Adiciones a la flora liquénica foliícola de Argentina, Paraguay Oriental y regiones limítrofes de Brasil

In the present paper the authors update the taxonomic and floristic knowledge of foliicolous lichenized fungi in northern Argentina and adjacent areas in Paraguay and southern Brazil. Twenty-seven taxa are reported for the first time, and the genera Phyllobathelium and Psorotheciopsis are recorded for the first time in Argentina. Furthermore, the new combination Gyalectidium catenulatum [ºTauromyces catenulatus] is proposed.En este trabajo, los autores actualizan el conocimiento taxonómico y florístico de hongos liquenizados foliícolas para el norte de Argentina y áreas adjacentes en Paraguay y el sur de Brasil. Se agregan 27 taxones novedosos, y se mencionan por primera vez para Argentina los géneros Phyllobathelium y Psorotheciopsis. Además, se propone la nueva combinación Gyalectidium catenulatum [Tauromyces catenulatus]

Paradoxical brain embolism in a young man: Is it only a patent foramen ovale?

Paradoxical embolism is considered the major cause of cerebral ischemic events in young patients. The most common cause of paradoxical embolism, which has been widely described, is right-to-left shunting (RLS) at cardiac level through a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Rarely paradoxical embolism can also be caused by RLS at pulmonary level due to pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (PAVF). Herein, we present a case of a young man, who experienced transient ischemic attack (TIA) due to paradoxical embolism, in whom both abovementioned abnormalities coexisted. This coincidence is very rare (noted in only 1% of patients with cryptogenic stroke or TIA), but it highlights the importance of searching for extracardiac RLS in patients with cryptogenic stroke, even if a PFO has been detected

Throughput Maximisation in Ultra-wideband Hybrid-amplified Links

A semi-analytical, real-time nonlinear-interference model including ASE noise in hybrid-amplified links is introduced. Combined with particle-swarm optimisation, the capacity of a hybrid-amplified 10.5 THz 117x57 km link was maximised, increasing throughput by 12% versus an EDFAs-only configuration

Characterisation by EIS of ternary Mg alloys synthesised by mechanical alloying

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to study the electrochemical behaviour of ternary Mg60Ti10Si30 and Mg88Ti5Si7 alloy samples fabricated by mechanical alloying of the elemental powders in an argon atmosphere. The influence of different milling times up to 25 h and heat treatment on the electrochemical behaviour of the samples, after compacting under pressure into disks, has been investigated in 0.1 M Na2SO4 and 0.01 M NaCl electrolyte solutions. Complementary measurements of open circuit potential, polarisation curves, and surface and microstructural analysis have been carried out. The experimental results revealed that corrosion is greater for Mg88Ti5Si7 which contains free magnesium; however, in sulphate solution a protective oxide layer formed can reduce the corrosion rate. In Mg60Ti10Si30, heat treatment increases corrosion, which is explained through a greater tendency for pitting corrosion. Comparison is made between the electrochemical impedance data and the nanophase structure as well as with the electrochemical behaviour of other magnesium alloys.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TG0-4H21KGF-3/1/564bda28bb49702cb8769e10e8e350a

On the Performance Limits of High-speed Transmission using a Single Wideband Coherent Receiver

The performance of a wideband coherent receiver was investigated. The relative impact of digital pre-distortion, geometric constellation shaping and pilot sequence detection, as well as the number of sub-channels in the super-channel, on the receiver performance was explored. The detection of a net data rate of 2.36 Tb/s after 75 km transmission of a 8 × 26 GBd DP-GS-256-QAM super-channel was demonstrated using a single 110 GHz electrical bandwidth receiver. The overall improvement due to the digital pre-distortion and tailored geometric constellation shaping was 1.2 bit/4D-sym in the achievable information rate.

Realizacja programu edukacyjnego wśród chorych leczonych operacyjnie z powodu schorzeń części szyjnej kręgosłupa

