Editor’s Note: Indigenous Communities and COVID-19: Impact and Implications

Editoral for the Special Issu

Articulating social welfare PhD program rubrics toward sustainable assessment

The Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work (SW) PhD program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa currently has 16 students and 10 graduate faculty members. Developing and implementing sustainable PhD assessment plans are necessary to reflect student learning and curriculum improvements. Articulating the PhD program rubrics into a program-level assessment plan is imperative. The SW PhD program has developed seven Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), assessable outcomes, and a curriculum map. In Fall of 2015, the PhD program committee revisited the SLOs and made revisions in alignment with the sustainable assessment plan for the program as a foundational step for creating program rubrics. The committee developed program rubrics for benchmarks—(a) specialization, (b) comprehensive examination (i.e., dissertation proposal), and (c) final exam (i.e., dissertation defense)—that are tied to the SLOs. The committee began collecting data using developed rubrics in Spring 2016 as a pilot to gain additional clarity on the rubrics in order to make them efficient and manageable as key parts of PhD program curriculum. During the process of developing the rubrics, the PhD committee collaborated to facilitate the assessment planning process. During this assessment process, the committee has utilized existing materials and sources, such as student products (e.g., dissertation proposal), evaluation criteria (e.g., dissertation evaluation), yearly advising sessions, and student reviews materials. This poster presents the strategies utilized in the pilot project as well as lessons learned through the project

Influência de variáveis hidro-climáticas na ocorrência de diarreias em menores de 5 anos na Amazônia Ocidental.

Diarrheal diseases kill, on average, half a million children worldwide per year. Its association with climatic variables, not necessary related to the occurrence of El Niño SouthernOscillation events is well documented in different world regions. In Brazil, particularly on the Amazonian region, where there is a high diseases’ incidence, few studies are found in the literature. In this context, the aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of the hydroclimatic variables, as temperature, precipitation and water level in the infant diarrheal diseases incidence in the western Amazon. Firstly, it was analyzed the influence of the precipitation and water level variables on the diarrhea’s mild cases in children, in the Acre’s river valley. For this region, which covers 11 municipalities in the Acre State, on average, the precipitation and water level variability explain approximately 20% of the disease incidence variation, and precipitation is the main factor in most of these cities, in comparison to the water level. For the Rio Branco (AC), Lábrea and Manaus (AM), and Boa Vista (RR) cities analysis with the infant hospitalization for diarrheal disease was carried out. Maximum average temperature per month presents low variability while precipitation and water level has strong seasonality. Different from the characteristics associated to the climate variables, a noticeable characteristic in these hospitalization series is the lack of seasonality. On the other hand, these series present a strong trend component over the time, associated to improvements on the basic health attention cover and/or population socioeconomic improvements over the years. A Generalized Additive Mixed Model (GAMM) was adjusted to water level and precipitation (lagged by a month), maximum temperature, a term which simulate the trend effect over time, and a categorical variable to identify the hospitalization’s origin. Water level, precipitation and maximum temperature presented a nonlinear relation with the hospitalization time series. For these variables it was found as risk factors the maximum temperature around 37 – 39º C, monthly accumulated precipitation around 100 mm, monthly water level average up to 4.200 cm, approximately. It was observed that water level and precipitation lagged by a month do not present a strong relation with the hospitalization time series, which suggest that the record of these variables in the same hospitalization month are better indicators, specially water level and temperature. During the years it was also observed a strong decreasing trend in the number of hospitalization, beginning by the end of 2006, which occurs in all cities except Boa Vista. Analyzing the hospitalization occurrence between the cities, the model considers that the risk between Boa Vista and Rio Branco do not differ significantly while the risk increase in Lábrea and Manaus, and both are significantly higher than the reference city (Boa Vista). The results here present add up to previous studies over thematic in the Occidental Amazon and contributes to better understanding about the relationship between hydroclimatic variables and the diarrheal diseases in children in the region, with the possibility to indicate thresholds that can be used in preventive action plans in these cities, once the results are validated by the responsible institutions.Doenças diarreicas matam, em média, meio milhão de crianças anualmente em todo o mundo. A associação entre variáveis climáticas e a ocorrência de diarreias, com ou sem a ocorrência de fenômenos tipo El Niño Oscilação-Sul é bem documentada em diferentes regiões do globo. No Brasil, particularmente na região amazônica, onde se tem uma alta incidência de diarreias, poucos são os estudos encontrados na literatura. Nesse contexto, buscou-se avaliar a influência de variáveis hidro-climáticas como temperatura, precipitação e cota do rio, na incidência de doenças diarreicas infantis na Amazônia Ocidental. Primeiramente, foi analisada a influência das variáveis precipitação e cota para os casos leves de diarreia em crianças, nas cidades do vale do rio Acre. Para essa região, que compreende 11 municípios do estado do Acre, constatou-se que em média, a variabilidade da precipitação e cota de rio explicam pelo menos 20% da variação da série de incidência da doença, sendo a precipitação o fator principal em um maior número de cidades, em comparação com a cota. Para as cidades de Rio Branco (AC), Lábrea e Manaus (AM), e Boa Vista (RR), buscou-se analisar as relações com a série de internações infantis por doenças diarreicas. Temperatura máxima média mensal apresenta baixa variabilidade, enquanto que precipitação e cota apresentam forte sazonalidade. Diferente das características associadas às variáveis climáticas, uma característica notável nessas séries de internações é a ausência da sazonalidade. Por outro lado, estas apresentam uma forte componente de tendência ao longo do tempo, que podem estar associada às melhorias na cobertura da atenção básica e/ou melhorias socioeconômicas da população ao longo dos anos. A incidência de internações, proporcional a população estudada, decresce na sequência: Lábrea, Rio Branco, Boa Vista e Manaus. Ajustou-se um Modelo Generalizado Aditivo com Efeitos Mistos (GAMM) aos dados de cota e precipitação (com defasagem de um mês), temperatura máxima, um termo que simula o efeito da tendência ao longo do tempo e uma variável categórica para identificar a origem da internação. Cota, precipitação e temperatura máxima apresentaram relação não linear com a série de internações. Para estas variáveis, encontrou-se como fatores de risco a temperatura máxima em torno de 37 – 39º C, precipitação acumulada mensal em torno de 100 mm, cota média mensal acima de 4.200 cm, aproximadamente. Cota e precipitação defasadas em um mês não apresentam forte relação com a série de internações, o que sugere que registros dessas variáveis no mês de internação são melhores indicadores, especialmente cota e temperatura. Ao longo dos anos, observou-se forte tendência de queda no número de internações, tendo início no final do ano de 2006, observado em todas as cidades, exceto Boa Vista. Analisando a ocorrência de internações entre as cidades, o modelo considera que o risco entre Boa Vista e Rio Branco não é significativamente distinto, enquanto o risco aumenta em Lábrea e Manaus, sendo ambos significativamente maiores que a cidade de referência (Boa Vista). Os resultados aqui encontrados somam-se aos estudos anteriores nessa temática na região da Amazônia Ocidental e contribui para melhorar o entendimento sobre as relações entre as variáveis hidroclimáticas e as doenças diarreicas infantis na região, com possibilidade de indicar limiares que possam ser utilizados para o planejamento de ações preventivas nas respectivas cidades, uma vez que sejam validados pelos órgãos competentes locais

