La relación India-Argentina en clave estratégica

En el marco de Asia del Sur, zona de comercio libre y tambien de prosperidad, la India cuenta con una antigua tradicion comercial y un comercio internacional de alcance global. Asi, en el contexto de la globalizacion, India y America Latina poseen una vision comun sobre los desafios de la agenda internacional. En una direccion similar, la relacion birregional ha continuado afianzandose en los ultimos anos, con un intercambio comercial que llego a los US$ 30.000 millones, en el ano 2016, augurando un futuro promisorio. En lo que hace a la relacion de la India con el MERCOSUR, existe ya un Acuerdo de Preferencias Comerciales, que se encuentra en vigencia desde el ano 2009. Con ese escenario dado, el texto da cuenta del seminario "Latindia", organizado por el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto de la Republica Argentina, la Embajada de la Republica de la India en la Argentina, el Instituto para la Integracion de America Latina y el Caribe del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (INTAL/BID) y el Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI), desarrollado el 7 de junio de 2018, que permitio revisar la relacion del pais asiatico con America Latina, MERCOSUR y la relacion bilateral India-Argentina de manera particular, en el marco del lanzamiento de LATINDIA, publicacion de INTAL/BID, que aborda esas cuestiones y con la enunciacion de que la Republica Argentina espera consolidar una "asociacion estrategica" con la India

Evaluation of 976 nm Multimode Single Emitter Laser Diodes for Efficient Pumping of 100 W+ Yb-doped Fiber Laser

Experimental evaluation of spectral and power-current (P-I) characteristics of fiber coupled single emitter multimode laser diodes used for development of efficient pumping assembly is reported. Fiber coupled laser diodes emitting around 976 nm are best suited for pumping Yb-doped fiber lasers because of excellent coupling efficiency and reduced thermal load. We have experimentally investigated emission spectrum of fiber coupled multimode laser diodes at different temperatures and drive currents. It is found that peak emission wavelength shifts towards the longer wavelength with increase in temperature and drive current. P-I characteristics of fiber coupled laser diodes have been obtained and presented for drive current from 0.4 A to 11.5 A. Based on experiment, we have constructed spectrally matched laser diode assembly for efficient pumping of 100 W fiber laser. It requires very precise control of temperature and drive current to maintain the emission spectrum. Total 162 W power is pumped in to the Yb-doped fiber laser cavity through multi-mode pump combiners and we have obtained 110 W fiber laser output power @1070 nm. The achieved optical-to-optical efficiency is 68 per cent

Association between maxillary and mandibular apical base lengths and severity of dental crowding or spacing in Class II malocclusion subjects : an in-vitro study

Anterior crowding/ spacing are one of the major problems that inspire patients to undergo orthodontic treatment. Several factors associated with anterior crowding/ spacing includes arch width and length, mesio-distal tooth diameter and proportions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of maxillary and mandibular base lengths to the amount of anterior dental crowding/ spacing in patients with complete class II malocclusions. A retrospective study was done with 152 patients who were divided into four groups according to the severity of pre-treatment dental crowding/spacing present in the mandibular arch. Measurements were performed on the pre-treatment dental casts and lateral cephalograms. Statistical analysis was done using t-test and chi-square test. Subjects with complete class II malocclusion and moderate to severe mandibular crowding [?3mm] have significantly smaller base lengths as compared to the subjects with slight crowding or spacing [<3mm]. There exists an inverse correlation between maxillary and mandibular base lengths and the severity of dental crowding and direct correlation with spacing

Big flip graphs and their automorphism groups

In this paper, we study the relationship between the mapping class group of an infinite-type surface and the simultaneous flip graph, a variant of the flip graph for infinite-type surfaces defined by Fossas and Parlier [6]. We show that the extended mapping class group is isomorphic to a proper subgroup of the automorphism group of the flip graph, unlike in the finite-type case. This shows that Ivanov\u27s metaconjecture, which states that any “sufficiently rich" object associated to a finite-type surface has the extended mapping class group as its automorphism group, does not extend to simultaneous flip graphs of infinite-type surfaces