Introduction. Treatment of patients with spine disorders is a subject of interest to many medical disciplines. Most patients complaining of back pain are successfully cured with conservative methods, some require surgical procedures. In the entire therapy process, regardless of the method of treatment, patient education cannot be ignored.Aim. Evaluation of the implementation of the educational program conducted among patients treated surgically for diseases of the cervical spine.Material and Methods. The research was conducted among 156 patients on the Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology Ward of The University Hospital No. 2 in Bydgoszcz, treated surgically for diseases of the cervical spine. The original educational program was carried out during the hospitalization of the patient in the ward. The program evaluations were planned through a preliminary and final verifying survey for each participant of the program. The collected material was subject to statistical analysis.Results. Women constituted a larger group — 102 respondents (64.6%). The average age of the respondents was — 54.2 years. Before the implementation of the program, 92 people (58.2%) said they had partial knowledge of cervical spine diseases, but 48 respondents (30.4%) said they knew very little and only 6 patients (3.8%) indicated that they knew a lot. After the education, the vast majority of respondents claimed that their knowledge about life with cervical spondylosis disorders had improved significantly — 149 people (94.3%).Conclusions. The respondents evaluated the program very well; almost all of them acknowledged that their state of knowledge about the life and prevention of spine diseases had definitely improved. There was a significant improvement of the respondents’ knowledge on the causes of back pain, mainly in people with primary education. (JNNN 2018;7(3):96–103)Wstęp. Leczenie chorych ze schorzeniami kręgosłupa jest przedmiotem zainteresowania wielu dyscyplin medycznych. Większość chorych skarżących się na bóle kręgosłupa udaje się wyleczyć metodami zachowawczymi, część wymaga postępowania operacyjnego. W całym procesie terapii, niezależnie od metody leczenia, nie można pominąć kwestii edukacji pacjenta.Cel. Ocena realizacji programu edukacyjnego prowadzonego wśród chorych leczonych operacyjnie z powodu schorzeń części szyjnej kręgosłupa.Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono wśród 156 pacjentów Oddziału Neurochirurgii i Neurotraumatologii Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego nr 2 w Bydgoszczy, leczonych operacyjnie z powodu schorzeń części szyjnej kręgosłupa. Autorski program edukacyjny realizowano w trakcie hospitalizacji pacjenta w oddziale. Ewaluacje programu zaplanowano poprzez wstępną i końcową ankietę sprawdzającą u każdego uczestnika programu. Zebrany materiał poddano analizie statystycznej.Wyniki. Kobiety stanowiły liczniejszą grupę — 102 osoby (64,6%). Średnia wieku badanych wyniosła — 54,2 lat. Przed realizacją programu 92 osoby (58,2%), stwierdziły, że mają częściową wiedzę w zakresie chorób części szyjnej kręgosłupa, ale już 48 badanych (30,4%) uznało, że wie bardzo mało, a tylko 6 pacjentów (3,8%) wskazało, że wie bardzo dużo. Po przeprowadzonej edukacji, zdecydowana większość respondentów twierdziła, że ich stan wiedzy na temat życia ze schorzeniami kręgosłupa szyjnego zdecydowanie się poprawił — 149 osób (94,3%).Wnioski. Badani ocenili program bardzo dobrze; niemal wszyscy uznali, że ich stan wiedzy na temat życia i profilaktyki schorzeń kręgosłupa zdecydowanie się poprawił. Istotnie poprawiła się wiedza badanych na temat przyczyn bólu kręgosłupa, głównie u osób z wykształceniem podstawowym. (PNN 2018;7(3):96–103

An Integrated Approach to Diabetes Prevention: Anthropology, Public Health, and Community Engagement

Diabetes is an enormous public health problem with particular concern within Hispanic communities and among individuals with low wealth. However, attempts to expand the public health paradigm to include social determinants of health rarely include analysis of social and contextual factors considered outside the purview of health research. As a result, conceptualization of the dynamics of diabetes health disparities remains shallow. We argue that using a holistic anthropological lens has the potential to offer insights regarding the nature of the interface between broader social determinants, health outcomes and health disparity. In a primarily Hispanic, immigrant community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we conducted a mixed methods study that integrates an anthropological lens with a community engaged research design. Our data from focus groups, interviews, a survey and blood sampling demonstrate the need to conceptualize social determinants more broadly, more affectively and more dynamically than often considered. These results highlight a need to include, in addition to individual - level factors that are traditionally the focus of public health and more innovative structural factors that are currently in vogue, an in - depth, qualitative exploration of local context, social environment, and culture, and their interactions and intersectionality, as key factors when considering how to achieve change. The discussion presented here offers a model for culturally situated and contextually relevant scientific research. This model achieves the objectives and goals of both public health and anthropology while providing valuable insights and mechanisms for addressing health disparity such as that which exists in relation to diabetes among Hispanic immigrants in New Mexico. Such an approach has implications for how research projects are designed and conceptualizing social determinants more broadly. The discussion presented provides insights with relevance for both disciplines