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[Background & Aims] Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major public health problem, but the prevalence of fibrosis associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is largely unknown in the general population. This study aimed to provide an updated estimation of the prevalence of NASH fibrosis in Spain., [Methods] This was an observational, retrospective, cross-sectional, population-based study with merged data from two Spanish datasets: a large (N = 12 246) population-based cohort (ETHON), including transient elastography (TE) data, and a contemporary multi-centric biopsy-proven NASH cohort with paired TE data from tertiary centres (N = 501). Prevalence for each NASH fibrosis stage was estimated by crossing TE data from ETHON dataset with histology data from the biopsy-proven cohort., [Results] From the patients with valid TE in ETHON dataset (N = 11 440), 5.61% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.53-11.97) had a liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ≥ 8 kPa. The proportion attributable to NAFLD (using clinical variables and Controlled Attenuation Parameter) was 57.3% and thus, the estimated prevalence of population with LSM ≥ 8 kPa because of NAFLD was 3.21% (95% CI 1.13–8.75). In the biopsy-proven NASH cohort, 389 patients had LSM ≥ 8 kPa. Among these, 37% did not have significant fibrosis (F2-4). The estimated prevalence of NASH F2-3 and cirrhosis in Spain's adult population were 1.33% (95% CI 0.29–5.98) and 0.70% (95% CI 0.10–4.95) respectively., [Conclusions] These estimations provide an accurate picture of the current prevalence of NASH-related fibrosis in Spain and can serve as reference point for dimensioning the therapeutic efforts that will be required as NASH therapies become available., JC is a receptor of a grant of Fondo Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS): PI18/01304. Immunomediated Nonalcoholic SteaTohepatItis; prevalence and CharacTerization. INSTInCT.

OBJECTIVE: Dental device is a very broad term that can be used to include any foreign material or product that is introduced in the host oral cavity to replace missing tissues. These devices are subjected to different environments which include dental hard tissues, tissue fluids, blood and saliva. All dental devices are continuously challenged microbiologically and a number of failures in clinical management are related to microbial colonization. Thus, the assessment of the antimicrobial properties of dental devices are extremely important. In this paper, a classification of dental devices is being proposed. This classification distinguishes the devices based on whether they are implantable or not, and also sub-classified based on their specific application and the substrate receiving the device. METHODS AND RESULTS: A literature search was conducted to identify how dental devices have been tested with relation to the microbial strains used and whether the testing has been performed in isolation or reported with other relevant tests such as material characterization and biological activity. The results of the literature review were analyzed and recommendations for antimicrobial testing of dental devices are proposed. These recommendations include the need for the setting up of pre-testing parameters such as ageing and the details of the pre-testing sterilization procedures, as these may affect the material chemistry and the specification for antimicrobial testing to be done with specific single strains or polymicrobial that are native to the region where the device is located are also suggested. Testing can be undertaken in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Since the antimicrobial and biological activities influence/condition one another and the material chemistry may affect both the antimicrobial and biological testing this document also makes recommendations regarding biological assessment which can be carried out in isolation or integrated with the microbiological testing and also material testing methods including chemical and physical characterization of bulk, surface, eluted and degraded materials as well as physical characterization methods. SIGNIFICANCE: The level of standardization of antimicrobial testing for the dental devices needs to be based on the device location and host interaction in order to increase the clinical applicability of the mentioned tests.

El presente trabajo tiene el propósito de evaluar el clima organizacional en una institución de educación media superior (IEMS) ubicada en el municipio de Chalco, Estado de México. Para la investigación se realizó un estudio empleando una confiabilidad del 100%. Se empleó una metodología descriptiva – analítica con una población de 34 personas. Se utilizó un instrumento validado para medir el clima organizacional. Los resultados, obtenidos ayudaron a poder medir en primera instancia el clima organizacional de la institución, dando como resultado integral un 62.56%; así mismo, para trabajo a futuro se aplicó la técnica de grupo nominal (TGN), la cual ayudo a tener un acuerdo de trabajar en primera instancia el fortalecimiento de una cohesión grupal.

Introduction: The onset of deafness affects speech in different ways. Speech differences of Cochlear Implant (CI) users with pre- and postlingual deafness are examined using acoustic features extracted automatically from speech. Methods: Utterances of 22 prelingual (15 up to 71 years old) and 22 postlingual CI users (15 up to 78 years old) were analyzed. All patients read 97 words, which contain every phoneme of the German language in different positions within the words. Speech analysis is performed in the transitions from voiceless to voiced sounds that mark the precise control of speech movement patterns. To extract the transitions, we search for the boundary between voiceless and voiced sounds using the fundamental frequency with a constant segment of 80 ms to the left and right. The feature set includes 13 Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients and their 1st and 2nd derivatives. The mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis are computed from the descriptors, forming a 156-dimensional feature vector. Wilcoxon signed-rank test is used to find differences between the pre- and postlingual groups. Results: The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed for each descriptor and significant differences between the pre- and postlingual groups (α < 0.05) were found in 8 of the 156 features. Additionally, a support vector regressor was trained to evaluate the age independence of the selected features. According to the results, there was not a strong correlation between the age of the speakers and the selected features (ρ < 0.40). Conclusions: Speech patterns differ significantly between pre- and postlingual CI users at the transitions of voiceless to voiced sounds. Other acoustic features are to be examined and considered in the rehabilitation after cochlear implantation.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immediate and residual antimicrobial activity of cordless sonic or ultrasonic devices on Enterococcus faecalis (E faecalis)-infected teeth.A total of 140 single-rooted extracted teeth with E faecalis were grouped as follows (N = 15): conventional syringe irrigation with 3% sodium hypochlorite activated by ultrasonic device (group 1) or cordless ultrasonic device (group 2), EndoActivator (group 3) or without activation (group 4), conventional syringe irrigation with sterile bi-distilled water and ultrasonic device (group 5), EndoUltra (group 6), EndoActivator (group 7), or without activation (group 8). The remaining 20 teeth were used for positive and negative controls. Colony-forming units (CFU) and turbidity were recorded from bacteriological samples taken before and after irrigation and after 24 hours of re-incubation. Data were statistically analyzed using Student's t test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Dunn's multiple comparison tests (P .05).Groups 1 and 2 showed higher antimicrobial efficacy than groups 3 and 4 (P .05). No bacteria reduction was found in groups 5-8 (P .05). After 24 hours, regrowth of bacteria was not significantly different for all groups (P .05).Ultrasound produced lower CFU and turbidity after treatment and after re-incubation of 24 hours than sonic or no activation.

Unmanned vehicle systems used in 3D mapping applications are challenged with camera shake blurring due to mechanical vibrations. In this paper, the use of gyroscopic stabilizer as a mechanical interface of a 3D mapping device to an unmanned ground vehicle is presented. The main objective is to reduce the mechanical vibrations due to uneven terrain and motor operations while 3D mapping. A custom-made UGV without any form of mechanical damper on its wheels is developed. The UGV is allowed to traverse an artificial terrain while the 3D mapping device is mounted atop a vibration isolator. The vibration analysis shows that the acceleration spectral density (ASD) reaches $1.56G_{rms}^2/Hz$ without the stabilizer installed. Upon installation of gyroscopic stabilizer interface between the 3D mapping device and the UGV, the maximum recorded ASD is reduced to about $0.82G_{rms}^2/Hz$.

Malalcahuello ocaresi gen. n. & sp. n., from Chile, is described and compared with Campyloxenus pyrothorax Fairmaire & Germain, 1860.

Carlota gen. n., with one included species C. coigue sp. n., is described and illustrated from the Valdivian forests of Chile. The relationships of this genus to other Agrypnini from Chile are discussed and generic key for Chilean Agrypninae genera is provided.

Tunon gen. nov., a new genus of Protelaterini from southern Chile is here described and illustrated with one species Tunon guinezi sp. nov. Its relationships with other members of the Protelaterini such as the Chilean genera Anaspasis Candeze 1881 and Valdivelater Lawrence & Arias 2009 are discussed.

Models of global climate change generally predict higher rainfall variability, with more intense rainfall events separated by extended dry periods. We experimentally studied the effects of prolonged droughts on diverse ant assemblages found at three elevations in an Ecuadorian montane rainforest. We hypothesized that most species will be negatively affected directly (physiological stress) or indirectly (less food or suitable nesting resources) by drought. We thus expected a decrease in species richness as well as changes in assemblage composition. As the decrease of moisture content was expected to be more marked above ground than in soil, its impact on ants should differ according to their nesting site (dead wood, leaf litter, soil). After 6-month treatments, dead wood, leaf litter and soil samples were on average 53%, 46% and 4% drier under tents than controls, respectively. The drought did not alter overall species richness in the three nesting situations. However, species composition was significantly modified, mostly in dead wood and in leaf litter. Camponotus in dead wood, Strumigenys in leaf litter and Solenopsis in all three microhabitats were more abundant under tents. In contrast, Pheidole in dead wood, and Pachycondyla in leaf litter, were less abundant than in controls. Similar trends were observed at the three study sites. To conclude, after 6-month droughts dominant ant genera in the assemblages were affected differently. In the longer term, alteration of the rainfall regime is therefore expected to have an important impact on ants, as well as on their ecosystem functions and services, through shifts in species dominance and composition.

Se estudia el material tipo de diez especies de Curculionidae descritas por Blanchard (1851) en la obra Historia Física y Política de Chile, en los géneros Malonotus, Geonemides, Strangaliodes, Megalometis y Tapinopsis. Para cada una de esas especies se designa lectotipo y, cuando corresponde, se designan también paralectotipos. Adicionalmente se establece la condición de tipo para los ejemplares de Megalometis xanthomelas Fairmaire y Germain (1861). También se revisan los ejemplares de dos especies relacionadas, redescritas por Blanchard.

A catalogue of Chilean Elateridae is included with 11 subfamilies: Cebrioninae Latreille, Agrypninae Candeze, Lissominae Laporte, Semiotinae Jakobson, Campyloxe- ninae Costa, Pytiobiininae Hyslop, Dendrometrinae Gistel, Negastriinae Nakane and Kishii, Elaterinae Leach, Cardiophorinae Candeze, and Physodactylinae Lacordaire 1857, distributed in 52 genera and 140 species.

The Winkler extraction is one of the two fundamental sampling techniques of the standardized "Ants of the Leaf Litter" protocol, which aims to allow qualitative and quantitative comparisons of ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages. To achieve this objective, it is essential that the standard 48-hour extraction provides a reliable picture of the assemblages under study. Here, we tested to what extent the efficiency of the ant extraction is affected by the initial moisture content of the leaf litter sample. In an Ecuadorian mountain rainforest, the leaf litter present under rainfall-excluded and rainfall-allowed plots was collected, its moisture content measured, and its ant fauna extracted with a mini-Winkler apparatus for a 48-hour and a 96-hour period. The efficiency of the Winkler method to extract ant individuals over a 48-hour period decreased with the moisture content of the leaf litter sample. However, doubling the extraction time did not improve the estimations of the ant species richness, composition, and relative abundance. Although the moisture content of the leaf litter slightly affected the ant sampling, our results indicated that a 48-hour Winkler extraction, as recommended by the "Ants of the Leaf Litter" protocol, is sufficient to allow reliable comparisons of ant assemblages.

Se calcularon curvas de abundancia de especies a partir de datos obtenidos por medio de nebulizacion de 52 arboles en bosques de Nothofagus (aproximadamente 46000 ejemplares) y 24 arboles en bosques de Araucaria araucana (aproximadamente 15000 ejemplares) en Chile. Los datos obtenidos no se ajustan a los modelos estandares de abundancia de especies, al igual que los datos obtenidos de bosques tropicales, existen muchas especies representadas por ejemplares unicos. La hipotesis de que los mencionados ejemplares unicos son erraticos y que se encuentran normalmente en otros arboles no fue aceptada, contrario a los bosques tropicales, los bosques de Nothofagus no son diversos y generalmente lo conforman una sola especie. El analisis de tres supuestos a partir de los modelos de equilibrio mas parsimoniosos, demostro que dichos modelos son falsos. Entre ellos, las observaciones de muestreo afectadas por sesgo, desequilibrio de la comunidad y la combinacion de datos procedentes de distintos estratos alimenticios con diferentes curvas de abundancia de especies, parecen ser suficientes para poder explicar la divergencia de los datos para las comunidades de coleopteros con alto numero de especies, a partir del supuesto de cualquier modelo de equilibrio. Hasta que estos tres factores se puedan tomar en cuenta y se pueda detectar divergencia residual, no existe necesidad de proponer mecanismos mas complejos para explicar dichos datos. Los valores estimados de alfa y Simson D estan estrechamente correlacionados al tamano de la muestra, lo cual afecta su valor como estimador de la diversidad biologica.

The redefinition of the Southern South American genus Podonema Solier, 1851 (type species : Podonema impressum Solier, 1851, by monotypy) is presented with new distributional data. Nine species are included : Podonema impressum Solier 1851, P. aluperam n. sp., P. dalcahue n. sp., P. kopihue n. sp., P. maihue n. sp., P. mawida n. sp., P. obscuratum Golbach, 1979, n. stat., P. palmarense n. sp. and P. wiloi n. sp., Révision du genre Podonema Solier, 1851, d'Amérique du Sud méridionale (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). Le genre Podonema Solier, 1851, du sud de l'Amérique latine (espèce-type Podonema impressum Solier, 1851, par monotypie) est révisé et de nouvelles données sur sa répartition géographique sont apportées. Neuf espèces sont à présent incluses dans le genre : Podonema impressum Solier, 1851, P. aluperam n. sp., P. dalcahue n. sp., P. kopihue n. sp., P. maihue n. sp., P. mawida n. sp., P. obscuratum Golbach, 1979, n. stat., P. palmarense n. sp. et P. wiloi n. sp., Revisión del género Podonema Solier, 1851, del Sur de America del Sur (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). Se revisa el género sudamericano Podonema Solier, 1851 (especie tipo Podonema impressum Solier, 1851, por monotipo) y se presenta nueva información que incluye 9 especies : Podonema impressum Solier 1851, P. aluperam n. sp., P. dalcahue n. sp., P. kopihue n. sp., P. maihue n. sp., P. mawida n. sp., P. obscuratum Golbach, 1979, n. stat., P. palmarense n. sp., P. wiloi n. sp., Arias-Bohart Elizabeth T. Revision of the elaterid genus Podonema Solier, 1851, from Southern South America (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 115 (1),2010. pp. 35-46.

Aim To describe the coleopteran fauna occurring in canopies of temperate Gondwanan tree species in terms of their diversity and guild and taxonomic structures, and to test the proposition that this structuring reflects the Gondwanan origins of this fauna. Location The Andes and the coastal cordillera of temperate Chile. Methods Canopy fogging was used to sample beetles from 29 trees. The samples were statistically described using Schao and the Simpson diversity index D. Cluster analyses and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) were performed. The taxonomic and guild structures of the Chilean coleopteran fauna were compared quantitatively with those found in other parts of the world using homogeneity chi-square and t-tests. Results A collection of 25,497 beetle specimens was obtained primarily from Nothofagus dombeyi, Nothofagus obliqua and Araucaria araucana. The specimens collected were distributed between 485 morphospecies and included 107 putative, new generic-level taxa and 223 apparently undescribed species. Estimates of the size of the canopy beetle fauna showed that 600+ species were likely to be present. The communities found on a tree species differed markedly between years. MDS plots showed less community divergence between tree species for predators than for phytophages and xylophages. The guild structure was similar to that found on Australian ‘Gondwanan’ trees but differed significantly from the community structures found on ‘Laurasian’ tropical and temperate trees in supporting fewer phytophages and saprophages, but more xylophages. The predator guild showed a different pattern, with tropical faunas differing from those of more temperate regions, irrespective of hemisphere, as did the distribution of superfamilies. Main conclusions The beetle fauna found in the canopies of N. dombeyi, N. obliqua and A. araucana was large (600+ species), with about half of the species undescribed. Schao was found to vary with sample size and to give lower estimates of S than species attenuation curves, raising the possibility that the two methods are estimating the sizes of different statistical communities. It is possible that the attenuation curve is estimating the number of species to be found on a particular tree species, while Schao is estimating the ‘carrying capacity’ for beetle species of individual trees, and this varies from tree to tree. Care also needs to be taken in experimental design when monitoring temporal changes in forest insect communities given the difference in communities found between years in this study. The proportions of phytophages, saprophages and xylophages resemble those of a ‘Gondwanan’ rain forest from Australia and differ significantly from those of tropical and temperate ‘Laurasian’ forests.

The resurrection of the Chilean genus Mecothorax Solier 1851, type species: M. castanipennis Solier 1851 (by original monotypy) with 15 included species is here redescribed, illustrated and mapped: Mecothorax castanipennis Solier 1851, vulgaris (Solier 1851) comb. nov., anticura sp. nov., calafquen sp. nov., carmenjuliae sp. nov., duahatao sp. nov., girardai sp. nov., lanin sp. nov., maipoensis sp. nov., maturanai sp. nov., pichinahuel sp. nov., pucatrihue sp. nov., valdiviensis sp. nov., valparaisensis sp. nov., and villarricensis sp. nov. Mecothorax belongs to the subfamily Elaterinae and tribe Pomachiliini.

Sharon gen. nov. is here described to include Asaphes? amoenus Philippi, 1861 comb. nov. from Chile. A redescription of the species is based on the female holotype and material from different geographic locations. Candèze (1891) placed Asaphes amoenus and Parasaphes elegans in the suprageneric group Asaphites. We discuss differences between Sharon gen. nov. and Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839, where Asaphes amoenus was later placed by Blackwelder (1944). Based on morphological characters, Sharon gen. nov. appears to be related to Parasaphes Candèze, 1881, Wynarka Calder, 1986, and Tasmanelater Calder, 1996, all from Australia, suggesting Gondwanan relationships.

Alyma Arias, a new genus of Elateridae from Chile, is here described and illustrated with eight included species: A. pallipes (Solier), new combination, A. ariasvillegasai Arias, new species, A. calafquenensis Arias, new species, A. contulmoensis Arias, new species, A. lawlerae Arias, new species, A. quiriquinaensis Arias, new species, A. rieseorum Arias, new species, and shapiroi Arias, new species. The type species of the genus Alyma is Cardiophorus pallipes Solier, 1851.

The potential of microalgal oil from Scenedesmus incrassatulus as a feedstock for biodiesel production was studied. Cell concentration of S. incrassatulus and lipid content obtained during mixotrophic growth were 1.8 g/L and 19.5 ± 1.5% dry cell weight, respectively. The major components of biodiesel obtained from S. incrassatulus oil were methyl palmitate (26%) and methyl linoleate (49%), which provided a strong indication of high quality biodiesel. Fuel properties were determined by empirical equations and found to be within the limits of biodiesel standard ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. The quality properties of the biodiesel were high cetane number (62), low density (803 kg/m(3)), low viscosity (3.78 mm(2)/s), oxidation stability (9h) and cold filter plugging point (-4°C). Hence, S. incrassatulus has potential as a feedstock for the production of excellent quality biodiesel.

A revision of the Southern South American genus Sofia Arias, 2005 (type-species : Nemasoma sulcatum Solier, 1851, by monotypy), is presented with new distributional information. Two species are included : Sofia sulcata (Solier, 1851) and S. flordelago n. sp., Révision du genre Sofia Arias, 2005, du Chili méridional (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). Le genre Sofia Arias, 2005, du sud de l’Amérique latine (espèce-type : Nemasoma sulcatum Solier, 1851, par monotypie), est révisé et de nouvelles données sur sa répartition géographique sont apportées. Deux espèces sont à présent incluses dans le genre : Sofia sulcata (Solier, 1851) and S. flordelago n. sp., Revisión del género Sofia Arias, 2005, del sur de Chile (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). Se presenta la revisión del género del sur de America del sur, Sofia Arias, 2005 (especie-tipo : Nemasoma sulcatum Solier, 1851, por monotipia), se proporciona su distribución, y dos especies : Sofia sulcata (Solier, 1851) y S. flordelago n. sp., Arias-Bohart Elizabeth T. Revision of the genus Sofia Arias, 2005, from Southern Chile (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Pomachiliini). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 118 (2),2013. pp. 257-262.

The Chilean members of the little known tribe Egoliini (Trogossitidae, Trogossitinae) are revised, keyed and illustrated. The tribe is represented in Chile by three species of the genus Acalanthis Erichson, and a single species of Necrobiopsis Crowson (N. shangrila sp. n.), a genus known previously from Australia. All Chilean species of Egoliini occur in temperate forests and are often collected by canopy fogging.

This study aimed to know the markers and routine biochemical measures that are associated to the insulin resistance (IR) and to develop an index of individual IR risk from them.Cross-sectional study made in Primary Health Care population of both genders between 40 and 74 years (n = 2,143). A representative sample was obtained by simple random sampling of 305 patients after excluding the diabetic subjects. Sociodemographic variables, background, examinations, routine analyses as well as fasting insulin levels were obtained. IR was considered if HOMA was higher than 2.9. A step by step logistic regression was done to obtain the best variables to predict IR. A logistic equation, categorical scale and simple additive scale from the beta coefficients was then constructed and was compared with other instruments designed to predict IR.IR prevalence was 25.2%. There were no differences between genders or by age. The four variables that entered the model were fasting plasma glucose, BMI, HDL cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure. The logistic model had good adjustment. The logistic equation was: IR = 1/ 1 + exp (-[-21.011) - [0.119 * fasting plasma glucose] - [0.231 * BMI] - [-0.046 * HDL cholesterol] - [0.048 * diastolic blood pressure]). The scale constructed assesses each subject between -1 and 7 points; cutoff to predict IR was established at 3.5 points, obtaining a sensitivity and specificity similar to the McAuley index and better than the triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio, the first model of Stern and the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome according to ATP-III.A very easy-to-use instrument has been obtained to predict IR by means of exploratory measures and routine biochemical measures, which makes it possible to select the patients at the greatest risk in order to intensify preventive actions in them.

Tyrannoscelio, new genus is described from the Neotropics type species: T. genieri, new species. The position of the genus within the Scelioninae is unclear, but the presence of a well-developed skaphion suggests a relationship with Psilanteridini, Thoronini, or Parascelionini. Tyrannoscelio is characterized by a strongly produced frontal ledge and enormously elongate mandibles. Two species are described in the genus: T. genieri, new species from Brazil Espirito Santo, and T. crenatus, new species from Colombia Caqueta.

Bohartina Arias, a new genus of Elateridae from forests in the Andean Cordillera of Central Chile, is here described and illustrated with 2 species: B. vilchesensis sp. nov. and B. palmae sp. nov. The genus Bohartina belongs to the subfamily Elaterinae and to the tribe Agriotini.

HLA-Cw*16 is a relatively common HLA-C specificity among Caucasoids, with Cw*1601 being the most frequent allele. We report herein the identification by sequence-based typing of a new HLA-Cw*16 allele in a Spanish Caucasoid blood donor. The novel allele, designated Cw*1606, differs from Cw*1601 by two nucleotide changes at positions 361 (T to A) and 368 (A to C) in exon 3, which leads to two amino acid changes from Trp (TGG) to Arg (AGG) and from Tyr (TAT) to Ser (TCT) at codons 97 and 99 in the alpha2 domain, respectively. Sequence comparisons suggest that the new HLA-Cw*1606 variant could have arisen from an intralocus gene conversion event.

We report herein the identification of a new HLA-B*51 allele in a Spanish Caucasoid organ donor. The novel allele, designated B*5130, differs from B*51011 by one nucleotide change at position 787 (A to G) in exon 4, leading to an amino acid change from Arg (AGA) to Gly (GGA) at codon 239 in the alpha3 domain. This substitution is present in most classical and nonclassical HLA class I loci (A, C, E, and G) but not in any of the HLA-B alleles reported so far, except for B*7301. Although the frequency of the new variant seems to be low, its existence makes mandatory the analysis of exon 4 before assigning a B*5101 type.

This paper investigates field orientated methods of control. Direct and indirect vector control are investigated in both voltage and current controlled forms. Direct torque controlled methods are also investigated and it is found that direct torque control is of less complexity and provides improved control characteristics when compared with vector control methods. A new direct torque controlled strategy is considered in detail and it is shown that the use of a more complex switching table with a mapping algorithm provides improvement.

This communication reports the identification of a new allele HLA-DRB1*03 in three members of a Caucasian Spanish family. The new allele has been officially named HLA-DRB1*0318 by the World Health Organization Nomenclature Committee. The exon 2 sequence of this new allele is identical to that of DRB1*03011 except for the first nucleotide of codon 45. The nucleotide change (C replacing G) leads to the amino acid substitution of glycine to arginine (GGG--CGG) at position 45. This position of the beta1 domain shows very little polymorphism among DRB1* alleles (nucleotide changes at this position have only been reported for DRB1*1436 and DRB1*0105) and locates in the vicinity of the highly polymorphic position 47, which is a constituent of the groove's pocket interacting with the amino acid position 7 of the antigen peptide. The familial study showed that the new allele was maternally transmitted into the HLA-A*3002, -B*1801, -Cw*0501, -DRB1*0318, -DRB3*0202, -DQB1*0201 haplotype. Interestingly, the two siblings of the family, which were HLA identical and suffered of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), were carriers of the two HLA haplotypes (DRB1*03/DQB1*0201 and DRB1*04/DQB1*0302) reported as susceptibility markers to IDDM in Caucasians.

The new genus Lynnyella is here described. The type species for the genus Lynnyella is Deromecus suturalis (Candèze 1865). The new genus Lynnyella belongs to the tribe Pomachiliini and includes: L. suturalis (Candèze 1865) n. comb., L. concepcionensis Arias n. sp., L. diegoi Arias n. sp., L. gerhardtae Arias n. sp., L. juanjoseorum Arias n. sp., L. longaviensis Arias n. sp., and L. valenciai Arias n. sp. The genus Lynnyella is distributed in Central and Southern Chile. The geographic distributions of these species are mapped and a key is provided Se describe Lynnyella, nuevo género de Elateridae para Chile, el cual tiene como especie tipo a Deromecus suturalis Candèze 1865. Este género pertenece a la tribu Pomachiliini, e incluye las siguientes especies: L. suturalis n. comb., L. concepcionensis Arias n. sp., L. diegoi Arias n. sp., L. gerhardtae Arias n. sp., L. juanjoseorum Arias n. sp., L. longaviensis Arias n. sp., y L. valenciai Arias n. sp. Las especies del género Lynnyella se encuentran distribuidas en la zona centro y sur de Chile. Se proporciona un mapa con la distribución geográfica para las especies mencionadas y una clave de éstas

We report herein the identification of a new HLA-Cw*07 allele in two members of a German Caucasian family. This novel allele, designated as Cw*0714, differs from Cw*07011 and Cw*0706 by two nucleotide changes: one at codon 66 (AAC--AAG) in the exon 2, leading to an amino acid change from Asn to Lys; and another silent substitution at codon 99 (TAT--TAC) in the exon 3. The latest substitution (T--C at the third position of codon 99) was not seen in any of the HLA-Cw*07 alleles reported so far, thus being characteristic to the new HLA-Cw*0714 allele.