Título del artículo:

Simulation of inference test performance for minimum inhibitory concentration censored data

The estimation of the minimum inhibitory concentration is usually performed by a method of serial dilutions by a factor of 2, introducing the overestimation of antimicrobial efficacy, quantified by a simulation model that shows that the variability of the bias is higher for the standard deviation, being dependent on the metric distance to the values of the concentrations used. We use a methodological approach through modeling and simulation for the measurement error of physical variables with censored information, proposing a new inference method based on the calculation of the exact probability for the set of possible samples from n measurements that allows quantifying the p-value in one or two independent sample tests for the comparison of censored data means. Tests based on exact probability methods offer a reasonable solution for small sample sizes, with statistical power varying according to the hypothesis evaluated, providing insight into the limitations of censored data analysis and providing a tool for decision making in the diagnosis of antimicrobial efficacy.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Editorial: Maternal-Perinatal Risk and Children-Adolescent Health

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Frontiers in Public Health

Título del artículo:

Cell lysis analysis for respiratory viruses through simulation modeling

An ordinary system of differential equations leading to a simulation model is propose as methodological approach to analysis the incidence of infectious-contagious diseases, in this case using SARS-CoV-2 virus as pathogenic model. The dynamics of the model are drive by the interaction between susceptible cells contemplating respiratory epithelial cells and viral infection mediated by two types of lysis response. To perform the simulations, values of some variables and parameters were selected from referenced sources, considering that previous reports suggested that the viral load in the lower respiratory tract might reach its peak in the second week after the beginning of disease symptoms. The scenarios described in the simulations evidence the performance of the cell lysis response from susceptible cells that have been infected. The recommend model shows that an excess response from both the original virus and the mutated virus leads to an increase in the approximate time to control viral infection within the organism.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Mathematical modelling of binge drinking from social interactions

Binge drinking is a multi-factorial problem where peer influence in the immediate environment has a key role in the appearance of the first episode and the recurrence. However, information regarding the interaction of variables that mediate the influence among people is limited. Binge drinking pattern is generally derived from interrelationships with other drinking states in a manner analogous to the susceptible-infectious relationship. Nevertheless, the classic modelling approach is not appropriate because the periodicity of consumption is associated with specific social contexts where social drinkers adopt binge drinking. We analyse the temporal evolution of binge drinkers, formulating a discrete mathematical model that incorporates the effect of the size of the influence group, the incitement-to-use and the refractoriness to recurrence as parameters. Our results allow evaluating the potential impact of interventions according to the individual and social characteristics of the susceptible population. New horizons of epidemiological research are established to prevent alcoholism.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Difference Equations and Applications

Título del artículo:

Tourism and agriculture: a logical relationship from the conception of gastronomy

The present work contains partial results of an investigation on the proposal of a tourist and gastronomic route in Santander, Colombia. The research focused on analyzing the link between tourism and agriculture as a factor that could generate a positive influence on the sustainability of the countryside, on the development of agricultural and tourist production in Santander. From the methodological point of view, it is a non-experimental investigation, based on the direct observation of reality, coupled with the analysis of descriptive aspects from a set of semi-structured interviews carried out with farmers in the area under study. The study emphasized on showing that this relationship could be possible from the application of some of the modalities of rural, community, gastronomic or agri-food tourism, where the concept of gastronomy integrates all the actors that are part of the processes of production, transformation and consumption of food produced in the field. From this proposal, it was possible to observe that there is a close relationship between tourism and agriculture, which allows us to think of a gastronomic rural tourism that has as its purpose, to generate sustainable alternatives for economic and social development in rural areas. The main conclusions underline the trend observed worldwide, in which gastronomy is incorporated as a fundamental part of the tourism-agriculture relationship, to find mechanisms that promote tourism activity while strengthening the rural economy and contributing to the maintenance of agricultural spaces rural as places of recreation, leisure and agricultural production. Thus, they can manage sustainable tourism projects where food is part of the tourist attraction, managed by the community itself. In addition to providing the peasant with other means of subsistence complementary to their agricultural work, which at the same time constitute a recognition of the valuable contribution they make to the gastronomic process of the locality and adapt to the needs of the current tourist.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Agroalimentaria

Título del artículo:

Post pancreaticoduodenectomy complications of periampullary tumors in a hepatopancreatobiliary surgery unit

Introduction: Periampullary tumors are defined as lesions that are located in a radius of 2 centimeters around the ampulla of Vater, constituted by 4 types of neoplasms with a high rate of malignancy originated in the pancreas, ampulla, distal bile duct or duodenum. Surgical management through the pancreatoduode-nectomy remains the best choice in terms of curative resection. Objetive: To characterize periampullary tumors treated in our institution with pancreatoduodenectomy, associating the relationship between tumor type and postoperative complications. Material and Method: Cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study with a follow-up of 45 patients underwent pancreatoduodenectomy in the Hospital Internacional de Colombia-Fundación Cardiovascular between January 2011 and March 2020 with histopathological diagnosis of periampullary tumor. Results: Were performed 75 pancreatoduodenectomies, 45 patients presented with Periampullary tumor, 44% being of pancreatic origin, followed by ampulla 40%, distal bile duct 8.8% and duodenal 6.6%. Most frequent postoperative complications were pancreatic fistula and delayed gastric emptying. Mortality was of 1 patient. Conclusion: Pancreatoduodenectomy is a procedure with a high morbidity rate. Thanks to technological advances, the diagnosis of periampullary pathology is increasingly accurate. The type of periampullary tumor may influence not only in its prognosis, but also in its post-surgical morbidity.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista de Cirugia

Título del artículo:

Insulin Resistance Markers to Detect Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Male Hispanic Population

Background. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease and is closely associated with cardiometabolic disorders, being insulin resistance (IR) the common pathogenic mechanism. The triglycerides/glucose (TyG) index and triglycerides/HDL-c (TG/HDL) ratio are markers correlated with IR. We compared the capacity of these two indexes, alongside IR, to detect NAFLD. Methods. In a cross-sectional cohort study, we examined 263 active military personnel from the Colombian Air Force, aged between 29 and 54 years. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical determinations (glycemia, lipid profile, and insulin) were obtained, and ultrasound studies were performed to evaluate the presence of NAFLD. HOMA-IR index was calculated as (fasting insulin (μIU/mL) × fasting glucose (mmol/L)/22.5), the TyG index as Ln (triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2), and the TG/HDL ratio as (triglycerides (mg/dL)/HDL-c (mg/dL)). Results. NAFLD ultrasound criteria were met in 70 individuals (26.6%). Subjects with NAFLD had significantly higher values of HOMA-IR (2.55 ± 1.36 vs. 1.51 ± 0.91), TyG (9.17 ± 0.53 vs. 8.7 ± 0.51), and TG/HDL (6.6 ± 4.54 vs. 3.52 ± 2.32) compared to those without NAFLD p<0.001. A TyG cutoff point of 8.92 showed an AUC of 0.731, while cutoff points of 3.83 for TG/HDL and 1.68 for HOMA-IR showed an AUC of 0.766 and 0.781, respectively. Conclusion. Our study shows that novel and lower-cost markers of IR are useful for detecting NALFD, with a performance comparable to the HOMA-IR index. These markers should be used as the first step when screening patients for NAFLD.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Título del artículo:

Scale of Prosocial Behavior: Psychometric Evidence in Adolescents from the Colombian Caribbean

The present study aimed to carry out the corroboration of the psychometric characteristics of the Prosocial Behavior Scale for Adolescents of Balabanian & Lemos (2018). A non-probabilistic snowball sample of 612 adolescent high school students from the department of Cesar, Colombia was taken. The results of the Parallel Exploratory Factor Analysis support a 2-dimensional structure of the instrument with 25 items; Likewise, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis using ULS shows the following goodness of fit indicators: CMIN/DF=2.53, IFI=.972, TLI.969, CFI=.972, GFI=.994, SRMR=.059 and RMSEA=.07. Concurrent validity is also evidenced by positive and significant correlation between the Prosocial Behavior Scale and its dimensions and the three components of an emotional intelligence measurement. Similarly, in terms of evidence of reliability, α=.915 and ω=.915 were found for the entire scale; these same Cronbach\'s Alpha and McDonald\'s Omega values for each of the two dimensions of the instrument are greater than .85. It is concluded that the instrument has adequate psychometric characteristics for the measurement of prosocial behavior in the adolescent population of the Colombian Caribbean.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnostico y Evaluacion Psicologica

Título del artículo:

Fructose-1,6 Bisphosphatase Deficiency: Cause of Severe Hypoglycemia in Young Adults

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency (FBPase deficiency) is a rare congenital metabolic defect affecting gluconeogenesis. It is an autosomal recessive genetic disease. The patient presents with fasting hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis, and may have hyperventilation, apnea, hypoglycemia, and ketosis. Although the disease can be fatal in the neonatal period, appropriate treatment can produce an excellent prognosis. Here we present the case of a 21-year-old patient with fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency, who presented with viral gastroenteritis that caused decompensation of her underlying pathology, the patient presented satisfactory evolution with crystalloids and intravenous dextrose. This case is presented because of its low frequency, with few reports in adults and with adequate response to dietary treatment.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Gaceta Medica Boliviana

Título del artículo:

Interchangeability of optical tracking technologies: potential overestimation of the sprint running load demands in the English Premier League

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the agreement between match-derived running load outputs; total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR) and sprint distance (SPR) obtained by two optical tracking systems. Methods: Data were collected from 31 elite footballers from the first team and under-21 squads of an English Premier League (EPL) football club across three competitive matches. One EPL game (game 2) and one under-21 Premier League game (game 3) were played at the team’s home stadium and one EPL game (game 1) at an away venue. All matches were tracked concomitantly using eight colour cameras sampling at 10 Hz (PROZONE®) and six high-definition motion cameras sampling at 25 Hz (TRACAB®). Results: TD displayed a perfect (r = 0.99) correlation while HSR and SPR displayed very large (r = 0.81 and r = 0.73) correlations between TRACAB® and PROZONE®. Mean biases were 5% for TD, −3% for HSR and 61% for SPR. Between games, mean biases for TD were 6% for game 1, and 5% for game 2 and game 3. For HSR, 9% for game 1, −5% for game 2 and 6% for game 3 and for SPR, 31% for game 1, 71% for game 2 and 84% for game 3. Conclusion: TD and HSR can be interchanged between PROZONE® and TRACAB®, to allow accurate interpretation between the two optical systems. PROZONE® overestimated SPR compared to the TRACAB®, with the magnitude of difference considered meaningful, altering interpretation of historical match outputs, sprint volume trends in the EPL and forecasts of the modern game.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Science and Medicine in Football

Título del artículo:

Detection of Pathogenic E. Coli by Electrochemical Biosensors Based on Aptamers Designed by Bioinformatic Tools

In this work, we present the in-silico design of a new aptamer (named Apt917) capable of interacting with E. coli and its evaluation as a recognition element in electrochemical biosensors. A search and bioinformatic analysis of various aptamers reported in the literature was carried out. Parameters such as low dissociation constant and short sequences were considered to design and model new hybrid sequences. The designed Apt917 has a minimum free energy and high percent to frequency, making it promising compared to the initial ones. Apt917 was synthesized and immobilized on gold nanoparticles-modified screen-printed electrodes. The evaluation of the obtained biosensor shows a promising detection of E. coli O157:H7 with limits of detection and quantification of 8 and 27 CFU/mL, respectively.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Chemical Engineering Transactions

Título del artículo:

Factors related to healthcare costs of road traffic accidents in Bucaramanga, Colombia

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors related to overall healthcare costs of road traffic accidents in Bucaramanga, Colombia. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted through the analysis of road traffic accident records that took place in 2019 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Cost quartiles in dollars were compared using Pearson’s chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests. Odds ratios were also calculated in logistic regression. RESULTS: 3,150 road accidents were reported in 2019 involving 7,038 people, of which 812 had information related to healthcare costs in health care institutions. The median cost was 56.59 USD (RI = 29.35–140.15), average cost of 290.11 USD ± 731.22 (95%CI: 239.74–340.48). A higher possibility to be in the 4th quartile was found when persons were under 18 years of age (OR = 4.88; 95%CI: 1.30–18.32) or 46–60 years (OR = 3.66; 95%CI: 1.01–13.30), the type of vehicle involved is motorcycle (OR = 2.79; 95%CI: 1.25–6.24), bicycle (OR = 7.66; 95%CI: 2.70–21.68), having a head injury (OR = 4.50; 95%CI: 2.61–7.76) and hypothetical drunk driving (OR = 12.44; 95%CI: 2.01–76.87). CONCLUSIONS: Relevant factors in healthcare costs were riding a motorcycle or bicycle, having a head injury, being under 18 years of age or 46 to 60 years of age and hypothetical drunk driving. It is important to implement prevention measures based on identified factors to reduce road accident rate and therefore, its socioeconomic costs

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista de Saude Publica

Título del artículo:

Clinical Proof of Concept for Stabilization of Tracheostomy Tubes Using Novel DYNAtraq Device

Introduction: Tracheostomy is one of the most common surgical strategies in intensive care units (ICU) and provides relevant clinical benefit for multiple indications. However, the complications associated with its use range from 5 to 40% according to different series. The risk of these complications could be reduced if fixation strategies and alignment of the tracheostomy tube with respect to the tracheal axis are improved. Aim: To build a functional device of technological innovation in respiratory medicine for the fixation and alignment of tracheostomy cannula (acronym DYNAtraq) and to evaluate its feasibility and safety in a pilot study in mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: Study carried out in four phases: (1) design engineering and functional prototyping of the device; (2) study of cytotoxicity and tolerance to the force of traction and push; (3) pilot study of feasibility and safety of its use in tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated patients; and (4) health workers satisfaction study. Results: The design of the innovative DYNAtraq device included, on the one hand, a connector with very little additional dead space to be inserted between the cannula and the ventilation tubes, and, on the other hand, a shaft with two supports for adhesion to the skin of the thorax with very high tolerance (several kilograms) to pull and push. In patients, the device corrected the malpositioned tracheostomy tubes for the latero-lateral (p < 0.001) and cephalo-caudal angles (p < 0.001). Its effect was maintained throughout the follow-up time (p < 0.001). The use of DYNAtraq did not induce serious adverse events and showed a 70% protective effect for complications (RR = 0.3, p < 0.001) in patients. Conclusion: DYNAtraq is a new device for respiratory medicine that allows the stabilization, alignment and fixation of tracheostomy tubes in mechanically ventilated patients. Its use provides additional benefits to traditional forms of support as it corrects misalignment and increases tolerance to habitual or forced movements. DYNAtraq is a safe element and can reduce the complications of tracheostomy tubes.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Medical Devices: Evidence and Research

Título del artículo:

IoT applied to irrigation systems in agriculture: A usability analysis

The Internet of Things favors using technological tools in rural environments thanks to the ability to connect to the Internet between devices that facilitate daily tasks. The research aims to evaluate the usability of the decision support system for irrigation in agriculture, AgroRIEGO, through the development of an IoT-based device. The sponsors of this project were the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies and the Center of Excellence in the Internet of Things Appropriation (CEA-IoT) in Colombia. Among the methods used is the use of the heuristic evaluation technique, structured into 15 categories and 62 subcategories of assessment. This analysis was complemented by the contribution of a group of experts in the design and development of IoT applications and devices and agriculture to assess the system\'s attributes.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista Colombiana de Computacion

Título del artículo:

Toward the Hydrogen Economy in Paraguay: End-Uses of Green Hydrogen Potential

This study analyzed the final stage of the hydrogen economy structure and the end-uses of green hydrogen potential in the Republic of Paraguay. Methodologically, the potential for hydrogen production is considered from key renewable resources (solar PV, wind, and hydro) in Paraguay. This study focused on two opportunity niches for green hydrogen use: in the residential sector, substituting firewood and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel for cooking and heating, and in the transportation sector, displacing diesel and gasoline in light vehicles and buses. Firewood and LPG demand in homes and diesel and gasoline demand in the transportation are obtained from official statistical data. Energy equivalences to calculate the hydrogen amount required for replacing firewood, LPG, diesel, and gasoline consumption and hydrogen end-use technologies models proposed in similar studies in other countries of the region were considered. A total green hydrogen potential of 394.2 × 106 t was obtained, 367 times higher than the total consumption of secondary energy in the country, which indicates the magnitude of the potential. Firewood, LPG, gasoline, and diesel substitution in the residential and transportation sectors are fully achieved, except in the case of the Capital District and Central Department. The results of this study envisage an optimal scenario for a future hydrogen economy in Paraguay. This will require financial investment from both public and private sectors for the development of sustainable energy projects and the implementation of a suitable infrastructure for using hydrogen as an energy carrier. The geographic distribution of mentioned key renewable resources in Paraguay implies a huge opportunity for the advance of distributed generation in energy policies, meaning greater decentralization, redistribution, sustainability, and democratization of the energy system.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Green Energy and Technology

