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The measurement of the cross-correlation function is crucial to assess magnification bias in galaxy surveys. Previous works used mini-tile subsampling, but accurately determining the integral constraint (IC) correction for unbiased estimation is challenging due to various factors. We present a new methodology for estimating the cross-correlation function, utilizing full field area and reducing statistical uncertainty. Covariance matrices were estimated by dividing each field into at least five patches using a k-mean clustering algorithm. Robustness was assessed by comparing spectroscopic and photometric lens samples, yielding compatible results. Cross-correlation and auto-correlation analyses in the GAMA fields revealed a stronger signal in GAMA15, likely due to rare large-scale structure combinations. Our findings highlight the robustness of the new methodology and suggest sample-specific effects. Subsequent papers in this series will explore other aspects of magnification bias and address potential biases from the GAMA15 signal on cosmological parameter constraints., This work is the first one of a three-paper serie. 14 pages, 9 figures, submitted for publication by A&A

We generelize the Hamiltonian picture of General Relativity coupled to classical matter, known as geometrodynamics, to the case where such matter is described by a Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, but gravity is still described by a classical metric tensor field over a spatial hypersurface and its associated momentum. Thus, in our approach there is no non-dynamic background structure, apart from the manifold of events, and the gravitational and quantum degrees of freedom have their dynamics inextricably coupled. Given the Hamiltonian nature of the framework, there is no need to search for a consistent quantum stress-energy tensor, but instead we work with the generators of hypersurface deformations over the manifold of quantum states. The construction relies heavily on the differential geometry of a fibration of the set of quantum states over the set of gravitational variables, and the introduction of a notion of quantum connection. The most remarkable physical implications of the construction are norm conservation of the quantum state (even if the total dynamics are non-unitary), the clear identification of the hybrid conserved quantities and the description of a dynamical backreaction of quantum matter on geometry and vice versa, which shall modify the physical properties the gravitational field would have in the absence of backreaction.

Using germ cell-free (GCF), sterile, dnd-knockout salmon for farming could solve the problems associated with precocious maturation and genetic introgression of farmed breeds into wild populations. However, prior to using GCF fish in the salmon farming industry, it is crucial to understand if, or how, the GCF phenotype differs from wild type (WT) counterparts in terms of growth and welfare. To characterize the GCF phenotype throughout a production cycle, we reared GCF and WT salmon in indoor common garden tanks for 3 years, until harvest size. Regarding body size, smoltification markers (mRNA levels of gill Na+/K+-ATPase [NKA] subunits), plasma stress indicators (pH, glucose, sodium, chloride, calcium), relative heart size, prevalence of vertebra deformities and fillet proximate composition, GCF fish could not be distinguished from WTs. Transient differences were detected in plasma concentrations of lactate and osmolality, and only a few genes were differentially expressed in WT and GCF transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary. At harvest, fillets from GCF and WT salmon contained the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids, however the relative content of omega-3 fatty acids was higher in GCF compared to WT males. Towards harvest size, body growth rate, condition factor and relative liver size were significantly higher in WT than in GCF fish, probably relating to initiation of puberty in WTs. Since GCF salmon never become sexually mature, it is possible to postpone the time of harvest to exploit the growth potential uninhibited by sexual maturation. In conclusion, GCF salmon performed to a large extent similarly to their WT counterparts but had the clear advantage of never maturing.

This letter is about confinement in QCD. At the moment we have pictures of confinement to complete our understanding of the physics of strongly interacting particles, interaction which asks for confinement. As it is said in [1] : " In principle it should be possible to derive the confinement hypothesis from the QCD Lagrangian. At this time, no rigorous derivation exists, so it is not absolutely clear that the confinement hypothesis is a bone fide prediction of QCD" . In this letter we show that a sufficient (of course not necessary) condition for confinement is that topological structure of vacuum in Nature does not correspond to the $\theta$-vacuum. Therefore, if different vacua with nontrivial winding number cannot be connected by tunneling, we obtain confinement as a consequence., Comment: 10 pages

Genetic disorders of the skeleton encompass a diverse group of bone diseases differing in clinical characteristics, severity, incidence and molecular etiology. Of particular interest are the monogenic rare bone mass disorders, with the underlying genetic defect contributing to either low or high bone mass phenotype. Extensive, deep phenotyping coupled with high-throughput, cost-effective genotyping is crucial in the characterization and diagnosis of affected individuals. Massive parallel sequencing efforts have been instrumental in the discovery of novel causal genes that merit functional validation using in vitro and ex vivo cell-based techniques, and in vivo models, mainly mice and zebrafish. These translational models also serve as an excellent platform for therapeutic discovery, bridging the gap between basic science research and the clinic. Altogether, genetic studies of monogenic rare bone mass disorders have broadened our knowledge on molecular signaling pathways coordinating bone development and metabolism, disease inheritance patterns, development of new and improved bone biomarkers, and identification of novel drug targets. In this comprehensive review we describe approaches to further enhance the innovative processes taking discoveries from clinic to bench, and then back to clinic in rare bone mass disorders. We highlight the importance of cross laboratory collaboration to perform functional validation in multiple model systems after identification of a novel disease gene. We describe the monogenic forms of rare low and high rare bone mass disorders known to date, provide a roadmap to unravel the genetic determinants of monogenic rare bone mass disorders using proper phenotyping and genotyping methods, and describe different genetic validation approaches paving the way for future treatments.

Regardless its relevance in sports economics, competitive balance has not been studied neither in Spanish nor in European professional basketball. In this preliminary study we measured the competitive balance in the Spanish ACB League from seasons 1983/1984 to 2003/2004 using the well-known winning percentage standard deviation index. Results showed great difference between seasons and a general low competitive balance index. In addition, tournament designing did not seem to affect the competitive balance in ACB.

42 páginas, 15 figuras, 1 tabla. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) represent a serious threat to humans, especially for those living in poor or developing countries. Almost one-sixth of the world population is at risk of suffering from these diseases and many thousands die because of NTDs, to which we should add the sanitary, labor and social issues that hinder the economic development of these countries. Protozoan-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths every year. Visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease or sleeping sickness are among the most lethal NTDs. Despite not being considered an NTD by the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria must be added to this sinister group. Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The treatment of this disease has been losing effectiveness year after year. Many of the medicines currently in use are obsolete due to their gradual loss of efficacy, their intrinsic toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance or a lack of adherence to treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent and global need for new drugs. Despite this, the scant interest shown by most of the stakeholders involved in the pharmaceutical industry makes our present therapeutic arsenal scarce, and until recently, the search for new drugs has not been seriously addressed. The sources of new drugs for these and other pathologies include natural products, synthetic molecules or repurposing drugs. The most frequent sources of natural products are microorganisms, e.g., bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and plants, which are able to synthesize many drugs that are currently in use (e.g. antimicrobials, antitumor, immunosuppressants, etc.). The marine environment is another well-established source of bioactive natural products, with recent applications against parasites, bacteria and other pathogens which affect humans and animals. Drug discovery techniques have rapidly advanced since the beginning of the millennium. The combination of novel techniques that include the genetic modification of pathogens, bioimaging and robotics has given rise to the standardization of High-Performance Screening platforms in the discovery of drugs. These advancements have accelerated the discovery of new chemical entities with antiparasitic effects. This review presents critical updates regarding the use of High-Throughput Screening (HTS) in the discovery of drugs for NTDs transmitted by protozoa, including malaria, and its application in the discovery of new drugs of marine origin. Financial support from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, AEI, FEDER, UE)[MINECO: AGL2016-79813-C2-1R and SAF2017-83575-R], the Junta de Castilla y León co-financed by FEDER, UE[LE020P17] to RBF and DBT, New Delhi [BT/IN/Spain/39/SM/2017-18] to MS are gratefully acknowledged. MAB(LE051-18) and DSC (LE020P17) are supported by a scholarship from the Junta de Castilla y León co-financed byFSE. MMV is supported by the Spanish “Ramon y Cajal” Programme Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness(Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad; MMV, RYC-2015-18368). We thank University of Leon for providingfunding to cover publication expenses.

Background Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms implementing pubertal maturation of the testis in vertebrates is incomplete. This topic is relevant in Atlantic salmon aquaculture, since precocious male puberty negatively impacts animal welfare and growth. We hypothesize that certain miRNAs modulate mRNAs relevant for the initiation of puberty. To explore which miRNAs regulate mRNAs during initiation of puberty in salmon, we performed an integrated transcriptome analysis (miRNA and mRNA-seq) of salmon testis at three stages of development: an immature, long-term quiescent stage, a prepubertal stage just before, and a pubertal stage just after the onset of single cell proliferation activity in the testis. Results Differentially expressed miRNAs clustered into 5 distinct expression profiles related to the immature, prepubertal and pubertal salmon testis. Potential mRNA targets of these miRNAs were predicted with miRmap and filtered for mRNAs displaying negatively correlated expression patterns. In summary, this analysis revealed miRNAs previously known to be regulated in immature vertebrate testis (miR-101, miR-137, miR-92b, miR-18a, miR-20a), but also miRNAs first reported here as regulated in the testis (miR-new289, miR-30c, miR-724, miR-26b, miR-new271, miR-217, miR-216a, miR-135a, miR-new194 and the novel predicted n268). By KEGG enrichment analysis, progesterone signaling and cell cycle pathway genes were found regulated by these differentially expressed miRNAs. During the transition into puberty we found differential expression of miRNAs previously associated (let7a/b/c), or newly associated (miR-15c, miR-2184, miR-145 and the novel predicted n7a and b) with this stage. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that mRNAs of the Wnt, Hedgehog and Apelin signaling pathways were potential regulated targets during the transition into puberty. Likewise, several regulated miRNAs in the pubertal stage had earlier been associated (miR-20a, miR-25, miR-181a, miR-202, let7c/d/a, miR-125b, miR-222a/b, miR-190a) or have now been found connected (miR-2188, miR-144, miR-731, miR-8157 and the novel n2) to the initiation of puberty. Conclusions This study has - for the first time - linked testis maturation to specific miRNAs and their inversely correlated expressed targets in Atlantic salmon. The study indicates a broad functional conservation of already known miRNAs and associated pathways involved in the transition into puberty in vertebrates. The analysis also reveals miRNAs not previously associated with testis tissue or its maturation, which calls for further functional studies in the testis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4205-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

JOINT COMBAR - ACSRPC meeting: Anthelmintic Resistance in Ruminants: Who cares? Abstract Book, Poster Presentations, pp. 88. Gante (Bélgica). 27-29 agosto 2019., MINECO (AGL2016-79813-C2-1R, SAF2017-83575), FEDER, LE020P17, FPU16/03536 and RYC-2015-18368

La gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos requiere de nuevas políticas basadas en un mejor conocimiento sobre la asignación de los recursos hídricos entre los sectores económicos y el medio natural, y sobre los beneficios que se generan para la sociedad. Este trabajo analiza la distribución espacial y sectorial del agua en la cuenca del Ebro, los efectos de la escasez de agua, y el debate sobre el caudal ecológico en desembocadura. El estudio examina en detalle las zonas de regadío que absorben la mayor parte de los recursos, y las propuestas de caudal ecológico en desembocadura. En el análisis se utiliza un modelo hidroecónomico que simula el impacto de distintas asignaciones espaciales y sectoriales del agua. La adaptación del regadío a la sequía consiste en cambios hacia producciones de mayor rentabilidad económica y tecnologías de riego eficientes. Los resultados muestran que las propuestas de caudal ecológico de la Agencia Catalana del Agua impiden el mantenimiento de las actividades económicas y restringen el desarrollo económico de la cuenca en el futuro. En condiciones de sequía, la propuesta de caudales ecológicos de la Agencia Catalana del Agua de 2007 impediría toda actividad de regadío y cualquier expansión del resto de las actividades económicas de la cuenca. Addressing a more sustainable management of water resources involves new policies that require improved knowledge on water allocations and benefits from the economic and environmental uses of water. This study analyzes the spatial allocation of water resources in the Ebro basin and the distribution by sector, the effects of water scarcity, and the debate on environmental flows in the Ebro mouth. The analysis focus on the irrigated districts using the major share of resources, and on the environmental flows proposals for the River mouth. A hydro-economic model is developed to simulate the effects of different water distribution scenarios by sector and location. Irrigation adaption strategies during drought periods are changes in crop patterns towards more profitable crops and efficient irrigation technologies. Results show that the environmental flow proposals of the Agencia Catalana del Agua hinder the maintenance of economic activities and restrain the economic development of the basin in the future. under drought conditions, the environmental flow proposal of the Agencia Catalana del Agua 2007 will not only eliminate all irrigation in the basin, but also exclude the expansion of water demand for other economic activities.

