International sorghum trade: United States beyond the Mexican dependency?

This research proposes the estimation of a partial equilibrium econometric and simulation international trade model for sorghum: United States and Mexico component. Sixteen equations were simultaneously estimated and validated as a system using seemingly unrelated regression. Results on parameter estimates agree with economic theory and a working model for simulation and forecast was obtained. Forecast scenarios suggest that the dependency of sorghum trade between US and Mexico will continue.Supply, Demand, NAFTA, International trade, Sorghum, International Relations/Trade,

On the universality of the scaling of fluctuations in traffic on complex networks

We study the scaling of fluctuations with the mean of traffic in complex networks using a model where the arrival and departure of "packets" follow exponential distributions, and the processing capability of nodes is either unlimited or finite. The model presents a wide variety of exponents between 1/2 and 1 for this scaling, revealing their dependence on the few parameters considered, and questioning the existence of universality classes. We also report the experimental scaling of the fluctuations in the Internet for the Abilene backbone network. We found scaling exponents between 0.71 and 0.86 that do not fit with the exponent 1/2 reported in the literature.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Community detection in complex networks using Extremal Optimization

We propose a novel method to find the community structure in complex networks based on an extremal optimization of the value of modularity. The method outperforms the optimal modularity found by the existing algorithms in the literature. We present the results of the algorithm for computer simulated and real networks and compare them with other approaches. The efficiency and accuracy of the method make it feasible to be used for the accurate identification of community structure in large complex networks.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Characterization of aroma-active compounds in black sapote (Diospyros digyna Jacq.)

The volatile compounds of black sapote fruit were isolated by simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction and analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 32 volatile constituents were detected, which represented 4.57 mg kg−1 of the fruit. The composition of volatile constituents of the fruit included 9 terpene compounds (49.1% of the total volatile composition), 11 ketones (9%), 5 aldehydes (29.2%), 4 alcohols (3.6%), 2 esters (8.2%) and a paraffin (0.8%). Major compounds were (Z)-b-ocimene (26.6% of the total volatile composition), (E)-cinnamaldehyde (25.5%) and limonene (17.0%). By application of odour activity values, seven constituents were considered as aroma-active volatiles, from which the most important were (E)-cinnamaldehyde, 3-methylbutanal, limonene, (Z)-β-ocimene, linalool, methyl (E)-cinnamate, and β-caryophyllene

Adolescents' Alcohol Use in Botellon and Attitudes towards Alcohol Use and Prevention Policies

Alcohol is a common drug misused by young people worldwide. Previous studies have found that attitudes towards heavy consumption are stronger predictors than general norms concerning alcohol. This study aims to explore adolescents’ alcohol use and drunkenness, to understand adolescents’ attitudes towards alcohol use, drunkenness and prevention approaches, and to explore associations between attitudes and personal alcohol use and demographics. Methods: Cross-sectional face-to-face survey of 410 adolescents (61.2% women) who were socializing at night in the streets of Palma (Spain). Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC), self-reported measures of alcohol use and social variables were assessed. Results: 70.7% of respondents had a BrAC score higher than 0. The full sample reported having a mean of 3.9 drunk episodes in the last month, and a mean of 7.34 in Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). A total of 30.7% were under the minimum age limit for alcohol drinking in Spain and males showed higher BrAC than females. Bivariate analyses identified some differences in attitudes across participant demographics and personal alcohol use. In conclusion, we found high levels of alcohol use and drunkenness amongst adolescents, and adolescents’ attitudes towards drunkenness and prevention approaches were associated with their alcohol consumption as well as with age

Measurements of eye lens doses in interventional cardiology using OSL and electronic dosemeters

The purpose of this paper is to test the appropriateness of OSL and electronic dosemeters to estimate eye lens doses at interventional cardiology environment. Using TLD as reference detectors, personal dose equivalent was measured in phantoms and during clinical procedures. For phantom measurements, OSL dose values resulted in an average difference of 215% vs. TLD. Tests carried out with other electronic dosemeters revealed differences up to +/- 20% versus TLD. With dosemeters positioned outside the goggles and when TLD doses were > 20 mu Sv, the average difference OSL vs. TLD was 29%. Eye lens doses of almost 700 mu Sv per procedure were measured in two cases out of a sample of 33 measurements in individual clinical procedures, thus showing the risk of high exposure to the lenses of the eye when protection rules are not followed. The differences found between OSL and TLD are acceptable for the purpose and range of doses measured in the survey.Postprint (published version

Correlation and regression analysis between residual gradation and uncorrected visual acuity one year after refractive surgery with LASIK, FS-LASIK, PRK, PRK Xtra techniques and the implantation of ICL® posterior chamber phakic lens in myopic correction

Purpose To analyze the influence of the final spherical equivalent (SE) in LogMAR uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) one year after refractive surgery. We analysed refractive results, their predictability and efficacy, and the safety results of the different methods as secondary outcomes. Setting Refractive Surgery Unit of the Institut Català de Retina (ICR) in Barcelona, Spain. Design Retrospective, analytical observational study. Methods Retrospective and observational study of 654 eyes of 327 patients who underwent refractive surgery to treat their myopia or myopic astigmatism using LASIK, FS-LASIK, PRK, PRK Xtra or ICL-type lens implantation surgery were included. Results The correlation between the SE in absolute value was statistically significant in all techniques utilized, reaching higher values in the FS-LASIK and LASIK techniques, 0.774 and0.706 respectively, and lesser values in PRK (0.480) and PRK Xtra (0.482). A significant adjustment via a univariate linear regression model could be implemented in all techniques, albeit the R2 coefficient of determination values were higher than those for the FS-LASIK (0.599) and LASIK (0.494) techniques. Conclusions There is a positive correlation between post-surgical SE value and post-operative LogMAR UDVA. These regression models can be adjusted to predict the final UDVA according to the final SE. The techniques that are most influenced by the final SE in terms of their visual results are FS-LASIK and LASIK

Effectiveness of a Community-Based Intervention to Increase Supermarket Vendors' Compliance with Age Restrictions for Alcohol Sales in Spain: A Pilot Study.

In Spain the legal age to buy alcohol is 18 years. However, official surveys show that minors perceive alcohol availability to be easy. This paper describes the impacts of a community-based intervention to increase vendors' compliance with age limits regarding alcohol sales in supermarkets. The aim of this study was to explore the association between implementation of a multicomponent intervention to reduce adolescents' alcohol use and sale of alcohol to minors in the city of Palma (Spain). Twenty trained adolescents (14-17 years old) conducted 138 alcohol test purchases in nine supermarket chains in August 2018 (baseline; n = 73) prior to the intervention, and again in January 2020 (follow-up; n = 65). Analysis was conducted according to three levels of intervention implemented across the supermarkets: (i) personnel from the supermarkets' Human Resources or Corporate Social Responsibility teams received alcohol service training as trainers (i.e., community mobilization); (ii) managers and vendors training by the capacitated trainers; and (iii) no training of managers or vendors (i.e., control group). In the supermarkets that completed the Training of Trainers and the vendors' training program, average sales decreased significantly from 76.9% in 2018 to 45.5% in 2020, asking for the age of the shopper significantly increased from 3.8% to 45.4%, and asking for proof of age significantly increased from 15.4% to 72.7%. Additionally, a statistically significant increase was observed in the visibility of prohibition to sell alcohol to minors' signs, from 61.5% to 100%. No statistically significant differences were found for the Training of Trainers intervention alone nor in the control group. In conclusion, community mobilization combined with staff training is associated with significant increases in supermarket vendors' compliance with alcohol legislation in Spain