Building on Redundancy: Factoid Question Answering, Robust Retrieval and the "Other"

We have explored how redundancy based techniques can be used in improving factoid question answering, definitional questions (“other”), and robust retrieval. For the factoids, we explored the meta approach: we submit the questions to the several open domain question answering systems available on the Web and applied our redundancy-based triangulation algorithm to analyze their outputs in order to identify the most promising answers. Our results support the added value of the meta approach: the performance of the combined system surpassed the underlying performances of its components. To answer definitional (“other”) questions, we were looking for the sentences containing re-occurring pairs of noun entities containing the elements of the target. For robust retrieval, we applied our redundancy based Internet mining technique to identify the concepts (single word terms or phrases) that were highly related to the topic (query) and expanded the queries with them. All our results are above the mean performance in the categories in which we have participated, with one of our robust runs being the best in its category among all 24 participants. Overall, our findings support the hypothesis that using as much as possible textual data, specifically such as mined from the World Wide Web, is extremely promising.published_or_final_versio

CAUSAS DE EXCLUSÃO DE DOADORES VIVOS DE RIM NO SERVIÇO DE TRANSPLANTE DE UM HOSPITAL DE TERCEIRO NÍVEL NO NOROESTE DO MÉXICO

Objective: To identify the causes for exclusion of living kidney donors at a third-level hospital in northwestern Mexico. Materials and methods: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and retrospective study, in which the medicalrecords of candidates for living kidney donation were evaluated from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. Results: Out of the 30 selected records, only 6.6 % (2) were chosen as donors, i.e., the rejection rate of the potential candidates was 93.3 % (28). The average age was 40.7 years; when divided into age groups, it was observed that 7.44 % were ≤ 39 years, 5.31 % were ≥ 50 years and 4.25 % were in the 40–49 age range. The main pathologies that caused therejection of living donors were chronic diseases such as unknown renal disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension and heart diseases, which accounted for 60.7 %. The desire to donate was more frequent among blood relatives than non-blood relatives. In the case of blood relatives, i.e., siblings, parents, children, uncles, aunts, etc., 64.2 % were rejected, while 34.7 % of non-blood relatives, including spouses and friends, were rejected.Conclusions: Based on the body mass index (BMI), the results showed that overweight and obesity were the main causes of exclusion, a situation that is consistent with the Mexican epidemiological profile. The number of living donors at ourcenter has been reduced because most of the population is not healthy and has obesity, which affects the willingness to be a candidate for living kidney donation.Objetivo: Identificar las causas de exclusión de los donantes renales vivos en un centro hospitalario de tercer nivel en el noroeste de México.Materiales y métodos: Estudio de tipo observacional, transversal, descriptivo, retrospectivo. Se realizó la evaluación de los expedientes clínicos de los candidatos vivos para donación renal, que abarcó el periodo comprendido entre el 1 de enero de 2019 y el 31 de diciembre de 2021. Resultados: De los 30 expedientes seleccionados, solo se eligieron 2 (6,6 %) donadores, es decir, existió un índice de rechazo de 28 (93,3 %) de los potenciales candidatos. La edad promedio fue de 40,7 años; al dividirlos en grupos de edad, se observó que el 7,44 % fueron ≤39 años; el 5,31 %, ≥50 años; y el 4,25 %, de 40 a 49 años. Dentro de las principales patologías que originaron el rechazo del donador vivo se encuentran las enfermedades crónicas, como afección renal desconocida, obesidad, diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial sistémica y cardiopatías, que representaron el 60,7 %. El deseo de donares más frecuente entre consanguíneos que en no consanguíneos. En el caso de los consanguíneos, es decir, hermanos, padres, hijos, tíos, etc., el 64,2 % fue rechazado; en los no consanguíneos, el 34,7 %, que incluía a esposos y amigos. Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos sobre el índice de masa corporal (IMC) mostraron que el sobrepeso y laobesidad fueron las principales causas de exclusión, circunstancia que es particular en nuestro país respecto a su perfil epidemiológico. La cantidad de donantes vivos en nuestro centro se redujo porque la mayor parte de la población no es sana, padece obesidad y ello repercute al momento de presentarse como candidato a donante.Resumo Objetivo: Identificar as causas de exclusão de doadores vivos de rim. Material e métodos: Estudo observacional, transversal, descritivo, retrospectivo, no qual é realizada a análise dos prontuários de possíveis doadores de rim no período de 1º de janeiro de 2019 a 31 de dezembro de 2021. Identificar diagnósticos que excluam uma pessoa como doador. Resultados: Dos 30 arquivos selecionados, apenas 2 (6,6%) foram escolhidos como doadores, ou seja, houve uma taxa de rejeição de 28 (93,3%). Os principais motivos de rejeição foram doenças crônicas, indicando 60,7% em que se encontraram doença renal desconhecida, obesidade, diabetes mellitus, hipertensão arterial sistêmica e cardiopatia. Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos no índice de massa corporal (IMC) mostraram o sobrepeso e a obesidade como uma das principais causas de exclusão com 21,4%, informação semelhante à de Lapasia et al., que descreve a obesidade como a principal causa de rejeição representando quase 40% dos doadores. Ezzaki et al, também a descrevem como causa de exclusão

Antimicrobial effect of vancomycin electro-transferred water against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background: There is a number of alternative and complementary therapeutics that are unproven or have not been properly tested. For past twenty years, the transfer of bio-energetic information has been recognized as a novel scientific approach capable of contributing to improved therapy in the management of several diseases through the so-called bio-resonance therapy (BRT). Although BRT was discovered in the late 1980s, it is still poorly studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of water samples transferred with electronic information of vancomycin, a well known drug against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), by using a BRT device on bacterial cultures.Material and Methods: MRSA cultures were treated with vancomycin electro-transferred water samples, vancomycin (4.0 and 8.0 μg/mL), sham electro-transferred (water to water) and non-transferred water samples (medium alone). Growth inhibition was evaluated in liquid and solid culture medium, spectrophotometrically and by CFU determination respectively.Results: The obtained data showed that by transferring vancomycin (4.0 and 8.0 μg/mL) information to water samples, the growth of cultured MRSA was significantly (p< 0.05) inhibited (up to 35%), compared with those cultures treated with electro-transferred water to water or cultured in medium alone (0% growth inhibition).Conclusion: This in vitro study suggests that water samples that are electronically transferred with vibration sustained information of vancomycin are capable of inhibiting growth of axenically cultured methicillin resistant S. aureus.Key words: Antimicrobial effect, electro-transferred water, bio-resonance, vancomycin, Sthaphylococcus aureus

Determination of the availability of payment for conservation and improvement activities of wetlands ecosystem of the Huaraz City, Peru

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Facultad de Economía y Planificación. Departamento Académico de Economía y PlanificaciónEl Método de Valoración Contingente (MVC) fue utilizado con el propósito de determinar la intención de pago (IDP) de los ciudadanos en la ciudad de Huaraz - Perú (Región Ancash) con el fin de estimar un financiamiento para subsidiar el diseño e implementación de las actividades de conservación y restauración de un ecosistema de humedales. Para estimar la IDP, se usó el modelo probabilístico LOGIT; el cual es base de las proposiciones teóricas de Bishop-Heberlein. Los resultados indicaron que las variables más influenciables en la (IDP), son una serie de variables de “apreciación” (de los ciudadanos) respecto a la importancia ecológica de los humedales en la región. Sin embargo, las variables socioeconómicas, como los ingresos, la edad, educación, etc., no fueron muy significativos en explicar la variación en la intención de pago. El mejor indicador estadístico para medir la IDP fue la media, que se estimó al $1.05 USD/familia/mes, revelando que la Región Ancash (Perú) podría erigirse anualmente por un estimado de$312,266 USD. Una importante conclusión es que la valoración económica es la llave para diseñar e implementar actividades de conservación y mejoramiento de los humedales, este sería el comienzo de un proceso que terminaría exitosamente si son completados algunos escalones pendientes.Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was used with the purpose of determining the willingness to pay (WTP) of the citizens of Huaraz city - Peru (Ancash Region) in order to estimate a financial to subsidize the design and implementation of conservation and restoration activities of the wetland ecosystem. To estimate the WTP, a LOGIT probabilistic model was use; which is base on the theoretical proposal of Bishop-Heberlein. Results indicate that the most influential variables in the WTP, are a set of variables of "appreciation" (of te citizen´s) regarding the ecological importance of the wetlands in their region. However, socioeconomic variables, such as income, age, education, etc., were not significant in explaining the WTP variation. The best statistical indicator for measuring the WTP was the median, which was estimated at $1.05 USD/family/month, revealing that in Ancash region (Peru) it could raise annually by an estimated of$312,266 USD. An important conclusion is that economic valuation is key to design and implement activities of conservation and improvement of the wetlands, this being the beginning of a process that will end successfully if some remaining steps are completed

Drug resistance in non-B subtype HIV-1: Impact of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes approximately 2.5 million new infections every year, and nearly 1.6 million patients succumb to HIV each year. Several factors, including cross-species transmission and error-prone replication have resulted in extraordinary genetic diversity of HIV groups. One of these groups, known as group M (main) contains nine subtypes (A-D, F-H and J-K) and causes ∼95% of all HIV infections. Most reported data on susceptibility and resistance to anti-HIV therapies are from subtype B HIV infections, which are prevalent in developed countries but account for only ∼12% of all global HIV infections, whereas non-B subtype HIV infections that account for ∼88% of all HIV infections are prevalent primarily in low and middle-income countries. Although the treatments for subtype B infections are generally effective against non-B subtype infections, there are differences in response to therapies. Here, we review how polymorphisms, transmission efficiency of drug-resistant strains, and differences in genetic barrier for drug resistance can differentially alter the response to reverse transcriptase-targeting therapies in various subtypes

Overcoming language barriers with foreign-language speaking patients: a survey to investigate intra-hospital variation in attitudes and practices

Background Use of available interpreter services by hospital clincial staff is often suboptimal, despite evidence that trained interpreters contribute to quality of care and patient safety. Examination of intra-hospital variations in attitudes and practices regarding interpreter use can contribute to identifying factors that facilitate good practice. The purpose of this study was to describe attitudes, practices and preferences regarding communication with limited French proficiency (LFP) patients, examine how these vary across professions and departments within the hospital, and identify factors associated with good practices. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to random samples of 700 doctors, 700 nurses and 93 social workers at the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland. Results Seventy percent of respondents encounter LFP patients at least once a month, but this varied by department. 66% of respondents said they preferred working with ad hoc interpreters (patient's family and bilingual staff), mainly because these were easier to access. During the 6 months preceding the study, ad hoc interpreters were used at least once by 71% of respondents, and professional interpreters were used at least once by 51%. Overall, only nine percent of respondents had received any training in how and why to work with a trained interpreter. Only 23.2% of respondents said the clinical service in which they currently worked encouraged them to use professional interpreters. Respondents working in services where use of professional interpreters was encouraged were more likely to be of the opinion that the hospital should systematically provide a professional interpreter to LFP patients (40.3%) as compared with those working in a department that discouraged use of professional interpreters (15.5%) and they used professional interpreters more often during the previous 6 months. Conclusion Attitudes and practices regarding communication with LFP patients vary across professions and hospital departments. In order to foster an institution-wide culture conducive to ensuring adequate communication with LFP patients will require both the development of a hospital-wide policy and service-level activities aimed at reinforcing this policy and putting it into practice

Introduction to magnetic resonance methods in photosynthesis

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and, more recently, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have been employed to study photosynthetic processes, primarily related to the light-induced charge separation. Information obtained on the electronic structure, the relative orientation of the cofactors, and the changes in structure during these reactions should help to understand the efficiency of light-induced charge separation. A short introduction to the observables derived from magnetic resonance experiments is given. The relation of these observables to the electronic structure is sketched using the nitroxide group of spin labels as a simple example