Counter electrode materials based on carbon nanotubes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Efficiency, stability, and cost-effectiveness are the prime challenges in research of materials for solar cells. Technologically as well as scientifically, attention gained by dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) stems from their low material and fabrication costs as well as high efficiency projections. The aim of this study is to explore the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based counter electrode (CE) materials for DSSCs and to reconnoiter the suitable alternative materials in place of noble metals such as Platinum (Pt), and Gold (Au).. Various classes of CE materials based on CNTs including pure single walled, double walled, and multiwalled CNTs, doped CNTs and their hybrid composites with various polymers, and transition metal compounds are discussed comprehensively in light of the research work started since the inspection of DSSCs and CNTs.The properties associated with such materials, including surface morphology, structural determination, thermal stability, and electrochemical activity, are also thoroughly analyzed and compared. This work provides a thorough insight into the possibility of exploiting CNTs as alternative CE materials. In addition to the above, this study also includes the working and brief overview of materials for other components of DSSCs such as photoanode, electrolyte, and sensitizer.

Movilidad Social Intergeneracional de los inmigrantes en Mendoza

Para pensar el proceso de especulación financiera que se inició con la dictadura militar y cerró con el neoliberalismo menemista de la década del `90, ha sido más que relevante la llegada de contingentes de países limítrofes en el transcurso de una creciente precarización laboral. Es de nuestro interés indagar en el movimiento social intergeneracional de los dos mayores colectivos que habitan la provincia de Mendoza, hablamos de chilenos y bolivianos, para lo que tomaremos dos variables fundamentales: el estrato ocupacional y el nivel educativo. Considerando, con lo descripto arriba, la forma en que estas comunidades determinan la economía de la provincia y de cómo se incorporan en el mercado laboral y en las instituciones educativas locales. Todo ello lo vuelve un tema fundamental de interés político y en consecuencia para la ciencia que nos ocupa.Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociale

Talleres de Producción en Contexto de Encierro

Este proyecto se lleva a cabo a través del programa de Proyectos de Extensión Mauricio López, de la Secretaría de Extensión Universitaria de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, y en el marco del convenio de Cooperación Educativa Universitaria del Programa de Educación en Contexto de Encierro. Dicho convenio ha sido firmado entre la UNCUYO, la Dirección General de Escuelas de la Provincia de Mendoza, el Ministerio de Gobierno, Justicia y Derechos Humanos de la Provincia y el Ministerio de Educación de la Nación. Los talleres son desarrollados en la Unidad Nº III-Cárcel de Mujeres del Borbollón, ubicada en el departamento de Las Heras, provincia de Mendoza. La propuesta está destinada a complementar la necesidad de capacitación existente entre las internas y se llevará a cabo en 6 meses, mediante talleres de producción para la venta, propiciando una opción laboral rentable que acorte las distancias entre las capacidades necesarias para la inserción en la sociedad. Los objetivos específicos son: (a) Implementación de talleres de producción de conservas. (b) Favorecer el desarrollo de talleres de producción textil. (c) Sistematizar las experiencias recogidas en los talleres a través de material didáctico. (d) Capacitar capacitadores para la autogestión y continuidad del funcionamiento de los talleres. Las capacitaciones y los talleres productivos están destinados a optimizar el tiempo de permanencia de las mujeres en la institución, con el fin de mejorar su reinserción al mundo sociolaboral. A través de las capacitaciones teórico-practicas, se ofrecen herramientas alternativas tanto intra como post-penitenciaria enfocadas a ampliar las posibilidades laborales o de subsistencia de las beneficiarias del proyecto. Durante los años 2010 y 2011 se realizaron talleres de Huerta Orgánica, Elaboración de Conservas y Talleres Textiles. Estas tareas contribuirán a emprender una actividad que sirva como una laborterapia, custodiando la salud mental y reduciendo la situación de encierro. La presente etapa apunta a diversificar las actividades, incorporando Talleres de Producción (elaboración y venta de productos), debido a que los antecedentes de iniciativas en este sentido no se han concretado en su totalidad. Otra parte del proyecto involucra a la capacitación de capacitadores, con lo cual se busca la continuidad de estos talleres de manera sustentable en el tiempo

INHIBITING CSF1R ALLEVIATES CEREBROVASCULAR WHITE MATTER DISEASE AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

White matter abnormalities, related to poor cerebral perfusion, are a core feature of small vessel cerebrovascular disease, and critical determinants of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. Despite this importance there is a lack of treatment options. Proliferation of microglia producing an expanded, reactive population and associated neuroinflammatory alterations have been implicated in the onset and progression of cerebrovascular white matter disease, in patients and in animal models, suggesting that targeting microglial proliferation may exert protection. Colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) is a key regulator of microglial proliferation. We found that the expression of CSF1R/Csf1r and other markers indicative of increased microglial abundance are significantly elevated in damaged white matter in human cerebrovascular disease and in a clinically relevant mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and vascular cognitive impairment. Using the mouse model, we investigated long-term pharmacological CSF1R inhibition, via GW2580, and demonstrated that the expansion of microglial numbers in chronic hypoperfused white matter is prevented. Transcriptomic analysis of hypoperfused white matter tissue showed enrichment of microglial and inflammatory gene sets, including phagocytic genes that were the predominant expression modules modified by CSF1R inhibition. Further, CSF1R inhibition attenuated hypoperfusion-induced white matter pathology and rescued spatial learning impairments and to a lesser extent cognitive flexibility. Overall, this work suggests that inhibition of CSF1R and microglial proliferation mediates protection against chronic cerebrovascular white matter pathology and cognitive deficits. Our study nominates CSF1R as a target for the treatment of vascular cognitive disorders with broader implications for treatment of other chronic white matter diseases.<br/

