Pollution And Environmental Indicators Using A Multicriteria Analysis

Pollution and environmental factors are a core topic because they influence in air quality of the different areas of a city. This is why in this article we propose to apply a multicriteria decision aid method (the Promethee) to establish a ranking among twenty one districts of Madrid city. To develop this ranking we use objective and subjective criteria that contain information about pollution and environmental indicators in these districts. The results show that some districts are the worse and the best regardless the used criteria

The Discrete Multicriteria Decision Methods And ARSV Model Used To Choice The Best Exchange Rate

The exchange rate is a variable that economic agents have in consideration. For this reason, in this paper we suggest a decision method to compare several exchange rates. This method is the Promethee Method and it is a Multicriteria Decision Method used to order the preference between returns of the different exchange rates. We have used different statistic criteria to rank these exchange rates. To obtain the pay-off matrix it has been used one econometric model: Autoregressive Stochastic Volatility (ARSV) Model. We have proposed different generalized criteria and their corresponding thresholds. Both are used to evaluate the different exchange rate returns in the decision matrix or the pay-off matrix. These thresholds are suggested according to the obtained results in the decision matrix. Finally, we have obtained the best solution of the problem when all the criteria have the same importance for the decision-maker

Cultural Tourism, Using A Multicriteria Analysis: Spanish World Heritage Cities

The city tourism has become a subject of growing interest in tourism research, in a dynamic sector and with a particularly complex behaviour. In this scenario, the management of available information turns out to be difficult. Until now, specialized literature in tourism has been focused on general analysis, but down to a higher level of disaggregation (cities), presents a greater complexity. This paper aims to classify cities declared World Heritage by UNESCO on the basis of information available, by applying a multicriteria decision aid method: The Promethee

POLÍTICAS DE SAÚDE NOS PAÍSES DO MERCOSUL: um retorno à universalidade?

Este texto aborda os sistemas de saúde nos países do MERCOSUL e analisa se as medidas atuais sinalizam para a universalidade de atenção à saúde. Situa-se como um estudo comparativo e utiliza uma matriz de análise indicativa das intervenções estatais nas políticas de saúde. Para se apreciar as tendências universalistas, foram adotadas as três dimensões propostas pela OMS: amplitude da cobertura populacional, abrangência dos serviços e nível de cobertura por financiamento público. Apresenta as características demográficas e sociopolíticas dos países, as formas de organização, a prestação dos serviços, o financiamento e a regulação dos sistemas nacionais de saúde

IMPACTO DE LA COVID-19 SOBRE LAS LISTAS DE ESPERA QUIRÚRGICAS

Métodos: Para estimar cuales son los recursos que más están repercutiendo en las listas de espera y predecir el efecto que la COVID-19 ejerce en ellas, utilizamos un modelo de datos de panel dinámico. Los datos de recursos quirúrgicos y listas de espera por comunidades autónomas se han obtenido de Encuestas de Salud, Estadísticas Hospitalarias e informes de listas de espera del Ministerio de Sanidad Consumo y Bienestar Social y de las Consejerías. El periodo muestral es 2012-2017 (último año publicado para recursos quirúrgicos). Además, se llevó a cabo una revisión de la literatura que permite corroborar la importancia y complejidad de las listas de espera como instrumento de gestión del sistema sanitario (bases de datos Web of Science, SciELO y Dialnet).Resultados: La COVID-19 incrementará las listas de espera, aproximadamente entre el 7,6% y el 19,4%, de pendiendo de la comunidad. No todos los recursos quirúrgicos disponibles tienen la misma importancia ni influyen de la misma manera en la reducción de las personas en espera. Los recursos más significativos son las camas y quirófanos por mil habitantes y no tanto el gasto en hospitales del Sistema Nacional de Salud. Conclusiones: Los modelos de datos de panel permiten conocer la relación entre recursos quirúrgicos y lista de espera, la cual parece ser compleja y diferente entre comunidades. Además, estos modelos ayudan a predecir el incremento esperable y, por lo tanto, son un instrumento útil en la gestión de listas de espera.Depto. de Economía Aplicada, Pública y PolíticaFac. de Ciencias Económicas y EmpresarialesTRUEpu

The impact of the introduction of bilingual learning on sixth grade educational achievement levels

Bilingualism was implemented in the Community of Madrid (Spain) more than ten years ago, through the incorporation of the English language in the teaching methods of certain schools. Since that time, various research projects have been carried out, with the objective of comparing the academic performance of students in bilingual schools with those in nonbilingual schools. The present paper makes use of primary education data from the Department of Education and Research for the Community of Madrid in an effort to analyze whether or not bilingualism results in the relative improvement of educational outcomes achieved in primary schools in the Region of Madrid, in Spain. More specifically, the data used is from sixth grade classrooms, given that, generally speaking, in this grade all schools give a standardized test which measures academic performance in Math, Science and Technology, Spanish Language Arts and English Language Arts. Our assessment makes use of a multinomial logit model, and includes the most common variables found in the research on the determination of educational outcomes (variables related to whether or not schools are bilingual, which is the main focus of this paper), as well as other less common variables considered to be relevant. These include absenteeism, satisfaction levels among families and students, and the percentage of students in second chance programs. The results show that bilingualism does not lower children performance in the subjects taught in English or in the subjects taught in Spanish. Academic performance in Mathematics, Scienceand Technology, and Spanish Language Arts is similar with respect to those schoolswhich are not bilingual. However, results in English are significantly higher in bilingual schools when compared to non-bilingual schools.Una pequeña parte por Mutua MadrileñaDepto. de Economía Aplicada, Pública y PolíticaFac. de Ciencias Económicas y EmpresarialesTRUEpu

