In the quest of specific-domain ontology components for the semantic web

This paper describes an approach we have been using to identify specific-domain ontology components by using Self-Organizing Maps. These components are clustered together in a natural way according to their similarity. The knowledge maps, as we call them, show colored regions containing knowledge components that may be used to populate an specific-domain ontology. Later, these ontology may be used by software agents to carry out basic reasoning task on our behalf. In particular, we deal with the issue of not constructing the ontology from scratch, our approach helps us to speed up the ontology creation process

Out-of-pocket health expenditures in Colombia: a systematic review

Objectives To review the evidence of out-of-pocket (OOPE) and catastrophic expenditures (CHE) in health in Colombia. Methods Systematic review of the literature (SLR). Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Scielo and Google Scholar. We used the MESH terms: out-of-pocket, catastrophic health expenditure, health and Colombia. We included cost description or cost analysis studies. Cost-effectiveness analysis of health technologies and qualitative studies were excluded. Data about period of analysis, type of study, costing perspective, OOPE, and CHE were extracted. Studies were classified as macroeconomic, microeconomic, and diseases analysis. All costs were indexed to 2018 and reported in Colombian pesos (COP)

Influence of adiposity and sex on SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in vaccinated university students: A cross-sectional ESFUERSO study

Prior studies have identified various determinants of differential immune responses to COVID-19. This study focused on the Ig-G anti-RBD marker, analyzing its potential correlations with sex, vaccine type, body fat percentage, metabolic risk, perceived stress, and previous COVID-19 exposure. In this study, data (available in S1 Data) were obtained from 108 participants from the ESFUERSO cohort, who completed questionnaires detailing their COVID-19 experiences and stress levels assessed through the SISCO scale. IgG anti-RBD concentrations were quantified using an ELISA assay developed by UNAM. Multiple regression analysis was employed to control for covariates, including sex, age, body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), and perceived stress. This sample comprised young individuals (average age of 21.4 years), primarily consisting of females (70%), with a substantial proportion reporting a family history of diabetes, hypertension, or obesity. Most students had received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, and 91% displayed a positive anti-RBD response. A noteworthy finding was the interaction between body fat percentage and sex. In males, increased adiposity was associated with decreased Ig-G anti-RBD concentration; in females, the response increased. Importantly, this pattern remained consistent regardless of the vaccine received. No significant associations were observed for dietary habits or perceived stress variables. This research reports the impact of sex and body fat percentage on the immune response through Ig-G anti-RBD levels to COVID-19 vaccines. The implications of these findings offer a foundation for educational initiatives and the formulation of preventive policies aimed at mitigating health disparities

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Growth of Low Birth Weight Infants Aged 1–6 Mo in Ardabil, Iran

Objective To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on growth of low birth weight (LBW) infants aged 1–6 mo. Methods LBW infants were enrolled at birth and randomly assigned to receive 5 mg elemental Zn per day (n=45) or placebo (n=45) until 6 mo of age. They were followed monthly for information on compliance; anthropometric measurements were performed monthly. Results After randomization, 5 infants from zinc group and 9 from placebo group were excluded. At 6 mo of age, significantly greater weight gains were observed in the zinc than in the placebo group (4995±741g in zinc group vs. 3896±865 g in placebo group, p = 0.036). Length gain during the study period improved in zinc group (16.9±8.2 cm vs. 15.1±4.1 cm, p = 0.039); after zinc supplementation head circumference were increased (8.7±1.4 cm vs.7.4± 1.5 cm p<0.001). In male infants, total weight gain and height and head circumference gain were higher in the zinc than in the placebo group. However, only head circumference change was statistically significant. A similar trend was observed among female infants, but these differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant relation between breast-feeding status and the main outcome variables. Conclusions Infants in the present study showed improve¬ments in growth rate, but more studies are required in this field to confirm this fact

MINERvA neutrino detector response measured with test beam data

The MINERvA collaboration operated a scaled down replica of the solid scintillator tracking and sampling calorimeter regions of the MlNERvA detector in a hadron test beam at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. This paper reports measurements with samples of protons, pions, and electrons from 0.35 to 2.0 GeV/c momentum. The calorimetric response to protons, pions, and electrons is obtained from these data. A measurement of the parameter in Birks\u27 law and an estimate of the tracking efficiency are extracted from the proton sample. Overall the data are well described by a Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulation of the detector and particle interactions with agreements better than 4% for the calorimetric response, though some features of the data are not precisely modeled. These measurements are used to tune the MINERvA detector simulation and evaluate systematic uncertainties in support of the MINERvA neutrino cross-section measurement program. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V

Neutralizing anti-RBD fraction for SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the interaction waist circumference and sex. An ESFUERSO preliminary report on university students

In a previous study we reported that 25% of college students had a family history of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and 39% of hypertension. Interestingly, between 17 to 47% reported not knowing about T2D or hypertension, neither the existing obesity-metabolic problems (ESFUERSO study). The COVID-19 pandemic forced confinement and modifications in food intake, physical activity, and psychological stress. This study aimed to analyze if the immune Ig-G anti-RBD (protective epitope in S protein) response associated with type of vaccination, metabolic risk, perceived stress, and history of COVID-19 contacts. We included 116 students at the 3th year of follow up in the ESFUERSO cohort at Reynosa. Mean age 21.4 (SD 1.04) years old, BMI 28 (6.6), females 70% (81/116). The serum concentration of Ig-G anti-RGB measured by ELISA adjusted by sex, age, body fat percentage, and BMI was analyzed. Researchers performed a multiple regression analysis with Stata V17.0. We found that 70% of the students had a family history of diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity at baseline. Only 5 (4%) students did not have any vaccine at the time of the study, 102 (88%) were vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer and 9 (8%) with other vaccines (Cansino, Sinovac). The prevalence of positive anti-RBD was 91%. The body fat percentage interacted with sex (p=0.034) explaining the serum concentration of anti-RBD decreased as adiposity increases in men, but increased in women. The interaction remained is spite of type of vaccination. We found no differences among metabolic risks for food consumption, distress, uncertainty, lack of sleep, sadness, and anxiety were associated with metabolic problems. Our model predicts neutralizing anti-RBD had multiplicative interaction by sex and body fat percentage (increases in females and decreases in males), with no effects on stress score or food consumption

In the quest of specific-domain ontology components for the semantic web

This paper describes an approach we have been using to identify specific-domain ontology components by using Self-Organizing Maps. These components are clustered together in a natural way according to their similarity. The knowledge maps, as we call them, show colored regions containing knowledge components that may be used to populate an specific-domain ontology. Later, these ontology may be used by software agents to carry out basic reasoning task on our behalf. In particular, we deal with the issue of not constructing the ontology from scratch, our approach helps us to speed up the ontology creation process

TOROS optical follow-up of the advanced LIGO–VIRGO O2 second observational campaign

We present themethods and results of the optical follow-up, conducted by the Transient Optical Robotic Observatory of the South Collaboration, of gravitational wave events detected during the Advanced LIGO–Virgo second observing run (2016 November–2017 August). Given the limited field of view (∼100 arcmin) of our observational instrumentation, we targeted galaxies within the area of high localization probability that were observable from our sites. We analysed the observations using difference imaging, followed by a random forest algorithm to discriminate between real and spurious transients. Our observations were conducted using telescopes at Estacion Astrofısica de Bosque Alegre, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the Dr. Cristina V. Torres Memorial Astronomical Observatory, and an observing station in Salta, Argentina

Análisis de ley de reparación a víctimas. Un enfoque hacia la violencia en Colombia

