Structure of partially ordered cyclic semigroups

summary:This paper recalls some properties of a cyclic semigroup and examines cyclic subsemigroups in a finite ordered semigroup. We prove that a partially ordered cyclic semigroup has a spiral structure which leads to a separation of three classes of such semigroups. The cardinality of the order relation is also estimated. Some results concern semigroups with a lattice order

Komunikowanie rządowe w Polsce w pierwszym roku pandemii koronawirusa – wybrane aspekty

This article presents selected tools and communication channels used by the Polish government during the crisis management related to the SAR S-CoV-2 pandemic in Poland. The aim of the research was to analyze the most popular tools used in the crisis communication, their characteristics and an evaluation of their effectiveness. Crisis communication during the fight against a pandemic is especially important because its purpose is to preserve the health and life of citizens. Mixed research methods and techniques were used in the study, such as desk research, content analysis and comparative analysis. The methods and techniques allowed for answering the research questions, for example: adaptation of communication tools to the different age of recipients; the channels and forms of communication used; changes in the methods of communication related to restrictions; using new technologies. The comparison of the used methods of reaching the audience, visual creations, and costs incurred helps to assess the effectiveness of communication of the authorities in the first year of the pandemic.Artykuł przedstawia wybrane narzędzia i kanały komunikacji wykorzystywane przez polski rząd w czasie zarządzania sytuacją kryzysową związaną z pandemią SAR S-CoV-2 w Polsce. Celem badań była analiza najpopularniejszych narzędzi stosowanych w komunikacji kryzysowej rządu, ich charakterystyka i próba oceny ich skuteczności. Komunikacja kryzysowa w walce z pandemią jest szczególnie istotna, ponieważ jej celem jest głównie zachowanie zdrowia i życia obywateli. W analizach posłużono się mieszanymi metodami i technikami badawczymi, takimi jak desk research, analiza zawartości, analiza porównawcza. Użyte metody i techniki umożliwiły odpowiedzenie na pytania badawcze dotyczące m.in. dostosowania narzędzi komunikacyjnych do zróżnicowanego wieku odbiorców; wykorzystywanych kanałów i form przekazu komunikatów; zmian w sposobach komunikacji związanych z obostrzeniami; wykorzystywania nowych technologii. Porównanie wykorzystywanych metod dotarcia do odbiorców, kreacji wizualnych, poniesionych kosztów pomogło ocenić skuteczność komunikacji władz w pierwszym roku pandemii

Velocidad de procesamiento de la información en traumatismos craneoencefálicos

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Psicología Básica II (Procesos Cognitivos), leída el 14-10-2014Depto. de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y LogopediaFac. de PsicologíaTRUEunpu

Efectos anti-inflamatarios de Tert-Butil hidroquinona en enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal

Tesis (Magíster en Biotecnología)Las Enfermedades inflamatorias intestinales (EII) comprenden principalmente la Enfermedad de Crohn (EC) y la Colitis Ulcerosa (CU), y corresponden a enfermedades intestinales de curso crónico, de etiología desconocida y origen multifactorial. Estas patologías se asocian a una desregulación en la microbiota intestinal, alterando la homeostasis interna y afectando el funcionamiento fisiológico intestinal. Hasta ahora no existen terapias curativas, y los tratamientos son de efectividad limitada, asociados a efectos adversos frecuentes y a un alto costo. Por lo tanto, la búsqueda de nuevas alternativas de tratamiento que sean altamente efectivas, con menos efectos secundarios y de menor costo, es absolutamente necesaria. Estudios preliminares realizados en los últimos años han descrito compuestos que podrían tener propiedades benéficas para el tratamiento de condiciones inflamatorias. Uno de estos potenciales compuestos es tert-butil hidroquinona (tBHQ), un compuesto fenólico utilizado como preservante en la industria alimentaria. tBHQ ha sido descrito como inhibidor de la citoquina pro-inflamatoria IL-12 y, como un potente inductor del factor de transcripción Nrf2, el cual está involucrado en la expresión de enzimas antioxidantes como la Hemo Oxigenasa-1 (HO-1), entre otras. Actualmente, no existen investigaciones que relacionen los efectos de tBHQ con EII, pero los estudios enfocados en sus efectos, son un gran avance para el desarrollo de posibles alternativas curativas que puedan controlar tanto los síntomas como disminuir la incidencia de EII. En este proyecto, se evaluarán los efectos anti-inflamatorios de tBHQ en EII, específicamente sobre la expresión de HO-1 e IL-12 en líneas celulares intestinales (in vitro), en muestras de sangre en pacientes con EII y sujetos sanos y en biopsias de pacientes con EII y de sujetos controles (ex vivo). En el proyecto, se cuantificará el mRNA de HO-1 e IL-12, y de las citoquinas pro- y anti- inflamatorias por Q-PCR, y se evaluará el efecto de tBHQ en la expresión de ellas, analizando el efecto sobre la viabilidad celular por reducción de MTT. Se espera observar que las células o los tejidos expuestos a tBHQ muestren mayor expresión de HO-1 y una menor inflamación, es decir, una disminución de citoquinas pro-inflamatorias y un aumento de citoquinas anti-inflamatorias. Este trabajo aportará al estudio de las EII, sobretodo en la dilucidación de un posible rol anti-inflamatorio de tBHQ, ya que no existen estudios previos que relacionen esta molécula con las enfermedades inflamatorias intestinales

Regulation of Nociceptive Plasticity Threshold and DARPP-32 Phosphorylation in Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons by Convergent Dopamine and Glutamate Inputs

