Quadratic diameter bounds for dual network flow polyhedra

Both the combinatorial and the circuit diameters of polyhedra are of interest to the theory of linear programming for their intimate connection to a best-case performance of linear programming algorithms. We study the diameters of dual network flow polyhedra associated to $b$-flows on directed graphs $G=(V,E)$ and prove quadratic upper bounds for both of them: the minimum of $(|V|-1)\cdot |E|$ and $\frac{1}{6}|V|^3$ for the combinatorial diameter, and $\frac{|V|\cdot (|V|-1)}{2}$ for the circuit diameter. The latter strengthens the cubic bound implied by a result in [De Loera, Hemmecke, Lee; 2014]. Previously, bounds on these diameters have only been known for bipartite graphs. The situation is much more involved for general graphs. In particular, we construct a family of dual network flow polyhedra with members that violate the circuit diameter bound for bipartite graphs by an arbitrary additive constant. Further, it provides examples of circuit diameter $\frac{4}{3}|V| - 4$

Suspected Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections at sea

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureues (MRSA) has been increasingly reported as the cause of community acquired skin infections in individuals without established risk factors. MRSA infections have been reported in multiple settings, but not yet in the commercial maritime industry. Objective: To evaluate the incidence of skin and soft tissue infections at sea over the past 5 years, and to see if there are trends in reported clinical features that suggest MRSA as the pathogen. Methods: A retrospective chart review was undertaken of all cases reported from 2002 until 2006 to a single tele-medical advice service for ships at sea. Since microbiologic diagnosis is not feasible at sea, cases were evaluated for the following features which may suggest MRSA: the presence of pus, small abscess or furuncle, or suspected spider bite. Results: From 2002 to 2006 the percentage of cases that were skin infections rose from 5.5 to 8.8%. In 2002, 36% had features consistent with MRSA infection and 74 % had them in 2006 (

Perancangan Desain Kemasan Semanggi Instan Merek "Kampung Semanggi" Sebagai Oleh-Oleh Khas Surabaya

Kampung Semanggi merupakan nama sebuah merek dari produk semanggi instan yang diproduksi oleh UKM Larisma. Semanggi instan sendiri merupakan produk inovasi baru, yakni berupa bahan-bahan dari makanan semanggi khas Surabaya yang dikeringkan dan berpotensi menjadi produk oleh-oleh khas Surabaya. Pada kemasan semanggi instan yang telah ada, ditemui beberapa kelemahan, salah satunya mengenai kemampuan kemasan dalam melindungi isi produk dan kualitas tampilan desain kemasan yang kurang sesuai dengan harga jual serta target marketnya. Selain itu di era pemasaran modern yang semakin ketat, persaingan yang terjadi antarprodusen suatu produk semakin ketat, sehingga mereka berlomba-lomba untuk menciptakan keunikan dan identitas tersendiri bagi produk mereka agar tampak menonjol dan unggul di mata konsumen dibandingkan kompetitornya. Perancangan desain kemasan ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengatasi permasalahan pada kemasan sebelumnya dan diharapkan melalui perancangan desain kemasan ini mampu meningkatkan citra dan kualitas dari produk semanggi instan merek Kampung Semanggi di mata konsumen yang berakibat pada peningkatan penjualan

Perancangan Desain Kemasan Semanggi Instan Merek “Kampung Semanggi” Sebagai Oleh-oleh Khas Surabaya

Kampung Semanggi merupakan nama sebuah merek dari produk semanggi instan yang diproduksi oleh UKM Larisma. Semanggi instan sendiri merupakan produk inovasi baru, yakni berupa bahan-bahan dari makanan semanggi khas Surabaya yang dikeringkan dan berpotensi menjadi produk oleh-oleh khas Surabaya. Pada kemasan semanggi instan yang telah ada, ditemui beberapa kelemahan, salah satunya mengenai kemampuan kemasan dalam melindungi isi produk dan kualitas tampilan desain kemasan yang kurang sesuai dengan harga jual serta target marketnya. Selain itu di era pemasaran modern yang semakin ketat, persaingan yang terjadi antarprodusen suatu produk semakin ketat, sehingga mereka berlomba-lomba untuk menciptakan keunikan dan identitas tersendiri bagi produk mereka agar tampak menonjol dan unggul di mata konsumen dibandingkan kompetitornya. Perancangan desain kemasan ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengatasi permasalahan pada kemasan sebelumnya dan diharapkan melalui perancangan desain kemasan ini mampu meningkatkan citra dan kualitas dari produk semanggi instan merek Kampung Semanggi di mata konsumen yang berakibat pada peningkatan penjualan

Approach to the relationship between ethical values and academic achievement in virtual training programs

