Adsorption of proteins to thin-films of PDMS and its effect on the adhesion of human endothelial cells

This paper describes a simple and inexpensive procedure to produce thin-films of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Such films were characterized by a variety of techniques (ellipsometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, atomic force microscopy, and goniometry) and used to investigate the adsorption kinetics of three model proteins (fibrinogen, collagen type-I, and bovine serum albumin) under different conditions. The information collected from the protein adsorption studies was then used to investigate the adhesion of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. The results of these studies suggest that these films can be used to model the surface properties of microdevices fabricated with commercial PDMS. Moreover, the paper provides guidelines to efficiently attach cells in BioMEMS devices.Fil: Chumbimuni Torres, Karin Y.. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Coronado, Ramon E.. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Mfuh, Adelphe M.. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Castro Guerrero, Carlos. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Silva, María Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Negrete, George R.. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Bizios, Rena. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados UnidosFil: Garcia, Carlos D.. The University of Texas at San Antonio; Estados Unido

Hominin teeth from the Middle Pleistocene site of Yiyuan, Eastern China

In 1981-1982, some hominin fossils, including a relatively complete skull and seven isolated teeth, were recovered from the Middle Pleistocene site of Yiyuan in Eastern China. In the present study we provide a detailed metric and morphological comparison of the Yiyuan dental sample in order to characterize better the variability of the human populations that inhabited China during the Middle Pleistocene. Aside from taxonomic and phylogenetic questions, the lack of understanding and/or knowledge about the morphological variability of these populations have caused concern about the human versus non-human nature of some of the hominin dental remains found in East Asia during the Early and the Middle Pleistocene. Thus, our study aims to present a detailed description and comparison of the Yiyuan isolated teeth to 1) discuss and support their human nature and 2) to explore their taxonomic affinities with regard to other penecontemporaneous populations from Asia. Our results clearly differentiate the Yiyuan sample from Pongo specimens and support a human attribution for the Yiyuan material. Our analyses also suggest that the Yiyuan teeth form a morphologically coherent group together with samples from Zhoukoudian, Chaoxian and Hexian. They are different from the more derived specimens from Panxian Dadong, suggesting a pattern of biogeographic isolation and different evolutionary trends between northern and southern China during the Middle Pleistocene. In addition, and despite sharing a common morphological bauplan with Homo erectus sensu stricto (s.s.), the Yiyuan, Zhoukoudian and Hexian teeth are also different from the Indonesian Early Pleistocene samples. In particular, the expression of a highly crenulated or dendritic enamel-dentine surface could be unique to these groups. Our study supports the notion that the taxonomy of the Pleistocene hominins from Asia may have been oversimplified. Future studies should explore the variability of the Asian specimens and reconsider whether all the samples can be attributed to H. erectus s.s

Exercise Capacity in Children and Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Congenital heart disease (CHD) entails structural defects in the morphogenesis of the heart or its main vessels. Analyzing exercise capacity of children and adolescents with CHD is important to improve their functional condition and quality of life, since it can allow timely intervention on poor prognostic factors associated with higher risk of morbidity and mortality.To describe exercise capacity in children and adolescents with CHD compared with healthy controls.A systematic review was carried out. Randomized clinical trials and observational studies were included assessing exercise capacity through direct and indirect methods in children and adolescents between 5 and 17 years-old. A sensitive analysis was performed including studies with CHD repaired participants. Additionally, it was sub-analyzed by age range (< and ? 12 years old). Two independent reviewers analyzed the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the quality of the evidence.5619 articles were found and 21 were considered for the review. Eighteen articles used the direct exercise capacity measurement method by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). The CHD group showed significant differences in peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) with a value of -7.9 ml/Kg/min (95% CI: -9.9, -5.9, p = 0.00001), maximum workload (Wmax) -41.5 (95% CI: -57.9, -25.1 watts, p = 0.00001), ventilatory equivalent (VE/VCO2 ) slope 2.6 (95% CI: 0.3, 4.8), oxygen pulse (O2 pulse)-2.4 ml/beat (95% CI: -3.7, -1.1, p = 0.0003), and maximum heart rate (HRmax) -15 bpm (95% CI: -18, -12 bpm, p = 0.00001), compared with healthy controls. Adolescents (? 12 yrs) with CHD had a greater reduction in VO2peak (-10.0 ml/Kg/min (95% CI: -12.0, -5.3), p < 0.00001), Wmax (-45.5 watts (95% CI: -54.4, -36.7), p < 0.00001) and HRmax (-21 bpm (95% CI: -28, -14), p<0.00001).Suffering CHD in childhood and adolescence is associated with lower exercise capacity as shown by worse VO2peak, Wmax, VE/VCO2 slope, O2 pulse, and HRmax compared with matched healthy controls. The reduction in exercise capacity was greater in adolescents.www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=208963, identifier: CRD42020208963.Copyright © 2022 Villaseca-Rojas, Varela-Melo, Torres-Castro, Vasconcello-Castillo, Mazzucco, Vilaró and Blanco

