Audio commons ontology: A data model for an audio content ecosystem

Multiple online services host repositories of audio clips of different kinds, ranging from music tracks, albums, playlists, to instrument samples and loops, to a variety of recorded or synthesized sounds. Programmatic access to these resources maybe used by client applications for tasks ranging from customized musical listening and exploration, to music/sounds creation from existing sounds and samples, to audio-based user interaction in apps and games. We designed an ontology to facilitate interoperability between repositories and clients in this domain. There was no previous comprehensive data model for our domain, however the new ontology relates to existing ontologies, such as the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records for the authoring and publication process of creative works, the Music Ontology for the authoring and publication of music, the EBU Core ontology to describe media files and formats and the Creative Commons Licensing ontology to describe licences. This paper documents the design of the ontology and its evaluation with respect to specific requirements gathered from stakeholders

Use of statins and the risk of new onset Diabetes Mellitus

Indexación: Web of Science; ScieloSe ha descrito relación entre el uso de estatinas y aparición de nueva diabetes. Se revisa advertencia de la FDA, así como análisis de estudios y meta análisis, que permiten deducir una acción de las estatinas que favorece el desarrollo de nueva diabetes. Las precauciones del uso de estatinas se deben orientar a pacientes con factores de riesgo de diabetes en prevención primaria cardiovascular. Se expresa la necesidad de estudios prospectivos con objetivos primarios específicos, para mayor precisión de información y adopción de recomendaciones basadas en alto nivel de evidencias.Relationship between statin use and appearance of new diabetes has been described. We review the FDA warning and analysis of studies and meta-analysis, which point to an action of statins which favors the development of new diabetes. Precautions of statin use should guide patients with risk factors for diabetes in primary cardiovascular prevention. It expresses the need for prospective studies with specific primary objectives, for accuracy of information and making recommendations based on high-level evidence.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-85602012000300007&nrm=is

A TGA/FT-IR study for OC and EC quantification applied to carbonaceous aerosol collected in Milan (Italy)

International audienceCarbon analysis consists in the evaluation of the carbonaceous content of the aerosol (TC) but, more importantly, of its distribution between the two components EC (Elemental Carbon) and OC (Organic Carbon) that are characterized by different physical-chemical properties. In spite of the numerous studies focused on this topic, nowadays, a universal methodology for the determination of the two components EC and OC is not available. In fact OC and EC (also known as black carbon or soot) are operationally defined by the method of analysis and, as a consequence, different methods can produce different results. In this paper we present results on the application of TGA/FT-IR (Thermogravimetric Analysis/Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy) to the characterization of carbonaceous aerosols. The analytical methodology was applied to PM10 four-hour time resolution samples collected in Milan urban area. The method is a two-steps thermal one and bases itself on the different thermal behaviour of OC and EC. It has been set up analyzing suitable standards containing both organic and elemental carbon. Carbon quantification is achieved by on-line, continuous monitoring of CO2 infrared absorption at 2361 cm?1. A good separation between OC and EC on particulate matter samples has been obtained. Ranges and average values were respectively 12?70 µg/m3 and 20 µg/m3 for OC and 0.2?6 µg/m3 and 2 µg/m3 for EC. On average OC and EC made up respectively 29.3 (±12.8) % and 2.5 (±1.8) % of PM10 fraction. The method reliability has been verified by comparison with TOT (Thermal Optical Transmission) technique. OC and EC values determined for ambient samples of PM10 were also correlated with meteorological parameters as well as with Radon concentrations

