SALUD: A spatial microsimulation application to support regional health planning in Austria

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Health aims to improve the health of all people living in Austria and to decrease health and social inequalities. This leads to a careful planning and distribution of the available health care resources to meet government aims. The research project SALUD, funded by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Austrian Science Fund, focuses on building a Spatial Microsimulation Model for Austria by combining survey and census data to model small area health issues based on individuals or households where no data exists, so called missing data. Within this project, a first prototype of simSALUD is developed, which is a Web-based spatial microsimulation application for health decision support as to date no flexible and free-available Web application in the area of spatial microsimulation exists. simSALUD targets two groups: experts in the area and health policy decision makers (HPDM). The present work focuses on the latter group and will highlight the benefits of simSALUD for HPDM, as they are mainly interested in the results and not primarily in the underlying modelling process. The first prototype of simSALUD is a Web-based application that can be used either offline or online and is therefore accessible anywhere and anytime. Functionally it consists of three modules called (i) data loader, (ii) visualisation area, and (iii) geoprocessing tools. - The data loader supports the management of different datasets (loading, overlaying, sorting, etc.). The main benefit here is that HPDM may access a shared pool of open simulated data that is otherwise hardly available. - The visualisation area presents an interactive map with different standard functionalities, including zoom and pan. This is especially valuable for HPDM as hotspots and problem areas on maps can often be identified more easily than lots of numbers in a list. - The geoprocessing tools, such as ?create buffer? or ?location optimization? allow doing spatial analysis on data to answer what-if scenarios. In general, the main advantage of simSALUD is that HPDM can use the application and perform various spatial analyses without needing specialist skills in spatial microsimulation modelling or geoinformation science. The first prototype of SimSALUD will be introduced to our project partners in their health departments in order to evaluate its practical usefulness and relevance in the area of regional health planning. This work will discuss the results of the evaluation, highlighting the pros and cons of the prototype as well as defining the road map for futures developments of simSALUD. Hence, with simSALUD we hope to make a positive contribution for the area of spatial microsimulation modelling, as it is the first open accessible Web application so far

Induction of DUSP9 in Xenografts from Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines increases Mammary Cancer Stem Cells

Breast cancer remains a complex disease that kills 40,000 women every year. Initiation and progression of breast cancer is influenced by heterogeneous groups of cells, including mammary cancer stem cells (MCSCs). Progression of this dreadful disease is driven by many signaling pathways among which MAPK pathway is highly prominent. Since targeting prominent kinases in MAPK pathway has been unsuccessful to control breast cancer, it is important to examine the phosphatases that regulate the activity of these kinases. Using xenograft model from breast cancer cell lines, our lab has found that during the initial stages of xenograft development (week 1-4, 100-200mg weight), ERK1/2 remains inactive. However, during the later stages of tumor development (week 5-15, 300-700mg weight), we found phospho-ERK1/2, which is the active form of ERK1/2 remains highly up regulated. Our lab has also found that presence of inactive ERK1/2 during the initial stages of tumor development was independent of pMEK1/2, which is the upstream kinase that activates ERK1/2. We have also found that a specific dual specific phosphatase (DUSP9) was induced in the xenografts from breast cancer cell lines during initial stages of their development. I will be examining the significance of DUSP9 induction in the early stages of xenograft development. There are reports that DUSP9-mediated pERK1/2 inactivation has been found to increase mouse embryonic stem cell content. I have been examining the expression levels of MCSCS (Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1(ALDH1)/ OCT3/4 / CD44/SOX2) in various stages of xenograft development and correlating them with DUSP9 expression and pERK1/2. I am examining the expression levels of MCSCs by Western blot analysis as well as qPCR. I have also been treating breast cancer cell line HMLEHRASV12 with MEK inhibitors, in vitro, for inactivating ERK to analyze the levels of mammary cancer stem cells (ALDH1)/ OCT3/4 / CD44/SOX2. I am also examining the levels of DUSP9 as well as the levels of ERK/pERK1/2 /AKT /pAKT in cells treated with MEK1/2 inhibitors in vitro. I intend to determine whether inhibition of pERK1/2 could influence embryonic stem cell content as analyzed by the expression of markers Oct ¾ and Sox2

Factores que Influyen en el Desarrollo y Rendimiento Escolar de los Jóvenes de Bachillerato

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las variables que influyen en el aprovechamiento escolar de los jóvenes. Se configuró una batería de pruebas para medir autoeficacia, autodeterminación, autorregulación, aspectos del contexto escolar y familiar, y espiritualidad. La muestra fue de 250 estudiantes regulares de nivel medio superior. Se estimaron estadísticas univariadas, se calcularon índices y se probó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales en el que se formaron 2 factores: desarrollo positivo del joven y recurso institucional familiar. La variable de contexto escolar tuvo una influencia directa en el factor familiar y este, a su vez, en el desarrollo positivo del joven, el cual afectó directamente al promedio de los alumnos

