Results of a collaborative study of the EDNAP group regarding mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy and segregation in hair shafts.

A collaborative exercise was carried out by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) in order to evaluate the distribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy amongst the hairs of an individual who displays point heteroplasmy in blood and buccal cells. A second aim of the exercise was to study reproducibility of mtDNA sequencing of hairs between laboratories using differing chemistries, further to the first mtDNA reproducibility study carried out by the EDNAP group. Laboratories were asked to type 2 sections from each of 10 hairs, such that each hair was typed by at least two laboratories. Ten laboratories participated in the study, and a total of 55 hairs were typed. The results showed that the C/T point heteroplasmy observed in blood and buccal cells at position 16234 segregated differentially between hairs, such that some hairs showed only C, others only T and the remainder, C/T heteroplasmy at varying ratios. Additionally, differential segregation of heteroplasmic variants was confirmed in independent extracts at positions 16093 and the poly(C) tract at 302-309, whilst a complete A-G transition was confirmed at position 16129 in one hair. Heteroplasmy was observed at position 16195 on both strands of a single extract from one hair segment, but was not observed in the extracts from any other segment of the same hair. Similarly, heteroplasmy at position 16304 was observed on both strands of a single extract from one hair. Additional variants at positions 73, 249 and the HVII poly(C) region were reported by one laboratory; as these were not confirmed in independent extracts, the possibility of contamination cannot be excluded. Additionally, the electrophoresis and detection equipment used by this laboratory was different to those of the other laboratories, and the discrepancies at position 249 and the HVII poly(C) region appear to be due to reading errors that may be associated with this technology. The results, and their implications for forensic mtDNA typing, are discussed in the light of the biology of hair formation.

Moro, Robespierre i Hitler: paradigmes sobre el procés comunicatiu d'utopies polí­tiques en diferents entorns socials

Investigació acadèmica que proposa un estudi hermenèutic de les utopies polítiques de Tomàs Moro, Maximilien Robespierre i Adolf Hitler, i que hi aprofundeix amb un anàlisi teòric dels mitjans de comunicació contemporanis als autors per tal d’entendre la relació entre utopia, poder i comunicació en diversos contextos històrics i entorns socials.

Factores Asociados a Deficiencia de Vitamina D y a Niveles Elevados de PTH en Pacientes con Infección VIH Atendidos en Barcelona

Estudi transversal de pacients VIH en els que es va determinar colecalciferol (25-OH- Vit.D3) i PTH, excloint a pacients amb insuficiència renal, hepàtica i nivells plasmàtics anormals de calci i/o fósfor Es van incloure 566 pacients, amb una exposició a tenofovir del 56,4%. La prevalència de vitamina D insuficient va der del 71,2% i la deficiència del 39,6% . La PTH es va determinar en 228 casos, presentant nivells elevats 86 d’ells (37,7%). Els factors de risc ajustats de deficiència de vitamina D van ser, ésser de raza no blanca i la morbilitat psiquiàtrica, essent la lipoatròfia, un factor protector. Els factors de risc independents de nivells elevats de PTH van ser: Vitamina D&12 ng/ml: OR: 2,14 (IC95%: 1,19-3,82, p: 0,01) i l’ exposició a tenofovir: OR: 3,55 (IC95%: 1,62-7,7, p: 0,002).

Geological explorations in Central Borneo (1893-94) : Borneo expedition. english rev. ed. with an appendix on fossil radiolaria of Central-Borneo ([Reprod.]) / by Dr. G. A. F. Molengraaff,... ; by Dr. G. J. Hinde

Comprend : Description of fossil radiolaria from the rocks of Central Borneo, obtained by prof. Dr. G. A. F. Molengraaff in the dutch exploring expedition of 1893-94

[Toimenpiteestä IKL:n lehdistöä vastaan]

Liittynee johonkin seuraavista v. 1938/1939 käsitellyistä asioista: Isänmaallinen kansanliike, Lapuanliike, Mäntsälän kapina, Oikeudenkäynti, Painovapaus, Poliittiset tunnusmerkit, Tasavallan suojelulaki. - Puhe

