Effects of State Action on Health: a regionalized analysis of Brazil / Efeitos da ação do Estado na saúde: uma análise regionalizada do Brasil

This study investigates the effects of State action on health in Brazil, considering social determinants of health. As a benchmark for population health outcomes, we adopted the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). The research method is quantitative, with a quasi-experimental design. It is an ecological study using the 438 Brazilian health regions as unit of analysis. The data were collected from official government sources. The main statistical technique adopted was multiple logistic regression analysis. An outstanding aspect drawn from the results is that all the dimensions that measure state action used in this study presented statistically significant effects in decreasing the chances of a region being in a high IMR group, depending on the control variables included in the model. The only variable that presented a significant effect, considering all other factors of control, was the prenatal coverage indicator. Another important result was that the socioeconomic situation of the region had a substantial and significant effect on all models tested when the highest income level was compared to the lowest. Thus, for a possible reduction of health inequalities, the very determinants of social inequalities should be taken into account in addition to determinant or associated health factors. However, it should be noted that state action alone in the health area has the potential to act in determining the health conditions of the circumscribed population in each health region, even when considering the unequal distribution of socioeconomic factors in these territories

Influence of gene dispersal and environmental heterogeneity on spatial and genetic patterns of the understory herb Heliconia acuminata across a fragmented landscape in central Amazon, Brazil

Understanding how plants are spatially and genetically distributed in the environment can be a challenging task given the difficulty to characterize ecological processes, such as gene flow, and to disentangle the relative importance of multiple factors underlying the generation of distinct patterns. In this dissertation, I study different populations of the understory plant Heliconia acuminata L.C. Richard (Heliconiaceae) distributed across 1-ha fragments and continuous forest sites in the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), an experimentally fragmented landscape in central Amazonia. I characterize a set of ten microsatellite markers developed for Heliconia acuminata to first evaluate gene flow, which is one of the main processes influencing genetic structure and spatial patterns of plants, and second to assess the potential influence of endogenous (e.g., seed dispersal) and environmental factors on spatial patterns of plants and genetic relatedness distribution. I combine genetic and ecological data in a novel and comprehensive Bayesian model to estimate parentage to more fully characterize the contribution of pollen and seed dispersal to H. acuminata gene flow. I then compare metrics of gene flow between fragments and continuous forest, while taking in consideration the variation in abundance of reproductive plants in each population. I tested the conservation genetics prediction that gene flow is interrupted in fragmented landscapes. Contrary to this hypothesis, I found that that both fragmentation and low population densities were associated with greater immigration rates and longer pollination and seed dispersal distances. My results are one example of how fragmentation does not limit gene dispersal. I suggest that conservation genetics predictions are reformulated by taking in consideration the variation in the behavior of pollinators and seed dispersers across heterogeneous landscapes in response to habitat configuration and to the spatial and temporal availability of food resources. To investigate the influence of endogenous factors (plant - plant interactions) and environmental covariates (light, slope and soil characteristics) on spatial patterns of seedlings and adults, I use a new statistical methodology to model marked point patterns. Using this flexible approach, I also evaluate whether local spatial genetic structure is associated to spatial distribution of plants. The results show that H. acuminata seed dispersal is contagious, but not distance - restricted or genetically structured (presence of highly related plants). The absence of an association between spatial pattern and local genetic structure for adults also suggest the absence of genetic structuring in seedlings over time. Light and zinc availability are positively associated with spatial patterns of seedlings and adults, which may indicate carryover effects of seedlings on recruits over time. Carbon is negatively associated with adults, which may be evidence of competition with large dominant trees. I finally propose a new mechanistic framework to the studies of frugivore - mediated seed dispersal. I conduct a qualitative analysis of existent studies explicitly linking frugivores, fruiting plants and seed shadows and propose a frugivore - centered, process-based view of seed dispersal that integrates animal movement and seed dispersal ecology across multiple spatio - temporal scales. This critical analysis provides the empirical foundation over which we can build a more comprehensive, multi-scaled, research approach to the study of seed dispersal, process which is known to play a crucial role in the dynamics and evolution of plant populations

