An Exploration of Audiologists\u27 Readiness to Adopt Connected Hearing Healthcare for Remote Hearing Aid Fitting

Background: Globally, the increasing prevalence of hearing loss and need for improved access to hearing healthcare services, highlights the growing need for alternative service delivery models. A Connected Health model emerges as a solution for this need, focusing on the use of telecommunication technologies. This model, extended to audiology, can help to better ‘connect’ a patient to their own care process and to their provider during audiological diagnostics, treatment, and management services, at a distance and in an effective and timely manner. The strong capacity for and underutilization of Connected Audiology within current aural (re)habilitation service models have led to research around the “readiness” factors that are contributing to a low uptake of remote services within Canada. Objective: This survey-based study aimed to describe audiologists’ readiness to adopt Connected Audiology for remote hearing aid fitting using a modified framework for eHealth readiness. Methods: An analytic, cross-sectional quantitative survey called the Connected Audiology Readiness Evaluation (C.A.R.E.) was conducted using online data collection methods. Practicing audiologists, across Canada, were recruited via professional networks/associations to identify the main factors associated with clinician readiness to adopt remote hearing aid fitting services into clinical practice. Results: Reported readiness levels around the implementation of Connected Audiology displayed across the 8 CARE dimensions are as follows. High readiness levels are reported for the following dimensions: practice context, social capital, patient-provider relationship, organizational support and attitude; average readiness levels are reported for the access and aptitude dimensions; and low readiness for the standards dimension with a high need for the development and implementation of guidance documents to support implementation. Conclusion: Findings from this survey will inform researchers, clinicians and policymakers of the main areas needing support for the uptake of Connected Audiology, guiding future planning, development, and implementation efforts. In addition, findings from this study can help guide Canadian audiologists in the integration of remote hearing aid fitting services into routine clinical practices

Possibilities of rice husk ash to be used as reinforcing filler in polymer sector - a review

Este trabajo presenta una revisión de las rutas de obtención de sílice sintética, clasificadas como de tipo térmico (también conocido como pirogénico) y líquido, las cuales dan lugar a diferentes referencias con diversas propiedades dependiendo, no solo de las condiciones del proceso sino también de las características de la materia prima. Con base en lo anterior, se hace un símil con la ceniza cascarilla de arroz (CCA) obtenida a partir de la combustión de la cascarilla de arroz, y se resaltan las principales propiedades físico-químicas para su utilización como reforzante en el sector de polímeros. En este sentido, este trabajo muestra una amplia revisión de la composición química, área superficial, estructura molecular y tamaño de partículas de diferentes CCA encontradas en la literatura. Finalmente, se describe el desempeño mecánico de materiales termoplásticos y elastómeros reforzados con CCA reportados en la literatura y comparados con compuestos reforzados con algunas sílices comerciales. This work presents a literature review of the synthetic silica production pathways which are classified in thermal (also known as pyrogenic) and wet. They lead to different commercial references with different properties depending not only on the process conditions but also on the raw material characteristics. Based on the aforementioned, a simile is made with the rice husk ash (RHA) obtained from rice husk combustion, and its main physical-chemical properties required for its use in polymer sector are also shown. In this sense, this work shows a wide review of chemical composition, surface area, molecular structure (amorphous or crystalline) and particle size of different RHA found in literature. Finally, the mechanical performance of both thermoplastics and elastomers reinforced with RHA reported in literature is also described and compared with those composites reinforced with some commercial silica. &nbsp

Mentalizing regions represent distributed, continuous, and abstract dimensions of others' beliefs

The human capacity to reason about others' minds includes making causal inferences about intentions, beliefs, values, and goals. Previous fMRI research has suggested that a network of brain regions, including bilateral temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), superior temporal sulcus (STS), and medial prefrontal-cortex (MPFC), are reliably recruited for mental state reasoning. Here, in two fMRI experiments, we investigate the representational content of these regions. Building on existing computational and neural evidence, we hypothesized that social brain regions contain at least two functionally and spatially distinct components: one that represents information related to others' motivations and values, and another that represents information about others' beliefs and knowledge. Using multi-voxel pattern analysis, we find evidence that motivational versus epistemic features are independently represented by theory of mind (ToM) regions: RTPJ contains information about the justification of the belief, bilateral TPJ represents the modality of the source of knowledge, and VMPFC represents the valence of the resulting emotion. These representations are found only in regions implicated in social cognition and predict behavioral responses at the level of single items. We argue that cortical regions implicated in mental state inference contain complementary, but distinct, representations of epistemic and motivational features of others' beliefs, and that, mirroring the processes observed in sensory systems, social stimuli are represented in distinct and distributed formats across the human brain. Keywords: Theory of mind; fMRI; Multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA)NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (Grant 0645960)NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (Grant 1122374)NSF CAREER award (Grant 095518)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1R01 MH096914-01A1)Packard Foundation (Grant 2008-333024

Study of the effect exerted by fructo-oligosaccharides from yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) root flour in an intestinal infection model with Salmonella Typhimurium

Beneficial effects of prebiotics like inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) have been proven in health and nutrition. Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), an Andean crop, contains FOS (50 – 70 % of its dry weight) and, therefore, is considered a prebiotic. Commercial FOS can up- regulate total secretory IgA (S-IgA) in infant mice, prevent infection with Salmonella in swine or enhance immune response for Salmonella vaccine in a mouse model. Previously, we found that administration of yacon root flour regulates gut microbiota balance and has immu- nomodulatory effects without inflammatory responses. The aim of the present paper is to analyse if yacon prevents enteric infection caused by a strain of Salmonella enteritidis serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in a mouse model. BALB/c mice were supplemented with yacon flour (45d), challenged with S. Typhimurium and killed to study pathogen translocation, total and specific IgA production by ELISA, presence of IgA and other cytokines and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and clustor of differentiation 206 (CD206) receptors positive cells by immunofluorescence and histological changes. Yacon flour administration had a protective effect from 15 to 30 d of treatment. We found a peak of total S-IgA production without translocation of the pathogen for these periods. At 30 d, there was an increase in IL-6 and macrophage inflammatory proteins-1aþ cells and expression of the receptors CD206 and TLR4. Yacon flour did not have incidence in pathogen-specific S-IgA production. Longer periods (45 d) of administration had no protective effect. Therefore, yacon can prevent enteric infection caused by S. Typhimurium when given up to 30 d; this effect would be mediated by enhancing non-specific immunity, such as total S-IgA, that improves the immunological intestinal barrier.Fil: Velez, Eva Maria del Mar. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Castillo, Natalia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Mesón, Oscar Enrique. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Grau, Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecológicas de las Yungas; ArgentinaFil: Bibas Bonet, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Perdigón, Gabriela del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Síntesis y caracterización de biovidrios de fosfato por el método pirólisis de aerosol en llama

Using the novel flame aerosol pyrolysis method (FSP), a calcium phosphate bioglass was synthesized for the first time in the P2O5-CaO-Na2O. The samples obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS), the latter serving to follow in-vitro biomineralization kinetics for 15 days in simulated body fluid (SBF). Using XRD, the amorphous nature of the bioglass was validated by exhibiting the whitlockite phase.The DRIFTS analysis revealed the characteristic bands of the phosphate groups in a range of about 500 to 1400 cm-1. Respectively, the evolution of the phosphate bands in the samples submerged in SBF indicate the formation of apatite, a process that followed a pseudo-first-order Lagergren kinetics.Empleando el novedoso método pirólisis de aerosol en llama (FSP) se sintetizó por primera vez un biovidrio de fosfato de calcio en el sistema P2O5-CaO-Na2O. Las muestras obtenidas se caracterizaron mediante difracción de rayos X (DRX) y espectroscopía infrarroja de reflectancia difusa  (DRIFTS), sirviendo esta última para seguir la cinética de biomineralización in-vitro durante 15 días en fluido corporal simulado (SBF). Mediante DRX se validó la naturaleza amorfa del biovidrio exhibiendo la fase whitlockita. El análisis DRIFTS reveló las bandas características de los grupos fosfatos en un rango de alrededor de los 500 a 1400 cm-1. Respectivamente, la evolución de las bandas de fosfatos en las muestras sumergidas en SBF indican la formación de apatita, proceso que siguió una cinética de pseudo- primer-orden de Lagergren. Using the novel flame aerosol pyrolysis method (FSP), a calcium phosphate bioglass was synthesized for the first time in the P2O5-CaO-Na2O. The samples obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS), the latter serving to follow in-vitro biomineralization kinetics for 15 days in simulated body fluid (SBF). Using XRD, the amorphous nature of the bioglass was validated by exhibiting the whitlockite phase.The DRIFTS analysis revealed the characteristic bands of the phosphate groups in a range of about 500 to 1400 cm-1. Respectively, the evolution of the phosphate bands in the samples submerged in SBF indicate the formation of apatite, a process that followed a pseudo-first-order Lagergren kinetics

Possibilities of rice husk ash to be used as reinforcing filler in polymer sector - a review

Este trabajo presenta una revisión de las rutas de obtención de sílice sintética, clasificadas como de tipo térmico (también conocido como pirogénico) y líquido, las cuales dan lugar a diferentes referencias con diversas propiedades dependiendo, no solo de las condiciones del proceso sino también de las características de la materia prima. Con base en lo anterior, se hace un símil con la ceniza cascarilla de arroz (CCA) obtenida a partir de la combustión de la cascarilla de arroz, y se resaltan las principales propiedades físico-químicas para su utilización como reforzante en el sector de polímeros. En este sentido, este trabajo muestra una amplia revisión de la composición química, área superficial, estructura molecular y tamaño de partículas de diferentes CCA encontradas en la literatura. Finalmente, se describe el desempeño mecánico de materiales termoplásticos y elastómeros reforzados con CCA reportados en la literatura y comparados con compuestos reforzados con algunas sílices comerciales. This work presents a literature review of the synthetic silica production pathways which are classified in thermal (also known as pyrogenic) and wet. They lead to different commercial references with different properties depending not only on the process conditions but also on the raw material characteristics. Based on the aforementioned, a simile is made with the rice husk ash (RHA) obtained from rice husk combustion, and its main physical-chemical properties required for its use in polymer sector are also shown. In this sense, this work shows a wide review of chemical composition, surface area, molecular structure (amorphous or crystalline) and particle size of different RHA found in literature. Finally, the mechanical performance of both thermoplastics and elastomers reinforced with RHA reported in literature is also described and compared with those composites reinforced with some commercial silica. &nbsp

Dónde están los impuestos

Los impuestos es un tema que ha ocasionado revoluciones como la de los Comuneros contra la Corona Española, en la actualidad en gran parte del mundo los impuestos revisten gran importancia ante los problemas ocasionados por el desarrollo de las naciones y los gastos para tratar de crecer desde lo económico y generar bienestar, unido a los retos de la Pandemia Covid 19 ya que los países necesitan ingresos para gastar en asistencia social e incluso empresarial. Este artículo se hizo mediante la revisión de artículos y revistas especializadas, consulta a expertos y libros relacionados con la tributación, entre las conclusiones se encontró que hay una percepción desde hace varias generaciones en cuanto a las contribuciones por la desconfianza ante el recaudo y destino final a los nacionales

Identification of inhibitors of the RGS homology domain of GRK2 by docking-based virtual screening

Aims: G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) are mainly involved in the desensitization of GPCRs. Among them, GRK2 has been described to be upregulated in many pathological conditions and its crucial role in cardiac hypertrophy, hypertension, and heart failure promoted the search for pharmacological inhibitors of its activity. There have been several reports of potent and selective inhibitors of GRK2, most of them directed to the kinase domain of the protein. However, the homologous to the regulator of G protein signaling (RH) domain of GRK2 has also been shown to regulate GPCRs signaling. Herein, we searched for potential inhibitors of receptor desensitization mediated by RH domain of GRK2. Materials and methods: We performed a docking-based virtual screening utilizing the crystal structure of GRK2 to search for potential inhibitors of the interaction between GRK2 and Gαq protein. To evaluate the biological activity of compounds we measured, calcium response of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) using Fura-2AM dye and H1R internalization by saturation binding experiments in A549 cells. GRK2(45–178)GFP translocation was determined in HeLa cells through confocal fluorescence imaging. Key findings: We identified inhibitors of GRK2 able to reduce the RH mediated desensitization of the histamine H1 receptor and GRK2 translocation to plasma membrane. Also candidates presented adequate lipophilia and cytotoxicity profile. Significance: We obtained compounds with the ability of reducing RH mediated actions of GRK2 that can be useful as a starting point in the development of novel drug candidates aimed to treat pathologies were GRK2 plays a key role.Fil: Echeverría, Emiliana Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; ArgentinaFil: Velez Rueda, Ana Julia. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cabrera, Maia Diana Eliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Laboratorio de Farmacologia Molecular.; ArgentinaFil: Juritz, Ezequiel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; Argentina. Universidad Andrés Bello; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Burghi, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; ArgentinaFil: Fabian, Lucas Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Davio, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; ArgentinaFil: Lorenzano Menna, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Laboratorio de Farmacologia Molecular.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Natalia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; Argentin

El Control interno como sistema de seguridad razonable de las empresas con base en la consecución de objetivos

El presente artículo es el resultado de una investigación de tipo analítico y descriptivo, en la que se llevó a cabo un amplio estudio del control interno, con el fin de precisar la contribución del mismo al logro de los objetivos y evitar los fraudes en las organizaciones teniendo en cuenta que Colombia hay un alto índice de corrupción