Reflections on Gabriel Mugny’s Contributions to Attitude-Centric Theory and Research on Minority Influence

Pérez and Mugny (1987) extended the scope of minority influence research in a classic study that explicitly drew a distinction between in-group and out-group minority influence sources and their effects on majority acceptance. Their study also refocused the field from a social influence, perception-oriented view to a more dynamic persuasion, attitude-centric orientation. This paper reflects upon the generative nature of the original research, and that which followed, with a reflection on its impact on our own theorizing and research. The current work is focused on factors that affect the fundamental processes of minority influence, as viewed from the perspective of the leniency contract. Important factors considered in the model include (a) the in-group or out-group nature of the influence source, (b) the subjective or objective features of the judgment task, (c) the role of conflict with, and accommodation to the minority, (d) the genesis and potential outcome of indirect change effects on focal attitudes in response to persuasive minority communications and (e) the importance and utility of considering the structural interconnections among attitudes, and their implications for focal attitude change. Research by Mugny and his colleagues stimulated these and other important features of contemporary scholarship on minority influence. Progress and understanding of the intriguing minority-induced change process, a clear departure from the classic majority-based persuasion model, owes a great debt to Gabriel Mugny and his team of talented collaborators

A new near-IR luminescent erbium(III) complex with potential application in OLED devices

We report the synthesis and X-ray structural characterization of the new Er3+ ternary complex [Er(hd)3(bipy)] (where Hhd is 3,5-heptanedione and bipy is 2,2′-bipyridine) as well as its absorption/luminescent properties. X-ray analysis of the novel complex reveals its triclinic centrosymmetric structure with two symmetry independent complexes in the unit cell. Each lanthanide ion is surrounded by 6 oxygen atoms and 2 nitrogen atoms in a square antiprismatic geometry. The solid-state electronic absorption spectra and the luminescence spectrum show long-wavelength 4f–4f transitions which provide a potential use of the compound as a NIR emitting material in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs)

Varying efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in infants in two similar trials: public health implications.

BACKGROUND\ud \ud Intermittent preventive treatment (IPTi) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in infants resulted in different estimates of clinical malaria protection in two trials that used the same protocol in Ifakara, Tanzania, and Manhiça, Mozambique. Understanding the reasons for the discrepant results will help to elucidate the action mechanism of this intervention, which is essential for rational policy formulation.\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud A comparative analysis of two IPTi trials that used the same study design, follow-up, intervention, procedures and assessment of outcomes, in Tanzania and Mozambique was undertaken. Children were randomised to receive either SP or placebo administered 3 times alongside routine vaccinations delivered through the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI). Characteristics of the two areas and efficacy on clinical malaria after each dose were compared.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud The most relevant difference was in ITN's use ; 68% in Ifakara and zero in Manhiça. In Ifakara, IPTi was associated with a 53% (95% CI 14.0; 74.1) reduction in the risk of clinical malaria between the second and the third dose; during the same period there was no significant effect in Manhiça. Similarly, protection against malaria episodes was maintained in Ifakara during 6 months after dose 3, but no effect of IPTi was observed in Manhiça.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud The high ITN coverage in Ifakara is the most likely explanation for the difference in IPTi efficacy on clinical malaria. Combination of IPTi and ITNs may be the most cost-effective tool for malaria control currently available, and needs to be explored in current and future studies.\ud \ud TRIAL REGISTRATION\ud \ud Manhiça study registration number: NCT00209795Ifakara study registration number: NCT88523834

Taller de robótica en la escuela

El presente trabajo describe la experiencia realizada en un Taller de Robótica para alumnos de 7mo Grado de una escuela pública de la ciudad de Orán (Salta). Dicho Taller se efectuó en el marco del Proyecto de Extensión “Aprendiendo a Pensar con Robótica Educativa”, y para la construcción de los robots del tipo autónomos móviles se utilizó un prototipo de kit diseñado en el Proyecto de Investigación: “Desarrollo de un Kit para la Construcción de Robots Autónomos Móviles Orientado a la Enseñanza y la Investigación” del Laboratorio de Robótica Aplicada (LABRA). El Taller de Robótica consistió en un encuentro semanal en la Sala de Computación de la escuela de tres horas, durante el primer cuatrimestre del presente año, contando con un cupo de veinticinco alumnos, organizados en cinco grupos de trabajo para la resolución de un determinado problema. Internamente cada uno de los grupos realizaba la distribución de tareas, como ser el diseñar la forma del robot, determinar los sensores a utilizar, desarrollar los algoritmos de control, etc. Los programas eran realizados en el lenguaje xLOGO, y posteriormente eran traducidos al lenguaje mikroPASCAL para poder finalmente ser grabados en el microcontrolador del robot (de la familia de los PIC).Eje: Jóvenes y tecnologías. Propuestas universitarias y TIC - articulaciones con escuela mediaDirección de Educación a Distancia, Innovación en el aula y TI

Taller de robótica en la escuela

El presente trabajo describe la experiencia realizada en un Taller de Robótica para alumnos de 7mo Grado de una escuela pública de la ciudad de Orán (Salta). Dicho Taller se efectuó en el marco del Proyecto de Extensión “Aprendiendo a Pensar con Robótica Educativa”, y para la construcción de los robots del tipo autónomos móviles se utilizó un prototipo de kit diseñado en el Proyecto de Investigación: “Desarrollo de un Kit para la Construcción de Robots Autónomos Móviles Orientado a la Enseñanza y la Investigación” del Laboratorio de Robótica Aplicada (LABRA). El Taller de Robótica consistió en un encuentro semanal en la Sala de Computación de la escuela de tres horas, durante el primer cuatrimestre del presente año, contando con un cupo de veinticinco alumnos, organizados en cinco grupos de trabajo para la resolución de un determinado problema. Internamente cada uno de los grupos realizaba la distribución de tareas, como ser el diseñar la forma del robot, determinar los sensores a utilizar, desarrollar los algoritmos de control, etc. Los programas eran realizados en el lenguaje xLOGO, y posteriormente eran traducidos al lenguaje mikroPASCAL para poder finalmente ser grabados en el microcontrolador del robot (de la familia de los PIC).Eje: Jóvenes y tecnologías. Propuestas universitarias y TIC - articulaciones con escuela mediaDirección de Educación a Distancia, Innovación en el aula y TI

Secondary poisoning of non-target animals in an Ornithological Zoo in Galicia (NW Spain) with anticoagulant rodenticides: a case report

The use of anticoagulants has increased in recent times as a method for controlling rodent populations. However, this increased use also provokes accidental and intentional ingestion for both animals and humans, triggering poisoning of non-target organisms. In the present report, a clinical case of secondary-poisoning of birds with anticoagulant rodenticides, which took place after a general rodenticide treatment in an Ornithological Zoological Park, is described. Three birds died as a result and samples were submitted to the Veterinary Hospital in Lugo (Galicia, NW Spain). After necropsy, samples of the birds, together with molluscs and faeces, were submitted to the Toxicology Unit of Caceres (Extremadura, W Spain) in order to detect possible chemicals. Results from HPLC analyses revealed the presence of the rodenticides difenacoum and brodifacoum. The present report shows that the risk of secondary exposure resulting from the scavenging of molluscs is likely to be significant. The potential routes of uptake by invertebrates include the consumption of rodent faeces, rodent carcases, the ingestion of soil-bound residues, and the direct consumption of poison baits.Irene de la Casa-Resino was supported by fellowship PRE09001 from Department of Employment, Enterprise and Innovation (Gobierno de Extremadura, Spain)S

Long-lasting insecticidal nets no longer effectively kill the highly resistant Anopheles funestus of southern Mozambique

BACKGROUND: Chemical insecticides are crucial to malaria control and elimination programmes. The frontline vector control interventions depend mainly on pyrethroids; all long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and more than 80% of indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns use chemicals from this class. This extensive use of pyrethroids imposes a strong selection pressure for resistance in mosquito populations, and so continuous resistance monitoring and evaluation are important. As pyrethroids have also been used for many years in the Manhica District, an area in southern Mozambique with perennial malaria transmission, an assessment of their efficacy against the local malaria vectors was conducted. METHODS: Female offspring of wild-caught Anopheles funestus s.s. females were exposed to deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and permethrin using the World Health Organization (WHO) insecticide-resistance monitoring protocols. The 3-min WHO cone bioassay was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the bed nets distributed or available for purchase in the area (Olyset, permethrin LLIN; PermaNet 2.0, deltamethrin LLIN) against An. funestus. Mosquitoes were also exposed to PermaNet 2.0 for up to 8 h in time-exposure assays. RESULTS: Resistance to pyrethroids in An. funestus s.s. was extremely high, much higher than reported in 2002 and 2009. No exposure killed more than 25.8% of the mosquitoes tested (average mortality, deltamethrin: 6.4%; lambda-cyhalothrin: 5.1%; permethrin: 19.1%). There was no significant difference in the mortality generated by 3-min exposure to any net (Olyset: 9.3% mortality, PermaNet 2.0: 6.0%, untreated: 2.0%; p = 0.2). Six hours of exposure were required to kill 50% of the An. funestus s.s. on PermaNet 2.0. CONCLUSIONS: Anopheles funestus s.s. in Manhica is extremely resistant to pyrethroids, and this area is clearly a pyrethroid-resistance hotspot. This could severely undermine vector control in this district if no appropriate countermeasures are undertaken. The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of Mozambique is currently improving its resistance monitoring programme, to design and scale up new management strategies. These actions are urgently needed, as the goal of the NMCP and its partners is to reach elimination in southern Mozambique by 2020

Multispectral reflectance enhancement for breast cancer visualization in the operating room

A color enhancement method to optimize the visualization of breast tumors in cancer pathology is proposed. Light scattering measurements are minimally invasive, and allow the estimation of tissue morphology and composition to guide the surgeon in resection surgeries. The usability of scatter and absorption signatures acquired with a microsampling reflectance spectral imaging system was improved employing an empirical approximation to the Mie theory to estimate the scattering power on a per-pixel basis. The proposed methodology generates a new image with blended color and diagnostic purposes coming from the emphasis or highlighting of specific wavelengths or features. These features can be the specific absorbent tissue components (oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, etc.), additional parameters as scattering power or amplitude or even the combination of both. The goal is to obtain an improved and inherent tissue contrast working only with the local reflectance of tissue. To this aim, it is provided a visual interpretation of what is considered non-malignant (normal epithelia and stroma, benign epithelia and stroma, inflammation), malignant (DCIS, IDC, ILC) and adipose tissue. Consequently, a fast visualization map of the intracavity area can be offered to the surgeon providing relevant diagnostic information. No labeling or extrinsic indicators are required for proposed methodology and therefore the possibility of transferring absorption and scattering features simultaneously into visualization, fusing their effects into a single image, can guide surgeons efficiently.This work has been supported by the Spanish Government through the CYCIT projects DA2TOI (FIS2010-19860) and TEC2013-47264-C2-1-R

Under treatment of pneumonia among children under 5 years of age in a malaria-endemic area: population-based surveillance study conducted in Manhica district- rural, Mozambique

BACKGROUND: Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines were developed to decrease morbidity and mortality, yet implementation varies across settings. Factors associated with poor adherence are not well understood. METHODS: We used data from Manhica District Hospital outpatient department and five peripheral health centers to examine pneumonia management for children <5 years old from January 2008 to June 2011. Episodes of IMCI-defined pneumonia (cough or difficult breathing plus tachypnea), severe pneumonia (pneumonia plus chest wall in-drawing), and/or clinician-diagnosed pneumonia (based on discharge diagnosis) were included. RESULTS: Among severe pneumonia episodes, 96.2% (2,918/3,032) attended in the outpatient department and 70.0% (291/416) attended in health centers were appropriately referred to the emergency department. Age<1 year, malnutrition and various physical exam findings were associated with referral. For non-severe pneumonia episodes, antibiotics were prescribed in 45.7% (16,094/35,224). Factors associated with antibiotic prescription included age <1 year, abnormal auscultatory findings, and clinical diagnosis of pneumonia; diagnosis of malaria or gastroenteritis and pallor were negatively associated with antibiotic prescription. CONCLUSION: Adherence to recommended management of severe pneumonia was high in a hospital outpatient department, but suboptimal in health centers. Antibiotics were prescribed in fewer than half of non-severe pneumonia episodes, and diagnosis of malaria was the strongest risk factor for incorrect management