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Abstract Songbirds provide a model for adult plasticity in the auditory cortex as a function of recent experience due to parallels with human auditory processing. As for speech processing in humans, activity in songbirds’ higher auditory cortex (caudomedial nidopallium, NCM) is lateralized for complex vocalization sounds. However, in Zebra finches exposed to a novel heterospecific (canary) acoustic environment for 4–9 days, the typical pattern of right-lateralization is reversed. We now report that, in birds passively exposed to a novel heterospecific environment for extended periods (up to 21 days), the right-lateralized pattern of epidural auditory potentials first reverses transiently then returns to the typical pattern. Using acute, bilateral multi-unit electrophysiology, we confirm that this dynamic pattern occurs in NCM. Furthermore, extended exposure enhances discrimination for heterospecific stimuli. We conclude that lateralization is functionally labile and, when engaged by novel sensory experience, contributes to discrimination of novel stimuli that may be ethologically relevant. Future studies seek to determine whether, (1) the dynamicity of lateralized processes engaged by novel sensory experiences recurs with every novel challenge in the same organism; (2) the dynamic pattern extends to other cortical, thalamic or midbrain structures; and (3) the phenomenon generalizes across sensory modalities.

Objetivo: Este artículo presenta una revisión de las perspectivas de investigación que se han convertido en referentes para la formación moral de la ciudadanía.Originalidad/aporte: Enriquece el debate con una reflexión distinta, mediante la cual se analizan los avances de la educación moral a partir de los diferentes enfoques de investigación que se han desarrollado en esta materia desde principios del siglo XX: la internalización personal de la conducta, la adaptación de la persona a las normas sociales, la construcción autónoma del razonamiento moral y el aprendizaje social como fuente de educación moral.Método: El estudio se fundamentó en un análisis de la literatura existente, alternando entre los avances de la investigación en el campo moral y el desarrollo epistemológico de los conceptos de esta dimensión.Estrategias/recolección de información: El proceso seguido para la recolección de la información tuvo tres etapas: identificación de las investigaciones que han aportado a la teoría de la educación moral, conformación de líneas de investigación a partir de la similitud entre los enfoques asumidos y finalmente, análisis de cada enfoque.Conclusiones: Se identificaron cuatro enfoques de investigación en educación moral: la internalización de la conducta, la adaptación de la persona a las normas sociales, la construcción autónoma y el aprendizaje social. Los dos primeros se han centrado en la asunción heterónoma de pautas de comportamiento, y los siguientes en la autonomía de las personas en interacción con el contexto social.

En el ensayo, se analiza la actual reforma de la formación docente implementada en la República Dominicana. Se observa que esta prescinde de contenidos relacionados con la legislación y las normas de convivencia de la sociedad. Esta enmienda, impulsada por el Ministerio de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología, elimina la asignatura sobre legislación educativa, por lo que se aleja del mandato de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos, de la Constitución de la República, de la Ley de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología, de la Ley General de Educación y del mismo espíritu de la normativa que legaliza dicha reforma. Un cambio de esta naturaleza conlleva la generación de un déficit en la formación ciudadana, convivencia social y democracia. En consecuencia, la sociedad dominicana podría estar entrando en un probable alejamiento de la construcción de un Estado social de derechos, donde la ciudadanía conozca, defienda y practique sus privilegios, así como cumpla con sus deberes.

El estudio tomó como referencia la teoría de la eficacia escolar, para disponer de evidencias de los efectos de la capacitación de directores en el rendimiento académico del alumnado de secundaria en República Dominicana. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de los resultados en Pruebas Nacionales, con una muestra de 45 centros dirigidos por directores que recibieron un curso de formación continua, y otros 45, cuyos directores no lo recibieron. Los resultados mostraron que el rendimiento del alumnado de centros educativos dirigidos por directores capacitados fue superior al de los centros dirigidos por directores que no recibieron capacitación.

Despite its history throughout the 20th century, the psychology of music was not able to have a direct impact on the practices of music conservatoires. In the case of Spain, the Spanish Association for the Psychology of Music and Music Performance (AEPMIM, 2015) led to a confluence of professionals in this field who were dispersed around the country. Among its initiatives was the urgency of incorporating psychology professionals into conservatories as the main way to ensure the improvement of psychological health and student performance in an activity as demanding as music. In 2019, a group was constituted within the AEPMIM, mainly made up of professional psychologists who work as teachers in Spanish conservatoires. This work shows the main activities carried out by this group based on common global values that are intended to serve as a guide for sustainable music education.

Background: The once-daily oral combination of daclatasvir (DCV) and sofosbuvir (SOF), with or without ribavirin (RBV), is effective and well tolerated in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, further field-practice studies are necessary to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the DCV+SOF combination in diverse subpopulations of patients with HCV, including those who are more challenging to treat such as patients with a genotype 3 (G3) infection. The aim of this retrospective, multicenter, field-practice study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the oral combination of DCV and SOF, with or without RBV (DCV+SOF±RBV), in a large unselected cohort of patients with chronic HCV infection (CHC). Patients and methods: Consecutive patients received DCV+SOF±RBV for 12 or 24 weeks. The efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). Safety factors were also considered. Results: A total of 620 patients were included in this study; the predominant genotype was G3 (55.3%). Of the total sample, 248 (40%) patients were treated with DCV+SOF+RBV and 372 (60%) did not receive RBV. The majority of patients assessed at week 12 (98%, 596/608) achieved SVR12. Among G3 patients, 98.8% (335/339) achieved SVR12. The most common adverse event was elevated bilirubin (30.6%), recorded in 4.9% of cases as a grade 3–4 adverse event. Conclusion: This study shows the high pan-genotypic effectiveness and safety of the DCV+SOF±RBV combination in a large, unselected sample of CHC patients with G1–4, including a wide proportion of G3 CHC patients.

El objetivo del estudio consistió en evaluar el impacto de la Escuela de Directores (EDCE) en la calidad de los aprendizajes, medidos por medio de los resultados en las Pruebas Nacionales de octavo grado del nivel básico (hoy segundo grado del secundario) de República Dominicana. El estudio se fundamentó en el enfoque cuantitativo, caracterizado por la medición numérica y análisis mediante el uso de técnicas estadísticas. Se tomó una muestra de 400 centros educativos, en la que la mitad (200) era dirigida por egresados de la EDCE y tomada, aleatoriamente, de las primeras cohortes del programa, capacitadas en el 2012 y 2013. La otra mitad de la muestra se tomó de manera intencional, siendo cada centro el más próximo a cada uno de los primeros. Los centros dirigidos por egresados de la EDCE, conformaron el grupo experimental y el segundo, el grupo control. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de los resultados de Pruebas Nacionales entre el período 2011 y 2016 de ambos grupos. Los resultados indicaron que en el año escolar 2011-2012, el rendimiento del estudiantado, en el grupo experimental, mostraba similitud con el del grupo control. En cada año siguiente, se observó un mayor y ascendente rendimiento en los centros educativos que conformaron el grupo experimental. Se concluyó que el estudiantado de centros educativos dirigidos por egresados de la EDCE, tiene mejor aprendizaje que el estudiantado de centros educativos dirigidos por otros directores.

Memory, namely visuomotor memory, is one of the most essential cognitive functions in elder’s life. Among others, regular exercise seems to be an important factor in counteracting age-related-cognitive skills changes and thus prevent memory loss. However, in spite of the importance of visuomotor memory, the results of the scarce studies concerning the influence of exercise on this capacity are contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical exercise (PE) in visuomotor memory (VMM) of elderly adults in function of gender and age. VMM (time spent in performing the test and errors during the execution) of 74 subjects aged 60-90 years, being 36 practitioners of PE (P - mean age of 70.22 ± 0.90 years) and 38 non-practitioners (NP - mean age of 68.26 ± 1.12 years) were assessed by VMM Test. The results showed that: a) P presented a better performance in the time of performing the test and in the number of errors committed compared to NP; b) Gender and age did not influence the VMM performance. Data suggest that PE seems to have positive effect in the VMM, independently of gender and age.

In the last decade, automatic driving systems for vehicles circulating on public roads have become increasingly closer to reality. There is always a strong interest in this topic among research centers and car manufacturers. One of the most critical aspects is the management of intersections, i.e., who will have to go first and in what ways? This is the question we want to answer through this research. Clearly, the goal is to manage the intersection safely, making it possible to reduce road congestion, travel time, emissions, and fuel consumption as much as possible. The research is conducted by comparing a new management system with the systems already known in the state of the art for different types of intersections. The new system proposed by us is called FRFP (first to reach the end of the intersection first to pass). In particular, vehicles will increase or decrease their speed in collaboration with each other by making the right decision. The vehicle that can potentially reach the intersection exit first.