Utilizing video on myocardial infarction as a health educational intervention in patient waiting areas of the developing world: A study at the emergency department of a major tertiary care hospital in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To study the effect of health educational video instruction on increasing patients' knowledge in a hospital waiting area of a developing country.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An educational video on signs, symptoms, and risk factors of myocardial infarction (MI) was played in an Emergency Department (ED) patient waiting area of an urban tertiary care hospital in India. Participants (n = 217) were randomly assigned to two groups: an intervention group that viewed the MI video (n = 111) and a control group that did not view the video (n = 106). Each group took a standard survey of thirty-seven questions to assess baseline knowledge pertaining to MI (pretest). The intervention group then viewed the video and the initial survey was re-administered to each group (posttest).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At baseline (pretest) there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control group in the mean number of correct (18.1 vs. 19.0, p = 0.19), incorrect (9.4 vs. 8.6, p = 0.27) and unsure (9.6 vs. 9.3, p = 0.78) responses per participant. After viewing the video on MI, the intervention group had a statistically significant improvement in the mean number of correct responses (27.0 vs. 20.0, p < 0.001), and a significant decline in the mean number of unsure responses (1.8 vs. 9.4, p < 0.001) compared to the posttest responses of the control group. There was no significant change in the number of incorrect responses on the posttest between the intervention and control groups, (8.3 vs. 7.7, p = 0.35), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A health educational video can serve as an effective tool for increasing patients' short-term knowledge and awareness of health conditions in a hospital waiting area of a developing country.</p> <p>Practice Implications</p> <p>Health educational videos serve as a public health low cost intervention that demonstrates clear short term benefits. Health care workers in developing countries can help educate individuals presenting to hospitals by displaying these videos in hospital waiting areas.</p

Comparison of concomitant boost radiotherapy against concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancers: A phase III randomised trial

AbstractPurposeTo test the toxicity and efficacy of concomitant boost radiotherapy alone against concurrent chemoradiation (conventional fractionation) in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer in our patient population.Methods and materialsIn this open-label, randomised trial, 216 patients with histologically proven Stage III–IVA oropharyngeal cancer were randomly assigned between June 2006 and December 2010 to receive either chemoradiation (CRT) to a dose of 66Gy in 33 fractions over 6.5weeks with concurrent cisplatin (100mg/m2 on days 1, 22 and 43) or accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant boost (CBRT) to a dose of 67.5Gy in 40 fractions over 5weeks. The compliance, toxicity and quality of life were investigated. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) curves were estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using log rank test.ResultsThe compliance to radiotherapy was superior in concomitant boost with lesser treatment interruptions (p=0.004). Expected acute toxicities were significantly higher in CRT, except for grade 3/4 mucositis which was seen more in CBRT arm (39% and 55% in CRT and CBRT, respectively; p=0.02). Late toxicities like Grade 3 xerostomia were significantly high in CRT arm than CBRT arm (33% versus 18%; p<0.0001). The quality of life was significantly poor in CRT arm at all follow up visits (p<0.0001). The rates of 2year disease-free survival were similar with 56% in the chemoradiotherapy group and 61% in CBRT group (p=0.2; HR-0.81, 95%CI-0.53–1.2). Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with nodal size >2cm had significantly better DFS with CRT (p=0.05; HR-1.59, 95%CI-0.93–2.7).ConclusionIn selected patients of locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer, concomitant boost offers a better compliance, toxicity profile and quality of life with similar disease control, than chemoradiation

CD4 + T Cells: Differentiation and Functions

CD4 + T cells are crucial in achieving a regulated effective immune response to pathogens. Naive CD4 + T cells are activated after interaction with antigen-MHC complex and differentiate into specific subtypes depending mainly on the cytokine milieu of the microenvironment. Besides the classical T-helper 1 and T-helper 2, other subsets have been identified, including T-helper 17, regulatory T cell, follicular helper T cell, and T-helper 9, each with a characteristic cytokine profile. For a particular phenotype to be differentiated, a set of cytokine signaling pathways coupled with activation of lineage-specific transcription factors and epigenetic modifications at appropriate genes are required. The effector functions of these cells are mediated by the cytokines secreted by the differentiated cells. This paper will focus on the cytokine-signaling and the network of transcription factors responsible for the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells

Epidemiologic study of myelodysplastic syndromes in a multiethnic, inner city cohort

Little is known about the epidemiology of MDS in minority populations. The IPSS and newly released IPSS-R are important clinical tools in prognostication of patients with MDS. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective epidemiological analysis of MDS in an ethnically diverse cohort of patients. Demographics, disease characteristics, and survival were determined in 161 patients seen at Montefiore Medical Center from 1997 to 2011. We observed that Hispanics presented at a younger age than blacks and whites (68 vs. 73.7 vs. 75.6 years); this difference was significant (p = 0.01). A trend towards greater prevalence of thrombocytopenia in Hispanics was observed, but this was not significant (p = 0.08). No other differences between the groups were observed. Overall median survival after diagnosis was the highest among Hispanics (8.6 years) followed by blacks (6.2 years) and Caucasians (3.7). Adjusted hazard ratios however did not show significant differences in risk of death between the groups. The IPSS-R showed slightly better discrimination when compared to the IPSS in this cohort (Somers Dxy 0.39 vs. 0.35, respectively) but observed survival more was more closely approximated by IPSS than by IPSS-R. Our study highlights the possibility of ethnic differences in the presentation of MDS and raises questions regarding which prognostic system is more predictive in this population

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection