Genetic, agronomic and compositional characterization of brown midrib sweet sorghum lignocellulosic biomass for ethanol production

Sorghum is a promising bioenergy crop due to its unique phenotypic and genotypic attributes. Quality (low lignin and high stem sugar concentration) and quantity (biomass yield, plant height, plant maturity, etc.) biomass traits are key contributors to ethanol yield and production. In this study, a 236 sorghum recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was subjected to genetic, agronomic and compositional characterization for ethanol yield and production. We found that the sweet mutation enhances biomass quantity traits in the RILs which translates to higher ethanol production and biomass quality which improves ethanol yield. The variance components showed from moderate to high heritability for biomass quantity and quality traits. The variability observed in most of these traits was due mainly to genetic effects. Correlations showed positive associations between biomass quantity traits and stem sugar concentration (SSC). These results indicate that selection for multiple traits could increase ethanol production. Single marker analysis showed two possible quantitative trait loci, on chromosomes 6 and 7, explaining only 2 and 7% of the variation in SSC measurements. ^ The brown midrib mutation in this population was previously identified in the caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene resulting in reduced lignin content. A useful InDel marker for the mutant allele of COMT was identified for this population. Fiber detergent analysis (FDA) was performed to estimate the amount of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. Glucose recovery and theoretical ethanol yield and production were calculated and differences among grouped RILs analyzed. Only RILs carrying the brown midrib mutation showed significantly higher glucose recovery, those carrying both compositional mutations, showed significantly higher ethanol yields, and those with double mutations or the sweet mutation had significantly higher theoretical ethanol production. Lignin (R2= 0.66) was identified as the most reliable predictor for glucose recovery. Lignin and SSC (R2= 0.46 and 0.35, respectively) were identified as good predictors for ethanol yield. Dry stover and fresh stover yield (R 2= 0.89) were the most appropriate predictors for ethanol production. ^ Additionally, a nitrogen experiment was conducted to study the effect of four nitrogen rates on biomass traits of nine sorghum varieties, as lines and hybrids with and without brown midribs, a sweet and a photoperiod sensitive cultivar and a maize hybrid. Nitrogen application rate had significant effects on biomass components. The grain sorghum hybrid and the grain maize hybrid maximized grain yields across nitrogen rates. The photoperiod sensitive and sweet sorghums maximized stover yields across nitrogen rates. Maximum grain yield was obtained at 135kg N ha-1, while maximum stover yield was 67kg N ha-1. Across genotypes, grain nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) ranged from 19 to 50kg kg-1, while stover NUE ranged from 31 to 125kg kg-1. The dual-purpose sorghum hybrid showed the highest grain NUE, while the sweet sorghum showed the highest stover NUE. This research suggests that targeted improvement of biomass quantity and quality traits, and nitrogen management could increase ethanol production

Review of Body Mass Index Reduction Interventions among Mexican Origin Latinos and Latinas

Objectives: A literature review was conducted to identify factors associated with successful Body Mass Index (BMI) reduction interventions for Mexican origin US Hispanic/Latino populations. Data Source: An academic database search was conducted of peer-reviewed literature primarily in public health, medical anthropology, medical sociology, and biomedical databases. The key search words used were “Latino or Hispanic or Mexican”, in combination with “intervention”, “obesity”, “body mass index”, “weight reduction”, “best practices” and “lessons learned”. Inclusion Criteria: The inclusion criteria included an intervention protocol, with BMI measures, and a majority of participants identified as Mexican origin Hispanics. Search results yielded a total of 118 articles with 19 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Results: The review found that education and the use of culturally tailored/sensitive materials are important factors in BMI reduction. In addition, the study found that family centered and community based approaches are some of the most successful evidence based practices found in the Latino health literature. Conclusions: Obesity and its sequelae disproportionately impact both US and non-US Latino/ Hispanic communities and have life-long and intergenerational consequences. The findings from this review may serve as a guide to the development of more successful interventions and best practices to address the needs of Mexican origin Latino populations

Naturaleza y finalidad de la sanción disciplinaria respecto de la pena en el ordenamiento jurídico en Colombia

Tanto el Derecho Penal como el Disciplinario pueden tener como sujeto pasivo al servidor público, cuando en ejercicio de su deber funcional comete conductas calificadas por el legislador, bien sea como punibles o como faltas disciplinarias. No obstante contar con la finalidad preventiva y disuasiva, la sanción disciplinaria presenta diferencias en sus efectos con relación a la pena, pues la primera se relaciona con el alejamiento parcial o definitivo de la función pública mientras que la segunda, se refiere al poder coercitivo estatal de privar de derechos y libertades, incluso de la libertad, por la vulneración de bienes jurídicamente tutelados

Contextualizing the Relationship between Culture and Puerto Rican Health: Towards a Place-Based Framework of Minority Health Disparities

In both the culture of poverty literature and the acculturation literature, Puerto Ricans are portrayed in negative terms. The culture of poverty framework attributes Puerto Rican poverty to the mental, behavioral, and moral pathology of Puerto Rican individuals and to Puerto Rican culture. Similarly, outdated acculturation frameworks also trace the poor health of immigrants and racialized minorities, such as Puerto Ricans, to equivalent perceived deficiencies. In this paper, we argue that both the culture of poverty and acculturation frameworks are two pillars of the White Racial Frame (Feagin 2009) that sustains racial inequality in the United States. To build our case, we provide an overview of Puerto Rican physical health disparities and highlight key findings. Then, we analyze this literature using natural language processing (NLP) tools to examine the lexicon of words that scholars use to understand such disparities. Our literature review shows that Puerto Ricans are generally doing worse than other groups across a range of health indicators. Results from the NLP analyses reveal that the lexicon of the culture of poverty and outdated notions of acculturation are rhetorical tools that scholars still use to make sense of these conditions. We conclude by arguing that moving away from a White Racial Frame of Puerto Rican health requires a theoretical model that puts race, place, and culture within a multilevel framework that we call the Racialized Place Inequality Framework

Poor weather doesn’t dissuade voting in noncompetitive elections – not even Hurricane Sandy did in 2012

Rational choice theories of voter behavior suggest that factors such as bad weather and a busy schedule should discourage voting in noncompetitive elections. Considering voter turnout in New York City in 2012 – in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – Viviana Rivera-Burgos, Narayani Lasala-Blanco and Robert Y. Shapiro find that personal motivation to vote can override minor and even major costs of voting, even in noncompetitive elections

Procedimiento de cobranza ordinaria en la recaudación de multas administrativas de una entidad pública de Perú, periodo 2019-2021

La tesis de investigación tiene como objetivo general evaluar la eficacia de la etapa de cobranza ordinaria que se viene aplicando a las multas emitidas dentro del ámbito laboral, realizando una evaluación del procedimiento, de tal manera que se pueda proponer ideas de mejora, asimismo se presentan los resultados obtenidos en términos de recaudación. La metodología que se ha utilizado es de enfoque cualitativo, asimismo es una investigación de tipo aplicada y de diseño fenomenológico; por lo que se ha utilizado el método inductivo para el análisis de los resultados, siendo las técnicas de investigación la entrevista realizada al personal que ejecuta la cobranza ordinaria en dicha entidad, el focus group realizado con especialistas de cobranza y el análisis documental de los lineamientos que regulan dicho procedimiento, realizando un diagnóstico del estado situacional de la gestión de cobranza. Los resultados de la investigación indican que el procedimiento es eficaz puesto que los niveles de recaudación de dicha entidad se encuentran en incremento año tras año, asimismo el procedimiento viene siendo perfeccionado con la implementación de una nueva directriz que guía el actuar del personal de cobranza. En la investigación se llegó a concluir que el procedimiento debería ser evaluado de manera periódica, asimismo se debería implementar estrategias modernas de cobranza, proponer una segmentación de la cartera de deudas, así como la aplicación de un procedimiento de fraccionamiento de multas más flexible; esto conllevará que el procedimiento de cobranza sea más ágil y permitirá alcanzar mejores resultados.The general objective of the research thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ordinary collection stage that has been applied to the fines issued within the labor sphere, carrying out an evaluation of the procedure, in such a way that ideas for improvement can be proposed, also the results obtained in terms of collection. The methodology that has been used is of qualitative approach, it is also an applied type research and phenomenological design; Therefore, the inductive method has been used for the analysis of the results, the research techniques being the interview carried out with the personnel that executes the ordinary collection in said entity, the focus group carried out with collection specialists and the documentary analysis of the guidelines. that regulate said procedure, carrying out a diagnosis of the situational state of collection management. The results of the investigation indicate that the procedure is effective since the collection levels of said entity are increasing year after year, likewise the procedure has been improved with the implementation of a new guideline that guides the actions of the collection personnel. In the investigation, it was concluded that the procedure should be evaluated periodically, likewise modern collection strategies should be implemented, a segmentation of the debt portfolio should be proposed, as well as the application of a more flexible fine fractionation procedure; This will make the collection procedure more agile and will allow better results to be achieved

Evaluación de los resultados de un programa para la mejora de las habilidades sociales en niños de 3 años

El desarrollo adecuado de las habilidades sociales, como conjunto de capacidades necesarias y conducentes a una adecuada competencia social, ha recibido una gran atención por parte de los profesionales de la educación. Especialmente, se detecta en los últimos años como desde la educación infantil, se proponen programas de intervención que tienen por objetivo potenciar la competencia social de los niños como factor de prevención del comportamiento antisocial. En este trabajo se analizan los efectos de la implementación del programa Aprender a Convivir. Se trata de un programa de prevención primaria del comportamiento antisocial mediante el desarrollo de la competencia social en niños de educación infantil. El programa se desarrolla con un grupo de niños de 3 años de edad de un centro de educación infantil. La evaluación de la competencia social y de los comportamientos antisociales se realiza mediante la Preschool and Kirderganden Behavior Scale (PKBS-2). Para valorar los cambios producidos en los niños se sigue un diseño de evaluación pre-post intervención con un solo grupo. En el análisis de datos se utiliza el programa SPSS v.20.0 realizando cálculos de estadísticos descriptivos. Los resultados obtenidos muestran una mejora en la competencia social y una disminución de los comportamientos antisociales entre los participantes en el programa.Universidad de Granada. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Grado en Educación Infanti