Recordar los ceroxylones

“Las soberbias columnas de marfil de los ceroxylones mecen sus elegantes copas verdes claras, que vistas a la distancia se asemejan a hilos de plata destacándose sobre el fondo sombrío de los cerros”. Así describía Edouard André, botánico y periodista científico francés su primera impresión sobre la Palma de Cera del legendario Paso del Quindí

Modelo para la selección de un sistema de programación para la producción. Un enfoque estratégico

Establecer el tipo de sistema de programación de producción que una industria manufactura debe implementar es uno de los problemas que con más frecuencia deben enfrentar los gerentes de manufactura, ya que de ello depende en gran parte el buen funcionamiento de la empresa. Su selección depende de varios aspectos que raramente son tenidos en cuenta, como son el tipo de configuración productiva y la estrategia de manufactura. Este artículo busca, a través de una revisión bibliográfica, y de nuestra experiencia, guiar al lector para que, de una manera estructurada, seleccione el sistema de programación de producción más adecuado para una empresa, de tal manera que de acuerdo con las estrategias de manufactura, determine el tipo de configuración productiva que permita alcanzar tales estrategias, y con base en ello, identifique y seleccione el sistema de programación más adecuado

BRAF and TERT mutations in papillary thyroid cancer patients of Latino ancestry.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the second most commonly diagnosed malignancy in U.S. Latinas and in Colombian women. Studies in non-Latinos indicate that BRAF and TERT mutations are PTC prognostic markers. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical associations of BRAF and TERT mutations in PTC Latino patients from Colombia. We analyzed mutations of BRAF (V600E) and TERT promoter (C228T, C250T) in tumor DNA from 141 patients (75 with classical variant PTC, CVPTC; 66 with follicular variant PTC, FVPTC) recruited through a multi-center study. Associations between mutations and clinical variables were evaluated with Fisher exact tests. Survival was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier plots. Double-mutant tumors (BRAF+/TERT+, n = 14 patients) were more common in CVPTC (P = 0.02). Relative to patients without mutations (n = 48), double mutations were more common in patients with large tumors (P = 0.03), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01), extra-thyroid extension (P = 0.03), and advanced stage (P = 6.0 × 10-5). In older patients, TERT mutations were more frequent (mean age 51 years vs 45 years for wild type TERT, P = 0.04) and survival was lower (HR = 1.20; P = 0.017); however, given the small sample size, the decrease in survival was not statically significant between genotypes. Comparisons with published data in US whites revealed that Colombian patients had a higher prevalence of severe pathological features and of double-mutant tumors (10 vs 6%, P = 0.001). Mutations in both oncogenes show prognostic associations in Latinos from Colombia. Our study is important to advance Latino PTC precision medicine and replicates previous prognostic associations between BRAF and TERT in this population

The HABP2 G534E polymorphism does not increase nonmedullary thyroid cancer risk in Hispanics.

Familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) has not been clearly linked to causal germline variants, despite the large role that genetic factors play in risk. Recently, HABP2 G534E (rs7080536A) has been implicated as a causal variant in NMTC. We have previously shown that the HABP2 G534E variant is not associated with TC risk in patients from the British Isles. Hispanics are the largest and the youngest minority in the United States and NMTC is now the second most common malignancy in women from this population. In order to determine if the HABP2 G534E variant played a role in NMTC risk among Hispanic populations, we analyzed 281 cases and 1105 population-matched controls from a multicenter study in Colombia, evaluating the association through logistic regression. We found that the HABP2 G534E variant was not significantly associated with NMTC risk (P=0.843) in this Hispanic group. We also stratified available clinical data by multiple available clinicopathological variables and further analyzed the effect of HABP2 on NMTC presentation. However, we failed to detect associations between HABP2 G534E and NMTC risk, regardless of disease presentation (P≥0.273 for all cases). Therefore, without any significant associations between the HABP2 G534E variant and NMTC risk, we conclude that the variant is not causal of NMTC in this Hispanic population

Estudio preliminar de leptospirosis en caninos de la ciudad de Montería.

Determinar la presencia en la sangre de anticuerpos leptospirales, utilizando el método de la microaglutinación lisis, fueron sangrados 300 perros de la ciudad de Montería. Se utilizaron 11 serotipos de leptospirosis, como antígenos, los cuales se enfrentaron con cada uno los sueros problemas diluídos en forma seriada, 1:25 a 1:100. De los 300 animales probados, 82 de ellos (27.3 por ciento) resultaron ser positivos. El índice más alto de positividad correspondió al serotip Leptospira canícola (5.33 por ciento), seguido de los serotipos Leptospira autumnalis (4.66 por ciento), Leptospira bataviae (4.33 por ciento), Leptospira pomona (4.0 por ciento) y L. Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae (4.0 por ciento). Con porcentajes más bajos de positividad. Se presentaron los serotipos Leptospira tarassovi (2.66 por ciento) Leptospira grippotyphosa (2.66 por ciento), L. wolffi (2.0 por ciento), L. australis (1.66 por ciento), L. hardjo (1.33 por ciento) y L. hebdomadis (1.0 por ciento

Modelo para la selección de un sistema de programación para la producción. Un enfoque estratégico

Production planning and scheduling system selection is one of the most frequent problems that manufacturing managers face. Because company´s performance depends strongly on this selection, this decision is extremely important for any company. Within this article it is proposed a model for selecting a production planning and scheduling system that takes into account some factors that are rarely considered, such as productive system layout and manufacturing strategy. This model is intended to guide the reader to identify the company´s manufacturing strategy and productive layout, and to use this information in order to select the production planning and scheduling system that better fits the company.Establecer el tipo de sistema de programación de producción que una industria manufactura debe implementar es uno de los problemas que con más frecuencia deben enfrentar los gerentes de  manufactura, ya que de ello depende en gran parte el buen funcionamiento de la empresa. Su selección depende de varios aspectos que raramente son tenidos en cuenta, como son el tipo de configuración productiva y la estrategia de manufactura. Este artículo busca, a través de una revisión bibliográfica, y de nuestra experiencia, guiar al lector para que, de una manera estructurada, seleccione el sistema de programación de producción más adecuado para una empresa, de tal manera que de acuerdo con las estrategias de manufactura, determine el tipo de configuración productiva que permita alcanzar tales estrategias, y con base en ello, identifique y seleccione el sistema de programación más adecuado

Synthesis, Leishmanicidal and Cytotoxic Activity of Triclosan-Chalcone, Triclosan-Chromone and Triclosan-Coumarin Hybrids

Twelve hybrids derived from triclosan were obtained via Williamson etherification of O-triclosan alkyl bromide plus chalcone and O-coumarin or O-chromone alkyl bromide plus triclosan, respectively. Structures of the products were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for antileishmanial activity against L. (V) panamensis amastigotes. Cytotoxic activity was also evaluated against mammalian U-937 cells. Compounds 7–9 and 17, were active against Leishmania parasites (EC50 = 9.4; 10.2; 13.5 and 27.5 µg/mL, respectively) and showed no toxicity toward mammalian cells (>200 µg/mL). They are potential candidates for antileishmanial drug development. Compounds 25–27, were active and cytotoxic. Further studies using other cell types are needed in order to discriminate whether the toxicity shown by these compounds is against tumor or non-tumor cells. The results indicate that compounds containing small alkyl chains show better selectivity indices. Moreover, Michael acceptor moieties may modify both the leishmanicidal activity and cytotoxicity. Further studies are required to evaluate if the in vitro activity against Leishmania panamensis demonstrated here is also observed in vivo.The authors thank COLCIENCIAS (contract No. 0333-2013, code: 111556933423) and the Universidad de Antioquia (Estrategia de Sostenibilidad 2013–2014 and CIDEPRO) for financial support

Evaluating static postural control in subjects with controlled-diabetes mellitus II

