New biogeographical and morphological information on Physaloptera ngoci Le-Van-Hoa, 1961 (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) in South-east Asian rodents

During a study of the helminth fauna of 1,643 rodents trapped along the Mekong River (Thailand, LaoPeople"s Democratic Republic and Cambodia) in 2008-2011, the spirurid nematode Physaloptera ngoci Le-Van-Hoa,1961 was recovered with an overall prevalence of 2.8%. Based on the original description, it was identified in nine of 23 different Murinae host species and is here reported for the first time from these three countries. A scanning electron microscopy study provides additional morphological data.

Botulinum neurotoxin type A blocks the morphological changes induced by chemical stimulation on the presynaptic membrane of Torpedo synaptosomes.

The action of botulinum neurotoxin on acetylcholine release, and on the structural changes at the presynaptic membrane associated with the transmitter release,was studied by using a subcellular fraction of cholinergic nerve terminals (synaptosomes) isolated from the Torpedo electric organ. Acetylcholine and ATP release were continuously monitored by chemiluminescent methods.To catch the membrane morphological changes, the quick-freezing method was applied. Our results show that botulinum neurotoxin inhibits the release of acetylcholine from these isolated nerve terminals in a dose-dependent manner, whereas ATP release is not affected. The maximal inhibition (70%) is achieved at neurotoxin concentrations as low as 125 pM with an incubation time of 6 min. This effect is not linked to an alteration of the integrity of the synaptosomes since, after poisoning by botulinum neurotoxin type A, they show a nonmodified occluded lactate dehydrogenase activity. Moreover, membrane potential is not altered by the toxin with respect to the control, either in resting condition or after potassium depolarization. In addition to acetylcholine release inhibition, botulinum neurotoxin blocks the rearrangement of the presynaptic intramembrane particles induced by potassium stimulation. The action of botulinum neurotoxin suggests that the intramembrane particle rearrangement is related to the acetylcholine secretion induced by potassium stimulation in synaptosomes isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata.

Capillarity and fibre types in locomotory muscles of wild yellow-legged gulls (Larus cachinnans)

This study analyzes the capillarity and fibre-type distribution of six locomotory muscles of gulls. The morphological basis and the oxygen supply characteristics of the skeletal muscle of a species with a marked pattern of gliding flight are established, thus contributing to a better understanding of the physiology of a kind of flight with low energetic requirements. The four wing muscles studied (scapulotriceps, pectoralis, scapulohumeralis, and extensor metacarpi) exhibited higher percentages of fast oxidative glycolytic fibres (>70%) and lower percentages of slow oxidative fibres (<16%) than the muscles involved in nonflight locomotion (gastrocnemius and iliotibialis). Capillary densities ranged from 816 to 1,233 capillaries mm(-2), having the highest value in the pectoralis. In this muscle, the fast oxidative glycolytic fibres had moderate staining for succinate dehydrogenase and relatively large fibre sizes, as deduced from the low fibre densities (589-665 fibres mm(-2)). All these findings are seen as an adaptive response for gliding, when the wing is held outstretched by isometric contractions. The leg muscles studied included a considerable population of slow oxidative fibres (>14% in many regions), which suggests that they are adapted to postural activities. Regional variations in the relative distributions of fibre types in muscle gastrocnemius may reflect different functional demands placed on this muscle during terrestrial and aquatic locomotion. The predominance of oxidative fibres and capillary densities under 1,000 capillaries mm(-2) in leg muscles is probably a consequence of an adaptation for slow swimming and maintenance of the posture on land rather than for other locomotory capabilities, such as endurance or sprint activities.

Reactive Recruitment of Attentional Control in Math Anxiety: An ERP Study of Numeric Conflict Monitoring and Adaptation

This study uses event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of numeric conflict monitoring in math-anxious individuals, by analyzing whether math anxiety is related to abnormal processing in early conflict detection (as shown by the N450 component) and/or in a later, response-related stage of processing (as shown by the conflict sustained potential; Conflict-SP). Conflict adaptation effects were also studied by analyzing the effect of the previous trial"s congruence in current interference. To this end, 17 low math-anxious (LMA)and 17 high math-anxious (HMA) individuals were presented with a numerical Stroop task. Groups were extreme in math anxiety but did not differ in trait or state anxiety or in simple math ability. The interference effect of the current trial (incongruent-congruent) and the interference effect preceded by congruence and by incongruity were analyzed both for behavioral measures and for ERPs. A greater interference effect was found for response times in the HMA group than in the LMA one. Regarding ERPs, the LMA group showed a greater N450 component for the interference effect preceded by congruence than when preceded by incongruity, while the HMA group showed greater Conflict-SP amplitude for the interference effect preceded by congruence than when preceded by incongruity. Our study showed that the electrophysiological correlates of numeric interference in HMA individuals comprise the absence of a conflict adaptation effect in the first stage of conflict processing (N450) and an abnormal subsequent up-regulation of cognitive control in order to overcome the conflict (Conflict-SP). More concretely, our study shows that math anxiety is related to a reactive and compensatory recruitment of control resources that is implemented only when previously exposed to a stimuli presenting conflicting information

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish Version of the 'Survey Work-Home Interaction-NijmeGen' (SWING) to Spanish speaking countries

The purpose of this study is the adaptation and validation of the"Survey Work-Home Interaction NijmeGen" (SWING) developed by Geurts and colleagues to Spanish speaking countries (SWING-SSC). In order to analyze the questionnaire"s psychometric properties, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out with a sample of 203 employees from various Spanish-speaking countries. Criterion related validity was tested by examining correlations between the SWING-SSC, and the theoretically relevant variables: health, role conflict, role clarity and supervisor support. Finally, reliability was tested analyzing the internal consistency of the scales. The analyses carried out indicate that SWING-SSC has good psychometric properties. In addition, the present results support the relation of the construct with health, role conflict, role clarity, and supervisor support. This study offers evidence for a sound work-life balance measure that contributes to the encouragement adequate conditions in the workplace, to reduce the conflict between the two spheres of professional and personal life, and to enhance positive relationships.

Inbreeding and thermal adaptation in Drosophila subobscura

Using a well-adapted Drosophila subobscura population (Avala, Serbia), a drastic experiment of inbreeding was carried out to assess whether the expected level of homozygosity could be reached or if other evolutionary forces affected the process. In general, no significant changes of inversion (or arrangement) frequencies were detected after 12 brother sister mating generations. Furthermore, no significant differences were obtained between observed and expected (under the inbreeding model) karyotypic frequencies. Thus, these results seemed to indicate that the main evolutionary factor in the experiment was inbreeding. However, in the G12 generation, complete chromosomal fixation was reached only in two out of the eight final inbred lines. In these lines, the chromosomal compositions were difficult to interpret, but they could be likely a consequence of adaptation to particular laboratory conditions (constant 18 °C, food, light period, etc.). Finally, in a second experiment, the inbred lines presented higher fertility at 18 °C than at 13 °C. Also, there was a significant line effect on fertility: inbred line number 6 (A1, J1, U1+2; U1+2+6, E8, and O3+4+7) presented the highest values, which maybe the result of an adaptation to laboratory conditions. Thus, the results obtained in our experiments reflect the adaptive potential of D. subobscura inversions.

Morphological and Magnetic Properties of Superparamagnetic Carbon-Coated Fe Nanoparticles Produced by Arc Discharge.

Spherical carbon coated iron particles of nanometric diameter in the 5-10 nm range have been produced by arc discharge at near-atmospheric pressure conditions (using 5-8·10 4 Pa of He). The particles exhibit a crystalline dense iron core with an average diameter 7.4 ± 2.0 nm surrounded by a sealed carbon shell, shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area diffrac- tion (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (STEM-EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The SAED, EDX and EELS results indicate a lack of traces of core oxidized phases showing an efficient protection role of the carbon shell. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles have been investigated in the 5-300 K temperature range using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The results reveal a superparamagnetic behaviour with an average monodomain diameter of 7.6 nm of the nanoparticles. The zero field cooled and field cooled (ZFC-FC)magnetization curves show a blocking temperature (TB)at room temperature very suitable for biomedical applications (drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging-MRI-, hyperthermia).

Morphological priming in Spanish verb forms: an ERP repetition priming study

The ERP repetition priming paradigm has been shown to be sensitive to the processing differences between regular and irregular verb forms in English and German. The purpose of the present study is to extend this research to a language with a different inflectional system, Spanish. The design (delayed visual repetition priming) was adopted from our previous study on English, and the specific linguistic phenomena we examined are priming relations between different kinds of stem (or root) forms. There were two experimental conditions: In the first condition, the prime and the target shared the same stem form, e.g., "ando-andar" [I walk-to walk], whereas in the second condition, the prime contained a marked (alternated) stem, e.g., "duermo-dormir" [I sleep-to sleep]. A reduced N400 was found for unmarked (nonalternated) stems in the primed condition, whereas marked stems showed no such effect. Moreover, control conditions demonstrated that the surface form properties (i.e., the different degree of phonetic and orthographic overlap between primes and targets) do not explain the observed priming difference. The ERP priming effect for verb forms with unmarked stems in Spanish is parallel to that found for regularly inflected verb forms in English and German. We argue that effective priming is possible because prime target pairs such as "ando-andar" access the same lexical entry for their stems. By contrast, verb forms with alternated stems (e.g., "duermo") constitute separate lexical entries, and are therefore less powerful primes for their corresponding base forms.

Investigating university students' adaptation to digital learner course portfolio

Digital learner portfolios are of growing importance in higher education as the sector seeks new teaching-learning-assessment methods which promote students" autonomy as managers of their own virtual learning environment. The purpose of this study was to analyse descriptively the undergraduate students" perceptions, attitudes and behaviour when using an eportfolio to support their learning and assessment in practice based courses at two traditional Spanish universities. The participants were 88 students, who were studying through a blended learning mode. Data were collected through questionnaires: a computer experience survey, another which examined the psychological, pedagogical and technological dimensions of eportfolios use. Further, an individual overall reflection was obtained from each student to help gain an understanding of their experiences of using the eportfolio. A mixed-method analysis was applied in order to study the impact of this technological innovation on students and their satisfaction. The results showed that the students had positive opinions and self-efficiency through the eportfolio as a tool to manage their learning and assessment during a semester, especially from the second month of use. However, the expected impact on their learning was not so significant. Nevertheless, the students emphasised that the eportfolio was valuable as a personal developmental learning tool.

La relación entre el aprendizaje léxico y el desarrollo gramatical

El presente trabajo se centra en estudiar la relación que existe entre el desarrollo de léxico y el de la morfosintaxis. Concretamente pretendemos explorar el tipo de vocabulario que mejor predice el desarrollo de la morfología verbal y el de la complejidad gramatical, así como establecer el tipo de relación entre desarrollo léxico y desarrollo morfosintáctico. La muestra comprende 517 niños de edades comprendidas entre los 18 meses y los 30 meses. Los datos se han recogido a partir de la adaptación al catalán del instrumento MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI). Los resultados muestran que el mejor predictor del desarrollo morfológico y gramatical es el vocabulario de clase cerrada, conjuntamente con el vocabulario general. Por otra parte, se observa una relación predominantemente lineal entre el desarrollo del léxico y el desarrollo morfosintáctico