Supporting pruning in tabled LP

This paper analyzes issues which appear when supporting pruning operators in tabled LP. A version of the once/1 control predicate tailored for tabled predicates is presented, and an implementation analyzed and evaluated. Using once/1 with answer-on-demand strategies makes it possible to avoid computing unneeded solutions for problems which can benefit from tabled LP but in which only a single solution is needed, such as model checking and planning. The proposed version of once/1 is also directly applicable to the efficient implementation of other optimizations, such as early completion, cut-fail loops (to, e.g., prune at the top level), if-then-else, and constraint-based branch-and-bound optimization. Although once/1 still presents open issues such as dependencies of tabled solutions on program history, our experimental evaluation confirms that it provides an arbitrarily large efficiency improvement in several application areas

Prospective, historically controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new paediatric formulation of nifurtimox in children aged 0 to 17 years with chagas disease one year after treatment (Chico)

Nifurtimox is a recommended treatment for Chagas disease, but data from treated children are limited. We investigated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of nifurtimox administered as divisible, dispersible 30 mg and 120 mg tablets in children with Chagas disease. In this blinded, controlled study conducted January 2016–July 2018, 330 patients aged <18 years from 25 medical centres across three South American countries were randomised 2:1 to nifurtimox 10–20 mg/kg/day (aged <12 years) or 8–10 mg/kg/day (aged ≥12 years) for 60 days (n = 219), or for 30 days plus placebo for 30 days (n = 111) (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02625974). The primary outcome was anti-Trypanosoma cruzi serological response (negative seroconversion or seroreduction ≥20% in mean optical density from baseline determined by two conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) at 12 months in the 60-day treatment group versus historical placebo controls. Nifurtimox for 60 days achieved negative seroconversion (n = 10) and seroreduction (n = 62) in 72 patients (serological response 32.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 26.4%, 39.3%, of all treated patients), confirming superiority relative to the upper 95% CI of 16% for controls. In patients aged <8 months, 10/12 treated for 60 days (83.3%) and 5/7 treated for 30 days (71.4%) achieved negative seroconversion. Overall serological response was lower for 30-day than for 60-day nifurtimox (between-treatment difference 14.0% [95% CI 3.7%, 24.2%]). The frequency of T. cruzi-positive quantitative polymerase chain reactions decreased substantially from baseline levels (60-day regimen 53.4% versus 1.4%; 30-day regimen 51.4% versus 4.5%). Study drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), which were observed in 62 patients (28.3%) treated for 60 days and 29 patients (26.1%) treated for 30 days, were generally mild or moderate and resolved without sequelae; 4.2% of all TEAEs led to nifurti-mox discontinuation. Age-and weight-adjusted nifurtimox for 60 days achieved a serological response at 12 months post-treatment that was superior to historical placebo, was well tolerated and had a favourable safety profile in children with Chagas disease. Although, at 1 year serological follow-up, efficacy of the shorter nifurtimox treatment was not comparable to the 60-day treatment regimen for the overall study population, further long-term follow-up of the patients will provide important information about the progress of serological conversion in children treated with nifurtimox, as well as the potential efficacy difference between the two regimens over time.Fil: Altcheh, Jaime Marcelo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Luis. Centro de Atención E Investigación Médica; ColombiaFil: Dib, Juan C.. Universidad del Norte; ColombiaFil: Grossmann, Ulrike. No especifíca;Fil: Huang, Erya. No especifíca;Fil: Moscatelli, Guillermo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas; ArgentinaFil: Pinto Rocha, Jimy José. Fundación Ceades; BoliviaFil: Ramírez, Teresa Estela. Centro de Enfermedad de Chagas y Patologias Regionales; Argentin

The Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Effectiveness for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevention over Time: A Test-Negative Study in Health Care Professionals of a Health Department from January 2021 to December 2021

