Curl-Conforming Vector Bases for Hybrid Meshes: A New Paradigm for Pyramid Elements

A simple procedure for obtaining hierarchical curlconforming pyramid bases has been obtained by shifting to a new paradigm that requires the mapping of the pyramidal cell into a cube and then directly imposing the conformity of the vector bases with those used on adjacent differently shaped cells (tetrahedra, hexahedra and triangular prisms). This summary discusses and generalizes some features of the new construction method recently published elsewhere

Introduction

Introduzione alla sezione del numero della rivista dedicato alla integrazione regional

Cylindrical resonators partially filled with a DNG metamaterial sector

A metallic cylindrical resonator partially filled with double-negative (DNG) metamaterial with sector shape is analyzed in the frequency domain. The remaining part of the resonator is filled by a double-positive (DPS) medium. The structure results in a cylindrical resonator of finite length with a metamaterial wedge whose edge is on the cylinder axis. A line source excitation located in the DPS region is applied to investigate the properties of the structure by exciting the compatible modes of the structure. An exact analytical solution is obtained

Estudio de satisfacción del tratamiento antidepresivo en pacientes en Argentina

Introducción: La depresión es una enfermedad frecuente, que se caracteriza por la presencia de tristeza, pérdida de interés o placer, sentimientos de culpa, baja autoestima, trastornos del sueño o del apetito, sensación de cansancio y falta de concentración. La satisfacción del paciente con su tratamiento prescripto se define como la evaluación por parte del paciente acerca de la administración del tratamiento y sus resultados obtenidos”. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la satisfacción del tratamiento antidepresivo (caracterizando tipo de fármaco, dosis, tiempo de tratamiento) prescripto a través de un cuestionario validado de satisfacción en pacientes que solicitan la dispensación de los mismos en tres farmacias oficinales en distintas provincias de Argentina. Método: Se realiza un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal durante los meses de enero y febrero del año 2015. Se efectúa una encuesta de satisfacción a pacientes mayores de 18 años que acepten voluntariamente responder la misma y se les dispense algún tipo de antidepresivo. Resultados: 262 pacientes respondieron la encuesta, el grupo de fármacos más prescripto fueron los inhibidores selectivos de la recaptación de serotonina (ISRS): paroxetina, fluoxetina y sertralina con dosis promedio de 19,2mg/día, 21mg/día y 37mg/día respectivamente. 68% de los pacientes usaba su primer tratamiento antidepresivo. El 51% de los pacientes tiene tratamiento entre 7 y 24 meses. Del análisis de satisfacción de los encuestados en forma general se observa que el 90,5% considera que el tratamiento es eficaz. Conclusiones: Se concluye que la percepción de la satisfacción con el tratamiento antidepresivo que posee el paciente es elevada, en su mayoría con ISRS, con dosis diaria por la mañana, durante al menos un año, en dosis recomendadas

Estudio de satisfacción del tratamiento antidepresivo en pacientes en Argentina

Introducción: La depresión es una enfermedad frecuente, que se caracteriza por la presencia de tristeza, pérdida de interés o placer, sentimientos de culpa, baja autoestima, trastornos del sueño o del apetito, sensación de cansancio y falta de concentración. La satisfacción del paciente con su tratamiento prescripto se define como la evaluación por parte del paciente acerca de la administración del tratamiento y sus resultados obtenidos”. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la satisfacción del tratamiento antidepresivo (caracterizando tipo de fármaco, dosis, tiempo de tratamiento) prescripto a través de un cuestionario validado de satisfacción en pacientes que solicitan la dispensación de los mismos en tres farmacias oficinales en distintas provincias de Argentina. Método: Se realiza un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal durante los meses de enero y febrero del año 2015. Se efectúa una encuesta de satisfacción a pacientes mayores de 18 años que acepten voluntariamente responder la misma y se les dispense algún tipo de antidepresivo. Resultados: 262 pacientes respondieron la encuesta, el grupo de fármacos más prescripto fueron los inhibidores selectivos de la recaptación de serotonina (ISRS): paroxetina, fluoxetina y sertralina con dosis promedio de 19,2mg/día, 21mg/día y 37mg/día respectivamente. 68% de los pacientes usaba su primer tratamiento antidepresivo. El 51% de los pacientes tiene tratamiento entre 7 y 24 meses. Del análisis de satisfacción de los encuestados en forma general se observa que el 90,5% considera que el tratamiento es eficaz. Conclusiones: Se concluye que la percepción de la satisfacción con el tratamiento antidepresivo que posee el paciente es elevada, en su mayoría con ISRS, con dosis diaria por la mañana, durante al menos un año, en dosis recomendadas

