Attenuation Factor Estimation of Direct Normal Irradiance Combining Sky Camera Images and Mathematical Models in an Inter-Tropical Area

Nowadays, it is of great interest to know and forecast the solar energy resource that will be constantly available in order to optimize its use. The generation of electrical energy using CSP (concentrated solar power) plants is mostly affected by atmospheric changes. Therefore, forecasting solar irradiance is essential for planning a plant’s operation. Solar irradiance/atmospheric (clouds) interaction studies using satellite and sky images can help to prepare plant operators for solar surface irradiance fluctuations. In this work, we present three methodologies that allow us to estimate direct normal irradiance (DNI). The study was carried out at the Solar Irradiance Observatory (SIO) at the Geophysics Institute (UNAM) in Mexico City using corresponding images obtained with a sky camera and starting from a clear sky model. The multiple linear regression and polynomial regression models as well as the neural networks model designed in the present study, were structured to work under all sky conditions (cloudy, partly cloudy and cloudless), obtaining estimation results with 82% certainty for all sky types

Comparative serology techniques for the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a rural population from the state of Querétaro, Mexico

Immunological diagnostic methods for Trypanosoma cruzi depend specifically on the presence of antibodies and parasitological methods lack sensitivity during the chronic and “indeterminate” stages of the disease. This study performed a serological survey of 1,033 subjects from 52 rural communities in 12 of the 18 municipalities in the state of Querétaro, Mexico. We detected anti-T. cruzi antibodies using the following tests: indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), ELISA and recombinant ELISA (rELISA). We also performed Western blot (WB) analysis using iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD), a detoxifying enzyme excreted by the parasite, as the antigen. Positive test results were distributed as follows: ELISA 8%, rELISA 6.2%, IFA and IHA 5.4% in both cases and FeSOD 8%. A comparative study of the five tests was undertaken. Sensitivity levels, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, concordance percentage and kappa index were considered. Living with animals, trips to other communities, gender, age, type of housing and symptomatology at the time of the survey were statistically analysed using SPSS software v.11.5. Detection of the FeSOD enzyme that was secreted by the parasite and used as an antigenic fraction in WBs showed a 100% correlation with traditional ELISA tests

The Latin American experience of allografting patients with severe aplastic anaemia: real-world data on the impact of stem cell source and ATG administration in HLA-identical sibling transplants

We studied 298 patients with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) allografted in four Latin American countries. The source of cells was bone marrow (BM) in 94 patients and PBSCs in 204 patients. Engraftment failed in 8.1% of recipients with no difference between BM and PBSCs (P = 0.08). Incidence of acute GvHD (aGvHD) for BM and PBSCs was 30% vs 32% (P = 0.18), and for grades III–IV was 2.6% vs 11.6% (P = 0.01). Chronic GvHD (cGvHD) between BM and PBSCs was 37% vs 59% (P = 0.002) and extensive 5% vs 23.6% (P = 0.01). OS was 74% vs 76% for BM vs PBSCs (P = 0.95). Event-free survival was superior in patients conditioned with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-based regimens compared with other regimens (79% vs 61%, P = 0.001) as excessive secondary graft failure was seen with other regimens (10% vs 26%, P = 0.005) respectively. In multivariate analysis, aGvHD II–IV (hazard ratio (HR) 2.50, confidence interval (CI) 1.1–5.6, P = 0.02) and aGvHD III–IV (HR 8.3 CI 3.4–20.2, Po0.001) proved to be independent negative predictors of survival. In conclusion, BM as a source of cells and ATG-based regimens should be standard because of higher GvHD incidence with PBSCs, although the latter combining with ATG in the conditioning regimen could be an option in selected high-risk patient

Can the intake of antiparasitic secondary metabolites explain the low prevalence of hemoparasites among wild Psittaciformes?

Background: Parasites can exert selection pressure on their hosts through effects on survival, on reproductive success, on sexually selected ornament, with important ecological and evolutionary consequences, such as changes in population viability. Consequently, hemoparasites have become the focus of recent avian studies. Infection varies significantly among taxa. Various factors might explain the differences in infection among taxa, including habitat, climate, host density, the presence of vectors, life history and immune defence. Feeding behaviour can also be relevant both through increased exposure to vectors and consumption of secondary metabolites with preventative or therapeutic effects that can reduce parasite load. However, the latter has been little investigated. Psittaciformes (parrots and cockatoos) are a good model to investigate these topics, as they are known to use biological control against ectoparasites and to feed on toxic food. We investigated the presence of avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium), intracellular haemosporidians (Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon), unicellular flagellate protozoans (Trypanosoma) and microfilariae in 19 Psittaciformes species from a range of habitats in the Indo-Malayan, Australasian and Neotropical regions. We gathered additional data on hemoparasites in wild Psittaciformes from the literature. We considered factors that may control the presence of hemoparasites in the Psittaciformes, compiling information on diet, habitat, and climate. Furthermore, we investigated the role of diet in providing antiparasitic secondary metabolites that could be used as self-medication to reduce parasite load. Results: We found hemoparasites in only two of 19 species sampled. Among them, all species that consume at least one food item known for its secondary metabolites with antimalarial, trypanocidal or general antiparasitic properties, were free from hemoparasites. In contrast, the infected parrots do not consume food items with antimalarial or even general antiparasitic properties. We found that the two infected species in this study consumed omnivorous diets. When we combined our data with data from studies previously investigating blood parasites in wild parrots, the positive relationship between omnivorous diets and hemoparasite infestation was confirmed. Individuals from open habitats were less infected than those from forests. Conclusions: The consumption of food items known for their secondary metabolites with antimalarial, trypanocidal or general antiparasitic properties, as well as the higher proportion of infected species among omnivorous parrots, could explain the low prevalence of hemoparasites reported in many vertebrates

Results of the COVID-19 mental health international for the general population (COMET-G) study.

INTRODUCTION: There are few published empirical data on the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, and until now, there is no large international study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online questionnaire gathered data from 55,589 participants from 40 countries (64.85% females aged 35.80 ± 13.61; 34.05% males aged 34.90±13.29 and 1.10% other aged 31.64±13.15). Distress and probable depression were identified with the use of a previously developed cut-off and algorithm respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi-square tests, multiple forward stepwise linear regression analyses and Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tested relations among variables. RESULTS: Probable depression was detected in 17.80% and distress in 16.71%. A significant percentage reported a deterioration in mental state, family dynamics and everyday lifestyle. Persons with a history of mental disorders had higher rates of current depression (31.82% vs. 13.07%). At least half of participants were accepting (at least to a moderate degree) a non-bizarre conspiracy. The highest Relative Risk (RR) to develop depression was associated with history of Bipolar disorder and self-harm/attempts (RR = 5.88). Suicidality was not increased in persons without a history of any mental disorder. Based on these results a model was developed. CONCLUSIONS: The final model revealed multiple vulnerabilities and an interplay leading from simple anxiety to probable depression and suicidality through distress. This could be of practical utility since many of these factors are modifiable. Future research and interventions should specifically focus on them

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Search for dark photons in Higgs boson production via vector boson fusion in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

A search is presented for a Higgs boson that is produced via vector boson fusion and that decays to an undetected particle and an isolated photon. The search is performed by the CMS collaboration at the LHC, using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 130 fb−1, recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 2016–2018. No significant excess of events above the expectation from the standard model background is found. The results are interpreted in the context of a theoretical model in which the undetected particle is a massless dark photon. An upper limit is set on the product of the cross section for production via vector boson fusion and the branching fraction for such a Higgs boson decay, as a function of the Higgs boson mass. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, assuming the standard model production rates, the observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction is 3.5 (2.8)%. This is the first search for such decays in the vector boson fusion channel. Combination with a previous search for Higgs bosons produced in association with a Z boson results in an observed (expected) upper limit on the branching fraction of 2.9 (2.1)% at 95% confidence level

