A collaboratively derived environmental research agenda for Galapagos

Galápagos is one of the most pristine archipelagos in the world and its conservation relies upon research and sensible management. In recent decades both the interest in, and the needs of, the islands have increased, yet the funds and capacity for necessary research have remained limited. It has become, therefore, increasingly important to identify areas of priority research to assist decision-making in Galápagos conservation. This study identified 50 questions considered priorities for future research and management. The exercise involved the collaboration of policy makers, practitioners and researchers from more than 30 different organisations. Initially, 360 people were consulted to generate 781 questions. An established process of preworkshop voting and three rounds to reduce and reword the questions, followed by a two-day workshop, was used to produce the final 50 questions. The most common issues raised by this list of questions were human population growth, climate change and the impact of invasive alien species. These results have already been used by a range of organisations and politicians and are expected to provide the basis for future research on the islands so that its sustainability may be enhanced. </jats:p

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

The hydrogen, an energy solution

RESUMEN: El consumo creciente de energía como consecuencia del desarrollo tecnológico y del aumento demográfico de los países, así como el incremento de los problemas de contaminación ambiental a causa del empleo de combustibles fósiles en la generación de energía eléctrica ha atraído el interés de la ciencia hacia el aprovechamiento de las fuentes de energía renovables. El hidrógeno es una de estas fuentes que tiene grandes ventajas ambientales. Es un elemento abundante en la naturaleza, constituyente del agua, en forma molecular es un gas ligero y puede servir como almacén energético, se produce por electrólisis del agua mediante los excedentes energéticos diurnos o el empleo de la energía solar o eólica y posteriormente se puede liberar la energía almacenada por cualquier sistema de combustión o con el empleo de las celdas de combustible en las que se transforma directamente la energía química almacenada en el enlace H-H de la molécula H2, en energía eléctrica y vapor de agua

Teaching Plant for Instrumentation and Control

En el presente documento se describe el desarrollo de un sistema, el cual permite el control de las variables físicas humedad, temperatura, y monitoreo del CO2, con el fin de realizar diferentes practicas demostrativas que permitan fortalecer los conocimientos en el área de control e instrumentación. Para esto utilizaremos un PLC Wecon que será el maestro de una red MODBUS por donde se trasmitirán los datos relacionados con la humedad, temperatura y CO2, el PLC también estará encargado de controlar la temperatura y la humedad mediante un PID y un control ON/OFF; a su vez, como complemento, se utilizaran un PC y un Arduino que serán los esclavos de la red MODBUS, los cuales permitirán modificar los datos del control y monitorear las variables físicas ya mencionadas, además se utilizara una tarjeta PSOC que permitirá la adquisición de la temperatura y la humedad para que el PLC pueda procesarlos. Como resultado se obtuvo un dispositivo capaz de controlar las variables físicas temperatura, humedad y el monitoreo del CO2, mediante una visualización local (PC, LCD, Teclado) y remota (Aplicación Android).In this paper we describe the development of a system, which allows the control of the physical variables humidity, temperature, and monitoring of CO2, in order to carry out different demonstrative practices that allow to strengthen the knowledge in the area of Control and instrumentation. For the use of a PLC, the PLC is also in charge of controlling the temperature and humidity through a PID and an on / off control; In turn, as a complement, the use of a PC and an Arduino that serve the slaves of the MODBUS red, which allow to modify the data of the control and to monitor the physical variables and those mentioned, also use a PSOC card that allow the Acquisition of temperature and humidity so that the PLC can process them. As a result, a device capable of controlling the physical variables of temperature, humidity and CO2 monitoring was obtained through local (PC, LCD, Keyboard) and remote (Android Application) visualization

Distribución espacial de Varroa SP oudemans (Acari: Varroidae), ectoparásito de apis mellifera l. (Hymenoptera: apidea), en el periodo 2012 - 2015 en Panamá

Fue determinada la distribución espacial de Varroa sp Oudemans, ectoparásito de Apis mellifera L., en el periodo 2012-2015 en Panamá. Los análisis fueron realizados a partir de informaciones colectadas por el Programa Nacional de Sanidad Apícola (MIDA). Las técnicas de muestreo y de estimación de las tasas de infección de las abejas fueron realizadas siguiendo las indicaciones de Dietemann et al. (2013) y Lee et al. (2010), respectivamente. Los resultados demostraron una amplia dispersión de la varroosis en todos los corregimientos indicados por el censo agropecuario con la presencia de apiarios. El mayor foco de la varroosis se registró en las provincias centrales y su dispersión se ha dado hacia las regiones Norte y Este del país. Las regiones Oriental y Occidental del país también han sido afectadas, pero en menor grado

Equipate Entrepreneurship as a solution to furniture access in rural areas.

