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Aim The objective of this research was to screen fungal isolates originally isolated from cotton plants and measure their effects on the interactions between soybean and two aboveground pests (cabbage looper; Trichoplusia ni and soybean looper; Chrysodeixis includens) as well as a belowground pest (soybean cyst nematode; Heterodera glycines). Methods and Results For aboveground pests, we measured the leaf area consumed and larval weight. For our belowground pest tests, we measured shoot height, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight and number of cysts. Out of the 50 fungal isolates tested, we tested 30 fungi in the interaction with cabbage looper, 36 for soybean looper, 41 for soybean cyst nematode. We tested 23 isolates against all pests and identified multiple isolates that significantly changed the response of pests on inoculated soybean plants versus controls. Conclusions We identified three fungal isolates that significantly reduced both leaf area consumed aboveground by caterpillars and number of cysts produced belowground by nematodes. These isolates were an Epicoccum italicum, a Chaetomium undulatum and a Stemphylium majusculum. Significance and Impact of Study Overall, this study provides important insights into plant-fungal interactions and their effect on both above- and belowground pests. This study also highlights an important first step towards harnessing the potential of microbial inoculates as a tool for integrated pest management in soybeans.

Introducción: La etapa final de pacientes oncológicos genera elevados costos, sobretodo en hospitales. Objetivos: Determinar la diferencia de costos de atención al final de la vida de pacientes oncológicos en el hospital versus el domicilio. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de análisis de costos en pacientes fallecidos por cáncer en estadio clínico IV de un hospital terciario de la seguridad social, marzo 2018. Se comparó un grupo domiciliario (GD) de un programa paliativo con un grupo hospitalario (GH) admitido por emergencia. Se estimaron costos directos de servicios profesionales, hospitalización, procedimientos, exámenes auxiliares y medicamentos. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó Chi cuadrado y T de Student, considerando un valor p

Objective: The FAIR principles were created with the goal of enhancing the reusability of research data and to give guidance on how to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. In this article we explore the role of institutional research data policies in enabling and encouraging researchers at their institutions to generate FAIR data.Methods: We identified the research data policies in place for “very high research activity” institutions (as defined by Carnegie classification) in the United States. We created a list of 31 criteria, based on previous work by Davidson et al. (2019) and Briney et al. (2015), and evaluated the 40 policies using a content analysis methodology.Results: The guiding principles and the definitions for research data in the policies support the idea that institutional policies are a potential tool for the implementation of the FAIR principles. However, our analysis indicates that they are not generally used for that purpose. Only one policy mentions FAIR. Data sharing is mentioned in half of the policies, but 11 of these only note this concept in the context of funder requirements. Access and retention sections are mostly written without considering publicly available data. Twenty-nine policies do not mention data documentation.Conclusions: We discuss ways in which these institutional policies represent a missed opportunity to implement the FAIR principles and suggest ways policies could be modified to encourage researchers to follow them. We also discuss future research opportunities to examine how policy implementation may affect what institutional support researchers receive.

This research paper describes the variety of the evaluation process in three language centers of public universities in Ecuador. The main objective is to explore the evaluation practices that are used, their effectiveness in the teaching-learning process and the results obtained in English language learning. Researchers conduct interviews with teachers, principals, and students. In addition, evaluation instruments such as tests and other evaluation materials were analyzed. The study reveals that the students who achieved the highest scores are those who study in a language center which uses a more structured evaluation system. Therefore, the data analysis shows that there is a close relationship between student performance and the evaluation systems applied in the different language centers.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the largest public health emergency in recent times. A significant number of patients develop a severe form of COVID-19 characterized by coagulopathy, organ failure, and elevated mortality. In addition, an unusually high frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) has been found in patients with COVID-19. These clinical and serological manifestations closely resemble those seen in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), especially in its catastrophic form, suggesting a role of aPLs in immune-associated coagulopathy. However, government bodies such as the American Society of Hematology have spoken out against the systematic search for aPLs in patients with COVID-19. In an attempt to bridge the gap on this hot topic, we conducted a comprehensive review of currently available cohort studies and case series systematically evaluating aPLs in COVID-19 patients. In this Perspective, we seek to identify both the frequency and the type of aPLs found in patients with COVID-19, as well as the potential association of these aPLs with vascular thrombosis and other distinctive characteristics of COVID-19. Furthermore, we investigated whether there is evidence that allows us to define the occurrence of aPLs in COVID-19 as an epiphenomenon, as has been observed in other systemic viral infections, or as antibodies against self-antigens bearing hallmarks that suggest a pathogenic role in immune-mediated thrombosis. Defining whether aPLs represent an epiphenomenon or they are actually involved in hemostatic abnormalities of COVID-19 is crucial both for uncovering novel mechanisms of immune-mediated thrombosis and for identifying potential prognostic biomarkers in this devastating disease.