La relación entre la psicología y la música no ha sido todo lo cercana que se podría esperar. La psicología de la música en su mayor parte se sigue entendiendo como cuantativa-experimental. Este estudio revisa el planteamiento de Wundt y Seashore, considerados fundadores de la psicología como ciencia y de la psicología de la música respectivamente, acerca de cómo abordar los procesos superiores, en los que encontraríamos el hecho artístico. Se muestra cómo pese a la importancia que se les atribuye a sus logros, han prevalecido por encima de todos precisamente los más afines al paradigma positivista, cuando en realidad su enfoque era mucho más amplio. En este contexto se explica el reciente nacimiento de la Asociación Española de Psicología de la Música y la Interpretación musical (AEPMIM), hecho tardío muy condicionado por la precaria situación de la disciplina en España. Por último se presentan algunas reflexiones acerca del actual paradigma de la cognición musical y cómo enriquecerlo para hacerlo más musical y no casi absolutamente psicológico, implicando a los músicos de forma más directa, ampliando la difusión del conocimiento más allá de los propios expertos y con el objetivo de cambiar la realidad como otra de las responsabilidades de las asociaciones de psicología de la música.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de painéis aglomerados produzidos com resíduos de processamento em serraria de nove espécies de madeiras tropicais da Amazônia. As espécies estudadas foram: Scleronema micranthum Ducke (Cardeiro), Ecclinusa guianensis Eyma (Caucho), Scleronema sp. (Castanha-de-paca), Copaifera multijuga Hayne (Copaíba), Ocotea sp. (Louro), Ocotea guianensis Aubl (Louro-espinho), Caryocar villosum Pers. (Piquiarana), Couratari oblongifolia Ducke & R. Knuth (Tauari) e Virola surinamensis Rol. Warb (Virola). Foram produzidos painéis experimentais com densidade nominal de 0,75 g.cm-3, utilizando a resina uréia-formaldeído na proporção de 8% de sólidos - base peso seco das partículas. Os painéis foram prensados com pressão específica de 4,0 MPa, temperatura de 160 ºC e tempo de prensagem de oito minutos. As avaliações dos resultados de ensaios obtidos nesta pesquisa indicam a viabilidade técnica de utilização das nove espécies provenientes de florestas tropicais da Amazônia na produção de painéis de madeira aglomerada, com destaque para Ecclinusa guianensis Eyma (Caucho) que, de uma forma geral, apresentou melhores resultados de propriedades físico-mecânicas.This research was developed to evaluate the quality of particleboards manufactured from sawmill waste of nine tropical wood species of Amazônia. The following species were studied: Scleronema micranthum Ducke (Cardeiro), Ecclinusa guianensis Eyma (Caucho), Scleronema sp. (Castanha-de-paca), Copaifera multijuga Hayne (Copaíba), Ocotea sp. (Louro), Ocotea guianensis Aubl (Louro-espinho), Caryocar villosum Pers. (Piquiarana), Couratari oblongifolia (Tauari) e Virola surinamensis Rol. Warb (Virola). The experimental boards were manufactured with the nominal density of 0.75 g.cm-3, using the urea-formaldehyde resin in the proportion of 8% of solid content based on oven dried wood particles. The boards were pressed at the specific pressure of 40 kgf/cm², temperature of 160 ºC and press time of eight minutes. The evaluations of test results obtained in this study indicate the potential use of the nine species from Amazon rainforest in the production of particleboard, highlighting Ecclinusa guianensis (Caucho) that, in general, showed better results of physical and mechanical properties.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Vitamin E (Vit E) and Selenium (Se) on semen quality, sexual activity, packed cell volume (PCV), and white blood cell counts (WBC) of Awassi rams during the hot season. Twelve Awassi rams were subdivided into three groups and treated for 90 days. Rams in the 1st group (T1) were treated twice weekly with 175 mg/ram vitamin E at intervals of 12h; rams in the 2nd group (T2) were treated on the same schedule with 70 mg/ram vitamin E plus 2800 mg selenium; and rams in 3rd group (T3) served as controls. Sperm quality (percentage of motile cells and percentage of morphologically normal cells) and quantity (sperm volume, and concentration) were recorded weekly. Sexual activity was tested by using the pen libido test at monthly intervals. Blood samples were taken before treatment and after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd months. Semen quality was significantly affected by treatments: the ejaculate volume increased in T2 vs T1, and T3; mass activity and individual motility were increased in T1 and T2 vs T3. Sperm concentration was increased in T2 and T1 vs T3, and the percentage of dead and abnormal spermatozoa was reduced in T1 and T2 vs T3, though the differences were not statistically significant. Pen libido test showed reduced reaction time for the first mount in the 1st month in T2 and T1 vs T3. The number of serves was increased in groups T1 and T2 vs T3. There were no significant differences in PCV among groups. After 3 months from the beginning of treatments, the percentage of lymphocytes increased in T1 and T2 vs. T3, while the percentage of neutrophils was reduced in T2 vs T3 in the 2nd and 3rd months. The results of this experiment indicate that treatments with vitamin E alone or in combination with selenium improved semen characteristics and reproductive performance of Awassi rams during the hot season.

Avaliou-se a variabilidade da tratabilidade da espécie madeireira Brosimum rubescens Taub. Moraceae (pau-rainha), abordando três diferentes alturas do tronco (base, meio e ápice) e duas partes (cerne e alburno). O processo utilizado foi o de impregnação sob pressão, através do método de célula-cheia ou Bethell, e o preservante foi o CCA, tipo A, a 2% de concentração. A análise da variabilidade deu-se em função da retenção. Ao comparar os dados de retenção (kg/m³) das diferentes alturas e partes do tronco, constatou-se que o grau de tratabilidade do alburno é moderadamente difícil, enquanto o cerne é refratário. Os resultados de retenção das toras estudadas nas diferentes alturas da árvore não apresentaram diferença significativa, entretanto existe diferença significativa de retenção entre as partes (cerne e alburno). A análise de microdistribuição do preservante através do estudo anatômico funciona como ferramenta auxiliar na interpretação desses resultados.

Ten Sarda dairy ewes (5 with high Body Condition Score: H-BCS, BCS>2.5; BW 48.8±5.4 kg; 5 with low BCS: L-BCS, BCS

Ten Sarda dairy ewes (5 with high Body Condition Score: H-BCS, BCS>2.5; BW 48.8±5.4 kg; 5 with low BCS: L-BCS, BCS

No presente estudo foi avaliada a tratabilidade da espécie madeireira Brosimum rubescens Taub., Moraceae (pau-rainha), da região amazônica. Os testes foram feitos em três diferentes alturas (base, meio e ápice do fuste), com preservante CCA, tipo A, a 2% de concentração, utilizando-se o processo de impregnação sob pressão, através do método de célula cheia "Bethell". Os dados mostraram que o grau de tratabilidade do alburno é "moderadamente difícil" enquanto que o cerne é "refratário". Os resultados de absorção das toras estudadas nas diferentes alturas da árvore não apresentaram diferença significativa. Houve diferença significativa entre cerne e alburno, com intervalos de retenção de 7,95 a 8,84 kg/m3 para o alburno e de 0,13 a 0,27 kg/m3 para o cerne. Embora os vasos sejam considerados estruturas de maior importância em relação a condução, as fibras obtiveram papel relevante no processo de distribuição do preservante. O raio e o parênquima axial, mesmo no alburno, apresentaram-se ineficientes quanto a condução, devido a deposições de extrativos presentes nesses elementos. Os resultados sugerem que a refratabilidade do cerne, bem como a permeabilidade limitada do alburno desta espécie está relacionada com o conteúdo de extrativos presentes na madeira e, em especial, devido à presença de tiloses nos vasos.