Physiccs, Time and Qualia

We suggest that four of the deepest problems in science are closely related and may share a common resolution. These are 1) the foundational problems in quantum theory, 2) the problem of quantum gravity, 3) the role of qualia and conscious awareness in nature, 4) the nature of time. We begin by proposing an answer to the question of what a quantum event is: an event is a process in which an aspect of the world which has been indefinite becomes definite. We build from this an architecture of the world in which qualia are real and consequential and time is active, fundamental and irreversible

Physics, time and qualia

We suggest that four of the deepest problems in science are closely related and may share a common resolution. These are 1) the foundational problems in quantum theory, 2) the problem of quantum gravity, 3) the role of qualia and conscious awareness in nature, 4) the nature of time. We begin by proposing an answer to the question of what a quantum event is: an event is a process in which an aspect of the world which has been indefinite becomes definite. We build from this an architecture of the world in which qualia are real and consequential and time is active, fundamental and irreversible

Dynactin-dependent cortical dynein and spherical spindle shape correlate temporally with meiotic spindle rotation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Oocyte meiotic spindles orient with one pole juxtaposed to the cortex to facilitate extrusion of chromosomes into polar bodies. In Caenorhabditis elegans, these acentriolar spindles initially orient parallel to the cortex and then rotate to the perpendicular orientation. To understand the mechanism of spindle rotation, we characterized events that correlated temporally with rotation, including shortening of the spindle in the pole-to pole axis, which resulted in a nearly spherical spindle at rotation. By analyzing large spindles of polyploid C. elegans and a related nematode species, we found that spindle rotation initiated at a defined spherical shape rather than at a defined spindle length. In addition, dynein accumulated on the cortex just before rotation, and microtubules grew from the spindle with plus ends outward during rotation. Dynactin depletion prevented accumulation of dynein on the cortex and prevented spindle rotation independently of effects on spindle shape. These results support a cortical pulling model in which spindle shape might facilitate rotation because a sphere can rotate without deforming the adjacent elastic cytoplasm. We also present evidence that activation of spindle rotation is promoted by dephosphorylation of the basic domain of p150 dynactin

Oblique belts of neotectonic deformation in Precordillera and Frontal Cordillera (31 30´ - 33 30´ ls): Paleotectonic control

The Southern Precordillera and Cerrilladas Pedemontanas of Mendoza, Argentina, are two major morphotectonic units in the eastern side of the Central Andes at 31º30' - 33º30' South latitude. There, two regional NW striking structures, called the Barreal - Las Peñas and Río Mendoza - Tupungato belts were developed as a consequence of gradual flattening of the Nazca plate in the last 20 M.yrs. Their orientation and complex structural geometry result from the interference of the Late Cenozoic Andean deformation with the NW-trending rift structure of the Triassic Cuyo basin and ancient collisional suture zones of Paleozoic age. This work demonstrates that paleotectonics features in the Triassic-Paleozoic substratum of the Southern Precordillera and the eastern margin of the Cordillera Frontal control the morphotectonic configuration and neotectonic structural distribution and rejuvenation of the Andes at these latitudes.La Precordillera Sur y las Cerrilladas Pedemontanas de Mendoza, son dos unidades morfotectónicas principales en la vertiente oriental de los Andes centrales, a los 31º30' - 33º30' de latitud sur. Allí, dos cinturones de deformación transpresiva y orientación noroeste, denominados fajas Barreal-Las Peñas y Río Mendoza-Tupungato, se desarrollaron como consecuencia de la gradual somerización de la placa de Nazca en los últimos 20 Ma. Su orientación y compleja geometría estructural resulta de la interferencia de la deformación andina tardío-cenozoica con la estructura de orientación noroeste del rift triásico de la cuenca Cuyana y antiguas zonas de sutura colisional de edad paleozoica. Este trabajo demuestra que los rasgos paleotectónicos del substrato triásico-paleozoico de la Precordillera Sur y del margen oriental de la Cordillera Frontal controlan la configuración morfotectónica y la distribución y reactivación de gran parte de la estructura neotectónica del margen andino a estas latitudes.Fil: Cortes, Jose Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Casa, Analía Laura. Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pasini, María Mercedes. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Yamin, Marcela Gladys. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Terrizzano, Carla Marina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

“Factores que influye en el nivel motivacional hacia el aprendizaje en los Estudiantes de la Institución Educativa Arnulfo Briceño Contreras”.