Are We Asking Too Much of the Health Sector? Exploring the Readiness of Brazilian Primary Healthcare to Respond to Domestic Violence Against Women

BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition of the health sector's potential role in addressing domestic violence (DV) against women. Although Brazil has a comprehensive policy framework on violence against women (VAW), implementation has been slow and incomplete in primary healthcare (PHC), and little is known about the implementation challenges. This paper aims to assess the readiness of two PHC clinics in urban Brazil to integrate an intervention to strengthen their DV response. METHODS: We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with health managers and health providers; a document analysis of VAW and DV policies from São Paulo and Brazil; and 2 structured facility observations. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Findings from our readiness assessment revealed gaps in both current policy and practice needing to be addressed, particularly with regards to governance and leadership, health service organisation and health workforce. DV received less political recognition, being perceived as a lower priority compared to other health issues. Lack of clear guidance from the central and municipal levels emerged as a crucial factor that weakened DV policy implementation both by providers and managers. Furthermore, responses to DV lost visibility, as they were diluted within generic violence responses. The organizational structure of the PHC system in São Paulo, which prioritised the number of consultations and household visits as the main performance indicators, was an additional difficulty in legitimising healthcare providers' time to address DV. Individual-level challenges reported by providers included lack of time and knowledge of how to respond, as well as fears of dealing with DV. CONCLUSION: Assessing readiness is critical because it helps to evaluate what services and infrastructure are already in place, also identifying obstacles that may hinder adaptation and integration of an intervention to strengthen the response to DV before implementation

A functional variant in the Stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene promoter enhances fatty acid desaturation in pork

There is growing public concern about reducing saturated fat intake. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) is the lipogenic enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of oleic acid (18:1) by desaturating stearic acid (18:0). Here we describe a total of 18 mutations in the promoter and 3′ non-coding region of the pig SCD gene and provide evidence that allele T at AY487830:g.2228T>C in the promoter region enhances fat desaturation (the ratio 18:1/18:0 in muscle increases from 3.78 to 4.43 in opposite homozygotes) without affecting fat content (18:0+18:1, intramuscular fat content, and backfat thickness). No mutations that could affect the functionality of the protein were found in the coding region. First, we proved in a purebred Duroc line that the C-T-A haplotype of the 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (g.2108C>T; g.2228T>C; g.2281A>G) of the promoter region was additively associated to enhanced 18:1/18:0 both in muscle and subcutaneous fat, but not in liver. We show that this association was consistent over a 10-year period of overlapping generations and, in line with these results, that the C-T-A haplotype displayed greater SCD mRNA expression in muscle. The effect of this haplotype was validated both internally, by comparing opposite homozygote siblings, and externally, by using experimental Duroc-based crossbreds. Second, the g.2281A>G and the g.2108C>T SNPs were excluded as causative mutations using new and previously published data, restricting the causality to g.2228T>C SNP, the last source of genetic variation within the haplotype. This mutation is positioned in the core sequence of several putative transcription factor binding sites, so that there are several plausible mechanisms by which allele T enhances 18:1/18:0 and, consequently, the proportion of monounsaturated to saturated fat.This research was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2009-09779 and AGL2012-33529). RRF is recipient of a PhD scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (BES-2010-034607). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of manuscript