Common faith or parting ways? A time varying parameters factor analysis of euro-area inflation

We analyze the interaction among the common and country specific components for the inflation rates in twelve euro area countries through a factor model with time varying parameters. The variation of the model parameters is driven by the score of the predictive likelihood, so that, conditionally on past data, the model is Gaussian and the likelihood function can be evaluated using the Kalman filter. The empirical analysis uncovers significant variation over time in the model parameters. We find that, over an extended time period, inflation persistence has fallen over time and the importance of common shocks has increased relatively to the idiosyncratic disturbances. According to the model, the fall in inflation observed since the sovereign debt crisis, is broadly a common phenomenon, since no significant cross country inflation differentials have emerged. Stressed countries, however, have been hit by unusually large shocks

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN PENYAKIT HIPERTENSI PADA MASYARAKAT DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS MINANGA KOTA MANADO

Hipertensi termasuk dalam kategori Penyakit Tidak Menular (PTM), hipertensi saat ini masih menjadi masalah di bidang kesehatan dan sering ditemukan pada tempat pelayanan kesehatan primer yaitu puskesmas. Dinas Kesehatan Kota Manado (2019) menjelaskan bahwa penyakit hipertensi termasuk dalam 10 penyakit  umum tertinggi di Sulawesi Utara, sedangkan dalam kategori PTM hipertensi berada di urutan teratas. Puskesmas Minanga tercatat merupakan salah satu Puskesmas dengan jumlah kasus kejadian hipertensi paling menonjol di Kota Manado. Ttujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan penyakit hipertensi pada masyarakat di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Minanga. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan yaitu Cross Sectional Study (Studi Potong Lintang). Teknik yang digunakan dalam pengambilan sampel yaitu purposive sampling dengan besaran jumlah sampel sebanyak 94 responden yang diambil dari masyarakat di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Minanga. Dari hasil perhitungan uji analisis statistik dengan menggunakan uji regresi logistik menunjukkan adanya hubungan antara variabel umur, stres, dan obesitas terhadap penyakit hipertensi pada masyarakat di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Minanga setelah nilai signifikan ketiga variabel tersebut lebih rendah dari nilai α yaitu 0,05. Sedangkan untuk variabel jenis kelamin, kebiasaan merokok, konsumsi alkohol tidak ditemukan adanya hubungan dengan penyakit hipertensi pada masyarakat di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Minanga karena nilai signifikan variabel melebihi nilai α yaitu 0,05. Kata Kunci: Faktor-Faktor, Hipertensi ABSTRACTHypertension is included in the category of Non-Communicable Diseases, hypertension is currently a problem in the health sector and is often found in primary health care centers like Public Health Center. Manado City Health Office (2019) explained that hypertension was among the 10 highest common diseases in North Sulawesi, while hypertension was in the top rank of Non-Communicable Diseases. Minanga Public Health Center is recorded as one of the Public Health Center’s with the most prominent cases of hypertension in Manado. This study aims to determine the factors associated with hypertension in the community in the Minanga Community Health Center. The type of research used is the Cross Sectional Study. The technique used in sampling is purposive sampling with a sample reach 94 respondents taken from the community in the Minanga Community Health Center. From the results of the calculation of statistical analysis tests using linear regression tests showed a relationship between the variables of age, stress, and obesity to hypertension in the community in the Minanga Health Center working area after the significant values of the variables are lower than the α value of 0.05. As for the variable of gender, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, there was no association with hypertension in the community in the Minanga Health Center working area because the significant value of the variables exceeded the α value of 0.05. Keywords: Factors, Hypertensio

Laterality of a second player position affects lateral deviation of basketball shooting

Asymmetrically placed visual distractors are known to cause a lateral bias in the execution of a movement directed toward a target. The aim of the present experiment was to verify if the trajectory of the ball and the trajectory of the jump for a basketshot can be affected by the sole position of a second player, who stays in front of the shooting player in one of three possible positions (centre, left or right) but too far to physically interfere with the shot. Young basketball players were asked to perform 60 shots at 6.25 m from a regular basket, with or without a second player staying in front of them in, alternately, a centre, left or right position. A computerised system measured the angular deviation of the jump direction from the vertical direction and the lateral deviation of the ball trajectory from the midline. The results showed that both the jump direction and the entry position of the ball deviated toward the opposite side from the second player’s side; however, these effects were too small to significantly affect the mean goal percentage. This result confirms that some placements of the players can have an effect as visual distractors. Further studies are necessary to find what game conditions can make such distractors harmful for the athletic performance