Diabetes and neuropathy have been linked to postural instability. Aims: The purpose of this study is to determine how each system involved in balance is affected when challenged in a static standing posture. The goal was to identify postural instability by measuring balance through the amount of sway and weight bearing distribution in non-neuropathic controlled type II diabetics. Methods: Twelve participants (five males and seven females) with controlled type II diabetes mellitus and no history of peripheral neuropathy (Non-PN cDMII) formed the diabetic group, whereas eighteen participants (7 males and 11 females) without type II diabetes formed the control group. The exclusion criteria was applied via a series of screening tests (Berg Balance Scale, Five Times Sit To Stand Test, Functional Reach Test and Monofilament Test). Postural stability and weight distribution during quiet standing were measured using a Tekscan Matscan pressure mat, which measured the amount of sway and weight distribution. Static postural control was evaluated during eight sensory conditions that perturbed or stimulated the visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems. Results: Postural control was found to be significantly deficient when the vestibular system was stimulated, whereas the proprioceptive system was perturbed. After the data analysis, there was a significant difference in antero-posterior sway (P=0.05) with the following tasks: eyes open with head movements on an unstable surface, and eyes closed with head movements on a firm surface. Conclusions: The results revealed that the experimental group with type II diabetes had greater postural instability when compared to the control group during tasks with the vestibular system on an unstable surface. This demonstrates that, due to their deficits, individuals with non-PN cDMII are unable to maintain their balance when the vestibular and proprioceptive systems are challenged simultaneously

IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE REDES NEURONALES PARA LA CLASIFICACIÓN DE DESECHOS DENTRO DE UN CESTO INTELIGENTE

This article introduces the implementation of hardware tools like (Raspberry Pi, cameras, sensors, motors, drivers) and software like (convolutional neural networks, mobile app) for debris classification. In the future, the implementation of the proposed collector and classifier will contribute to caring for the environment and environmental education. The innovation of the project lies in the automation of the waste classification process through the integration of neural networks, the generation of notifications automatically from the prototype that are transmitted through the web server to the mobile application developed when a container is full. And the flexibility of the prototype so that it can be implemented in various environments from educational, office, industrial, among others. The advances that are presented are Creation of a mobile application that allows to visualize the level of the containers, design of the prototype, results of the training of the selected neural networks, evaluation of the final network with test images.Este artículo presenta la implementación de herramientas de hardware como (Raspberry Pi, cámaras, sensores, motores, controladores) y software como (redes neuronales convolucionales, aplicación móvil) para la clasificación de desechos. A futuro, la implementación del recolector y clasificador propuesto contribuirá al cuidado del ambiente y a la educación ambiental. La innovación del proyecto radica en la automatización del proceso de clasificación de desechos mediante la integración de redes neuronales, la generación de notificaciones de forma automática desde el prototipo que son transmitidas por medio del servidor web a la aplicación móvil desarrollada cuando un contenedor se encuentre lleno y la flexibilidad del prototipo de manera que puede implementarse en diversos entornos desde educativos, oficinas, industrias, entre otros. Los avances que se presentan son: Creación de una aplicación móvil que permite visualizar el nivel de los contenedores, diseño del prototipo, resultados del entrenamiento de las redes neuronales seleccionadas, evaluación de la red final con imágenes de prueba

Construct Validity and Factor Structure of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale in a Multi-National Study of African, South East Asian and South American College Students

Background: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) are questionnaires used to assess sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness in clinical and population-based studies. The present study aimed to evaluate the construct validity and factor structure of the PSQI and ESS questionnaires among young adults in four countries (Chile, Ethiopia, Peru and Thailand). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 8,481 undergraduate students. Students were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire that collected information about lifestyle, demographic, and sleep characteristics. In each country, the construct validity and factorial structures of PSQI and ESS questionnaires were tested through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA). Results: The largest component-total correlation coefficient for sleep quality as assessed using PSQI was noted in Chile (r = 0.71) while the smallest component-total correlation coefficient was noted for sleep medication use in Peru (r = 0.28). The largest component-total correlation coefficient for excessive daytime sleepiness as assessed using ESS was found for item 1 (sitting/reading) in Chile (r = 0.65) while the lowest item-total correlation was observed for item 6 (sitting and talking to someone) in Thailand (r = 0.35). Using both EFA and CFA a two-factor model was found for PSQI questionnaire in Chile, Ethiopia and Thailand while a three-factor model was found for Peru. For the ESS questionnaire, we noted two factors for all four countries Conclusion: Overall, we documented cross-cultural comparability of sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness measures using the PSQI and ESS questionnaires among Asian, South American and African young adults. Although both the PSQI and ESS were originally developed as single-factor questionnaires, the results of our EFA and CFA revealed the multi- dimensionality of the scales suggesting limited usefulness of the global PSQI and ESS scores to assess sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness