Cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea may show inter-annual cyclicity: An example of about a 1.5-year cycle for malaria incidence in Burundi

Best available descriptions of malaria incidence and mortality dynamics are important to better plan and evaluate the implementation of programs to monitor (e.g., remote sensing) and control the disease, especially in endemic zones. This was stressed recently by Cibulskis et al (2007) in the view of completeness of monthly reporting for cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea (latitude 6 degree S, 1987-1996). Notably, regardless of the rate of its completeness, the temporal dynamics of admissions was preserved over the years, however, neither raw data nor results on further analyses about eventual inter-annual cyclic components (periods T>1 year) were provided despite obvious graphical patterns for such a specific time structure (chronome). Interestingly, in a recent analysis by Gomez-Elipe et al (2007) on monthly malaria notifications in Burundi, at almost the same latitude (province of Karuzi, >3 degree S, 1997-2001), the data have shown neither trend not periodic oscillations beyond a 6-month (0.5-year) period. Since the graphical representation of both data sets have indicated an eventual existence of inter-annual variations, and because both are located at the same latitude zone, we have further analyzed the data from Burundi for such periodic oscillations. By using a periodogram regression analysis, we discovered a multicomponent cyclic chronome with periods above 12 months (T=17.5-18.0, 27.5 and 65.0-65.5 months, all at p<0.05). Notably, the most strong cyclic pattern at p<0.002 in the periodogram of the detrended malaria rates in Burundi remained only that with a peak at about 1.5 years (period T=17.5-18.0 months, R=0.51, z=5.3). It is possible that likely inter-annual cyclic patterns might exist also in the time structure for cerebral malaria admissions in Papua New Guinea and, if confirmed, these may be found very useful in epidemic forecasting and programs implementation. We explored these cyclic variations and also discussed possible associations with environmental factors exhibiting alike cyclicity

Editorial for the First Workshop on Mining Scientific Papers: Computational Linguistics and Bibliometrics

The workshop "Mining Scientific Papers: Computational Linguistics and Bibliometrics" (CLBib 2015), co-located with the 15th International Society of Scientometrics and Informetrics Conference (ISSI 2015), brought together researchers in Bibliometrics and Computational Linguistics in order to study the ways Bibliometrics can benefit from large-scale text analytics and sense mining of scientific papers, thus exploring the interdisciplinarity of Bibliometrics and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The goals of the workshop were to answer questions like: How can we enhance author network analysis and Bibliometrics using data obtained by text analytics? What insights can NLP provide on the structure of scientific writing, on citation networks, and on in-text citation analysis? This workshop is the first step to foster the reflection on the interdisciplinarity and the benefits that the two disciplines Bibliometrics and Natural Language Processing can drive from it.Comment: 4 pages, Workshop on Mining Scientific Papers: Computational Linguistics and Bibliometrics at ISSI 201

Clinical Trial 2.0: Can Health 2.0 Transform the FDA Drug Approval Process?

Historically, patient activism has played a great part in shaping the drug approval process. Today, aided by developing web technologies, patients are once again seeking increased involvement in their medical care. Their desire to be involved is manifesting in the development of patient-run clinical trials, where patients, with the aid of online health-oriented social networks, are testing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. While these trials are not currently recognized as valid, scientifically rigorous endeavors and are not accepted by the FDA as evidence of the safety and effectiveness of new drugs, small changes in trial structure can make these patient initiatives a meaningful part of the drug development process. This paper examines the structure and challenges of patient-run clinical trials in the context of the drug development and approval process and suggests an point-of-care design alternative as a way to address the concerns aroused by such patient-led studies. Ultimately, the paper concludes that the enormous social value of such studies should not be ignored, and that the medical, scientific, and regulatory communities should work with patients in helping them designing reliable studies responsive to their needs that can become a meaningful part of the drug development and approval process

Topics of Bioengineering in Wikipedia

The present report aims to give a snapshot of how topics from the field of bioengineering (bioinformatics, bioprocess systems, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, etc.) are currently covered in the free electronic encyclopedia Wikipedia. It also offers insights and information about what Wikipedia is, how it functions, how and when to cite Wikipedian articles, if necessary. Several external wikis, devoted to topics of bioengineering, are also listed and reviewed

Expression of microribonucleic acid 1228 in inflammatory bowel disease patients

Introduction Knowledge in the field of microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) can be used both to reveal the mechanisms of occurrence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and to predict the response to a particular treatment.AimThe aim of this article is to assess the serum expression of miR-1228 in IBD patients.Materials and Methods A total of 35 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 35 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), and a control group of 30 healthy individuals were studied. Serum expression of miR-1228 was tested in all through reverse transcriptase-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Results The expression in CD patients (1.91 ±2.21) was significantly higher compared to the expression in UC patients (1.15±0.64) and healthy controls (1.14±0.59). In CD patients, increased expression of miR-1228 was observed in cases with active disease, intestinal localization (L1–2.28) and penetrating phenotype (B3–3.92). In UC patients, no difference in miR-1228 expression was observed with regards to the localization and the course of the disease. Serum expression of miR-1228 correlates positively with CRP in UC patients.Conclusion In the present study, increased expression of miR-1228 was observed in cases with active disease (UC, CD), intestinal localization (CD), and penetrating phenotype (CD), while decreased expression correlated to immunosuppressive (CD) and biological (UC) therapy

Un enfoque hermenéutico de la traducción cultural.

La traducción es la máxima expresión de la necesidad cultural de conocer y participar en el espectáculo de la vida. La labor de recrear en una lengua diferente un texto que ya existe en otra, constituye un caso extremo de dificultad hermenéutica. El énfasis de la hermenéutica como teoría general de la interpretación ya no recae en la interpretación correcta sino en establecer que significa interpretar y que limitaciones y características intrínsecas presenta el ejercicio de la comprensión. No hay sentido antes o idenpendiente de la comprensión, por lo que la "soledad" de los signos nos insta a intentar recomponer su complejo significativo. Sin embargo, ni el texto ni su exégesis quedan completos, siempre hay huecos que hacen variable la recepción y la interpretación del mensaje y es ahí precisamente donde está su fuerza. La teoría hermenéutica aporta a la traductologia una visión, según la cual del traductor se espera que reinvente el texto más desde su óptica que desde la del autor, que sugiera o insinúe lo que las palabras no llegan a decir, que dé cuenta de la ideología, la cosmovisión y la filosofía sobre el mundo que deja entrever el texto original

Observaciones sobre el folklore español y el folklore búlgaro. Convergencias y divergencias.

Sin resume

Bases psicolingüísticas de la interpretación simultánea: Un acercamiento a la escuela rusa

La interpretación simultánea es una actividad de habla que existe libre e independientemente en la esfera de la realidad socio-comunicativa y se distingue por las peculiaridades de su estructura, por la velocidad de su realización y por el carácter de las transformaciones lingüísticas que cambian la organización léxico-gramatical de la exposición del orador. La interpretación simultánea tiene sus bases lingüísticas, semánticas, psicológicas y neurológicas y viola el principio de la separación de las dos lenguas mediante la inhibición de aquélla que de momento no está siendo utilizada. El modelo teórico del pronóstico probable en la percepción del Texto Original y de la síntesis adelantada en la emisión del Texto Traducido sugiere que en su trabajo el intérprete lleva a cabo una resintonización de los sentidos preparándose a actuar de la forma más fructífera posible para conseguir la meta marcada. El pronóstico probable y la síntesis adelantada explican la peculiaridad más específica de la interpretación simultánea: la coincidencia temporal de los procesos de oír y hablar. Gracias a este transfondo psicológico y a la premisa lingüística de la redundancia, el intérprete llega a extraer las implicaduras textuales, situativas y pragmáticas del discurso del orador .Simultaneous interpretation is a speech activity that exists free and independently in the sphere of social-communicative reality and is distinguished by its peculiar structure, the speed of its performance as well as the character of linguistic transformation that change lexical-gramatical organisation of the speaker's report. Simultaneous interpretation has its basis in linguistic, semantic, psychological and neurological thought and it breaks the principle of separating two languages by inhibition of the one that is not being used at the moment. The theoretical model of probable prediction in perceiving the Source Text and forwarded synthesis in emitting the Target Text suggests that in his/her performance the interpreter executes a retuning of senses so as to act as fruitfully as possible in order to achieve the marked aim. Probable prediction and forwarded synthesis explain the most specific peculiarity of simultaneous interpretation - coincidence at the same time of hearing and speaking processes. Thanks to this psychological background and to redundancy, as a linguistic premise, the interpreter manages to draw out textual, situative and pragmatic implications of the orator's speec

Error analysis of digital panoramic radiographs taken at the wits oral health centre

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry. Johannesburg, 2016Aim: The aim of this research was to carry out a prospective analysis of digital panoramic positioning errors with a view to assessing how closely internationally recommended targets of Quality Assurance (QA) in Dental Radiology are met in the Radiology section of the Department of General Dental Practice (GDP), Wits Oral Health Centre (WOHC). Method and Materials: Six hundred digital panoramic radiographs, taken as a sequential sample, were visually examined and evaluated for eleven (11) categories of prevalent positioning errors. All positioning faults were recorded based on assessment criteria and the diagnostic quality of each radiograph was determined on a scale of 1 to 3 and compared to British Dental Association (BDA) internationally recommended targets. Random sub-samples of 20% were re-examined at two (2) weeks and four (4) weeks to determine intra-observer reliability, and once by an outside observer to determine inter-observer agreement. Results: The most common positioning error was that the tongue was not placed against the palate (34.3%). The percentage of “excellent” radiographs (34.5%) was significantly below the BDA standard of ≥ 70% (p<0.0001). The percentage of “diagnostically acceptable” radiographs (44.5%) was significantly above the BDA standard of ≤ 20% (p<0.0001). The percentage of “totally unacceptable” radiographs (21.0%) was significantly above the BDA standard of ≤ 10% (p<0.0001). In other words, the results for the quality of the digital panoramic radiographs for the Wits Oral Health Centre did not meet the BDA standards. In conclusion, more meticulous training of students and operators is recommended.MT201