Improving Health Education Engagement for First-Grade Students

The purpose of this study is to determine how to improve student engagement in health education. The participants for the Capstone Project included 22 first-grade students in a Title 1 public elementary school located in the California Central Coast. The researcher considered three options to implement at the community partner school: Knowledge in Action strategies, a physical education specialist, and health promoting school methods. The researcher implemented Knowledge in Action methods in the classroom for a lesson about the cardiovascular system. It was found that Knowledge in Action was an effective method to engage first-grade students in health education topics. 16 out of the 22 students that participated were considered to have met the lesson objectives. The author will working towards her Master’s degree and will be doing further research on how to improve health education for elementary school students

Fiabilidade do modelo Lok no diagnóstico da cirrose hepática

Trabalho final de mestrado integrado em Medicina área cientifica de Gastroenterologia, apresentado à Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de CoimbraIntrodução: Marcadores serológicos que permitem avaliar a presença de cirrose hepática têm sido intensamente estudados. Contudo, a biópsia hepática continua a ser o Gold-standard para avaliar o grau de fibrose. O modelo de Lok é um teste indirecto que consiste numa fórmula que analisa marcadores indirectos de fibrose e foi formulado para permitir detectar cirrose em doentes com hepatite C crónica. Objectivos: Estudar a fiabilidade do modelo de Lok no diagnóstico de cirrose hepática em doentes com hepatopatia crónica terminal de etiologia não colestática. Determinar qual o marcador indirecto com maior associação com a existência de cirrose. Metodologia: Estudo retrospectivo de dados laboratoriais e histopatológicos de explantes obtidos de doentes com hepatopatia crónica terminal. Foram avaliados os valores de alanina e aspartato-aminotranferases (ALT e AST), plaquetas, índice internacional normalizado (INR), bilirrubina total, albumina, creatinina, γ-glutamiltransferase (γ-GT) e fosfastase alcalina. Os casos com diagnóstico de cirrose no explante foram retidos para estudo. Excluíram-se doentes com patologia colestática. A partir do modelo de Lok, determinou-se a existência de cirrose na amostra e analisou-se a correlação entre os marcadores bioquímicos e a probabilidade de diagnóstico de cirrose. Resultados: A amostra foi constituída por 100 doentes, dos quais 82% do sexo masculino. A média da idade foi de 47 ± 10,46 anos. Não houve correlação da AST, albumina e fosfatase alcalina com a probabilidade de cirrose pelo método de Lok. Quanto a AST, a razão AST/ALT, a bilirrubina, o INR, as plaquetas e a γ-GT, observou-se haver correlação com a probabilidade de diagnóstico de cirrose. O modelo de Lok detectou cirrose em 98% dos doentes. A probabilidade de diagnóstico de cirrose na biópsia pelo teste de Lok nesta amostra foi de 93,77%. Conclusão: Entre os parâmetros bioquímicos avaliados o INR apresentou maior correlação com a probabilidade de cirrose (p <0.05). O modelo de Lok foi fiável na detecção de cirrose quando aplicado numa população com hepatopatia crónica terminal de causa não colestática.Introduction: Serological markers for assessing the presence of liver cirrhosis have been intensively studied. However, liver biopsy (LB) remains the gold standard for assessing the degree of fibrosis. Lok’s model is an indirect test that consists in a formula that analyzes indirect markers of fibrosis and has been formulated for detecting cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Objectives: Study the reliability of the Lok’s model in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis in patients with terminal chronic liver disease except in cholestatic etiology. Determine the indirect marker with the highest association with the presence of cirrhosis. Methodology: Retrospective analysis of laboratory and histopathological data of explants obtained from patients with terminal chronic liver disease. The values of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST), platelet count, International Normalized Ratio (INR), total bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) and alkaline fosfastase were evaluated. Cases with diagnosis of cirrhosis of the explant were retained for study. We excluded patients with cholestatic disease. From Lok’s model, we determined the existence of cirrhosis in the population and analyzed the correlation between biochemical markers and the probability of diagnosis of cirrhosis. Results: Population consisted of 100 patients, of whom 82% were male. The average age was 47 ± 10.46 years. There was no correlation of AST, albumin and alkaline phosphatase with the probability of cirrhosis by the method of Lok. The ration AST/ALT, value of AST, bilirubin, INR, platelets, and γ-GT, there was no correlation with the probability of cirrhosis. The Lok model detected cirrhosis in 98% of patients. In our population, the probability of diagnosis of cirrhosis in the biopsy with Lok’s test was 93.77%. Conclusion: Among the biochemical parameters evaluated, INR showed a higher correlation with the probability of cirrhosis (p <0.05). Lok’s model was reliable in the detection of cirrhosis when applied in a population with chronic terminal liver disease not cholestatic

