Enabling mobile access to digital libraries in digital divide contexts

Digital libraries (DL) have had a tremendous impact on improving the accessibility of scientific and academic publications. In developing countries, they seem to be the great hope, due to the serious existing problems with the traditional publishing and distribution mechanisms and to the potential they have on enabling access to a great panoply of publications. Moreover, accessing digital libraries over mobile devices has the potential of reaching a broader community of users and on helping to bridge the digital divide, since there are very reduced computer and Internet penetration rates in these countries, along with a higher mobile phone usage. For developed countries, accessing digital libraries on the go might also bring important added value. This paper features an analysis of the major issues related to making digital libraries accessible over mobile devices. A specific study on the possibility of using mobile digital libraries in a developing country context is also presented along with a proposal for making DSpace based digital libraries accessible over mobile phones.

Use of 2D Sensitivity Encoding for Slow-Infusion Contrast-Enhanced Isotropic 3-T Whole-Heart Coronary MR Angiography.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to improve the blood-pool signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and blood-myocardium contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of slow-infusion 3-T whole-heart coronary MR angiography (MRA).SUBJECTS AND METHODS. In 2D sensitivity encoding (SENSE), the number of acquired k-space lines is reduced, allowing less radiofrequency excitation per cardiac cycle and a longer TR. The former can be exploited for signal enhancement with a higher radiofrequency excitation angle, and the latter leads to noise reduction due to lower data-sampling bandwidth. Both effects contribute to SNR gain in coronary MRA when spatial and temporal resolution and acquisition time remain identical. Numeric simulation was performed to select the optimal 2D SENSE pulse sequence parameters and predict the SNR gain. Eleven patients underwent conventional unenhanced and the proposed 2D SENSE contrast-enhanced coronary MRA acquisition. Blood-pool SNR, blood-myocardium CNR, visible vessel length, vessel sharpness, and number of side branches were evaluated.RESULTS. Consistent with the numeric simulation, using 2D SENSE in contrast-enhanced coronary MRA resulted in significant improvement in aortic blood-pool SNR (unenhanced vs contrast-enhanced, 37.5 +/- 14.7 vs 121.3 +/- 44.0; p < 0.05) and CNR (14.4 +/- 6.9 vs 101.5 +/- 40.8; p < 0.05) in the patient sample. A longer length of left anterior descending coronary artery was visualized, but vessel sharpness, coronary artery coverage, and image quality score were not improved with the proposed approach.CONCLUSION. In combination with contrast administration, 2D SENSE was found effective in improving SNR and CNR in 3-T whole-heart coronary MRA. Further investigation of cardiac motion compensation is necessary to exploit the SNR and CNR advantages and to achieve submillimeter spatial resolution.

Importance of IL28B gene polymorphisms in hepatitis C virus genotype 2 and 3 infected patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Genetic variation in the interleukin 28B (IL28B) gene has been associated with the response to interferon-alfa/ribavirin therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1-infected patients. The importance of three IL28B single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs8099917, rs12980275 and rs12979860) for HCV genotype 2/3-infected patients is unknown. METHODS: In patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2/3 (n=267), IL28B host genotypes (rs8099917, rs12980275 and rs12979860) were analyzed for associations with sustained virologic response (SVR) to antiviral therapy with (pegylated) interferon-alfa and ribavirin and with respect to epidemiological, biochemical, and virological parameters. For comparison, hepatitis C genotype 1 patients (n=378) and healthy controls (n=200) were included. RESULTS: The rs12979860 CC genotype, lower age, and genotype 2 were significantly associated with SVR in HCV genotype 2/3-infected patients (p=0.01, p=0.03 and p=0.03, respectively). No association was observed for rs8099917 and rs12980275. In addition, an SVR in patients with rapid virologic response (RVR) was associated with the rs12979860 CC genotype (p=0.05), while for non-RVR no association was found. Furthermore, a significant association with a higher baseline viral load was observed for all three IL28B genotypes in genotype 1/2/3-infected patients. Finally, increasing frequencies of the rs12979860 CC genotypes were observed in genotype 1- (33.9%), genotype 3- (38.9%), and genotype 2-infected (51.9%) patients in comparison with healthy controls (49.0%) (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In genotype 2/3-infected patients, rs12979860 was significantly associated with SVR. The frequency of the rs12979860 CC genotype is lower in HCV genotype 1 vs. genotype 2/3 patients. All major IL28B genotypes are associated with HCV-RNA concentration.

Kunnallisverotus, 2K

Puhe

MGMT promoter methylation in malignant gliomas: ready for personalized medicine?

The DNA repair enzyme O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) antagonizes the genotoxic effects of alkylating agents. MGMT promoter methylation is the key mechanism of MGMT gene silencing and predicts a favorable outcome in patients with glioblastoma who are exposed to alkylating agent chemotherapy. This biomarker is on the verge of entering clinical decision-making and is currently used to stratify or even select glioblastoma patients for clinical trials. In other subtypes of glioma, such as anaplastic gliomas, the relevance of MGMT promoter methylation might extend beyond the prediction of chemosensitivity, and could reflect a distinct molecular profile. Here, we review the most commonly used assays for evaluation of MGMT status, outline the prerequisites for standardized tests, and evaluate reasons for difficulties in reproducibility. We critically discuss the prognostic and predictive value of MGMT silencing, reviewing trials in which patients with different types of glioma were treated with various chemotherapy schedules, either up-front or at recurrence. Standardization of MGMT testing requires comparison of different technologies across laboratories and prospectively validated cut-off values for prognostic or predictive effects. Moreover, future clinical trials will need to determine, for each subtype of glioma, the degree to which MGMT promoter methylation is predictive or prognostic, and whether testing should become routine clinical practice.

Estructura del subsistema demersal en otoño 2003. Crucero BIC Olaya 0305-06

Se informa sobre la captura y distribución espacial de peces e invertebrados accesibles a la red de arrastre Granton 300/160 utilizada en la segunda etapa del Crucero BIC Olaya 0305-06, del 4 al 17 junio 2003. En 13 días efectivos de pesca con 76 operaciones de arrastre se capturó un total de 21.805 kg de peces e invertebrados. Cuatro especies representaron el 86,8% de esta captura: la merluza, Merluccius gayi peruanus (14.390 kg, 66%); el bereche con barbo, Ctenosciaena peruviana (2.557 kg, 11,7%); el chiri, Peprilus medius (1.235 kg, 5,7%) y la pota Dosidicus gigas (733 kg, 3,4%). Se identificaron 136 especies marinas: 85 peces, 33 crustáceos, 10 moluscos, 6 equinodermos y 2 cnidarios. Esta diversidad fue menor que la encontrada en otoño de los anteriores años 2001 y 2002. En estos tres años sucesivos, la mayor riqueza íctica se encontró al norte de Punta Aguja (6°S), donde se registró entre el 70-92% de las especies, como consecuencia de las condiciones de normalidad en el medio marino.

Hacia una perspectiva europea de la formación continua en los mayores

Los programas de aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida ( ) han ofrecido a las personas mayores una variedad de oportunidades educativas a nivel formal, no formal y informal. Dentro de esta iniciativa europea, el programa más conocido es el programa Grundtvig que está abierto a todos los programas universitarios para mayores, elevando el reto de la formación durante toda la vida a nivel europeo, y dónde los adultos adquieren herramientas en su aprendizaje, mejoran sus conocimientos y potencian sus habilidades.

Plan de negocios de macroalgas marinas en el sur del Perú

La extracción de macroalgas involucra una opción de negocio proveniente del mar. Su mercado está en crecimiento y desarrollo lo cual implica que cada vez hay una mayor demanda por satisfacer pero a la vez una mayor cantidad de exigencias por cumplir. Esta situación ha generado nuevas técnicas por aplicar en la cadena productiva de las macroalgas. Este plan de negocios analizará las diversas posibilidades que puedan aplicar los algueros de Ilo, tanto a nivel de gestión estratégica (organizacional, productiva y comercial) como económico financiero.

Tiede ja tutkijat poliittisten päätöksentekijöiden apuna

Eino Tunkelo

Gènere no normatiu i formació en el grau en treball social

En aquest informe es detallen els elements fonamentals d’una recerca duta a terme en tres universitats catalanes respecte dels continguts formatius en matèria de gènere del Grau en Treball Social. Recerca que parteix de la hipòtesi de que realitats de gènere no normatives, que requereixen ser abordades des de l’exercici professional del Treball Social, no tenen presència en els currículums formatius. Els continguts temàtics de les guies d’aprenentatge de les assignatures que conformen els plans d’estudi, i una enquesta als estudiants al final del seu procés formatiu vers als seus coneixements en matèria de gènere, són els dos eixos d’anàlisi que han permès arribar a unes primeres conclusions de caràcter preliminar, les quals conformen un escenari global caracteritzat per una presència residual d’aquestes realitats de gènere no normatives, i que planteja la necessitat de dur a terme una reflexió i revisió acadèmica al respecte.

Reproducción inducida del sábalo cola roja Brycon cephalus (Günther, 1869). Amazonía peruana: Iquitos

The experiment was conducted at the Aquaculture Station “Amazonia Aquaculture Service”. We worked with 13 females and 16 males. The main objectives was the inducing breeding with carp pituitary extract. All females spawned, however, five females with negative results on fertility. In an average temperature of 28.12±0.61 °C, it takes 5.68±0.53 hours for spawning or 159.01±14.45 hours-grade. The females of 4 years of 2310±143.2 g, fertilization rate achieved, over 66% on average 1497.60±14,57 eggs are per gram, fertilization and hatching rate of 68.80±1.9% and 53.59±8.7% respectively. Hatching occurred at 11.67±0.32 hours, the water temperature was 28.25±0.09 °C, so that the hatching 331.07±12.56 required hour’s degree.