I Congresso Ibero-Americano de Bibliotecas Escolares

Actas de la primera edición del I Congreso Iberoamericano de Bibliotecas Escolares, CIBES 2015, organizado por la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (España), la Universidad Estatal Paulista (Brasil) y el Ayuntamiento de Getafe (España). Celebrado: 21 - 23 de octubre de 2015 en la Universidad Estatal Paulista (Marília) y 26 - 28 de octubre de 2015 en la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Getafe)Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (España)Universidad Estatal Paulista (Brasil)Ayuntamiento de Getafe (España)Dimensiones y visiones de la biblioteca escolar en una Educación por competencias: la necesidad de una política estratégica / Miguel Ángel Marzal. -- Getafe ciudad educadora, lectora y escritora: Bibliotecas escolares / Lourdes Muñoz Santiuste. -- Presente y futuro: biblioteca escolar-CREA y proyectos interdisciplinares / Rosa Piquín. -- Cultura en información: un reto esencial de la biblioteca escolar / Mónica Baró. -- Bibliotecas escolares de Galicia: un mundo de oportunidades a favor de la Educación / Cristina Novoa. -- 10 años de la Red de Bibliotecas Escolares de Extremadura (REBEX) / Casildo Macías Pereira. -- Biblioteca Escolar y uso ético de la información para una Cultura de Paz / Ana Barrero Tíscar. -- Dinamización de la Biblioteca Escolar Plumita durante el curso escolar 2014/15 / María Antonia Cano Cañada. -- Experiencia de la creación de una biblioteca escolar / Susana Santos Martín. -- Grupo cooperativo Bibliotecas escolares en Red-Albacete / José Manuel Garrido Argandoña y Eva Leal Scasso. -- La BCREA "Juan Leiva". El fomento de la lectura desde la web social / Andrés Pulido Villar. -- Proceso de implantación de una herramienta de autoevaluación en la red de bibliotecas escolares de Extremadura (REBEX) / Casildo Macías Pereira. -- La biblioteca escolar: abriendo fronteras / Lorena Verónica Cabrera Orellana. -- O programa RBE e a avaliaçao das bibliotecas escolares: melhoria, desenvolvimiento e innovaçao / Elsa Conde. -- Profesional de Biblioteconomía y Documentación: esencial en la plantilla de la escuela / Pilar del Campo Puerta. -- Una mirada activa al proceso educativo desde la biblioteca escolar / María Jesús Fontela Fernández . -- Con otra mirada "La ilustración como vehículo de comunicación y aprendizaje en las bibliotecas escolares" / Pablo Jurado Sánchez-Galán. -- Fingertips. Recriar a biblioteca escolar na sala de aula / Rui Alfonso Mateus. -- Hablemos de libros. Cómo transformar una clase de literatura en una comunidad de interpretación de textos / Francisco César Díaz Rey. -- Inclusión social de familias inmigrantes a través de un programa de aprendizaje de la lengua castellana / Ana Carmen Tolino Fernández-Henarejos. -- O desenvolvimento de atividades de mediação de leitura em biblioteca escolar: o caso da biblioteca da Escola Sesc de Ensino Médio / Vagner Amaro. -- La biblioteca escolar. Proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de padres a hijos / Ana Carmen Tolino Fernández- Henarejos. -- Leo con y para los demás / Ismael Fernández Fernández, Ana María Moreno Vicente y Ana Beatriz Vicente Pérez. -- Nanas y arrullo. Poesía a la deriva / Bernardo Fuentes Navarrete y Carlos García-Romeral Pérez. -- Gestión y evaluación de servicios bibliotecarios para personas con dislexia: una biblioteca escolar inclusiva desde una perspectiva internacional / Carmen Jorge García-Reyes. -- Sueños lectores compartidos hechos realidad: la biblioteca escolar del C.E.I.P-S.E.S-A.A “LA PAZ” de Albacete / Ana Rosa Cabañero Tobarra, Juan Manuel Herráez, Eva Leal Scasso, María Marín Sánchez, Ana Belén Medrano Martínez y María José Nortes Ruipérez. -- El programa biblioteca escuela en Civican. La literatura como elemento motivador para la alfabetización informacional / Villar Arellano Yanguas. -- La competencia digital en el diseño curricular: desde la biblioteca al aula / Felicidad Campal