Purging e alte dosi di chemioterapia con reinfusione di cellule staminali autologhe in linfomi non Hodgkin follicolari resistenti/refrattari

In the era of monoclonal antibodies the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the management of follicular lymphoma (FL) is still debated. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of myeloablative therapy with rescue of purged or unpurged harvests in FL pts. At our institution form 1997 to 2007 28 pts with refractory/resistant FL were eligible for ASCT. Before high dose therapy they received 2-3 cycles of CHOP-like regimen (ACOD), followed by Cyclophosphamide 4g/mq to mobilize the stem cells (SC). After SC collection the pts underwent 3 cycles of subcutaneous Cladribine at a daily dose of 0,14-0,10 mg/Kg for Day 1-5 every 3-4 weeks. The conditioning regimen was based on Mitoxantrone 60mg/mq + Melphalan 180 mg/mq, followed by SC re-infusion 24-hours later and G-CSF starting 24 hours after re-infusion. In 19 pts the SC underwent purging: in 10 harvests the CD34+ were selected by immunomagnetic beads, while in the other 9 pts, only Rituximab was used as “purging in vivo” agent. The remaining 9 pts received unpurged SC. Before ASCT 11 pts were in complete response (CR), 9 in partial response (PR) and 2 in stable disease. Two pts were not eligible for ASCT because of progressive disease (PD). The remaining 25 pts were eligible for ASCT. The engraftment was at a median of 11 days for leucocytes and 14 days for platelets (>20.000/mmc), with a delay of one day in the pts, who received purged SC. Grade 3-4 mucositis was described in 8 pts. During aplasia a 48% infection rate was reported, without differences between pts with purged or unpurged SC. One patient in CR presented myelodysplastic syndrome at 18 months from ASCT. After ASCT 22 pts were in CR, 2 in PR and one patient were not valuable, because died before response assessment. Nine pts in CR showed PD at a median time of 14 months from ASCT. With a median follow up of 5 years (range 2 months -10 years), 22 pts are alive and 11 (44%) in CR. Ten pts died, 5 for progressive disease and 5 for treatment-related causes; in particular 7 of them received in-vitro purged SC. Conclusions: Our chemotherapy regimen, which included the purine analogue Cladribine in the induction phase, seems safe and feasible. The high rate of CR reported and the sustained freedom from progression up to now, makes such modality of treatment a valid option principally in relapsing FL patients. In our experience, the addition of a monoclonal antibody as part of treatment confirms its role “in vivo purging” without observing an increased incidence of infection.

Effetti clinici e biologici della terapia epigenetica nelle sindromi mielodisplastiche a basso rischio

Background: Nucleoside 5-Azacitidine (5-Aza) in high risk MDS patients (pts) at a dose of 75mg/mq/day subcutaneously for 7 days, every 28 days, induces high hematologic response rates (hematologic improvement (HI) 50-60%, complete remission (CR) 10-30%) and prolongation of survival (at 2 years 50,8%). Aim: The role of 5-Aza in low-risk MDS patients is not well defined but its use in the earlier phases of disease could be more effective and useful to control the expansion of MDS clone and disease progression. In our phase II, prospective, multicentric trial a low-dose schedule of 5-Aza (75 mg/mq daily for 5 consecutive days every 28 days) was given to low-risk MDS pts in order to evaluate its efficacy and tolerability and to identify biological markers to predict the response. Methods: From September 2008 to February 2010, 34 patients were enrolled into the study. Fifteen patients had refractory anemia (RA), 5 patients refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), 7 patients refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) and 7 patients refractory anemia with excess blasts-1 (RAEB-1). All patients failed previously EPO therapy and were in chronic red blood cell (RBC) supportive care with a median transfusions requirement of 4 units/monthly. The response treatment criteria was according to IWG 2006. Results: At present time 31 out of 34 pts are evaluable: 12/31 pts (39%) completed the treatment plan (8 courses), 7/31 pts (22%) performed the first 4 courses, 8/31 (26%) made 1 to 3 courses and 4/31 (13%) died during the treatment period. Out of 12 pts who completed the 8 courses of therapy 10 (83%) obtained an HI, 2/12 (17%) maintained a stable disease. Out of 10 pts who obtained HI, 4 pts (40%) achieved a CR. Generally the drug was very well tolerated. The most commonly reported hematologic toxicities were neutropenia (55%) and thrombocytopenia (19%) but they were transitory and usually no delay of treatment was necessary. 2/4 pts died early after the 1th cycle for septic shock and gastrointestinal hemorrage respectively whereas 2/4 pts died in a condition of stable disease after the 4th cycle for pneumonia and respiratory distress. Samples for biologic studies have been collected from the pts before starting the therapy and at the end of 4th and 8th course. Preliminary data on the lipid signalling pathways suggested a direct correlation between PI-PLC-β1 gene expression and 5-Aza responsiveness. Conclusion: Interim analysis of our study based on the small number of cases who completed the treatment program, shows that 83% of pts obtain an HI and 40% obtain a CR. 4 patients died during the treatment and even if the causes were reported as no related to the therapy it has been considered that caution has to be reserved in given 5-Aza in these pts who are elderly and frail. Preliminary data of PI-PLC-β1 gene expression suggest that this and probably other biological markers could help us to know a priori who are the patients who have more chances to respond.

