Questões conjunturais sobre a regulação da IA / Conjunctural issues in AI regulation / Cuestiones coyunturales sobre la regulación de la IA

O texto parte da disputa em torno da regulação da inteligência artificial (IA) realmente existente, dividida entre dois polos, o da proteção da inovação e o da necessidade de mitigar riscos sociais e ambientais. Avança para apontar a colossal concentração de poder computacional e de dados nas mãos dos oligopólios digitais, as big techs. Levanta preocupações sobre o impacto dessa concentração na soberania digital e na capacidade do país em controlar suas infraestruturas e dados. Argumenta como a falta de transparência e explicabilidade nos sistemas de IA agrava os riscos de discriminação e exclusão social. Ainda, defende que a regulação da IA deve garantir direitos, salvaguardar a soberania e promover um ecossistema digital autônomo e inclusivo.

The text begins by addressing the debate surrounding the regulation of existing artificial intelligence (AI), divided between two poles: the protection of innovation and the need to mitigate social and environmental risks. It progresses to highlight the colossal concentration of computational power and data in the hands of digital oligopolies, the big tech companies. The text raises concerns about the impact of this concentration on digital sovereignty and the country's ability to control its infrastructures and data. It argues that the lack of transparency and explainability in AI systems exacerbates the risks of discrimination and social exclusion. The text advocates that AI regulation should ensure rights, safeguard sovereignty, and promote an autonomous and inclusive digital ecosystem.

El texto parte de la disputa en torno a la regulación de la inteligencia artificial (IA) existente, dividida entre dos polos: la protección de la innovación y la necesidad de mitigar riesgos sociales y ambientales. Avanza para señalar la colosal concentración de poder computacional y de datos en manos de los oligopolios digitales, las big tech. Plantea preocupaciones sobre el impacto de esta concentración en la soberanía digital y en la capacidad del país para controlar sus infraestructuras y datos. Argumenta que la falta de transparencia y explicabilidad en los sistemas de IA agrava los riesgos de discriminación y exclusión social. El texto defiende que la regulación de la IA debe garantizar derechos, salvaguardar la soberanía y promover un ecosistema digital autónomo e inclusivo.

Casiopeina III-ia: A Copper Compound with Potential Use for Treatment of Infections Caused by Leishmania mexicana.

INTRODUCTION: Casiopeina III-ia (CasIII-ia) is a mixed chelate copper (II) compound capable of interacting with free radicals generated in the respiratory chain through redox reactions, producing toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that compromise the viability of cancer cells, bacteria and protozoa. Due to its remarkable effect on protozoa, this study evaluated the effect of CasIII-ia on Leishmania mexicana amastigotes and its potential use as a treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the murine model. METHODS: We analyzed the leishmanicidal effect of CasIII-ia on L. mexicana amastigotes and on their survival in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Furthermore, we evaluated the production of ROS in treated parasites and the efficacy of CasIII-ia in the treatment of mice infected with L. mexicana. RESULTS: Our results show that CasIII-ia reduces parasite viability in a dose-dependent manner that correlates with increased ROS production. A decrease in the size of footpad lesions and in parasite loads was observed in infected mice treated with the intraperitoneal administration of CasIII-ia. CONCLUSIONS: We propose CasIII-ia as a potential drug for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cronología / Chronology

Esta cronología es una idea del psicoanalista e investigador francés Théo Lucciardi y fue publicada originalmente en el número 3 de la revista LAPSUS NUMÉRIQUE. Su autor ha preparado esta versión actualizada a 2023 especialmente para este número de Aesthethica. La secuencia, que va desde la invención de la rueda hasta la IA generativa, permite detenernos en los grandes hitos del desarrollo científico tecnológico y a la vez advertir ve el grado de aceleración de la última década. Se pueden reconocer allí varios de los temas que integran la agenda contemporánea en materia de bioética y que están presentes en este número de la revista. Algunos de ellos son cruciales para la lectura ético-analítica que proponemos, como la vigencia de la lógica booleana, la actualización del Test de Turing o el porvenir de la IA y el Chat GPT

This chronology is an initiative of the French psychoanalyst and researcher Théo Lucciardi and was originally published in number 3 of the LAPSUS NUMÉRIQUE magazine. Its author has prepared this updated version to 2023 especially for this issue of Aesthethica. The sequence, which goes from the invention of the wheel to generative AI, allows us to stop at the great milestones of technological scientific development and at the same time notice the degree of acceleration of the last decade. Several of the issues that make up the contemporary agenda in bioethics and that are present in this issue of the magazine can be recognized there. Some of them are crucial for the ethical-analytical reading that we propose, such as the validity of Boolean logic, the updating of the Turing Test or the future of AI and Chat GPT

