VizColab : visualizing a large-scale Brazillian academic collaboration network generated from CAPES data

Redes de colaboração acadêmica consistem em grafos onde pesquisadores são mode lados como nós enquanto co-autorias são modeladas como arestas entre pesquisadores. Enquanto a análise e a visualização dessas redes pode ser feita facilmente para pequenos grafos, fazê-las para redes de larga escala expõe diversos desafios, especialmente na ma téria de visualização destes grafos. Este trabalho realiza, em um primeiro momento, uma revisão da literatura relacionada a análise e visualização de redes de co-autoria acadê mica e explora ferramentas existentes para visualização, manipulação e armazenamento de grafos. Isso é feito com a finalidade de traçar um panorama do estado da arte deste do mínio e verificar a viabilidade de uso das técnicas e ferramentas estudadas na composição de uma solução para o problema da geração e visualização de uma rede de colaborações acadêmicas brasileira de larga escala. Em seguida, uma rede de colaborações acadêmicas em programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu brasileiros é gerada a partir de conjuntos de dados mantidos pela CAPES e publicados quadrienalmente no portal Dados Abertos CAPES (CAPES, 2022a), sobre os quais são aplicadas técnicas de sanitização de dados, agrupamento de entidades semelhantes e enriquecimento. O resultado é um grafo com posto de 532 universidades brasileiras, 4.685 programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu, 1.275.852 autores, 1.708.666 produções acadêmicas e 14.883.507 relações de co-autoria de trabalhos acadêmicos. Os dados processados são então modelados e importados em uma base de dados de grafos, permitindo uma ampla gama de consultas personalizadas de forma eficiente e sob demanda. Com a finalidade de possibilitar a exploração dinâmica dessa rede, é desenvolvido o software VizColab, uma aplicação web que permite a visu alização dos dados de colaborações acadêmicas na forma de grafos tri-dimensionais em três níveis hierárquicos distintos: universidades, programas de pós-graduação e autores de produções acadêmicas. A aplicação implementa técnicas como a segmentação hierár quica de nós e introduz o conceito de densidade de conexões, o que permite a ocultação de arestas menos significativas, proporcionando ao usuário uma experiência de visualização interativa, clara e concisa da rede de colaborações.Academic collaboration networks are graphs where researchers are modeled as nodes while co-authorships are modeled as links between researchers. Although the analysis and visualization of such networks can be easily implemented for small graphs, doing so for large-scale graphs introduces a handful of challenges, especially regarding the sub ject of visualizing such graphs. This study conducts, at first, a review of the literature related to academic co-authorship networks analysis and visualization and explores exist ing tools for graph visualization, manipulation, and storage, intending to get an overview of the domain’s state-of-the-art, as well as verify the viability of using the considered tools and techniques in the design of a solution to the problem of generating and visualizing a Brazillian large-scale academic collaboration network. Subsequently, an academic col laboration network is generated based on Brazillian stricto sensu graduate programs data mantained by CAPES and published every four years in the Dados Abertos CAPES portal (CAPES, 2022a), over which data sanitization, similar entities grouping, and data enrich ment techniques are applied. The process results in a graph containing 532 universities, 4,685 stricto sensu graduate programs, 1,275,852 authors, 1,708,666 intellectual produc tions and 14,883,507 co-authorship links between authors. The processed data is then modeled and imported into a graph database, allowing a wide range of custom queries to be executed efficiently and on-demand. To allow dynamic exploration of the network, the VizColab software is created. A web application that allows academic collaboration data to be visualized in the form of three-dimensional graphs in three distinct hierarchic levels: universities, graduate programs, and intellectual production authors. The applica tion implements techniques such as hierarchic segmentation and introduces the concept of least-significant links screening, offering the user an interactive, clear, and seamless visualization experience

Background Music and Performance on Memory-related Tasks: Preliminary Findings from a Systematic Review

Background and Aims The effects of background music (BGM) on cognitive performance have been marked by inconsistent findings. We therefore conducted a systematic review (SR) in order to clarify previous inconsistencies and identify trends that are not apparent from the results of isolated studies. The aims of this SR are: (1) to evaluate how BGM affects performance in different cognitive tasks (e.g., reading, memory recall), and (2) to identify specific listener- (e.g., personality traits, music education, etc.), music- (e.g., lyrics, arousal, etc.) and task-related factors (e.g., difficulty, cognitive domain) that could contribute to the effects of BGM on cognitive performance. In this paper we present a preliminary analysis of the SR results focused on the effects of BGM on memory-related tasks. Method Empirical studies published from January 1960 until May 2020 were searched in PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. The searches returned 8,867 unique articles (see Cheah, Spitzer, & Coutinho, 2020 for the complete protocol). Ninety-five articles met the inclusion criteria and 28 articles (with 44 experiments) pertained to memoryrelated outcome measures. The memory-related experiments were further categorised into 5 task types: serial recall (n=12), immediate (n=9) and delayed (n=8) free recall, associative recall (n=6), and recognition (n=9). Analyses focused on determining (a) the effects of the presence/absence of BGM (i.e., music vs silence) on task performance; (b) the music characteristics that mediate the effects of BGM on task performance (e.g., presence of lyrics), and (c) task-specific effects of BGM within the cognitive domain. Following the recommendations in McKenzie and Brennan (2021) the findings were synthesised through vote counting based (solely) on the directions of effects, and sign tests were used to determine whether there was any evidence of the effects (Bushman & Wang, 2009). Results (Main Contribution) Overall (cf. Table 1), BGM had a significant detrimental effect on memory-related task performance (Test 1: only 32 out of 93 tests– 34% successes– favouring BGM). Furthermore, L-BGM was significantly more detrimental than silence (Test 2: 29% successes favouring L-BGM) and I-BGM (Test 3: 12% successes favouring L-BGM; 88% favouring I-BGM). When analysing memory tasks independently, only one task specific effect was observed: BGM had detrimental effects in 92% of the tests (cf. Test 4), whereby L-BGM always hindered serial recall task performance (cf. Test 5). Conclusions and Implications Overall, the results showed that BGM significantly hindered memory-related task performance (especially serial recall), but this effect seems to be mostly related to L-BGM (and not I-BGM). These preliminary results suggest that it is important to consider the characteristics of BGM used and the types of tasks (even within the same cognitive domain) when evaluating the effects of BGM on cognitive performance. We will continue with our analysis of other cognitive domains, and we expect that this work will provide relevant contributions to the field of music cognition, with practical implications to everyday life (e.g., works/study habits)

In Silico and In Vitro Evaluation of Bevacizumab Biosimilar MB02 as an Antitumor Agent in Canine Mammary Carcinoma

Canine mammary carcinomas (CMC) are associated with major aggressive clinical behavior and high mortality. The current standard of care is based on surgical resection, without an established effective treatment scheme, highlighting the urgent need to develop novel effective therapies. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key regulator of tumor angiogenesis and progression in the majority of solid cancers, including human and canine mammary carcinomas. The first therapy developed to target VEGF was bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, which has already been approved as an anticancer agent in several human cancers. The goal of this work was to establish the therapeutic value of MB02 bevacizumab biosimilar in CMC. First, through different in silico approaches using the MUSCLE multiple-sequence alignment tool and the FoldX protein design algorithm, we were able to predict that canine VEGF is recognized by bevacizumab, after showing an extremely high sequence similarity between canine and human VEGF. Further, by using an ELISA-based in vitro binding assay, we confirmed that MB02 biosimilar was able to recognize canine VEGF. Additionally, canine VEGF-induced microvascular endothelial cell proliferation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by MB02 biosimilar. These encouraging results show a high potential for MB02 as a promising therapeutic agent for the management of CMC.Fil: Cardama, Georgina Alexandra. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bucci, Paula Lorena. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lemos, Jesus. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Llavona, Candela. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Benavente, Micaela Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Hellmén, Eva. Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Hospital El Cruce Doctor Nestor Carlos Kirchner. Centro de Medicina Traslacional.; ArgentinaFil: Fara, María Laura. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatología. Laboratorio de Endocrinología; ArgentinaFil: Medrano, Eduardo. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatología. Laboratorio de Endocrinología; ArgentinaFil: Spitzer, Eduardo. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatología. Laboratorio de Endocrinología; ArgentinaFil: Demarco, Ignacio A.. No especifíca;Fil: Sabella, Patricia. No especifíca;Fil: Garona, Juan. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Daniel Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