Synchronization and Detection Techniques for Navigation and Communication Systems

Synchronization is a key issue in any communication system, but it becomes fundamental in the navigation systems, which are entirely based on the estimation of the time delay of the signals coming from the satellites. Thus, even if synchronization has been a well known topic for many years, the introduction of new modulations and new physical layer techniques in the modern standards makes the traditional synchronization strategies completely ineffective. For this reason, the design of advanced and innovative techniques for synchronization in modern communication systems, like DVB-SH, DVB-T2, DVB-RCS, WiMAX, LTE, and in the modern navigation system, like Galileo, has been the topic of the activity. Recent years have seen the consolidation of two different trends: the introduction of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in the communication systems, and of the Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) modulation in the modern Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Thus, a particular attention has been given to the investigation of the synchronization algorithms in these areas.

Untersuchungen zur Visuomotorik des Menschen

Motorische Bewegungen werden über die visuelle Rückmeldung auf ihre Genauigkeit kontrolliert und ggf. korrigiert. Über einen technischen Eingriff, wie beispielsweise einer Prismenbrille, kann man eine Differenz zwischen optisch wahrgenommener und haptisch erlebter Umwelt erzeugen, um die Fähigkeiten des visuomotorischen Systems zu testen. In dieser Arbeit wurde eine computergestützte Methode entwickelt, eine solche visuomotorische Differenz zu simulieren. Die Versuchspersonen führen eine ballistische Bewegung mit Arm und Hand aus in der Absicht, ein vorgegebenes Ziel zu treffen. Die Trefferpunkte werden durch einen Computer mit Hilfe eines Digitalisierungstablettes aufgenommen. Die visuelle Umwelt, welche den Versuchspersonen präsentiert wird, ist auf einem Monitor dargestellt. Das Monitorabbild – ein Kreuz auf weißem Hintergrund – betrachten die Testpersonen über einen Spiegel. Dieser ist in einem entsprechenden Winkel zwischen Monitor und Digitalisierungstablett angebracht, so dass das Zielbild auf dem Digitalisierungstablett projiziert wird. Die Testpersonen nehmen das Zielkreuz auf dem Digitalisierungstablett liegend wahr. Führt die Versuchsperson eine Zielbewegung aus, können die aufgenommenen Koordinaten als Punkte auf dem Monitor dargestellt werden und die Testperson erhält über diese Punktanzeige ein visuelles Feedback ihrer Bewegung. Der Arbeitsbereich des Digitalisierungstabletts kann über den Computer eingerichtet und so motorische Verschiebungen simuliert werden. Die verschiedenartigen Möglichkeiten dieses Aufbaus wurden zum Teil in Vorversuchen getestet um Fragestellungen, Methodik und technische Einrichtungen aufeinander abzustimmen. Den Hauptversuchen galt besonderes Interesse an der zeitlichen Verzögerung des visuellen Feedbacks sowie dem intermanuellen Transfer. Hierbei ergaben sich folgende Ergebnisse: ● Die Versuchspersonen adaptieren an eine räumlich verschobene Umwelt. Der Adaptationsverlauf lässt sich mit einer Exponentialfunktion mathematisch berechnen und darstellen. ● Dieser Verlauf ist unabhängig von der Art des visuellen Feedbacks. Die Beobachtung der Handbewegung während der Adaptation zeigt die gleiche Zielabfolge wie eine einfache Punktprojektion, die den Trefferort der Bewegung darstellt. ● Der exponentielle Verlauf der Adaptationsbewegung ist unabhängig von den getesteten zeitlichen Verzögerungen des visuellen Feedbacks. ● Die Ergebnisse des Folgeeffektes zeigen, dass bei zunehmender zeitlicher Verzögerung des visuellen Feedbacks während der Adaptationsphase, die Größe des Folgeeffektwertes geringer wird, d.h. die anhaltende Anpassungsleistung an eine visuomotorische Differenz sinkt. ● Die Folgeeffekte weisen individuelle Eigenheiten auf. Die Testpersonen adaptieren verschieden stark an eine simulierte Verschiebung. Ein Vergleich mit den visuomotorischen Herausforderungen im Vorleben der Versuchspersonen ließ vermuten, dass das visuomotorische System des Menschen trainierbar ist und sich - je nach Trainingszustand – unterschiedlich an wahrgenommene Differenzen anpasst. ● Der intermanuelle Transfer konnte unter verschiedenen Bedingungen nachgewiesen werden. ● Ein deutlich stärkerer Folgeeffekt kann beobachtet werden, wenn die wahrgenommene visuomotorische Differenz zwischen Ziel und Trefferpunkt in eine Gehirnhälfte projiziert wird und der Folgeeffekt mit der Hand erfolgt, welche von dieser Hirnhemisphäre gesteuert wird. Der intermanuelle Transfer wird demnach begünstigt, wenn die visuelle Projektion der Fehlerbeobachtung in die Gehirnhälfte erfolgt, die während der Adaptationsphase motorisch passiv ist.

Suche nach Zielgenen des T-Box-Transkriptionsfaktors Optomotor-blind aus Drosophila melanogaster

Zusammenfassung:rnrnDas Ziel der Arbeit bestand darin mehr über die Funktion des T-Box Transkriptionsfaktors Omb zu erfahren. Dm omb ist der nächste Verwandte zu Hs Tbx2/3, die wegen ihrer Rolle bei verschiedenen Krebsarten für die Entwicklung neuer Therapien bedeutsam sind. rnIn drei, von Herrn Pflugfelder hergestellten, omb Allelen l(1)omb282, l(1)omb12, l(1)omb15 wurden neue Mutationen kartiert. Dabei handelt es sich um zwei missense-Mutationen und eine Stopmutation. Sie betreffen Aminosäurereste, die in allen T-Box Proteinen konserviert sind und daher vermutlich lebenswichtige Proteinabschnitte betreffen. In EMSA Versuchen konnte gezeigt werden, dass die missense-Mutationen die DNA-Bindung des Omb-T Proteins verhindern.rnFür die Suche nach Omb Zielgenen wurden Gene und phylogenetisch konservierte TBE-Genabschnitte auf ihre Regulation durch Omb getestet. Dabei wurde das Expressionsmuster von Genen mitels in situ und das Muster von enhancer getriebener β-Gal Expression histochemisch oder durch Immunfärbung von wildtypischen und l(1)omb15 Larven des dritten Stadiums verglichen. rnUpstream der mirr Transkriptionseinheit wurde ein cis-regulatorisches TBE-Fragment identifiziert, das ein Aktivitätsmuster in Flügelimaginalscheiben zeigte, welches dem von Mirr nahe kommt. Sowohl ein Omb Verlust als auch die Mutation der TBE Sequenz führten zu einer ähnlichen ektopischen Aktivierung des Fragments, was auf eine Abhängigkeit von Omb hinweist. rnIn der intronischen Sequenz von inv wurde ebenfalls ein TBE-Fragment entdeckt, das eine β-Gal-Aktivität in Flügelscheiben des späten L3 Stadiums anterior der A/P Grenze zeigte. Diese Expression könnte sich mit der späten für en/inv beschriebenen Expression (Blair, 1992) decken. Immunfärbungen bestätigten, dass der Verlust dieser Aktivität in omb0 tatsächlich durch den Verlust von Omb hervorgerufen wird und nicht durch eine Entwicklungsverzögerung der Larven verursacht wird.rnSchließlich wurde durch die Reparatur von TBX Expressionsvektoren eine Konstruktreihe (Legler, 2010) fertiggestellt, mit deren Hilfe die Auswirkungen einer Überexpression auf die Zellmotilität in Drosophila untersucht werden kann. Das soll helfen den Einfluss von TBX Proteinen auf die Invasivität von Krebszellen zu verstehen.rn