Grid Code-Dependent Frequency Control Optimization in Multi-Terminal DC Networks

The increasing deployment of wind power is reducing inertia in power systems. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology can help to improve the stability of AC areas in which a frequency response is required. Moreover, multi-terminal DC (MTDC) networks can be optimized to distribute active power to several AC areas by droop control setting schemes that adjust converter control parameters. To this end, in this paper, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to improve the primary frequency response in AC areas considering several grid limitations and constraints. The frequency control uses an optimization process that minimizes the frequency nadir and the settling time in the primary frequency response. Secondly, another layer is proposed for the redistribution of active power among several AC areas, if required, without reserving wind power capacity. This method takes advantage of the MTDC topology and considers the grid code limitations at the same time. Two scenarios are defined to provide grid code-compliant frequency control.Australian Education International, Australian Government TEC2016-80242-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad DPI2016-75294-C2-2-

Evaluation of a lyophilized CRISPR-Cas12 assay for a sensitive, specific, and rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2

We evaluated a lyophilized CRISPR-Cas12 assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection (Lyo-CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 kit) based on reverse transcription, isothermal amplification, and CRISPR-Cas12 reaction. From a total of 210 RNA samples extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs using spin columns, the Lyo-CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 kit detected 105/105 (100%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 96.55–100) positive samples and 104/105 (99.05%; 95% CI: 94.81–99.97) negative samples that were previously tested using commercial RT-qPCR. The estimated overall Kappa index was 0.991, reflecting an almost perfect concordance level between the two diagnostic tests. An initial validation test was also performed on 30 nasopharyngeal samples collected in lysis buffer, in which the Lyo-CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 kit detected 20/21 (95.24%; 95% CI: 76.18–99.88) positive samples and 9/9 (100%; 95% CI: 66.37–100) negative samples. The estimated Kappa index was 0.923, indicating a strong concordance between the test procedures. The Lyo-CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 kit was suitable for detecting a wide range of RT-qPCR-positive samples (cycle threshold range: 11.45–36.90) and dilutions of heat-inactivated virus (range: 2.5–100 copies/µL); no cross-reaction was observed with the other respiratory pathogens tested. We demonstrated that the performance of the Lyo-CRISPR SARS-CoV-2 kit was similar to that of commercial RT-qPCR, as the former was highly sensitive and specific, timesaving (1.5 h), inexpensive, and did not require sophisticated equipment. The use of this kit would reduce the time taken for diagnosis and facilitate molecular diagnosis in low-resource laboratories.Instituto de VirologíaFil: Curti, Lucía Ana. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Primost, Ivana. Hospital Municipal de Trauma y Emergencias Dr. Federico Abete. Genetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory; ArgentinaFil: Valla, Sofia. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA). Centro de Investigaciones Básicas y Aplicadas (CIBA); ArgentinaFil: Valla, Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ibañez Alegre, Daiana. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Laboratorio Grupo de Investigación en Genética Aplicada (GIGA); ArgentinaFil: Ibañez Alegre, Daiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Olguin Perglione, Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Olguin Perglione, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Repizo, Guillermo Daniel. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Lara, Julia. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Parcerisa, Ivana. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Palacios, Antonela. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Llases, María Eugenia. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Rinflerch, Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Laboratorio Grupo de Investigación en Genética Aplicada (GIGA); ArgentinaFil: Rinflerch, Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Barrios, Melanie. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Producción Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra Bonnet, Federico. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Gimenez, Carla Alejandra. CASPR Biotech; Estados UnidosFil: Marcone, Débora Natalia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología, Biotecnología y Genética. Cátedra de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Marcone, Débora Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Hábitos alimentarios en estudiantes de medicina de primer a quinto semestre de la Universidad del Norte en Barranquilla, Atlántico en el año 2022

Los hábitos alimentarios se definen como comportamientos conscientes, colectivos y repetitivos, que conducen a las personas a seleccionar, consumir y utilizar determinados alimentos o dietas, en respuesta a unas influencias sociales y culturales. En el ambiente universitario muchos estudiantes pasan por cambios que pueden llegar a afectar estos hábitos alimentarios, llevándolos a desarrollar malas dietas que eventualmente van a afectar su salud. El objetivo del estudio es identificar los hábitos alimentarios en estudiantes de medicina de primer a quinto semestre de la Universidad del Norte en Barranquilla, Atlántico en el año 2022. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, mediante cuestionario compartido en línea con los estudiantes de la población estudio. La captura de datos se hizo en Excel y el procesamiento de datos se hizo en EPI–INFO. Los resultados señalan que la mayoría de los encuestados estaban dentro del rango de 18 a 19 años (78,9%), eran mujeres (61,9%) y dependían económicamente de ambos padres (74,3%). Los hábitos alimentarios en este grupo de estudiantes señalaron que casi todos tienen un tipo de alimentación omnívora (97,1%). La mayoría considera que ahora que están en la universidad ingieren más dulces, galletas o papitas. Son pocos los que consumen frutas y verduras o no ingieren snacks entre comidas. En cuanto a la percepción que tienen los estudiantes entre el periodo antes y después de entrar a la universidad, muchos consideran que antes su percepción era positiva (saludable) y en el periodo universitario la mayoría considera (58%) que ha cambiado la percepción que tienen de su alimentación y de estos, el 34,87% considera que el cambio fue negativo (OR 1,63 IC95% 0,97-2,74).PregradoMedic

