discontinued, and the patient was started on prednisone with significant improvement in symptoms. This case highlights the importance of recognizing CYC as a rare cause of interstitial pneumonitis. When considering CYC-induced lung toxicity, other etiologies, such as opportunistic infections, cardiac etiologies, and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, should be ruled out

Sources of inaccuracy in photoplethysmography for continuous cardiovascular monitoring

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a low-cost, noninvasive optical technique that uses change in light transmission with changes in blood volume within tissue to provide information for cardiovascular health and fitness. As remote health and wearable medical devices become more prevalent, PPG devices are being developed as part of wearable systems to monitor parameters such as heart rate (HR) that do not require complex analysis of the PPG waveform. However, complex analyses of the PPG waveform yield valuable clinical information, such as: blood pressure, respiratory information, sympathetic nervous system activity, and heart rate variability. Systems aiming to derive such complex parameters do not always account for realistic sources of noise, as testing is performed within controlled parameter spaces. A wearable monitoring tool to be used beyond fitness and heart rate must account for noise sources originating from individual patient variations (e.g., skin tone, obesity, age, and gender), physiology (e.g., respiration, venous pulsation, body site of measurement, and body temperature), and external perturbations of the device itself (e.g., motion artifact, ambient light, and applied pressure to the skin). Here, we present a comprehensive review of the literature that aims to summarize these noise sources for future PPG device development for use in health monitoring