La toponímia del terme municipal de Soses. Inventari tipològic i aproximació etimològica.

El treball que ara teniu a les mans és un estudi sobre la toponímia del terme municipal de Soses, és a dir, en les següents pàgines es realitza un inventari tipològic i una aproximació etimològica dels diferents topònims que es troben en aquest poble. En primer lloc, es va treballar en la tasca d’inventariar tots els topònims. La confecció d’aquest inventari ha reposat en dues activitats: d’una banda, l’anotació de tots els noms que ara es fan servir al terme municipal de Soses i, de l’altra, la recerca de documentació antiga per trobar aquells noms que han caigut en desús. Un cop recollits tots els noms de lloc hem elaborat una fitxa monogràfica, que són el cos central de l’estudi, per cadascun dels topònims establerts on hi hem fet constar: una descripció del topònim en qüestió; documentació antiga (en els casos que n’hem trobat); l’origen etimològic; la pronúncia; i la classificació semàntica, lingüística i morfolèxica. Finalment, hem realitzats uns gràfics per poder extreure les conclusions pertinents.

Pediatric drug-related problems: a multicenter study in four French-speaking countries.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric intensive care patients represent a population at high risk for drug-related problems. There are few studies that compare the activity of clinical pharmacists between countries. OBJECTIVE: To describe the drug-related problems identified and interventions by four pharmacists in a pediatric cardiac and intensive care unit. SETTING: Four pediatric centers in France, Quebec, Switzerland and Belgium. METHOD: This was a six-month multicenter, descriptive and prospective study conducted from August 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010. Drug-related problems and clinical interventions were compiled from four pediatric centers in France, Quebec, Switzerland and Belgium. Data on patients, drugs, intervention, documentation, approval and estimated impact were compiled. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Number and type of drug-related problems encountered in a large pediatric inpatient population. RESULTS: A total of 996 interventions were recorded: 238 (24 %) in France, 278 (28 %) in Quebec, 351 (35 %) in Switzerland and 129 (13 %) in Belgium. These interventions targeted 270 patients (median 21 months old, 53 % male): 88 (33 %) in France, 56 (21 %) in Quebec, 57 (21 %) in Switzerland and 69 (26 %) in Belgium. The main drug-related problems were inappropriate administration technique (29 %), untreated indication (25 %) and supra-therapeutic dose (11 %). The pharmacists' interventions were mostly optimizing the mode of administration (22 %), dose adjustment (20 %) and therapeutic monitoring (16 %). The two major drug classes that led to interventions were anti-infectives for systemic use (23 %) and digestive system and metabolism drugs (22 %). Interventions mainly involved residents and all clinical staff (21 %). Among the 878 (88 %) proposed interventions requiring physician approval, 860 (98 %) were accepted. CONCLUSION: This descriptive study illustrates drug-related problems and the ability of clinical pharmacists to identify and resolve them in pediatric intensive care units in four French-speaking countries.

Iowa Department of Transportation Major Items - Preliminary Quantity Report, December 15, 2015; With Addendums

Weekly letting report

Dynamic Modelling of Material Flows and Sustainable Resource Use: Case Studies in Regional Metabolism and Space Life Support Systems

Sustainable resource use is one of the most important environmental issues of our times. It is closely related to discussions on the 'peaking' of various natural resources serving as energy sources, agricultural nutrients, or metals indispensable in high-technology applications. Although the peaking theory remains controversial, it is commonly recognized that a more sustainable use of resources would alleviate negative environmental impacts related to resource use. In this thesis, sustainable resource use is analysed from a practical standpoint, through several different case studies. Four of these case studies relate to resource metabolism in the Canton of Geneva in Switzerland: the aim was to model the evolution of chosen resource stocks and flows in the coming decades. The studied resources were copper (a bulk metal), phosphorus (a vital agricultural nutrient), and wood (a renewable resource). In addition, the case of lithium (a critical metal) was analysed briefly in a qualitative manner and in an electric mobility perspective. In addition to the Geneva case studies, this thesis includes a case study on the sustainability of space life support systems. Space life support systems are systems whose aim is to provide the crew of a spacecraft with the necessary metabolic consumables over the course of a mission. Sustainability was again analysed from a resource use perspective. In this case study, the functioning of two different types of life support systems, ARES and BIORAT, were evaluated and compared; these systems represent, respectively, physico-chemical and biological life support systems. Space life support systems could in fact be used as a kind of 'laboratory of sustainability' given that they represent closed and relatively simple systems compared to complex and open terrestrial systems such as the Canton of Geneva. The chosen analysis method used in the Geneva case studies was dynamic material flow analysis: dynamic material flow models were constructed for the resources copper, phosphorus, and wood. Besides a baseline scenario, various alternative scenarios (notably involving increased recycling) were also examined. In the case of space life support systems, the methodology of material flow analysis was also employed, but as the data available on the dynamic behaviour of the systems was insufficient, only static simulations could be performed. The results of the case studies in the Canton of Geneva show the following: were resource use to follow population growth, resource consumption would be multiplied by nearly 1.2 by 2030 and by 1.5 by 2080. A complete transition to electric mobility would be expected to only slightly (+5%) increase the copper consumption per capita while the lithium demand in cars would increase 350 fold. For example, phosphorus imports could be decreased by recycling sewage sludge or human urine; however, the health and environmental impacts of these options have yet to be studied. Increasing the wood production in the Canton would not significantly decrease the dependence on wood imports as the Canton's production represents only 5% of total consumption. In the comparison of space life support systems ARES and BIORAT, BIORAT outperforms ARES in resource use but not in energy use. However, as the systems are dimensioned very differently, it remains questionable whether they can be compared outright. In conclusion, the use of dynamic material flow analysis can provide useful information for policy makers and strategic decision-making; however, uncertainty in reference data greatly influences the precision of the results. Space life support systems constitute an extreme case of resource-using systems; nevertheless, it is not clear how their example could be of immediate use to terrestrial systems.

Biodiversity of Collembola in urban soils and their use as bioindicators for pollution

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of pollutants on the abundance and diversity of Collembola in urban soils. The research was carried out in three parks (Cişmigiu, Izvor and Unirea) in downtown Bucharest, where the intense car traffic accounts for 70% of the local air pollution. One site in particular (Cişmigiu park) was highly contaminated with Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu at about ten times the background levels of Pb. Collembola were sampled in 2006 (July, September, November) using the transect method: 2,475 individuals from 34 species of Collembola were collected from 210 samples of soil and litter. Numerical densities differed significantly between the studied sites.The influence of air pollutants on the springtail fauna was visible at the species richness diversity and soil pollution levels. Species richness was lowest in the most contaminated site (Cismigiu, 11 species), which presented an increase in springtails abundances, though. Some species may become resistant to pollution and occur in high numbers of individuals in polluted sites, which makes them a good bioindicator of pollutants.

Leaf mineral composition of grafted eggplant grown in soil infested with Verticillium and root-knot nematodes

The objective of this work was to determine differences in leaf mineral composition between ungrafted and grafted onto (Solanum torvum) eggplant (Solanum melongena), cultivars 'Faselis' and 'Pala', grown in a soil infested with Verticillium dahliae and Meloidogyne incognita, or in a noninfested soil. Grafting increased leaf P and Mn concentrations, and decreased N concentrations, in both soils. Grafting also enhanced leaf Ca concentration of 'Pala', but it did not affect that of 'Faselis' depending on the cropping year. Leaf Mg concentration of grafted plants in infested soil was lower than that of ungrafted ones in noninfested soil. Results showed that, under the same fertilization program, the grafted 'Faselis' plants used the nutrients more efficiently than the 'Pala' ones. Use of S. torvum as a rootstock for 'Faselis' resulted in an effective protection against multiple pathogen infestation. Fertilization may be necessary when grafted 'Faselis' plants are grown in a soil infested with the pathogens, since grafting and infestation generally decrease leaf N, Mg, Ca and Fe concentrations, either by reducing the nutrient concentrations directly or by increasing leaf Mn concentration.

Variable queen number in ant colonies: no impact on queen turnover, inbreeding, and population genetic differentiation in the ant Formica selysi.

Variation in queen number alters the genetic structure of social insect colonies, which in turn affects patterns of kin-selected conflict and cooperation. Theory suggests that shifts from single- to multiple-queen colonies are often associated with other changes in the breeding system, such as higher queen turnover, more local mating, and restricted dispersal. These changes may restrict gene flow between the two types of colonies and it has been suggested that this might ultimately lead to sympatric speciation. We performed a detailed microsatellite analysis of a large population of the ant Formica selysi, which revealed extensive variation in social structure, with 71 colonies headed by a single queen and 41 by multiple queens. This polymorphism in social structure appeared stable over time, since little change in the number of queens per colony was detected over a five-year period. Apart from queen number, single- and multiple-queen colonies had very similar breeding systems. Queen turnover was absent or very low in both types of colonies. Single- and multiple-queen colonies exhibited very small but significant levels of inbreeding, which indicates a slight deviation from random mating at a local scale and suggests that a small proportion of queens mate with related males. For both types of colonies, there was very little genetic structuring above the level of the nest, with no sign of isolation by distance. These similarities in the breeding systems were associated with a complete lack of genetic differentiation between single- and multiple-queen colonies, which provides no support for the hypothesis that change in queen number leads to restricted gene flow between social forms. Overall, this study suggests that the higher rates of queen turnover, local mating, and population structuring that are often associated with multiple-queen colonies do not appear when single- and multiple-queen colonies still coexist within the same population, but build up over time in populations consisting mostly of multiple-queen colonies.

PPARs at the crossroads of lipid signaling and inflammation.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors whose activation affects genes controlling vital processes. Among them, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have emerged as links between lipids, metabolic diseases, and innate immunity. PPARs are activated by fatty acids and their derivatives, many of which also signal through membrane receptors, thereby creating a lipid signaling network between the cell surface and the nucleus. Tissues that play a role in whole-body metabolic homeostasis, such as adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, intestines, and blood vessel walls, are prone to inflammation when metabolism is disturbed, a complication that promotes type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This review discusses the protective roles of PPARs in inflammatory conditions and the therapeutic anti-inflammatory potential of PPAR ligands.

Trigo de duplo propósito submetido ao pastejo de bovinos nos Campos Gerais do Paraná

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produtividade de grãos da cultivar de trigo de duplo propósito BRS 176 e o ganho de peso de bovinos, em função de períodos de pastejo, tendo-se considerado a intensidade de pastejo. O experimento foi realizado em Castro, PR, em Cambissolo Háplico, de maio a novembro de 2004. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de quatro períodos de pastejo: T-0, zero dia; T-15, 15 dias; T-30, 30 dias; e T-45, 45 dias. Foram utilizados novilhos com 260 kg de peso vivo, em pastoreio contínuo, com lotação variável e oferta diária de forragem de 8% do peso vivo animal. A produtividade de grãos foi de 3.999, 4.154, 3.210 e 1.588 kg ha-1 para T-0, T-15, T-30 e T-45, respectivamente, e o ganho em peso vivo de 0, 181, 351 e 459 kg ha-1. A cultivar BRS 176 apresenta alto potencial de produção de grãos sob pastejo e suporta bem a desfolha. O pastejo da cultivar BRS 176 proporciona elevado ganho de peso vivo médio diário de bovinos, e o ganho de peso por hectare aumenta linearmente com o aumento no período de pastejo.

Watermelon transformation with Zucchini yellow mosaic virus coat protein gene and comparison with parental cultivar

The objective of this work was to transfer Zucchini yellow mosaic virus coat protein (ZYMV-CP) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II) genes to the watermelon 'Crimson Sweet'(CS) genome, and to compare the transgenic progenies T1 and T2 with the nontransformed parental cultivar for morphological, pomological, growth and yield characteristics. The ZYMV-CP gene was transferred by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The presence of the gene in transgenic T0, T1 and T2 plants was determined by polymerase chain reaction, and the results were confirmed by Southern blot. Two experiments were performed, one in the winter-spring and the other in the summer-autumn. In both experiments, the hypocotyl length of transgenic seedlings was significantly higher than that of nontransgenic parental ones. In the second experiment, the differences between transgenic and nontransgenic individuals were significant concerning fruit rind thickness, flesh firmness, fruit peduncle length, size of pistil scar, and a* values for fruit stripe or flesh color. Transferring ZYMV-CP gene to CS genome affected only a few characteristics from the 80 evaluated ones. The changes in rind thickness, flesh firmness and flesh color a* values are favorable, while the increase in the size of pistil scar is undesirable. The transgenic watermelon line having ZYMV-CP gene and the parental cultivar CS are very similar.

The barrel cortex as a model to study dynamic neuroglial interaction.

There is increasing evidence that glial cells, in particular astrocytes, interact dynamically with neurons. The well-known anatomofunctional organization of neurons in the barrel cortex offers a suitable and promising model to study such neuroglial interaction. This review summarizes and discusses recent in vitro as well as in vivo works demonstrating that astrocytes receive, integrate, and respond to neuronal signals. In addition, they are active elements of brain metabolism and exhibit a certain degree of plasticity that affects neuronal activity. Altogether these findings indicate that the barrel cortex presents glial compartments overlapping and interacting with neuronal compartments and that these properties help define barrels as functional and independent units. Finally, this review outlines how the use of the barrel cortex as a model might in the future help to address important questions related to dynamic neuroglia interaction.

La thrombose de varicocèle : une étiologie rare de douleur testiculaire [Varicocele thrombosis: a rare etiology of testicular pain]

Acute testicular pain is frequent in urology. If torsion of the spermatic cord and orchiepididymitis are usual, varicocele thrombosis is an unusual clinical entity we reported.

Cytokines and hs-CRP levels in individuals treated with aspirin for cardiovascular prevention: a population-based study (CoLaus Study)

Backgrounds: Pro-inflammatory cytokines and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular (CV) prevention is reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to determine the association between cytokines and hs-CRP levels and low-dose aspirin use for CV prevention in a population-based cohort (CoLaus Study). Methods and Results: Blood samples were assessed in 6,085 participants (3,201 women) aged 35-75 years. Medications' use and indications were recorded. Among aspirin users (n=1'034; 17%), overall low-dose (351; 5.8%) and low-dose for CV prevention (324; 5.3%) users were specifically selected for analysis. IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were assessed by a multiplex particle-based flow cytometric assay and hs-CRP by an immunometric assay. Cytokines and hs-CRP were presented in quartiles. Multivariate analysis adjusting for sex, age, smoking status, body mass index, concomitant use of various immunomodulatory drugs, diabetes mellitus showed no association between cytokines and hs-CRP levels and low-dose aspirin use for CV prevention either comparing the topmost vs. the three other quartiles (OR 95% CI, 0.84 (0.59 - 1.18), 1.03 (0.78 - 1.32), 1.10 (0.83 - 1.46), 1.00 (0.67 - 1.69) for IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and hs-CRP, respectively), or comparing the topmost quartile vs. the first one (OR 95% CI, 0.87 (0.60 - 1.26), 1.19 (0.79 - 1.79), 1.26 (0.86 - 1.84), 1.06 (0.67 - 1.69)). Conclusions: Low-dose aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention does not seem to impact plasma cytokine and hs-CRP levels in a population-based cohort.