Machine Learning of the Whole Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Scoping PRISMA-Based Review.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most significant global health problems, posing a significant challenge to public health systems worldwide. However, diagnosing drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) has become increasingly challenging due to the rising number of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) cases, despite the development of new TB diagnostic tools. Even the World Health Organization-recommended methods such as Xpert MTB/XDR or Truenat are unable to detect all the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome mutations associated with drug resistance. While Whole Genome Sequencing offers a more precise DR profile, the lack of user-friendly bioinformatics analysis applications hinders its widespread use. This review focuses on exploring various artificial intelligence models for predicting DR-TB profiles, analyzing relevant English-language articles using the PRISMA methodology through the Covidence platform. Our findings indicate that an Artificial Neural Network is the most commonly employed method, with non-statistical dimensionality reduction techniques preferred over traditional statistical approaches such as Principal Component Analysis or t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding.

La Inteligencia artificial generativa en la comunicación científica: retos y oportunidades / Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Communication: Challenges and Opportunities

Se ofrece la visión panorámica sobre la inteligencia artificial generativa en el contexto de la comunicación científica desde dos puntos de vista: el de los investigadores y el de los editores de las revistas académicas. También se describen alguno de los retos y oportunidades más significativos de la aplicación de la IA en la comunicación académica y se concluye con una serie de recomendaciones de buenas prácticas

An overview of generative artificial intelligence in the context of scientific communication is offered from two points of view: that of researchers and that of the editors of academic journals. Some of the most significant challenges and opportunities of the application of AI in academic communication are also described and it concludes with a series of good practice recommendations

Ideologia gerencialista e plataformas de treinamentos de dados para Inteligência Artificial (IA): condições de trabalho e saúde dos trabalhadores no Brasil / Managerial ideology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data training platform: working conditions and worker's health in Brazil / Ideología managerial y plataformas de anotación de datos para Inteligencia Artificial (IA): condiciones de trabajo y salud de los trabajadores en Brasi

O objetivo deste estudo é analisar as condições de trabalho e os seus impactos na saúde dos trabalhadores no mercado de microtarefas de treinamento de dados para a produção de Inteligência Artificial (IA), em especial no que diz respeito a suas relações com a ideologia gerencialista. Os dados são provenientes de uma netnografia realizada entre os anos de 2020 e 2021, de análises dos websites das plataformas e de entrevistas realizadas com 15 trabalhadores. A partir da análise de quatro instâncias mediadoras (econômica, política, ideológica e psicológica), argumentamos que a ideologia gerencialista, consubstanciada a ideologia californiana, se caracteriza como um operador central na gestão do trabalho, que tem por finalidade garantir a adesão dos trabalhadores às plataformas e ocultar os conflitos do trabalho, direcionando-os para o nível individual e produzindo um cenário de individualização do sofrimento.

The objective of this study is to analyze working conditions and their impacts on worker's health in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) data annotation microtask market, especially to highlight their relationship with managerial ideology. The data comes from a netnography carried out between the years 2020 and 2021, from analysis on the platform's websites, and from interviews with 15 workers. Drawing from the analysis of four different mediation systems (economic, political, ideological, and psychological), we argue that the managerial ideology, overlaid with the Californian ideology, is characterized as a central element in the management of labor, which aims to guarantee the adherence of workers to platforms and hide the labor conflicts, directing them to the individual level and producing a scenario of individualization of suffering.

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar las condiciones de trabajo y sus impactos en la salud de los tra-bajadores en el mercado de microtareas de anotación de datos para la producción de Inteligencia Artificial (IA), en particular en lo que concierne a su relación con la ideología managerial. Los datos provienen de una netnografía realizada entre los años 2020 y 2021, de análisis en los sitios web de las plataformas y de entrevistas con 15 trabajadores. A partir del análisis de cuatro instancias mediadoras (económica, política, ideológica y psicológica), argumentamos que la ideología gerencial, superpuesta en la ideología californi-ana, se caracteriza como un elemento central en la gestión del trabajo, que pretende garantizar la adhesión de los trabajadores a las plataformas y ocultar los conflictos del trabajo, dirigiéndolos al plano individual y produciendo un escenario de individualización del sufrimiento.

Development and In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of an Antineoplastic Copper(II) Compound (Casiopeina III-ia) Loaded in Nonionic Vesicles Using Quality by Design.