Acculturation among a Hispanic population in San Bernardino County

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Hispanics and their levels of acculturation. This study\u27s intent was to incorporate variables in order to identify generation and language as defining factors for acculturation. A Likert-type Bidemensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS) was used to test six hypotheses

Soporte a la Evolución Dinámica de Tipos Arquitectónicos

Los sistemas software con una fuerte naturaleza dinámica suponen un reto para la ingeniería del software. Este tipo de sistemas requieren de mecanismos que les permitan modificar tanto estructura como comportamiento en tiempo de ejecución, para adaptarse a las distintas situaciones que puedan presentarse. El área de arquitecturas software, que permite describir la estructura de los sistemas complejos a un alto nivel de abstracción, proporcionados grados de dinamismo para la construcción de sistemas dinámicos, dependiendo de si lo que evoluciona es la configuración de la arquitectura o los tipos que componen dicha arquitectura. El primer tipo de evolución, denominado reconfiguración dinámica, permite a una arquitectura software cambiar su configuración en tiempo de ejecución, creando/destruyendo instancias de elementos arquitectónicos y/o las conexiones entre ellas. El segundo tipo de evolución, que denominamos evolución dinámica de tipos arquitectónicos, permite cambiar completamente la especificación arquitectónica de un sistema dinámicamente, bien introduciendo nuevos tipos arquitectónicos, modificando tipos e instancias en ejecución, o bien introduciendo nuevas conexiones. Este artículo presenta cómo soportar este último grado de dinamismo desde un punto de vista independiente de plataforma. Para ello, se han identificado los diferentes asuntos de interés implicados en el proceso y se han encapsulado en aspectos

Hyperpolarization by Activation of Halorhodopsin Results in Enhanced Synaptic Transmission: Neuromuscular Junction and CNS Circuit

Optogenetics offers a unique method to regulate the activity of select neural circuits. However, the electrophysiological consequences of targeted optogenetic manipulation upon the entire circuit remain poorly understood. Analysis of the sensory-CNS-motor circuit in Drosophila larvae expressing eHpHR and ChR2-XXL revealed unexpected patterns of excitability. Optical stimulation of motor neurons targeted to express eNpHR resulted in inhibition followed by excitation of body wall contraction with repetitive stimulation in intact larvae. In situ preparations with direct electrophysiological measures showed an increased responsiveness to excitatory synaptic activity induced by sensory stimulation within a functional neural circuit. To ensure proper function of eNpHR and ChR2-XXL they were expressed in body wall muscle and direct electrophysiological measurements were obtained. Under eNpHR induced hyperpolarization the muscle remained excitable with increased amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic synaptic potentials. Theoretical models to explain the observations are presented. This study aids in increasing the understanding of the varied possible influences with light activated proteins within intact neural circuits

Cross-Species Transcriptomics Analysis Highlights Conserved Molecular Responses to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

In recent decades, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered widespread public attention due to their persistence in the environment and detrimental effects on the health of living organisms, spurring the generation of several transcriptome-centered investigations to understand the biological basis of their mechanism. In this study, we collected 2144 publicly available samples from seven distinct animal species to examine the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and to determine if there are conserved responses. Our comparative transcriptional analysis revealed that exposure to PFAS is conserved across different tissues, molecules and species. We identified and reported several genes exhibiting consistent and evolutionarily conserved transcriptional response to PFASs, such as ESR1, HADHA and ID1, as well as several pathways including lipid metabolism, immune response and hormone pathways. This study provides the first evidence that distinct PFAS molecules induce comparable transcriptional changes and affect the same metabolic processes across inter-species borders. Our findings have significant implications for understanding the impact of PFAS exposure on living organisms and the environment. We believe that this study offers a novel perspective on the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and provides a foundation for future research into developing strategies for mitigating the detrimental effects of these substances in the ecosystem