Lie for me: How empathy, alexithymia and emotional intelligence influence the ability to conform facial expression to a prosocial untrue verbal message

The aim of this work was to investigate the association between emotional variables (empathy, emotional intelligence, alexithymia) and lying skills. The hypothesis was that a higher emotional competence was associated to a better ability to lie. In an experimental setting, thirty-four participants were videotaped in two separate session: The first in which they were telling the truth and the second in which, motivated by a social and empathetical intention, they were lying about some emotionally arousing images they viewed. Moreover, all participant filled three self-report questionnaires: The 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, The Interpersonal Reactivity Index and The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form. The coding of facial responses was carried out using the Facial Action Coding System. The findings suggested that emotional competence is associated with the ability to lie and to conform facial expression to a prosocial untrue statement. Conversely, individuals with higher levels of alexithymia and lower emotional ability manifested more marker of discomfort as facial manipulators in lying, other than inconsistencies in verbal/nonverbal messages even telling the truth, probably due to their difficulties to identify and express emotions

A Double-Blind, RCT Testing Beneficial Modulation of BDNF in Middle-Aged, Life Style-Stressed Subjects: A Clue to Brain Protection?

Introduction: The aim of this prospective study was to see whether LD-1227, a quality-controlled marine nutraceuticals shown to protect experimental stress-induced hyppocampal degeneration, could beneficially modulate BDNF, as measured in the serum, in otherwise healthy but work-stressed individuals. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight men and women between the ages of 38 and 62 reporting high-demanding work activity but with an overall positive attitude towards their personal life were recruited. Subjects were divided in two group (24 patients each) and blindly supplemented for 2 month with: a) LD-1227 400mg or b) placebo. A third group of healthy non-stressed subjects was used as well. Blood samples were taken before and after the supplementation period. Unstimulated saliva was collected and tested for amylase while serum levels were used to measure BDNF. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and psychological wellbeing assessment (PSWB) were measured too. Patients with Val66Met functional polymorphism of BDNF excluded those given their reported association with an impaired release of BDNF. Results: Results showed that, as compared to healthy, nonstressed individuals, stressed ones has a trend decrease of BDNF and this was significantly increased by LD 12-1227 supplementation and the same inverse phenomenon occurred to salivary amylase (p<0.05). No change was noted in the PSQI score but, either STAI or PSWB tests scored better in LD-1227 supplemented subjects. Conclusion: The present data suggest that LD-1227 is beneficially affecting neuromodulation and related symptoms during common stressful life conditions and may have the potential as tools in a neuroprotective clinical strategy

Adenomesenteritis following sars-cov-2 vaccination in children. a case report and review of the literature

At present, the vaccine authorized in children aged 5 years and older is the BNT162b2 messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine. Unlike adults, there is limited data available in the pediatric age describing adverse events after vaccine. We report a case of adenomesenteritis in a young girl following the first dose of vaccine