Dopamine can influence NMDA receptor function and regulate glutamate-triggered long-term changes in synaptic strength in several regions of the CNS. In spinal cord, regulation of the threshold of synaptic plasticity may determine the proneness to undergo sensitization and hyperresponsiveness to noxious input. In the current study, we increased endogenous dopamine levels in the dorsal horn by using re-uptake inhibitor GBR 12935. During the so-induced hyperdopaminergic transmission, conditioning low-frequency (1 Hz) stimulation (LFS) to the sciatic nerve induced long-termpotentiation (LTP) of C-fiber-evoked potentials in dorsal horn neurons. The magnitude of LTP was attenuated by blockade of either dopamine D1-like receptors (D1LRs) by with SCH 23390 or NMDA receptor subunit NR2B with antagonist Ro25-6981. Conditioning LFS during GBR 12935 administration increased phosphorylation of dopamine-and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr 32kDa (DARPP-32) at threonine 34 residue in synaptosomal (P3) fraction of dorsal horn homogenates, as assessed by Western blot analysis, which was partially prevented by NR2B blockade prior to conditioning stimulation. Conditioning LFS also was followed by higher co-localization of phosphorylated form of NR2B at tyrosine 1472 and pDARPP-32(Thr34)-with postsynaptic marker PSD-95 in transverse L5 dorsal horn sections. Such increase could be significantly attenuated by D1LR blockade with SCH 23390. The current results support that coincidental endogenous recruitment of D1LRs and NR2B in dorsal horn synapses plays a role in regulating afferent-induced nociceptive plasticity. Parallel increases in DARPP-32 phosphorylationupon LTP induction suggests a role for this phosphoprotein as intracellular detector of convergent D1L- and NMDA receptor activation.This work was supported by the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza), Grant IT782-13 to JJA, URL: http://www.euskadi.eus and by the Ministerio de Economia y Compettividad(Spanish Government), Grant SAF2013-44533-P to JJA, URL: www.mineco.gob.es

An Investigation into the Relation between the Technique of Movement and Overload in Step Aerobics

The aim of this research was to determine the features of a step workout technique which may be related to motor system overloading in step aerobics. Subjects participating in the research were instructors (n=15) and students (n=15) without any prior experience in step aerobics. Kinematic and kinetic data was collected with the use of the BTS SMART system comprised of 6 calibrated video cameras and two Kistler force plates. The subjects’ task was to perform basic steps. The following variables were analyzed: vertical, anteroposterior, and mediolateral ground reaction forces; foot flexion and abduction and adduction angles; knee joint flexion angle; and trunk flexion angle in the sagittal plane. The angle of a foot adduction recorded for the instructors was significantly smaller than that of the students. The knee joint angle while stepping up was significantly higher for the instructors compared to that for the students. Our research confirmed that foot dorsal flexion and adduction performed while stepping up increased load on the ankle joint. Both small and large angles of knee flexion while stepping up and down resulted in knee joint injuries. A small trunk flexion angle in the entire cycle of step workout shut down dorsal muscles, which stopped suppressing the load put on the spine

Transcranial direct current stimulation in neglect rehabilitation after stroke: a systematic review.

Hemispatial neglect is one of the most frequent attention disorders after stroke. The presence of neglect is associated with longer hospital stays, extended rehabilitation periods, and poorer functional recovery. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a new technique with promising results in neglect rehabilitation; therefore, the objective of this systematic review, performed following the PRISMA guidelines, is to evaluate the effectiveness of tDCS on neglect recovery after stroke. The search was done in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and BioMed Central databases. A total of 311 articles were found; only 11 met the inclusion criteria, including 152 post-stroke patients in total. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed for all the studies, and methodological characteristics of the studies, sample sizes, methods, main results, and other relevant data were extracted. tDCS intervention ranged from one to twenty sessions distributed in 1 day to 4 weeks, with intensity ranged from 1 to 2 mA. We found moderate evidence for the efficacy of tDCS in the rehabilitation of hemispatial neglect after a stroke, being more effective in combination with other interventions. Nonetheless, the limited number of studies and some studies' design characteristics makes it risky to draw categorical conclusions. Since scientific evidence is still scarce, further research is needed to determine the advantage of this treatment in acute, sub-acute and chronic stroke patients. Future studies should include larger samples, longer follow-ups, and broader neurophysiological assessments, with the final aim of establishing the appropriate use of tDCS as an adjuvant intervention in neurorehabilitation settings.pre-print964 K

Prefronto-cerebellar neuromodulation affects appetite in obesity

Human neuroimaging studies have consistently reported changes in cerebellar function and integrity in association with obesity. To date, however, the nature of this link has not been studied directly. Emerging evidence suggests a role for the cerebellum in higher cognitive functions through reciprocal connections with the prefrontal cortex. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine appetite changes associated with noninvasive prefronto-cerebellar neuromodulation in obesity. 12 subjects with class I obesity (mean BMI 32.9 kg/m2) underwent a randomized, single-blinded, sham-controlled, crossover study, during which they received transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS; active/sham) aimed at simultaneously enhancing the activity of the prefrontal cortex and decreasing the activity of the cerebellum. Changes in appetite (state and food-cue-triggered) and performance in a food-modified working memory task were evaluated. We found that active tDCS caused an increase in hunger and desire to eat following food-cue exposure. In line with these data, subjects also tended to make more errors during the working memory task. No changes in basic motor performance occurred. This study represents the first demonstration that prefronto-cerebellar neuromodulation can influence appetite in individuals with obesity. While preliminary, our findings support a potential role for prefronto-cerebellar pathways in the behavioral manifestations of obesity