Application of nanosilica in the construction industry: A bibliometric analysis using Methodi Ordinatio.

The number of publications related to the implementation of nanotechnology in the construction industry, and specifically to the application of nanosilica (SiO2), has had a constant increase in recent years. Based on this, in the present work, an analysis was carried out using bibliometric techniques, with the aim at characterizing the development of specialized literature and identifying the largest areas of growth in the field, maintaining hydrophobic nanosilica as the research guideline. This analysis acquired information from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases to compare bibliometric indicators of the publications. It should be noted that, even though bibliometric analysis is useful to identify the study areas of greatest interest, to complement this work, the implementation of a method that helped in the research process to obtain the most important bibliography was required. This study implemented Methodi Ordinatio, which helped to take a new direction. Therefore, based on this method, a list of articles cataloged and ranked is obtained, which is the basis for integrating the final bibliographic portfolio. •The study applies the Methodi Ordinatio to obtain a portfolio of the most relevant articles to guide the researchers' work.•Insightful information can be obtained using VOSviewer to analyze and visualize metadata of the bibliographic portfolio.•The study demonstrates how the alpha value in the InOrdinatio formula modifies the resulting portfolio.

Search for antibodies to Taenia solium cysticerci in paediatric patients with seizures.

Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of seizures in adults, but in paediatric patients, the diagnosis is controversial. The aim of this study was to search for antibodies to Taenia solium cysticerci in paediatric patients with seizures. We retrospectively studied a cohort of 41 serum samples from paediatric patients and 40 serum samples from healthy children. Antibodies were analysed by ELISA (vesicular fluid) and by Western blot (glycoproteins). Clinical, image and socio-demographic data were obtained from the medical records. The frequency of positive by ELISA was of 12% (n=5) in patients with seizures, while no positive samples were found in the healthy group. Results of Western blot were negatives. The analysis of the medical records showed a cyst of unknown origin in 2/5 ELISA positive samples. According to the diagnostic criteria for neurocysticercosis, three minor criteria (positive serology, active seizures and compatible image) were associated to an epidemiological condition (Mexico is endemic for neurocysticercosis); thus, the probable frequency of neurocysticercosis in the studied sample of patients with seizures was 4.9% (2/41 patients). The three remaining positive samples were associated with problems of noninfectious origin. The positivity was associated with the identification of cysts by magnetic resonance imaging (p = 0.047; chi-square), but found no association with the socio-economic characteristics of the patients, family history or to clinical symptoms. In conclusion, scarce frequency of antibodies to T. solium cysticerci was determined in paediatric patients with seizures. The low prevalence of antibodies detected in children is an indirect indicator of the interruption of T. solium transmission. Further studies are needed to design an algorithm for the conclusive diagnosis of seizures.

Mineralización y/o solubilización del fósforo contenido en lodos provenientes de residuos salmonícolas marinos bioaumentados con cepas de aspergillus niger Y trichoederma pseudokoningi / Mineralization and/or solubilization phosphorus content from salmon waste sludge marine bioincreased with strains aspergillus niger and trichoederma pseudokoningi

Se evaluó un lodo salmonícola, proveniente de centros de cultivo marinos, con el objetivo de evaluar el aumento en la mineralización y/o solubilización del fósforo del lodo salmonícola tratado con la inoculación de cepas chilenas de hongos. El lodo fue pretratado mediante esterilización, pasteurización y sin pretratar. Posteriormente, fue inoculado con cepas nativas de Aspergillus niger y Trichoderma pseudokoningii, usando dos controles: sin adición de inóculo y otro, con la cepa control A. niger ANC. Estas muestras fueron incubadas por 60 días, determinándose el pH y la disponibilidad de fósforo (P) en los lodos pretratados. Luego de esta primera fase, las muestras fueron incubadas en tubos de lixiviación a temperatura controlada durante 6 semanas evaluando la cinética de mineralización de P de los lodos. Los pretratamientos aplicados al lodo aumentaron la disponibilidad de P con la disminución del pH. La esterilización del lodo influyó en la colonización microbial, presentando la mayor colonización de las cepas inoculadas y la mayor liberación de P a la solución. El pretratamiento de esterilización inoculado con la cepa control A. niger presentó el mayor potencial de mineralización de P, siendo significativamente mayor a las cepas nativas y al control evaluado.