García. -- O deselvomimento da pesquisa escolar por meio da competência em informaçao / Luciane de Fátima Cavalcante Beckman y Marta Leandro da Mata. -- Proyecto escolar de investigación documental "Te pillé leyendo" / José Manuel Garrido Argandoña. -- Aprender com a Biblioteca Escolar: formar para as literacias / Paula Correia y Isabel Mendinhos. -- Sucedió en el siglo XX / María Antonia Becerra Montalbán, Ángel Bernabé Muñoz y Sofía Vaz Romero. -- El Club de lectura en la nube / Belén Benito Blázquez y Ana Ordás García. -- Promover a leitura e a escrita na era digital: prácticas nas bibliotecas escolares / María Raquel Ramos. -- A biblioteca escolar e o desafío da interculturalidade: o projeto Ser + cidadao / María da Conceição Tomé. -- Cuando la competencia digital encontró a la alfabetización informacional o Mucho ruido y pocas nueces / Felicidad Campal García. -- Hora de ler, un programa para el fomento de la lectura en contexto educativo / Cristina Novoa. -- Hábitos de lectura para las competencias en información y alfabetización en información en bibliotecas escolares de Puerto Rico / Karen Denise Centeno Casillas. -- Repositorios digitales en las bibliotecas escolares andaluzas: situación, modelos y herramientas para su creación / Dolores Olmos Olmos y Andrés Pulido Villar. -- Trabajando las competencias clave con las aventuras de Mozarito en Extremadura / María Teresa Carballosa González y María Esther Nieto Vidal. -- Análisis de modelos de evaluación de la web de la biblioteca escolar / Raúl Cremades García. -- Emociónate con las historias: El bosque de las emociones e historias con mucho teatro / Esther Luis Pérez y Ana María Peromingo Fernández. -- Biblioteca escolar de innovación y continuación / E. María Guerrero Palacios y Silvia Mora Ramírez. -- Uso de estándares y licencias para la creación y difusión de contenidos en las bibliotecas escolares / José Luis Barreiro Cebey. -- La biblioteca escolar digital móvil / Javier Fernández Delgado. -- Uso de aplicaciones móviles para el desarrollo de la competencia lingüística. Proyecto Hansel App Gretel / Dolores Olmos Olmos. -- A memória e a mediação segundo Vigotski / Leda Maria Araújo, Patricia Celia Santana, Sueli Bortolin y Leticia Gorri Molina. -- Bibliotecas escolares como tema de estudo dos alunos de graduação em blioteconomia do Instituto de Ensino Superior da FUNLEC: estado da arte / Tiago Pereira Nocera y Rodrigo Pereira. -- Ações de mediação da leitura e da informação em bibliotecas escolares: um olhar sobre as bibliotecas dos Colégios de Aplicação / Tatyanne Christina Gonçalves Ferreira Valdez y Alberto Calil Júnior. -- Mediação pedagógica numa biblioteca de escola pública em Londrina / Rovilson José da Silva, Teba Silva Yllana y Sueli Bortolin. -- Utilização de categorias por cores em sistema de biblioteca voltado ao público infanto-juvenil / Liliana Giusti Serra. -- Atividades de ensino dos atos de leitura com crianças em risco social / Adriana Naomi Fukushima da Silva y Dagoberto Buim Arena. -- Biblioteca escolar: espaço de significados entre alunos, professores e bibliotecários / Rodrigo Barbosa Paulo, Marisa Xavier, Helen Castro Casarin y Creuza Barbaroto. -- A Biblioteca Escolar no Contexto da Legislação e do Processo Educativo / Eliane Lourdes da Silva Moro, Francisca Rosaline Leite Mota y Raimundo Martins de Lima. -- O jornal impresso como fonte de informação: a importância da formação de leitores críticos / Mariana Pícaro Cerigatto. -- Bibliotecas escolares no estado do Rio Grande do Sul: a trajetória de realização dos fóruns gaúchos pela melhoria das bibliotecas escolares / Eliane Lourdes da Silva Moro y Lizandra Brasil Estabel. -- O acesso à informação dos usuários surdos na biblioteca escolar / André Luís Onório Coneglian y Mayara Melo Santana. -- Aprendizagem coletiva de bibliotecários e a competência de pesquisa dos docentes: o caso do Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo / Maristela Almeida Mercandeli Rodrigues y