In recent decades, the interest in metallodrugs as therapeutic agents has increased. Casiopeinas are copper-based compounds that have been evaluated in several tumor cell lines. Currently, casiopeina III-ia (CasIII-ia) is being evaluated in phase I clinical trials. The aim of the present work is to develop a niosome formulation containing CasIII-ia for intravenous administration through a quality-by-design (QbD) approach. Risk analysis was performed to identify the factors that may have an impact on CasIII-ia encapsulation. The developed nanoformulation optimized from the experimental design was characterized by spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and electronic microscopy. In vitro drug release showed a burst effect followed by a diffusion-dependent process. The niosomes showed physical stability for at least three months at 37 °C and 75% relative humidity. The in vitro test showed activity of the encapsulated CasIII-ia on a metastatic breast cancer cell line and the in vivo test of nanoencapsulated CasIII-ia maintained the activity of the free compound, but showed a diminished toxicity. Therefore, the optimal conditions obtained by QbD may improve the scaling-up process.

Toxicity of pesticides widely applied on soybean cultivation: Synergistic effects of fipronil, glyphosate and imidacloprid in HepG2 cells.

The transgenic soy monoculture demands supplementation with pesticides. The aim of this study was to evaluate the individual and mixture effects of fipronil, glyphosate and imidacloprid in human HepG2 cells. Cytotoxicity was evaluated after 48-h incubations through MTT reduction and neutral red uptake assays. Free radicals production, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA damage, and release of liver enzymes were also evaluated. Data obtained for individual agents were used to compute the additivity expectations for two mixtures of definite composition (one equipotent mixture, based in the EC50 values achieved in the MTT assay; the other one based in the acceptable daily intake of each pesticide), using the models of concentration addition and independent action. The EC50 values for fipronil, glyphosate and imidacloprid were 37.59, 41.13, and 663.66 mg/L, respectively. The mixtures of pesticides elicited significant synergistic effects (p < 0.05), which were greater than the expected by both addictive predictions. Decreased in mitochondrial membrane potential and increased in the transaminases enzymatic activities were observed. As they occur simultaneously, interactions between pesticides, even at non-effective single levels, can reverberate in significant deleterious effects, justifying the need for a more realistic approach in safety evaluations to better predict the effects to human health.

Franciscana dolphins, Pontoporia blainvillei, as environmental sentinels of the world's largest mining disaster: Temporal trends for organohalogen compounds and their consequences for an endangered population.

On November 5th, 2015, the Fundão dam collapsed in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, releasing millions of cubic meters of mud containing mining residue into the Doce River. Two weeks later, the mud arrived to the marine environment, triggering changes in franciscana dolphin habitat, Pontoporia blainvillei, from Franciscana Management Area Ia. This is an isolated population of the most endangered cetacean species in the South Atlantic Ocean. Organohalogen compounds (OHCs) may pose a threat to this endangered population because of their endocrine disrupting properties. Hence, this study sought to determine if there were differences in the bioaccumulation profile of OHC (PCBs, DDTs, Mirex, HCB, HCHs, PBDEs, PBEB, HBBZ and MeO-BDEs) in franciscana dolphins before and after dam collapse and to build a temporal trend. Blubber of 33 stranded individuals was collected in Espírito Santo state for organohalogen assessment between 2003 and 2019. Differences were found between franciscana dolphins collected prior to and after the disaster. Additionally, significant temporal trends for organochlorine pesticides and natural and anthropogenic organobromine were detected. The increase in pesticide concentrations after 2015 is suggestive of their reavailability in the environment. The decline in organobromine over time could be due to their debromination in the marine environment and alterations in the composition of their natural producers. PCBs remained stable during the period of the study. Our findings show an increase in endocrine disruptor concentrations, which is of great concern for this endangered population.

Influence of Penicillin on Biofilm Formation by Streptococcus agalactiae Serotype Ia/CC23.

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus , GBS) is a major agent of perinatal infections. Biofilms have been associated with GBS colonization and disease, as well as with infection persistence and recurrence. Although GBS remains susceptible to beta-lactams, it is still unknown how sessile cells respond to these antibiotics. Here, we evaluated the effect of different concentrations of penicillin (3-48 mg/L) on in vitro biofilm formation by four GBS strains belonging to serotype Ia/clonal complexes23 that were recovered from the oropharynx or urine of pregnant women and were previously characterized as strong biofilm producers. All four GBS strains were fully susceptible to penicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration = 0.023 mg/L), but penicillin was not able to fully prevent biofilm formation by these GBS strains. Biofilms formed in the presence of penicillin had reduced biomasses and thickness, but they were still classified as strong. Penicillin significantly reduced the density of live cells, but higher penicillin concentrations did not lead to improved prevention of biofilm formation. Biofilms formed in the presence of penicillin had no channels or long cocci chains observed in penicillin-free biofilms. Overall, results highlight the concerning possible impacts of biofilm formation in penicillin-based treatment and preventive strategies of GBS infections, even when the bacterial strain involved is fully antibiotic-susceptible.