The duration of protection of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been evaluated in previous studies, but uncertainty remains about the persistence of effectiveness over time and the ideal timing for booster doses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers (HCWs) at a tertiary hospital depending on time elapsed since the completion of a two-dose vaccination regimen. We conducted a case–control with negative test study between 25 January and 12 December 2021 that included 1,404 HCWs who underwent an active infection diagnostic test (AIDT) to rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection due to COVID-19 suspicion or prior close contact with patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The adjusted vaccine effectiveness (aVE) for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection 12 to 120 days after completing the full two-dose vaccination regimen was 91.9%. Then, aVE decreased to 63.7% between 121 to 240 days after completing the full two-dose regimen and to 37.2% after 241 days since the second dose. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs remains highly effective after 12 to 120 days have elapsed since the administration of two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine; however, effectiveness decreases as time elapses since its administration

Water and agriculture

This chapter shows the strong links between water, agriculture and the economy in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). Both green and blue water are vital for LAC's economies and for its food security. Awareness of LAC's virtual water trade volumes and water footprints alone will not solve the local or global water problems. However, the awareness gained increases the likelihood that optimized water allocation decisions, which consider the hydrological and economical aspects of water resources, are made. • Agriculture is a significant economic sector for many LAC countries with some being major world players in the agricultural commodities world markets, such is the case for Brazil and Argentina who contribute to 13% of the global green water export. At the micro level, agriculture still plays a significant role for the food security of the population. • The consumptive water use of agricultural production was on average 1,057Gm 3 / yr for the period 1996–2005; of which, 95% corresponds to the green water footprint, whereas 5% refers to the blue component. This indicates that LAC relies heavily on green water for agricultural production, i.e. rain-fed agriculture. • Maize is a fundamental crop in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru, representing 15% of the total agricultural blue and green water footprint (773,408hm 3 /yr) and contributing to 35% of the agricultural nitrogen pollution, estimated as grey water footprint, in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Only in Mexico, maize contributes 60% of the agricultural grey water footprint. • Grazing represents 24% of the total green water footprint of agriculture in these countries. The blue water consumption by the animal water supply is very significant in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru, which amounts to 13% (38,825hm 3 /yr) of the total consumption

Cancer Survival in Adults in Spain: A Population-Based Study of the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN)

© 2022.This document is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the published version of a published work that appeared in final form in CancersThe assessment of cancer survival at the population level is essential for monitoring progress in cancer control. We aimed to assess cancer survival and its trends in adults in Spain. Individual records of 601,250 adults with primary cancer diagnosed during 2002-2013 and followed up to 2015 were included from 13 population-based cancer registries. We estimated net survival up to five years after diagnosis and analyzed absolute changes between 2002-2007 and 2008-2013. Estimates were age-standardized. Analyses were performed for 29 cancer groups, by age and sex. Overall, age-standardized five-year net survival was higher in women (61.7%, 95% CI 61.4-62.1%) than in men (55.3%, 95% CI 55.0-55.6%), and ranged by cancer from 7.2% (pancreas) to 89.6% (prostate) in men, and from 10.0% (pancreas) to 93.1% (thyroid) in women in the last period. Survival declined with age, showing different patterns by cancer. Between both periods, age-standardized five-year net survival increased overall by 3.3% (95% CI 3.0-3.7%) in men and 2.5% (95% CI 2.0-3.0%) in women, and for most cancer groups. Improvements were greater in patients younger than 75 years than in older patients. Chronic myeloid leukemia and myeloma showed the largest increases. Among the most common malignancies, the greatest absolute increases in survival were observed for colon (5.0%, 95% CI 4.0-6.0%) and rectal cancers (4.5%, 95% CI 3.2-5.9%). Survival improved even for some cancers with poor prognosis (pancreas, esophagus, lung, liver, and brain cancer). Further investigation of possible sociodemographic inequalities is warranted. This study contributes to the evaluation of cancer control and health services' effectiveness

Cerebral Anatomy of the Spider Monkey Ateles Geoffroyi Studied Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. First Report: a Comparative Study with the Human Brain Homo Sapiens

El objetivo del presente estudio cualitativo fue analizar los aspectos morfológicos de la anatomía cerebral interna utilizando imágenes de resonancia magnética (IRM) en dos especies de primates, El mono Araña (A. geoffroyi) y el humano (H. sapiens), tomando como base un estudio comparativo de las estructuras cerebrales de las dos especies, concentrándose primordialmente en el sistema límbico del cerebro del mono araña. Aunque es una especie común en el hemisferio occidental, es interesante para estudiar dada su organización social y funciones motoras, el mono araña (A. geoffroyi) ha sido poco estudiado en cuanto a su neuroanatomía. Las IRM fueron hechas a un mono araña utilizando un resonador General Electrics Signa 1.5 T. Esta investigación se llevo a cabo conforme a las leyes internacionales para la protección de animales en cautiverio y teniendo en cuenta todas las medidas de protección para el manejo experimental para evitar cualquier efecto residual de índole comportamental o fisiológico. Desde un punto de vista cualitativo, los cerebros del mono araña y el humano tenían estructuras similares. Con respecto a la forma, las estructuras más parecidas fueron encontradas en el sistema límbico, sin embargo la curvatura cervical, la amígdala, el hipocampo, la comisura anterior y el colículo fueron más grandes proporcionalmente en el mono araña que en el humano.The objective of the present qualitative study was to analyze the morphological aspects of the inner cerebral anatomy of two species of primates, using magnetic resonance images (MRI): spider monkey (A. geoffroyi) and human (H. sapiens), on the basis of a comparative study of the cerebral structures of the two species, focusing upon the brain of the spider monkey and, primarily, its limbic system. In spite of being an endemic Western hemisphere species, a fact which is by its own right interesting for research due to this animal’s social organization and motor functions, the spider monkey (A. geoffroyi) has hardly been studied in regard to its neuroanatomy. MRI was carried out, in one spider monkey, employing a General Electric Signa 1.5 T scanner. This investigation was carried in accordance to international regulations for the protection of animals in captivity, taking into account all protective means utilized in experimental handling, and not leaving behind any residual effects, either physiological or behavioral. From a qualitative point of view, the brains of the spider monkey and the human were found to have similar structures. In reference to shape, the most similar structures were found in the limbic system; proportionally, however, cervical curvature, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior commissure and the colliculi, were larger in the spider monkey than in the human

Actualidad y prospectiva de la investigación científica en el Centro Universitario Amecameca de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

Con responsabilidad, se organizó un programa cuya finalidad fuera publicitar con transparencia dichos avances, a través de un esfuerzo de rendición de cuentas a la comunidad inmediata, la universitaria, y a la comunidad abierta, la sociedad que la principal referencia para tal efecto. El programa se concretiza a través del presente libro, conformado con una inspiración de investigación multidisciplinaria; sin embargo, para llegar a tal fin, el reto es realizar el proceso de búsqueda y generación de conocimiento transitando hacia la colaboración de los cuerpos académicos, que puedan construir nuevos conocimientos fortalecidos por la convergencia de diferentes campos del saber. En consecuencia, la primera etapa de esta estrategia es la publicidad de los trabajos investigativos ejercidos, para hacer un balance al día, pero también proyectar el futuro de cada campo y área del conocimiento. La organización explicativa está organizada por tres bloques representativos del quehacer en la generación de conocimiento del Centro Universitario, un primer bloque centra el interés en las humanidades, educación y sustentabilidad; el segundo bloque lo integra la reflexión científica sobre la construcción democrática, derechos humanos y equidad de género; en el tercer segmento se destina a la seguridad alimentaria, salud pública y sistemas agropecuarios. La actualidad de la investigación eleva la producción lograda y lo que en el momento se encuentra en construcción y los alcances que produce para la docencia, la investigación misma, y para la sociedad en general. La prospectiva es un área que todos los capítulos desarrollan con el propósito de delinear los alcances innovadores por andar en teoría, metodología e incluso en los saberes mismo