Introduction: Blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAI) once had mortality rates up to 32%, but the advent of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has significantly improved outcomes. However, concerns persist regarding long-term devicerelated complications, device integrity in aging aortas, and the criteria for selecting patients for endovascular repair. We aimed to assess BTAI treatment strategies based on injury grade and their associated outcomes., Methods: A systematic search of MedLine and Scopus databases was conducted to identify original articles published after 2013, which provided information on injury characteristics, outcomes, secondary effects, and reinterventions following BTAI. We classified aortic injuries following the SVS Clinical Practice Guidelines., Results: We included 28 studies involving 1888 BTAI patients, including 5 prospective studies. Most patients were under 45 years old (86.4%), and grade III injuries were the most common (901 patients), followed by grades I and II (307 and 291 patients, respectively). TEVAR was performed in 1458 patients, mainly with grade III and IV injuries (1040 patients). Approximately half of the grade I injuries (153 of 307) were treated with TEVAR. Thirty-day mortality rate was 11.2%, primarily due to associated injuries. Aortic-related deaths were reported in 21 studies, with an overall rate of 2.2%, but none occurred beyond the first 30 days. Partial or complete coverage of the left subclavian artery was performed in 522 patients, with 27.9% requiring immediate or delayed revascularization. Aortic reintervention rates were relatively low (3.9%)., Conclusion: TEVAR effectively treats BTAI grades III and IV, with potential benefit for some grade II injuries with more aggressive early intervention. Despite SVS guidelines suggesting conservative management for grade I injuries, there is a substantial rate of intervention with positive outcomes and low mortality. Long-term follow-up data, extending up to almost 20 years, reveal the durability of grafts, aortic remodeling, and minimal reintervention and complications.

A novel spectroscopic technique, photoluminescent ellipsometric circular dichroism (PECD), which distinguishes all radiative electronic transitions related to molecular chiral centers. Additionally, it is proposed as complementary to the ellipsometric Raman spectroscopy (ERS) technique, thus establishing a relationship between vibrational modes and electronic transitions, associated with molecular chiral centers. In this way, PECD turns into a powerful technique for chiral material characterization. The PECD technique was performed on a chiral oligomer (1R,2R)-diiminocyclohexane, and its derivative polymer. A complete photophysical characterization in solution was performed to corroborate the new PECD technique., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Clinical Relevance: Irradiance may decrease as the light-emitting diode (LED) is discharged. Therefore, the LED must be charged carefully to prevent the possibility of influencing the chemical, mechanical, and physical properties of composite resin., Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different light-emitting diode (LED) curing units and battery levels on the chemical, mechanical, and physical properties of composite resins. The irradiance for each cycle from full to completely discharged battery level was evaluated, for five different new cordless LED units: Optilight Color (Gnatus), Bluephase (Ivoclar), Valo (Ultradent), Radii Plus (SDI), and Radii Xpert (SDI). After the irradiance evaluation, composite resin specimens were prepared and light cured, while varying the battery level for each LED unit: high level (HL, 100%), medium level (ML, 50%), and low level (LL, 10%). The degree of conversion, diametral tensile strength, sorption, and solubility were also evaluated. Data were checked for homoscedasticity and submitted to two-way and three-way analysis of variance, depending on the test performed, followed by the Tukey test with a significance level of 95%. A negative correlation was found between irradiance and cycles of light curing, which was checked by the Pearson correlation test. Valo and Radii Xpert were not influenced by the battery level in any test performed. However, different battery levels for some LED units can influence the degree of conversion, diametral tensile strength, sorption, and solubility of composite resins., (©Operative Dentistry, 2020.)

Background: Pharmacobezoars are specific types of bezoars formed when medicines, such as tablets, suspensions, and/or drug delivery systems, aggregate and may cause death by occluding airways with tenacious material or by eluting drugs resulting in toxic or lethal blood concentrations., Objective: This work aims to fully review the state-of-the-art regarding pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and other relevant clinical and forensic features of pharmacobezoars., Results: Patients of a wide range of ages and of both sexes present with signs and symptoms of intoxications or more commonly gastrointestinal obstructions. The exact mechanisms of pharmacobezoar formation are unknown but are likely multifactorial. The diagnosis and treatment depend on the gastrointestinal segment affected and should be personalized to the medication and the underlying factor. A good and complete history, physical examination, image tests, upper endoscopy, and surgery through laparotomy of the lower tract are useful for diagnosis and treatment., Conclusion: Pharmacobezoars are rarely seen in clinical and forensic practice. They are related to controlled or immediate-release formulations, liquid, or non-digestible substances, in normal or altered digestive motility/anatomy tract, and in overdoses or therapeutic doses, and should be suspected in the presence of risk factors or patients taking drugs which may form pharmacobezoars., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)