La Ley 1448 del 2011, conocida como Ley de víctimas y de restitución de tierras, es el instrumento por el cual el Estado se propuso reparar en forma integral las víctimas de desplazamiento, despojo o abandono en razón del conflicto armado interno colombiano, en miras de restablecer su dignidad y sus derechos, teniendo por objeto establecer un conjunto de medidas judiciales, administrativas, sociales, económicas, individuales y colectivas en beneficio de las víctimas que sufrieron violaciones de sus derechos en el marco del conflicto armado. Estas medidas pretenden hacer efectivo el derecho a la verdad, a la justicia y a la reparación patrimonial de las víctimas en el país, mediante diversos mecanismos que puedan llegar a solventar los daños sufridos a través del tiempo, esto en miras a poder dignificarlas por medio de la materialización real y concreta de sus derechos. Entre tanto, con el desarrollo de esta investigación se podrá observar, como la Ley de restitución de tierras efectivamente vela por la protección de los derechos y garantías de la población víctima del desarraigo forzoso, determinando los instrumentos o medidas implementadas para lograr la reparación individual e integral a las víctimas del conflicto armado interno, o si por el contrario esta población no ha recibido la asistencia adecuada por parte del Estado. Bajo el anterior panorama, se ha planteado la pregunta investigativa de la siguiente forma: ¿Cómo la Ley de 1448 del 2011 garantiza una reparación integral individual eficaz a las víctimas del desplazamiento forzado? dándole respuesta a esta pregunta se llegará a observar si realmente el Estado tiene respuestas eficaces enfocadas a las necesidades específicas de las víctimas del desplazamiento forzado. Asimismo, se ha planteado como hipótesis investigativa que: el Estado ha implementado una serie de medidas asistenciales para lograr reparar a las víctimas del conflicto armado interno, medidas con las cuales se pretende dignificar a las víctimas y suplir sus necesidades de la mejor forma, dichas medidas se enmarcan dentro de la Ley de reparación de víctimas; de esta forma, el Estado ha velado para que la población desplazada sea tomada en cuenta, garantizando así sus derechos y protegiendo su dignidad. Ahora, el conflicto armado en Colombia se prolongó por más de 50 años, en función de una guerra armada interna, pero fue en los años 90s donde los grupos armados inician una serie de actos para derrotar al Estado, creando estrategias en contra de la población civil (en su mayoría rural) como secuestros, masacres, desplazamientos y reclutamientos forzosos, vinculación de grupos al margen de la ley, violaciones y la siembra de minas antipersonas, entre otras. El Estado dio un gran paso con la Ley 1148 del 2011 en el marco del proceso de paz y en la construcción de un escenario de post-conflicto. Premeditada como mecanismo en la política transicional en el cual facilitará el camino hacia el posconflicto, ya que la Ley garantiza la protección de los derechos individuales de cada una de los sujetos de especial protección dentro del conflicto armado como los niños, niñas, adolecentes, mujeres, personas con orientación sexual diversa, adultos mayores, personas con limitaciones físicas, defensores de derechos humanos, sindicalistas, personas pertenecientes a grupos étnicos y afrocolombianos; Ahora bien, esta investigación se torna interesante y relevante a la vida académica, ya que analiza la justicia restaurativa contenida dentro de la Ley de Restitución de Tierras, de esta forma, se podrá observar como el Estado se hace presente para que las víctimas tengan una seguridad frente a la protección de sus derechos y con la identificación de las medidas de reparación integral que el Gobierno Nacional ha propuesto para garantizar los derechos de las víctimas del desplazamiento forzado, se entrelazan temas que tienen una importancia fundamental para todo aquel que estudie el derecho y la sociedad.Facultad de Derecho - Centro De Investigaciones Sociojurídicas - Derech

Differential Effects of High-Carbohydrate and High-Fat Diet Composition on Metabolic Control and Insulin Resistance in Normal Rats

The macronutrient component of diets is critical for metabolic control and insulin action. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of high fat diets (HFDs) vs. high carbohydrate diets (HCDs) on metabolic control and insulin resistance in Wistar rats. Thirty animals divided into five groups (n = 6) were fed: (1) Control diet (CD); (2) High-saturated fat diet (HSFD); (3) High-unsaturated fat diet (HUFD); (4) High-digestible starch diet, (HDSD); and (5) High-resistant starch diet (HRSD) during eight weeks. HFDs and HCDs reduced weight gain in comparison with CD, however no statistical significance was reached. Calorie intake was similar in both HFDs and CD, but rats receiving HCDs showed higher calorie consumption than other groups, (p < 0.01). HRSD showed the lowest levels of serum and hepatic lipids. The HUFD induced the lowest fasting glycemia levels and HOMA-IR values. The HDSD group exhibited the highest insulin resistance and hepatic cholesterol content. In conclusion, HUFD exhibited the most beneficial effects on glycemic control meanwhile HRSD induced the highest reduction on lipid content and did not modify insulin sensitivity. In both groups, HFDs and HCDs, the diet constituents were more important factors than caloric intake for metabolic disturbance and insulin resistance