Título del artículo:

Evaluating the performance of a cellular manufacturing system proposal for the sewing department of a sportswear manufacturing company: A simulation approach

Cellular manufacturing systems (CMS) are a major application of group technology, that brings benefits related to the reduction of wastes, also known as ‘mudas’ in lean manufacturing philosophy, to organisations striving to compete in today’s markets. These benefits include the reduction of machine setup times, material handling and work-in-process inventory, among others. However, many organisations are reluctant to implement such decisions in their production systems, due to the uncertainty and economic and productive impact that these involve. For this reason, a simulation study is performed in this paper to evaluate the performance of a cellular manufacturing system approach for the sewing department of a sportswear manufacturing company. The simulation study was designed, and the results of the proposed model showed improvements of 51,46% in the average flow time, 1102,52% in the average throughput, and 50,65% in the average setup times of machines, compared to the current state of the case study.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Applied Research and Technology

Título del artículo:

Dimensionality and homogeneity of the Colombian version of the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ-N-10)

Background: It is essential to have a validated instrument to measure craving for cocaine use. The study’s objective was to understand the dimensionality and homogeneity of the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ-N-10) among Colombian cocaine users. Methods: A sample of 102 hospitalized or outpatient adults diagnosed with cocaine use disorders attending addiction units in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Internal consistency and construct validity were estimated by confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis with scales with similar objectives. Results: An omega coefficient of 0.93 was obtained, and adjustment indicators of the confirmatory model were acceptable (RMSEA of 0.08, CFI and TLI of 0.99) when two of the original scale items were removed from the original scale analysis. Conclusion: This study shows that the craving scale reduced to eight items can be helpful to assess the construct in the Colombian population; however, the small sample size makes it challenging to carry out other analysis to corroborate its psychometric properties.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Substance Use

Título del artículo:

Factors related to healthcare costs of road traffic accidents in Bucaramanga, Colombia

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors related to overall healthcare costs of road traffic accidents in Bucaramanga, Colombia. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted through the analysis of road traffic accident records that took place in 2019 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Cost quartiles in dollars were compared using Pearson\'s chi-squared and Fisher\'s exact tests. Odds ratios were also calculated in logistic regression. RESULTS: 3,150 road accidents were reported in 2019 involving 7,038 people, of which 812 had information related to healthcare costs in health care institutions. The median cost was 56.59 USD (RI = 29.35-140.15), average cost of 290.11 USD ± 731.22 (95%CI: 239.74-340.48). A higher possibility to be in the 4th quartile was found when persons were under 18 years of age (OR = 4.88; 95%CI: 1.30-18.32) or 46-60 years (OR = 3.66; 95%CI: 1.01-13.30), the type of vehicle involved is motorcycle (OR = 2.79; 95%CI: 1.25-6.24), bicycle (OR = 7.66; 95%CI: 2.70-21.68), having a head injury (OR = 4.50; 95%CI: 2.61-7.76) and hypothetical drunk driving (OR = 12.44; 95%CI: 2.01-76.87). CONCLUSIONS: Relevant factors in healthcare costs were riding a motorcycle or bicycle, having a head injury, being under 18 years of age or 46 to 60 years of age and hypothetical drunk driving. It is important to implement prevention measures based on identified factors to reduce road accident rate and therefore, its socioeconomic costs.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista de saude publica

Título del artículo:

Towards The Hydrogen Economy: Estimation of green hydrogen production potential and the impact of its uses in Ecuador as a case study

The estimation of the green hydrogen (H2) production potential represents the initial stage on the road to integrating the Hydrogen Economy into the energy systems of a country or region. This article has two purposes; the first focuses on identifying and analyzing studies on the amount of green H2 obtainable in countries and regions across the globe. In total, 64 studies in 29 countries are reported, of which the geographical distribution of the estimates of green H2 potential is obtained. Additionally, the most widely used renewable energy sources and the conversion technologies favored for their production were identified. The Americas and Argentina were the continents and the country, respectively, with the largest number of studies. At the same time, solar photovoltaic (PV) and electrolysis are the most studied production methods. The second purpose is to quantify the total potential of green H2 in the Republic of Ecuador and explore its uses as an energy vector and chemical input in niches of opportunity detected from the analysis of its energy balance. In this regard, the total potential of green H2 in Ecuador of 4.38 × 108 tons/year is obtained, being the production of electrolytic H2 with PV electricity the one with the highest contribution. The amount of H2 available satisfies, in excess, the demand for the proposed uses: as fuel and chemical input. These results contribute to the knowledge of the object of study by making visible the interest of the countries in having such estimates and identifying the most attractive production route in the first place, and secondly, providing essential elements for the development of more detailed research and energy planning on the gradual incorporation of the Hydrogen Economy in Ecuador.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Título del artículo:

First record of Chlorophyllum molybdites (G. Mey.) Massee (Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Agaricaceae) from Bucaramanga, Department of Santander, Colombia

Colombia is a megadiverse country with many macrofungi species. Despite their ecological, anthropological, and economic importance, the distribution of many macrofungal species is still scarcely known in this country. Chlorophyllum molybdites (G. Mey.) Massee is a poisonous macrofungus common in urban settings of tropical and subtropical regions. In Colombia it has only been reported in three of 32 departments. To fill this gap in knowledge we morphologically describe for the first time C. molybdites from the city of Bucaramanga, Department of Santander, extending the known distribution of this macrofungus in Colombia.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Check List

Título del artículo:

Handgrip strength is associated with risk of falls in physically active older women

The authors of this study inquire about the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and the risk of falls in physically active older women. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 135 women between 50 and 90 years of age who were referred for the follow-up evaluations of HGS using dynamometry and the Tinetti scale to determine the risk of falls. The mean age was 68.8 ± 8.5 years. A total of 31.9% of women had a high risk of falls, and 55% reported five or more falls in the past six months. In addition, our results indicated that grip strength decreases as risk of falls increases (minimal risk = 42.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 39.8, 45.8; moderate risk = 31.3, 95% CI: 29.1, 33.5; high risk = 21.9, 95% CI: 19.3, 24.6). It should be considered that in physically active women aged over 50 years, the grip strength could be a predictor of falls and risk of falls. Evaluation of grip strength is a low-cost type of assessment that can be included as a part of physical tests.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Health Care for Women International

Título del artículo:

Acaricidal activity of compounds on Schizotetranychus hindustanicus (Hirst), (Acari: Tetranychidae), citrus hindu mite

Citrus x latifolia Tanaka ex Q. Jiménez or Tahiti lime has a significant percentage within the commercial citrus chain in Colombia. Schizotetranychus hindustanicus or hindu mite, produces typical lesions in the upper part of the leaves and fruits, characterized by circular whitish spots, which correspond to the cobwebs that the female weaves, reducing the aesthetic value of the fruit and its commercialization. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the acaricidal effects of different compounds through three contact times on populations of the mite. The following compounds were evaluated: oleaginous extract of Neem-Azadirachta indica 1.0 %, 0.5 % micronized sulfur, 0.4 % water soluble extract of Azadirachtin, 15 % ash broth filtrate, and a control of Abamectin 0.2 %, recognized for its acaricidal effect. Water distilled was used as a negative control. It was evidenced that the most effective treatments were Neem-A. indica oleaginous extract at 1.0 %, micronized sulfur at 0.5 %, and Abamectin at 0.2 %, with mortality values of 96.4, 97.9 and 100 % at 72 h, respectively. These results allow suggesting the use of natural compounds based on Azadirachta indica in oleaginous solutions for the control of the mite, since they do not affect the ecosystem, and resistance to them has not been reported.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Bioagro

