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Abstract Clothing is an essential aspect of our daily lives, but it comes with a high environmental cost. The production and disposal of clothing contribute to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the depletion of natural resources. However, recycled clothing presents an opportunity to reduce the impact of the fashion industry on the environment. The present study aims to investigate the impact of product-related factors, personal factors, promotional factors, social factors, and environmental and economic factors on recycled clothing buying behaviour. The data for analysis was collected using a survey method both online and offline from a sample of 420 selected through convenient sampling. Using SEM analysis, the study identified that all five factors influenced recycled clothing buying behaviour. Notably, it was found that among the factors considered promotional factors exhibited a pronounced effect on recycled clothing buying behaviour. Intriguingly product product-related factors did not show a significant influence on buying behaviour. The result of the study provides new insights into the existing literature in the context of the study.

Las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) están inmersas en un proceso constante de transformación, lo que implica repensar su quehacer cotidiano, es así que, la toma de decisiones adquiere relevancia para adaptarse y responder a las demandas sociales y los avances tecnológicos. Para ello, las universidades se ven obligadas a evolucionar, empleando diversas estrategias, entre las cuales destaca la transformación tecnológica y digital; estas, complementadas con modelos de gestión eficaces, permitirán una administración eficiente, este proceso da lugar al concepto de "Smart University" o universidad inteligente. La metodología tiene un enfoque cualitativo de alcance descriptivo, que recopila información detallada y particularidades relevantes, además se llevó a cabo entrevistas semiestructuradas con expertos que aportaron sus criterios y se recurrió al método hermenéutico para una mejor comprensión de este nuevo concepto. El objetivo es describir las características de las “Smart University”, como una visión a la que deben orientarse las IES, para dinamizarse acorde a las exigencias de la sociedad. Los resultados se centran en la descripción de estas características desde dos perspectivas: tecnológica y de gestión, estos enfoques permitirán orientar los modelos de gobernanza, procesos y recursos tecnológicos hacia la consecución de altos estándares de calidad y una cultura de mejora continua en beneficio de la colectividad.

Analize človeških tkiv iz arheoloških kontekstov pomembno pripomorejo k razumevanju posameznikov in družb v preteklosti. Na primeru četvernega groba 336–339 s poznoantičnega grobišča Bled – Pristava predstavljamo potek in rezultate celostne interdisciplinarne raziskave, ki združuje nekaj pri raziskovanju skeletnih tkiv najpogosteje izvedenih analiz, rezultate teh pa povezujemo v širši arheološki in zgodovinski kontekst. Na podlagi zbranih podatkov je mogoče sklepati, da so bili štirje pokojniki, oče s hčerama in sinom, v skupni grob položeni sočasno in premišljeno, morda zaradi posebnih okoliščin ob smrti. Grobni pridatki postavijo kontekst v sredino 6. st., radiokarbonsko datiranje pa v čas 5. in prve polovice 6. st. Analize stabilnih izotopov kažejo nihanja v prehrani skozi različna življenjska obdobja, povezana s spremembo prehrane in fiziološkim stresom. Rezultati interdisciplinarne študije, izvedene na posmrtnih ostankih štirih oseb, prikazujejo, kako se različne analize dopolnjujejo in/ali med seboj potrjujejo, kako velik je njihov domet pri razumevanju življenja in smrti obravnavanih oseb ter kakšen je njihov potencial za razumevanje življenja celotnih skupnosti v določenih zgodovinskih obdobjih.

Este artigo é um recorte de uma pesquisa desenvolvida na Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), com sete professores bacharéis iniciantes no Centro de Ciências da saúde. O estudo teve como foco compreender a temática da aprendizagem da docência iniciante em contextos emergentes, e configurou-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa, com a abordagem narrativa sociocultural. A produção dos dados se deu por meio de entrevistas narrativas a partir de tópicos guia. Nos achados evidenciamos as necessidades emergentes do acolhimento aos docente iniciantes, nesta fase de muitas dúvidas e incertezas. Nesse sentido, e como desdobramento da pesquisa, construiu-se um protótipo de página de acolhimento aos docentes.

Background: Africa is experiencing a significant surge in the use of pesticides on farms. Though the use of pesticide products on farms is increasing rapidly, the ability to monitor and regulate the practice has not kept pace. Despite their potential significance, the health and environmental impacts of the growing pesticide usage in developing nations remain inadequately comprehended and recorded. Objective: This paper presents a research protocol for a study that seeks to provide criteria for future monitoring of pesticide residues in aquatic environments and food sources. This study aims to evaluate pesticide utilisation methods and the potential hazards of pesticide residues in aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, the study seeks to assess the human health risks linked to pesticide applications. Methods: This study will employ a quantitative approach and cross-sectional design. It will utilise a combination of survey and the collection of biological and environmental samples. Our methodology consists of four distinct steps. These outline the processes for studying pesticide residue in environmental and fish samples. Additionally, we plan to employ mathematical algorithms to evaluate the ecological and health risks associated with these pesticide residues. Conclusion: This study is an effort to monitor and assess the hazards to the environment and human well-being associated with the increasing utilisation of pesticides. It also aims to gather relevant data on pesticide utilisation practices that contribute to the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. It will specifically focus on determining the concentration of pesticide residues in both biological and environmental samples. Additionally, the study will assess the ecological and health risks associated with these pesticide residues. This will enable the incorporation of organised research efforts and coordinated pesticide surveillance operations for toxicovigilance.

En los sistemas educativos, los modelos de gestión se adaptan con la finalidad de fortalecer el sistema en su conjunto, mejorar la calidad educativa y propender al desarrollo del conocimiento. Por lo tanto, las instituciones de educación superior (IES) deben adoptar nuevos modelos de gestión que permita una administración eficiente para alcanzar sus metas. El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido analizar tres modelos de gestión: Garvin, Deming e ISO 21001:2018, mediante un enfoque analítico-sintético-deductivo. Además, se ha buscado hacer una triangulación de información que permita realizar un análisis comparativo, considerando que no existe como regla general un modelo de gestión aplicable debido a que cada institución presenta diversas características, procesos estructuración institucional propia. Por esta razón, se ha planteado una propuesta dirigida a establecer nuevas perspectivas en la gestión de instituciones de educación superior en el que se recogen las mejores prácticas y dimensiones adaptadas a los requerimientos a los que se ven abocados las IES. La propuesta se ha basado en cinco categorías del modelo: procesos, funciones, objetivos-metas, mejora continua y liderazgo, en base a la vigencia, pertinencia y adaptabilidad para las IES, considerando aspectos científicos, tecnológicos y demandas de la sociedad.

Abstract Technology is paving innovative ways to provide financial services and improve the efficiency of financial systems. Since it is a dynamic field of research, it is important to look back on the ever-changing field of financial technology. This paper aims to analyse the existing research on financial technology through a bibliometric approach. The data were gathered from the Scopus database using secondary sources, and the analysis is presented descriptively along with science-mapping techniques. This paper offers an overview of the influential journals, authors, and organizations contributing to financial technology research. The study focuses on citation, cocitation, bibliographic coupling, and coauthorship analysis within the collected corpus. It is worth noting that this study is limited by the use of only one database, Scopus and excludes grey literature, this could lead to skewed results but this can be an arena for future research.

Abstract In recent years, the landscape of computer-assisted interventions and post-operative surgical video analysis has been dramatically reshaped by deep-learning techniques, resulting in significant advancements in surgeons’ skills, operation room management, and overall surgical outcomes. However, the progression of deep-learning-powered surgical technologies is profoundly reliant on large-scale datasets and annotations. In particular, surgical scene understanding and phase recognition stand as pivotal pillars within the realm of computer-assisted surgery and post-operative assessment of cataract surgery videos. In this context, we present the largest cataract surgery video dataset that addresses diverse requisites for constructing computerized surgical workflow analysis and detecting post-operative irregularities in cataract surgery. We validate the quality of annotations by benchmarking the performance of several state-of-the-art neural network architectures for phase recognition and surgical scene segmentation. Besides, we initiate the research on domain adaptation for instrument segmentation in cataract surgery by evaluating cross-domain instrument segmentation performance in cataract surgery videos. The dataset and annotations are publicly available in Synapse.

Pesticide residues in agricultural environments pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Most studies investigate the quantity, environmental, and risk assessment of pesticides in agricultural landscapes. However, farmers’ pesticide use and their knowledge on aquatic ecosystem contamination remain limited and poorly documented. This study evaluated pesticide residue concerns in agricultural settings, focusing on farmers’ uses and knowledge. It addressed pesticide application methods and their effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health through fish consumption. A cross-sectional design was employed and 300 farmers were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique from two agricultural districts – Savelugu Municipal and Tamale Metropolis. The study revealed that maize was most cultivated (29.6 %) with extensive pesticide treatment, particularly herbicides in the study setting. Findings revealed pesticide overuse (22.3 %), mixing of pesticides at the water bodies (24.7 %), improper leftover pesticide disposal methods (39.0 %) and inadequate storage practices (63.0 %) among farmers. About 21.3 % and 74.0 % of farmers have insufficient knowledge of the resulting consequences and the discharge of pesticides into the aquatic environment, respectively. Though the farmers are aware of the detrimental impact of pesticides on human health, there is still a lack of comprehension regarding the indirect consequences for aquatic ecosystems and non-target species. In the study setting, extension services may be important sources of knowledge. Thus, emphasizes the significance of improving extension programmes and utilizing peer-to-peer communication channels to support the adoption of best practices in pesticide management such as licenced high-temperature incinerators and cement kilns with sufficient emission controls. Focused training and outreach programmes designed to enhance farmers' knowledge and implementation of pesticide management plans are urgently needed. These interventions would help in reducing the dangers of pollution to aquatic ecosystems and human health.

AbstractIn recent years, vocational education reform has become an issue of common concern for the government, academia, and the education sector, as the difficulty in finding employment for Chinese university students and the labor shortage of senior technical personnel continue to intensify. This study conducted a systematic review of the literature on vocational education reform in the past decade, analyzing 61 pieces of literature from two major aspects, namely reform research objects and reform research directions, during the period of 2014–2023. The results of the analyses show that the current major directions of vocational education reform are the combination of teaching and practice, multi-skilling, teacher enhancement, and policy reform. The main research objects include overall vocational education, hierarchical vocational education, professional and curricular reforms, and reform studies for different provinces and regions.

IntroductionGenetic variants that control dopamine have been associated with obesity in children through loss of control of satiety and impulses, the manifestation of addictive eating behaviors, and specific personality traits. The variants include FTO-rs9939609 and the MAO-A 30 pb u-VNTR low-transcription alleles (LTA).ObjectiveTo evaluate the genetic association of FTO-rs9939609 and the MAO-A LTA, along with personality traits and eating behavior with obesity in Mayan children from Mexico.MethodsWe cross-sectionally evaluated 186 children (70 with obesity and 116 with normal weight) 6–12 years old from Yucatan, Mexico. Nutritional status was defined with body mass index (BMI) percentiles. Personality traits were evaluated with the Conners and TMCQ tests; eating behavior was evaluated with the CEBQ test. Genotyping with real-time PCR and TaqMan probes was used for FTO-rs9939609, whereas PCR amplification was used for MAO-A u-VNTR.ResultsHigh-intensity pleasure (p = 0.013) and moderate appetite (p = 0.032) differed according to nutritional status. Heterozygous FTO-rs9939609 T/A children showed higher mean scores of low-intensity pleasure (p = 0.002) and moderate appetite (p = 0.027) than homozygous T/T. Hemizygous boys having MAO-A LTA showed significantly higher mean scores of anxiety (p = 0.001) and impulsivity (p = 0.008). In multivariate models, only LTA alleles of MAO-A explained obesity in boys (OR = 4.44; 95% CI = 1.18–16.63).ConclusionIn the present study, MAO-A u-VNTR alleles were associated with obesity in multivariate models only in boys. These alleles might also have a role in personality traits such as anxiety and impulsivity, which secondly contribute to developing obesity in Mayan boys.

The European Union of Aquarium Curators (EUAC) boasts a membership of 150 dedicated individuals, standing as a vital cornerstone within the European public aquarium community. Since 2004, the EUAC Conservation Fund has granted over a quarter of a million euros to approximately 50 conservation projects spanning the globe. These initiatives, diverse in nature and scale, have yielded tangible impacts on local populations and their focal species. This paper delves into the outcomes of these conservation endeavors and proposes enhancements to ensure that the funding is unequivocally channeled towards conservation efforts. One resounding observation gleaned from the array of projects spotlighted in this study is the profound community engagement that emerges, irrespective of the final project outcomes. These endeavors serve as a catalyst for local communities, shedding light on subjects that would otherwise remain shrouded in obscurity. Furthermore, the EUAC-backed projects illuminate the expansive reach of public aquarium initiatives, transcending the confines of acrylic tank walls and institutional boundaries to resonate globally, heightening local awareness about the imperative to safeguard biodiversity. These findings underscore a prospective trajectory for both the EUAC and the public aquaria it comprises: an intensified advocacy and collaboration with legislative bodies to fortify in situ conservation measures. In essence, it is imperative that the public comprehends the pivotal role played by aquaria in preserving a multitude of species and acknowledges that their visits directly contribute to funding projects aimed at safeguarding species within their natural habitats.

