Use of the industrial property system in Colombia (2018): A supervised learning application

The purpose of this paper is to establish ways to predict the spatial distribution of the use of the intellectual property system from information on industrial property applications and grants (distinctive signs and new creations) and copyright registrations in 2018. This will be done using supervised learning algorithms applied to information on industrial property applications and grants (trademarks and new creations) and copyright registrations in 2018. Within the findings, 4 algorithms were identified with a level of explanation higher than 80%: (i) Linear Regression, with an elastic network regularization; (ii) Stochastic Gradient Descent, with Hinge loss function, Ringe regularization (L2) and a constant learning rate; (iii) Neural Networks, with 1,000 layers, with Adam’s solution algorithm and 2,000 iterations; (iv) Random Forest, with 10 tree

In Vitro Effects of Pirfenidone on Cardiac Fibroblasts: Proliferation, Myofibroblast Differentiation, Migration and Cytokine Secretion

Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are the primary cell type responsible for cardiac fibrosis during pathological myocardial remodeling. Several studies have illustrated that pirfenidone (5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-[1H]-pyridone) attenuates cardiac fibrosis in different animal models. However, the effects of pirfenidone on cardiac fibroblast behavior have not been examined. In this study, we investigated whether pirfenidone directly modulates cardiac fibroblast behavior that is important in myocardial remodeling such as proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation, migration and cytokine secretion. Fibroblasts were isolated from neonatal rat hearts and bioassays were performed to determine the effects of pirfenidone on fibroblast function. We demonstrated that treatment of CFs with pirfenidone resulted in decreased proliferation, and attenuated fibroblast α-smooth muscle actin expression and collagen contractility. Boyden chamber assay illustrated that pirfenidone inhibited fibroblast migration ability, probably by decreasing the ratio of matrix metalloproteinase-9 to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1. Furthermore, pirfenidone attenuated the synthesis and secretion of transforming growth factor-β1 but elevated that of interleukin-10. These direct and pleiotropic effects of pirfenidone on cardiac fibroblasts point to its potential use in the treatment of adverse myocardial remodeling

Couple-oriented prenatal HIV counseling for HIV primary prevention: an acceptability study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A large proportion of the 2.5 million new adult HIV infections that occurred worldwide in 2007 were in stable couples. Feasible and acceptable strategies to improve HIV prevention in a conjugal context are scarce. In the preparatory phase of the ANRS 12127 Prenahtest multi-site HIV prevention trial, we assessed the acceptability of couple-oriented post-test HIV counseling (COC) and men's involvement within prenatal care services, among pregnant women, male partners and health care workers in Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Georgia and India.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used: direct observations of health services; in-depth interviews with women, men and health care workers; monitoring of the COC intervention and exit interviews with COC participants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In-depth interviews conducted with 92 key informants across the four sites indicated that men rarely participated in antenatal care (ANC) services, mainly because these are traditionally and programmatically a woman's domain. However men's involvement was reported to be acceptable and needed in order to improve ANC and HIV prevention services. COC was considered by the respondents to be a feasible and acceptable strategy to actively encourage men to participate in prenatal HIV counseling and testing and overall in reproductive health services.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>One of the keys to men's involvement within prenatal HIV counseling and testing is the better understanding of couple relationships, attitudes and communication patterns between men and women, in terms of HIV and sexual and reproductive health; this conjugal context should be taken into account in the provision of quality prenatal HIV counseling, which aims at integrated PMTCT and primary prevention of HIV.</p

EFFECT OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON MICROPROPAGATION OF ENDEMIC IRIS STEONPHYLLA HAUSSKN & SIEHE EX BAKER SUBSP. ALLISONII B. MATHEW IN TURKEY

Most geophytes are widely used for pharmaceutical and perfume industry as well as ornamental flowers. Most of them are collected from natural habitats. However, Iris stenophylla Hausskn & Siehe Ex Baker subsp. allisonii B. Mathew is a critically endangered geophyte. Therefore in vitro micropropagation is an important alternative method for the protection and production of this species. We have cultured bulb scale, leaf, skap and immature embryo explants of Iris stenophylla on Murashige-Skoog (MS) media supplementted with various concentrations of plant growth regulators. Immature embryos produced a higher number of bulblets than others. The most bulblets were produced from immature embryos on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l BA and 0.25 mg/l NAA. Effective surface sterilization of explants to a level suitable for micropropagation is animportant stage to overcome infection. We report a series of experiments with Iris stenophylla bulbs that involved various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite and HgCl2 treatments of whole bulbs. The best results were obtained from 80% commercial bleach for 20 min. Acknowledgement: This study was supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council (Project no: TOVAG-105 0 246) of Turke