Las nuevas tecnologías digitalizadas han permitido migrar de la técnica de cera perdida colada por centrifugación (CPC) a la fabricación sustractiva por CAD/CAM como la técnica de fresado de bloque blando (SMB). Objetivo: El propósito de este estudio fue comparar las adaptaciones marginales e internas en cofias metálicas de Co-Cr sobre dos líneas de terminación: chamfer y bisel confeccionadas mediante dos técnicas: CPC y SMB. Material y Métodos: Se confeccionaron dos modelos maestros de Co-Cr con terminación chamfer y bisel, se formaron 4 grupos de estudio y se fabricaron 13 cofias por grupo. Para la evaluación de las adaptaciones marginal e interna se usó el método de la réplica en silicona, luego con un estéreo microscopio se evaluó las discrepancias marginales e internas. Resultados: Para la discrepancia marginal entre las dos técnicas, para la terminación bisel sólo se observó diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p

Objective The study aims to investigate the ovarian reserve in premenopausal women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and to evaluate whether it is associated with cumulative organ damage or the risk of clinical complications. Methods This single-center study was conducted in 23 premenopausal female patients (10 with primary APS and 13 with secondary APS) and 24 healthy volunteers. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Disease-specific organ damage (DIAPS score) and the risk of clinical complications (aGAPSS score) were additionally evaluated in APS patients. Results Serum AMH levels were similar in APS patients (median 6.06, interquartile range 4.31–7.54 ng/ml) and in controls (4.87, 2.64–6.40 ng/ml; P = 0.116), and no differences were observed between the primary (6.60, 5.49–8.88 ng/ml) and secondary (6.06, 3.91–7.30 ng/ml; P = 0.532) forms of the syndrome. In individuals with APS, serum AMH levels correlated inversely with the aGAPSS score (rho–0.421, 95% confidence intervals −0.716 to −0.001; P = 0.045), while no associations were observed with the DIAPS score (rho–0.001, −0.423 to 0.422; P = 0.996). Conclusions Ovarian reserve is not reduced in premenopausal women with APS. In addition, serum AMH levels may reflect the risk of APS-related clinical complications but not the burden of disease-specific organ damage.

Objective To assess potential associations among serum cytokines and microRNA (miR) levels with ultrasound (US) findings suggestive of urate deposits in chronic asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gout. Methods All participants underwent musculoskeletal US and measurements of serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide 78, as well as miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-223 levels. Results Thirty individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 31 normouricemic controls, and 30 patients with gout were included. The frequency of synovitis and double contour sign using US was similar between asymptomatic hyperuricemia (67% and 27%, respectively) and patients with gout (77% and 27%, respectively), and each had a higher frequency than controls (45% and 0%, respectively). Serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were similar between patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (mean ± SD 69.7 ± 73.4 and 18.5 ± 25.6 pg/ml, respectively) and gout (mean ± SD 75.8 ± 47.6 and 24.4 ± 31.7 pg/ml, respectively), and higher than controls (mean ± SD 28.2 ± 17.6 and 7.4 ± 6.0 pg/ml, respectively). A similar distribution was observed for miR-155 levels in asymptomatic hyperuricemia, patients with gout, and controls (mean ± SD 0.22 ± 0.18, 0.20 ± 0.14, and 0.08 ± 0.04, respectively). Associations between morphostructural abnormalities suggestive of urate deposits (regardless of clinical diagnosis) and serum markers were assessed. Subjects with urate deposits had higher IL-6 (257.2 versus 47.0 pg/ml; P = 0.005), IL-8 (73.2 versus 12.0 pg/ml; P = 0.026), and miR-155 (0.21 versus 0.16; P = 0.015) levels than those without deposition findings. Conclusion In individuals with chronic asymptomatic hyperuricemia, the presence of synovitis and double contour sign by US may represent a subclinical manifestation of monosodium urate crystal nucleation, capable of triggering inflammatory pathways (IL-6 and IL-8) and mechanisms of intercellular communication (miR-155), similar to what is observed in patients with gout.