I Fondi Strutturali europei 2007-2013 in Italia: un'analisi delle criticità

A 7 anni dall’avvio dell’ attuazione della Politica di Coesione dell’Unione Europea 2007- 2013, l’Italia ha il tasso di assorbimento dei Fondi Strutturali più basso d’Europa, insieme alla Romania, e rischia di subire un disimpegno delle risorse, che rappresenterebbe un gravissimo fallimento economico e politico. Il contributo di questo lavoro al dibattito sull’uso dei Fondi strutturali in Italia è duplice. Da una parte, per la prima volta, si propone uno studio sistematico delle criticità nella gestione del periodo 2007-2013, che hanno causato l’attuale ritardo nella spesa. Dall’altra, si affronta il problema italiano sia da una prospettiva europea sia nella sua dimensione nazionale, indagando le differenze regionali nella performance di spesa e proponendo un’analisi basata su tre dimensioni principali delle criticità: finanziaria, politica, amministrativa. L’approccio della ricerca consiste nella convergenza di dati quantitativi e qualitativi, raccolti durante un periodo di ricerca a Bruxelles e presso le Autorità di Gestione dei Programmi Operativi cofinanziati dal FESR. La questione dell’assorbimento finanziario e del ritardo nell’attuazione è stata indagata da tre punti di vista. Una prospettiva “storica”, che ha raccontato il ritardo strutturale nell’utilizzo dei Fondi Strutturali in Italia e che ha chiarito come il problema italiano, prima dell’attuale ciclo 2007-2013, sia stato non di quantità, ma di qualità della spesa. La seconda prospettiva è stata di respiro europeo, ed è servita a indagare le cause del basso livello di assorbimento finanziario dell’Italia suggerendo alcuni elementi utili a comprendere le ragioni di un simile divario con gli altri Paesi. Infine, la prospettiva nazionale e regionale ha svelato l’esistenza di un mix complesso, e micidiale, che ha letteralmente paralizzato la spesa italiana dei Fondi. Un mix di fattori finanziari, politici e amministrativi che non ha avuto eguali negli altri Paesi, e che si è concentrato soprattutto, ma non esclusivamente, nelle regioni dell’Obiettivo Convergenza.

Study design, baseline patient characteristics and intervention in a cross-cultural framework: results from the ADORE study

OBJECTIVE : To describe the methodology and to present the baseline findings of the Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe (ADORE) study, the primary objective of which is to describe the relationship between treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of children with ADHD in actual practice. METHODS : In this 2-year prospective observational study, data on diagnosis, prescribed treatment and outcomes of ADHD were collected at seven time points by paediatricians and child psychiatrists on 1,573 children recruited in 10 European countries. The data presented here from the 1,478 patients included in the analyses describe the baseline condition, initial treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of families with children with ADHD. RESULTS : Patients had a mean age of 9.0 years (SD 2.5) and 84% were male. Physicians diagnoses were made using DSM-IV (43 %), ICD-10 (32%) and both DSM-IV and ICD-10 (12 %). Mean age of awareness of a problem was 5.1 years, suggesting an average delay of approximately 4 years between awareness and diagnosis of ADHD. Baseline ADHD rating scale scores (physicianrated) indicated moderate to severe ADHD. Parent-rated SDQ scores were in agreement and suggested significant levels of co-existing problems. CGI-S, CGAS and CHIPCE scores also indicated significant impairment. Patients were offered the following treatments after the initial assessment: pharmacotherapy (25 %), psychotherapy (19 %), combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (25 %), other therapy (10 %) and no treatment (21 %). CONCLUSION : The ADORE study shows that ADHD is similarly recognised across 10 European countries and that the children are significantly impaired across a wide range of domains. In this respect, they resemble children described in previous ADHD samples.

Intrapulmonary 3He gas distribution depending on bolus size and temporal bolus placement

OBJECTIVE: Dynamic ventilation (3)He-MRI is a new method to assess pulmonary gas inflow. As differing airway diameters throughout the ventilatory cycle can influence gas inflow this study intends to investigate the influence of volume and timing of a He gas bolus with respect to the beginning of the tidal volume on inspiratory gas distribution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An ultrafast 2-dimensional spoiled gradient echo sequence (temporal resolution 100 milliseconds) was used for dynamic ventilation (3)He-MRI of 11 anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs. The applied (3)He gas bolus was varied in volume between 100 and 200 mL. A 150-mL bolus was varied in its application time after the beginning of the tidal volume between 0 and 1200 milliseconds. Signal kinetics were evaluated using an in-house developed software after definition of parameters for the quantitative description of (3)He gas inflow. RESULTS: The signal rise time (time interval between signal in the parenchyma reaches 10% and 90% of its maximum) was prolonged with increasing bolus volume. The parameter was shortened with increasing delay of (3)He application after the beginning of the tidal volume. Timing variation as well as volume variation showed no clear interrelation to the signal delay time 10 (time interval between signal in the trachea reaches 50% of its maximum and signal in the parenchyma reaches 10% of its maximum). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic ventilation (3)He-MRI is able to detect differences in bolus geometry performed by volume variation. Pulmonary gas inflow as investigated by dynamic ventilation (3)He-MRI tends to be accelerated by an increasing application delay of a (3)He gas bolus after the beginning of the tidal volume.

