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Antecedentes: Según la Organización Mundial de la salud (OMS), España se consideró un país afectado de endemia bociosa. El déficit de yodo es el responsable de dicha endemia además de ser la principal causa de retraso mental y parálisis cerebral evitable en el mundo. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional para determinar la prevalencia de bocio endémico y el estado nutricional de yodo en la provincia de Alicante. Para ello se midió la yoduria en una muestra aislada y el volumen tiroideo mediante ecografía. Se consideró bocio todo volumen tiroideo superior al percentil 97 por edad publicado por la OMS. Resultados: No se ha encontrado ningún caso de bocio. Así mismo las cifras de yoduria obtenidas también pueden ser consideradas dentro de la normalidad bajo los criterios de la OMS. Conclusiones: Se puede decir que la provincia de Alicante no padece endemia bociosa y que además las cifras de yoduria demuestran una adecuada ingesta de yodo.Se evidencia la necesidad de realizar más estudios ecográficos de tiroides en otras zonas para establecer volúmenes tiroideos de referencia para nuestra población. : Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), goiter is endemic in Spain. The main cause of endemic goiter is iodine deficiency, which is also the principal cause of mental retardation and avoidable cerebral palsy throughout the world. Material and methods: We conducted an observational study to determine the prevalence of endemic goiter and nutritional iodine status in the province of Alicante. Urinary iodine excretion was measured in a morning urine sample, and thyroid volume was measured by means of a thyroid ultrasound scan. A case of goiter was diagnosed if thyroid volume was above the 97th percentile adjusted by age, as published by the WHO. Results: No cases of goiter were found. In addition, the median urinary iodine excretion levels adjusted by age were within the normal range, as defined by the WHO's criteria. Conclusions: Endemic goiter was not found in the province of Alicante and urinary iodine excretion values demonstrated adequate iodine intake. Further ultrasound studies are needed to establish reference thyroid volumes for our population.

The effects of the warm water discharged by a nuclear power plant (NPP) into a small reservoir are studied. A case study is presented (Jose Cabrera NPP—Zorita Hidraulica Reservoir) with experimental data of the reservoir stratification and predicted data of the dispersion of radioactive pollutants from operative or accidental releases. The vertical and longitudinal temperature profiles, electrical conductivity and transparency of the reservoir water were measured for an annual cycle. The results indicate that the continuous warm water discharge from the NPP causes permanent and artificial reservoir stratification. The stratification is significant within 1500 m upstream and 1000 m downstream from the warm water outfall. The pollutant dispersion has been predicted by using a flow model based on N T perfect-mixing compartments in series with feedback. The model parameter, N T , is calculated from the longitudinal diffusion coefficient. The prediction of pollutant dispersion by means of this model shows that the stratification slows down the vertical mixing in the whole water body, and reduces the reservoir volume that is effective for the dilution and dispersion of pollutants. This means that, in the case of a radioactive pollutant release, the reservoir radioactivity level could increase significantly.

Magnetization effect of hydrogen absorption in high-strength steels has been investigated and the implications of the results for magnetic flux leakage assessment used for determination of defects in line pipe steels are discussed. A strong and continuous remanent magnetic field in steels at a level commonly residual from magnetic flux leakage assessment practices can result in an increase of up to 1.62 times in the absorbed hydrogen concentration.

Starting with a spontaneous B-A centric fusion found in a natural population of the grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans, we have obtained different strains carrying the rearrangement in various conditions and doses. Using this material, we have analyzed the meiotic behavior of the translocated chromosome in living cultured spermatocytes, simulating the successive steps of a hypothetical process of integration of a B chromosome into the standard genome via B-A centric fusion. Remarkably, the behavior of fusion heterozygotes, the initial step of the integration process, is much more regular than that of any other configuration, including homozygotes. The reasons for the failure of B chromosome integration into the normal complement by translocation are discussed.

T lymphocytes play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Achieving stable T-cell lines, rather than continuous bleeding of patients, is desirable in order to dissect their implication in the disease.Long-lasting T-cell lines from patients with Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis and from healthy volunteers have been obtained by transformation of T lymphocytes using the lymphotropic Herpesvirus saimiri. Lines were subjected to phenotypic and functional analyses, and the results compared with freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Fresh cells revealed only minor differences between patients and controls, with regard to phenotype and proliferative capacity. In contrast, the use of T-cell lines showed that cells from Crohn disease patients, but not ulcerative colitis patients, over-responded to several membrane or cytoplasmic stimuli when compared to control T-cell lines. Thus, higher responses were found when stimulated with alphaCD3 and IL2, alphaCD3 and alphaCD28, IL2 alone, phorbol esters (PMA) and alphaCD3 and, finally, PMA and alphaCD2 (P0.05 in all instances). Further, lines from patients with Crohn disease responded more vigorously to alphaCD3 and alphaCD28 or alphaCD3 and PMA when compared to ulcerative colitis (P0.05 in both instances).The data obtained with these lines suggest that T cells from patients with Crohn disease differ in vivo in their proliferative capacity, as compared with those from ulcerative colitis patients, a finding that may reflect the clear Th-1 phenotype found in the former and absent in the latter.

The HER2 receptor is overexpressed in 7-34% of gastric cancer (GC) tumors, being a potential therapeutic target. Trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, in combination with platinum therapy was approved in 2010 as first-line treatment for advanced GC tumors overexpressing HER2. Despite the clinical benefit of trastuzumab, development of acquired resistance to treatment limits the efficacy of trastuzumab. To study the mechanisms of trastuzumab acquired resistance we generated, upon chronic exposure to trastuzumab, a trastuzumab-resistant cell line derived from the human HER2-positive GC cell NCI-N87, hereafter named NTR2.4. The resistant phenotype of NTR2.4 cell line was associated with an increased basal activation of SRC, MAPK/ERK and PI3K/mTOR HER2 downstream pathways that persisted upon exposure to trastuzumab. Trastuzumab treatment induced a compensatory upregulation of HER3 and an increased expression of the HER family ligands EGF, AREG, HB-EGF, and NRG1 in NTR2.4 compared with the trastuzumab-sensitive NCI-N87 cell line. Ligand stimulation induced resistance to trastuzumab in NCI-N87 cells. These results were replicated in another model of trastuzumab-resistance, OTR6 cell line, suggesting an important role of HER receptor plasticity and HER family ligand in trastuzumab efficacy and resistance. Analysis of clinical samples from HER2-positive GC patients treated with trastuzumab showed higher EGF concentration in serum samples and increased EGF mRNA expression in tumor biopsies at trastuzumab progression compared with samples previous to trastuzumab treatment. Treatment with Pan-HER, a novel antibody mixture against EGFR, HER2, and HER3, was effective in both trastuzumab-sensitive and trastuzumab-resistant cell lines and also in the presence of ligands. Altogether, our results suggested that Pan-HER would be a potential candidate to overcome trastuzumab resistance in advanced GC patients.

The on-farm conservation of landraces is necessary to avoid genetic erosion and preserve materials which will guarantee food security in the future. Besides ex situ conservation in germplasm banks, in situ conservation by local farmers is also advisable. Many landraces have an added value for historic and traditional reasons or for their organoleptic properties. To promote the production and use of landraces, together with commercial measures, it is necessary to increase research on technologies for optimising the production quality, and for formally identifying these products to avoid fraud.

The dispersion coefficient of several sections of two Spanish rivers (Tagus and Ebro) is calculated using different methods. The aim of the study is to accurately know the effects of accidental leaks from two nuclear power plants that are placed upstream. Experimental data from tracer injections as well as data from hydraulic parameters were used to calculate the dispersion coefficient. Two methods based on tracer curves fit the experimental data well. One method is based on the time at which the tracer concentration is half the maximum concentration; the other method is based on the variance of the tracer curve distribution. An alternative method based on governmental data of velocity profiles and correlations of hydraulic parameters was also used. The results of this method are strongly sensitive to small variations in the stream flowrate. A new correlation is proposed to predict the dispersion coefficient with an error smaller than the one provided by other correlations in the literature.

New bio-based antioxidant compounds have been obtained by depolymerisation of grape polymeric flavanols in the presence of cysteine. Their preparation and purification, as well as their antiradical/antioxidant and antiproliferative properties are reported. 4β-( S -cysteinyl)epicatechin 5 , 4β-( S -cysteinyl)catechin 6 and 4β-( S -cysteinyl)epicatechin 3- O -gallate 7 were efficiently purified from the crude depolymerised mixture by cation-exchange chromatography and preparative reversed-phase chromatography. The new compounds were more efficient than the underivatised (−)-epicatechin 1 as scavengers of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH) and weak growth inhibitors of human colon carcinoma HT29 cells. The order of antiradical and antiproliferative efficiency was 7 > 5 ∼ 6 > 1 , the same for both assays.

Objetivos Validar la eficacia de una pauta erradicadora de 3 dias por via intravenosa en pacientes con ulcera peptica sangrante asociada a infeccion por Helicobacter pylori. Pacientes y metodo Se estudiaron 53 pacientes ingresados con hemorragia digestiva alta (HDA) por ulcera peptica, con test de ureasa positivo, en un periodo de 12 meses. Tras el diagnostico endoscopico se instauro tratamiento intravenoso con 40 mg/12 h de pantoprazol, 500 mg/8 h de metronidazol y 1.000 mg/200 mg/8 h de amoxicilina-acido clavulanico durante 72 h. Se realizo control del tratamiento erradicador mediante test del aliento con urea 13C transcurridos al menos 2 meses desde el final del mismo. Resultados Se incluyeron 51 pacientes, 40 de los cuales presentaban ulcera duodenal y 11 ulcera gastrica. Se consiguio la erradicacion de H. pylori en el 87,5% de las ulceras duodenales y en el 63,6% de las ulceras gastricas (p = 0,066). No se registraron reacciones adversas al tratamiento ni ningun abandono del mismo. Tampoco hubo ningun caso de recidiva hemorragica. Conclusiones La pauta de erradicacion ultracorta empleada es de una gran eficacia, cercana a la del tratamiento oral, soslayando algunos inconvenientes, como son los efectos adversos y la adhesion al tratamiento.

Antecedentes: Existe un incremento de la presión asistencial en los servicios de urgencias y se percibe una importante afluencia de niños de otras etnias Objetivos: Comprobar esta percepción y conocer las características sanitarias, sociales y asistenciales de la etnia gitana frente a la población caucásica Métodos: Estudio observacional descriptivo realizado en un servicio de urgencias pediátricas de un hospital terciario. Se seleccionó una muestra poblacional significativa (n 420) por muestreo sistemático. Se recogieron mediante cuestionario las variables edad, sexo, adhesión a los programas preventivos de atención primaria, justificación de la consulta, diagnóstico y características familiares Resultados: La mediana de edad fue 24 meses. Pertenecían a la etnia gitana el 16,4 % y eran mayoritariamente atendidos en ambulatorios (68,1 % frente al 34,8 % de los caucásicos) (p 0,0001). Acudían a las revisiones del programa de niño sano el 58 % de los niños gitanos frente al 96,7 % del resto (p 0,0001). El 18,8 % de los niños gitanos no habían recibido ninguna vacuna, no encontrando ningún niño caucásico en esta situación (p 0,0001). Ingresaron el 11,6 % de los niños gitanos que consultaron frente al 1,9% de los caucásicos. En cuanto a los padres, el 30,4 % de las madres y el 15,9 % de los padres gitanos eran analfabetos, frente al 0,6 % de las madres y el 0,3% de los padres caucásicos (p 0,0001) Conclusiones: El estudio pone en evidencia las diferencias sanitarias entre la población infantil gitana y la caucásica, identificando un grupo de alto riesgo sanitario : Background: Demand for emergency services is increasing, especially among children from non-Caucasian ethnic groups Objectives: To objectify this observation and to determine the healthcare and social differences between the gypsy and Caucasian populations Methods: We performed a descriptive, observational study in the Pediatric Emergency Unit of a tertiary care hospital. Systematic sampling was performed and 420 children were selected. Data on age, sex, compliance with primary healthcare preventive programs, reason for attendance, type of healthcare center, diagnosis and familial characteristics were collected through a questionnaire Results: The median age of the patients was 24 months. The percentage of patients of gypsy race was 16.4%. Most of the gypsy population (68.1 %) attended small, local healthcare centers compared with 34.8 % of the Caucasian population (p 0.0001). Only 58 % of the gypsy children were taken to healthcare centers for regular check-ups compared with 96.7 % of the non-gypsy population (p 0.0001). The percentage of gypsy children who had never being vaccinated was 18.8%. There were no such cases among the non-gypsy population (p 0.0001). The percentage of gypsy children visiting the emergency unit who were hospitalized was 11.6% compared with 1.9 % of non-gypsy children. Illiteracy rates were 30.4 % and 15.9 % in gypsy mothers and fathers, respectively, compared with 0.6% and 0.3% in non-gypsy mothers and fathers, respectively (p 0.0001) Conclusions: This study reveals significant differences between the gypsy and Caucasian pediatric populations in terms of healthcare and identifies a group at high health risk