Analysis of serum cholesterol, statins and atherosclerotic plaque in ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysm / Análise de colesterol sérico, estatina e placa aterosclerótica em aneurisma intracraniano roto e não roto

Introduction Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a major healthcare concern. The use of statin to reduce serum cholesterol has shown evidence to reduce cardiovascular risk in various diseases, but the impact on IA has not been described. This study aims to determine whether statin use, and serum cholesterol levels interfere with outcomes after IA event. Methods A cohort of patients with IA was analyzed. Patients social and demographics data were collected.Modified Rankin scale (mRS) score after 6months of follow-up was the endpoint. The data regarding statins use, presence or not of atherosclerotic plaque in radiological images and serum cholesterol of 35 patients were included in our study. Linear regression models were used to determine the influence of those 6 variables in the clinical outcome. Results The prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque, high cholesterol and use of statins was 34.3%, 48.5%, and 14.2%, respectively. Statins and serum cholesterol did not impact the overall outcome,measured by mRS after 6 months (p>0.05), but did show different tendencies when separated by IA rupture status. Serum cholesterol shows na important association with rupture of aneurysm (p»0.0382). High cholesterol and use of statins show a tendency for worse outcome with ruptured aneurysm, and the opposite is true for unruptured aneurysm. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques was not related with worse outcomes. Conclusions Multiple and opposite mechanisms might be involved in the pathophysiology of IA. Ruptured aneurysms are associated with higher levels of serum cholesterol. Serum cholesterol and statins use were not correlated with worse outcomes, but further studies are important to clarify these relationships.

Introdução Aneurisma intracranial (AI) é uma grande preocupação para a saúde. Evidências apontam que o uso de estatina para reduzir o colesterol sérico diminui o risco cardiovascular em diversas doenças, mas o impacto em AI ainda não foi descrito. Este estudo almeja determinar se o uso de estatina e o nível sérico de colesterol interferem no desfecho clínico após a ocorrência de AIs. Métodos Uma coorte de pacientes com AI foi analisada. Os dados sociodemográficos dos pacientes foram coletados. Ao final de 6 meses de acompanhamento, aplicou-se a escala modificada de Rankin (mRS). Os dados sobre uso de estatina, existência de placa aterosclerótica em imagens radiológicas, e colesterol sérico de 35 pacientes foram incluídos no estudo. Modelos de regressão linear foram usados para determinar a influência dessas 6 variáveis nos desfechos clínicos. Resultados A prevalência de placa aterosclerótica, colesterol elevado, e uso de estatina foram respectivamente 34,3%, 48,5% e 14,2%. Estatina e colesterol sérico não impactaram nos desfechos medidos pela mRS em 6 meses (p > 0,05), mas mostraram diferentes tendências quando separados pelo estado de ruptura do AI. Colesterol sérico apresenta uma importante associação com ruptura de aneurisma (p » 0,0382). Colesterol elevado e uso de estatinas representam uma tendência a piores desfechos para aneurismas rompidos, e o oposto é verdade para os não rompidos. A presença de placa aterosclerótica não está relacionada com piores resultados. Conclusões Mecanismos múltiplos e opostos podem estar envolvidos na patofisio logia do AI. Aneurismas rompidos estão associados com maiores níveis de colesterol sérico. Colesterol sérico e estatinas não foram correlacionados com piores desfechos, mas mais estudos são importantes para clarificar a relação entre esses fatores

Congenital transmission of Mexican strains of Trypanosoma cruzi TcIa: interaction between parasite and human placental explants.