Introducción: la enfermedad poliquística renal autosómica (ADPKD), es considerada huérfana hereditaria. Con una prevalencia mundial de 2.7/100,000 hab. Presenta graves complicaciones con desenlaces fatales. Hasta hace poco, el tratamiento se limitó al control de las manifestaciones clínicas; con la aparición del tolvaptan, se empezó a manejar la enfermedad. La introducción terapéutica del inhibidor de glucosilceramida sintetasa (venglustat) y el acetato de lanreotida hacen necesario revisar el estado de estas opciones terapéuticas para estos pacientes.Métodos: Se realizó una revisión narrativa de la literatura en PubMed, Cochrane Library, OVID, EBSCO y Google Scholar.Resultados: Se obtuvieron 92 artículos, de los cuales 5 fueron incluidos en el análisis cualitativo. El Ensayo CLINICO TEMPO 3:4, demostró que el tolvaptan redujo la tasa de crecimiento anual en el volumen total de riñón (TKV) del 5.5% al 2.8% y la tasa anual de filtración glomerular estimada (eGFR) disminuyó de −3.70 a −2.72 mL/min/1.73-m2. El estudio THE DIPAK-1 evidenció que el acetato de lanreotida reduce el volumen renal total (4.2% frente al control: 5.6%; diferencia: -1.4% por año; sin diferencias significativas para la incidencia de empeoramiento de la función renal. Los ensayos clínicos con venglustat evidenciaron mejoría preliminar en la TKV y la eGFR, acorde a los resultados de los estudios preclínicos, sin embargo, aún se encuentran en estudio. Conclusiones: La ADPKD, es una patología con pocas opciones terapéuticas y con recientes tratamientos incorporados, actualmente en investigación. Este artículo establece las bases para un futuro diseño de estudio cuantitativo.

The soil seed bank (SSB) plays an important role in determining future community composition and health of forests. The extent to which abiotic conditions alter the abundance and diversity of the future forest composition via modulating the regenerative capacity of the SSB and their relationship with each other is not fully understood. We studied how elevation and abiotic conditions (canopy openness, slope, aspect, soil pH, and a natural gradient of these soil nutrients: total nitrogen [N], total carbon [C], C:N ratio, available phosphorus [P], available potassium [K], calcium [Ca], iron [Fe], magnesium [Mg], manganese [Mn], and sulfur [S]) affect community characteristics, calculated as: (1) seedling abundance, (2) species richness, (3) Shannon-Weiner diversity index, (4) Simpson index, (5) Chao 2 richness estimator, (6) number of species represented by only one individual, and (7) number of species that occur only in one plot. We used soils sampled in 13 1-ha plots along an altitudinal gradient from 400 to 1850 m above sea level. We determined both direct and indirect causal relationships between abiotic factors and SSB community characteristics using linear mixed models and structural equation modeling. Increased elevation and canopy openness resulted in lower species richness and diversity as well as fewer rare species. However, greater canopy openness resulted in higher abundance. Abundance and richness of the SSB were lower in steeper slopes, but this negative effect appeared to be along an indirect pathway through soil pH and nutrients such as soil Mn and S. Soil P had a significant negative relationship with SSB characteristics for all indices evaluated here, except for SSB abundance, which was positively affected by increased soil pH. Our results highlight the role of abiotic factors in forest regeneration and resilience through their influence on the soil seed bank community. This study is one of the very first to provide data on the SSB along a wide elevational range in subtropical forests, and can be the basis to assess the regeneration potential and health of the study region.