A salmon sludge from marine farming centers was evaluated with the aim to increase the mineralization and/or solubilization of their phosphorus (P) content through the inoculation of Chilean fungi strains. The sludge was pretreated through sterilization, pasteurization and without any pretreatment. After were inoculated with native strains of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma pseudokoningii, using two controls: without inoculum and with inoculation with A. niger ANC. The samples were incubated for 60 days at room temperature and pH and P availability was determined. After this first phase, the samples were additionally incubated for other 6 weeks, in leaching tubes, at controlled temperature (25 ºC) evaluating the sludge kinetics of P mineralization. The pretreatment applied to the sludge increased P availability with a pH value decline. The sludge sterilization had an influence on the microbial colonization, presenting high colonization of the inoculated strains and more P was available. The pretreatment of sterilization inoculated with the control strain A. niger presented the biggest potential for mineralization of P, being significantly higher than the native strains and control evaluated in this study.

Probiotics as a help in children suffering from malnutrition and diarrhoea.

Malnutrition is associated with a significant impairment of cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte function, immunoglobulin A concentrations and cytokine production. This situation-which is unfortunately very frequent in infants and children from developing countries-leads to a high risk of infection, and often to episodes of diarrhoea, hence aggravating the nutritional status. Fermented milks are known to exert a beneficial influence on the host's health. They act by modulating gut microflora, regulating any alteration of gut mucosa and stimulating immune response. A number of studies have shown that probiotics shorten the duration of diarrhoea and prevent recurrence of other episodes. Furthermore, probiotics can prevent diarrhoea from infection in infants with malnutrition. In addition, it has been shown that cytokines could be used as biological markers of both impaired immune system and the immune stimulation of probiotics. The aim of this review is to update the effect of fermented milks in situations of malnutrition and diarrhoea as a consequence of infection as well as the role of cytokines produced by fermented milks in these deficient conditions.

The effect of fermented milk on interferon production in malnourished children and in anorexia nervosa patients undergoing nutritional care.

For several years cytokine production has been associated with infections but it was not suspected that some types of food could also induce cytokines, even in a state of non-infection. Lactic bacteria can induce interferon (IFN) production in human healthy subjects, thus, a better protection against infections would be expected. Therefore, we planned to evaluate the effect of two diets including yoghurt or milk on IFN-gamma production during nutritional recovery in two different situations of malnutrition: (1) children with diarrhoea; and (2) patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Both the diet including yoghurt of that including milk seemed to increase IFN-gamma production at the end of nutritional recovery in the malnourished children with diarrhoea. The significance of interferon production and the lymphocyte subset increase should be explored to know if a better resistance against pathogens is related to them. Regulation of intestinal absorption and moderate stimulation of interferon production make the yoghurt-based diet a good choice in the nutritional care of children. In the same way, an increase in the IFN-gamma production was observed in AN patients consuming yoghurt. This increase of IFN-gamma production could be considered a biological marker to detect the effect of probiotics on the immune response, especially in the improvement of a deficient nutritional status.

Women's health issues across the lifespan.

This study examines differences and similarities in women's health status, health care needs, and access to care across age groups. Data are from the Commonwealth Fund 1998 Survey of Women's Health. Several age-group specific issues stand out, such as more limited access to health insurance and a usual source of care among younger women, the emergence of chronic health care problems among women in the 45-64 age group, and the presence of multiple health problems among elderly women. The analyses reveal several themes that cut across age groups, such as the relationship between poverty and health status, the importance of health insurance, and the generally limited receipt of physician information about health-related behaviors.

The prevalence and circumstances of child sexual abuse: changes across a decade.

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the prevalence of child sexual abuse of African American and European American women and compares the circumstances of these incidents to data collected a decade ago. METHOD: Stratified probability sampling was used to recruit comparable samples of African American and European American women in Los Angeles County for a larger study of women's sexual decision making. Incidents of contact abuse were obtained from women 18 to 36 years old in 1994 and compared to women with those demographic characteristics from a comparable 1984 dataset. The prevalence of abuse, characteristics of the victim, assault, alleged perpetrator, disclosure, and long-term effects by ethnic group affiliation were assessed. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 34% reported at least one incident prior to age 18. Ethnic differences were found with respect to prevalence, location of abuse, and number of incidents of rape. While comparisons made with the 1984 dataset revealed no significant difference in prevalence rates over the 10 year period, changes in circumstances were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Los Angeles County remained fairly stable, several circumstances of abuse underwent change. These characteristics are discussed in relation to how sexual abuse among ethnically diverse samples in Los Angeles County has changed over a decade and how these differences can help better tailor prevention messages to different communities.

[Validation of the chronometer test as a method of screening for hypoacusis in patients aged 65 years and older]. / Validación del test del cronómetro como método de cribaje de hipoacusias en pacientes de más de 65 años.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the chronometry test as a screening procedure for hypoacusia compared with tonal audiometry, in patients over 65 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Mariañamansa health area (Ourense). PATIENTS: The first 49 patients over 65 who came to the medical consultations in June and July 1992 were selected, irrespective of the reasons for their visit; there were 17 males and 32 females, with and average age of 72.4 +/- 4.6 and 71.9 +/- 4.5. Only one patients consulted directly about loss of hearing. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A statistically significant association was found between the chronometry test and the audiometry test (gold-standard), significant at p < 0.005 for the left ear and p < 0.05 for the right ear. The test achieved a sensitivity of 0.85 and specificity of 0.76 in the case of the left ear, and 0.84 (sensitivity) and 0.56 (specificity) for the right ear. The kappa rate was 0.55 for the right ear and 0.67 for the left ear, showing agreement that went well beyond chance. CONCLUSIONS: In our view, the chronometry test constitutes an cheap, effective, simple, and replicable procedure for the detection of hypoacusia in patients aged over 65, and one which can usefully be used when no audioscope is available.

[Comparative serology in typhoid fever in children. II. Comparison of a microhemagglutination plate technic with Ruiz-Castañeda surface fixation]. / Serología comparativa en la fiebre tifoidea en niños. II. Comparación de una técnica de microhemoaglutinación en placa con fijación en superficie de Ruiz-Castañeda.

Two lipopolysaccharide antigens that differ by the technique of preparation from S. typhi, one named crude is easily extracted, the other one is water-phenol extracted. Both were adsorbed by papain and cysteine to lamb erythrocyte surfaces, fixed then by glutaraldehyde and used in a plate microhemagglutination test (MHA). The MHA test was done with 30 sera from children with S. typhi blood isolates. The same number of control sera were tested for comparison. The crude LPS antigen showed better sensitivity: 73% versus 53% of the water-phenol extracted one despite a high index correlation (r = 0.88). The latest one was evaluated in a prospective study, using it during a six-month period in an emergency room with S. typhi blood isolated sera. The MHA test was compared with the surface fixation test. Both assays showed similar sensitivity and a specificity of 91 and 100%, respectively.

La Jojoba Simmondsia chinensis / the jojoba simmondsia chinensis

The author, director of ZONA FORESTAL Y DE FAUNA of Ica, describes jojoba a plant only recently introduced into Peru, and presents its biology, management and economic aspects. Experiences and tendencias in the USA., Mexico and Argentina and the first experimental cultivation carried out in Ica, forsee a great future for jojobain central southerm coastal peru.

El autor, director del la ZONA FORESTAL Y DE FAUNA' de Ica , nos presenta una planta dqe recien se está conociendo en el Perú: su biología, manejo y economía. Según las experiencias y tendencias de U.S.A., México y Argentina y los primeros ensayos realizados en Ica se pronostica un gran futuro para la jojoba en el Sur Medio.