Algoritmos para inspeção inteligente no Valle del Cauca

The scarcity of tools to detect taxpayers who do not meet their tax obligations and the inability to generate face-to-face control plans with the current situation of isolation by the Covid pandemic, weaken the generation of value to collecting entities, which are intended to raise resources for social investment, such as recreation, health, or in schools, bridges, hospitals. With this problem, the secretary o Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) of the Valle del Cauca, designed evidence-based strategies, with data, both internal, from the Revenue Unit and exogenous as well as those reported by the Chambers of Commerce and the DIAN of Valle del Cauca. This information resulted in the creating of algorithms for the prediction of omissive contributors to departmental taxes as well as programs with georeferencing. It analyzes the financial statements of the 4,525 companies reporting to the seven trading chambers of the Valle del Cauca department and the DIAN database with 686,215 data, from their reports of the Annual Simple Alternative Minimum Tax Return (IMAS) for self-employed, Annual Alternative Minimum Tax Return for Employees (IMAS), Declaration of Income and Complementary Natural and Assimilated Persons of Residents and Líquid Successions of Resident Causes, Declaration of Income and Supplemental or Income and Heritage for Legal and ssimilated Persons and Natural and Assimilated Non-Resident Persons and Líquid Successions of Non-Resident Causes. The procedure for the analysis of both the DIAN and the Chambers was carried out separately in 2018. The evidence and proposed methodology are of great relevance to algorithm-based public policies for the targeting of auditing.La escasez de herramientas para detectar contribuyentes que no cumplen con sus obligaciones tributarias, y la imposibilidad de generar planes de fiscalización presenciales con la actual situación de aislamiento por la pandemia de covid-19, debilitan la generación de valor a las entidades recaudadores, que tienen como fin recaudar recursos para la inversión social como recreación y salud, o para escuelas, puentes y hospitales. Con esta problemática, la Secretaría de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones del Valle del Cauca diseñó estrategias basadas en evidencia, con datos de la Unidad de Rentas y de las cámaras de comercio y la DIAN del Valle del Cauca. Con esta información se procedió a crear algoritmos para la predicción de contribuyentes omisos de los impuestos departamentales, al igual que programas con georreferenciación. Se analizan los estados financieros de las 4.525 empresas que reportan a la siete cámaras de comercio del departamento del Valle del Cauca y la base de datos de la DIAN con 686.215 datos de sus reportes de la declaración anual de impuesto mínimo alternativo simple (IMAS) para trabajadores por cuenta propia; IMAS para empleados; declaración de renta y complementarios personas naturales y asimiladas de residentes y sucesiones ilíquidas de causantes residentes; declaración de renta y complementarios o de ingresos y patrimonio para personas jurídicas y asimiladas, y personas naturales y asimiladas no residentes y sucesiones ilíquidas de causantes no residentes. El procedimiento para el análisis de los dos entes, tanto de la dian como de las Cámaras, se realizó por separado en el año 2018. La evidencia y la metodología propuestas presentan una gran pertinencia para las políticas públicas basadas en algoritmos para la focalización de la fiscalización.A escassez de ferramentas de detecção de contribuintes que descumpram suas obrigações tributárias e a impossibilidade de gerar planos de fiscalização face a face com a atual situação de isolamento devido à pandemia de Covid fragilizam a geração de valor para as entidades arrecadadoras, cujo objetivo é arrecadar recursos para investimento social, como recreação, saúde, ou em escolas, pontes, hospitais. Com este problema, a Secretaria de Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicações do Valle del Cauca traçou estratégias baseadas em evidências, com dados, tanto internos, da Unidade da Receita, quanto exógenos, que foram reportados pelas Câmaras de Comércio e dian de Valle del Valle Cauca. Com essas informações, passamos a criar algoritmos para a previsão de contribuintes omitidos dos tributos departamentais e também programas com georreferenciamento. São analisados os demonstrativos financeiros das 4.525 empresas que reportam às sete câmaras de comércio do departamento de Valle del Cauca e a base de dados DIAN com 686.215 dados de seus relatórios do Imposto Anual Simples Alternativo Mínimo (imas). para Trabalhadores Autônomos, Declaração Anual de Imposto Mínimo Alternativo (imas) para Funcionários, Declaração de Renda e Pessoas Naturais e Assimiladas Complementares de Residentes e Sucessões Ilíquidas de Causadores Residentes, Declaração de Renda e Complementares ou Rendimentos e Ativos para Pessoas Jurídicas Pessoas Naturais e Assimiladas Assimiladas e Não Residentes e Sucessões Ilíquidas de Causadores Não Residentes. O procedimento de análise das duas entidades, DIAN e Câmaras, foi realizado separadamente em 2018. As evidências e a metodología proposta são de grande relevância para as políticas públicas baseadas em algoritmos de direcionamento à auditoria

Universidad y colectivos vulnerables

El acceso y permanencia en la universidad sigue sin ofrecer, por el momento, las mismas oportunidades a todos los ciudadanos que están en condiciones de realizar estudios superiores. Razones económicas, culturales, sociales o de género castigan posibilidades de realización y de promoción personal y social. La utopía de una universidad más inclusiva sigue siendo, al respecto, un reto para estas instituciones. La presente aportación, complementaria a otras ya editadas anteriormente (http://accelera.uab.cat/documents_edo/biblio/) sobre la temática, recoge las aportaciones más significativas presentadas en el Congreso Universidad y Colectivos Vulnerables 2014, celebrado en Veracruz (México) el 29 y 30 de octubre de 2014. Promovido por el Proyecto ACCEDES (http://edo.uab.cat/accedes/), ha sido un espacio para presentar y debatir los resultados del mismo, así como una oportunidad para el encuentro con otros proyectos y experiencias significativas sobre la temática. Lo más destacable de la misma, es la huida que representa de aportaciones generales sobre la universidad inclusiva y la focalización que realiza en relación a propuestas concretas centradas en los colectivos más vulnerables que se pueden encontrar en las universidades: indígenas, mujeres, discapacitados, minorías, no habituales, estudiantes de zonas rurales, emigrantes y colectivos con un Índice de Desarrollo Humano (IDH) muy bajo. También la orientación práctica, al centrarse en estrategias, instrumentos y experiencias. Se trata, en síntesis, de apoyar el desarrollo de una universidad cuya misión y objetivos se orientan a promover la inclusión de todos los estudiantes y, especialmente, de aquellos que se encuentran en una situación de vulnerabilidad y que pueden poner en evidencia la capacidad o incapacidad del sistema universitario para lograr el equilibrio entre calidad y equidad. El proyecto ACCEDES, financiado por la Unión Europea, contribuye así a alcanzar sus propósitos vinculados al desarrollo de herramientas para el desarrollo organizacional de las instituciones de educación superior en la aplicación de las acciones de mejora en el acceso, excelencia académica y fase de egreso de colectivos vulnerables. Esperemos que su contenido sirva al propósito mencionado, contribuya a la promoción de la inclusión en la educación superior en Latinoamérica y ayude a encontrar el equilibro entre calidad y equidad en los sistemas universitarios

Optimizing dialysis dose in the context of frailty: an exploratory study

Introduction Frailty is a multicausal syndrome characterized by a decrease in strength, resistance and physiological function, which makes the individual vulnerable and dependent, and increases his/her mortality. This syndrome is more prevalent among older individuals, and chronic kidney disease patients, particularly those on dialysis. Dialysis dose is currently standardized for hemodialysis (HD) patients regardless of their age and functional status. However, it has been postulated that the dialysis dose required in older patients, especially frail ones, should be lower, since it could increase their degree of frailty. Then, the purpose of this study was to evaluate if there would be a correlation between the dose of Kt/V and the degree of frailty in a population of adult patients on HD. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study with 82 patients on HD in Barranquilla (Colombia) and Lobos (Argentina) was conducted. Socio-demographic and laboratory data, as well as dialysis doses (Kt/V) were recorded and scales of fragility, physical activity, gait and grip strength were applied. Then these data were correlated by a Spearman’s correlation and a logistic regression. Results CFS, social isolation, physical activity, gait speed, and prehensile strength tests were outside the reference ranges in the studied group. No significant correlation was found between dialysis dose and all the above mentioned functional tests. However, a significant and inverse correlation between physical activity and CFS was documented (score − 1.41 (CI − 2.1 to − 0.7). Conclusion No significant correlation was documented between Kt/V value and different parameters of the frailty status, but this status correlated significantly and inversely with physical activity in this group. Frailty status in hemodialysis patients was significantly higher in older individuals, although young individuals were not exempt from it

The Wolf-Rayet features and mass-metallicity relation of long-duration gamma-ray burst host galaxies

Aims. We have gathered optical spectra of 8 long-duration GRB host galaxies selected from the archival data of VLT/FORS2. We investigated whether or not Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars can be detected in these GRB host galaxies. We also tried to estimate the physical properties of GRB host galaxies, such as metallicity. Methods. We identified the WR features in these spectra by fitting the WR bumps and WR emission lines in blue and red bumps. We also identified the subtypes of the WR stars, and estimated the numbers of stars in each subtype, then calculated the WR/O star ratios. The (O/H) abundances of GRB hosts were estimated from both the electron temperature (Te) and the metallicity-sensitive strong-line ratio (R23), for which we have broken the R23 degeneracy. We compared the environments of long-duration GRB host galaxies with those of other galaxies in terms of their luminosity (stellar mass)-metallicity relations (LZ, MZ). Results. We detected the presence of WR stars in 5 GRB host galaxies having spectra with relatively high signal-to-noise ratios (S/N). In the comparison of LZ, MZ relations, it shows that GRB hosts have lower metallicities than other samples with comparable luminosity and stellar mass. The presence of WR stars and the observed high WR/O star ratio, together with low metallicity, support the core-collapsar model and implie the first stage of star formation in the hosted regions of GRBs.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, A&A 514, A24 (2010

Estado nutricional e consumo alimentar de crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista de um centro de referência de um município do sul do Brasil.

Objetivo: Foi descrever e comparar o estado nutricional e o consumo alimentar decrianças e adolescentes, alunos de um centro educacional especializado. Métodos :Estudo transversal, cuja coleta de dados ocorreu entre 2015 e 2019, através de umquestionário com dados sociodemográficos e antropométricos. O estado nutricional foiavaliado pelo índice de massa corporal para idade. Informações alimentares foramobtidas pelo Formulário de Marcadores de Consumo Alimentar do Sistema deVigilância Alimentar e Nutricional. Resultados : A amostra foi composta por 245indivíduos, predominantemente meninos (87,35%), com média de idade de 7,02 ± 3,63anos e excesso de peso. Observou-se consumo regular de frutas, feijão e leite, baixafrequência de consumo de vegetais e legumes cozidos e salada crua pela maioria.Aproximadamente metade consumiam biscoitos salgados regularmente, sendo maisfrequente por meninos e por adolescentes. Conclusão : O excesso de peso foi observadona maioria da amostra, sendo mais frequente nas meninas. A maioria apresentouconsumo regular de frutas, feijão e leite, baixo consumo de vegetais e legumes cozidose salada crua. Biscoitos salgados foi o marcador de consumo não saudável mais citado,sendo mais frequentemente consumido por meninos e por adolescentes

Seletividade alimentar em crianças e adolescente com transtorno do espectro autista

Objetivo: Caracterizar a seletividade alimentar em crianças e adolescentes com otranstorno do espectro autista (TEA). Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal descritivo, realizado com 73 crianças e adolescentes com TEA, assistidos em um centro educacional no município de Pelotas, RS. Os dados sociodemográficos, antropométricos e de preferência alimentar foram coletados mediante anamnese, e as variáveis de seletividade alimentar foram apuradas através de um questionário, e confirmadas por meio da expressão de um ou mais domínios que compreende a seletividade: recusa alimentar, repertório limitado e alta frequência de um único alimento. Para avaliação da seletividade foi analisado um Questionário de Frequência Alimentar e três Recordatórios de 24 horas. Resultados: Da amostra avaliada, houve uma prevalência do sexo masculino(91,8%), da cor branca (86,3%), com média de idade de 7,1 (± 3,88), e com excesso de peso (42,5%). Observou-se que a maioria (53,4%) da amostra possuía seletividade alimentar, caracterizada principalmente pela expressão de fatores e aspectos sensoriais com base no odor dos alimentos (56,4%), textura (53,9%), aparência (53,8%) e temperatura (51,3%). Conclusão: A maioria das crianças e adolescentes com TEA avaliados demonstraram seletividade alimentar, associada a fatores sensoriais. Palavras-chave: Comportamento Alimentar. Consumo de Alimentos Criança. Adolescente. Transtorno do Espectro Autista