Título del artículo:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta-PPARδ agonist (L-165041) enhances bovine embryo survival and post vitrification viability

The effect of L-165041 (PPARδ-agonist) on decreasing apoptosis and intracellular lipid content was assessed in fresh and vitrified-warmed in vitro-produced bovine embryos. It was hypothesised that the addition of L-165041 to the culture medium enhances development and cryopreservation. Oocytes were allocated to one of two treatments: control-standard culture medium, or L-165041 added to the medium on day 1 with no media change. Ultrastructure, cleavage, and blastocyst rates were evaluated in fresh, and in post-vitrification cultured embryos by optical and electronic microscopy. A subset of fresh embryos were fixed for TUNEL assay and for Sudan-Black-B histochemical staining. Vitrified-warmed embryos were assessed using MALDI-MS technique. Cleavage and blastocyst rates (control 49.4 ± 5.2, L-165041 51.8 ± 4.3) were not influenced by L-165041. The proportion of inner cell mass cells (ICM) was higher in fresh embryos, and the rate of total and ICM apoptosis was lower in L-165041. In warmed-embryos, total and ICM apoptosis was lower in L-165041. The overall hatching rate was higher in L-165041 (66.62 ± 2.83% vs 53.19 ± 2.90%). There was less lipid accumulation in fresh L-165041-embryos. In conclusion, the use of L-165041 is recommended to improve the viability of in vitro-derived bovine embryos.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Reproduction, Fertility and Development

Título del artículo:

Effect of vegetation cover on dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) and their ecological functions in an Andean forest of Colombia

Introduction: Dung beetles perform important functions in terrestrial ecosystems, but anthropic pressures affect them negatively. These effects are well documented in neotropical lowland forests but have been studied little in Andean forests. Objective: To evaluate how the attributes of the dung beetle assemblages and three of their ecological functions differ in three types of vegetation cover, and to determine the relationships between attributes and functions, and among functions. Methods: Dung beetles were captured with pitfall traps, and ecological functions were measured through a field experiment in the farm “El Ocaso” (Colombia), in three types of vegetation cover: secondary forest, mixed forest and cattle pasture (three independent sites per cover). The assemblage attributes that were evaluated were abundance, number of species, biomass, and weighted mean body length; functions measured were dung removal, soil excavation, and secondary seed dispersal. Results: It was found that both the assemblage attributes and the ecological functions were negatively affected in the more disturbed vegetation covers, particularly in cattle pastures. Most of the assemblage attributes correlated positively with functions; soil excavation and secondary seed dispersal had a strong positive correlation with dung removal. Conclusions: Dung beetle assemblages play important ecological functions and they are sensitive to ecosystem disturbances. This study shows how dung beetles and their functions are affected negatively when forest is transformed to cattle pasture in the understudied and highly fragmented Andean forest ecosystems.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Revista de Biologia Tropical

Título del artículo:

Impact of case-based learning for students of clinical practices in physiotherapy

Introduction: The Case Based Learning (CBL) is a teaching and learning strategy that allows the articulation of acquired and new knowledge, stimulates the autonomous learning, improves the critical thinking and the argumentative skills in real contexts, developing the phase of “knowing” as explained by the Miller pyramid. The main goal of this research was to evaluate the impact on motivation and student learning produced by the implementation of cases-based learning strategy in last year students of a Physiotherapy Program. Methodology: Mixed design, quasi-experimental type, with twelve students selected by convenience. Intervention was developed in person at advisory times, for 18 weeks, every 15 days for 2 hours per meeting. The information was collected using knowledge test after and before of the intervention, focal groups with teachers and students and not members observations. Results: There were significant changes between the pre and post-intervention evaluation (16.7 %, 83.3 %, p <0.05), and the students described the experience as highly motivating and teachers as enriching. Our research supports the effect of the active learning, with the CBL and the pedagogic mediation developed with the teacher through the phases and sequences of the strategy. Conclusion: Case-based learning, implemented in a systematic, organized and planned manner, is a useful strategy in the training process of physical therapists. Promotes the development of critical, reflective and analytical capacity and the achievement of professional skills.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Iatreia