A Conceptual Harmonization between the SSA Disability Determination Process and ICF and DOT Frameworks: A Guide to Assessing the Mental Residual Functional Capacity of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The aim of the current project is to create a useful product that cross-walks the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Mental Residual Functional Capacity Assessment (MRFCA) with the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) and the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) applied to a population of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). SSA’s MRFCA is cross-walked with the ICF in order to allow for a more in depth and functional breakdown of the purposefully more generic categories of the MRFCA. Worker Functions derived from the DOT are then added to the SSA/ICF crosswalk in order to better operationalize the functional manifestations associated with disability states as they occur in a natural (work) environment. Finally, a decision tree is developed from the crosswalk to increase ease of use of the product, titled the MRFCA Decision Tree. ASD was chosen as an exemplar to test this process. Inter-rater reliability on the MRFCA Decision Tree is assessed. The outcomes are the following: (a) A MRFCA Decision Tree that will allow a disability examiner to derive a more reliable disability decision when assessing individuals with ASD,(b) A breakdown of the current DDP process including problem areas and improvement suggestions based on the implementation of the decision tree, and (c) A narrative review of how coordinating the DOT with the ICF can provide a deeper understanding of how functional manifestations of a disability relate to job demands. Plans for future research aimed at improving the decision tree are discussed

Recarbonizar los suelos, clave para producir de forma sustentable

El suelo es un reservorio natural de carbono. Desde el Instituto de Suelos del INTA ponen el foco en las buenas prácticas de manejo que incrementen los niveles de materia orgánica. Un círculo virtuoso al que vale la pena apostar. El INTA y la Asociación Argentina de la Ciencia del Suelo organizan una jornada para profundizar en su cuidado y en la producción sostenible.Fil: Costantini, Alejandro Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Edafología; ArgentinaFil: Beltran, Marcelo Javier. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; ArgentinaFil: Carfagno, Patricia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; Argentin

Single molecule fluorescence for membrane proteins

The cell membrane is a complex milieu of lipids and proteins. In order to understand the behaviour of individual molecules is it often desirable to examine them as purified components in in vitro systems. Here, we detail the creation and use of droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) which, when coupled to TIRF microscopy, can reveal spatiotemporal and kinetic information for individual membrane proteins. A number of steps are required including modification of the protein sequence to enable the incorporation of appropriate fluorescent labels, expression and purification of the membrane protein and subsequent labelling. Following creation of DIBs, proteins are spontaneously incorporated into the membrane where they can be imaged via conventional single molecule TIRF approaches. Using this strategy, in conjunction with step-wise photobleaching, FRET and / or single particle tracking, a host of parameters can be determined such as oligomerisation state and dynamic information. We discuss advantages and limitations of this system and offer guidance for successful implementation of these approaches

El sistema ferroviario argentino: análisis de los procesos de privatización y estatización

El presente trabajo pretende identificar las políticas de los gobiernos que gestaron períodos de estatización y privatización del sistema ferroviario argentino y analizar los resultados de las mismas en los servicios que establecieron para los usuarios de los trenes de pasajeros y en el transporte de carga. Considerando a la red ferroviaria un recurso estratégico para la logística y comercialización de los productos comerciales y una de las herramientas principales para el abaratamiento del traslado de mercaderías fundamentalmente por la vasta extensión de nuestro territorio y la interconexión de las zonas agroganaderas hacia los puertos. Por otro lado, el sistema ferroviario de pasajeros constituye uno de los medios de transporte de mayor demanda debido a la rapidez en recorrer distancias y un costo menor del pasaje, comparado con la oferta de otros medios de transportes como colectivos, autos y taxis. En esta investigación se abordará un tipo de investigación explicativa de los procesos de estatización y privatización y para ello se efectuará un barrido bibliográfico exhaustivo, donde se pueda analizar las políticas de gestión y económicas y el contexto coyuntural que le dio surgimiento a cada cambio de proceso de estatización y/o privatización para evidenciar sus resultados. En este período de avance del trabajo, se comenzó con el contexto se encontraba la Argentina y el mundo cuando el primer Ferrocarril del Oeste se creó. Se ha descripto los proceso de creación de las distintas vías férreas instaladas a fines del siglo XIX, la estatización en el gobierno de Perón, su la política y teorías económicas que justificaron este cambio, así como el Plan Larkin que llevó al racionamiento de los trenes en la década del 60, hasta llegar a las nuevas corrientes de ideas neoliberales y Planes internacionales que llevaron a las privatizaciones de la década de los 90.Fil: Silva, Raúl Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Ibarra, José Ángel. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Almaraz, Lorena Paola. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: González, Rosana Diana. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Merino, Romina. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Pace, María Evangelina. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Panetta, Romina Noemí. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Pareja, Daniel Fernando. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Silva, María Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Blanco, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Costantini, Dario Fernando. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina.Fil: Enriquez, Gisela Soledad. Universidad Nacional de La Matanza; Argentina

Genetic approaches to human renal agenesis/hypoplasia and dysplasia

Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are frequently observed in children and represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. These conditions are phenotypically variable, often affecting several segments of the urinary tract simultaneously, making clinical classification and diagnosis difficult. Renal agenesis/hypoplasia and dysplasia account for a significant portion of these anomalies, and a genetic contribution to its cause is being increasingly recognized. Nevertheless, overlap between diseases and challenges in clinical diagnosis complicate studies attempting to discover new genes underlying this anomaly. Most of the insights in kidney development derive from studies in mouse models or from rare, syndromic forms of human developmental disorders of the kidney and urinary tract. The genes implicated have been shown to regulate the reciprocal induction between the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme. Strategies to find genes causing renal agenesis/hypoplasia and dysplasia vary depending on the characteristics of the study population available. The approaches range from candidate gene association or resequencing studies to traditional linkage studies, using outbred pedigrees or genetic isolates, to search for structural variation in the genome. Each of these strategies has advantages and pitfalls and some have led to significant discoveries in human disease. However, renal agenesis/hypoplasia and dysplasia still represents a challenge, both for the clinicians who attempt a precise diagnosis and for the geneticist who tries to unravel the genetic basis, and a better classification requires molecular definition to be retrospectively improved. The goal appears to be feasible with the large multicentric collaborative groups that share the same objectives and resources

Joint Observation of the Galactic Center with MAGIC and CTA-LST-1

MAGIC is a system of two Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs), designed to detect very-high-energy gamma rays, and is operating in stereoscopic mode since 2009 at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma, Spain. In 2018, the prototype IACT of the Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1) for the Cherenkov Telescope Array, a next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory, was inaugurated at the same site, at a distance of approximately 100 meters from the MAGIC telescopes. Using joint observations between MAGIC and LST-1, we developed a dedicated analysis pipeline and established the threefold telescope system via software, achieving the highest sensitivity in the northern hemisphere. Based on this enhanced performance, MAGIC and LST-1 have been jointly and regularly observing the Galactic Center, a region of paramount importance and complexity for IACTs. In particular, the gamma-ray emission from the dynamical center of the Milky Way is under debate. Although previous measurements suggested that a supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* plays a primary role, its radiation mechanism remains unclear, mainly due to limited angular resolution and sensitivity. The enhanced sensitivity in our novel approach is thus expected to provide new insights into the question. We here present the current status of the data analysis for the Galactic Center joint MAGIC and LST-1 observations

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI