Intersecting Inequalities: Research to Reduce Inequality for Immigrant-Origin Children and Youth

This is one of a series of five papers outlining the particular domains and dimensions of inequality where new research may yield a better understanding of responses to this growing issue.Immigration has grown across all post-industrial nations, and inequality has risen at a steep rate on a variety of indicators, including income distribution, child poverty, residential segregation, and numerous academic outcomes.In this report, we see that among the children of immigrants, inequality is manifested against a backdrop of wide disparity in post-migration conditions faced by new immigrants. Indeed, immigrant groups represent some of the most and least advantaged groups in the U.S. in terms of skills, education, and assets. Many immigrant-origin students struggle academically, leaving school without acquiring the tools necessary to function effectively in the highly competitive, knowledge-intensive U.S. economy, in which limited education impedes wages and social mobility

Developing a cellular assay for screening inhibitors of STAT4 phosphorylation

In order to design better therapeutic strategies, scientists work on understanding the interactions that take place at cell level and have an effect on the immune system. In order to identify a few possible inhibitors that may be up-regulated in tumor environment and that may affect T-cell action, a cellular assay was designed. An Interleukin-12 (IL-12)-responsive murine Th1 cell clone called 2D6 was used as cellular model to study the effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), insulin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the phosphorylation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4), a key element in IL-12 signaling. Cells were IL-12-starved for 12 hours and then were treated for 15 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours with one of these factors and/or IL-12 and the cell samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. In general, TGF-beta and insulin had a significant effect in the phosphorylation of STAT4 and cell viability particularly after 2 hours in cells incubated with these factors only. While more subtle, the effects of IL-6 also seemed to be have a stronger effect after 2 hours of treatment. The assay designed was able to provide with answers about inhibition of IL-12 signaling in a relatively restricted time frame, but more questions need to be answered to fully understand the effect of each factor, for which a new experimental approach may be needed

Evaluating River Water Quality Modelling Uncertainties at Multiple Time and Space Scales

Maintaining healthy river ecosystems is crucial for sustaining human needs and biodiversity. Therefore, accurately assessing the ecological status of river systems and their response to short and long-term pollution events is paramount. Water quality modelling is a useful tool for gaining a better understanding of the river system and for simulating conditions that may not be obtained by field monitoring. Environmental models can be highly unreliable due to our limited knowledge of environmental systems, the difficulty of mathematically and physically representing these systems, and limitations to the data used to develop, calibrate and run these models. The extensive range of physical, biochemical and ecological processes within river systems is represented by a wide variety of models: from simpler one-dimensional advection dispersion equation (1D ADE) models to complex eutrophication models. Gaining an understanding of uncertainties within catchment water quality models across different spatial and temporal scales for the evaluation and regulation of water compliance is still required. Thus, this thesis work 1) evaluates the impact of parameter uncertainty from the longitudinal dispersion coefficient on the one-dimensional advection-dispersion model and water quality compliance at the reach scale and sub-hourly scale, 2) evaluates the impact of input data uncertainty and the representation of ecological processes on an integrated catchment water quality model, and 3) evaluates the impact of one-dimensional model structures on water quality regulation. Findings from this thesis stress the importance of longitudinal mixing specifically in the sub daily time scales and in-between 10s of meters to 100s of meters. After the sub daily time scale, other biological and ecological processes become more important than longitudinal mixing for representing the seasonal dynamics of dissolved oxygen (DO). The thorough representation of the dominant ecological processes assists in obtaining accurate seasonal patterns even under input data variability. Furthermore, the use of incorrect model structures for water quality evaluation and regulation leads to considerable sources of uncertainty when applying duration over threshold regulation within the first 100s of meters and sub hourly time scale

Clinical Practice Guideline for Differentiating Risk Factors for Avoidable and Unavoidable Pressure Ulcers.

Pressure ulcers (PUs) present intrinsic risk factors that are not consistently identified by clinical assessments. The objective of this project was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to provide nurses with guidance in identifying and differentiating how intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors are associated with populations at risk for developing avoidable and unavoidable PUs. CPG development followed a systematic method to search the literature, organize findings, and assess the strength of the resulting evidence and its applicability to the CPG. Quality of the CPG was assessed by a panel of 8 health care professionals using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II instrument. Findings of the assessment indicated a high overall quality of the CPG; its immediate use was recommended and systematic evaluation was suggested to promote usage in a wider array of health care contexts. The quality domains with the highest scores were scope, purpose, applicability, editorial independence (all 100%), rigor of development (99.7%), and clarity of presentation (99.3%). The stakeholder involvement domain demonstrated the lowest--yet still robust--score (94.4%). The CPG can be used to emphasize appropriate and specific nursing competencies for making informed decisions when identifying and describing patients at risk for developing PUs. Further research and evaluation of the use of this CPG will be useful to demonstrate how CPGs can help to decrease the incidence of avoidable PUs. The potential for positive social change relative to the prevention of PUs is high. Decreased incidence of preventable PUs will eliminate unnecessary health care costs and improve overall health outcomes of patients at all levels of socioeconomic status

Situaciones problema sobre sistemas de ecuaciones lineales para desarrollar el Razonamiento Algebraico Elemental en la Educación Básica Regular

Esta tesis tiene como eje central justificar por qué las situaciones problemas sobre sistemas de ecuaciones lineales contribuyen a desarrollar el razonamiento algebraico elemental en estudiantes de la educación básica regular. De aquí se desprenden dos objetivos específicos que se pretenden alcanzar: identificar situaciones problemas sobre los sistemas de ecuaciones lineales que se abordan en la educación básica regular peruana y relacionar las prácticas matemáticas que estas demandan con los niveles de algebrización del modelo de razonamiento algebraico. Para ello, se toman como base algunas herramientas teóricas del Enfoque Ontosemiótico de la Instrucción Matemática, tales como, las configuraciones epistémicas para construir el significado de referencia de los sistemas de ecuaciones lineales en la educación básica regular, así como, los niveles de razonamiento algebraico elemental los cuales son adaptados a la noción de sistemas de ecuaciones lineales. Se concluye que, a lo largo de la educación básica, se presentan diversas situaciones problema en donde el objetivo es encontrar una cantidad desconocida, siendo el modelo matemático en que estas se apoyan el de una ecuación o un sistema de ecuaciones lineales. Dichas situaciones son abordadas a través de diferentes procedimientos tales como el ensayo y error, utilizando diferentes lenguajes como las representaciones icónicas, de barras, numéricas y algebraicas, así como diversas justificaciones apoyadas en definiciones y propiedades de las operaciones aritméticas y las ecuaciones equivalentes. A partir de esos hallazgos, se establece una relación entre configuraciones epistémicas correspondientes a los sistemas de ecuaciones lineales y rasgos de diferentes niveles de razonamiento algebraico. De esta manera, se espera contribuir con la formación de profesores de matemáticas brindándoles ejemplos que puedan ser empleados en su quehacer docente para desarrollar el razonamiento algebraico en sus estudiantes a través de los distintos grados de la escolaridadThe present study aims to justify why problem situations on systems of linear equations contribute to the development of elementary algebraic reasoning in students of regular basic education. Two specific objectives that are intended to be achieved follow from here: identify problem situations on systems of linear equations that are addressed in regular Peruvian basic education and relate the mathematical practices that these demand to the algebraization levels of the algebraic reasoning model. For this purpose, some theoretical tools of the Onto-semiotic Approach to Mathematics Instruction are taken as a basis, such as epistemic configurations to build the reference meaning of systems of linear equations in regular basic education, as well as levels of elemental algebraic reasoning which are adapted to the notion of systems of linear equations. It is concluded that, throughout basic education, there are various problem situations where the objective is to find an unknown quantity, the mathematical model on which these are based being that of an equation or a system of linear equations. These situations are addressed through different procedures such as trial and error, using different languages such as iconic, bar, numerical and algebraic representations, as well as various justifications based on definitions and properties of arithmetic operations and equivalent equations. These findings suggest that a relationship is established between epistemic configurations corresponding to systems of linear equations and features of different levels of algebraic reasoning. In this way, it is expected to contribute to the training of mathematics teachers by providing them with examples that can be used in their teaching performance to develop algebraic reasoning of their students in the different school grade

Aspectos psicológicos de la mujer mastectomizada

La alta incidencia del cáncer de seno, cada día más significativa, hace que profesionales en el área de la salud optimicen su intervención en todos los niveles de la enfermedad. Por lo tanto, el interés va más allá de la intervención física haciéndose necesaria e imprescindible la intervención psicológica, no solo en el ámbito de la promoción de la salud y prevención de la enfermedad, sino que el papel del psicólogo es muy importante en el proceso prequirúrgico y de rehabilitación de pacientes que han sido mastectomizadas ( La presencia del cáncer y su posterior tratamiento quirúrgico desorganiza virtualmente todos los aspectos de la vida de la paciente, la estabilidad emocional y el mantenimiento del estilo de vida propio se ven severamente afectados. Pero a pesar de la tensión de los cambios la mayoría de las pacientes encuentran la manera de sobrellevar el cáncer y las terapias tóxicas o mutilantes que de él se derivan ( Lancet, 1999).Incluye bibliografí

A novel SCN5A mutation, F1344S, identified in a patient with Brugada syndrome and fever-induced ventricular fibrillation

Objective Brugada syndrome (BS) is an inherited electrical cardiac disorder characterized by right bundle branch block pattern and ST segment elevation in leads V1 to V3 on surface electrocardiogram that can potentially lead to malignant ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death. About 20% of patients have mutations in the only so far identified gene, SCN5A, which encodes the α-subunit of the human cardiac voltage-dependent sodium channel (hNav1.5). Fever has been shown to unmask or trigger the BS phenotype, but the associated molecular and the biophysical mechanisms are still poorly understood. We report on the identification and biophysical characterization of a novel heterozygous missense mutation in SCN5A, F1344S, in a 42-year-old male patient showing the BS phenotype leading to ventricular fibrillation during fever. Methods The mutation was reproduced in vitro using site-directed mutagenesis and characterized using the patch clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration. Results The biophysical characterization of the channels carrying the F1344S mutation revealed a 10mV mid-point shift of the G/V curve toward more positive voltages during activation. Raising the temperature to 40.5°C further shifted the mid-point activation by 18mV and significantly changed the slope factor in Nav1.5/F1344S mutant channels from − 6.49 to − 10.27mV. Conclusions Our findings indicate for the first time that the shift in activation and change in the slope factor at a higher temperature mimicking fever could reduce sodium currents' amplitude and trigger the manifestation of the BS phenotyp

Diseño de una herramienta predictiva para la identificación de peligros y valoración de riesgos para la empresa ECONSTT SAS

En el presente trabajo se realiza el diseño de una herramienta predictiva para identificación de peligros y valoración del riesgo, presente en las actividades en el sector construcción en la empresa ECONSTT SAS, para ello se desarrolló un algoritmo a partir de estadísticas y probabilidades que facilitaron la estructuración de de una matriz IPERDC; como resultado una herramienta que a partir de cinco datos iniciales puede identificar: procesos, actividades, tareas, peligros, efectos posibles, controles existentes, evaluación y valoración del riesgo y medidas de intervención

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia. Departamento de: Córdoba, Magdalena y Tolima.

Resumen Este trabajo es la recopilación de historias narradas por personas víctimas del conflicto armado; en estas historias desde las voces las víctimas evidencian la presencia de emociones negativas que han sido huellas que ha dejado injusticias, humillaciones, impotencia, rabia, odio, culpa, vergüenza, entre otras y es ahí donde nosotras como profesionales en formación estamos dando una mirada desde la objetividad del psicólogo, hemos estudiado varios relatos de vida, tomados del libro, voces: relatos de violencia y esperanza en Colombia, editado por el banco mundial en el año 2009 ; además haremos el análisis del caso de Modesto Pacayá utilizando como instrumento la imagen y la narrativa , permitiéndonos tener acercamiento a los contextos de las víctimas de una manera subjetiva. Al escoger el relato de Modesto Pacayá como grupo construimos 3 preguntas, reflexivas, estratégicas y circulares encaminadas desde un acercamiento psicosocial hacia las víctimas para convertirlas en historias de superación. Se analizó el caso de Peñas Coloradas y desde el abordaje psicosocial se propone hacer acciones de mejora en la situación de dificultad ocasionada por el destierro sufrido por estas personas; y tres estrategias psicosociales que faciliten el fortalecimiento para dar soluciones a la situación estudiada. Complementando este trabajo anexamos el informe analítico como instrumentos de la acción psicosocial donde se valora y se respeta a las personas víctimas del conflicto armado.Abstract This work is the compilation of stories told by victims of the armed conflict; In these stories from the voices the victims show the presence of negative emotions that have been traces that have left injustices, humiliations, impotence, anger, hatred, guilt, shame, among others and that is where we as professionals in training are taking a look From the objectivity of the psychologist, we have studied various life stories, taken from the book: VOCES: Stories of violence and hope in Colombia, edited by the World Bank in 2009; In addition, we will analyze the case of Modesto Pocayá using the image and the narrative as an instrument, allowing us to have a better approach to the contexts of the victims in a subjective way. By choosing the story of Modesto Pacayá as a group, we construct 3 reflective, strategic and circular questions directed from a psychosocial approach towards the victims to turn them into stories of overcoming. The case of Peñas Coloradas was analyzed and from the psychosocial approach it is proposed to take actions to improve the situation of difficulty caused by the exile suffered by these people; and three psychosocial strategies that facilitate strengthening to provide solutions to the situation studied. Complementing this work, the analytical report of the experience as instruments of psychosocial action is attached where the victims of the armed conflict are valued and respected