Este trabajo tiene por objeto determinar (establecer) la relación entre valores éticos y logros académico en escenarios virtuales de formación a partir de una indagación de las representaciones sociales concurrentes en el imaginario social analizando el discurso narrativo de los estudiantes de la carrera de Comunicación Social de la Universidad de Los Andes en Mérida Venezuela. Hemos orientado la investigación, transcurridos 2 años del inicio forzado de actividades en línea por la pandemia de COVID 19, al ethos de los estudiantes de pre-grado que cursan sus asignaturas a través del uso de aulas virtuales en la plataforma Moodle, dado que el paso de la presencialidad a la virtualidad de manera inesperada, aunado a las circunstancias propias de la realidad país han impactado al sector estudiantil en distintas dimensiones desde la permanencia en la carrera hasta el logro del éxito académico. Para ello, hemos empleado la metodología de investigación cualitativa, etnográfica, descriptiva, que ha tenido de base un diseño bibliográfico, aplicando un cuestionario abierto no estructurado por vía virtual, a una muestra intencional y no probabilística de la población de estudiantes pertenecientes a la Carrera de Comunicación Social de la Escuela de Medios Audiovisuales Universidad de Los Andes de 2do a 4to año, a partir del cual pudo realizarse el análisis lexicométrico (analizar, categorizar y seleccionar) del discurso, para constatar la construcción colectiva del corpus de valores que permitió proceder mediante la representación gráfica de los valores éticos al diseño de una nube de texto, en la que se identificaron los imaginario sociales como herramienta de descripción, y posteriormente estudiar los resultados y contrastarlos con las posturas teóricas generando una reflexión inherente al rol que estos valores poseen en torno al logro del éxito académico de los estudiantes de pre- grado universitario en la dinámica de relación en la educación virtual.The purpose of this work is to determine(establish) the relationship between ethical values and academic achievements in virtual education scenarios from an investigation of the concurrent social representations in the social imaginary, analyzing the narrative discourse of the students of the Social Communication career at the University of The Andes in Merida Venezuela. We have oriented the research, after 2 years of the forced start of online activities due to the COVID 19 pandemic, to the ethos of undergraduate students who take their courses through the use of virtual classrooms on the Moodle platform, given that the Unexpected transition from in person to virtual, coupled with the circumstances of the country's reality, have impacted the student sector in different dimensions from not giving up education to actually achieving academic success. To do this, we have used the qualitative, ethnographic, descriptive research methodology, based on a bibliographic design, applying an open, unstructured questionnaire online, to an intentional and non-probabilistic sample of the population of students belonging to the Career of Social Communication of the School of Audiovisual Media o the University of the Andes from 2nd to 4th year, from which the lexicometric analysis (analyze, categorize and select) of the discourse could be carried out, to verify the collective construction of the corpus of values that allowed proceeding through the graphic representation of the ethical values to the design of a text cloud, in which the social imaginary was identified as a description tool, and later to study the results and contrast them with the theoretical positions generating a reflection inherent to the role that these values have in regards the achievement of the academic success of the undergraduate students in the relationship dynamics in virtual education.Facultad de Trabajo Socia

Chronic kidney disease and fibrosis : the role of uremic retention solutes

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health concern, and the uremic state is highly associated with fibrogenesis in several organs and tissues. Fibrosis is characterized by excessive production and deposition of extracellular matrix proteins with a detrimental impact on organ function. Another key feature of CKD is the retention and subsequent accumulation of solutes that are normally cleared by the healthy kidney. Several of these uremic retention solutes, including indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate, have been suggested to be CKD-specific triggers for the development and perpetuation of fibrosis. The purpose of this brief review is to gather and discuss the current body of evidence linking uremic retention solutes to the fibrotic response during CKD, with a special emphasis on the pathophysiological mechanisms in the kidney

Exercise-induced changes in body fat, upper leg skeletal muscle area, BMI and body weight in overweight people with risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes

The study compared effects of maximal resistance training (MRT) versus endurance resistance training (ERT) in overweight people at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Dependent variables included changes in body fat %, upper leg skeletal muscle area (left + right), BMI and body weight pre-to post intervention. Eighteen individuals, 33-69 years of age, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group 1 engaged in MRT three days/week over a four month period while members of Group 2 acted as controls. Later, Group 2 engaged in ERT three days/week over a four month period and the members acted as their own controls. Both interventions consisted of eight exercises. Pre- to post changes were significant for MRT with a reduction in BMI (p=0.013) and body weight (p=0.010), while percentage of body fat was significantly reduced (p=0.009) and skeletal muscle area increased (p=0.021) with ERT. The results support both approaches as interventions in primary prevention of obesity and consequently in reducing risk of Type 2 Diabetes