Use of short term test systems for the prediction of the hazard represented by potential chemical carcinogens

It has been hypothesized that results from the short term bioassays will ultimately provide information that will be useful for human health hazard assessment. Although toxicologic test systems have become increasingly refined, to date, no investigator has been able to provide qualitative or quantitative methods which would support the use of short term tests in this capacity.^ Historically, the validity of the short term tests have been assessed using the framework of the epidemiologic/medical screens. In this context, the results of the carcinogen (long term) bioassay is generally used as the standard. However, this approach is widely recognized as being biased and, because it employs qualitative data, cannot be used in the setting of priorities. In contrast, the goal of this research was to address the problem of evaluating the utility of the short term tests for hazard assessment using an alternative method of investigation.^ Chemical carcinogens were selected from the list of carcinogens published by the International Agency for Research on Carcinogens (IARC). Tumorigenicity and mutagenicity data on fifty-two chemicals were obtained from the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) and were analyzed using a relative potency approach. The relative potency framework allows for the standardization of data "relative" to a reference compound. To avoid any bias associated with the choice of the reference compound, fourteen different compounds were used.^ The data were evaluated in a format which allowed for a comparison of the ranking of the mutagenic relative potencies of the compounds (as estimated using short term data) vs. the ranking of the tumorigenic relative potencies (as estimated from the chronic bioassays). The results were statistically significant (p $<$.05) for data standardized to thirteen of the fourteen reference compounds. Although this was a preliminary investigation, it offers evidence that the short term test systems may be of utility in ranking the hazards represented by chemicals which may be human carcinogens. ^

A multiplicative model for standardizing vital rates without using external standards

Standardization is a common method for adjusting confounding factors when comparing two or more exposure category to assess excess risk. Arbitrary choice of standard population in standardization introduces selection bias due to healthy worker effect. Small sample in specific groups also poses problems in estimating relative risk and the statistical significance is problematic. As an alternative, statistical models were proposed to overcome such limitations and find adjusted rates. In this dissertation, a multiplicative model is considered to address the issues related to standardized index namely: Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) and Comparative Mortality Factor (CMF). The model provides an alternative to conventional standardized technique. Maximum likelihood estimates of parameters of the model are used to construct an index similar to the SMR for estimating relative risk of exposure groups under comparison. Parametric Bootstrap resampling method is used to evaluate the goodness of fit of the model, behavior of estimated parameters and variability in relative risk on generated sample. The model provides an alternative to both direct and indirect standardization method. ^

A GENETIC MARKER STUDY OF NON - INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETICS IN THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY FROM STARR COUNTY, TEXAS (PLASMA GLUCOSE, HEMOGLOBIN ANALYSIS)

Diabetes mellitus occurs in two forms, insulin-dependent (IDDM, formerly called juvenile type) and non-insulin dependent (NIDDM, formerly called adult type). Prevalence figures from around the world for NIDDM, show that all societies and all races are affected; although uncommon in some populations (.4%), it is common (10%) or very common (40%) in others (Tables 1 and 2).^ In Mexican-Americans in particular, the prevalence rates (7-10%) are intermediate to those in Caucasians (1-2%) and Amerindians (35%). Information about the distribution of the disease and identification of high risk groups for developing glucose intolerance or its vascular manifestations by the study of genetic markers will help to clarify and solve some of the problems from the public health and the genetic point of view.^ This research was designed to examine two general areas in relation to NIDDM. The first aims to determine the prevalence of polymorphic genetic markers in two groups distinguished by the presence or absence of diabetes and to observe if there are any genetic marker-disease association (univariate analysis using two by two tables and logistic regression to study the individual and joint effects of the different variables). The second deals with the effect of genetic differences on the variation in fasting plasma glucose and percent glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAl) (analysis of Covariance for each marker, using age and sex as covariates).^ The results from the first analysis were not statistically significant at the corrected p value of 0.003 given the number of tests that were performed. From the analysis of covariance of all the markers studied, only Duffy and Phosphoglucomutase were statistically significant but poor predictors, given that the amount they explain in terms of variation in glycosylated hemoglobin is very small.^ Trying to determine the polygenic component of chronic disease is not an easy task. This study confirms the fact that a larger and random or representative sample is needed to be able to detect differences in the prevalence of a marker for association studies and in the genetic contribution to the variation in glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin. The importance that ethnic homogeneity in the groups studied and standardization in the methodology will have on the results has been stressed. ^

Understanding mental illness in Nigeria: Bringing culture and traditional medicine into mental health policy

One of the major challenges in treating mental illness in Nigeria is that the health care facilities and mental health care professionals are not enough in number or well equipped to handle the burden of mental illness. There are several barriers to treatment for individual Nigerians which include the following: such as the lack of understanding of the root causes of mental illness, lack of financial support to get mental treatment, lack of social support (family, friends, neighbors), the fear of stigmatization concerning being labeled as mentally ill or being in association with the mentally ill, and the consultation of traditional native healers who may be unknowingly prolonging illness, rather than addressing and treating them due to lack of formal education and standardization of their treatments. Another barrier is the non-health nature of the mental health services in Nigeria. Traditional healers are essentially the mental health system. The elderly, women, and children are the most vulnerable groups in times of strife and hardships. Their mental well-being must be taken into account as well as their special needs in times of personal or societal crisis. ^ Nigerian mental health policy is geared toward forming a mental health system, but in actuality only a mental illness care system is the observed result of the policy. The government of Nigeria has drafted a mental health policy, yet its actual implementation into the Nigerian health infrastructure and society waits to be materialized. The limited health legislation or policy implementations tend to favor those who have access to these urban areas and the facilities' health services. Nigerians living in rural areas are at a disadvantage; many of them may not even be aware of services available to help them understand and treat mental illness. Perhaps, government driven health interventions geared toward mental illness in rural areas would reach an underserved Nigerians and Africans in general. Issues with political instability and limited infrastructure often hinder crucial financial resources and legislation from reaching the people that are truly in need of governmental leadership in regards to mental health policy.^ Traditional healers are a severely untapped resource in the treatment of mental illness within the Nigerian population. They are abundant within Nigerian communities and are meeting a real need for the mentally ill. However, much can be done to remove the barriers that prevent the integration of traditional healers within the mental health system and improve the quality of care they administer within the population. Mental illness is almost exclusively coped with through traditional medicine practices. Mobilization and education from each strata of Nigerian society and government as well as input from the medical community can improve how traditional medicine is utilized as a treatment for clinical illness and help alleviate the heavy burden of mental illness in Nigeria. Currently, there is no existing policy making structure for a working mental health system in Nigeria, and traditional healers are not taken into account in any formulation of mental health policy. Advocacy for mental illness is severely inadequate due to fear of stigmatization, with no formally recognized national of regional mental health association.^

La divulgación científica de análisis sensorial de vinos en soporte web

En esta tesis se trabaja sobre la hipótesis de que el componente didáctico del discurso divulgativo queda delimitado por estrategias discursivas originadas en el tratamiento modal y actualizadas en los niveles funcional, situacional, semántico y formal-gramatical. El objetivo es caracterizar tales estrategias para identificar tendencias en la realización lingüísticodiscursiva del componente didáctico. El corpus se ha formado teniendo en cuenta soporte (web), formato (hipertexto) y dominio disciplinar (Análisis Sensorial de Vinos). La metodología es, fundamentalmente, cualitativo-ejemplar, basada en el modelo multinivel propuesto por Ciapuscio (2003) para el análisis de textos especializados. Los resultados sugieren que en el nivel funcional, el componente didáctico se distingue por el predominio de los términos positivos de las categorías modales epistémica (función informar) y ética (función dirigir); en el nivel situacional, por tres tipos de construcciones discursivas: la del enunciador experto, la del enunciatario lego y la de la pertenencia del lego a la comunidad especializada; en el nivel semántico, por la estandarización de partes textuales y por el predominio tanto de axiologización eufórica ética y cognoscitiva, como de secuencias expositivas y de procedimientos explicativos causales, descriptivos e ilustrativos; en el nivel formal, por recursos paratextuales e hipertextuales que refuerzan la actualización del componente didáctico.

La cooperación entre editores y bibliotecarios como estrategia institucional para la gestión de revistas científicas

El desarrollo sostenido de edición de revistas científicas ha abierto un campo de análisis y aplicación de conocimientos específicos para los bibliotecarios. El trabajo en cooperación con los editores enriquece a ambos actores pues, mientras los bibliotecarios conocen los estándares de normalización de la información y difusión del conocimiento científico, los editores se centran en las tareas académicas -pertinencia temática, relación con autores y evaluadores, revisión por pares. Los indicadores de evaluación de revistas científicas, tanto regionales como internacionales, se han afianzado en las últimas décadas a partir de acuerdos interinstitucionales y de la aceptación de los propios editores, aplicándose criterios de gestión y criterios formales de edición y evaluación. En este contexto, los editores necesitan un apoyo especializado que los acompañe en el proceso de desarrollo científico y técnico para conseguir que sus revistas se inserten en los principales núcleos de publicaciones científicas de cada disciplina. En este trabajo se presenta la experiencia de la Coordinación del Área de Publicaciones, en la Biblioteca de la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata, que edita actualmente más de 20 revistas

Transferable skills following WAIS-II verbal comprehension index

In this document the results and the reflections brought about by the research for the standardization of the verbal comprehension index of Wechsler scale subtests for measuring adult intelligence, WAIS -III for the general population from 16 to 24 years for the city of La Plata , using the collective administration modality are reported In this opportunity, the performance of 229 students from secondary school from 16 to 18 years, both genders, is being analyzed in the information subtest, as well as that of 155 university and non-university tertiary students from 19 to 24 years, both genders in the same subtest The information subtest is of particular interest because of the implication of previous knowledges in the text comprehension and the personal transferable skills. Given the responses, the analysis allow to make some observations a) there are no statistically significant differences between the individual and the collective administration, by gender and b) the average of correct responses for both age groups is the same but the score distribution shows a greater homogeneity in the group from 16 to18 years.

Agronomía, agrónomos y Estado en Brasil: organizaciones y disputas (1930-1961)

El trabajo estudia, de modo comparado, dos proyectos para la agricultura brasileña, elaborados por dos de las sociedades que representaron a los agrónomos entre 1930 y 1961: la Sociedad Brasileña de Agronomía (SBA) y la Sociedad Paulista de Agronomía (SPA). El análisis de los periódicos de estas agremiaciones ofrece información sobre las principales gestiones, reivindicaciones y prácticas emprendidas por cada una de ellas. También brinda elementos para reconstruir la acción de sus cuadros dirigentes, la cual se considera aquí como instrumento y vehículo representativo de los distintos proyectos. Mientras los dirigentes de la SBA - simultáneamente diplomados por la Escuela Nacional de Agronomía, funcionarios del Ministerio de Agricultura y directores de la Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura - defendían el incentivo estatal a la diversificación productiva y la promoción gubernamental de nuevos productos agrícolas orientados a la exportación, los agrónomos de la SPA, más directamente articulados con la gran burguesía industrial paulista, proponían claramente, ya en la década de 1940, la industrialización de la agricultura brasileña, mediante la propaganda de insumos industriales agrícolas y la implantación de la industria de tractores en el país.