Climate and vegetation changes during the Lateglacial and early–middle Holocene at Lake Ledro (southern Alps, Italy)

Adding to the on-going debate regarding vegetation recolonisation (more particularly the timing) in Europe and climate change since the Lateglacial, this study investigates a long sediment core (LL081) from Lake Ledro (652ma.s.l., southern Alps, Italy). Environmental changes were reconstructed using multiproxy analysis (pollen-based vegetation and climate reconstruction, lake levels, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements) recorded climate and land-use changes during the Lateglacial and early-middle Holocene. The well-dated and high-resolution pollen record of Lake Ledro is compared with vegetation records from the southern and northern Alps to trace the history of tree species distribution. An altitudedependent progressive time delay of the first continuous occurrence of Abies (fir) and of the Larix (larch) development has been observed since the Lateglacial in the southern Alps. This pattern suggests that the mid-altitude Lake Ledro area was not a refuge and that trees originated from lowlands or hilly areas (e.g. Euganean Hills) in northern Italy. Preboreal oscillations (ca. 11 000 cal BP), Boreal oscillations (ca. 10 200, 9300 cal BP) and the 8.2 kyr cold event suggest a centennial-scale climate forcing in the studied area. Picea (spruce) expansion occurred preferentially around 10 200 and 8200 cal BP in the south-eastern Alps, and therefore reflects the long-lasting cumulative effects of successive boreal and the 8.2 kyr cold event. The extension of Abies is contemporaneous with the 8.2 kyr event, but its development in the southern Alps benefits from the wettest interval 8200-7300 cal BP evidenced in high lake levels, flood activity and pollen-based climate reconstructions. Since ca. 7500 cal BP, a weak signal of pollen-based anthropogenic activities suggest weak human impact. The period between ca. 5700 and ca. 4100 cal BP is considered as a transition period to colder and wetter conditions (particularly during summers) that favoured a dense beech (Fagus) forest development which in return caused a distinctive yew (Taxus) decline.We conclude that climate was the dominant factor controlling vegetation changes and erosion processes during the early and middle Holocene (up to ca. 4100 cal BP).

Orbital changes, variation in solar activity and increased anthropogenic activities: controls on the Holocene flood frequency in the Lake Ledro area, Northern Italy

Adding to the on-going debate regarding vegetation recolonisation (more particularly the timing) in Europe and climate change since the Lateglacial, this study investigates a long sediment core (LL081) from Lake Ledro (652ma.s.l., southern Alps, Italy). Environmental changes were reconstructed using multiproxy analysis (pollen-based vegetation and climate reconstruction, lake levels, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements) recorded climate and land-use changes during the Lateglacial and early-middle Holocene. The well-dated and high-resolution pollen record of Lake Ledro is compared with vegetation records from the southern and northern Alps to trace the history of tree species distribution. An altitudedependent progressive time delay of the first continuous occurrence of Abies (fir) and of the Larix (larch) development has been observed since the Lateglacial in the southern Alps. This pattern suggests that the mid-altitude Lake Ledro area was not a refuge and that trees originated from lowlands or hilly areas (e.g. Euganean Hills) in northern Italy. Preboreal oscillations (ca. 11 000 cal BP), Boreal oscillations (ca. 10 200, 9300 cal BP) and the 8.2 kyr cold event suggest a centennial-scale climate forcing in the studied area. Picea (spruce) expansion occurred preferentially around 10 200 and 8200 cal BP in the south-eastern Alps, and therefore reflects the long-lasting cumulative effects of successive boreal and the 8.2 kyr cold event. The extension of Abies is contemporaneous with the 8.2 kyr event, but its development in the southern Alps benefits from the wettest interval 8200-7300 cal BP evidenced in high lake levels, flood activity and pollen-based climate reconstructions. Since ca. 7500 cal BP, a weak signal of pollen-based anthropogenic activities suggest weak human impact. The period between ca. 5700 and ca. 4100 cal BP is considered as a transition period to colder and wetter conditions (particularly during summers) that favoured a dense beech (Fagus) forest development which in return caused a distinctive yew (Taxus) decline.We conclude that climate was the dominant factor controlling vegetation changes and erosion processes during the early and middle Holocene (up to ca. 4100 cal BP).

CODE final product series for the IGS

CODE, the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe, is a joint venture of the following four institutions:Astronomical Institute, University of Bern (AIUB), Bern, Switzerland; Federal Office of Topography swisstopo, Wabern, Switzerland; Federal Agency of Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), Frankfurt a. M., Germany; Institut für Astronomische und Physikalische Geodäsie, Technische Universität München (IAPG, TUM), Munich, Germany. It acts as a global analysis center of the International GNSS Service (IGS). The operational computations are performed at AIUB using the latest development version of the Bernese GNSS Software. In this context a final solution series is generated considering all active GPS and GLONASS satellites. It is published in daily files with a delay of about two weeks.

CODE product series for the IGS-MGEX project

CODE, the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe, is a joint venture of the following four institutions: Astronomical Institute, University of Bern (AIUB), Bern, Switzerland; Federal Office of Topography swisstopo, Wabern, Switzerland; Federal Agency of Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), Frankfurt a. M., Germany; Institut für Astronomische und Physikalische Geodäsie, Technische Universität München (IAPG, TUM), Munich, Germany. It acts as a global analysis center of the International GNSS Service (IGS). The operational computations are performed at AIUB using the latest development version of the Bernese GNSS Software. In this context a multi-GNSS solution is generated considering all active GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou (expect for GEOs), and QZSS satellites as a contribution to the IGS-MGEX project. The results are published with a delay of about two weeks.

Intelligence and the psychological refractory period: A lateralized readiness potential study

The psychological refractory period (PRP) refers to a delay of response times (RT) to the second of two stimuli when these stimuli are presented in rapid succession. If this limitation of rapidly processing the second stimulus contributes to the well-known differences in speed of information processing between individuals with higher and lower mental ability, individuals with lower mental ability should exhibit a more pronounced PRP effect than individuals with higher mental ability. Previous studies on this question, however, yielded inconsistent results. In the present study, we assessed mental ability-related differences in the PRP by measuring lateralized readiness potentials (LRPs) to separate premotor and motor aspects of speed of information processing in 95 individuals with higher and 95 individuals with lower mental ability. Although individuals with higher mental ability processed information faster than individuals with lower mental ability as indicated by shorter RTs and shorter premotor LRP latencies, the PRP effect was equally pronounced in both groups. These findings suggest that the processes underlying the PRP effect do not contribute to mental ability-related differences in speed of information processing. Rather, these differences seem to occur at an earlier stage of information processing such as stimulus encoding, stimulus analysis, or stimulus evaluation.

Podredumbre radical bacteriana del alcaucil en Mendoza (Argentina)

En alcauciles (Cynara scolymus L.) de la variedad Bleek cultivados en Coquimbito (Mendoza, Argentina) se observó marcada detención del crecimiento y atraso en la formación de las inflorescencias. Las plantas sanas tenían aprox. 1 m de altura mientras las enfermas no llegaban a 30 cm. Las hojas más externas manifestaban clorosis y leve marchitez con posterior necrosis. Se realizaron aislamientos en APG desarrollándose colonias de aspecto mucoso, sobreelevadas, de color castaño claro. También se sembró en medio Kelman base sin TZ desarrollando colonias de iguales características pero con bordes festoneados típicos del género Erwinia. Pruebas bioquímicas y de patogenicidad en invernáculo resultaron positivas. Se identificó a Erwinia carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. subsp. carotovora Dye, como agente causal de esta podredumbre radical en alcaucil.

Obstáculos epistemológicos para la producción conceptual en Ciencias Sociales : : el caso del concepto de “sistema capitalista global"

Se intenta esclarecer cómo ciertos factores materiales, en determinados momentos históricos, influyen en el retraso del surgimiento de un corpus teórico que dé cuenta, con la mayor exactitud, de la realidad social. Más precisamente, se pretende evidenciar las condiciones materiales que obstaculizan el surgimiento del concepto de sistema capitalista global, considerando que su objeto real ya estaba plenamente presente hacia la segunda mitad del siglo XIX. Para esto se ilustraran algunos esbozos del concepto, elaborados desde la periferia del sistema global que, independientemente de su pertinente enunciación, fueron bloqueados en su desarrollo por condiciones políticas e ideológicas particulares.