Special Issue Foreword

JISD Foreword for Special Issue on Love

Composition and acaricidal activity of Laurus novocanariensis and Laurus nobilis essential oils against Psoroptes cuniculi

The major components of Laurus nobilis and L. novocanariensis leaf oils were identifi ed and their acaricidal activity against Psoroptes cuniculi evaluated. Monoterpenes were predominant in L. nobilis oil (91.8%), while ses quiterpenes were only 1.4%. The main components of this oil were 1,8-cineole (39.2%), α-terpinyl acetate (11.3%), sabinene (10.6%) and linalool (7.4%). The acaricidal activity of L. nobilis oil, at a concentration of 10%, led to a mortality rate of 73%; at 5% the average activity was signifi cantly reduced to 51%, while dilutions of 2.5%, 1.25% and 0.625% were ineffective. Laurus novocanariensis oil, compared to L. nobilis, was richer in sesquiterpenes; the main constituents were α-pinene (10.4%), 1,8-cineole (9.6%) and β-selinene (7.2%). After 24 h of contact, the oil of L. novocanariensis killed all the mites when used at 10% and 5% concentrations. At lower concentrations the mortality signifi cantly decreased; a dilution of 0.625% was ineffective.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification performance in a granular sequencing batch reactor supported by next generation sequencing

