University of Costa Rica

About: University of Costa Rica is a education organization based out in San José, Costa Rica. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Venom. The organization has 9817 authors who have published 16781 publications receiving 238208 citations. The organization is also known as: UCR & Universidad de Costa Rica.

Growth hormone deficiency in children.

Abstract: The foundation for the diagnosis of growth hormone (GH) deficiency in childhood must be auxology, that is, the comparison of the child's growth pattern to that of established norms for gender and ethnicity. It is only in those growing considerably more slowly than average that testing for GHD makes sense. Assessment of laboratory tests, whether static, for example, the measurement of growth factors or their binding proteins, or dynamic, for example, secretagogue-stimulated GH secretion is confirmatory. One must be cognizant of the assay used to determine GH, for there may be a 3-fold difference in the concentration of GH among commercially-available assays. Controversy still exists concerning the measurement of spontaneous GH release and whether sex-steroid priming is appropriate in prepubertal children. Imaging analysis may prove helpful in some children with congenital GHD or to detect a space-occupying lesion in the area of the hypothalamus and pituitary. The final diagnosis is based on multiple parameters and occasionally on a therapeutic trial of GH therapy to determine if there is a significant acceleration of growth velocity.

Collateral effects of microplastic pollution on aquatic microorganisms: An ecological perspective

Abstract: Microplastics (MP) provide a unique and extensive surface for microbial colonization in aquatic ecosystems. The formation of microorganism-microplastic complexes, such as biofilms, maximizes the degradation of organic matter and horizontal gene transfer. In this context, MP affect the structure and function of microbial communities, which in turn render the physical and chemical fate of MP. This new paradigm generates challenges for microbiology, ecology, and ecotoxicology. Dispersal of MP is concomitant with that of their associated microorganisms and their mobile genetic elements, including antibiotic resistance genes, islands of pathogenicity, and diverse metabolic pathways. Functional changes in aquatic microbiomes can alter carbon metabolism and food webs, with unknown consequences on higher organisms or human microbiomes and hence health. Here, we examine a variety of effects of MP pollution from the microbial ecology perspective, whose repercussions on aquatic ecosystems begin to be unraveled.

Progress in Pan American CLIVAR research: The North American monsoon system

Abstract: The overall goal of Pan American CLIVAR Research on the North American Monsoon System is to determine the sources and limits of predictability of warm season precipitation over North America, with emphasis on time scales ranging up to seasonal-to-interannual. To achieve this goal, several research objectives have been identified including (1) a better understanding of the key components of the monsoon system and their temporal and spatial variability, (2) a better understanding of the role of this system within the global water cycle (3) improved observational data sets, and (4) improved simulation and monthly-to-seasonal prediction of the monsoon and regional water resources. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent progress made towards achieving these objectives and to highlight some of the future challenges based on gaps in our understanding.

How Electric Vehicles and the Grid Work Together: Lessons Learned from One of the Largest Electric Vehicle Trials in the World

Abstract: In the coming years, hundreds of thousands of new electric vehicles (EVs), from plug-in hybrids to fully electric, will hit the roads around the world, adding to the current EV fleet of more than 2 million, according to the Global EV Outlook 2017. The electrification of transportation can bring environmental, health, and economic benefits when coupled with a low-carbon electricity generation portfolio; however, ensuring that this transition goes smoothly requires addressing several grid-integration challenges.