Abstract Background Information on the performance of oxygenation indices (OIs) and risk scores in patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is limited. We determine the performance of the OIs and risk scores in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to predict the requirement of IMV and death at 28 days after admission. Methods A retrospective study of diagnostic tests in patients admitted to the emergency department, hospitalization, and intensive care unit diagnosed with COVID-19. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-curve) were built with the OIs and risk scores to predict IMV and mortality. Results A total of 1402 subjects entered the final analysis, of whom 19.5% (274/1402) received IMV and 23.0% (323/1402) died at 28 days. The ROC-curve of the delta PaO2/FiO2 ratio for the requirement of IMV and mortality at 28-day was 0.589 (95% CI: 0.546–0.632) and 0.567 (95% CI: 0.526–0.608), respectively. PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 shows a ROC curve of 0.669 (95% CI: 0.628–0.711) to predict IMV. PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 and 4 C mortality score in mortality at 28 days showed an ROC-curve of 0.624 (95% CI: 0.582–0.667) and 0.706 (95% CI: 0.669–0.742), respectively. Conclusion PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300, 4 C mortality score ≥ 8, SOFA score ≥ 4 y SaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 were weak predictors of the IMV requirement from admission, and 4 C mortality score ≥ 8 was weak predictors of the mortality from admission in patients with pulmonary involvement by COVID-19.

A critical yet unpredictable complication following cataract surgery is intraocular lens dislocation. Postoperative stability is imperative, as even a tiny decentration of multifocal lenses or inadequate alignment of the torus in toric lenses due to postoperative rotation can lead to a significant drop in visual acuity. Investigating possible intraoperative indicators that can predict post-surgical instabilities of intraocular lenses can help prevent this complication. In this paper, we develop and evaluate the first fully automatic framework for the computation of lens unfolding delay, rotation, and instability during surgery. Adopting a combination of three types of CNNs, namely recurrent, region-based, and pixel-based, the proposed framework is employed to assess the possibility of predicting postoperative lens dislocation during cataract surgery. This is achieved via performing a large-scale study on the statistical differences between the behavior of different brands of intraocular lenses and aligning the results with expert surgeons’ hypotheses and observations about the lenses. We exploit a large-scale dataset of cataract surgery videos featuring four intraocular lens brands. Experimental results confirm the reliability of the proposed framework in evaluating the lens’ statistics during the surgery. The Pearson correlation and t-test results reveal significant correlations between lens unfolding delay and lens rotation and significant differences between the intra-operative rotations stability of four groups of lenses. These results suggest that the proposed framework can help surgeons select the lenses based on the patient’s eye conditions and predict post-surgical lens dislocation.

Abstract Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are pediatric mesenchymal-derived malignancies encompassing PAX3/7-FOXO1 Fusion Positive (FP)-RMS, and Fusion Negative (FN)-RMS with frequent RAS pathway mutations. RMS express the master myogenic transcription factor MYOD that, whilst essential for survival, cannot support differentiation. Here we discover SKP2, an oncogenic E3-ubiquitin ligase, as a critical pro-tumorigenic driver in FN-RMS. We show that SKP2 is overexpressed in RMS through the binding of MYOD to an intronic enhancer. SKP2 in FN-RMS promotes cell cycle progression and prevents differentiation by directly targeting p27Kip1 and p57Kip2, respectively. SKP2 depletion unlocks a partly MYOD-dependent myogenic transcriptional program and strongly affects stemness and tumorigenic features and prevents in vivo tumor growth. These effects are mirrored by the investigational NEDDylation inhibitor MLN4924. Results demonstrate a crucial crosstalk between transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms through the MYOD-SKP2 axis that contributes to tumorigenesis in FN-RMS. Finally, NEDDylation inhibition is identified as a potential therapeutic vulnerability in FN-RMS.

Polymeric single chloride-ion conductor networks based on acrylic imidazolium chloride ionic liquid monomers AACXImCYCl as reported previously are prepared. The chemical structure of the polymers is varied with respect to the acrylic substituents (alkyl spacer and alkyl substituent in the imidazolium ring). The networks are examined in detail with respect to the influence of the chemical structure on the resulting properties including thermal behavior, rheological behavior, swelling behavior, and ionic conductivity. The ionic conductivities increase (by two orders of magnitude from 10−6 to 10−4 S·cm−1 with increasing temperature), while the complex viscosities of the polymer networks decrease simultaneously. After swelling in water for 1 week the ionic conductivity reaches values of 10−2 S·cm−1. A clear influence of the spacer and the crosslinker content on the glass transition temperature was shown for the first time in these investigations. With increasing crosslinker content, the Tg values and the viscosities of the networks increase. With increasing spacer length, the Tg values decrease, but the viscosities increase with increasing temperature. The results reveal that the materials represent promising electrolytes for batteries, as proven by successful charging/discharging of a p(TEMPO-MA)/zinc battery over 350 cycles.

The insular cortex (IC) is a brain region that both receives relevant sensory information and is responsible for emotional and cognitive processes, allowing the perception of sensory information. The IC has connections with multiple sites of the pain matrix, including cortico-cortical interactions with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and top-down connections with sites of descending pain inhibition. We explored the changes in the extracellular release of serotonin (5HT) and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), after inflammation was induced by carrageenan injection. Additionally, we explored the role of 5HT receptors (the 5HT1A, 5HT2A, and 5HT3 receptors) in the IC after inflammatory insult. The results showed an increase in the extracellular levels of 5HT and 5-HIAA during the inflammatory process compared to physiological levels. Additionally, the 5HT1A receptor was overexpressed. Finally, the 5HT1A, 5HT2A, and 5HT3 receptor blockade in the IC had antinociceptive effects. Our results highlight the role of serotonergic neurotransmission in long-lasting inflammatory nociception within the IC.

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder associated with severe cognitive dysfunction. Although research has mainly focused on forebrain abnormalities, emerging results support the involvement of the cerebellum in SZ physiopathology, particularly in Cognitive Impairment Associated with SZ (CIAS). Besides its role in motor learning and control, the cerebellum is implicated in cognition and emotion. Recent research suggests that structural and functional changes in the cerebellum are linked to deficits in various cognitive domains including attention, working memory, and decision-making. Moreover, cerebellar dysfunction is related to altered cerebellar circuit activities and connectivity with brain regions associated with cognitive processing. This review delves into the role of the cerebellum in CIAS. We initially consider the major forebrain alterations in CIAS, addressing impairments in neurotransmitter systems, synaptic plasticity, and connectivity. We then focus on recent findings showing that several mechanisms are also altered in the cerebellum and that cerebellar communication with the forebrain is impaired. This evidence implicates the cerebellum as a key component of circuits underpinning CIAS physiopathology. Further studies addressing cerebellar involvement in SZ and CIAS are warranted and might open new perspectives toward understanding the physiopathology and effective treatment of these disorders.