Several nitrogen transformation processes occur in wastewater treatment; among them, heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HNAD) has not been adequately quantified. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis of the simultaneous ammonia and organic carbon removal was carried out in an aerobic granular sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operated under feast/famine regime. For this, biological processes, microbial community composition and metabolic pathways were evaluated. Mass balances allowed estimating the ammonia assimilation and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND). Better SND process (55%) was achieved in starvation period involving that denitrification driven by intracellular carbon reserves is more efficiently coupled to the ammonia oxidation with regard to external carbon-driven denitrification. Proton balances and titration monitored the organic carbon and nitrogen removal. High abundance of HNAD bacteria, Diaphorobacter sp. and Flavobacterium sp., and Zoogloea sp. aerobic denitrifier was detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Bioinformatics analysis predicted enzymes involved in nitrogen transformation pathways present in Phylogenetic investigation PYCRUSt database. Heterotrophic nitrification took place involving detoxification against ammonia. Non-limiting nitrate and high oxygen concentrations were favorable for aerobic denitrifiers. HNAD was the main process responsible for the biological nitrogen removal according to NGS and operational conditions given by high dissolved oxygen and low COD:NO3−-N ratio.Fil: Bucci, Paula Lorena. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Coppotelli, Bibiana Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Morelli, Irma Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Zaritzky, Noemi Elisabet. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Caravelli, Alejandro Horacio. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentin

IL-12 DNA Displays efficient adjuvant effects improving immunogenicity of Ag85A in DNA prime/MVA boost immunizations

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine vector expressing the mycobacterial antigen 85A (MVA85A) was demonstrated to be safe, although it did not improve BCG efficacy, denoting the need to search for improved tuberculosis vaccines. In this work, we investigated the effect of IL-12 DNA -as an adjuvant- on an Ag85A DNA prime/MVA85A boost vaccination regimen. We evaluated the immune response profile elicited in mice and the protection conferred against intratracheal Mtb H37Rv challenge. We observed that the immunization scheme including DNA-A85A+DNA-IL-12/MVA85A induced a strong IFN-γ production to Ag85A in vitro, with a significant expansion of IFN-γ+CD4+ and IFN-γ+CD8+ anti-Ag85A lymphocytes. Furthermore, we also detected a significant increase in the proportion of specific CD8+CD107+ T cells against Ag85A. Additionally, inclusion of IL-12 DNA in the DNA-A85A/MVA85A vaccine scheme induced a marked augment in anti-Ag85A IgG levels. Interestingly, after 30 days of infection with Mtb H37Rv, DNA-A85A+DNA-IL-12/MVA85A vaccinated mice displayed a significant reduction in lung bacterial burden. Together, our findings suggest that IL-12 DNA might be useful as a molecular adjuvant in an Ag85A DNA/MVA prime-boost vaccine against Mtb infection.Instituto de BiotecnologíaFil: Morelli, María Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Del Medico Zajac, Maria Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentina.Fil: Pellegrini, Joaquín Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Amiano, Nicolás Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Tateosian, Nancy Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Calamante, Gabriela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentina.Fil: Gherardi, Maria Magdalena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentina.Fil: García, Verónica Edith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Pellegrini, Joaquín Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Pellegrini, Joaquín Miguel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: Pellegrini, Joaquín Miguel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Morelli, María Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: Morelli, María Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Del Medico Zajac, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Amiano, Nicolás Oscar. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: Amiano, Nicolás Oscar. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Tateosian, Nancy Liliana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: Tateosian, Nancy Liliana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Calamante, Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gherardi, Maria Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: García, Verónica Edith. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: García, Verónica Edith. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentin

Reciclagem de precipitação na amazônia: Um estudo de revisão

This paper constitutes a historical perspective in the evolution of the knowledge on precipitation recycling and provides a critical view on the current state-of-the-art. The main sources of moisture for Amazon rainfall and the transport of water vapor over South America are described. The recycling mechanism quantification is an indicator of the importance of the land-surface processes and climate to the hydrological cycle, as well as climate sensitivity associated to changes in these processes. The climatological aspects of the recycling precipitation over South America shows that the advective contribution is more important for the precipitation over the Amazon basin and Brazil’s Northeast, while in the Central-South region the local contribution plays an important role in the precipitation. It is estimated that the precipitation recycling in Amazon basin is 20-35%. Over the Amazon, advection of moisture dominates the supply of atmospheric water vapor over much of the river basin but local evaporation is much more prominent over the southern region. Although the precipitation recycling studies have produced new information concerning the interaction between the land-surface processes and hydrological cycle, the effects of global climate change in this mechanism are not yet fully understood. © 2015, Sociedade Brasileira de Meteorologia. All rights reserved