Función ventilatoria pulmonar y variables antropométricas de tamaño y forma

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue investigar las asociaciones de 4 variables neumoespirométricas con 9 somatométricas representativas del tamaño y la forma corporal -longitudinales, areales, volumétricas y pondérales- en la adolescencia. La muestra estuvo constituida por 60 individuos de cada sexo, subagrupados en dos períodos etáreos (de 11 a 13 años y de 14 a 18 años); de nivel socioeconómico medio y medio alto. Todos ellos alumnos del Colegio Nacional de Monserrat de Córdoba. Las variables espirométricas fueron: Capacidad Vital Forzada (CVF), Volumen Espiratorio Forzado en el primer segundo (VEF1), Flujo espiratorio Forzado entre el 25 y 75% de la CVF (VEF25-75) y Pico Espiratorio Forzado (PEF); determinadas con un neumotacógrafo de flujo computarizado. Las somatométricas: Estatura, Talla sentado, Diámetro torácico, Peso, Índice de Masa Corporal, Áreas y volúmenes (corporal total y del busto). El análisis de datos se llevo a cabo aplicando regresión-correlación múltiple (SPSS 11.5). Los resultados, hasta el presente obtenido, señalan un aumento significativo de los valores espirométricos con la edad en ambos sexos. La relación mayor queda establecida entre CVF y volumen del busto, incluso prevaleciendo sobre el Índice de Masa Corporal. La representación del cuerpo humano a través de modelos areales y volumétricos resulta más eficiente que algunos de los índices usuales para la determinación de estas asociaciones.Eje: Crecimiento, nutrición y desarrolloAsociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

Función ventilatoria pulmonar y variables antropométricas de tamaño y forma

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue investigar las asociaciones de 4 variables neumoespirométricas con 9 somatométricas representativas del tamaño y la forma corporal -longitudinales, areales, volumétricas y pondérales- en la adolescencia. La muestra estuvo constituida por 60 individuos de cada sexo, subagrupados en dos períodos etáreos (de 11 a 13 años y de 14 a 18 años); de nivel socioeconómico medio y medio alto. Todos ellos alumnos del Colegio Nacional de Monserrat de Córdoba. Las variables espirométricas fueron: Capacidad Vital Forzada (CVF), Volumen Espiratorio Forzado en el primer segundo (VEF1), Flujo espiratorio Forzado entre el 25 y 75% de la CVF (VEF25-75) y Pico Espiratorio Forzado (PEF); determinadas con un neumotacógrafo de flujo computarizado. Las somatométricas: Estatura, Talla sentado, Diámetro torácico, Peso, Índice de Masa Corporal, Áreas y volúmenes (corporal total y del busto). El análisis de datos se llevo a cabo aplicando regresión-correlación múltiple (SPSS 11.5). Los resultados, hasta el presente obtenido, señalan un aumento significativo de los valores espirométricos con la edad en ambos sexos. La relación mayor queda establecida entre CVF y volumen del busto, incluso prevaleciendo sobre el Índice de Masa Corporal. La representación del cuerpo humano a través de modelos areales y volumétricos resulta más eficiente que algunos de los índices usuales para la determinación de estas asociaciones.Eje: Crecimiento, nutrición y desarrolloAsociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

The comprehensive clinic, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation of children with COVID-19: a 6-months prospective study

Objectives: To perform a comprehensive clinic, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation of children affected by coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods: Children with a positive result of nasopharyngeal swab for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) underwent laboratory tests, anal and conjunctival swab, electrocardiography, lung, abdomen, and cardiac ultrasound. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed if abnormal basal blood pressure. Patients were followed-up for 6 months. Results: Three hundred and sixteen&nbsp;children were evaluated; 15 were finally included. Confirmed family member SARS-CoV-2 infection was present in all. Twenty-seven percent were asymptomatic. Anal and conjunctival swabs tests resulted negative in all. Patients with lower body mass index&nbsp;(BMI) presented significantly higher viral loads. Main laboratory abnormalities were: lactate dehydrogenase increasing (73%), low vitamin D levels (87%), hematuria (33%), proteinuria (26%), renal hyperfiltration (33%), and hypofiltration (13%). Two of the patients with hyperfiltration exhibited high blood pressure levels at diagnosis, and persistence of prehypertension at 6-month follow-up. No abnormalities were seen at ultrasound, excepting for one patient who exhibited B-lines at lung sonography. Immunoglobulin G seroconversion was observed in all at 1-month. Conclusions: Our study confirm that intra-family transmission is important. The significant higher viral loads recorded among patients with lower BMI, together with low vitamin D levels, support the impact of nutritional status on immune system. Renal involvement is frequent even among children with mild COVID-19, therefore prompt evaluation and identification of patients with reduced renal function reserve would allow a better stratification and management of patients. Seroconversion occurs also in asymptomatic children, with no differences in antibodies titer according to age, sex and clinical manifestations