Identificar los factores que influyen en el nivel motivacional hacia el aprendizaje en los estudiantes de la a Institución Educativa Arnulfo Briceño Contreras Sede San Antonio jornada de la mañana.Dada la importancia que tiene para la sociedad y la juventud en el contexto actual estar a la vanguardia de los cambios mundiales y tomar las riendas en una sociedad en decadencia, es necesario que quienes lideran los procesos de Enseñanza – Aprendizaje en las Instituciones Educativas identifiquen las causas reales generadoras de las problemáticas que influyen en los procesos que ellos adelantan con la juventud que educan y a la vez intervengan efectivamente desarrollando acciones correctivas, o estrategias apropiadas a las necesidades actuales de la juventud, a fin deconducirlos hacia una autoformación racional y crítica

Canalis Sinuosus and radiographic procedures in the region of anterior maxilla

The Canalis Sinuosus (CS) is known as an anatomical variation of anterior superior alveolar nerve being a neurovascular bundle. Frequently, the anterior maxillary region receives surgical interventions of different specialties. The knowledge concerning anatomical structures in this region, is crucial to reach predictable and safe surgical procedures. The overlapping of anatomical structures in conventional imaging examinations have a limit in observing neurovascular canal, such as the CS. Thus, Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images may give a great support in preoperative planning, since it allows the three-dimensional reconstruction of the anatomical details of its structures. In this report, the author describes an implant rehabilitation that may have possibly injured the anterior superior alveolar nerve

Combination of linear classifiers using score function -- analysis of possible combination strategies

In this work, we addressed the issue of combining linear classifiers using their score functions. The value of the scoring function depends on the distance from the decision boundary. Two score functions have been tested and four different combination strategies were investigated. During the experimental study, the proposed approach was applied to the heterogeneous ensemble and it was compared to two reference methods -- majority voting and model averaging respectively. The comparison was made in terms of seven different quality criteria. The result shows that combination strategies based on simple average, and trimmed average are the best combination strategies of the geometrical combination

Global parenchymal texture features based on histograms of oriented gradients improve cancer development risk estimation from healthy breasts

[EN] Background The breast dense tissue percentage on digital mammograms is one of the most commonly used markers for breast cancer risk estimation. Geometric features of dense tissue over the breast and the presence of texture structures contained in sliding windows that scan the mammograms may improve the predictive ability when combined with the breast dense tissue percentage. Methods A case/control study nested within a screening program covering 1563 women with craniocaudal and mediolateral-oblique mammograms (755 controls and the contralateral breast mammograms at the closest screening visit before cancer diagnostic for 808 cases) aging 45 to 70 from Comunitat Valenciana (Spain) was used to extract geometric and texture features. The dense tissue segmentation was performed using DMScan and validated by two experienced radiologists. A model based on Random Forests was trained several times varying the set of variables. A training dataset of 1172 patients was evaluated with a 10-stratified-fold cross-validation scheme. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) was the metric for the predictive ability. The results were assessed by only considering the output after applying the model to the test set, which was composed of the remaining 391 patients. Results The AUC score obtained by the dense tissue percentage (0.55) was compared to a machine learning-based classifier results. The classifier, apart from the percentage of dense tissue of both views, firstly included global geometric features such as the distance of dense tissue to the pectoral muscle, dense tissue eccentricity or the dense tissue perimeter, obtaining an accuracy of 0.56. By the inclusion of a global feature based on local histograms of oriented gradients, the accuracy of the classifier was significantly improved (0.61). The number of well-classified patients was improved up to 236 when it was 208. Conclusion Relative geometric features of dense tissue over the breast and histograms of standardized local texture features based on sliding windows scanning the whole breast improve risk prediction beyond the dense tissue percentage adjusted by geometrical variables. Other classifiers could improve the results obtained by the conventional Random Forests used in this study.This work was partially funded by Generalitat Valenciana through I+D IVACE (Valencian Institute of Business Competitiviness) and GVA (European Regional Development Fund) supports under the project IMAMCN/2018/1, and by Carlos III Institute of Health under the project DTS15/00080Pérez-Benito, FJ.; Signol, F.; Perez-Cortes, J.; Pollán, M.; Perez-Gómez, B.; Salas-Trejo, D.; Casals, M.... (2019). Global parenchymal texture features based on histograms of oriented gradients improve cancer development risk estimation from healthy breasts. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine. 177:123-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmpb.2019.05.022S12313217