Although the association between Takayasu arteritis (TA) and latent or active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has been suggested for a long time, studies conducted in recent years are challenging this notion. Until recently, the possibility of a pathogenic relationship between TA and tuberculosis (TB) was considered a medical curiosity, but the advent of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors as therapy for recalcitrant TA cases, as well as the widespread use of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for vaccination purposes, has relocated this association as a top priority issue. In an attempt to define whether both diseases are pathogenically linked or if their association is only epiphenomenal in nature, we conduct a thorough literature search on the development of TB in patients with TA receiving TNF inhibitors. From a total of 13 studies that included 214 patients, the occurrence of TB was observed only in two individuals exposed to infliximab. This frequency of 0.93% is similar to that encountered in patients with other rheumatic diseases exposed to TNF inhibitors. Finally, we propose a novel pathogenic model that could reconcile the epidemiological, clinical, and immunological evidence that links TA and TB, while providing rationality for the use of TNF inhibitors in patients with TA.

Although emphasis on teaching pronunciation of a second language has been almost null among EFL educators and researchers, recent studies portray pronunciation as a key factor to learn a second language. This paper reviews literature of experts on the field who highlight the relevance of teaching pronunciation. In order to provide the readers with a theoretical basis the paper first presents a review of recent discussions on the necessity to teach pronunciation. Then it offers a description of the features of pronunciation, influential factors, problems such as merging and substitution caused by the differences between the First and Second Language phonological system, and teaching methodologies. Out of this context, we have favored one of the approacheswhich shed light on the development of pronunciation awareness. Finally some activities which aim to help learners pronounce unknown sounds in a clear and intelligible way are proposed. A pesar de que el énfasis en la enseñanza de la pronunciación de un segundo idioma ha sido casi nulo entre los educadores e investigadores de EFL, estudios recientes muestran la pronunciación como un factor clave para aprender un segundo idioma. Este artículo revisa la literatura de expertos en el campo que destacan la relevancia de la enseñanza de la pronunciación. Con el fin de proporcionar a los lectores una base teórica, el documento presenta primero una revisión de las discusiones recientes sobre la necesidad de enseñar la pronunciación. Luego ofrece una descripción de las características de la pronunciación, factores influyentes, problemas como la fusión y la sustitución causada por las diferencias entre el sistema fonológico del Primer y Segundo Lenguaje y las metodologías de enseñanza. Dentro de este contexto, hemos favorecido uno de los enfoques que arrojan luz sobre el desarrollo de la conciencia de la pronunciación. Finalmente, se proponen algunas actividades que tienen como objetivo ayudar a los estudiantes a pronunciar sonidos desconocidos de una manera clara e inteligible.

Background Malnutrition is under-recognized in cancer patients and can lead to poor treatment outcomes. We aim to develop an outpatient-focused score based on the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) to help identify colorectal cancer (CRC) profiles at high risk for malnutrition. Methods 506 CRC patients during initial outpatient oncology consultation at our tertiary referral outpatient oncology clinic completed the MST. Objective and subjective data were collected through chart review. Data gathered are as follows: demographics, anthropometrics, laboratory values, patient-reported symptoms, MST score, cancer history, performance status, socioeconomic status, and Charlson Comorbidity. Predictors of malnutrition were identified by logistic regression. Receiver operating curve (ROC), area under the curve (AUC), and our model’s predictability were determined. Results Significant predictors of malnutrition are as follows: younger age (20-39 vs >40 years) (P = .007), normal-to-low body mass index at presentation (P = .019), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group classification 2-3 (P = .012), metastatic disease (P = .046), albumin Discussion An outpatient clinic-derived malnutrition score obtained from objective and patient-reported variables may facilitate identification of CRC patients at highest risk for malnutrition. Rapid identification and intervention in high-risk patients may improve treatment recovery, therapy tolerance, and quality of life. Our tool requires external validation before application in clinical practice.

Early regeneration, involving the transition from a seed into a successfully recruited seedling, is a complex process characterized by high mortality rates and the strong association with environmental filters. However, we have limited understanding of the factors and transitional regeneration stages that lead to these broad mortality events, even in species that are key for ecosystem function and comprise the bulk of species in diversity assessments, such as Ficus species. Using eight, 1-ha long term monitoring plots, established along an elevation gradient in tropical to subtropical forests in southern China, and partitioning the early plant regeneration process into four stages (seed germination, seedling emergence, establishment and recruitment), we conducted a seed addition experiment to assess the factors driving the early regeneration process. We used four hemi-epiphytic and four non-hemiepiphytic Ficus species, specifically asking whether elevation, microsite conditions and growth form affect the success of regeneration outcomes. We observed that Ficus early regeneration was highly limited throughout the subtropical landscape with similar seed germination probabilities along all elevations, but greater seedling emergence at higher elevations. Growth form and elevation interacted significantly during seed germination and seedling emergence stages. The strongest filtering effect was observed during seedling emergence, with greater canopy openness facilitating, but drier and cooler soils being less conducive to seedling emergence, especially for hemiepiphytic species. Once emerged, Ficus seedlings were released from the environmental filters assessed here, yet, continued to face successively greater mortality during establishment and recruitment. Greater seed germination and seedling emergence on the ground observed in hemiepiphytes indicate that they may benefit from evolutionary traits associated with canopy regeneration under water and temperature stress, but only at the early regeneration stages, as seedling establishment and recruitment were similar in both groups. In general, our results demonstrate that even when seeds are available, successful recruitment is strongly limited by microsite conditions and growth form, through filtering mechanisms associated with the transition from seedling emergence to seedling establishment. The identification of environmental filters that operate during the complex and vulnerable early regeneration stages provides a baseline to develop management strategies for ex situ conservation, as well as in situ population reestablishment for restoration.

To assess serum type III or lambda (λ) interferons (IFN) levels and its clinical and laboratory associations in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).A cross-sectional study including 43 patients with RA (86% females; age 45.3 ± 10.3 years) and 43 healthy individuals was performed. Clinical data including disease activity, acute-phase reactants, rheumatoid factor and anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies were collected. Serum IFNλ1, IFNλ2, IFNλ3, CXCL8 and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibody levels were measured.Patients with RA had higher IFNλ1 (113.5 ± 118.6 pg/mL versus 55.9 ± 122.3 pg/mL; p 0.0001) and IFNλ2 (245.4 ± 327.7 pg/mL versus 5.1 ± 11.0 pg/mL; p = 0.009) levels than controls, but not IFNλ3 levels. Notably, IFNλ1 levels were found to be higher in both patients with active disease (124.9 ± 135.9 pg/mL; p 0.001) and quiescent disease (99.0 ± 93.7 pg/mL; p 0.01), while IFNλ2 levels were higher only in patients with active disease (264.0 ± 356.1 pg/mL; p = 0.02). A noteworthy association between serum IFNλ1 levels and anti-MCV antibody titers (Spearman's rho coefficient 0.36, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.61; p = 0.02) was observed.Serum IFNλ1 and IFNλ2 levels are abnormally elevated in patients with RA and the former are linearly associated with circulating anti-MCV antibody levels. These results may place type-III IFN as an attractive new therapeutic target in RA.