Antropología simbólica: pasado y presente

Este trabajo es básicamente una bibliografía anotada, organizada por una línea temporal que cubre las características históricas y conceptuales principales de lo que se ha dado en llamar antropología simbólica en la tradición disciplinar. Como homenaje al 70º aniversario de la revista Relaciones elegimos dos momentos de la historia de la antropología, los años 1936 y 2008, dentro de los cuales se identificaron problemas, ideas, preguntas, y circunstancias políticas centrales de autores relacionados, directa o indirectamente, con una visión de la vida social como acción simbólica. Esta breve etnografía de la episteme antropológica presenta este campo como amplio y proteico, ilustrando también los núcleos y las agendas de investigación más remarcables de los trabajos actuales, en Argentina y en la academia internacional, influidos por un modo de ver la condición humana como una aventura a través de símbolos y significados, social e históricamente situados.This paper is basically an annotated bibliography shaped by a chronological line, which covers historical and conceptual features of what has been called Symbolic Anthropology in the discipline’s tradition. To honor the 70th anniversary of the journal Relaciones, we choose two moments of the history of Anthropology, 1936 and 2008, within which we identified main ideas, problems, questions, and political issues of authors and works approaching social life as symbolic action. This brief ethnography of the anthropological episteme portrays this field as wide and protean. It illustrates also main concerns and research agendas of current work, both in Argentine and international scholarship, influenced by this way of seeing human condition as an adventure through historically and socially situated symbols and meanings.Sociedad Argentina de Antropologí

Prevention and modulation of aminoglycoside ototoxicity (Review)

More than 60 years after their isolation and characterization, aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotics remain powerful agents in the treatment of severe gram-negative, enterococcal or mycobacterial infections. However, the clinical use of AGs is hampered by nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, which often develop as a consequence of prolonged courses of therapy, or of administration of increased doses of these drugs. The discovery of non-ototoxic antibacterial agents, showing a wider spectrum of activity, has gradually decreased the use of AGs as first line antibiotics for many systemic infections. However, AGs are now undergoing an unexpected revival, being increasingly indicated for the treatment of severe emerging infections caused by organisms showing resistance to most first-line agents (e.g., multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, complicated nosocomially-acquired acute urinary tract infections). Increasing adoption of aminoglycosides poses again to scientists and physicians the problem of toxicity directed to the kidneys and to the inner ear. In particular, aminoglycoside-induced deafness can be profound and irreversible, especially in genetically predisposed patients. For this reason, an impressive amount of molecular strategies have been developed in the last decade to counteract the ototoxic effect of aminoglycosides. The present article overviews: i) the molecular mechanisms by which aminoglycosides exert their bactericidal activity, ii) the mechanisms whereby AGs exert their ototoxic activity in genetically-predisposed patients, iii) the drugs and compounds that have so far proven to prevent or modulate AG ototoxicity at the preclinical and/or clinical level, and iv) the dosage regimens that have so far been suggested to decrease the incidence of episodes of AG-induced ototoxicity

BsmI, ApaI and TaqI Polymorphisms in the Vitamin D Receptor Gene (VDR) and Association with Lumbar Spine Pathologies: An Italian Case-Control Study.

Three adjacent single nucleotide polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) BsmI (rs1544410), ApaI (rs7975232), and TaqI (rs731236) are commonly studied in several pathologies. We aimed to evaluate the distribution of VDR BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI allele, genotype, and haplotype frequencies in an Italian cohort of 266 patients with lumbar spine disorders assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and 252 asymptomatic controls. The exposure to putative risk factors was evaluated by a questionnaire. Polymorphisms were detected by PCR-RFLP and TaqMan\uae SNP Genotyping Assay. The results were statistically adjusted for the identified conventional risk factors. The three SNPs were in linkage disequilibrium. For all cases BbAaTT was a 3-fold risk factor OR = 3.38), whereas bbAATT (OR = 0.22), and bbaaTT (OR = 0.47) genotypes were found to be protective. Specifically, for patients affected by disc herniation only (n = 88) and all lumbar pathologies excluding stenosis and/or spondylolistesis (n = 215) B allele, Bb, Aa, and BbAaTT genotypes were risky, whereas b allele, bb, aa, and bbaaTT genotypes were protective. In patients affected by osteochondrosis with or without disc hernation (n = 50), T allele, Aa, and bbAaTT genotypes were risky, whereas t allele, AA, tt genotypes were protective. In patients affected by stenosis and/or spondylolistesis (n = 51) no significant associations were found. This is the first study showing an association of the three genetic VDR variants BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI and lumbar spine pathologies. Our study contributes to delineate genetic risk factors for specific subgroups of patients with lumbar spine pathologies highlighting the importance of haplotype analysis, and of detailed clinical evaluation of the patients for identification of genetic biomarkers