Reconectando igualdad: bases teóricas para la exploración de una posible implementación de los videojuegos en nuevas estrategias de alfabetización digital

Reconnecting Equality Project is for training high school students in new technologies for creative and genuine ownership of netbooks provided by Connect-Equality Plan. The project aims to promote students´s social inclusion in the Information Society and provide them the skills to design and use computers as productivity tools. This will be possible through an extracurricular workshop of design and video games development. We are an interdisciplinary team, belonging to the areas of sociology, business, social work, graphic design, multimedia design, pedagogy and social communication.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Reconectando igualdad: bases teóricas para la exploración de una posible implementación de los videojuegos en nuevas estrategias de alfabetización digital

Reconnecting Equality Project is for training high school students in new technologies for creative and genuine ownership of netbooks provided by Connect-Equality Plan. The project aims to promote students´s social inclusion in the Information Society and provide them the skills to design and use computers as productivity tools. This will be possible through an extracurricular workshop of design and video games development. We are an interdisciplinary team, belonging to the areas of sociology, business, social work, graphic design, multimedia design, pedagogy and social communication.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Reconectando igualdad: bases teóricas para la exploración de una posible implementación de los videojuegos en nuevas estrategias de alfabetización digital

Reconnecting Equality Project is for training high school students in new technologies for creative and genuine ownership of netbooks provided by Connect-Equality Plan. The project aims to promote students´s social inclusion in the Information Society and provide them the skills to design and use computers as productivity tools. This will be possible through an extracurricular workshop of design and video games development. We are an interdisciplinary team, belonging to the areas of sociology, business, social work, graphic design, multimedia design, pedagogy and social communication.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990–2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Health system planning requires careful assessment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemiology, but data for morbidity and mortality of this disease are scarce or non-existent in many countries. We estimated the global, regional, and national burden of CKD, as well as the burden of cardiovascular disease and gout attributable to impaired kidney function, for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017. We use the term CKD to refer to the morbidity and mortality that can be directly attributed to all stages of CKD, and we use the term impaired kidney function to refer to the additional risk of CKD from cardiovascular disease and gout. Methods The main data sources we used were published literature, vital registration systems, end-stage kidney disease registries, and household surveys. Estimates of CKD burden were produced using a Cause of Death Ensemble model and a Bayesian meta-regression analytical tool, and included incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability, mortality, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). A comparative risk assessment approach was used to estimate the proportion of cardiovascular diseases and gout burden attributable to impaired kidney function. Findings Globally, in 2017, 1·2 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 1·2 to 1·3) people died from CKD. The global all-age mortality rate from CKD increased 41·5% (95% UI 35·2 to 46·5) between 1990 and 2017, although there was no significant change in the age-standardised mortality rate (2·8%, −1·5 to 6·3). In 2017, 697·5 million (95% UI 649·2 to 752·0) cases of all-stage CKD were recorded, for a global prevalence of 9·1% (8·5 to 9·8). The global all-age prevalence of CKD increased 29·3% (95% UI 26·4 to 32·6) since 1990, whereas the age-standardised prevalence remained stable (1·2%, −1·1 to 3·5). CKD resulted in 35·8 million (95% UI 33·7 to 38·0) DALYs in 2017, with diabetic nephropathy accounting for almost a third of DALYs. Most of the burden of CKD was concentrated in the three lowest quintiles of Socio-demographic Index (SDI). In several regions, particularly Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the burden of CKD was much higher than expected for the level of development, whereas the disease burden in western, eastern, and central sub-Saharan Africa, east Asia, south Asia, central and eastern Europe, Australasia, and western Europe was lower than expected. 1·4 million (95% UI 1·2 to 1·6) cardiovascular disease-related deaths and 25·3 million (22·2 to 28·9) cardiovascular disease DALYs were attributable to impaired kidney function. Interpretation Kidney disease has a major effect on global health, both as a direct cause of global morbidity and mortality and as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. CKD is largely preventable and treatable and deserves greater attention in global health policy decision making, particularly in locations with low and middle SDI

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Burden of obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

Mokdad AH, El Bcheraoui C, Afshin A, et al. Burden of obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;63(Suppl. 1):165-176.We used the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 study results to explore the burden of high body mass index (BMI) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). We estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children (2-19 years) and adults (20 years) in 1980 and 2015. The burden of disease related to high BMI was calculated using the GBD comparative risk assessment approach. The prevalence of obesity increased for adults from 15.1% (95% UI 13.4-16.9) in 1980 to 20.7% (95% UI 18.8-22.8) in 2015. It increased from 4.1% (95% UI 2.9-5.5) to 4.9% (95% UI 3.6-6.4) for the same period among children. In 2015, there were 417,115 deaths and 14,448,548 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI in EMR, which constitute about 10 and 6.3% of total deaths and DALYs, respectively, for all ages. This is the first study to estimate trends in obesity burden for the EMR from 1980 to 2015. We call for EMR countries to invest more resources in prevention and health promotion efforts to reduce this burden