Fsh-mediated regulation of zebrafish spermatogenesis includes modulating the expression of testicular growth factors. Here, we study if and how two Sertoli cell-derived Fsh-responsive growth factors, anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh; inhibiting steroidogenesis and germ cell differentiation) and insulin-like growth factor 3 (Igf3; stimulating germ cell differentiation), cooperate in regulating spermatogonial development. In dose response and time course experiments with primary testis tissue cultures, Fsh up-regulated igf3 transcript levels and down-regulated amh transcript levels; igf3 transcript levels were more rapidly up-regulated and responded to lower Fsh concentrations than were required to decrease amh mRNA levels. Quantification of immunoreactive Amh and Igf3 on testis sections showed that Fsh increased slightly Igf3 staining but decreased clearly Amh staining. Studying the direct interaction of the two growth factors showed that Amh compromised Igf3-stimulated proliferation of type A (both undifferentiated [Aund] and differentiating [Adiff]) spermatogonia. Also the proliferation of those Sertoli cells associated with Aund spermatogonia was reduced by Amh. To gain more insight into how Amh inhibits germ cell development, we examined Amh-induced changes in testicular gene expression by RNA sequencing. The majority (69%) of the differentially expressed genes was down-regulated by Amh, including several stimulators of spermatogenesis, such as igf3 and steroidogenesis-related genes. At the same time, Amh increased the expression of inhibitory signals, such as inha and id3, or facilitated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling. Evaluating one of the potentially inhibitory signals, we indeed found in tissue culture experiments that PGE2 promoted the accumulation of Aund at the expense of Adiff and B spermatogonia. Our data suggest that an important aspect of Fsh bioactivity in stimulating spermatogenesis is implemented by restricting the different inhibitory effects of Amh and by counterbalancing them with stimulatory signals, such as Igf3.

International audience; Understanding mechanical relaxation, such as primary (alpha) and secondary (beta) relaxation, is key to unravel the inter-twined relation between the atomic dynamics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics in metallic glasses. At a fundamental level, relaxation, plastic deformation, glass transition, and crystallization of metallic glasses are intimately linked to each other, which can be related to atomic packing, inter-atomic diffusion, and cooperative atom movement. Conceptually, beta relaxation is usually associated with structural heterogeneities intrinsic to metallic glasses. However, the details of such structural heterogeneities, being masked by the meta-stable disordered long-range structure, are yet to be understood. In this paper, we briefly review the recent experimental and simulation results that were attempted to elucidate structural heterogeneities in metallic glasses within the framework of beta relaxation. In particular, we will discuss the correlation among beta relaxation, structural heterogeneity, and mechanical properties of metallic glasses.

Since the end of the 20th century, the meteorological variability (frost, floods and drought) has increased in the Mediterranean area, reducing pasture productivity. Consequently, farmers are forced to buy forages and concentrates to secure their feeding system. 1hese purchases threaten the financial balance of their farms. The main objective of this study is to find an alternative solution to secure the feeding system for Mediterranean livestock. In Europe and northern France, studies have shown a renewed interest in multispecies grasslands. In the southern European countries, Portugal has developed these grasslands in the Alentejo region. In the French Mediterranean zone, there was no study before 2012, when we started testing our mixtures in Montpellier (France). The results show the ability of multispecies grasslands to maintain satisfactory levels of biomass and crude protein despite contrasting weather conditions.

A precision measurement by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station of the positron fraction in primary cosmic rays in the energy range from 0.5 to 350 GeV based on 6.8 x 10(6) positron and electron events is presented. The very accurate data show that the positron fraction is steadily increasing from 10 to similar to 250 GeV, but, from 20 to 250 GeV, the slope decreases by an order of magnitude. The positron fraction spectrum shows no fine structure, and the positron to electron ratio shows no observable anisotropy. Together, these features show the existence of new physical phenomena. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.141102

tNiche-based models (NBMs) are increasingly being used to predict the biological distribution of species,as well as the importance of different environmental variables on their habitat adequability. Here, weinvestigate the reliability of these models in predicting habitat suitability for Corbicula fluminea, an impor-tant freshwater bivalve invasive species. In order to determine the influence of topographic vs. climaticvariables, three datasets were used: (1) CorbiculaTOPO with topographic variables (altitude, slope and acompound topographical index); (2) CorbiculaMIX, combining climatic (annual mean temperature, meantemperature of warmest quarter, mean temperature of coldest quarter and annual precipitation) andtopographic variables and (3) CorbiculaCLIM with only the climatic variables. Nine different types ofmodels, implemented in BIOMOD2, were used and an ensemble of NBMs was built. We aimed to knowhow climatic suitability for these invaders changes when using different datasets of environmental vari-ables; if the predictive reliability is similar between datasets; and which environmental variables betterexplain habitat adequability. Model performance was very similar between CorbiculaMIX and Corbicula-CLIM. CorbiculaTOPO was the dataset with the least accurate predictions. Mean temperature of the coldestquarter and altitude were the variables that influenced C. fluminea distribution the most. The use of anensemble of predictions allowed us to clearly identify areas with potential to be invaded by the bivalve,in which records are not yet detected. This information can be used in management, to implement meas-ures to delay or prevent invasions, as well as for the identification of the environmental variables thatfavor that invasive potential.

This paper continues the work done on Part I included in this Volume. Based on the conformity and acceptance criteria analysed on Part I (1), EN 206-1:2000 (2) and AC/-318 (3) standards are studied and compared to EHE (4) standard described in Part l. The paper conclusions include concepts derived from the previous work.Este trabajo es continuación de la Parte I (1) incluida en este mismo volumen. Sobre la base conceptual de los criterios de conformidad y de aceptación analizados allí, se estudian en este artículo los códigos EN 206-1:2000 (2) y ACI-318 (3) y se compararán ambos con el código EHE (4) analizado en la primera. El trabajo finaliza con unas conclusiones derivadas del análisis precedente.

47-64 Feedlots have increased in several regions of Argentina, particularly in the Pampas. The absence of adequate treatments of the effluents produced in these establishments creates serious problems to the society. Phytoremediation can be defined as inexpensive and environmentally sustainable strategy used to remove pollutants by plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the remediation potential of two macrophyte species (Eichhornia crassipes and Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) on a feedlot effluent. This effluent was treated with these species for 31 days. Control and macrophyte treatments decreased dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), Kjeldahl nitrogen (Kj N), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved salts (TDS), total phosphorus (TP), Pb, Zn and Cr levels. At macrophyte treatments, relatively constant pH levels were kept and decreased EC and TDS values were obtained compared to control, mitigating the release of contaminants and potential greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Moreover, significant increases in biomass were obtained, being higher in E. crassipes. The results allow concluding that the presence of aquatic plants increases the removal rates of nutrients, organic matter and heavy metals from wastewater in approximately 10-17 days for a feedlot effluent with high organic load.

Seis prados temporales a base de leguminosas y/o gramíneas fueron tratados con cuatro niveles de fertilizante nitrogenado (O, 160, 320 y 640 Kg. de N/Ha./año) durante tres años, al objeto de evaluar la influencia del fertilizante y de las leguminosas sobre la materia seca y la proteína bruta. Se discuten los resultados medios y los rendimientos de materia seca y proteína bruta de los diferentes prados y niveles de N, muestran la gran importancia de las leguminosas como fuentes de N, y así, no debe ser recomendada la utilización de prados monofitos de gramíneas con elevados niveles de fertilizantes nitrogenados, para los climas mediterráneos, en los cuales el crecimiento de las leguminosas es muy favorable. Sección 2ª. Presidente Dr. J. Caputa)