Estudio cuantitativo de la reacción en estado sólido del fluorapatito

Mediante difracción de rayos X se valora cuantitativamente el fluoruro cálcico remanente en la reacción al estado sólido con hidroxiapatito, para formar fluorapatito, a distintos tiempos y temperaturas de tratamiento térmico. Se observa que tanto el aumento de temperatura como el tiempo de calefacción hacen descender el porcentaje de fluoruro cálcico libre, que por otra parte siempre está presente, por cuanto la reacción no es total.

Ellipsometric study of a-Si:H thin films deposited by square wave modulated rf glow discharge

Thin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H), deposited by square wave modulated (SQWM) rf silane discharges, have been studied through spectroscopic and real time phase modulated ellipsometry. The SQMW films obtained at low mean rf power density (19 mW/cm2) have shown smaller surface roughness than those obtained in standard continuous wave (cw) rf discharges. At higher rf powers (≥56 mW/cm2), different behaviors depending on the modulating frequency have been observed. On the one hand, at low modulating frequencies (<40 Hz), the SQWM films have shown a significant increase of porosity and surface roughness as compared to cw samples. On the other, at higher modulating frequencies, the material density and roughness have been found to be similar in SQWM and cw films. Furthermore, the deposition rate of the films show more pronounced increases with the modulating frequency as the rf power is increased. Experimental results are discussed in terms of plasma negative charged species which can be relatively abundant in high rf power discharges and cause significant effects on the deposited layers through polymers, clusters, and powder formation.

Effect of substrate temperature on deposition rate of rf plasma-deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films

We present a study about the influence of substrate temperature on deposition rate of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films prepared by rf glow discharge decomposition of pure silane gas in a capacitively coupled plasma reactor. Two different behaviors are observed depending on deposition pressure conditions. At high pressure (30 Pa) the influence of substrate temperature on deposition rate is mainly through a modification of gas density, in such a way that the substrate temperature of deposition rate is similar to pressure dependence at constant temperature. On the contrary, at low pressure (3 Pa), a gas density effect cannot account for the observed increase of deposition rate as substrate temperature rises above 450 K with an activation energy of 1.1 kcal/mole. In accordance with laser‐induced fluorescence measurements reported in the literature, this rise has been ascribed to an increase of secondary electron emission from the growing film surface as a result of molecular hydrogen desorption.

Numerical algorithm for spectroscopic ellipsometry of thick transparent films

We present a numerical method for spectroscopic ellipsometry of thick transparent films. When an analytical expression for the dispersion of the refractive index (which contains several unknown coefficients) is assumed, the procedure is based on fitting the coefficients at a fixed thickness. Then the thickness is varied within a range (according to its approximate value). The final result given by our method is as follows: The sample thickness is considered to be the one that gives the best fitting. The refractive index is defined by the coefficients obtained for this thickness.

In situ fast ellipsometric analysis of repetitive surface phenomena

We present an ellipsometric technique and ellipsometric analysis of repetitive phenomena, based on the experimental arrangement of conventional phase modulated ellipsometers (PME) c onceived to study fast surface phenomena in repetitive processes such as periodic and triggered experiments. Phase modulated ellipsometry is a highly sensitive surface characterization technique that is widely used in the real-time study of several processes such as thin film deposition and etching. However, fast transient phenomena cannot be analyzed with this technique because precision requirements limit the data acquisition rate to about 25 Hz. The presented new ellipsometric method allows the study of fast transient phenomena in repetitive processes with a time resolution that is mainly limited by the data acquisition system. As an example, we apply this new method to the study of surface changes during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of amorphous silicon in a modulated radio frequency discharge of SiH4. This study has revealed the evolution of the optical parameters of the film on the millisecond scale during the plasma on and off periods. The presented ellipsometric method extends the capabilities of PME arrangements and permits the analysis of fast surface phenomena that conventional PME cannot achieve.