Revisão bibliográfica baseada em evidências

O trato gastrointestinal humano é colonizado por numerosas espécies de bactérias (a microbiota) que têm como função auxiliar a digestão, assistir na disponibilização de nutrientes, facilitar a maturação do epitélio do cólon e proteger de patógenos oportunistas. Fatores ambientais como a dieta, os probióticos, vírus e fármacos (principalmente os antibióticos) podem alterar esta composição, levando à disbiose, situação na qual as bactérias comensais não conseguem controlar as patogénicas. Esse desequilíbrio faz parte do processo patogénico de diversas doenças intestinais, como a síndrome do intestino irritável, doença celíaca e doença inflamatória intestinal. Estudos recentes revelaram que também têm influência em patologias extraintestinais como a obesidade, a síndrome metabólica e cardiovascular, a alergia, a asma, doenças neuropsiquiátricas como o autismo e o mal de Parkinson, e até no processo de envelhecimento. Atualmente, muitas pesquisas e estratégias terapêuticas estão focadas na compreensão da patogénese e na restauração do balanço do ecossistema intestinal. Uma destas estratégias é o transplante de microbiota fecal, procedimento que muda diretamente a microbiota intestinal, com o objetivo de normalizar a sua composição com consequente benefício terapêutico. Apesar de existirem relatos do uso desta técnica no século IV, só em 2013 foi elaborado um estudo randomizado que provou que o transplante fecal era mais eficaz que o uso de antibióticos em algumas doenças. Recentemente, esta técnica foi aprovada para o tratamento de infeções recorrentes e refratárias por Clostridioides difficile, com taxas de cura na ordem dos 90 por cento. Esta revisão sistemática tem como objetivo reunir as novas informações sobre o transplante de microbiota fecal, sistematizar as técnicas existentes, os métodos, riscos e benefícios associados, a sua aplicabilidade e sucesso terapêutico. Para isso fez-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica com recurso a banco de dados da plataforma PubMed, bem como a literatura técnica que se considere relevante.Human gastrointestinal tract is colonized by numerous species of bacterias (microbiome) that have many functions as digestion auxiliary, assist nutrients availability, facilitate the maturation of the colon epithelium and protect from opportunistic pathogens. Environmental factors such as diet, probiotics, viruses and medications (mainly antibiotics) can change this composition, causing dysbiosis, situation in which commensal bacteria can’t control the opportunist pathogens. This imbalance is part of pathological process of several intestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Recent studies have revealed that it can also influence in extra-intestinal diseases such as obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular syndrome, allergy, asthma, neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism and Parkinson’s disease, and even in ageing process. Currently many researches and therapeutical strategies are focused on understanding pathogenesis and in restoration of intestinal ecosystem balance. One of these strategies is fecal microbiome transplantation, a procedure that directly changes the intestinal microbiome, with the aim of normalize it composition and consequently therapeutic benefit. Although there have already been reports of the use of this technique in the fourth century, only in 2013 a randomized study was developed to prove that fecal microbiome transplantation was more effective than antibiotics in some diseases. Since then this technique was approved to treat recurrent and refractory infections by Clostridioides difficile with 90 percent of cure rate. This bibliographic revision aims to gather new informations about fecal microbiome transplantation, systematize current techniques, methods, risks and associated benefits, applicability and therapeutical success. For this, a bibliographic search was made using PubMed platform database, as well as a technical literature that is considered relevant

The portrait of a male artist as a young woman : Virginia Woolf and the asexual writer in the modernist tradition

Throughout most of her novels, Virginia Woolf enquired into the nature of art produced by women. She sought to articulate a discourse about female aesthetics. The aim of this paper is to look into the portrayal of the female artist in Virginia Woolf's novels in contrast with the male artistes, and justify why these portraits often appear to the reader as almost devoid of gender labels. In order to study this question, closer attention is paid to the main female and male artist characters in Virginia Woolf's novels 'To the Lighthouse' (1927) and 'The Voyage Out' (1915)A través de la majoria de les seves novel·les, la Virginia Woolf investiga sobre la naturalesa del art creat per les dones. L'escriptora britànica va investigar com articular un discurs sobre l'estètica femenina. L'objectiu d'aquest article és estudiar la representació de la dona artista a les novel·les de la Virginia Woolf en contrast amb els homes artistes, i justificar per què aquests retrats sovint apareixen pel lector casi desproveïts d'etiquetes de gènere. A fi d'estudiar aquesta qüestió, es presta especial atenció als principals personatges dones i homes artistes a les obres de la Virginia Woolf 'To the Lighthouse' (1927) i 'The Voyage Out' (1915