Las técnicas de cera perdida colado por centrifugación convencional, son técnicas vigentes para obtener cofias de Cobalto-Cromo (Co-Cr) para coronas metalcerámica. Objetivo: Evaluar in vitro, la adaptación marginal e interna de cofias unitarias de aleación Co-Cr, realizadas sobre dos líneas de terminación: chamfer y bisel, fabricadas con las técnicas de cera perdida colada por centrifugación convencional (CPCC) y por inducción (CPCI). Materiales y métodos: Se evaluó la adaptación marginal e interna de 13 cofi as unitarias de aleació n Co-Cr para cada té cnica y línea de terminación, usando la técnica de ré plica de silicona. Las muestras fueron divididas en sentido vestíbulo-palatino y en sentido mesio-distal, observadas en un estéreomicroscopio a un aumento de 40X y se evaluó la zona cervical, axial y oclusal. Resultados: Los aná lisis estadí sticos incluyeron la prueba t de Student y U Mann-Whitney, previamente se evaluó los supuestos de normalidad con la prueba de Shapiro-Wilk para analizar diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos (p

Conservation and/or environmental non-governmental organizations (CE-NGOs) have recently been scrutinized about their leadership's human diversity. Increasing diversity is an ethical obligation for CE-NGOs, and could benefit them by strengthening their problem solving, fundraising, and interactions with local communities across the world. Providing statements regarding their commitments, and including biographies and photographs of their leadership on their websites can indicate a CE-NGOs' dedication to diversity. Surveying 155 transnational CE-NGOs' websites, we found 26% did not mention human diversity in the mission statement, 65% did not use the words of equity, justice or inclusion, and 84% did not acknowledge historical or current power imbalances. A connection to local or indigenous peoples was incorporated twice as much as any other aspect of diversity. The CE-NGOs that had diversity statements were more transparent than those that did not, including more biographies and photos of their leaders. Small CE-NGOs (annual expenditures $10 million) ones, and CE-NGOs that fund, but do not themselves engage in conservation or environmental activities, were also less transparent. Having biographies of leaders could force a CE-NGO, whatever its size or type, to ask itself whether it represents the world it works in, stimulating self-correction, as well as generating public pressure to increase diversity. Nevertheless, providing this information should not be just for public display: it must be combined with an inclusive and equitable organizational culture that allows each member of the leadership opportunity to shape decisions.

To investigate whether nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) patterns assessed through an in-office handheld dermatoscope may reflect the extent of disease severity in systemic sclerosis (SSc). NFC patterns were evaluated with a non-contact, polarized light dermatoscope in 40 consecutive patients with SSc and graded in sequence as 0 = normal, 1 = early, 2 = active, or 3 = late patterns. Disease severity was measured according to a modified Medsger severity scale (MSS). For comparisons, patients were grouped in tertiles according to disease severity, and a numerical correlation between the NFC patterns and the composite MSS score was assessed. Twenty patients had normal or early NFC patterns, most of them (17 individuals, 85 %) having low to moderate disease severity. In contrast, 18 out of 20 (90 %) patients with active or late NFC patterns had moderate to high disease severity. Accordingly, patients with normal/early NFC patterns had a median MSS score of 4 (interquartile range (IQR), 3-5) as compared with 7 (4-8; P = 0.02) in those with active/late patterns. A Spearman's rho coefficient of 0.45 (95 % CI, 0.15-0.67; P = 0.003) was found between the graded scale of NFC patterns and the composite MSS score. A handheld dermatoscope is useful to visualize the NFC patterns in SSc patients, and it is efficient enough to reflect the extent of disease severity.

La prótesis total, es un elemento artificial destinado a reemplazar todos los dientes perdidos por algún factor externo o interno; para lo cual es necesario tener en consideración los objetivos principales que son el devolver la función masticatoria, fonética y estética. En una prótesis total se pueden dar un esquema oclusal balanceado el cual permite tener una estabilidad oclusal, utilizando dientes anatómicos o poliplanos permitiendo así darle al paciente una mejor eficacia masticatoria, confort y estética. Mientras que en el esquema oclusal no balanceado se utilizan dientes no anatómicos o monoplanos pero con una eficacia masticatoria disminuida y estética reducida. Cabe resaltar que también se puede conseguir que las prótesis totales tengan un esquema oclusal balanceado con dientes monoplanos, haciendo una serie de artificios en la confección de éstas. El presente artículo de revisión busca dar a conocer la técnica en la confección de un esquema oclusal balanceado usando dientes monoplanos. Complete denture is an artificial element designed to replace all lost teeth because of some external or internal factor; for which it is necessary to take into consideration the main objectives that are returning the masticatory, phonetic and aesthetic function. In a complete denture, a balanced occlusal scheme can be given, which allows to have an occlusal stability, using anatomical teeth allowing thus giving the patient a better masticatory, comfort and aesthetic efficiency. While in the unbalanced occlusal scheme non-anatomical teeth are used but with reduced masticatory efficacy and reduced aesthetics. It should be noted that you can also get on a complete denture a balanced occlusal scheme with non.anatomical teeth, making a series of artifices in the preparation of these. The present review article seeks to present the technique in the preparation of a balanced occlusal scheme using non.anatomical teeth.

The effects of two entomopathogenic fungal endophytes, Beauveria bassiana and Purpureocillium lilacinum , were assessed on the growth of cultivated cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ) and development of the cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa zea ). In two replicate greenhouse trials, cotton plants were inoculated as seed treatments with two concentrations of B. bassiana or P. lilacinum conidia and evaluated for effects on both plant dry biomass, number of nodes and number of developing flowers (squares). We similarly treated cotton plants and evaluated H. zea performance using no-choice in planta assays starting at the 2nd larval instar. Treatment with both fungal endophytes resulted in a significant increases in plant dry biomass (ANOVA, P = 0.024). Plant developmental stage and number of squares were also significantly enhanced in the endophyte treated plants (ANOVA, P = 0.005 and P = 0.027, respectively). The survivorship of H. zea was significantly different among the endophyte treatment groups (Kaplan–Meier, P = 0.02), where insects feeding on control plants exhibited higher survival than insects on the endophyte treated plants. There were no significant endophyte treatment effects on larval or pupal weights of H. zea individuals. There was no endophyte effect on days to pupation among treatments, but there was a marginal effect on days to eclosion (Kaplan–Meier, P = 0.07). Overall, our results demonstrate (i) the positive plant growth enhancing effects of the target endophyes on cultivated cotton under greenhouse conditions and (ii) the negative effects of endophytic P. lilacinum and B. bassiana on H. zea survivorship and development using whole plant assays.

Summary: Objectives: Determine the correlation of the frequency and variability of three Non-metricdental crown traits (Carabelli cusp, protostylid and molar pattern cusp) between deciduous (um2/lm2)and permanent (UM1/LM1) teeth in mixed-dentition subjects. Materials and methods: A descriptivestudy was conducted to determine the dental morphology in mixed dentition stage of young subjects.The Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System ASUDAS and Grind and Sciulli Methods wereused as reference to compare frequency of dental traits in dental casts of 100 young individualsracially mixed. Results: A high expression of furrows and pits of the Carabelli cusp, a highfrequency of protostylid in degree 1 (foramen secum) and a expression of molar pattern cusp,revealed that the studied population received influences of the Mongoloid and Caucasoid dentalcomplexes. Correspondence on the traits expression among temporal and permanent dentition was alsoconfirmed. Bilateral symmetry and sexual dimorphism in the analyzed non-metric dental crown traitswere found. Key words: Dental anthropology. Dental morphology. Non-metric dental crown traits. Mixeddentition.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess associations between serum type III (λ) interferons (IFN-λ) and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Serum levels of IFN-λ1, IFN-λ2, and IFN-λ3 were measured in 93 SLE patients and 67 healthy individuals. The associations with overall disease activity, organ-specific damage, and SLE-related antibodies were assessed. Results Median IFN-λ1 levels were 0 pg/mL (range, 0-510 pg/mL) and 0 pg/mL (0-171 pg/mL; P = 0.814) in SLE patients and control subjects, respectively. These figures were 0 pg/mL (0-28 pg/mL) and 0 pg/mL (0-43 pg/mL; P = 0.659) for IFN-λ2, as well as 83 pg/mL (0-965 pg/mL) and 42 pg/mL (0-520 pg/mL; P = 0.002) for IFN-λ3, respectively. According to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index categories, IFN-λ3 levels were 44 pg/mL (0-158 pg/mL) in quiescent, 117 pg/mL (0-344 pg/mL) in mild, 79 pg/mL (0-965 pg/mL) in moderate, and 78 pg/mL (0-329 pg/mL) in severe disease, with the highest levels found in patients with serosal or cutaneous involvement. In line with this, IFN-λ3 levels were inversely correlated with C3 (ρ = -0.44; 95% confidence interval, -0.62 to -0.20; P = 0.0003) and C4 (ρ = -0.40; 95% confidence interval, -0.59 to -0.15; P = 0.0001) complement proteins. In addition, higher IFN-λ3 levels were found in patients positive for anti-Ro/SSA antibodies than in those negative for that antibody (122 pg/mL [0-965 pg/mL] vs. 0 pg/mL [0-165 pg/mL]; P = 0.001). The concentration of IFN-λ3 also was higher in patients receiving glucocorticoids (104 pg/mL [0-965 pg/mL] vs. 30 pg/mL [0-165 pg/mL]; P = 0.009), and a dose-related effect was observed. Conclusions Interferon λ3, a subtype of type III IFNs, is associated with the extent of lupus activity, in particular with active serosal and cutaneous disease. This association could be mechanistically related to anti-Ro/SSA antibodies.

In the last fifty years, media franchises have been using tie-in fiction to expand their universes and tell stories outside main events. This paper examines how information is used specifically in Star Wars tie-in fiction and its recent transition to using knowledge management. To start, this paper looks at the history of tie-in fiction from its roots in the 1960s to the modern day, before transitioning to the role of brand managers and editors as information managers. Then, this paper documents the history of Star Wars tie-in fiction and how information strategies were implemented through 2014 and how it impacted the franchise’s canon. Finally, this paper examines the recent move towards a unified canon and how this shift towards knowledge management has impacted storytelling. This paper concludes that while it is too early to evaluate its results, Star Wars was uniquely situated among franchises to move towards knowledge management through its prior information management efforts.

Background Suicide affects people from different backgrounds, ethnical groups, socio-economic status and geographical locations. In Latin America, suicide reports arescarce, specially in Andean countries. In Ecuador, very few reports have partially described this phenomenon, nonetheless, estimation of the burden of disease (BoD) hasnever been reported in the country. Methods A country-wide comparison was performed using the Ministry of Public Health’s national databases of overall mortality, Hospital Discharges Database, and the Population Census of the National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC). The study variables analyzed were age, geographical distribution to provincial level, sex, means of suicide, educational attainment, marital status and mortality. Linear Regression and relative Risk analysis were used to predict outcome and the likelihood that suicide occur among study variables. Results In the last 15 years, 13,024 suicides were officially reported. Men were 3 times more likely than women to die by suicide. The overall age-adjusted suicide ratio in Ecuador corresponds to 7.1 per 100,000 per year. The sex-specific rates were 5.3 in women and 13.2 in men. The primary mean of suicide was hanging X70 (51.1%), followed by self-poisoning X68-X69 (35.2%) and firearms X72-X74 (7.6%). Provinces located at higher altitude reported higher rates than those located at sea level (9 per 100,000 vs 4.5 per 100.000). The total economic loss due to suicide was estimated to be $852.6 million during the 15 years’ analysis. Conclusions This is the first geodemographic study exploring the complete burden of suicide in Ecuador and one of the very few in Latin-America. In the last 15 years of available data, Ecuador ranks above the regional average with an adjusted suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. An important finding is that Suicide affects rather younger populations, adding more than 10,000 years of premature years of life lost (YYL) between 2001 and 2015, becoming the first and fourth leading cause of death among adolescent women and men respectively. Suicide affects people from different backgrounds, socioeconomic status and educational attainment. The mean of suicide changed over time showing that gun and pesticides related deaths decreased significantly since 2001, while hanging and suffocation increased in more than 50%.