The tidal tails of NGC 2298

We present an implementation of the matched-filter technique to detect tidal tails of globular clusters. The method was tested using SDSS data for the globular cluster Palomar 5 revealing its well known tidal tails. We also ran a simulation of a globular cluster with a tidal tail where we successfully recover the tails for a cluster at the same position and with the same characteristics of NGC 2298. Based on the simulation we estimate that the matched-filter increases the contrast of the tail relative to the background of stars by a factor of 2.5 for the case of NGC 2298. We also present the photometry of the globular cluster NGC 2298 using the MOSAIC2 camera installed on the CTIO 4m telescope. The photometry covers ~ 3deg2 reaching V ~ 23. A fit of a King profile to the radial density profile of NGC 2298 shows that this cluster has a tidal radius of 15.91' \pm 1.07' which is twice as in the literature. The application of the matched-filter to NGC 2298 reveals several extra-tidal structures, including a leading and trailing tail. We also find that NGC 2298 has extra-tidal structures stretching towards and against the Galactic disk, suggesting strong tidal interaction. Finally, we assess how the matched-filter performs when applied to a globular cluster with and without mass segregation taken into account. We find that disregarding the effects of mass segregation may significantly reduce the detection limit of the matched-filter.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication on MNRAS main journa

The Analyticity of a Generalized Ruelle's Operator

In this work we propose a generalization of the concept of Ruelle operator for one dimensional lattices used in thermodynamic formalism and ergodic optimization, which we call generalized Ruelle operator, that generalizes both the Ruelle operator proposed in [BCLMS] and the Perron Frobenius operator defined in [Bowen]. We suppose the alphabet is given by a compact metric space, and consider a general a-priori measure to define the operator. We also consider the case where the set of symbols that can follow a given symbol of the alphabet depends on such symbol, which is an extension of the original concept of transition matrices from the theory of subshifts of finite type. We prove the analyticity of the Ruelle operator and present some examples

Safety and pharmacokinetic assessments of a novel ivermectin nasal spray formulation in a pig model

Recently published data indicates that high ivermectin (IVM) concentrations suppress in vitro SARS-CoV-2 replication. Nasal IVM spray administration may contribute to attaining high drug concentrations in nasopharyngeal tissue, a primary site of virus entrance/replication. The safety and pharmacokinetic performances of a novel IVM spray formulation were assessed in a pig model. Piglets received IVM either orally (0.2 mg/kg) or by one or two nasal spray doses. The overall safety, and histopathology of the IVM-spray application site tissues, were assessed. The IVM concentration profiles measured in plasma and respiratory tract tissues after the nasal spray were compared with those achieved after the oral administration. Animals tolerated well the nasal spray formulation. No local/systemic adverse events were observed. After nasal administration, the highest IVM concentrations were measured in nasopharyngeal and lung tissues. The nasal/oral IVM concentration ratios in nasopharyngeal and lung tissues markedly increased by repeating (12 h apart) the spray application. The fast attainment of high and persistent IVM concentrations in nasopharyngeal tissue is the main advantage of the nasal over the oral route. These original results support the undertaking of future clinical trials to evaluate the safety/efficacy of the nasal IVM spray application in the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19.Fil: Errecalde, Jorge Oscar. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina. INCAM S.A; ArgentinaFil: Lifschitz, Adrian Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Vecchioli, Graciela Isabel. INCAM S.A; ArgentinaFil: Ceballos, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Errecalde, Francisco. INCAM S.A; ArgentinaFil: Ballent, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Marin, Gustavo Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Daniele, Martin Rafael. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas. Cátedra de Farmacología, Farmacotecnia y Terapéutica; ArgentinaFil: Turic, Esteban. Biogenesis Bago S.a..; ArgentinaFil: Spitzer, Eduardo. Laboratorio Elea Phoenix S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Toneguzzo, Fernando. Laboratorio Elea Phoenix S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Gold, Silvia. Laboratorio Elea Phoenix S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Krolewiecki, Alejandro Javier. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Luis Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Lanusse, Carlos Edmundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentin

A phase II dose-escalation trial of perioperative desmopressin (1-desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin) in breast cancer patients

Desmopressin (dDAVP) is a well-known peptide analog of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, used to prevent excessive bleeding during surgical procedures. dDAVP increases hemostatic mediators, such as the von Willebrand factor (vWF), recently considered a key element in resistance to metastasis. Studies in mouse models and veterinary trials in dogs with locally-advanced mammary tumors demonstrated that high doses of perioperative dDAVP inhibited lymph node and early blood-borne metastasis and significantly prolonged survival. We conducted a phase II dose-escalation trial in patients with breast cancer, administering a lyophilized formulation of dDAVP by intravenous infusion in saline, 30–60 min before and 24 h after surgical resection. Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability, as well as selection of the best dose for cancer surgery. Secondary endpoints included surgical bleeding, plasma levels of vWF, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as measured by quantitative PCR of cytokeratin-19 transcripts. Only 2 of a total of 20 patients experienced reversible adverse events, including hyponatremia (grade 4) and hypersensitivity reaction (grade 2). Reactions were adequately managed by slowing the infusion rate. A reduced intraoperative bleeding was noted with increasing doses of dDAVP. Treatment was associated with higher vWF plasma levels and a postoperative drop in CTC counts. At the highest dose level evaluated (2 μg/kg) dDAVP appeared safe when administered in two slow infusions of 1 μg/kg, before and after surgery. Clinical trials to establish the effectiveness of adjunctive perioperative dDAVP therapy are warranted. This trial is registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01606072).Fil: Weinberg, Ruth S.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Grecco, Marcelo O.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Ferro, Gimena S.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Seigelshifer, Debora Judith. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Perroni, Nancy V.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Terrier, Francisco J.. Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez Luceros, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentina. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Maronna, Esteban. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez Marull, Ricardo. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Frahm, Isabel. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Guthmann, Marcelo D.. Laboratorio Elea; ArgentinaFil: Di Leo, Daniela. Laboratorio Elea; ArgentinaFil: Spitzer, Eduardo. Laboratorio Elea; ArgentinaFil: Ciccia, Graciela Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Garona, Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Pifano, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Torbidoni, Ana Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Daniel Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Ripoll, Giselle Vanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Roberto E.. Laboratorio Elea; ArgentinaFil: Demarco, Ignacio A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Daniel Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; Argentin

A phase II dose‑escalation trial of perioperative desmopressin (1‑desamino‑8‑D‑arginine vasopressin) in breast cancer patients

Desmopressin (dDAVP) is a well-known peptide analog of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, used to prevent excessive bleeding during surgical procedures. dDAVP increases hemostatic mediators, such as the von Willebrand factor (vWF), recently considered a key element in resistance to metastasis. Studies in mouse models and veterinary trials in dogs with locally-advanced mammary tumors demonstrated that high doses of perioperative dDAVP inhibited lymph node and early blood-borne metastasis and significantly prolonged survival. We conducted a phase II dose-escalation trial in patients with breast cancer, administering a lyophilized formulation of dDAVP by intravenous infusion in saline, 30–60 min before and 24 h after surgical resection. Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability, as well as selection of the best dose for cancer surgery. Secondary endpoints included surgical bleeding, plasma levels of vWF, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as measured by quantitative PCR of cytokeratin-19 transcripts. Only 2 of a total of 20 patients experienced reversible adverse events, including hyponatremia (grade 4) and hypersensitivity reaction (grade 2). Reactions were adequately managed by slowing the infusion rate. A reduced intraoperative bleeding was noted with increasing doses of dDAVP. Treatment was associated with higher vWF plasma levels and a postoperative drop in CTC counts. At the highest dose level evaluated (2 μg/kg) dDAVP appeared safe when administered in two slow infusions of 1 μg/kg, before and after surgery. Clinical trials to establish the effectiveness of adjunctive perioperative dDAVP therapy are warranted. This trial is registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01606072).Facultad de Ciencias Médica