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This paper considers the vehicle control process in emergency lane change (ELC). The control method is divided into two parts: before crossing the obstacle and after crossing it. The first part is done by a feed-forward controller inspired by the driver's behavior pattern in the ELC maneuver. This controller is compensated by a neural network system and two proportional-integral (PI) and proportional-derivative (PD) controllers, which correct the output of the feed-forward controller to follow the path more accurately. The second part consists of two PD controllers responsible for controlling and steering the vehicle in the main path after crossing the obstacle. The main novelty of the proposed method is that the computational burden is low because of using a feed-forward controller, which is the main source of the calculation's burden. So as a result, the controller system can cover the ELC maneuver in under 2 seconds in various lateral displacements to bypass the obstacle and prevent collisions. The co-simulations are performed in CarSim software and MATLAB/Simulink, which shows that the control system can appropriately steer the vehicle and follow the desired at different speeds, in the presence of road friction and parameter uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to make an inventory of phytophagous insects of the bean crop on two planting dates and to determine their population density in the Bat-304 bean variety, an investigation was carried out at "San Miguel" farm on two planting dates, the first on September 5th, 2015 and the second on February 18th, 2016. Sampling was carried out 15 days after sowing the crop, performing 6 double diagonal samplings. Samples were taken from 15 plants at random in each sampling, taking one leaf from each level. The samples taken were taken to the Entomology Laboratory for quantification and identification of the different species. The phytophagous insects detected in the bean crop on the two planting dates were: Empoasca kraemeri Ross and Moore; Bemisia tabaci Gennadius; Liriomyza trifolii Burgess; Thrips palmi Karny; Diabrotica balteata Leconte and Cerotoma ruficornis Olivier. The mean population density of B. tabaci was higher at the lower level of the plant, while the remaining species (E. kraemeri; L. trifolii and T. palmi) did not show a preference for a particular level. The intensity of chrysomelid damage was higher at the early planting date and at the middle and lower levels for both planting dates. E. kraemeri showed a higher mean population density at the late sowing date; while T. palmi showed a tendency towards a higher mean population density at the early sowing date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the disease by non-alcoholic fatty liver is considered the hepatic expression of the metabolic syndrome and is accompanied by histological and functional alterations of the liver. The Morphometry is a valuable tool in the assessment of liver morphology. Objective: to describe the histomorphometric differences in the liver of a group of healthy rats and one of them subjected to a state of metabolic syndrome. Methods: a developmental, correlational, cross-sectional, experimental research study with quantitative approach was conducted in the period from October 2015 to September 2019, using a system of morphometric methods. Histological liver slices were analyzed to 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly distributed in two experimental groups of eight animals for each group. Parametric test (one-factor ANOVA) was applied for group comparisons. The existing relationships between the variables were determined. Results: the area of the nucleus was greater in the hepatocytes of the perivenous zone in the induced group. The area of the cytoplasm was greater in the hepatocytes of the perivenous zone, but its behavior was homogeneous in the two study groups. Conclusions: the differences found between the control and induced groups with respect to nuclear and cytoplasmic area could constitute the morphological expression of the biochemical alterations caused by the metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Oxidative stress is associated with the pathology of various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The aim of the study was to examine the impacts of the lavender aqueous extract (LAE) on the levels of oxidative stress markers in an animal model with chronic mild stress induced depression. Materials & Methods: 36 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were haphazardly split into 6 groups (n=6). Rats in the test groups were put through five weeks of chronic mild stress. The sucrose preference test (SPT) confirmed depressive-like behaviors in the rats. Rats in both unstressed and stressed control groups received LAE (200 or 400 mg/kg) and distilled water respectively. The specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), malondialdehyde (MDA) and as well as the total content of glutathione (GSH) were examined in the serum, liver and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using colorimetric assays. Results: The stress group experienced a significantly decreased level of GSH, SOD, GR, Gpx and CAT, and a statistically considerable augment in MDA level in in the serum, PFC and liver p<0.05. LAE at both doses significantly reversed the depression-caused oxidative stress markers in all the studied tissues. No significant difference was observed between the two used dosages of LAE. Conclusion: LAE is able to ameliorate depression-induced pathology possibly through anti-oxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: epidemiological risk factors for coronary artery disease are closely related to the existence, evolution and complications of the disease. Objective: to design mathematical models predictive of coronary artery disease diagnosed by calcium score from epidemiological variables. Methods: a cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. The population consisted of 820 patients with chest pain and calcium score, the sample (246) was selected by simple random probability sampling. Logistic regression was employed from a logistic regression model (using the forward stepwise option) for each of the four coronary vessels, each model was fitted to the variables and those with coefficients significantly different from zero (p<0.05) were identified using the Wald statistic. We estimated the point Odd Ration and confidence intervals, performed internal validation and explored the performance through model discrimination with the analysis of the area under the curve and calibration through the Hosmer-Lemeshow Chi-square statistic. Results: the predominant age group was older than 60 years (61.4%), male sex (65.9%) and arterial hypertension (68.7%). The mathematical models for each coronary vessel exclude the variable age. The following are important predictors: diabetes and smoking. The internal validation technique supports the good performance of the mathematical models obtained. Conclusion: the result reinforces the need for predictive studies to ensure cardiovascular risk stratification by calcium score and epidemiological variables on which effective action should be taken to improve patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. A valuable tool for its diagnosis is calcium score by cardiac tomography. Objective: to describe the results of the use of calcium scoring in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the Cardiocentro "Ernesto Che Guevara" of Santa Clara in 2019. The population consisted of 820 patients with chest pain attended at the tomography service and the sample consisted of 246 patients selected by simple random sampling. A request for informed consent was made and anamnesis, physical examination and coronary calcium score were performed. In the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the variables describing the calcium score in the four coronary vessels and the Mann-Whitney U test (penalized by the Bonferroni method). Results: 61.4% of those investigated were over 60 years of age, 65.9% were male, 78.1% had some risk factor and arterial hypertension was the most frequent (68.7%). The most common diagnosis was multivessel disease (42.28%) and the anterior descending artery was the most affected (41.46%). There were significant differences between the mean ranges for the number of lesions in the vessels with a median of three for the anterior descending and right coronary arteries. Conclusion: the calcium score was able to diagnose coronary vessel disease in the majority of patients with chest pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Con el propósito de evaluar el comportamiento poblacional de insectos y ácaros fitófagos en tres variedades de tomate (Amalia, Mariela y Mara) se realizó un experimento en la Finca «Las Papas», perteneciente al Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas (INCA), ubicada en el Municipio San José de las Lajas, Provincia Mayabeque, durante los meses de octubre a diciembre de 2008. Las evaluaciones se realizaron semanalmente y comenzaron a los quince días después del trasplante. Los insectos y los ácaros fitófagos se cuantificaron e identificaron en el Laboratorio de Entomología perteneciente a la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad Agraria de la Habana ¨Fructuoso Rodríguez Pérez¨. Los organismos nocivos detectados fueron Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, Liriomyza trifolii Burgess, Myzus persicae Sulzer, Spodoptera spp., Frankliniella schultzei Trybom y Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks. La mayor cantidad de especies de fitófagos se asociaron a la variedad Amalia, mientras que en Mariela y Mara se detectó igual número de especies. La variedad Mara mostró la mayor susceptibilidad a B. tabaci durante los diferentes momentos de evaluación y Mariela fue la más susceptible para el minador. M. persicae manifestó un comportamiento similar sobre las variedades Amalia y Mariela. La mayor densidad poblacional total de B. tabaci se alcanzó para las variedades Amalia y Mariela; en el caso de L. trifolii y M. persicae, la densidad poblacional total no difirió para las diferentes variedades. La mayor riqueza de especies y de diversidad biológica se manifestó en la variedad de tomate Amalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is the causal agent of one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the world. Causes cervicitis, endometritis and salpingitis; after effects include pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility due to tubal obstruction. Objective: to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients undergoing assisted reproductive techniques. Methods: case series study developed at the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima Hospital General Universitario, Cienfuegos, during 2016-2018. It included patients subjected to assisted reproduction techniques who were infested with Chlamydia trachomatis. The variables age, personal and gynecological pathological history, number of sexual partners, years of infertility, history of intrauterine device use, history of pelvic inflammatory disease, Chlamydia test result, as well as criteria or not for in vitro fertilization were analyzed as an indicator that damage occurred at the level of the tubes. Results: the age was between 19 and 40 years old, with an average of 35.7 years. The germ was detected in 42% of the couples, with a predominance of those from Cienfuegos. 47.6% of the patients who had chlamydiasis reported having had from one to three partners. 54%, due to their involvement, required in vitro fertilization. There was a high incidence over time being infertile, with 72.6% over four years. Conclusions: Chlamydia trachomatis infections can influence fertility in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: metabolic syndrome is characterized by histological and functional alterations of the heart and the use of morphometric methods is an essential tool in the evaluation of cardiac cellular morphology. Objective: to describe the histomorphometric differences in the cardiac muscle of a model of healthy rats and another group subjected to a state of metabolic syndrome. Methods: a developmental, correlational, cross-sectional research study using a system of morphometric methods was conducted in the period from October 2015 to September 2019. Histological heart slices corresponding to 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats, randomly distributed in two experimental groups, were analyzed, with three images taken from each processed heart sample. Descriptive statistical techniques were used to characterize the sample by the different variables studied, and the one-factor ANOVA parametric test for analysis of variance was applied for group comparisons. Results: there was variability in the morphometric parameters studied and the diseased group offered the highest values of cellular area and nuclear area. These findings are consistent with the natural evolution of left ventricular hypertrophy in the course of metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: muscle fiber area and nuclear area were higher in the induced treated group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a method to estimate nationally representative pretreatment HIV drug resistance (PDR) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of first -line treatments. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of PDR in Cuban adults infected with HIV-1. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study in Cuban adults infected with HIV-1 over 18 years was conducted. The probability proportional to size method for the selection of municipalities and patients without a prior history of antiretroviral treatment during the period from January 2017 to June 2017 was used. The plasma from 141 patients from 15 municipalities for the determination of viral subtype and HIV drug resistance was collected. Some clinical and epidemiological variables were evaluated. Results: 80. 9% of the patients corresponded to the male sex and 76.3% were men who have sex with other men (MSM). The median CD4 count was 371 cells / mm3 and the median viral load was 68000 copies / mL. The predominant genetic variants were subtype B (26.9%), CRF19_cpx (24.1%), CRF 20, 23, 24_BG (23.4%) and CRF18_cpx (12%). Overall, the prevalence of PDR was 29.8% (95%, CI 22.3–38.1). The prevalence was 12.8% (95%, CI 6.07–16.9) for any nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), 23.4% (95%, CI 16.7–31.3) for any non-reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) and 1.4% (95%, CI 0.17–5.03) for any protease inhibitor (PI). The most frequent mutations detected were K103N (12.9%), G190A (6.4%) and Y181C (4.8%). Conclusions: The NNRTI prevalence above 10% in our study indicates that the first-line antiretroviral therapy in Cuba may be less effective and supports the need to look for new treatment options that contribute to therapeutic success and help the country achieve the global goals 90-90-90 set forth by UNAIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Para identificar las causas de los bajos rendimientos del cultivo del frijol en la CCS «Nelson Fernández» del municipio San José de las Lajas, provincia Mayabeque, nos propusimos realizar un análisis del manejo agroecológico de organismos nocivos que llevan a cabo los agricultores. Para cumplir con nuestro objetivo se desarrolló una encuesta que nos diera elementos para definir cuáles eran sus principales deficiencias. Se encuestaron 54 agricultores. Los datos se procesaron por un análisis descriptivo de frecuencia utilizando el paquete estadístico SPSS v 22 para Windows. El cuestionario permitió definir la percepción de los campesinos con relación a la afectación por insectos, ácaros y enfermedades. Además, se evidenció que los controles natural y biológico no se cumplen a cabalidad, debido al poco conocimiento acerca de los enemigos naturales y la no disponibilidad de medios biológicos. Ante esta situación el control químico se mantiene con gran aprobación entre los productores, pues el 100% de los encuestados señaló su preferencia por este método. Con respecto a las medidas de manejo cultural, los encuestados prefirieron las fechas de siembra tempranas, no así para la asociación de cultivos, ya que se prefirió el monocultivo de frijol, mientras que para las barreras vivas no se alcanzó un consenso por parte de los productores: 48,1% de ellos tienen más de 21 años de experiencia en la agricultura, en contraste con tan solo el 13% que no superan los 10 años. El hecho de no concretarse el MAP para el cultivo del frijol, en ausencia de una adecuada estructura varietal, implica la necesidad de diseñar una estrategia de capacitación para los agricultores en este tema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the species Neohydatothrips basilaris Hood that were found on leaves of the species plant Eupartorium odoratum L. in Cuba, which belong to the family Compositaceae, and is considered the first record of a host plant for insects.

Con el objetivo de seleccionar cepas de actinomicetos eficientes como agentes biocontroladores de los hongos fitopatógenos del suelo Rhizoctonia solani Kühn., Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. y Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid., se evaluaron 69 cepas de actinomicetos, a las cuales se le determinó la actividad antagonista in vitro contra los hongos fitopatógenos del suelo. Posteriormente, se realizó una selección de las cepas con mejor capacidad antagónica para la evaluación de la actividad enzimática extracelular, la capacidad solubilizadora de fosfatos, la producción de ácido indol-acético (AIA) y la caracterización molecular. De las 69 cepas evaluadas, se obtuvo que 2 cepas presentaron antagonismo contra S. rolfsii, 39 contra M. phaseolina y 11 contra R. solani. Las cepas que presentaron los mayores halos de inhibición contra R. solani fueron J11, J4 y EA2, y contra M. phaseolina la cepa EBa21. Todas las cepas seleccionadas presentaron actividad enzimática extracelular; se destacan la cepa EBa21 en la producción de quitinasas, las cepas EA2, J4 y L2 en la de celulasas y las cepas EA2 y B8 en las de proteasas. En la solubilización de fosfato sobresalieron las cepas B8 y EBa21, mientras que en la producción de AIA prevalecieron las cepas EBe3, EA2 y EBa21. La identificación de las cepas, mediante la secuenciación de la región 16S del ARNr, arrojó que todas tienen una homología del 99% con diferentes especies de Streptomyces. spa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]