Comprehensive genomic sequencing is becoming a critical component in the assessment of hematologic malignancies, with broad implications for patient management. In this context, unequivocally discriminating somatic from germline events is challenging but greatly facilitated by matched analysis of tumor:normal pairs. In contrast to solid tumors, conventional sources of normal control (peripheral blood, buccal swabs, saliva) could be highly involved by the neoplastic process, rendering them unsuitable. In this work we describe our real-world experience using cell free DNA (cfDNA) isolated from nail clippings as an alternate source of normal control, through the dedicated review of 2,610 tumor:nail pairs comprehensively sequenced by MSK-IMPACT-heme. Overall, we find nail cfDNA is a robust source of germline control for paired genomic studies. In a subset of patients, nail DNA may have tumor DNA contamination, reflecting unique attributes of the hematologic disease and transplant history. Contamination is generally low level, but significantly more common among patients with myeloid neoplasms (20.5%; 304/1482) compared to lymphoid diseases (5.4%; 61/1128) and particularly enriched in myeloproliferative neoplasms with marked myelofibrosis. When identified in patients with lymphoid and plasma-cell neoplasms, mutations commonly reflected a myeloid profile and correlated with a concurrent/evolving clonal myeloid neoplasm. For nails collected after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation, donor DNA was identified in 22% (11/50). In this cohort, an association with recent history of graft-vs-host disease was identified. These findings should be considered as a potential limitation for the use of nail as normal control but could also provide important diagnostic information regarding the disease process.

Objectives The extent to which care quality influenced outcomes for patients hospitalised with COVID-19 is unknown. Our objective was to determine if prepandemic hospital quality is associated with mortality among Medicare patients hospitalised with COVID-19.Design This is a retrospective observational study. We calculated hospital-level risk-standardised in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates (risk-standardised mortality rates, RSMRs) for patients hospitalised with COVID-19, and correlation coefficients between RSMRs and pre-COVID-19 hospital quality, overall and stratified by hospital characteristics.Setting Short-term acute care hospitals and critical access hospitals in the USA.Participants Hospitalised Medicare beneficiaries (Fee-For-Service and Medicare Advantage) age 65 and older hospitalised with COVID-19, discharged between 1 April 2020 and 30 September 2021.Intervention/exposure Pre-COVID-19 hospital quality.Outcomes Risk-standardised COVID-19 in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates (RSMRs).Results In-hospital (n=4256) RSMRs for Medicare patients hospitalised with COVID-19 (April 2020–September 2021) ranged from 4.5% to 59.9% (median 18.2%; IQR 14.7%–23.7%); 30-day RSMRs ranged from 12.9% to 56.2% (IQR 24.6%–30.6%). COVID-19 RSMRs were negatively correlated with star rating summary scores (in-hospital correlation coefficient −0.41, p

Morphological differences between males and females are common among reptiles. A particularly interesting sexually dimorphic feature whose function is largely unknown is the number and pattern of specific scales. Several lizard species possess an arrangement of centered scales near the cloacal region that differ between the sexes and can be used for sex determination. The presence of postcloacal buttons, sexually dimorphic postcloacal scales on both sides of the body, is an exclusive trait in the subfamily Tupinambinae and is only poorly documented. Here, we investigate postcloacal scales in northern caiman lizards (Dracaena guianensis) housed at the Vienna Zoo. For a period of two years, we documented scale patterns and performed morphometric measurements of individuals of different age classes. Caiman lizards were CT scanned to confirm the sexes. Males exhibit three raised postcloacal scales in a row behind the left and right leg, while females possess one or two large scales surrounded by several smaller scales. The study provides the first evidence that these scales can function as a reliable trait to distinguish the sexes regardless of age or reproductive status. The sexually dimorphic bilateral scale pattern is present immediately after hatching and does not change during development. Scales only increase in thickness and length during growth. We further demonstrate that sexual size dimorphism (SSD) exists in juveniles during ontogenetic development. Juvenile females had a larger SVL, body length, tail length and higher weight compared to juvenile males. This SSD could not be confirmed in adults, and sex determination based on SSD seems unreliable.

Abstract Background Loss of cognitive and executive functions is a problem that affects people of all ages. That is why it is important to perform exercises for memory training and prevent early cognitive deterioration. The aim of this work was to compare the cognitive performance of the participants after an intervention by using two mnemonic techniques to exercise memory functions (paired-associate learning and method of loci). Methods A longitudinal study was conducted with 21 healthy participants aged 18 to 55 years over a 2-month period. To assess the impact of this proposal, the NEUROPSI brief battery cognitive assessment test was applied before and after the intervention. In each session, a previous cognitive training was carried out using the paired-associate learning technique, to later perform a task based on the loci method, all from a smart device-based application. The accuracy response and reaction times were automatically collected in the app. Results After the intervention, a statistically significant improvement was obtained in the neuropsychological assessment (NEUROPSI neuropsychological battery) reflected by the Wilcoxon paired signed-rank test (P

The systematic approach to the establishment of a cadaster in most European countries has resulted in a variety of cadastral documents. Most official cadastral data are from the 19th and 20th centuries and are stored as hard copies or electronic data in a data warehouse, while the original documents are stored in analog format in separate locations, making the cadastral data difficult to access. The increasing interest in the use of archival cadastral documents has stimulated their digitalization in most countries, allowing users to access cadastral documents through metadata catalogs. Most catalogs use archival metadata standards to describe cadastral documents, with a lack of application of geoinformation metadata standards that represent fundamental spatial datasets. Archival metadata standards do not provide enough information about the origin and quality of cadastral data. The aim of this study was to examine the applicability of the ISO 19115-1 standard for describing cadastral documents. The methodology includes a comparison and an analysis of documents which are stored in different locations. The metadata of archived cadastral documents are recorded in archive inventories, and archives use different terminology for documents with the same content. The scientific contribution of this study is given by the classification of key documents and their associated properties that uniquely described each document. Four types of documents were classified by comparison, and we analyzed the content between documents. Property identification resulted in the semantic mapping to metadata elements of ISO 19115-1 and showed a considerable congruence of elements. It was possible to apply the ISO 19115-1 standard for describing documents of systematic cadaster establishment, with additional extensions for some elements. Proposed extensions to describe the cadastral documents include replacing free text with domains of appropriate values, adding stricter obligations, and restricting the use of domain values. The standardization of metadata for analog cadastral documents in archives has created a prerequisite for the development of a metadata catalog, which would increase the availability and accessibility of cadastral data for different user groups.

The aim of this study was to explore retinal vasculature asymmetry (ReVA) patterns in subjects from the islands of Vis and Korcula and the city of Split, Croatia. Asymmetry estimates were based on topographic image analysis of non-mydriatic retinal fundus photographs and compared with nine ophthalmic measurements, three Doppler-based pressure indices and eight frequencies of audiometry. ReVA was also correlated to the genomic runs of homozygosity (ROHs) and used in a Cox regression survival model, where we adjusted for the effects of sex, age and comorbidity. In 1873 subjects, ReVA estimates were significantly correlated with most ophthalmic asymmetry measures, less strongly with the ankle–brachial pressure index and only modestly with higher-amplitude audiometry asymmetries (lowest p = 0.020). ReVA was significantly correlated with the number of ROHs (r = 0.229, p < 0.001) but less strongly with the ROH length (r = 0.101, p < 0.001). The overlap of asymmetries was low, with only 107 subjects (5.7% of the total sample) who had two or more instances in which they were among the top 10%. Multiple asymmetries did not affect survival (HR = 0.74, 95% confidence intervals 0.45–1.22). Retinal vasculature asymmetry is a poor predictor of asymmetry elsewhere in the body. Despite its existence and apparent association with comorbidities, the observed extent of retinal vasculature asymmetry did not affect the lifespan in this population.

El estudio aborda la relevancia de la teoría de la actividad histórico-cultural como fundamento y guía para el trabajo pedagógico en la asignatura sobre el Laboratorio de Cambio. El objetivo es valorar las dimensiones del diseño pedagógico en sus perspectivas investigativa e intervencionista. El enfoque de la investigación es mixto. La muestra es no probabilística intencional. Los datos son obtenidos a través de cuestionarios. Las dimensiones estudiadas son la actividad de aprendizaje; los sujetos participantes; objeto; herramientas; comunidad de aprendizaje; normas y reglas definidas por profesores y estudiantes; división del trabajo. Los resultados muestran que la implicación en el Laboratorio de Cambio promueve el compromiso efectivo de sus miembros, favoreciendo la activación del aprendizaje, acuerdos de colaboración y autorregulación. Se enfatiza la dimensión subjetiva e intersubjetiva, las contradicciones en los sistemas de actividad como motor de cambio y desarrollo. Se destaca el rol mediador de los profesores, activando dispositivos que conducen a la autosocioconstrucción del conocimiento, a partir de la constante evaluación y reorganización de las acciones desarrolladas.

This paper analyzes the perceived service quality in the sharing economy, specifically in the accommodation and transport sectors. The aim of the research was to determine differences in service quality perceptions among users in these sectors and to identify which category of service quality is more important to them. The research was based on two categories of service quality: technical and social. The survey was conducted on a sample of 327 respondents, and the research sample consisted of users of the sharing economy in accommodation and transport in Croatia. The results show that for users of accommodation and transport services, it is important that the application is regularly updated to quickly receive new information and to make service selection easier. Additionally, both groups of users believe that they have multiple benefits from this service, such as the ability to meet other people and a sense of security. However, there is a statistically significant difference in user perception in certain aspects of the social category of service quality. Specifically, the social category has been shown to be extremely important in accommodation sector studies. The desire for community and social interaction is a reason for choosing this type of accommodation over traditional forms. The role of the host is crucial in the choice of accommodation, and guests appreciate staying with a host because it provides them with the opportunity for authentic experiences. These results can be useful for service providers in the sharing economy in accommodation and transport to better understand the preferences and expectations of their users and improve the quality of their services.

The objective of this work is to analyze the psychosocial effects of COVID-19 on Ecuadorian university professors, for which a quantitative research of descriptive and correlational nature was developed. Two instruments were applied, based on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales and the Burnout questionnaire to the selected sample, in three public universities of easy access and linkage with the researchers. The population consisted of professors with appointment: 682 from the Technical University of Manabí, 678 from the Lay University Eloy Alfaro de Manabí, and 131 from the State University of Southern Manabí, from which a sample of 246, 246 and 98 professors was selected respectively. From the results it is derived that depression, anxiety, and stress were configured in psychosocial effects, which have had an impact during the COVID-19 pandemic on the professors of the universities studied, due to the pressure originated by new emerging methodological structures, the acquisition of other competences associated to technology, health and the risks of contagion, death and by the pedagogical attention through virtuality, unexpectedly arisen in times of pandemic.

This work focuses on demonstrating the working principle of inkjet-printed Au nanoparticle (NP) two-layer Gigahertz (2.6 GHz) microwave split-ring resonators (SRRs) as a novel platform for the detection of analytes on flexible substrates. In contrast to the standard fabrication of split-ring resonator biosensors using printed circuit board technology, which results in a seven-layer system, the resonators in this work were fabricated using a two-layer system. A ground plane is embedded in the SRR measurement setup. In this method, a microwave electromagnetic wave is coupled into the Au SRR via an inkjet-printed Cu-NP stripline that is photonically sintered. This coupling mechanism facilitates the detection of analytes by inducing resonance shifts in the SRR. In this study, the functionality of the printed sensors was demonstrated using two different Au functionalization processes, firstly, with HS-PEG7500-COOH, and, secondly, with protein G with an N-terminal cysteine residue. The sensing capabilities of the printed structures are shown by the attachment of biomolecules to the SRR and the measurement of the resulting resonance shift. The experiments show a clear shift of the resonance frequency in the range of 20–30 MHz for both approaches. These results demonstrate the functionality of the simplified printed two-layer microwave split-ring resonator for use as a biosensor.

The interplay between the housing market and the macro-economy is a complex and dynamic phenomenon influenced by various factors. Consequently, conducting an exhaustive examination of this relationship is imperative for devising pragmatic plans aimed at sustaining both social economic well-being and housing market stability. This study centers on the housing market and macro-economy as its focal points, employing an Agent decision-making model rooted in operational research decision-making theory. Within the confines of policy constraints, this model scrutinizes the enduring and fleeting impacts of housing market structure, potential, and stimulus policies on the stability of the macro-economy. The findings reveal that economic policies and stimulus strategies can foster the stable evolution of the macro-economy, albeit without maximizing the benefits accrued to the housing market, substantiating the validity of hypothesis 1. Furthermore, the study asserts that the structure and potential of the housing market exert a persistent positive influence on macroeconomic stability. Simultaneously, judiciously implemented stimulus strategies demonstrate a short-term stimulating impact, corroborating the veracity of hypotheses 2, 3, and 4. Notably, market freedom emerges as a variable influencing macroeconomic stability, characterized by considerable randomness. Hence, a comprehensive consideration of the housing market's structure and potential, coupled with the judicious application of economic policies and stimulating strategies, assumes paramount importance in upholding macroeconomic stability over the long and short term. The elucidated case study herein serves as a theoretical reference, offering insights for devising macroeconomic strategies and adjusting the housing market structure within the realm of housing policies.

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar la etiología, características clínicas y tipos de tratamiento en pacientes con maloclusión clase I de Angle. Los problemas que producen las maloclusiones son los principales obstáculos a los que se enfrentan los ortodoncistas, ya que estos no solo comprometen la estética del paciente sino también la funcionabilidad de todo el sistema estomatognático. La maloclusión tiene etiología variada relacionada a dos tipos de factores, locales y generales. Las maloclusiones clase I abarcan las anomalías donde la relación anteroposterior de los arcos superior e inferior se encuentran en los límites normales siendo el grupo dentario anterior el que presenta anomalías. Es de suma importancia realizar un diagnóstico completo para poder decidir cuál es el mejor tratamiento que se le puede dar al paciente, entre los tipos de tratamientos para esta patología tenemos: tratamiento preventivo, que nos ayuda a evitar que se instaure el problema, interceptivo, con el cual trataremos la maloclusión justo cuando está desarrollándose para evitar que avance, y el correctivo que nos ayuda a corregir la patología una vez instaurada.

Abstract The interest in bio‐based alternatives to classical polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) is steadily growing to achieve a more sustainable approach to polymer materials. In this study, PBT/poly(butylene furanoate) (PBF) blends are prepared, characterized and extrusion foamed. PBF as a bio‐based polyester offers two advantages. The ecological footprint of the material is reduced, and additionally, it can be used in Diels‐Alder reactions at the blend surface to support fusion of the foamed beads. The blending behavior of the polyesters is investigated using samples prepared in a microcompounder, particularly focused on the miscibility of the blends and transesterification reactions. The blends are thermodynamically immiscible but show a certain degree of transesterification according to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The morphology of blend beads produced by an extrusion foaming process is analyzed regarding their cell density, cell size distribution, and open‐cell content. It is shown that PBF has a positive effect on the bead foam morphology. The use of a bifunctional linker designed for chemical fusion of the bead surfaces allows to obtaining of molded parts, in contrast to beads containing pure PBT.

Zhao et al. recently reported results which, they claim, suggest that sexual selection produces the multimodal displays seen in little torrent frogs (Amolops torrentis) by co-opting limb movements that originally evolved to support parasite defense (Zhao et al., 2022). Here, we explain why we believe this conclusion to be premature.

BackgroundA hallmark of unregulated drug markets is their unpredictability and constant evolution with newly introduced substances. People who use drugs and the public health workforce are often unaware of the appearance of new drugs on the unregulated market and their type, safe dosage, and potential adverse effects. This increases risks to people who use drugs, including the risk of unknown consumption and unintentional drug poisoning. Early warning systems (EWSs) can help monitor the landscape of emerging drugs in a given community by collecting and tracking up-to-date information and determining trends. However, there are currently few ways to systematically monitor the appearance and harms of new drugs on the unregulated market in Canada. ObjectiveThe goal of this work is to examine how artificial intelligence can assist in identifying patterns of drug-related risks and harms, by monitoring the social media activity of public health and law enforcement groups. This information is beneficial in the form of an EWS as it can be used to identify new and emerging drug trends in various communities. MethodsTo collect data for this study, 145 relevant Twitter accounts throughout Quebec (n=33), Ontario (n=78), and British Columbia (n=34) were manually identified. Tweets posted between August 23 and December 21, 2021, were collected via the application programming interface developed by Twitter for a total of 40,393 tweets. Next, subject matter experts (1) developed keyword filters that reduced the data set to 3746 tweets and (2) manually identified relevant tweets for monitoring and early warning efforts for a total of 464 tweets. Using this information, a zero-shot classifier was applied to tweets from step 1 with a set of keep (drug arrest, drug discovery, and drug report) and not-keep (drug addiction support, public safety report, and others) labels to see how accurately it could extract the tweets identified in step 2. ResultsWhen looking at the accuracy in identifying relevant posts, the system extracted a total of 584 tweets and had an overlap of 392 out of 477 (specificity of ~84.5%) with the subject matter experts. Conversely, the system identified a total of 3162 irrelevant tweets and had an overlap of 3090 (sensitivity of ~94.1%) with the subject matter experts. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the benefits of using artificial intelligence to assist in finding relevant tweets for an EWS. The results showed that it can be quite accurate in filtering out irrelevant information, which greatly reduces the amount of manual work required. Although the accuracy in retaining relevant information was observed to be lower, an analysis showed that the label definitions can impact the results significantly and would therefore be suitable for future work to refine. Nonetheless, the performance is promising and demonstrates the usefulness of artificial intelligence in this domain.

This article describes how investors on the Zagreb Stock Exchange (ZSE) can use Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) to select shares for investment. Both financial and market liquidity criteria are used to compare different shares. Market liquidity criteria include the average number of daily trades and the average daily turnover on the regular market. These criteria help to determine the liquidity of shares in the secondary market, which is the main contribution of this research.The investment selection proposal is based on the PROMETHEE. The performance of the portfolio constructed using the Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) was tested. Predictably, the inclusion of liquidity criteria in the share selection process resulted in an increase in the liquidity of the portfolio, an effect that is clearly evident after 2019. However, such a portfolio does not provide significantly different returns compared to a scenario where liquidity criteria are excluded from share selection process. Reading this paper provides an insight into how to make investment decisions based on criteria consistent with investors’ objectives in an developing capital market.

This paper focuses on the two most prevalent and economically significant services of the sharing economy: accommodation and transport. Its primary objective is to compare these two crucial sectors in terms of user perspective and their perceived service quality. Given that these platforms operate similarly, this study aims to determine if there are unique aspects that require different approaches or areas that need to be improved. This is crucial for making these platforms function better and provide a better experience for users. The quality of service was analysed through technical and social categories. The goal was to determine whether and how the aforementioned service quality categories affect user behaviour and whether there are differences in the ranking of service quality categories from the users’ perspective, depending on the individual sector of the sharing economy. On a sample of 327 respondents, SEM analysis was used to show that the technical and social categories of service quality positively and directly influence the behavioural intentions of users in the sharing economy in both the accommodation and transport sectors. The findings also revealed that, for the users of the sharing economy service in the accommodation sector, the social category of service quality is more important than the technical category, while for the users of the sharing economy services in the transport sector, the technical category of service quality is more important than the social one.