Beatriz Quiroz Villardi. -- Biblioteca escolar: atores, parâmetros e competências / Mavi Galante Mancera Dall´Acqua Carvalho y Claudio Marcondes de Castro Filho. -- Estratégias de aprendizagem de escrita no Ensino Fundamental II / Érika Christina Kohle. -- Bebês e livros: leitura nas bebetecas. Kenia Adriana de Aquino Modesto Silva, Juliane Francischeti Martins Motoyama y Renata Junqueira de Souza. -- Práticas alternativas para organização de acervos nos espaços de leitura em ambientes escolares / Luciana Souza Gracioso, Ariovaldo Alves, Débora Nascimento, Suelen Redondo, Tainara Torika Kiri de Castro, Elizabete Angelon y Eduardo Barbosa. -- Reflexões sobre a modelagem e criação de uma Rede Virtual de Leitores para Bibliotecas Escolares / Carla Floriana Martins y Raoni Guerra Rajão. -- Biblioteca escolar: espaço de formação leitora? / Silvana Ferreira de Souza Balsan y Renata Junqueira de Souza. -- “Se a Biblioteca Escolar é minha mãe, o Google é meu pai”: representações da relação entre Biblioteca Escolar e Google no imaginário de alunos do ensino técnico / Adriana Bogliolo Sirihal-Duarte, Maria L. Amorim Antunes y Raquel Miranda Vilela Paiva. -- Desafios e propostas para a universalização das bibliotecas escolares no Brasil e na Espanha / Rodrigo Pereira, Daniela Spudeit y Fernanda de Sales. -- Bibliotecário educador: possibilidades de atuação no contexto da biblioteca escolar / André Carlos da Silva, Valéria Martin Valls y Mariana de Paula Silva. -- Uma ONG para Bibliotecas Escolares : estratégia para ampliar a igualdade e capacidade de acesso e uso da informação e educação escolar de qualidade / Suelen Camilo Ferreira y Luciana de Souza Gracioso. -- O aluno com deficência: o papel do bibliotecário na disponibilidade de recursos acessíveis na biblioteca escolar / Adriano de Sales Coelho, Rosilene de Melo Oliveira y Marcos Pastana Santos. -- Biblioteca digital virtual e o uso do tablete: uma possibilidade de construção de novas práticas de leitura na escola / Barbara Cibelli da Silva Monteagudo y Dagoberto Buim Arena. -- A importância da biblioteca na educação de crianças de 0 a 3 anos / Yngrid Karolline Mendonça Costa y Cyntia Graziella Guizelim Simões Girotto. -- Comportamento Informacional de adolescentes: a relação com bibliotecas e escolas / Nelson Sebastian Silva-Jerez y Helen de Castro S. Casarin

A taxonomic backbone for the global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales

The Caryophyllales constitute a major lineage of flowering plants with approximately 12500 species in 39 families. A taxonomic backbone at the genus level is provided that reflects the current state of knowledge and accepts 749 genera for the order. A detailed review of the literature of the past two decades shows that enormous progress has been made in understanding overall phylogenetic relationships in Caryophyllales. The process of re-circumscribing families in order to be monophyletic appears to be largely complete and has led to the recognition of eight new families (Anacampserotaceae, Kewaceae, Limeaceae, Lophiocarpaceae, Macarthuriaceae, Microteaceae, Montiaceae and Talinaceae), while the phylogenetic evaluation of generic concepts is still well underway. As a result of this, the number of genera has increased by more than ten percent in comparison to the last complete treatments in the Families and genera of vascular plants” series. A checklist with all currently accepted genus names in Caryophyllales, as well as nomenclatural references, type names and synonymy is presented. Notes indicate how extensively the respective genera have been studied in a phylogenetic context. The most diverse families at the generic level are Cactaceae and Aizoaceae, but 28 families comprise only one to six genera. This synopsis represents a first step towards the aim of creating a global synthesis of the species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales integrating the work of numerous specialists around the world