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), whose final version AMS-02 is to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years, is a detector designed to measure charged cosmic ray spectra with energies up to the TeV region and with high energy photon detection capability up to a few hundred GeV. It is equipped with several subsystems, one of which is a proximity focusing RICH detector with a dual radiator (aerogel+NaF) that provides reliable measurements for particle velocity and charge. The assembly and testing of the AMS RICH is currently being finished and the full AMS detector is expected to be ready by the end of 2008. The RICH detector of AMS-02 is presented. Physics prospects are briefly discussed., 5 pages. Contribution to the 10th ICATPP Conference on Astroparticle, Particle, Space Physics, Detectors and Medical Physics Applications (Como 2007). Presenter: Rui Pereira

International audience

p.11-16 Submitted by Texeira Ana (atanateixeira@gmail.com) on 2012-10-15T18:34:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Parise, E..pdf: 577473 bytes, checksum: e51e0dc9a8014dbbd6c8612bd8775dad (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-15T18:34:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Parise, E..pdf: 577473 bytes, checksum: e51e0dc9a8014dbbd6c8612bd8775dad (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-02 Peginterferon alfa plus ribavirin is currently the treatment of choice for chronic hepatitis C. Peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin has given an overall sustained virological response of 18% in F3/F4 previous nonresponder US patients. We evaluated the effectiveness of peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin in Brazilian patients who were relapsers or nonresponders to previous interferon-based therapy. One-hundred-thirty-four patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C, HCV RNA positive, elevated ALT and who were either relapsers (n=37) or nonresponders (n=97) to at least 24 weeks of conventional interferon/ribavirin therapy were retreated with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) 180mg/qw and ribavirin 800mg bid for 48 weeks. Efficacy was assessed as virological response (defined as undetectable HCV RNA) at the end of treatment (EoT) and at the end of follow-up (SVR - Sustained Virological Response). Safety assessments consisted of clinical and laboratory evaluations. In the patient sample, 72% were genotype 1 and 34% were cirrhotic. In an intention-to-treat analysis, relapser patients showed 78% EoT response and 51% SVR. Nonresponders showed 57% EoT response and 26% SVR. Positive predictive factors of SVR were non-1 genotype and relapser state. Six percent of the patients interrupted treatment because of adverse events and 45% had dose reduction (mainly associated with leucopenia and anemia). Brazilian patient relapsers and nonresponders to conventional interferon and ribavirin treatment can achieve a sustained virological response when retreated with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) and ribavirin. The safety profile is similar to that of naive patients. Salvador

The objective of the present work is the study and comparison of the criteria for conformity and acceptance of the EHE (1), EN206-I (2) and ACI 318 (3) series of standards, which are in use in Spain, the European Community, the US and many Latin-American countries. As such, the paper starts with a conceptual differentiation of the conformity and acceptance criteria of each standard. The results of this analysis are operating characteristic curves for each respective standard that allow for the practical application and comparison of both types of criteria. The study ends with a number of conclusions that have been derived from the previous analysis., El objeto del presente trabajo es estudiar y comparar los criterios de conformidad y de aceptación de los códigos EHE (1), EN 206-1 (2), v ACI318 (3), utilizados en España, Comunidad Europea, Estados Unidos y en muchos países de Latinoamérica. El Trabajo esta dividido en dos partes. En la primera se diferenciarán conceptualmente los criterios de conformidad y los de aceptación y se analizará uno de los criterios de conformidad y aceptación de la EHE. En la segunda parte se analizarán los otros dos códigos EN 206-1, y ACI 318. El resultado de este análisis cristaliza en las curvas operativas de cada código, lo que permite su aplicación práctica y comparación. El trabajo finaliza con unas conclusiones derivadas del análisis precedente.

Calretinin is a calcium-binding protein which participates in a variety of functions including calcium buffering and neuronal protection. It also serves as a developmental marker of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In order to study the role of calretinin in the development and regeneration of RGCs, we have studied its pattern of expression in the retina at different developmental stages, as well as during optic nerve regeneration by means of immunohistochemistry. During development, calretinin is found for the first time in RGCs when they connect with the optic tectum. Optic nerves from adult zebrafish were crushed and after different survival times, calretinin expression in the retina, optic nerve tract and optic tectum was studied. From the day of crushing to 10 days later, calretinin expression was found to be downregulated within RGCs and their axons, as was also observed during the early developmental stages of RGCs, when they are not committed to a definite cell phenotype. Moreover, 13 days after lesion, when the regenerating axons arrived at the optic tectum, a recovery of calretinin immunoreactivity within the RGCs was observed. These results indicate that calretinin may play an important role during optic nerve regeneration, Thus, the downregulation of Calretinin during the growth of the RGC axons towards the target during development as well as during their regeneration after injury, indicates that an increase the availability of cytosolic calcium is integral to axon outgrowth thus recapitulating the pattern observed during development.

Se presentan 50 rodillas en un total de 40 pacientes intervenidos entre los años 1983 y 1990 con la técnica de Maquet II por presentar compromiso femoropatelar. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido la valoración de la evolución de los resultados a lo largo del tiempo. La edad media de los pacientes ha sido de 48 años, con un seguimiento medio de 8 años y 4 meses. La patología femoropatelar se ha dividido en 2 grupos: artrosis y condromalacia avanzada. El injerto óseo utilizado ha sido autólogo en el 30% de los casos y heterólogo de banco en los restantes, con un adelantamiento medio de la tuberosidad tibial anterior (TTA) de 11 mm. La valoración de resultados se realizó teniendo en cuenta parámetros clínicos y radiográficos, realizando una primera valoración en junio de 1992 y otra en marzo de 1996. Los resultados globales han sido de un 68% de resultados muy buenos y buenos, 22% regulares y 10% malos, apreciándose un escaso deterioro de los mismos entre las 2 revisiones. Se concluye que la técnica es válida para este tipo de patología, siendo suficiente el adelantamiento de la TTA de 10 mm. We present 50 knees in 40 patients who were operated between 1983 and 1990 with Maquet II procedure because of patellofemoral pathology. The purpose of this work was the long-term evaluation of results. The average age of the patients was 48 years with a mean followup of 8 years and 4 months. The patellofemoral pathology was divided in 2 groups: osteoarthrosis and advanced chondromalacia. The bone graft employed was autologous graft in 30% cases and heterologous graft in the others, with an average anterior displacement of the anterior tibial tuberosity of 11 mm. The evaluation of the results was done based on clinical and radiographical parameters. The final outcome was found to be 68% of very good and good results, 22% fair and 10% bad results. An slight impairement was observed along the period of study. The conclusion is that this procedure is valid for this pathology, being enough an anterior displacement of the tibial tuberosity of 10 mm.

The effects of the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) activity blockage on the early myelination of the rat optic nerve (ON) were investigated at the light and ultrastructural levels. The blockage of the RGC action potential was attained by the use of tetrodotoxin (PX), a blocker of the voltage-sensitive sodium c h a ~ e i sT.T X was either infused directly into the left eye (TON) or injected systematically (SON). These two groups of ONs were compared with the untreated paired right nerves (UON) of the eye-infused group. Our observations showed that the general morphology of the ONs in either treated group was similar to that of the UONs. The most noticeable ultrastructural feature of these nerves was the presence of dimorphic myelin sheaths in 4% of the myelinated fibres (MFs) in the TON group at postnatal day twelve, while they were seldom observed in the other groups (0.5%). These abnormal covers were of two types; long flaps of aberrant myelin or redundant myelin profiles. However, at postnatal day seven, the onset of myelination and the percentage of MFs was similar in the three groups. The morphometric results showed that there were no age-group differences in axon size in unmyelinated and MFs. These results suggest that while the bioelectrical activity of the RGCs could not play any role in maintaining axon calibre it may, to some extent, regulate the process of formation of normal myelin sheaths in the rat ON.