Abstract Background There is a need for a feasible, user-friendly tool that can be employed to assess the overall quality of the diet in U.S. clinical settings. Our objectives were to develop the Penn Healthy Diet (PHD) screener, evaluate screener item correlations with Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 components, and develop a simple scoring algorithm. Methods National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–18 dietary recall data in adults were used to define food examples in screener food groups based on components of the HEI-2015, Diet Approach to Stop Hypertension, and Alternative Mediterranean diet approaches. Instrument Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was used to evaluate the clarity and relevance of the screener. Patient acceptability was evaluated by completion time and response rates. NHANES 2017–18 food recall data were used to simulate responses to the screener items, which were evaluated for association with HEI-2015 components. A scoring algorithm was developed based on screener items moderately or strongly associated with HEI-2015 components. Reproducibility was tested using NHANES 2015–16 data. Results The screener had strong clarity (I-CVI = 0.971) and relevance for nutrition counseling (I-CVI = 0.971). Median (IQR) completion time was 4 (3–5) minutes on paper and 4 (4–8) minutes online, and 73% of patients invited online completed the survey. Based on simulated NHANES participant screener responses, 15 of the 29 screener items were moderately or strongly associated with HEI-2015 components, forming the basis of the scoring algorithm with a range of 0–63 points, where higher score indicates a healthier diet. The median (IQR) screener and HEI-2015 scores were 14.96 (11.99–18.36) and 48.96 (39.51–59.48), respectively. The simulated PHD score was highly correlated with the HEI-2015 score (Spearman rho 0.75) in NHANES 2017–18 and confirmed in NHANES 2015–16 data (Spearman rho 0.75). Conclusions The Penn Healthy Diet screener may be a useful tool for assessing diet quality due to its acceptable content validity, ease of administration, and ability to distinguish between servings of key food groups associated with a healthy versus unhealthy diet according to the HEI-2015. Additional research is needed to further establish the instrument’s validity, and to refine a scoring algorithm.

Abstract Deciding the best action in social settings requires decision-makers to consider their and others’ preferences, since the outcome depends on the actions of both. Numerous empirical investigations have demonstrated variability of behavior across individuals in strategic situations. While prosocial, moral, and emotional factors have been intensively investigated to explain this diversity, neuro-cognitive determinants of strategic decision-making and their relation with intelligence remain mostly unknown. This study presents a new model of the process of strategic decision-making in repeated interactions, first providing a precise measure of the environment’s complexity, and then analyzing how this complexity affects subjects’ performance and neural response. The results confirm the theoretical predictions of the model. The frequency of deviations from optimal behavior is explained by a combination of higher complexity of the strategic environment and cognitive skills of the individuals. Brain response correlates with strategic complexity, but only in the subgroups with higher cognitive skills. Furthermore, neural effects were only observed in a fronto-parietal network typically involved in single-agent tasks (the Multiple Demand Network), thus suggesting that neural processes dealing with cognitively demanding individual tasks also have a central role in interactive decision-making. Our findings contribute to understanding how cognitive factors shape strategic decision-making and may provide the neural pathway of the reported association between strategic sophistication and fluid intelligence.

Many studies have identified networks in parietal and prefrontal cortex that are involved in intentional action. Yet, our understanding of the way these networks are involved in intentions is still very limited. In this study, we investigate two characteristics of these processes: context- and reason-dependence of the neural states associated with intentions. We ask whether these states depend on the context a person is in and the reasons they have for choosing an action. We used a combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multivariate decoding to directly assess the context- and reason-dependency of the neural states underlying intentions. We show that action intentions can be decoded from fMRI data based on a classifier trained in the same context and with the same reason, in line with previous decoding studies. Furthermore, we found that intentions can be decoded across different reasons for choosing an action. However, decoding across different contexts was not successful. We found anecdotal to moderate evidence against context-invariant information in all regions of interest and for all conditions but one. These results suggest that the neural states associated with intentions are modulated by the context of the action.

State-of-the-art Li batteries suffer from serious safety hazards caused by the reactivity of lithium and the flammable nature of liquid electrolytes. This work develops highly efficient solid-state electrolytes consisting of imidazolium-containing polyionic liquids (PILs) and lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). By employing PIL/LiTFSI electrolyte membranes blended with poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), we addressed the problem of combining ionic conductivity and mechanical properties in one material. It was found that PPC acts as a mechanically reinforcing component that does not reduce but even enhances the ionic conductivity. While pure PILs are liquids, the tricomponent PPC/PIL/LiTFSI blends are rubber-like materials with a Young’s modulus in the range of 100 MPa. The high mechanical strength of the material enables fabrication of mechanically robust free-standing membranes. The tricomponent PPC/PIL/LiTFSI membranes have an ionic conductivity of 10−6 S·cm−1 at room temperature, exhibiting conductivity that is two orders of magnitude greater than bicomponent PPC/LiTFSI membranes. At 60 °C, the conductivity of PPC/PIL/LiTFSI membranes increases to 10−5 S·cm−1 and further increases to 10−3 S·cm−1 in the presence of plasticizers. Cyclic voltammetry measurements reveal good electrochemical stability of the tricomponent PIL/PPC/LiTFSI membrane that potentially ranges from 0 to 4.5 V vs. Li/Li+. The mechanically reinforced membranes developed in this work are promising electrolytes for potential applications in solid-state batteries.

Abstract Surgical face masks reduce the spread of airborne pathogens but also disturb the flow of information between individuals. The risk of getting seriously ill after infection with SARS-COV-2 during the present COVID-19 pandemic amplifies with age, suggesting that face masks should be worn especially during face-to-face contact with and between older people. However, the ability to accurately perceive and understand communication signals decreases with age, and it is currently unknown whether face masks impair facial communication more severely in older people. We compared the impact of surgical face masks on dynamic facial emotion recognition in younger (18–30 years) and older (65–85 years) adults (N = 96) in an online study. Participants watched short video clips of young women who facially expressed anger, fear, contempt or sadness. Faces of half of the women were covered by a digitally added surgical face mask. As expected, emotion recognition accuracy declined with age, and face masks reduced emotion recognition accuracy in both younger and older participants. Unexpectedly, the effect of face masks did not differ between age groups. Further analyses showed that masks also reduced the participants’ overall confidence in their emotion judgements, but not their performance awareness (the difference between their confidence ratings for correct and incorrect responses). Again, there were no mask-by-age interactions. Finally, data obtained with a newly developed questionnaire (attitudes towards face masks, atom) suggest that younger and older people do not differ in how much they feel impaired in their understanding of other people’s emotions by face masks or how useful they find face masks in confining the COVID-19 pandemic. In sum, these findings do not provide evidence that the impact of face masks on the decoding of facial signals is disproportionally larger in older people.

La equidad en el acceso a las oportunidades para mujeres y hombres es uno de los aspectos requeridos para mejorar los procesos de desarrollo de los profesionales. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar los avances y retos de las universidades respecto a las políticas que garanticen la equidad y desarrollo profesional de sus colaboradores. Desde el análisis documental se estudia el proceso evolutivo de la legislación de Ecuador, destacando los elementos que constitucionalmente permiten la participación de la mujer en los espacios académicos durante el periodo 2008-2021; y se analiza el impacto de la pandemia por la COVID19 sobre las políticas nacionales. Entre los resultados se presenta un análisis cronológico de las políticas públicas de género que se instrumentaron en el Sistema de Educación Superior ecuatoriano para identificar los avances y tareas por cumplir. Se concluye resaltando que la presencia de la COVID19 ha limitado el avance de las políticas de equidad de género, priorizándose la prevención y conservación de la salud. En los hogares las ejecutivas, maestras y otras mujeres profesionales han visto recargadas sus agendas con los roles de madre y esposas. A ello se ha incrementado la tarea de ser maestra de sus hijos e hijas debido a la educación en línea que ha demandado mayor participación de la familia, pero que se concentra principalmente en las mujeres.

Life- and healthspan of organisms can be modulated by dietary, genetic, or pharmacological interventions, which often affect metabolic pathways. Here the authors report that Grainyhead 1 is an evolutionarily conserved, drug-inducible transcription factor that promotes longevity in C. elegans, and thus a potential target for the development of geroprotective drugs.

Debido a los cambios constantes producidos en el entorno, las organizaciones deben adaptarse a los avances tecnológicos y variaciones causadas en los procesos asociados. Consecuentemente, se requiere personal altamente motivado y calificado para facilitar su adaptación a la alta variabilidad existente, necesitando mejorar el desempeño del trabajador mediante la identificación de potencialidades que contribuyan en la formación de planes de carrera y la creación de las tablas de reemplazo. No obstante, existen limitaciones que impiden alcanzar el total desarrollo del talento pues realizar una selección, evaluación o capacitación del personal, es un proceso complejo porque es necesario procesar grandes volúmenes de información dispersa, no consensuada ni estandarizada, que además se puede interpretar de maneras diferentes. Para ello, se propone la construcción de un Marco Ontológico para la Gestión de Perfiles de Cargos que provea una solución generalizada para el intercambio de información y servicios, que inter-opere de manera colaborativa con los sistemas empresariales relacionados con la gestión del talento humano. Con este propósito, se combinan tres componentes básicos: el primero, la definición del modelo de gestión de perfiles de cargos; el segundo, la definición y construcción de una ontología para compartir información y construir conocimiento dentro de un gestor ontológico; por último, la definición de un marco de trabajo con un enfoque orientado a identificar procesos, actividades e interfaces relacionadas con los perfiles de cargos. La articulación de estos componentes permite sustentar de manera sistemática la evaluación del desempeño y por consiguiente el desarrollo del talento humano, reusando el conocimiento que optimiza la gestión del talento organizacional. Los prototipos funcionales desarrollados permitieron compartir y organizar la información de: perfiles, desempeño, brechas y vacantes en el contexto de un caso de estudio dentro del dominio de la Administración Pública Nacional (APN).

The physical properties of diet and oral health throughout childhood play an important role in the development of human dentition, and differed greatly before the industrial revolution. In this study we examined dental wear and oral pathology in a sample of children from the Early Bronze-Age to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of childhood diet and related oral health. We explore cross-sectional age and sex-based variation of children in the sample. The analysis was carried out on the dentitions of 75 children, 978 teeth, excavated from the Early Bronze-Age cemetery Franzhausen I in Lower Austria. Presence of dental caries and calculus was recorded. Dental wear was measured using dentine exposure, occlusal topography, and dental microwear texture analysis. Sex determination was carried out using amelogenin peptide analysis. Caries were found in only 4 individuals (crude prevalence rate-5%, 95% CI 1% to 13%), affecting only 5 teeth (true prevalence rate-less than 1%). Dentine exposure was observed in over 70% of deciduous molars and dental wear measurements indicate a comparatively strong dental wear accumulation especially, among younger children, when compared to modern-day and later pre-industrial populations. Microwear textures presented a high complexity (Asfc > 2)/low anisotropy (epLsar < 1) profile, especially in older children. Differences between male and female children were not generally significant but increased dentine exposure was observed in the lower molars of younger female children. Our results suggest that the Early Bronze-Age children at Franzhausen I consumed a non-cariogenic diet, more abrasive and inclusive of harder/polyhedral foodstuffs than present-day children and some later Medieval children. Differences in dental wear accumulation were observed between children within the population, but with minimal variation between the sexes mostly occurring among younger children.

Abstract Background The well-being of people who use drugs (PWUD) continues to be threatened by substances of unknown type or quantity in the unregulated street drug supply. Current efforts to monitor the drug supply are limited in population reach and comparability. This restricts capacity to identify and develop measures that safeguard the health of PWUD. This study describes the development of a low-barrier system for monitoring the contents of drugs in the unregulated street supply. Early results for pilot sites are presented and compared across regions. Methods The drug content monitoring system integrates a low-barrier survey and broad spectrum urine toxicology screening to compare substances expected to be consumed and those actually in the drug supply. The system prototype was developed by harm reduction pilot projects in British Columbia (BC) and Montreal with participation of PWUD. Data were collected from harm reduction supply distribution site clients in BC, Edmonton and Montreal between May 2018–March 2019. Survey and urine toxicology data were linked via anonymous codes and analyzed descriptively by region for trends in self-reported and detected use. Results The sample consisted of 878 participants from 40 sites across 3 regions. Reported use of substances, their detection, and concordance between the two varied across regions. Methamphetamine use was reported and detected most frequently in BC (reported: 62.8%; detected: 72.2%) and Edmonton (58.3%; 68.8%). In Montreal, high concordance was also observed between reported (74.5%) and detected (86.5%) cocaine/crack use. Among those with fentanyl detected, the percentage of participants who used fentanyl unintentionally ranged from 36.1% in BC, 78.6% in Edmonton and 90.9% in Montreal. Conclusions This study is the first to describe a feasible, scalable monitoring system for the unregulated drug supply that can contrast expected and actual drug use and compare trends across regions. The system used principles of flexibility, capacity-building and community participation in its design. Results are well-suited to meet the needs of PWUD and inform the local harm reduction services they rely on. Further standardization of the survey tool and knowledge mobilization is needed to expand the system to new jurisdictions.