Quantum Applications In Political Science

Undergraduate Research ScholarshipThis paper will show the current state of quantum computation and its application as a political science research method. It will look at contemporary empirical literature to assess the current state of the method in both political science and computer science. Then, by assessing the state of quantum computation, this paper will make predictions concerning quantum computation as a research tool and also assess its capability as a catalyst for international diplomacy and discourse. Quantum computation is an emerging technology with increasing scientific attention. This paper will use IBM’s quantum computer, accessed through the cloud, to model and execute quantum algorithms that show the utility for political science research. Furthermore, through the base mathematics of common quantum algorithms, this paper will show how these algorithms can be expanded. This paper finds that quantum computation is a valuable tool with remarkable potential. However, quantum computing has its limitations and currently resides in an important juncture that will decide whether technology involving it will be resigned as a niche theoretical tool or be continued to be developed into a mainstream technology.No embargoAcademic Major: World Politic

ACTN3R577X polymorphism and long-term survival in patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown the occurrence of actinin-3 deficiency in the presence of the R577X polymorphism in the ACTN3 gene. Our hypothesis is that this deficiency, by interfering with the function of skeletal muscle fiber, can result in a worse prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted from 2002 to 2004. The eligibility criteria included diagnosis of chronic heart failure stage C from different etiologies. We excluded all patients with concomitant disease that could be related to poor prognosis. ACTN3 rs1815739 (R577X) polymorphism was detected by high resolution melting analysis. Survival curves were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated with the log-rank statistic. The relationship between the baseline variables and the composite end-point of all-cause death was assessed using a Cox proportional hazards survival model. Results A total of 463 patients were included in this study. The frequency of the ACTN3 577X variant allele was 39.0%. The LVEF mean was 45.6 ± 18.7% and the most common etiology of this study was hypertensive. After a follow-up of five years, 239 (51.6%) patients met the pre-defined endpoint. Survival curves showed higher mortality in patients carrying RX or XX genotypes compared with patients carrying RR genotype (p = 0.01). Conclusion R577X polymorphism in the ACTN3 gene was independently associated with worse survival in patients with chronic heart failure. Further studies are necessary to ensure its use as a marker of prognosis for this syndrome

O TELETRABALHO E OS DESAFIOS NA PANDEMIA DE CIVID-19

O presente trabalho científico tem como escopo analisar o instituto do teletrabalho, examinando suas características e definições, diferenciando-o dos demais regimes de trabalho, bem como observar suas vantagens e desvantagens e, por fim, averiguar quais os impactos da pandemia nesse instituto. O referido trabalho se justifica por fornecer uma base teórica para demonstrar a importância do teletrabalho, solucionar problemas ocasionados pela falta de especificidade do legislador. Na legislação de teletrabalho notou-se que se encontram diversas lacunas na lei - o que acaba por gerar uma instabilidade jurídica, sendo necessário regulamentar essas omissões a fim de evitar eventuais violações aos direitos dos trabalhadores, bem como garantir a segurança jurídica nas relações de trabalho. Por ser um instituto recente no ordenamento brasileiro, o teletrabalho ainda tem muito a ser melhorado, sendo necessário regulamentar essas omissões a fim de evitar eventuais violações aos direitos dos trabalhadores. Para realização do presente trabalho se utilizará o método hipotético-dedutivo, com a análise de artigos científicos, obras doutrinárias físicas e eletrônicas nacionais e internacionais, pesquisa teórica documental através de jurisprudências

Pharmaceutical Care Increases Time in Therapeutic Range of Patients With Poor Quality of Anticoagulation With Warfarin

Thromboembolic events are associated with high mortality and morbidity indexes. In this context, warfarin is the most widely prescribed oral anticoagulant agent for preventing and treating these events. This medication has a narrow therapeutic range and, consequently, patients usually have difficulty in achieving and maintaining stable target therapeutics. Some studies on the literature about oral anticoagulant management showed that pharmacists could improve the efficiency of anticoagulant therapy. However, the majority of these studies included general patients retrospectively. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate a pharmacist’s warfarin management in patients with poor quality of anticoagulation therapy (Time in the Therapeutic Range- TTR < 50%). We included 268 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and without stable dose of warfarin (TTR < 50%, based on the last three values of International Normalized Ratio-INR). We followed them up for 12 weeks, INR values were evaluated and, when necessary, the dose adjustments were performed. During the first four visits, patient’s INR was measured every 7 days. Then, if INR was within the target therapeutic range (INR: 2–3), the patient was asked to return in 30 days. However, if INR was out the therapeutic target, the patient was asked to return in 7 days. Adherence evaluation was measured through questionnaires and by counting the pills taken. Comparison between basal TTR (which was calculated based on the three last INR values before prospective phase) and TTR of 4 weeks (calculated by considering the INR tests from visits 0 to 4, in the prospective phase of the study) and basal TTR and TTR of 12 weeks (calculated based on the INR tests from visits 0 to 12, in the prospective phase of the study) revealed significant statistical differences (0.144 ± 0.010 vs. 0.382 ± 0.016; and 0.144 ± 0.010 vs. 0.543 ± 0.014, p < 0.001, respectively). We also observed that the mean TTR of 1 year before (retrospective phase) was lower than TTR value after 12 weeks of pharmacist-driven treatment (prospective phase) (0.320 ± 0.015; 0.540 ± 0.015, p < 0.001). In conclusion, pharmaceutical care was able to improve TTR values in patients with AF and poor quality of anticoagulation with warfarin

Quality of life scores differs between genotypic groups of patients with suspected hereditary hemochromatosis

Background: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) encompasses a group of autosomal recessive disorders mainly characterized by enhanced intestinal absorption of iron and its accumulation in parenchymal organs. HH diagnosis is based on iron biochemical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment, and genetic testing. Questionnaires, such as SF-36 (short form health survey), have been increasingly used to assess the impact of diseases on the patient's quality of life (QL). In addition, different genotypes are identified as results of genetic tests in patients with suspected primary iron overload. In the present study, our aim was to evaluate whether domains of QL are different according to genotypic groups in patients suspected of HH. Methods: Seventy-nine patients with primary iron overload were included and two genotypic groups were formed (group 1: homozygous genotype for the HFE p.Cys282Tyr mutationgroup 2: other genotypes). Results: Group 1 had higher means of plasma transferrin saturation (86 +/- 19%) and serum ferritin (1669 +/- 1209 ng/mL) compared to group 2 (71 +/- 12%, 1252 +/- 750 ng/mL, respectivelyp = 0.001). Four domains were significantly different among groups 1 and 2: physical functioning (p = 0.03), bodily pain (p = 0.03), vitality (p = 0.02) and social functioning (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Our main finding was that patients with p. Cys282Tyr homozygosity had a worse QL scenario assessed by SF-36, compared with patients with iron overload without the same genotype. Being aware of this relationship between genotypes and QL might be helpful in the overall management of patients suspected of hereditary hemochromatosis.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) [2013/09295-3]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil [2013/20614-3]Univ Sao Paulo, Heart Inst InCor, Lab Genet & Mol Cardiol, Med Sch, Av Doutor Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar 44, BR-05403900 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilSanta Casa Med Sch, Hematol & Hemotherapy Sect, Sao Paulo, BrazilAcad Ciencia & Tecnol, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, BrazilFundacao Pro Sangue, Hemoctr Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Med Sch, Hosp Clin, Hematol Serv, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Med Sch, Hosp Clin, Hematol & Hemotherapy Discipline, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Rennes, Pontchaillou Univ Hosp, Liver Dis Unit, Rennes, FranceNatl Reference Ctr Rare Iron Overload Dis Genet O, Rennes, FranceUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pharmacol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pharmacol, Sao Paulo, BrazilCAPES: 2013/09295-3FAPESP: 2013/20614-3Web of Scienc

Non-HFE hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive disorder classically related to HFE mutations. However, since 1996, it is known that HFE mutations explain about 80% of HH cases, with the remaining around 20% denominated non-HFE hemochromatosis. Nowadays, four main genes are implicated in the pathophysiology of clinical syndromes classified as non-HFE hemochromatosis: hemojuvelin (HJV, type 2Ajuvenile HH), hepcidin (HAMP, type 2B juvenile HH), transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2, type 3 HH) and ferroportin (SLC40A1, type 4 HH). The aim of this review is to explore molecular, clinical and management aspects of non-HFE hemochromatosis

The Fourteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) has been in operation since July 2014. This paper describes the second data release from this phase, and the fourteenth from SDSS overall (making this, Data Release Fourteen or DR14). This release makes public data taken by SDSS-IV in its first two years of operation (July 2014-2016). Like all previous SDSS releases, DR14 is cumulative, including the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since the first phase began operations in 2000. New in DR14 is the first public release of data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS); the first data from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2), including stellar parameter estimates from an innovative data driven machine learning algorithm known as "The Cannon"; and almost twice as many data cubes from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) survey as were in the previous release (N = 2812 in total). This paper describes the location and format of the publicly available data from SDSS-IV surveys. We provide references to the important technical papers describing how these data have been taken (both targeting and observation details) and processed for scientific use. The SDSS website (www.sdss.org) has been updated for this release, and provides links to data downloads, as well as tutorials and examples of data use. SDSS-IV is planning to continue to collect astronomical data until 2020, and will be followed by SDSS-V.Comment: SDSS-IV collaboration alphabetical author data release paper. DR14 happened on 31st July 2017. 19 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by ApJS on 28th Nov 2017 (this is the "post-print" and "post-proofs" version; minor corrections only from v1, and most of errors found in proofs corrected

Evaluation of the nicotine metabolite ratio in smoking patients treated with varenicline and bupropion

Background: Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. It is responsible for several types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diseases of the reproductive system, among others. Therefore, advances in research are increasingly necessary in order to make smoking cessation treatment more effective. Some studies have investigated the association of the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) with general characteristics and treatment outcomes. In the present study, the main aim was to evaluate the NMR in smoking patients from an Assistance Program of a tertiary cardiology hospital.Methodology: Serum samples were collected from 185 patients at T0 (while patients were still smoking and before starting pharmacological treatment). Cotinine and hydroxycotinine analytes were measured using liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). By looking at the relationship between hydroxycotinine and cotinine, we can obtain the NMR, with which it is possible to classify patients into slow metabolizers (NMR < 0.31), as well as normal or fast metabolizers (NMR ≥ 0.31).Results: From 185 patients, 55 were considered slow metabolizers and 130 as normal/fast. The metabolite averages were associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day (p < 0.001 for cotinine and 0.023 hydroxycotinine). However, we were unable to analyze the association of the NMR with general and clinical characteristics of patients under smoking cessation treatment.Conclusion: We were able to evaluate the NMR, and to observe categories of metabolizers in Brazilian patients under pharmacological treatments. Thus, this study can contribute to the indication of a form of analysis, which might form part of the customization of smoking cessation treatments and, consequently, improve the success rates

Effects of aging on the effectiveness of smoking cessation medication

Background: Considering the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects of different medications, it is plausible that the age of a smoker could affect the half-life of these drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of smoking cessation drugs (nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline) used either in isolation or in combination in adults under and over 60 years of age. Methods: Data were collected from 940 Brazilian patients participating in a smoking cessation program. Participants were prescribed smoking cessation medication to be used for at least 12 weeks and were followed for 52 weeks. Results: Cessation rates were significantly different among younger and older participants who were using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) alone. Being over 60 years of age was significantly associated with increased cessation success among those who used NRT alone (OR 2.34, 95% CI: 1.36 to 4.04, p = 0.002). The effectiveness of varenicline and bupropion were not significantly different according to age groups. Conclusion: Using age as a predictor for tailoring smoking cessation drugs might potentially lead to a more individualized prescription of smoking cessation therapy. These results should be tested in randomized controlled trials