Irrigation of pistachios: strategies to confront water scarcity

Pistachio trees are capable to be profitable under rain-fed conditions. They also have a good response to low amounts of irrigation water, so are a great candidate to be considered for water-scarcity scenarios. The pistachio tree has a singular way of alternate bearing, losing a percentage of its floral buds in the year preceding the harvest year. This percentage of abscission of the fruit buds increases in situations of water stress, making irrigation strategy follow as a 1-year determinant for the next season fruit yield. Despite its high resistance to severe water stress conditions, the pistachio tree has high water requirements. To overcome this issue, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) was tested as a technique to save water without affecting yield. Coupling the use of plant biosensors to this technique is a research approach that can improve its efficiency. The recourse to these techniques created a greater preference of the resultant product by the consumer

Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and PHiD-CV When Coadministered With MenACWY-TT in Infants: Results of an Open, Randomized Trial.

This study evaluated the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B-inactivated poliovirus virus-Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib) and a 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) coadministered with a quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-TT) in infants/toddlers. In this open, controlled, phase III study (NCT01144663), 2095 healthy infants were randomized (1:1:1:1) into 4 groups to receive MenACWY-TT at 2, 3, 4 and 12 months of age or MenACWY-TT, MenC-CRM197, or MenC-TT at 2, 4 and 12 months of age. All participants received PHiD-CV and DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib at 2, 3, 4 and 12 months of age. Immunogenicity of DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib was evaluated in exclusive randomized subsets of 25% of participants from each group postprimary, prebooster and postbooster vaccination, whereas immunogenicity of PHiD-CV was evaluated at all time points. Reactogenicity was evaluated on the total vaccinated cohorts during 8 days after each vaccination. For each DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib antigen, ≥97.2%, ≥76.5% and ≥97.9% of participants had seropositive/seroprotective levels 1 month postprimary vaccination, before the booster dose and 1 month postbooster, respectively. For each vaccine pneumococcal serotype, ≥74.0% of infants had antibody concentrations ≥0.35 μg/mL at 1 month postprimary vaccination, and robust increases in antibody geometric mean concentrations were observed from prebooster to postbooster. Redness was the most frequent solicited local symptom at the DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and PHiD-CV injection sites, reported after up to 47.7% and 57.0% of doses postprimary and postbooster vaccination, respectively. Primary and booster vaccinations of infants/toddlers with DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and PHiD-CV coadministered with MenACWY-TT were immunogenic with clinically acceptable reactogenicity profiles. These results support the coadministration of MenACWY-TT with routine childhood vaccines

Hippocampal atrophy on MRI is predictive of histopathological patterns and surgical prognosis in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis

Purpose: To correlate hippocampal volumes obtained from brain structural imaging with histopathological patterns of hippocampal sclerosis (HS), in order to predict surgical outcome. Methods: Patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with HS were selected. Clinical data were assessed pre-operatively and surgical outcome in the first year post surgery. One block of mid hippocampal body was selected for HS classification according to ILAE criteria. NeuN-immunoreactive cell bodies were counted within hippocampal subfields, in four randomly visual fields, and cell densities were transformed into z-score values. FreeSurfer processing of 1.5 T brain structural images was used for subcortical and cortical volumetric estimation of the ipsilateral hippocampus. Univariate analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation test were applied for statistical analyses. Results: Sixty-two cases (31 female, 32 right HS) were included. ILAE type 1 HS was identified in 48 patients, type 2 in eight, type 3 in two, and four had no-HS. Better results regarding seizure control, i.e. ILAE 1, were achieved by patients with type 1 HS (58.3%). Patients with types 1 and 2 had smaller hippocampal volumes compared to those with no-HS (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). Positive correlation was encountered between hippocampal volumes and CA1, CA3, CA4, and total estimated neuronal densities. CA2 was the only sector which did not correlate its neuronal density with hippocampal volume (p = 0.390). Conclusion: This is the first study correlating hippocampal volume on MRI submitted to FreeSurfer processing with ILAE patterns of HS and neuronal loss within each hippocampal subfield, a fundamental finding to anticipate surgical prognosis for patients with drug-resistant MTLE and HS. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, Clin Neurol Sect, Rua Pedro Toledo 650,1 Andar, BR-04039002 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFac Ciencias Med Santa Casa Sao Paulo, Dept Pathol Sci, Rua Dr Cesareo Mottak Jr,61 Vila Buarque, BR-01221020 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Neurosurg Sect, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, Rua Napoleao Barros 715,6 Andar Vila Clementino, BR-04024002 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Diagnost Imaging Sect, Dept Diagnost Imaging, Rua Napoleao Barros 800 Vila Clementino, BR-04024002 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Neurosci Sect, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, Rua Pedro Toledo 669,2 Andar Vila Clementino, BR-04039032 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilClinical Neurology Sector, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 650 – Vila Clementino, CEP 04039-002, São Paulo, SP, BrazilNeurosurgery Sector, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Napoleão de Barros, 715, 6° andar – Vila Clementino, CEP 04024-002, São Paulo, SP, BrazilDiagnostic Imaging Sector, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800 – Vila Clementino, CEP 04024-002, São Paulo, SP, BrazilNeuroscience Sector, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 2° andar – Vila Clementino, CEP 04039-032, São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc