Does the participation of indigenous people in the legislative consultation process in Ecuador matter? Case study of Water Law

El presente artículo tiene por objeto analizar la consulta prelegislativa ecuatoriana como mecanismo de participación de los titulares de derechos colectivos, para lo cual estudia los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos, la jurisprudencia de la Corte IDH, la normativa interna ecuatoriana, así como la jurisprudencia constitucional. El trabajo toma como caso de estudio el proceso de aplicación de la consulta prelegislativa realizado por la Asamblea Nacional durante la aprobación de la L.O.R.H.U.A.A. (2014). El artículo además analiza cuantitativamente los datos de participación generados durante el proceso, con el propósito de comprobar si la opinión de los consultados fue tomada en cuenta a la hora de redactar la Ley.This paper focus in the analyses of Ecuadorian pre-legislative consultation like a mechanism of participation of Indigenous Peoples. The document studies the international legislation of Human Right, precedents of Interamerican Human Rights Court, and national legislation, and Constitutional Sentences. Our work take for the study case the Ecuadorian process of Pre-legislative Consultation in the project of Water of Law (2014). The paper makes a qualitative analysis of the participation data during the process with the objective to probe if the opinion of the people which were consulted were considered in the final legislative project

Research on an expert system for database operation of simulation-emulation math models. Volume 1, Phase 1: Results

The results of the first phase of Research on an Expert System for Database Operation of Simulation/Emulation Math Models, is described. Techniques from artificial intelligence (AI) were to bear on task domains of interest to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. One such domain is simulation of spacecraft attitude control systems. Two related software systems were developed to and delivered to NASA. One was a generic simulation model for spacecraft attitude control, written in FORTRAN. The second was an expert system which understands the usage of a class of spacecraft attitude control simulation software and can assist the user in running the software. This NASA Expert Simulation System (NESS), written in LISP, contains general knowledge about digital simulation, specific knowledge about the simulation software, and self knowledge

Research on an expert system for database operation of simulation-emulation math models. Volume 2, Phase 1: Results

A reference manual is provided for NESS, a simulation expert system. This manual gives user information regarding starting and operating NASA expert simulation system (NESS). This expert system provides an intelligent interface to a generic simulation program for spacecraft attitude control problems. A menu of the functions the system can perform is provided. Control repeated returns to this menu after executing each user request

Differential associations of APOE-epsilon 2 and APOE-epsilon 4 alleles with PET-measured amyloid-beta and tau deposition in older individuals without dementia

Purpose: To examine associations between the APOE-ε2 and APOE-ε4 alleles and core Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathological hallmarks as measured by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau PET in older individuals without dementia. Methods: We analyzed data from 462 ADNI participants without dementia who underwent Aβ ([18F]florbetapir or [18F]florbetaben) and tau ([18F]flortaucipir) PET, structural MRI, and cognitive testing. Employing APOE-ε3 homozygotes as the reference group, associations between APOE-ε2 and APOE-ε4 carriership with global Aβ PET and regional tau PET measures (entorhinal cortex (ERC), inferior temporal cortex, and Braak-V/VI neocortical composite regions) were investigated using linear regression models. In a subset of 156 participants, we also investigated associations between APOE genotype and regional tau accumulation over time using linear mixed models. Finally, we assessed whether Aβ mediated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between APOE genotype and tau. Results: Compared to APOE-ε3 homozygotes, APOE-ε2 carriers had lower global Aβ burden (βstd [95% confidence interval (CI)]: − 0.31 [− 0.45, − 0.16], p = 0.034) but did not differ on regional tau burden or tau accumulation over time. APOE-ε4 participants showed higher Aβ (βstd [95%CI]: 0.64 [0.42, 0.82], p < 0.001) and tau burden (βstd range: 0.27-0.51, all p < 0.006). In mediation analyses, APOE-ε4 only retained an Aβ-independent effect on tau in the ERC. APOE-ε4 showed a trend towards increased tau accumulation over time in Braak-V/VI compared to APOE-ε3 homozygotes (βstd [95%CI]: 0.10 [− 0.02, 0.18], p = 0.11), and this association was fully mediated by baseline Aβ. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the established protective effect of the APOE-ε2 allele against developing clinical AD is primarily linked to resistance against Aβ deposition rather than tau pathology

Synapse-Associated Expression of an Acetylcholine Receptor-Inducing Protein, ARIA/Heregulin, and Its Putative Receptors, ErbB2 and ErbB3, in Developing Mammalian Muscle

AbstractDeveloping motor axons induce synaptic specializations in muscle fibers, including preferential transcription of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subunit genes by subsynaptic nuclei. One candidate nerve-derived signaling molecule is AChR-inducing activity (ARIA)/heregulin, a ligand of the erbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Here, we asked whether ARIA and erbB kinases are expressed in patterns compatible with their proposed signaling roles. In developing muscle, ARIA was present not only at synaptic sites, but also in extrasynaptic regions of the muscle fiber. ARIA was synthesized, rather than merely taken up, by muscle cells, as indicated by the presence of ARIA mRNA in muscle and of ARIA protein in a clonal muscle cell line. ARIA-responsive myotubes expressed both erbB2 and erbB3, but little EGFR/erbB1 or erbB4. In adults, erbB2 and erbB3 were localized to the postsynaptic membrane. ErbB3 was restricted to the postsynaptic membrane perinatally, at a time when ARIA was still broadly distributed. Thus, our data are consistent with a model in which ARIA interacts with erbB kinases on the muscle cell surface to provide a local signal that induces synaptic expression of AChR genes. However, much of the ARIA is produced by muscle, not nerve, and the spatially restricted response may result from the localization of erbB kinases as well as of ARIA. Finally, we show that erbB3 is not concentrated at synaptic sites in mutant mice that lack rapsyn, a cytoskeletal protein required for AChR clustering, suggesting that pathways for synaptic AChR expression and clustering interact

Enhancement of the intrinsic fluorescence of ZIF-8 via post-synthetic cation exchange with Cd2+ and its incorporation into PDMS films for selective sulfide optical sensing

In this study, ZIF-8 MOF nanocrystals were synthesized and post-synthetically modified by applying different cation exchange strategies. Addition of cadmium nitrate in either methanol or DMF followed by either magnetic stirring or gentle heating led to the incorporation of a small amount of Cd (II) ions into the crystal structure in most cases, as clearly demonstrated by several characterization techniques including PXRD, SEM-EDS and FT-IR. This novel doped material exhibits a high fluorescence with the maximum emission wavelength at 444 nm upon excitation at 380 nm, which allows its use as an effective optical sensor. The sensing capability of the Cd-doped ZIF-8 material was demonstrated by its exposure to sulfide ions in aqueous solution. The fluorescence of the doped material was gradually quenched as the concentration of S2− was increased. Sensing devices based on mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated by using poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) as a hosting matrix for the Cd-doped ZIF-8 crystals, giving rise to fluorescent sensing films with fast and selective responses against a broad number of potential interferents

Escala de evaluación funcional de extremidades superiores en niños con distrofia muscular de Duchenne y Atrofia músculo espinal

ResumenIntroducciónLa distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) y la Atrofia músculo espinal (AME) determinan discapacidad y compromiso funcional progresivo. Se requiere de instrumentos fácilmente disponibles, que evalúen la funcionalidad, especialmente en etapas avanzadas de la enfermedad, para monitorizar evolución e impacto de intervenciones terapéuticas.ObjetivoReportar el desarrollo de escala para evaluar la función de las extremidades superiores (EESS) en pacientes con DMD y AME, y describir su proceso de validación que incluye autoentrenamiento para evaluadores.Pacientes y métodoEl desarrollo de la escala incluyó revisión de escalas publicadas, aplicación exploratoria de escala inicial en niños sanos y con DMD, autoentrenamiento de evaluadores en aplicación de escala definitiva utilizando manual y vídeo tutorial y aplicación de escala en grupo de niños con DMD y AME. Se evaluó confiabilidad con coeficiente de Cronbach y de Kendall y concordancia con test-retest intra e inter-evaluadores, y validez con análisis de concordancia y factorial.ResultadosSe observó alto grado de confiabilidad, con alta consistencia interna (α de Cronbach=0,97) y concordancia interevaluadores (W de Kendall=0,96) e intraevaluadores (r=0,97 a 0,99). La validez se demostró por la inexistencia de diferencias significativas entre resultados de distintos evaluadores con evaluador experto (F=0,023, p>0,5) y análisis factorial, que mostró que 4 factores explican el 85,44% de varianza total.ConclusionesEsta escala de evaluación es un instrumento confiable y válido para evaluar la funcionalidad de EESS en niños con DMD y AME. Además, es de fácil implementación por la posibilidad de autoentrenamiento y el uso de materiales simples y de bajo costo.AbstractIntroductionDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) causes significant disability and progressive functional impairment. Readily available instruments that assess functionality, especially in advanced stages of the disease, are required to monitor the progress of the disease and the impact of therapeutic interventions.ObjectiveTo describe the development of a scale to evaluate upper limb function (UL) in patients with DMD and SMA, and describe its validation process, which includes self-training for evaluators.Patients and methodThe development of the scale included a review of published scales, an exploratory application of a pilot scale in healthy children and those with DMD, self-training of evaluators in applying the scale using a handbook and video tutorial, and assessment of a group of children with DMD and SMA using the final scale. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach and Kendall concordance and with intra and inter-rater test-retest, and validity with concordance and factorial analysis.ResultsA high level of reliability was observed, with high internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.97), and inter-rater (Kendall W=0.96) and intra-rater concordance (r=0.97 to 0.99). The validity was demonstrated by the absence of significant differences between results by different evaluators with an expert evaluator (F=0.023, P>.5), and by the factor analysis that showed that four factors account for 85.44% of total variance.ConclusionsThis scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing UL functionality in children with DMD and SMA. It is also easily implementable due to the possibility of self-training and the use of simple and inexpensive materials

Development of 3D-Printed Orthopedic Insoles for Patients with Diabetes and Evaluation with Electronic Pressure Sensors

"The correct distribution of loads on foot, known as plantar pressures, is a relevant parameter for evaluating the evolution of some diseases. Anomalies can lead to pain and discomfort in other body parts. Diabetes changes foot tissues and compromises biomechanics, resulting in ulcers and, eventually, amputation. Customized insoles allow the redistribution of plantar pressures and are a complementary strategy to diabetes management. Nowadays, scanning and 3D printing technology can generate faster and more accurate customized insoles opening new opportunities for local medical device development. This study reports the development of 3D-printed insoles using two polymers, thermoplastic polyether-polyurethane and thermoplastic polyurethane polyester-based polymer, and the evaluation of plantar pressure distribution in walk trials using a clinical protocol and low-cost electronic system. The two 3D-printed insoles performed as well as a standard insole. No significant difference was found in average peak pressure distribution. The digital manufacturing workflow of customized insoles can be implemented in middle-income countries. Three-dimensionally printed insoles have the potential for diabetes management, and further material evaluations are needed before using them in health facilities.

Development of 3D-Printed Orthopedic Insoles for Patients with Diabetes and Evaluation with Electronic Pressure Sensors

"The correct distribution of loads on foot, known as plantar pressures, is a relevant parameter for evaluating the evolution of some diseases. Anomalies can lead to pain and discomfort in other body parts. Diabetes changes foot tissues and compromises biomechanics, resulting in ulcers and, eventually, amputation. Customized insoles allow the redistribution of plantar pressures and are a complementary strategy to diabetes management. Nowadays, scanning and 3D printing technology can generate faster and more accurate customized insoles opening new opportunities for local medical device development. This study reports the development of 3D-printed insoles using two polymers, thermoplastic polyether-polyurethane and thermoplastic polyurethane polyester-based polymer, and the evaluation of plantar pressure distribution in walk trials using a clinical protocol and low-cost electronic system. The two 3D-printed insoles performed as well as a standard insole. No significant difference was found in average peak pressure distribution. The digital manufacturing workflow of customized insoles can be implemented in middle-income countries. Three-dimensionally printed insoles have the potential for diabetes management, and further material evaluations are needed before using them in health facilities.