En las zonas rurales de Cundinamarca, la falta de acceso a equipos de mobiliario de calidad presenta una oportunidad única para iniciar proyectos que atiendan las necesidades y preferencias específicas de la población local. Casi la mitad (49%) de los residentes rurales encuentran dificultades para adquirir electrodomésticos y muebles debido a la oferta limitada y los costos exorbitantes. En consecuencia, este segmento desfavorecido de la población lucha por mejorar sus condiciones de vida. Como respuesta a este problema apremiante, presentamos una iniciativa innovadora: una tienda virtual o plataforma de comercio electrónico destinada a proporcionar una amplia gama de productos de muebles asequibles y de primera categoría. Este emprendimiento busca hacer más cómodo el proceso de compra de los habitantes rurales, ofreciéndoles artículos de alta calidad. Además, estarán disponibles servicios adicionales como entregas a domicilio e instalación gratuita para garantizar la máxima satisfacción del cliente. Nuestra misión se extiende más allá de la simple ganancia comercial; se trata de crear equidad y asegurar que cada individuo en este segmento de la población pueda amueblar sus hogares con dignidad dentro de sus limitaciones presupuestarias. Al cumplir con sus requisitos de mobiliario, aspiramos a elevar su calidad de vida y mejorar su bienestar general.Altiplano cundiboyacense.In rural areas of Cundinamarca, the lack of access to quality furniture equipment presents a unique opportunity to initiate projects that cater to the specific needs and preferences of the local population. Nearly half (49%) of the rural residents encounter difficulties in acquiring household appliances and furniture due to limited supply and exorbitant costs. Consequently, this deprived segment of the population struggles to enhance their living conditions. As a response to this pressing issue, we introduce a groundbreaking initiative: a virtual store or e-commerce platform aimed at providing a diverse range of affordable and top-notch furniture products. This venture seeks to make the purchasing process convenient for rural inhabitants while offering them high-quality items. Moreover, additional services like home deliveries and free installation will be available to ensure utmost customer satisfaction. Our mission extends beyond just commercial gain; it's about creating equity and ensuring that every individual in this population segment can furnish their homes with dignity within their budgetary constraints. By meeting their furniture requirements, we aspire to uplift their quality of life and enhance their overall well-being.Magíster en Administración de EmpresasMaestrí

Acute evening high-intensity interval training may attenuate the detrimental effects of sleep restriction on long-term declarative memory

Recent evidence shows that a nap and acute exercise synergistically enhanced memory. Additionally, human-based cross-sectional studies and animal experiments suggest that physical exercise may mitigate the cognitive impairments of poor sleep quality and sleep restriction, respectively. We evaluated whether acute exercise may offset sleep restriction’s impairment of long-term declarative memory compared to average sleep alone. A total of 92 (82% females) healthy young adults (24.6 ±4.2 years) were randomly allocated to one of four evening groups: sleep restriction only (S5, 5-6 hours/night), average sleep only (S8, 8-9 hours/night), high-intensity interval training (HIIT) before restricted sleep (HIITS5) or HIIT before average sleep (HIITS8). Groups either followed a 15-minute remote HIIT video or rest period in the evening (7:00 p.m.) prior to encoding 80 face-name pairs. Participants completed an immediate retrieval task the same evening and a delayed retrieval task the next morning, after their respective sleep opportunities (documented subjectively). Long-term declarative memory performance was assessed with the discriminability index (d') during the recall tasks. We found that the d' of S8 (0.58 ±1.37) was not significantly different from those of HIITS5 (-0.03 ±1.64, p = 0.176) and HIITS8 (-0.20 ±1.28, p = 0.092), except the S5 (-0.35 ±1.64, p = 0.038) at the delayed retrieval. Similarly, the d' of HIITS5 was not significantly different from those of HIITS8 (p = 0.716) and S5 (p = 0.469). These results suggest that the acute evening HIIT partially reduced the detrimental effects of partial sleep restriction on long-term declarative memory

Frequency of <i>Candida</i> spp. in the Oral Cavity of Asymptomatic Preschool Mexican Children and Its Association with Nutritional Status

Malnutrition is a public health problem in developing countries, affecting the child population, which favors the appearance of infections such as oral candidiasis. In Mexico, information on the presence of oral colonization by Candida spp. in asymptomatic children is scarce. The present study aimed to determine the presence of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of asymptomatic preschool Mexican children and its association with their nutritional status. A sample of oral mucosa was obtained using a sterile swab and then inoculated in Sabouraud dextrose agar with antibiotics, and the yeast growth was phenotypically identified. The anthropometric profile of children was performed based on the guidelines of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. In addition, eating habits were investigated. The possible associations between the variables were determined through the chi-square test (IC95%, p Candida was isolated, and the identified species were C. albicans (87.8%), C. glabrata (11.5%), C. krusei (5.8%) and C. parapsilosis (1.9%). The frequency of colonization was greater in males of six years (69.23%). There was no significant association between the colonization by Candida spp. and the nutritional status; however, a relation was observed with a high intake of simple carbohydrates