Several quantitative and morphometric parameters were analysed in the pars principalis of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus in control and hypophysectomised rats at several postnatal ages. The cell number in the control group remained approximately constant from Day 1, when it was 5034 +/- 348 (mean +/- S.D.M.), until Day 90 when the number of cells was 5234 +/- 110. In the group that was hypophysectomised on Day 60, the number of neurons on Day 90 was 1366 +/- 131, which represents a loss of 74% of the neurons. Morphometric parameters on Day 90 indicated a significant difference in nuclear size, 52.1 +/- 6.7 microns 2 in controls and 57.3 +/- 6.8 microns 2 in the hypophysectomised group. Based on these results, it is concluded that there is no postnatal loss of neurons in the pars principalis of the SON in normal rats. As a consequence of the stress induced by hypophysectomy, the remaining cell population undergoes adaptive changes in the nuclear RNA synthesis machinery of neurohypophyseal hormone precursors in order to compensate for the reduction in the number of neurosecretory neurons.

The AMS detector, to be installed on the International Space Station, includes a Ring Imaging Cerenkov detector with two different radiators, silica aerogel (n=1.05) and sodium fluoride (n=1.334). This detector is designed to provide very precise measurements of velocity and electric charge in a wide range of cosmic nuclei energies and atomic numbers. The detector geometry, in particular the presence of a reflector for acceptance purposes, leads to complex Cerenkov patterns detected in a pixelized photomultiplier matrix. The results of different reconstruction methods applied to test beam data as well as to simulated samples are presented. To ensure nominal performances throughout the flight, several detector parameters have to be carefully monitored. The algorithms developed to fulfill these requirements are presented. The velocity and charge measurements provided by the RICH detector endow the AMS spectrometer with precise particle identification capabilities in a wide energy range. The expected performances on light isotope separation are discussed., Contribution to the ICRC07, Merida, Mexico (2007); Presenter: F. Barao

The relevance of immune-endocrine interactions to the regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis in teleost is virtually unexplored. However, it is known that, as part of the innate immune response during infection, a number of cytokines and other immune factors are produced and act on the reproductive system. In the present study, we have studied the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration in preovulatory females and have observed a significant advance in the timing of ovulation coupled with a lower survival of the resulting embryos. Furthermore, we have investigated the effects of recombinant brook trout TNFα, as a potential mediator of the effects of LPS, on granulosa cell viability, gene expression in follicular layers and steroid production. Our results suggest that TNFα decreases granulosa cell viability and stimulates the expression of genes known to be involved in the normal ovulatory process in trout. TNFα also stimulates testosterone production by theca layers. In view of these results, we propose that a pathogen-induced activation of the immune system prior to ovulation could increase TNFα-mediated apoptosis in the trout ovary, advance ovulation and result in a potentially important decrease in egg quality.

International audience; The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) will be equipped with a proximity focusing Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector for measuring the charge and velocity of incoming cosmic-ray nuclei. From top to bottom, the detector consists of a radiator plane made of 1.05 aerogel and sodium fluoride (NaF) materials, an expansion volume enveloped by a high reflectivity conical shaped mirror, and a matrix of 680 16-anode photomultipliers coupled to light guides. A RICH prototype consisting of 96 photomultiplier units was tested in a secondary beam of ion fragments from a 158 GeV/c per nucleon primary beam of Indium ions (CERN SPS). The results of this prototype beam test, which confirmed the RICH design goals, will be presented. Charge separation of elements from protons to iron nuclei was observed. Velocity resolution on the order of 0.1% was obtained for singly charged particles. Recent results from the RICH physics performance analysis, integration status, and preflight tests will be reported.

The variety of isotopes in cosmic rays allows us to study different aspects of the processes that cosmic rays undergo between the time they are produced and the time of their arrival in the heliosphere. In this paper, we present measurements of the isotopic ratios [superscript 2]H/[superscript 4]He, [superscript 3]He/[superscript 4]He, [superscript 6]Li/[superscript 7]Li, [superscript 7]Be/([superscript 9]Be+[superscript 10]Be), and [superscript 10]B/[superscript 11]B in the range 0.2-1.4 GeV of kinetic energy per nucleon. The measurements are based on the data collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, AMS-01, during the STS-91 flight in 1998 June., United States. Dept. of Energy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology