Rat splanchnic net oxygen consumption. Energetic implications

1. The blood flow, PO2, pH and PCO2 have been estimated in portal and suprahepatic veins as well as in hepatic artery of fed and overnight starved rats given an oral glucose load. From these data the net intestinal, hepatic and splanchnic balances for oxygen and bicarbonate were calculated. The oxygen consumption of the intact animal has also been measured under comparable conditions. 2. The direct utilization of oxygen balances as energy equivalents when establishing the contribution of energy metabolism of liver and intestine to the overall energy expenses of the rat, has been found to be incorrect, since it incorporates the intrinsic error of interorgan proton transfer through bicarbonate. Liver and intestine produced high net bicarbonate balances in all situations tested, implying the elimination (by means of oxidative pathways, i.e. consuming additional oxygen) of high amounts of H+ generated with bicarbonate. The equivalence in energy output of the oxygen balances was then corrected for bicarbonate production to 11-54% lower values. 3. Intestine and liver consume a high proportion of available oxygen, about one-half in basal (fed or starved) conditions and about one-third after gavage, the intestine consumption being about 15% in all situations tested and the liver decreasing its oxygen consumption with gavage.

Access by Capacity and Peak-Load Pricing

Several European telecommunications regulatory agencies have recently introduced a fixed capacity charge (flat rate) to regulate access to the incumbent's network. The purpose of this paper is to show that the optimal capacity charge and the optimal access-minute charge analysed by Armstrong, Doyle, and Vickers (1996) have a similar structure and imply the same payment for the entrant. I extend the analysis tothe case where there is a competitor with market power. In this case, the optimalcapacity charge should be modified to avoid that the entrant cream-skims the market,fixing a longer or a shorter peak period than the optimal. Finally, I consider a multiproduct setting, where the effect of the product differentiation is exacerbated.

Rat splanchnic net oxygen consumption. Energetic implications

1. The blood flow, PO2, pH and PCO2 have been estimated in portal and suprahepatic veins as well as in hepatic artery of fed and overnight starved rats given an oral glucose load. From these data the net intestinal, hepatic and splanchnic balances for oxygen and bicarbonate were calculated. The oxygen consumption of the intact animal has also been measured under comparable conditions. 2. The direct utilization of oxygen balances as energy equivalents when establishing the contribution of energy metabolism of liver and intestine to the overall energy expenses of the rat, has been found to be incorrect, since it incorporates the intrinsic error of interorgan proton transfer through bicarbonate. Liver and intestine produced high net bicarbonate balances in all situations tested, implying the elimination (by means of oxidative pathways, i.e. consuming additional oxygen) of high amounts of H+ generated with bicarbonate. The equivalence in energy output of the oxygen balances was then corrected for bicarbonate production to 11-54% lower values. 3. Intestine and liver consume a high proportion of available oxygen, about one-half in basal (fed or starved) conditions and about one-third after gavage, the intestine consumption being about 15% in all situations tested and the liver decreasing its oxygen consumption with gavage.

Intestinal and hepatic nitrogen balance in the rat after the administration of an oral protein load

The fate of a small oral dose of protein given to overnight-starved rats was studied. After 3 h, 62 per cent of the protein amino acids had been absorbed. Most of the absorbed N went into the bloodstream through the portal in the form of amino acids, but urea and ammonia were also present. About one-quarter of all absorbed N was carried as lymph amino acids. The liver was able to take all portal free ammonia and a large proportion of portal amino acids, releasing urea. The hepatic N balance was negative, indicating active proteolysis and net loss of liver protein.

Access by Capacity and Peak-Load Pricing

Several European telecommunications regulatory agencies have recently introduced a fixed capacity charge (flat rate) to regulate access to the incumbent's network. The purpose of this paper is to show that the optimal capacity charge and the optimal access-minute charge analysed by Armstrong, Doyle, and Vickers (1996) have a similar structure and imply the same payment for the entrant. I extend the analysis tothe case where there is a competitor with market power. In this case, the optimalcapacity charge should be modified to avoid that the entrant cream-skims the market,fixing a longer or a shorter peak period than the optimal. Finally, I consider a multiproduct setting, where the effect of the product differentiation is exacerbated.

Securing dynamic itineraries for mobile agent applications

In this paper we present a novel mechanism for the protection of dynamic itineraries for mobile agent applications. Itineraries that are decided as the agent goes are essential in complex applications based on mobile agents, but no approach has been presented until now to protect them. We have conceived a cryptographic scheme for shielding dynamic itineraries from tampering, impersonation and disclosure. By using trust strategically, our scheme provides a balanced trade-off between flexibility and security. Our protection scheme has been thought always bearing in mind a feasible implementation, and thus facilitates the development of applications that make use of it. An example application based on a real healthcare scenario is also presented to show its operation.

Securing a Java P2P framework: The JXTA-Overlay case

In the wake of the success of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking, security has arisen as one of its main concerns, becoming a key issue when evaluating a P2P system. Unfortunately, some systems' design focus targeted issues such as scalabil-ity or overall performance, but not security. As a result, security mechanisms must be provided at a later stage, after the system has already been designed and partially (or even fully) implemented, which may prove a cumbersome proposition. This work exposes how a security layer was provided under such circumstances for a specic Java based P2P framework: JXTA-Overlay.

Investigació integrada amb EPs i RMf de la interacció entre la memòria de treball i la distracció

Estudi elaborat a partir d’una estada a la University of Wales, Bangor, Regne Unit entre setembre i desembre del 2006. Els sons distractors augmenten el temps de reacció i el nombre de respostes incorrectes en una tasca de classificació visual, demostrant que hi ha distracció conductual durant la realització de la tasca visual. L’enregistrament concomitant de potencials evocats durant la distracció mostra un patró neuroelèctric característic, el potencial de distracció, que es caracteritza per una ona trifàsica. Darrerament, s’ha demostrat que factors “des de dalt” associats al muntatge experimental tindrien una gran influència en els efectes que els estímuls distractors tindrien en la tasca. Estudis recents mostrarien que aquesta resposta d’atenció exògena es pot modular per la càrrega en memòria de treball, reduint-ne la distracció amb la càrrega, fet que contradiu altres dades que mostraven l’efecte oposat. L’objectiu d’aquest estudi ha estat investigar en quines condicions la càrrega en memòria de treball pot exercir un efecte modulador en les respostes conductuals i cerebrals als sons novedosos distractors, i establir la dinàmica espacio-temporal d’aquesta modulació.

Treball de camp a una colònia de xatrac comú (sterna hirundo) en Alemanya

Estudio elaborado a partir de una estancia en el Institut fur Vogelforschung. El objeto de la estancia fue participar en la campaña de campo en la colonia de Charrán común (Sterna hirundo) situada en Wilhelmshaven (Alemania), entre los meses de mayo y agosto de 2005. Esta participación se llevó a cabo bajo la dirección del Prof. Dr. Peter H. Becker y junto a su equipo. Se participó en la recogida rutinaria de datos de la colonia así como en distintas técnicas relacionadas con el presente proyecto, como el marcaje de pollos, su observación directa desde escondites y la recogida de distintas muestras biológicas. El objetivo principal era continuar con la obtención de datos para el trabajo de investigación sobre la influencia de la calidad y la condición parental en la manipulación adaptativa de la razón de sexos y la asignación por sexos. La obtención de datos se basa en la implantación de transponders en pollos, que permiten la identificación de cada charrán de por vida. La combinación de esta información con la observación directa de cebas hace de la colonia un lugar excepcional, lo que permite conocer los factores que influyen en las tendencias que existan. Sin embargo, el objetivo específico de la campaña se centraba en investigar la variabilidad individual de la respuesta inmune en los pollos de charrán en relación a un número de atributos de los propios pollos (sexo, tamaño, tasa de crecimiento, proteínas en plasma, hematocrito, carga parasitaria, carotenos en plasma, isótopos de las plumas), de los padres (fecha y tamaño de puesta, calidad parental) y de las condiciones de cría (orden de eclosión, densidad de la sub-colonia). Los resultados de estos datos obtenidos durante la campaña respaldan que existe una influencia de la condición nutricional y la calidad parental en la respuesta immune de los pollos, debida probablemente a un esfuerzo reproductivo diferencial.

Meat quality of ten cattle breeds of the Southwest of Europe

A sample of about 70 young bulls of each of ten beef cattle breeds reared in their typical production systems has been characterised with respect to meat quality traits. Breeds included were Asturiana de los Valles, Asturiana de la Montaña, Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Bruna dels Pirineus, Morucha, Pirenaica and Retinta from Spain, and Aubrac, Gasconne and Salers from France. As was previously showed regarding carcass traits, there exist large differences both between and within breed – systems. In general, rustic breeds tended to present darker and redder meats with higher haematin contents, whereas less precocious and more specialised breeds showed brighter meats with bigger water losses. Protein content was similar, whereas intramuscular fat presented the larger variations both between and within breeds. ICDH content was higher in the more rustic breeds, showing the predominantly oxidative character of their fibres. Texture measurements showed in general large within breed-system variations, the differences between breeds being less evident. Within breed-system, daily gain weight was positively associated with brighter and tender meats. In the range studied, increasing slaughter weight within breed did not have influence on meat quality. Conformation was related to lower water holding capacity and less dry matter and intramuscular fat, as well as to a lower haematin content giving brighter meats. The increase in fatness scores was related to an augment of toughness in meat specialised breeds, although in Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed fatness carcasses were related to more tender meats. Redness parameter a* was positively related to fatter animals and opposed to conformation, the opposite being true for the L* (lightness) parameter. There was a small trend of fatter carcasses to be related to oxidative fibres, whereas the muscular fibres of the more conformed carcasses were more glycolytic. Texture measurements maximum load, maximum stress and toughness were very closely related. Shear force was opposed to tenderness. Losses at cooking were opposed to juiciness, but only in the Spanish breeds. No consistent trends regarding relationships between carcass characteristics and tenderness could be observed. Overall acceptability was primarily related with tenderness and flavour, and later on juiciness.

Utilización de alimentos líquidos para el ganado porcino

La distribución de alimentos líquidos al ganado porcino es un sistema alternativo en el cual el alimento se prepara y distribuye a través de un equipo totalmente informatizado y automatizado. Además de materias primas y piensos permite también el uso de co-productos líquidos de la industria agroalimentaria o productos fermentados. Su utilización evita el coste de su transformación o eliminación permitiendo rebajar el coste de producción del cerdo porque su precio es altamente competitivo. La aplicación de alimentos líquidos fermentados tiene efectos benéficos sobre el epitelio intestinal, la microflora digestiva y el estado sanitario de los lechones, reduciendo la morbilidad y aumentando los resultados de crecimiento. Este sistema de alimentación facilita igualmente la aplicación de programas multifase ajustando diariamente el aporte a las necesidades en nutrientes del cerdo reduciendo la excreción (N, P, metales pesados) y con ello, el riesgo de contaminación medioambiental. The distribution of liquid diets for swine is an alternative system where feed is prepared and distributed by an automatic computerized device. In addition to feedstuffs and complementary dry feed, this system allows the use of fresh or fermented agri-food liquid by-products. These products are cheaper and its use as feed avoids the cost of its transformation or elimination, reducing the environmental load and the cost per kg of pig meat. The fermented liquid feed protects the intestinal epithelium, helps to control digestive microflora and animal health improving piglet growth performance after weaning. This feeding device also helps implementation of multiphase feeding programs, adjusting nutrient supplies to requirements daily, and consequently reducing the nutrient excretion (N, P, heavy metals) and the risk of environmental pollution.

Hostal.net

D'una idea, unes paraules, un esquema, una aplicació. En aquest projecte es descriu tot el procés per tal de crear una solució integral per al funcionament diari d'un negoci d'hostaleria. Es consideren per igual les tasques de saber com ha de ser el funcionament, i com plasmar-lo a l'aplicació. Es podrà observar com des d'uns certs requeriments funcionals i no funcionals, genero el software amb els enllaços a tots els perifèrics requerits: impressora de tiquets, Visor VFD, targetes chip, caixer moneder i monitor tàctil. Explicaré quines tasques requereix el negoci, i com he creat cadascun dels formularis que requereixen aquestes tasques per portar el negoci al dia.

GenRegion: aplicatiu de generació de màscares per a la codificació d'imatges amb regions d'interès

En aquest projecte, titulat "GenRegion: aplicatiu de generació de màscares per a la codificació d'imatges amb regions d'interès", presentem una aplicació multiplataforma que visualitza imatges PGM i PPM amb un mínim cost de memòria i sobre les quals podrem dibuixar regions d'interès. L'aplicació carregarà només la part de la imatge que podem visualitzar a la pantalla de treball permetent treballar amb imatges de gran tamany. Les regions definides seran accessibles en tot moment, podent modificar-les i esborrar-les. Finalment podrem generar ja sigui una màscara de la imatge actual amb les regions definides o bé una imatge idèntica a l'original però on es visualitzaran les regions definides.

Redirecció de l'especificitat de les cél·lules T contra epítops del VIH restringit per la HLA-A2 mitjaçant transferència genética

Existeixen creixents evidències què la resposta dels limfòcits T CD8+ alpha beta citotòxics (CTLs) és un element fonamental en la infecció produïda pel VIH. Les CTLs VIH especifiques es consideren molt importants en la reducció de la càrrega viral i en la contenció de la infecció. Encara que la combinació dels antiretrovirals (HAART) ha suposat una millora considerable en la lluita contra el VIH induint una important reducció de la càrrega viral i augmentant el nombre de cèl•lules T CD4+, diverses complicacions han fet ressaltar la necessitat de noves alternatives terapèutiques. Les complicacions inclouen: manca de recuperació d’una resposta immune sòlida contra el VIH, toxicitat a llarg termini de la teràpia i el descobriment que les cèl•lules T CD4+ constitueixen un reservori pel virus. Les noves alternatives controlaran la replicació viral i reconstituiran la immunitat. L’eficàcia de la immunoteràpia cel•lular amb transferència adoptiva de CTLs virals específics s’ha provat en diferents infeccions virals humanes, incloent el VIH. Proposem una modificació de la immunoteràpia adoptiva redirigint l’especificitat de les cèl•lules T contra el VIH mitjançant la transfecció dels gens del TCR. En aquest assaig preclínic, ens aprofitarem de la tecnologia dels animals transgènics per les molècules de HLA, amb la finalitat de generar TCRs d’alta afinitat dirigits contra epitops del VIH restringits per la molècula HLA. Aquests TCRs seran induïts in vivo i seleccionats in vitro. Les cadenes alpha i beta dels TCRs VIH específics procedents de les CTLs seran clonades mitjançant tècniques de biologia molecular. Aquests TCRs VIH específics seran transferits a cèl•lules T CD8+ humanes i la seva especificitat i capacitat citolítica contra cèl•lules diana que presentin antígens de VIH-1 s’estudiaran mitjançant la combinació de diverses tècniques noves (FCC, transfecció mitjançant Nucleoefector). Finalment, una construcció retroviral adient per la seva transducció en cèl•lules T humanes s’establirà amb un TCR òptim seleccionat.

Addressing the net balances problem as a prerequisite for EU budget reform: a proposal

Conflict among member states regarding the distribution of net financial burdens has been allowed to contaminate the entire design of the EU budget with very negative consequences in terms of equity, efficiency and transparency. To get around this problem and pave the way for a substantive budget reform, we propose to decouple distributional negotiations from the rest of the budget process by linking member state net balances in a rigid manner to relative prosperity. This would be achieved through the introduction of a system of compensating horizontal transfers that would take to its logical conclusion the Commission's proposal for a generalized compensation mechanism. We discuss the impact of the proposed scheme on member states? incentives and illustrate its financial implications using revenue and expenditure projections for 2013 that are based on the current Financial Perspectives and Own Resources Decision.