Congenital transmission of Chagas disease plays an important role in endemic countries because it is not a diagnosis that is encountered frequently in prenatal care. Due to limited information regarding congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Mexico, the present study aimed to investigate protozoan infectivity and modulation of immune responses in human placental explants infected with T. cruzi Ia Mexican strains. The Inc-5 strain showed increased infectivity and modulated IL-1ß, IL-10 and TLR-4, decreasing their expression after 24 h of infection. Both strains (Inc-5 and Ninoa) stimulated the production of TNF-α and decreased IL-6 levels 96 h after infection. An important detachment of the syncytiotrophoblast caused by infection with T. cruzi was observed after 24 h of infection. In this study, ex vivo infection of human placental villi was performed to better understand interactions involving parasitic T. cruzi and human placental tissue. It was concluded that the strains of TcIa present parasitism in placental tissue, modulation of the innate immune system of the placenta, and cause intense detachment of the syncytiotrophoblast, a fact that may be more associated with abortion and premature birth events than the congenital transmission itself, justifying the low rate of this transmission mechanism by this genotype.

Efeitos da crise e políticas de austeridade na insegurança alimentar e na mortalidade na infância no Brasil / Effects of crisis and austerity policies on food insecurity and in mortality childhood in Brazil

Esta tese visa identificar e analisar fatores associados à insegurança alimentar (IA) e à mortalidade na infância, apontando tendências e distribuições espaciais para estratos de menores níveis de agregação possíveis que em conjunto tenham abrangência em todo o território brasileiro. As análises investigaram a hipótese de piora do desfecho de IA grave, medido pela Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar (EBIA) e desfecho de morte antes de completar 5 anos, como efeitos da crise e/ou da política de austeridade. O trabalho envolve estudos com desenhos transversais para análises seccionais e ecológico misto de tendências espaçotemporais, a partir de dados de 4 inquéritos nacionais do IBGE, dos sistemas de informações em saúde do Ministério da Saúde para os desfechos e dados das estatísticas do registro civil do IBGE, de indicadores do Programa Bolsa Família (PBF), da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) e de outros indicadores socioeconômicos de variadas fontes, todos como exposições representantes proxies da crise e da austeridade. Para os estudos seccionais adotou-se procedimento de calibração dos pesos segundo distribuição populacional por sexo e faixa etária, assim como a aplicação de métodos de estimação e modelagem que incorporam os efeitos do desenho amostral. A regressão de Poisson com estimação robusta de variância foi empregada para estimar em nível etiológico razões de prevalências de IA grave. Para o nível ecológico, empregou-se duas abordagens de modelagem multinível para 4 ou 14 medidas repetidas de estratos ao longo de dois artigos diferentes: regressão múltipla do tipo log-log para associações e modelagem de splines cúbicas para estimação de tendências. Os achados apontam impactos da austeridade em vigor, com inflexões de tendências no PBF e ESF, com reflexos sobre o aumento da IA grave e da incidência de mortalidade na infância. Projeta-se o aumento da IA e afastamento do alcance da meta 2.1 do objetivo nº 2 dos ODS em 2030 pelo Brasil, a despeito do sucesso já alcançado em 2014 para o primeiro dos ODM. Aponta-se também que, no prosseguindo na rota austera estabelecida pela emenda do teto dos gastos, o Brasil poderá continuar caminhando em sentido oposto ao estabelecido pela meta 3.2 dos ODS, podendo não ter êxito no seu alcance em 2030.

This thesis aims to identify and analyze factors associated with Food Insecurity (FI) and childhood mortality, pointing out trends and spatial distributions for strata with the lowest possible levels of aggregation that together cover the entire Brazilian territory. The analyzes investigated the hypothesis of worsening of the severe FI outcome, measured by the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (BFIS) and death outcome before completing 5 years, as effects of the crisis and/or austerity policy. The work involves studies with cross-sectional designs for sectional and mixed ecological analysis of spatio-temporal trends, based on data from 4 national surveys by the IBGE, from the health information systems of the Ministry of Health for outcomes, and data from statistics from the civil registry from the IBGE, from indicators from the Bolsa Família Program (BFP), from the Family Health Strategy (FHS) and from other socioeconomic indicators from various sources such as exposures that are proxies representatives of the crisis and austerity. For the sectional studies, a procedure was adopted to calibrate the weights according to population distribution by sex and age group, as well as the application of estimation and modeling methods that incorporate the effects of the sample design. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to estimate at the etiological level the prevalence ratios of severe FI. For the ecological level, two multilevel modeling approaches were used for 4 or 14 repeated measures of strata over two different articles: log-log multiple regression for associations; and, modeling cubic splines for trend estimation. The findings point to the impacts of the austerity in force, with inflections of trends in the BFP and FHS, with reflections on the increase in severe FI and the incidence of mortality in infancy. It is projected that FI will increase and move away from the achievement of target 2.1 of goal 2 of the SDGs in 2030 by Brazil, despite the success already achieved in 2014 for the first of the MDGs. It is also pointed out that, by continuing on the austere route established by the spending ceiling amendment, Brazil may continue to move in the opposite direction to that established by target 3.2 of the SDGs, and may not be successful in reaching it in 2030.

Lactococcus lactis Expressing Type I Interferon From Atlantic Salmon Enhances the Innate Antiviral Immune Response In Vivo and In Vitro.

In salmon farming, viruses are responsible for outbreaks that produce significant economic losses for which there is a lack of control tools other than vaccines. Type I interferon has been successfully used for treating some chronic viral infections in humans. However, its application in salmonids depends on the proper design of a vehicle that allows its massive administration, ideally orally. In mammals, administration of recombinant probiotics capable of expressing cytokines has shown local and systemic therapeutic effects. In this work, we evaluate the use of Lactococcus lactis as a type I Interferon expression system in Atlantic salmon, and we analyze its ability to stimulate the antiviral immune response against IPNV, in vivo and in vitro. The interferon expressed in L. lactis, even though it was located mainly in the bacterial cytoplasm, was functional, stimulating Mx and PKR expression in CHSE-214 cells, and reducing the IPNV viral load in SHK-1 cells. In vivo, the oral administration of this L. lactis producer of Interferon I increases Mx and PKR expression, mainly in the spleen, and to a lesser extent, in the head kidney. The oral administration of this strain also reduces the IPNV viral load in Atlantic salmon specimens challenged with this pathogen. Our results show that oral administration of L. lactis producing Interferon I induces systemic effects in Atlantic salmon, allowing to stimulate the antiviral immune response. This probiotic could have effects against a wide variety of viruses that infect Atlantic salmon and also be effective in other salmonids due to the high identity among their type I interferons.

Changes in the input-output relation of the Hoffmann reflex recruitment curve after submaximal fatiguing contraction of the antagonist muscles.

PURPOSE: The central nervous system adapts strategies to compensate the decreased motor capacities of a fatigued muscle. However, data on neurophysiological adaptations of muscles other than those under fatigue are scarce. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of submaximal fatiguing contraction (leading to a task failure) induced in ankle dorsiflexors muscles on the excitability of the Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) of an ankle plantarflexor (soleus muscle). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three physically active males (75.5 ± 8.3 kg; 1.77 ± 0.08 m; 27.0 ± 8.0 years) were asked to maintain the contraction level of the right ankle dorsiflexors at 60% of the maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC). Task failure was defined when the force level dropped below 40% MIVC for 5 consecutive seconds. The input-output relation of the ascending limb of the recruitment curve of the soleus H-reflex was examined at 0 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min and 20 min after the task failure. RESULTS: The amplitude parameter representing the first recruited motoneurons (threshold H-reflex - H@th) was significantly higher at 5 min, 10 min, 15 min and 20 min after task failure as compared to control (Hth) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the parameter that represents the activation of the relatively higher threshold motoneurons (H@100) was reduced (as compared to control - H100), but only at 20 min after the task failure (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest differential reflex modulation of the soleus H-reflex after fatigue of the ankle dorsiflexors, that probably reflects neuronal adaptations underlying motor control around the ankle joint.

La inteligencia artificial, una herramienta para la Salud Digital / Artificial intelligence, a tool for Digital Health

El constante avance tecnológico ha permitido la evolución de la práctica médica, generando el concepto denominado salud digital, que consiste en incorporar las tecnologías de información y comunicación a los productos, servicios y procesos de atención sanitaria. Una de las herramientas que permiten este avance es la Inteligencia Artificial (IA), una rama de la informática que desarrolla algoritmos capaces de aprender de los datos y utilizar lo aprendido en la toma de decisiones tal y como lo haría un ser humano. Este estudio se identifica cómo la investigación, las decisiones de diagnóstico, el tratamiento en pacientes y la planificación para la prevención y control de la salud están siendo optimizados gracias a la implementación de la IA, mostrando análisis cuantitativos al nivel de interés y aplicación asociado a estos cuatro procesos con respecto a las enfermedades que más afectan a la población de Perú y Latinoamérica(AU)

The constant technological advance has allowed the evolution of medical practice, generating the concept digital health, which consists of incorporating information and communication technologies into health care products, services and processes. One of the tools that allow this advance is Artificial Intelligence (AI), a branch of computing that develops algorithms capable of learning from data and using what they have learned in decision-making just as a human being would. This study identifies how research, diagnostic decisions, patient treatment and planning for prevention and health control are being optimized thanks to the implementation of AI, showing quantitative analysis at the level of interest and application associated with these four processes with respect to the diseases that most affect the population of Peru and Latin America(AU)

The rs2229611 (G6PC:c.*23 T>C) is associated with glycogen storage disease type Ia in Brazilian patients.

The rs2229611 SNP (G6PC:c.*23T>C) in the 3'UTR region of the G6PC gene affects the stability of the glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA and occurs in a higher frequency in patients with glycogenosis Ia (GSD Ia) in some populations. Herein, a group of Brazilian patients (n = 116) was analyzed by NGS and the frequency of rs2229611:T>C was determined. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) between pathogenic variants and the rs2229611:T>C SNP was evaluated. The results showed that the rs2229611:T>C is associated to GSD Ia and is in LD with the most frequent pathogenic variants in Brazilian patients with GSD Ia.

[Phenotype proposal for early diagnosis of possibility of metabolic syndrome in school children aged 6 to 15 years]. / Propuesta de fenotipo para diagnóstico temprano de posibilidad de síndrome metabólico en escolares de seis a 15 años.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) continue to be a problem at a socioeconomic level, causing high morbidity and mortality in the adult population. Prevention of risk factors should be carried out from an early age. Currently, there is no consensus on the opportune moment to start an intervention or treatment, regarding metabolic syndrome. The objective of the study is to describe the phenotype to predict early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome in schoolchildren. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, prospective, cross-sectional and analytical study in schoolchildren from 6 to 15 years old, conducted in Guayaquil. Anthropometric measurements and a survey were performed, obtaining signing informed consent. The IBM Watson artificial intelligence (AI) platform with its software Modeler Flow, were used for the analysis. RESULTS: A population of 1025 students between 6 and 15 years old (mean of 12 years for men and 13 years for women) was examined, of whom 62.3% were men and 37.7% women. 23.9% of the population was overweight and 14% obese. A greater tendency to weight alteration was observed in men than in women (51.37% vs 47.79%), and a lower waist circumference in men (85 cm vs 87 cm, respectively). Males had a higher level of systolic blood pressure (SBP), being within the 90th percentile (mean SBP of 123 mmHg) 61.2%, compared to 38.8% of women, with a p < 0.001. Sedentary lifestyle is similar in both groups, with an average of 4.79 hours in front of the screen and/or video games. A statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between SBP and the waist/height ratio (WHtR) in the 90th percentile and 95th percentile (X2 9.075, p < 0.028, and X2 23,54, p < 0,000 respectively), as well as a relationship between 95th percentile and sex (X2 11.57, p < 0.001). The Modeler Flow software showed us that if WHtR, > 0.46, weight > 56.1 kg and height > 1.61 m, the probability of presenting metabolic syndrome, was of 82.4%. The statistic of this study has a predictive accuracy of 90% (error deviation of 0.009). The importance in the predictors of metabolic syndrome, range from 97.57% to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: A prevalence of 33.9% of metabolic syndrome was observed in schoolchildren from 6 to 15 years old, with pathological cut-off points of: WHtR > 0.46, weight > 56.1 kg, pure sedentary lifestyle > 3 hours in front of the screen/playing video games, and SBP within the 90th percentile (> 123 mmHg). With these four indicators, we can predict a probability of early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome of 97% to 100%.

Rehabilitación pediátrica en tiempos de Covid-19: retos y aprendizajes durante la pandemia / Pediatricre habilitation in times of Covid-19: Challenges and opportunities during the pandemic

A partir del modelo conceptual planteado en la Clasificación Internacional de Funcionamiento, Discapacidad y Salud (CIF), y específicamente en su versión para niños y adolescentes, se propone que los programas y servicios para la población pediátrica con discapacidad incluyan las diferentes dimensiones allí planteadas, pero muy especialmente los aspectos relacionados con la participación, la eliminación de barreras del contexto, e implementando modelos que se centren en la función y la independencia en las actividades cotidianas del niño. Basados en esta premisa, y en las recomendaciones de diferentes autores, el Comité de Rehabilitación de Antioquia, en la ciudad de Medellín ­ Colombia, ha venido implementando un modelo de atención que tiene como eje central el logro de independencia en las actividades de la vida diaria y la promoción de la participación. Los programas que se han derivado de este modelo para la atención de niños y adolescentes se presentan en este artículo. De otra parte, la pandemia actual por Covid-19 y la cuarentena en el país han revelado la importancia de la telerrehabilitación, de la defensa de los derechos de los niños con discapacidad y de los modelos de atención que se enfocan en la familia y en el contexto. Este artículo presenta al final una propuesta de agenda que permita transformar los modelos de atención en rehabilitación pediátrica y que tenga presente los aprendizajes que se han venido generando durante este período de emergencia sanitaria por el Covid-19

Based on the conceptual model proposed in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and specifically in its version for children and adolescents, it is proposed that programs and services for the pediatric population with disabilities include the different dimensions raised therein, but especially aspects related to participation, the elimination of barriers of the context, and implementing models that focus on function and independence in the child's daily activities. Based on this premise, and on the recommendations of different authors, the Rehabilitation Committee of Antioquia, in the city of Medellin - Colombia, has been implementing a model of care that has as its central axis the achievement of independence in the activities of daily living and the promotion of participation. The programs that have been derived from this model for the care of children and adolescents are presented in this article. On the other hand, the current Covid-19 pandemic and the quarantine in the country have revealed the importance of telerehabilitation, the defense of the rights of children with disabilities, and models of care that focus on the family and the context. Finally, this article presents a proposal for an agenda to transform the models of care in pediatric rehabilitation, taking into account the lessons learned during this period of health emergency due to Covid-19.

Influência da dificuldade de inseminação, temperamento e cortisol plasmático sobre a taxa de concepção de vacas e novilhas da raça Nelore inseminadas em tempo fixo / Influence of difficulty of insemination, temperament and plasma cortisol on conception rate of Nelore cows and heifers in timed AI

O objetivo do presente experimento foi avaliar efeito do estresse e da dificuldade de inseminação (DifIA) sobre a taxa de concepção (TC) de vacas (n=93) e novilhas (n= 72) Nelore submetidas à IATF. No D9, anotou-se nota de temperamento (NTe) e tempo da saída do brete (TSB) de todos os animais e coletou-se sangue das novilhas. No dia da IATF (D11), anotou-se NTe, TSB, DifIA e tempo de IA. A TC foi 36% para vacas e 46% para novilhas (P>0,05). Não foi observado efeito de Nte sobre TC (P>0,05). Porém, houve tendência para maior (P<0,10) TC nos animais que não apresentaram dificuldade de inseminação (DifIA1; TP=42%) em comparação aos animais com moderada ou alta dificuldade (DifIA2+DifIA3; TP=27%). Foi observado menor (P<0,05) tempo de IA para animais DifIA1 (17:31±06:02s) que animais DifIA2-3 (30:10±15:45s). Novilhas com maiores (P<0,05) níveis de cortisol apresentaram maior NTe (P<0,05). Entretanto, TC (59%) das novilhas menos reativas (cortisol=4,12±1,12ng/mL; NTe=3,2±0,6) não diferiu da TC (41%; P>0,05) das mais agitadas (cortisol=7,76±1,33ng/mL; NTe=3,82±0,79). Concluiu-se que avaliações de temperamento se relacionaram com nível de estresse, embora esses parâmetros não tenham afetado a TC deste trabalho. A maior dificuldade e/ou tempo necessário para se completar a IA demonstrou ser um potencial fator para a redução da fertilidade na IATF.(AU)

The objective was to evaluate the influence of stress and difficulty of insemination (DifIA) on conception rate (CR) of Nellore cows (n= 93) and heifers (n= 72) in Timed-AI. On D9, temperament (NTe) and time for chute exit (TSB) were recorded for all animals, and blood samples were colected from heifers. On the day of Timed-AI (D11), NTe, TSB, DifIA and time for AI were recorded. For cows, CR was 36% and for heifers 46% (P> 0.05). No effect (P> 0.05) of NTe was observed on CR. However, a tendency (P< 0,10) for higher CR was observed in animals with no difficulty for insemination (DifIA1; CR=42%) compared to animals that presented moderate or high difficulty (DifIA2+DifIA3, CR=27%). Time required for AI was lower (P< 0.05) in animals DifIA1 (17:31±06:02sec) than in animals DifIA2-3 (30:10±15:45sec). Heifers with greater (P< 0.05) cortisol levels presented higher Nte (P< 0.05). However, CR (59%) of less reactive heifers (cortisol=4,12±1,12ng/mL; NTe=3,2±0,6) did not differ from CR (41%; P> 0.05) of stressed animals (cortisol=7,76±1,33ng/mL; NTe=3,82±0,79). It was concluded that assessments of temperament were related to stress level, although these parameters did not affect the CR of this study. However, the higher difficulty and/or time to complete AI showed to be a potential factor for reducing fertility after timed-AI.(AU)