Circulating metabolic biomarkers of renal function in diabetic and non-diabetic populations

Using targeted NMR spectroscopy of 227 fasting serum metabolic traits, we searched for novel metabolic signatures of renal function in 926 type 2 diabetics (T2D) and 4838 non-diabetic individuals from four independent cohorts. We furthermore investigated longitudinal changes of metabolic measures and renal function and associations with other T2D microvascular complications. 142 traits correlated with glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after adjusting for confounders and multiple testing: 59 in diabetics, 109 in non-diabetics with 26 overlapping. The amino acids glycine and phenylalanine and the energy metabolites citrate and glycerol were negatively associated with eGFR in all the cohorts, while alanine, valine and pyruvate depicted opposite association in diabetics (positive) and nondiabetics (negative). Moreover, in all cohorts, the triglyceride content of different lipoprotein subclasses showed a negative association with eGFR, while cholesterol, cholesterol esters (CE), and phospholipids in HDL were associated with better renal function. In contrast, phospholipids and CEs in LDL showed positive associations with eGFR only in T2D, while phospholipid content in HDL was positively associated with eGFR both cross-sectionally and longitudinally only in non-diabetics. In conclusion, we provide a wide list of kidney function-associated metabolic traits and identified novel metabolic differences between diabetic and non-diabetic kidney disease

Physiotherapy Post Lumbar Discectomy: Prospective Feasibility and Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Objectives To evaluate: acceptability and feasibility of trial procedures; distribution of scores on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ, planned primary outcome); and efficient working of trial components. Design and Setting A feasibility and external pilot randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN33808269, assigned 10/12/2012) was conducted across 2 UK secondary care outpatient physiotherapy departments associated with regional spinal surgery centres. Participants Consecutive consenting patients aged >18 years; post primary, single level, lumbar discectomy. Interventions Participants were randomised to either 1:1 physiotherapy outpatient management including patient leaflet, or patient leaflet alone. Main Outcome Measures Blinded assessments were made at 4 weeks post surgery (baseline) and 12 weeks post baseline (proposed primary end point). Secondary outcomes included: Global Perceived Effect, back/leg pain, straight leg raise, return to work/function, quality of life, fear avoidance, range of movement, medication, re-operation. Results At discharge, 110 (44%) eligible patients gave consent to be contacted. 59 (54%) patients were recruited. Loss to follow up was 39% at 12 weeks, with one site contributing 83% losses. Mean (SD) RMDQ was 10.07 (5.58) leaflet and 10.52 (5.94) physiotherapy/leaflet at baseline; and 5.37 (4.91) leaflet and 5.53 (4.49) physiotherapy/leaflet at 12 weeks. 5.1% zero scores at 12 weeks illustrated no floor effect. Sensitivity to change was assessed at 12 weeks with mean (SD) change -4.53 (6.41), 95%CI -7.61 to -1.44 for leaflet; and -6.18 (5.59), 95%CI -9.01 to -3.30 for physiotherapy/leaflet. RMDQ mean difference (95%CI) between change from baseline to twelve weeks was 1.65(-2.46 to 5.75). Mean difference (95%CI) between groups at 12 weeks was -0.16 (-3.36 to 3.04). Participant adherence with treatment was good. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions Both interventions were acceptable, and it is promising that they both demonstrated a trend in reducing disability in this population. A randomised controlled trial, using a different trial design, is needed to ascertain the effectiveness of combining the interventions into a stepped care intervention and comparing to a no intervention arm. Findings will guide design changes for an adequately powered randomised controlled trial, using RMDQ as the primary outcome

Genome-wide association study of germline variants and breast cancer-specific mortality

BACKGROUND: We examined the associations between germline variants and breast cancer mortality using a large meta-analysis of women of European ancestry. METHODS: Meta-analyses included summary estimates based on Cox models of twelve datasets using ~10

Moray: Bridging an ancient culture of innovation with emerging pedagogies in engineering

From its inception, Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC) has functioned under the mandate of causing a disruptive effect in society by educating a new generation of holistic engineers bound to become empowered change agents. The university has recently embarked on a radical transformation of its educational model, in order to deliver this promise. A flexible curriculum provides students not only with a strong STHEAM backbone imparted in a student-centered active-learning format, but also exposes them to real engineering challenges and promotes the acquisition of professional skills from the onset. For this change to be implemented successfully, UTEC has decided to design and launch a Laboratory for Educational Innovation, called Moray. Conceived as an open platform, Moray sits at the intersection of physical and virtual spaces and is organized around flexible protocols that allow faculty, students, staff, and experts from top universities worldwide to work inter-disciplinarily and collaboratively, towards the enhancement of teaching and learning dynamics in higher education