Objetivos Analizar la epidemiologia y el espectro clinico, asi como identificar factores pronosticos de la bacteriemia neumococica en el paciente anciano. Pacientes Y Metodo De forma prospectiva, se selecciono a pacientes ancianos diagnosticados de bacteriemia neumococica en dos hospitales de la provincia de Malaga durante el periodo 1995-2001 y se compararon con un grupo control de pacientes de menos de 65 anos diagnosticados consecutivamente de bacteriemia neumococica. Para identificar factores pronosticos se realizo un analisis multivariante por regresion logistica. Resultados Se seleccionaron 72 casos de bacteriemia neumococica en ancianos, con una edad media (desviacion estandar) de 73,4 (6,9) anos, el 61,1% varones. La incidencia anual media de bacteriemia neumococica en los ancianos fue de 15,1 casos/ 100.000 habitantes. Ningun paciente habia recibido previamente vacunacion neumococica. Los factores predisponentes mas frecuentes fueron: enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva cronica (40,3%) y diabetes mellitus (25%). El origen pulmonar fue la fuente de infeccion mas frecuente en los ancianos (el 81,9% frente al 65,3%; p Conclusiones La bacteriemia neumococica en el anciano es una entidad frecuente, cuyo origen mas comun es el pulmonar, y se asocia con una alta mortalidad. Se describe un modelo pronostico con alto poder predictivo.

During the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, more than 500 gold mines were operating in the northwest (NW) of Spain. The region was then a part of the Roman Empire and known as Iberia. Corresponding excavations totaled 600 million cubic meters ( Mm 3 ), with about 300 Mm 3 coming from alluvial mines. Miocene sediments (mainly alluvial fans) derived from the Cantabrian Mountain and Leon Mountain uplifts, and Quaternary deposits (principally regolith, fluvial terraces, moraines and fluvio-glacial fans) were exploited by the Roman miners, using hydraulic mining methods. The paper attempts to incorporate the following numerous themes. (a) The time-successive, global relationship of the auriferous deposits. (b) A brief geological overview of the Miocene and Quaternary placers in the NW Spain. (c) A description of the composition of the gold grains, both in the hardrock source and in the various alluvial placers. The latter is necessary to determine possible source areas. Pre-Miocene age of gold precipitation helps to understand the possible recycling processes. (d) The size, grade and gold grain size distribution of the studied deposits. (e) A brief description of Roman mining methods, including new viewpoints on how the operations were conducted. Special reference will be made to the Las Medulas mine (included in the World Heritage List in, the largest earth movement mining operation in Iberia up until the 20th century. (f) An update on earth moving techniques and gold recovery in Roman times. The present work draws heavily on data collected from some 6500 m 3 of alluvium washed from 300 trenches and drill holes on Miocene and Quaternary deposits, and the Las Medulas Archaeological Zone project.

We study some effects that produce 3D topographical irregularities under incoming elastic waves from point sources using the indirect boundary element method. This technique is based on the representation of elastic waves in terms of single-layer boundary sources. In this way reflected and diffracted waves are constructed at the boundaries from where they are radiated by means of boundary sources. The field emited from the point source is computed with the moment tensor for a shear dislocation and analytical expressions of the elastodynamic 3D Green's functions. In this way we can construct a double couple with variable orientation. We compare the technique with that of Bouchon, who used the discrete wave number method for a shear dislocation in a halfspace with a triangular source function. We subsequently apply our method to simulate the seismic response of a mountain of ellipsoidal geometry. The source function that we have considered is a triangular pulse and we show results corresponding to the velocity registered over the surface of the irregularity and that of the halfspace. This motion is presented by means of snapshots showing the evolution of the wavefields that are present in the problem.

The pineal organ of masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou was maintained in a flow-through, whole-organ culture (superfusion) system and melatonin secretory profiles were determined at 15 °C under light-dark cycles of 12:12 h (LD 12:12) or the same in combination with constant darkness (DD) for 72 h. Under LD 12:12, superfused pineal organs showed a rhythmic melatonin secretion with high and low rates during the dark phase and the light phase, respectively. When the pineal organs maintained under LD 12:12 for 24 h were transferred to DD, melatonin secretion was consistently activated and no endogenous component was evident. When the pineal organs maintained under DD for 48 h were transferred to LD 12:12, melatonin secretion was reduced only during the light phase. These results indicate that melatonin secretion from the superfused pineal organ of masu salmon is regulated not by an intra-pineal circadian oscillator but by the environmental LD cycles, via local photoreceptors.

Sodium and chlorine concentrations in mixed saliva were simultaneously measured by neutron activation analysis in nine normal children and in nine patients with cystic fibrosis. Sodium levels showed a significant difference (P0.01) between patients and control. The concentration of chlorine was similar in both the control and the cystic fibrosis groups.

Human reliability is directly related to the competencies of the personnel. A cornerstone of a new nuclear programme is to have available, on time, enough professionals with the necessary competencies. This chapter will help readers foresee the need for human resources, which organizations are involved, which specialities will be more demanding, the relevance of the educational system and different strategies to cope with the lack of vocations, the changing in the specialization requirements in the nuclear power plant (NPP) lifecycle, the international effort to support such challenges and some key considerations to design and implement effective initial and continuing training programmes.

Between 1987 and 1988, a broodstock of 17 females and 26 males in two 25 m3 tanks was subjected to controlled photoperiods. Fish were first exposed to a constant photoperiod of 8 h of light per day, and subsequently a sudden change to 16 h of light per day was produced from one day to the next. After two months, most of the females ripened and spawned, and all the males produced milt in the same period. Consequently, high percentages of fertilization and hatching were obtained. Methods of controlling the spawning of turbot are discussed, and a quality criteria for turbot eggs is stated in this paper.

The Entrepenas Reservoir is a monomictic reservoir located in River Tagus (Spain). The aim of this work is to establish a feasible model to predict the depth of the thermocline that is developed in the reservoir during the period of natural thermal stratification. Entrainment, eddy diffusion, inflow of external energy, and other factors are considered to calibrate the parameters of the model. The methodology involves the measure of actual temperature and electrical conductivity profiles, use of meteorological data and reservoir parameters, and selection and application of several models from the literature. The calculations and predictions are integrated to a software packet that is able to predict thermocline depth and water temperature profile during a 1-year period on a day-by-day basis. In the thermocline depth, the prediction error, on the basis of real data, is less than 6% and, in the water temperature, it is 2°C. Water Environ. Res., 78, 781 (2006).

A case of gangliocytic paraganglioma of the papilla of Vater in a 76-year-old man with a history of recurrent obstructive jaundice is presented. This is the first case of gangliocytic paraganglioma of the major papilla successfully resected by endoscopic ampullectomy.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of infliximab for the treatment of fistulizing Crohn's disease. Methods Consecutive patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease receiving infliximab were prospectively enrolled. Partial response was defined as a reduction of 50% or more from base-line in the number of draining fistulae. Complete response was defined as the closure of all fistulae. The influence of different variables on the efficacy of infliximab was evaluated. Results 108 patients were included. The disease was inflammatory plus fistulizing in 18% and only fistulizing in 82%. After the third infusion of infliximab the response was partial in 26% and complete in 57%. Response (%) rates (partial/complete) depending on fistula location were: enterocutaneous (25/68%), perianal (35/60%), rectovaginal (36/64%), and enterovesical (20/40%). None of the studied variables (including concomitant immunosuppressive therapy) correlated with efficacy of infliximab in the multivariate analysis. Incidence of adverse effects (21%) depending on the dose of infliximab was: first dose (5.6%), second (7.4%), and third (11.1%). Conclusions Infliximab is an efficacious treatment for fistulizing Crohn's disease. Partial response was achieved in approximately one third of the patients, and complete response in more than half. No studied variable was predictive of response. Adverse effects were relatively infrequent and mild.

Frequency measurement is an important issue in electrical engineering. Electric power systems have become increasing complex over the last decade. The use of distributed generation, the connection of non-linear loads and the presence of unexpected system faults are the main causes of frequency variations. In addition, power quality includes frequency as an important index. From a hardware instrumentation point of view, frequency measurement has different requirements: i.) Large power systems have slow frequency variation due to the high inertia of the overall network. This kind of problem requires frequency measuring methods capable of detecting small and also slow frequency variations. ii.) Small power systems can have frequency variation due to their reduced short-circuit power capacity. This type of problem requires fast methods with the capacity to detect large frequency variations. There are different groups of methods intended for frequency measurement. The methods can be compared in terms of computation and dynamic response, especially when the main voltage is disturbed. This research work focuses on frequency measurement under non-sinusoidal conditions. The paper studies the behaviour of a modified version of Sezi's method and its hardware implementation using a microcontroller. This system can be used for frequency measurement or as a synchronized sampling source in harmonic measurement (e.g. EN 61000-4-7) The fast time response of the system enables it to be used in almost all kinds of application: small and slow frequency variations; frequency triggering in power system protection and power quality index characterisation.

ObjetivoConocer la utilidad práctica del genograma en la atención al paciente inmovilizado, describiendo las características de éstos y de sus familias, y obtener la prevalencia de inmovilizados mal cuidados pertenecientes al centro de salud.DiseñoObservacional, descriptivo.EmplazamientoCentro de salud urbano.ParticipantesPersonas de ambos sexos adscritas al centro de salud, inmovilizadas en sus domicilios, con un grado de incapacidad igual o superior a 3 en la escala de incapacidad física de la Cruz Roja.Mediciones y resultadosLas principales características de nuestros inmovilizados, obtenidas a partir de los genogramas, son: mujeres (63,5%), con edad media de 78,8 ± 13,2 (IC, 76,5-81,17) años, con grado 3 de incapacidad (46,8%), inmersos en una familia nuclear (34,9%), en fase VI de disolución del ciclo vital (45,2%), con relaciones muy unidas o fusionadas (45,2%), con artrosis (23,8%) como causa más frecuente de inmovilización y con un solo cuidador (72%).La prevalencia de inmovilizados mal cuidados fue del 25,4%.ConclusionesEl genograma es una excelente herramienta para describir a los pacientes inmovilizados y su entorno familiar, permitiendo definir un perfil de inmovilizado. Si el paciente está mal cuidado, precisará una especial consideración; el grado de inmovilización y tipo de relaciones familiares pueden dificultar los cuidados, propiciando un peor pronóstico. Destacamos la importancia de la realización del genograma de forma rutinaria al inicio de la inmovilización, porque establece una vía de dialogo entre familia y profesionales sanitarios que redunda en una mejor atención a estos pacientes.ObjectiveTo know the practical use of genogram in the handicapped patient care, describing their characteristics and those of their families and to obtain the prevalence of bad care immobilized patients belonging to the health centre.DesignDescriptive observational.SettingUrban health centre.ParticipantsPeople of both sexes registered at the health centre, immobilized in their houses, with a disability score of three or more in the physical disability scale of the Red Cross.Measurements and resultsThe most important features of our immobilized people, obtained from the genogram, are: women (63,5%), with mean age of 78,8 ± 13,2 years old (CI, 76.5-81.17), with disability score of 3 (46.8%), immersed in a nuclear family (34.9%), in phase VI of dissolution of the vital cycle (45.2%), with very closed relations (45.2%), with arthrosis (23.8%) as the most frequent immobilized cause, and with one unique home carer only (72%).The prevalence of bad care immobilized patients was 25.4%.Conclusions: The genogram is an excellent tool for describing immobilized people and their family nucleus, allowing the definition of an immobilized profile. If the patient is bad cared, he will need an special consideration. The immobilized score and the family relations ship may complicate their care, condictioning a worse prognosis. We wish to emphasize the importance of carrying out the genogram in the initial moment of the immobilization, because it establishes a dialogue route between the families and the sanitary professionals to improve the attention of these patients.

The technology of thermal spraying is approaching maturity, and in the quest to reduce production costs whilst maintaining coating quality, attention is turning increasingly to more cost-effective routes for the manufacture of the starting powders. One such route is self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), which reduces the required energy input for powder production. In this work, TiC-Ti+Ni and (Ti, W)C-Ni powders produced by the SHS process have been studied in the as-received and as-sprayed states, to evaluate the suitability of SHS powders for the production of wear-resistant coatings. The starting powders and the coatings produced by atmospheric-plasma and HVOF spraying have been characterised using analytical (XRD, EDS) and microscopical techniques (optical, SEM). The technological properties of the as-sprayed coatings have also been characterised, including hardness, wear resistance (using a Rubber-Wheel test (ASTM G-65)) and corrosion resistance (in marine water environment).

We study the formation of structure in the Universe assuming that dark matter can be described by a scalar field $\tilde{\Phi}$ with a potential $V(\Phi)=-\mathfrak{m}^{2}\tilde{\Phi}^{2}/2+\lambda\tilde{\Phi}^4/4$. We derive the evolution equations of the scalar field in the linear regime of perturbations. We investigate the symmetry breaking and possibly a phase transition of this scalar field in the early Universe. At low temperatures, the scalar perturbations have an oscillating growing mode and therefore, this kind of dark matter could lead to the formation of gravitational structures. In order to study the nonlinear regime, we use the spherical collapse model and show that, in the quadratic potential limit, this kind of dark matter can form virialized structures. The main difference with the traditional Cold Dark Matter paradigm is that the formation of structure in the scalar field model can occur at earlier times. Thus, if the dark matter is of scalar field nature we expect to have large galaxies at high redshifts., Comment: 30 pages, 16 figures, v2: accepted for publication in JCAP, two new figures, improved figures, minor clarifications, typos corrected, conclusions unchanged

We consider the hypothesis that galactic dark matter is composed of ultra-light scalar particles and use internal properties of dwarf spheroidal galaxies to establish a preferred range for the mass m of these bosonic particles. We re-investigate the problem of the longevity of the cold clump in Ursa Minor and the problem of the rapid orbital decay of the globular clusters in Fornax and dwarf ellipticals. Treating the scalar field halo as a rigid background gravitational potential and using N-body simulations, we have explored how the dissolution timescale of the cold clump in Ursa Minor depends on m. It is demonstrated that for masses in the range 0.3x10^-22 eV < m, Accepted for publication in JCAP. Discussion about dynamical friction expanded, new explanatory figures added. Conclusions unchanged