Honey Added to Yogurt with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DN-173 010/CNCM I-2494 Supports Probiotic Enrichment but Does Not Reduce Intestinal Transit Time in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Trial.

BACKGROUND: Honey improves probiotic survival in vitro. However, if this effect translates to humans has not been investigated. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine effects of honey plus yogurt containing the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DN-173 010/CNCM I-2494 (B. animalis) on intestinal transit time, probiotic enrichment, digestive health, mood, and cognition in adults. METHODS: Sixty-six healthy adults (34 female; 33.6 ± 9.8 y; 24.6 ± 3.0 kg/m2) in a crossover trial were randomly assigned to 2-wk yogurt conditions in a counterbalanced order with ≥4-wk washout: 1) Honey (HON): yogurt plus honey and 2) Negative Control (NC): heat-treated yogurt plus sugar. Of the participants, n = 62 completed the trial, and n = 37 (17 female; 32.0 ± 8.3 y; 25.0 ± 2.9 kg/m2) elected to enroll in a third condition (a nonrandomized study extension) after ≥4-wk washout with a reference Positive Control (PC): yogurt plus sugar. At baseline and end of each of the 3 conditions, intestinal transit time was measured with dye capsules; probiotic abundance with fecal DNA 16S sequencing; digestive health with symptom/function records, Bristol stool consistency, Gastrointestinal Tolerability, and Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index; mood with Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-42, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System questionnaires, and an emotional image task; and cognition with a spatial reconstruction task. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models (LMMs) with significance at P ≤ 0.05. Baseline and end data were included in the LMM, with fixed effects being treatment, time, treatment by time interaction, and baseline covariate, and the random effect being the participant. RESULTS: B. animalis was enriched in HON (d = 3.54; P = 0.0002) compared to controls with linear discriminant analysis effect size. Intestinal transit time, gastrointestinal health, mood, and cognition did not differ between conditions (LMM: Ps > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Yogurt + honey enriched B. animalis but did not reduce intestinal transit time or have other functional gastrointestinal, mood, or cognitive effects in adults. This trial was registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov as NCT04187950 and NCT04901390.

Near-field microwave sensing technology enhanced with machine learning for the non-destructive evaluation of packaged food and beverage products.

In the food industry, the increasing use of automatic processes in the production line is contributing to the higher probability of finding contaminants inside food packages. Detecting these contaminants before sending the products to market has become a critical necessity. This paper presents a pioneering real-time system for detecting contaminants within food and beverage products by integrating microwave (MW) sensing technology with machine learning (ML) tools. Considering the prevalence of water and oil as primary components in many food and beverage items, the proposed technique is applied to both media. The approach involves a thorough examination of the MW sensing system, from selecting appropriate frequency bands to characterizing the antenna in its near-field region. The process culminates in the collection of scattering parameters to create the datasets, followed by classification using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning algorithm. Binary and multiclass classifications are performed on two types of datasets, including those with complex numbers and amplitude data only. High accuracy is achieved for both water-based and oil-based products.

Composición Corporal y Capacidad Física en Pacientes con COVID-19 Hospitalizados en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos

Las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) y agudos han sido los contenedores del avance de la pandemia por COVID-19. Sin embargo, la estadía prolongada en esta unidad puede repercutir sobre la composición corporal (CC) y la capacidad derealizar ejercicio de los pacientes. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar si existe relación entre composición corporal (CC) y la prueba de caminata en 6 minutos (PC6m). Se reclutaron 17 personas (8 mujeres y 9 hombres). Se tomaron las siguientes medidas: PC6m, se consideró su distancia recorrida (DRPC6m) y su velocidad (VelPC6m). Las variables de CC medidas fueron índice de masa corporal (IMC), masa grasa (MG), masa libre de grasa (MLG) y masa magra (MM). La DRPC6m sólo mostró relación significativa con la MM corporal (MMC). Por otra parte, la VelPC6m tuvo una relación significativa con la MMC. Además de esto, la MLG del miembro inferior derecho y la MLG del miembro inferior izquierdo mostraron una relación con la VelPC6m (r=0,422; p=0,041 y r=0,417; p=0,025, respectivamente). También la MM del miembro inferior derecho y la MM del miembro inferior izquierdo se relacionaron significativamente con la VelPC6m (r=0,422; p=0,030 y r=0,420; p=0,042). En conclusión, existe relación entre composición corporal y VelPC6m. Esto permitiría aproximarse de manera rápida al nivel de funcionalidad con la que ingresa un paciente a un programa de rehabilitación.

SUMMARY: The intensive care units (ICU) and acute care units have been the containers for the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, prolonged stay in this unit can impact patients' body composition (WC) and ability to exercise. This research aimed to determine if there is a relationship between body composition (BC) and the 6-minute walk test (6mWT). 17 people were recruited (8 women and 9 men). The following measurements were taken: 6mWT, its distance traveled (6mWTDT) and its speed (6mWTS) were considered. The WC variables measured were body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and lean mass (LM). 6mWTDT only showed a significant relationship with body LM (BLM). On the other hand, 6mWTS had a significant relationship with BLM. In addition to this, the FFM of the right lower limb and the FFM of the left lower limb showed a relationship with 6mWTS (r=0.422; p=0.041 and r=0.417; p=0.025, respectively). Also, the LM of the right lower limb and the LM of the left lower limb were significantly related to the 6mWTS (r=0.422; p=0.030 and r=0.420; p=0.042). In conclusion, there is a relationship between body composition and 6mWTS. This would allow us to quickly approach the level of functionality with which a patient enters a rehabilitation program.

Retrospective Analysis of the Ventilatory Workload Kinetic Index during Stability and Crisis in Patients with Asthma and COPD in a Monitored Program.

To assess ventilatory evolution through the Ventilatory Workload Kinetic Index (VWKI) in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during stability and exacerbation. Retrospective analysis. Conducted at the Padre Alberto Hurtado Hospital, Santiago, Chile. Ten patients with asthma and fifty-five with COPD participated. Sixty-five clinical records were reviewed. The VWKI in stability and exacerbation of these patients was extracted. When analyzing the baseline with the peak in both asthma and COPD, there was a significant increase in the VWKI. Similarly, the loads, translations, and supports significantly increased from the baseline to the peak. However, in the loads, there were no changes in airway resistance for asthma or in cough for COPD. Likewise, the supports for asthma and COPD showed no changes in the O2. The VWKI determined ventilatory issues in outpatients and made locating the greatest compromise in loads, translations, or supports possible.

Malformación de Arnold Chiari / Arnold Chiari malformation

La malformación de Arnold Chiari es una enfermedad rara que consiste en una alteración anatómica de la base del cráneo, en la que se produce herniación del cerebelo y del tronco del encéfalo a través del foramen magnum hasta el canal cervical. Muchos niños afectados nunca llegan a tener síntomas. En el caso de que cause síntomas, estos no suelen aparecer hasta la infancia tardía o adolescencia. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente de 2 años con malformación de Arnold Chiari tipo I. (AU)

Arnold Chiari malformation is a rare disease that consists of an anatomical alteration of the base of the skull, in which herniation of the cerebellum and brainstem occurs through the foramen magnum to the cervical canal. Many affected children never develop symptoms. If it does cause symptoms, they usually don’t appear until late childhood or adolescence. We present the clinical case of a 2-year-old patient with Arnold Chiari malformation type I. (AU)

Finding Candida auris in public metagenomic repositories.

Candida auris is a newly emerged multidrug-resistant fungus capable of causing invasive infections with high mortality. Despite intense efforts to understand how this pathogen rapidly emerged and spread worldwide, its environmental reservoirs are poorly understood. Here, we present a collaborative effort between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Biotechnology Information, and GridRepublic (a volunteer computing platform) to identify C. auris sequences in publicly available metagenomic datasets. We developed the MetaNISH pipeline that uses SRPRISM to align sequences to a set of reference genomes and computes a score for each reference genome. We used MetaNISH to scan ~300,000 SRA metagenomic runs from 2010 onwards and identified five datasets containing C. auris reads. Finally, GridRepublic has implemented a prospective C. auris molecular monitoring system using MetaNISH and volunteer computing.

Impact of a virtual educational intervention on knowledge and awareness of biomedical waste management among Peruvian dental professionals.

Waste from healthcare is a significant global issue, with around 85% of it being common waste and the remaining 15% being hazardous waste that is infectious and toxic. Dentistry uses various materials that create a substantial amount of biomedical waste capable of impacting the environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a virtual educational program on the knowledge and awareness of dental material recycling and reuse, as well as biomedical waste management, among dental professionals in Peru. The current study was a longitudinal and quasi-experimental evaluation of 165 dentists from Peru. A validated questionnaire consisting of 30 items was administered at three different intervals (pre-test, immediate post-test, and 14-day post-test). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests to compare scores between categories of each sociodemographic variable, and the Cochrane's Q and Friedman test was used for related measures comparison. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. When comparing the percentage of correct responses regarding recycling and reuse of dental materials and biomedical waste management between the pre-test and the immediate post-test, a significant improvement in knowledge was observed for most of the questionnaire items (p < 0.05). At 14 days after the test, those who studied at a private university, unmarried, bachelors, non-specialists, non-teachers and have less than 10 years of professional experience did not did not retain knowledge on biomedical waste management (p < 0.05) or recycling and reusing dental materials (p < 0.05) to a significant extent. There was a significant enhancement in dentists' knowledge and awareness of managing biomedical waste, recycling, and reusing dental materials following the educational intervention. This improvement was observed across all sociodemographic variables considered in the study. However, this knowledge was not retained beyond two weeks for those who studied at a private university, unmarried, bachelor, with no specialty, non-teachers and with less than 10 years of professional experience. Government authorities should encourage oral health professionals to conduct research with educational interventions focused on improving and evaluating the sustainability and environmental impact of dental practices. This will enable professionals to better understand, control and evaluate the consequences of their practical work.

Impacto de un Programa de Recuperación Funcional en Músculos Ventilatorios y Apendiculares en Pacientes Post-ventilación Mecánica por COVID-19 / Impact of a Functional Recovery Program on Ventilatory and Appendicular Muscles in Patients Post-mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19

Los pacientes con COVID-19 subsidiarios de ventilación mecánica (VM), evolucionan con consecuencias funcionales en la musculatura ventilatoria y apendicular que no necesariamente se abordan de manera diferenciada. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el impacto de un programa de recuperación funcional en estos pacientes y determinar si las intervenciones afectan de manera diferenciada a las funciones ventilatorias y musculatura apendicular, utilizando pruebas de bajo costo. Se evaluaron 47 pacientes con COVID-19 que estuvieron en VM. Posterior a una espirometría basal se les realizó; presión inspiratoria máxima (PIMáx), fuerza de prensión palmar (FPP), prueba de pararse y sentarse (PPS) y Prueba de caminata en 6 minutos (PC6m), antes y después del plan de intervención. Este programa incluyó ejercicios aeróbicos y de fuerza supervisados por dos sesiones semanales de 60 minutos durante 3 meses. Después del programa, se observaron mejoras significativas en la capacidad vital forzada (CVF), el volumen espiratorio en el primer segundo (VEF1) y la PIMáx. Se encontraron relaciones significativas entre estas mediciones y la distancia recorrida de la PC6m, la FPP y la PPS. En conclusión, el programa de recuperación funcional en pacientes con COVID-19 que requirieron VM, beneficia tanto la función ventilatoria como la fuerza muscular apendicular. Las pruebas de fuerza muscular apendicular pueden ser útiles para evaluar la recuperación ya que pueden entregar información diferenciada de sus rendimientos. Por último, se necesita más investigación para comprender mejor la respuesta de estos pacientes a la rehabilitación.

SUMMARY: Patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) evolve with functional consequences in the ventilatory and appendicular muscles that are not necessarily addressed in a differentiated manner. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of a functional recovery program in these patients and determine if the interventions differentially affect ventilatory functions and appendicular muscles, using low- cost tests. 47 patients with COVID-19 who were on MV were evaluated. After a baseline spirometry, they were performed; maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), handgrip strength (HGS), sit to stand test (STST) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT), before and after the intervention plan. This program included supervised aerobic and strength exercises for two weekly 60-minute sessions for 3 months. After the program, significant improvements were observed in forced vital capacity (FVC), expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and MIP. Significant relationships were found between these measurements and the distance traveled of the 6MWT, the HGS and the STST. In conclusion, the functional recovery program in patients with COVID-19 who required MV benefits both ventilatory function and appendicular muscle strength. Appendicular muscle strength tests can be useful to evaluate recovery since they can provide differentiated information about your performances. Finally, more research is needed to better understand the response of these patients to rehabilitation.

Mesiodens: a propósito de dos casos / Mesiodens: two cases

El mesiodens es el diente supernumerario más común, localizado en la línea media maxilar entre los incisivos centrales. Su etiología es incierta y se han planteado múltiples teorías. El diagnóstico y tratamiento precoz permite la erupción espontánea de los incisivos permanentes, evitar las complicaciones asociadas, así como tratamientos posteriores más complejos. En este artículo se presentan dos casos de mesiodens de pacientes que acuden a la consulta de Pediatría de Atención Primaria (AU)

The mesiodens is the most common supernumerary tooth, located in the maxillary midline between the central incisors. Its etiology is uncertain and multiple theories have been put forward. Early diagnosis and treatment allows the spontaneous eruption of the permanent incisors, and avoids associated complications as well as more complex subsequent treatments. In this article, two cases of mesiodens in patients attending the primary care pediatric outpatient clinic are presented. (AU)

Thoracic Fetiform Teratoma: A Case Report of a Very Rare Entity in a Peruvian Hospital.

Mature fetiform teratoma, or homunculus, is a term coined for a rare variant of teratoma with a prevalence of 0.01% of teratomas. There have been very few cases reported in the world, and its thoracic presentation is extremely unusual. We present the case of a 31-year-old female patient with a history of progressive chest pain in the left hemithorax, associated with dyspnea on moderate exertion and cough. Imaging studies revealed a large intrathoracic tumor visually compatible with a teratoma. Surgical resection by a clamshell approach was successful, and subsequent anatomopathological studies of the operative specimen concluded that the mass was a mature fetiform thoracic teratoma. The treatment of this entity is generally surgical and includes wide resection due to its large adhesive component to surrounding tissues. Thus, the cardiothoracic surgeon must know approaches that allow wide resection, making these cases true surgical challenges.

Effect of residence in nonmetropolitan counties on stage and tumor size at diagnosis in patients with breast cancer: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of residence in nonmetropolitan versus metropolitan counties on stage and tumor size at diagnosis in patients with breast cancer in the United States. METHODS: Women with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Logistic regression was used to model the effect of residence in nonmetropolitan counties on cancer stage and tumor size, adjusted for age, marital status, and 2 county-level socioeconomic variables. RESULTS: The final sample included 267,691 patients. More patients were diagnosed at advanced stages (III-IV vs I-II: 51.11% vs 50.21%) and with larger tumors (>2 cm vs < = 2 cm: 47.62% vs 46.77%) in nonmetropolitan counties. After adjustment, residence in nonmetro counties was not associated with advanced stage at diagnosis (OR = 0.987; 95% CI: 0.959-1.015) or tumor size >2 cm at diagnosis (OR = 0.997; 95% CI: 0.969-1.026). In stratified analysis by race/ethnicity, however, non-Hispanic White patients in nonmetropolitan counties were significantly more likely to have an advanced stage (OR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.003-1.068) and tumor sizes >2 cm (OR = 1.051; 95% CI: 1.018-1.084) at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Residence in nonmetropolitan counties in the United States was not associated with advanced stage or tumor size >2 cm at diagnosis in cases of breast cancer, compared to the residence in metropolitan counties. However, among non-Hispanic White females, residence in nonmetropolitan counties was associated with significantly higher odds of having an advanced stage and a tumor size >2 cm at diagnosis.

A cross-sectional study evidences regulations of leukocytes in the colostrum of mothers with obesity.

BACKGROUND: Breastmilk is a dynamic fluid whose initial function is to provide the most adapted nutrition to the neonate. Additional attributes have been recently ascribed to breastmilk, with the evidence of a specific microbiota and the presence of various components of the immune system, such as cytokines and leukocytes. The composition of breastmilk varies through time, according to the health status of mother and child, and altogether contributes to the future health of the infant. Obesity is a rising condition worldwide that creates a state of systemic, chronic inflammation including leukocytosis. Here, we asked whether colostrum, the milk produced within the first 48 h post-partum, would contain a distinct leukocyte composition depending on the body mass index (BMI) of the mother. METHODS: We collected peripheral blood and colostrum paired samples from obese (BMI > 30) and lean (BMI < 25) mothers within 48 h post-partum and applied a panel of 6 antibodies plus a viability marker to characterize 10 major leukocyte subpopulations using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The size, internal complexity, and surface expression of CD45 and CD16 of multiple leukocyte subpopulations were selectively regulated between blood and colostrum irrespective of the study groups, suggesting a generalized cell-specific phenotype alteration. In obesity, the colostrum B lymphocyte compartment was significantly reduced, and CD16+ blood monocytes had an increased CD16 expression compared to the lean group. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first characterization of major leukocyte subsets in colostrum of mothers suffering from obesity and the first report of colostrum leukocyte subpopulations in Latin America. We evidence various significant alterations of most leukocyte populations between blood and colostrum and demonstrate a decreased colostrum B lymphocyte fraction in obesity. This pioneering study is a stepping stone to further investigate active immunity in human breastmilk.

A promising blueberry from Colombia: antioxidant activity, nutritional and phytochemical composition of Cavendishia nitida (Kunth) A.C.Sm.

Many Neotropical representatives of Ericaceae have fruits with antioxidant activity and high nutritional value. However, in Colombia, these fruits are little consumed and are considered underutilized. One such example is the berries of Cavendishia nitida (Kunth) A.C.Sm. In this study, the nutritional value, the total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents, and antioxidant activity of C. nitida fruit were performed. From the leaves, an ethanolic extract was made, which was then fractioned to measure its antioxidant activity and analyze its chemical composition. The results indicate that the fruit of C. nitida can be classified as potentially edible, due to its minerals and vitamins contents. Five anthocyanins were detected in the berries; while in the leaves extract six terpenes and one flavonol were identified. The ethyl acetate fraction of the leaves extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity with the DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals tested. We also found a strong correlation between the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the values of percentage of inhibition of DPPH• and ABTS•+ in all the samples tested. The results of this study suggest that the berries of C. nitida are promising as edible fruits, and beneficial for human and animal health. However, even though the communities of the region use this berry as food, the toxicity of fruits must be evaluated to confirm that their consumption is safe for humans.

A Novel Discretization Procedure in the CSI-FEM Algorithm for Brain Stroke Microwave Imaging.

In this work, the contrast source inversion method is combined with a finite element method to solve microwave imaging problems. The paper's major contribution is the development of a novel contrast source variable discretization that leads to simplify the algorithm implementation and, at the same time, to improve the accuracy of the discretized quantities. Moreover, the imaging problem is recreated in a synthetic environment, where the antennas, and their corresponding coaxial port, are modeled. The implemented algorithm is applied to reconstruct the tissues' dielectric properties inside the head for brain stroke microwave imaging. The proposed implementation is compared with the standard one to evaluate the impact of the variables' discretization on the algorithm's accuracy. Furthermore, the paper shows the obtained performances with the proposed and the standard implementations of the contrast source inversion method in the same realistic 3D scenario. The exploited numerical example shows that the proposed discretization can reach a better focus on the stroke region in comparison with the standard one. However, the variation is within a limited range of permittivity values, which is reflected in similar averages.

Brain Stroke Classification via Machine Learning Algorithms Trained with a Linearized Scattering Operator.

This paper proposes an efficient and fast method to create large datasets for machine learning algorithms applied to brain stroke classification via microwave imaging systems. The proposed method is based on the distorted Born approximation and linearization of the scattering operator, in order to minimize the time to generate the large datasets needed to train the machine learning algorithms. The method is then applied to a microwave imaging system, which consists of twenty-four antennas conformal to the upper part of the head, realized with a 3D anthropomorphic multi-tissue model. Each antenna acts as a transmitter and receiver, and the working frequency is 1 GHz. The data are elaborated with three machine learning algorithms: support vector machine, multilayer perceptron, and k-nearest neighbours, comparing their performance. All classifiers can identify the presence or absence of the stroke, the kind of stroke (haemorrhagic or ischemic), and its position within the brain. The trained algorithms were tested with datasets generated via full-wave simulations of the overall system, considering also slightly modified antennas and limiting the data acquisition to amplitude only. The obtained results are promising for a possible real-time brain stroke classification.

Impacto del índice de masa corporal en el uso del prono vigil y cánula nasal de alto flujo en pacientes con COVID-19 / Impact of body mass index on the use of prone vigil and high-flow nasal cannula in pattients with COVID-19

RESUMEN: El objetivo del estudio fue determinar si la composición corporal es una condición que influye en el efecto del posicionamiento en prono vigil (PPV) en pacientes con COVID-19 conectados a cánula nasal de alto flujo (CNAF). Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo y se analizaron los resultados terapéuticos de 83 pacientes tratados con CNAF en el servicio de medicina del Hospital El Carmen (HEC), Santiago de Chile. Desde la ficha clínica electrónica (Florence clínico versión 19.3) y registro kinésico, se obtuvo la siguiente información: i) antecedentes del paciente, ii) diagnóstico médico, iii) índice de masa corporal (IMC), iv) características del PPV y v) características del proceso de conexión a CNAF. Se observó que existían diferencias significativas en pacientes con sobrepeso y obesos que usaron el PPV (p=0,001) a través del índice de ROX (IROX) al finalizar el tratamiento con CNAF, ocurriendo de igual manera al evaluar los efectos del PPV y en la PAFI en estos mismos grupos. En conclusión el IMC es un factor más agravante que condiciona la salud de los pacientes con COVID-19, y el IMC elevado puede afectar de manera negativa el tratamiento de estos pacientes. Por otra parte, el uso de PPV y CNAF demostraron ser efectivas en los pacientes con COVID-19.

SUMMARY: The aim of the study was to determine whether body composition is a condition influencing the effect of awake prone positioning (APP) in patients with COVID-19 connected to high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). We conducted a retrospective observational study and analyzed the therapeutic outcomes of 83 patients treated with HFNC in the medicine department of Hospital El Carmen (HEC), Santiago, Chile. The following information was obtained from the electronic clinical record (Florence clinical version 19.3) and the kinesic registry: i) patient history, ii) medical diagnosis, iii) body mass index (BMI), iv) characteristics of the APP and v) characteristics of the process of connection to CNAF. It was observed that there were significant differences in overweight and obese patients who used the PPV (p=0.001) through the ROX index (IROX) at the end of treatment with CNAF, occurring in the same way when evaluating the effects of the APP and in the PAFI in these same groups. In conclusion, BMI is a further aggravating factor that conditions the health of patients with COVID-19, and elevated BMI can negatively affect the treatment of these patients. On the other hand, the use of APP and CNAF proved to be effective in patients with COVID-19.

Experimental Validation of a Microwave System for Brain Stroke 3-D Imaging.

This paper experimentally validates the capability of a microwave prototype device to localize hemorrhages and ischemias within the brain as well as proposes an innovative calibration technique based on the measured data. In the reported experiments, a 3-D human-like head phantom is considered, where the brain is represented either with a homogeneous liquid mimicking brain dielectric properties or with ex vivo calf brains. The microwave imaging (MWI) system works at 1 GHz, and it is realized with a low-complexity architecture formed by an array of twenty-four printed monopole antennas. Each antenna is embedded into the "brick" of a semi-flexible dielectric matching medium, and it is positioned conformal to the head upper part. The imaging algorithm exploits a differential approach and provides 3-D images of the brain region. It employs the singular value decomposition of the discretized scattering operator obtained via accurate numerical models. The MWI system analysis shows promising reconstruction results and extends the device validation.

El Sistema de Valores en la Construcción de Paz y Noviolencia como Dimensión Axiológica del Proceso Formativo en la Institución Educativa Jesús María Valle de la Ciudad de Medellín / The Value System in The Construction of Peace and Nonviolence as an Axiological Dimension of the Educational Process in the Jesús María Valle Educational Institution at Medellín City / Axiológica do Processo de treinamento na institução ensino Jesús María Valle da Cidade de Medellín

Resumen Introducción. El proceso formativo en las Instituciones Educativas de nivel básico y medio contemplan la formación axiológica a partir de la declaración de un sistema de valores, que se despliegan desde las políticas públicas y se traducen en el Proyecto Educativo Institucional-PEI y el manual de convivencia; estos no siempre corresponden a los valores que perciben, apropian y practican las comunidades académicas. En un país como Colombia, en términos de posconflicto, los valores para la cultura de la paz cobran relevancia, dado que una paz duradera y estructural no depende solo del gobierno y los grupos guerrilleros, por lo que de hecho la Comisión de Conciliación Nacional - CNN (2013) establece como mínimos de reconciliación entre otros la "Generación de una cultura de paz". Objetivo. Hacer un análisis con la comunidad académica de un colegio público del Valle de Aburrá, que han experimentado diversos tipos de violencia, para conocer los valores que promueven para la paz y la no violencia, para comprender su dinámica en contraste con la institucionalidad y su impacto en la formación y la convivencia escolar. Materiales y métodos. la presente investigación se propone el enfoque metodológico socio-crítico a partir del cual se estudiará el fenómeno de la formación en su dimensión axiológica a partir del sistema de valores universales definidos por entidades multilaterales como Naciones Unidas y la UNESCO y que hoy promueve el gobierno nacional, el ministerio de educación nacional y las instituciones de educación en contraste con los imaginarios que las comunidades académicas tienen al respecto en relación con la cultura de la paz y la noviolencia. Resultados. Entre los problemas más frecuentes que la comunidad académica identifica al interior de la IE están, el maltrato físico y verbal, el matoneo, las peleas, las drogas y la discriminación; y en el entorno, es decir, al exterior de la Institución identifican, además, la delincuencia, la intolerancia, la discriminación, la violencia de género, la falta de amor y la falta de comunicación, todas estas formas de violencia que los jóvenes identifican claramente, las cuales a su vez se replican en el entorno institucional. Conclusión. del análisis se establecen los valores compartidos como bien común, su importancia, sus conflictos y la forma cómo los resuelven al interior de la comunidad académica.

Abstract Introduction. The educational process in educational institutions of basic and middle level includes axiological training based on the declaration of a system of values, which are deployed from public policies and are translated into the Institutional Educational Project-PEI and the manual of coexistence; these do not always correspond to the values perceived, appropriated and practiced by the academic communities. In a country like Colombia, in terms of post-conflict, the values for the culture of peace become relevant, given that a lasting and structural peace does not depend only on the government and the guerrilla groups, so in fact the National Conciliation Commission-CNN (2013) establishes as minimum reconciliation among others the "Generation of a culture of peace". Objective. The present work intends to make an analysis with the academic community of a public school in the Valle of Aburrá, who have experienced different types of violence, to know the values they promote for peace and nonviolence, to understand their dynamics in contrast to the institutionality and its impact on school education and coexistence. Materials and methods. This research proposes the socio-critical methodological approach from which the phenomenon of training will be studied in its axiological dimension from the system of universal values defined by multilateral entities such as the United Nations and UNESCO and that today promotes the national government, the national education ministry and educational institutions in contrast to the imaginations that academic communities have in this regard in relation to the culture of peace and nonviolence. Results. Among the most frequent problems that the academic community identifies within EI are physical and verbal abuse, bullying, fights, drugs and discrimination; and in the environment, that is, outside the Institution, they also identify crime, intolerance, discrimination, gender violence, lack of love and lack of communication, all these forms of violence that young people identify clearly, which in turn are replicated in the institutional environment. Conclusion. The analysis, shared values are established as a common good, their importance, their conflicts and the way they are resolved within the academic community.

Resumo Introdução. O processo de formação em Instituições de Ensino Básico e Médio contempla a formação axiológica a partir da declaração de um sistema de valores, que se desdobram a partir de políticas públicas e se traduzem no Projeto Educacional Institucional-PEI e no manual de convivência; estes nem sempre correspondem aos valores que as comunidades acadêmicas percebem, se apropriam e praticam. Em um país como a Colômbia, em termos de pós-conflito, os valores para a cultura da paz ganham relevância, pois uma paz duradoura e estrutural não depende apenas do governo e dos grupos guerrilheiros, de fato a Comissão Nacional de Conciliação-A CNN (2013) estabelece como reconciliação mínima entre outras a "Geração de uma cultura de paz". Objetivo. Realizar uma análise com a comunidade acadêmica de uma escola pública do Vale do Aburrá, que vivenciaram diversos tipos de violência, para conhecer os valores que promovem para a paz e não violência, para entender sua dinâmica em contraste com o quadro institucional e seu impacto na formação e na convivência escolar. Materiais e métodos. esta pesquisa propõe a abordagem metodológica sociocrítica a partir da qual o fenômeno da formação será estudado em sua dimensão axiológica a partir do sistema de valores universais definidos por entidades multilaterais como as Nações Unidas e a UNESCO e que hoje promove para o governo nacional, o ministério nacional da educação e as instituições educacionais, em contraste com a imaginação que as comunidades acadêmicas têm a esse respeito em relação à cultura de paz e não-violência. Resultados. Entre os problemas mais frequentes que a comunidade acadêmica identifica dentro da EI estão abuso físico e verbal, bullying, brigas, drogas e discriminação; e no ambiente, ou seja, fora da Instituição, também identificam crime, intolerância, discriminação, violência de gênero, falta de amor e falta de comunicação, todas essas formas de violência que os jovens identificam com clareza, que por sua vez se replicam no Ambiente institucional. Conclusões. a análise e os valores compartilhados se estabelecem como um bem comum, sua importância, seus conflitos e a forma como são resolvidos no seio da comunidade acadêmica.

Association of variants in IL1B, TLR9, TREM1, IL10RA, and CD3G and Native American ancestry on malaria susceptibility in Colombian populations.

Host genetics is an influencing factor in the manifestation of infectious diseases. In this study, the association of mild malaria with 28 variants in 16 genes previously reported in other populations and/or close to ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) selected was evaluated in an admixed 736 Colombian population sample. Additionally, the effect of genetic ancestry on phenotype expression was explored. For this purpose, the ancestral genetic composition of Turbo and El Bagre was determined. A higher Native American ancestry trend was found in the population with lower malaria susceptibility [odds ratio (OR) = 0.416, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.234-0.740, P = 0.003]. Three AIMs presented significant associations with the disease phenotype (MID1752, MID921, and MID1586). The first two were associated with greater malaria susceptibility (D/D, OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.06-4.69, P = 0.032 and I/D-I/I, OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.18-3.87, P = 0.011, respectively), and the latter has a protective effect on the appearance of malaria (I/I, OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.08-0.40, P < 0.0001). After adjustment by age, sex, municipality, and genetic ancestry, genotype association analysis showed evidence of association with malaria susceptibility for variants in or near IL1B, TLR9, TREM1, IL10RA, and CD3G genes: rs1143629-IL1B (G/A-A/A, OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21-0.78, P = 0.0051), rs352139-TLR9 (T/T, OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.11-0.72, P = 0.0053), rs352140-TLR9 (C/C, OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.20-0.87, P = 0.019), rs2234237-TREM1 (T/A-A/A, OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.23-0.79, P = 0.0056), rs4252246-IL10RA (C/A-A/A, OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.18-3.75, P = 0.01), and rs1561966-CD3G (A/A, OR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.06-0.69, P = 0.0058). The results showed the participation of genes involved in immunological processes and suggested an effect of ancestral genetic composition over the traits analyzed. Compared to the paisa population (Antioquia), Turbo and El Bagre showed a strong decrease in European ancestry and an increase in African and Native American ancestries. Also, a novel association of two single nucleotide polymorphisms with malaria susceptibility was identified in this study.