How The 1996 Hotel Majestic agreement may explain a future PP/CiU relationship in Madrid

Some historians have argued that 1996 marked a ‘second transition’ for Spain because of the return to power of the political right in Madrid and that the relationship and eventual pact between the Partido Popular (PP) and Convergència i Unió (CiU) meant that the state could finally escape the ghosts of its Francoist past. For this research, face-to-face interviews were conducted with Catalan Members of Parliament who served under either José María Aznar or Jordi Pujol in Madrid or Barcelona. Drawing upon both interviews and other evidence, including the analysis of election results and the 1996 Hotel Majestic Agreement, the research seeks to provide a better understanding of the previous relationships between the PP and CiU and their leaders in order to understand what lessons might be learnt that would contribute to anticipating and explaining possible future negotiations between the two parties. This is attempted by first examining the potential costs and benefits of political pacts between centre (Madrid) and periphery (Barcelona). Secondly, due to many interviewees making reference to Salvador Espriu’s work La Pell de Brau, the three routes of Espriu’s Catalan nationalism are put into the context of the political pacts. Finally, the likelihood of future agreements between PP and CiU are hypothesized, not only how those agreements may (or may not) come about, but also, what might the result of those negotiations be. Ultimately, it is concluded that the benefits of the Hotel Majestic Agreement outweighed the costs, thus leaving the door open for future negotiations, even if some of those interviewed disagreed.

The population structure of Trypanosoma cruzi: expanded analysis of 54 strains using eight polymorphic CA-repeat microsatellites

Recently we cloned and sequenced the first eight Trypanosoma cruzi polymorphic microsatellite loci and studied 31 clones and strains to obtain valuable information about the population structure of the parasite. We have now studied 23 further strains, increasing from 11 to 31 the number of strains obtained from patients with chronic Chagas disease. This expanded set of 54 strains and clones analyzed with the eight microsatellites markers confirmed the previously observed diploidy, clonal population organization and very high polymorphism of T. cruzi. Moreover, this new study disclosed two new features of the population genetic structure of T. cruzi. The first was the discovery that, similarly to what we had previously shown for strains isolated from insect vectors, mammals and humans with acute disease, isolates from patients in the chronic phase of Chagas disease could also be multiclonal, albeit at a reduced proportion. Second, when we used parsimony to display the genetic relationship among the clonal lineages in an unrooted Wagner network we observed, like before, a good correlation of the tree topography with the classification in three clusters on the basis of single locus analysis of the ribosomal RNA genes. However, a significant new finding was that now the strains belonging to cluster 2 split in two distant sub-clusters. This observation suggests that the evolutionary history of T. cruzi may be more complex than we previously thought.

Sand fly evolution and its relationship to Leishmania transmission

The evolutionary relationships of sand flies and Leishmania are discussed in this report, which draws distinctions between co-association, co-evolution and co-speciation (or co-cladogenesis). Examples focus on Phlebotomus vectors of Le. infantum and Le. major in the Mediterranean subregion.

Selection of Trypanosoma cruzi clonal genotypes (clonet 20 and 39) isolated from Bolivian triatomines following subculture in liquid medium

Previous studies showed that two groups of Trypanosoma cruzi clonal genotypes named clonet 20 and clonet 39 were predominant in Triatoma infestans, the unique vector of Chagas disease in Bolivia. These groups of clones correspond to distinct genetic clusters. These clonets were detected in T. infestans and Rhodnius pictipes fecal samples before isolation and after culture by kDNA PCR (polymerase chain rreaction) and hybridization of the amplified products with clonet specific kDNA probes named 20 and 39 as previously reported. Forty eight T. infestans and three R. pictipes infected insects captured at random in different Bolivian departments were proceeded. As previously reported the direct identification of the two major clonets in fecal samples allowed the detection of abundant mixed infections: 41% in the original sample, however after culture, only 6% of mixed infections were detected. Among the 21 parasite stocks isolated from digestive tracts where mixed infections were initially detected (clonet 20 + 39) clonet 20 alone was detected in 81% of them. This result clearly showed that the culture step selected clonet 20 parasites over those belonging to clonet 39. The taxonomic status of the isolated stocks was also confirmed by isoenzyme typing, and correlation was observed between clustering topology and hybridization patterns with the probes 20 and 39.

The Irish Infancy Narratives and their Relationship with Latin Sources

(Résumé de l'ouvrage) In 1927 M. R. James published Latin Infancy Gospels, identified by him in two related but not identical manuscripts (one the British Library Arundel 404; the other from Hereford), together with a parallel text from the Irish manuscript known as the Leabhar Breac. Later researches brought to light more manuscripts of this Latin work, and also of the Irish text. James recognized that his apocryphal Latin Infancy text was compiled from a combination of the Protevangelium of James and a hitherto unknown text which he named "The Source". Recent research has identified a full Latin translation of the Protevangelium of James. A hitherto unrecognized Irish Infancy Narrative has also been identified in the Dublin manuscript known as the Liber Flavus Fergusiorum. A deep study of this related tradition was called for. This has been carried out over the past ten years by an Irish team in conjunction with Professor Daniel Kaestli and AELAC. The fruits of this labour are published in these two volumes. Volume 13 has a general introduction with a historical sketch of New Testament apocrypha in Ireland and a history of research on the subject. This is followed by a comparison of the Infancy Narratives in the Leabhar Breac and the Liber Flavus Fergusiorum. There are special introductions to these Infancy texts, followed by critical editions of the Irish texts, accompanied by English translations and rich annotation. Next there is similar treatment of the Irish versified Narrative (from ca. 700) of the Childhood Deeds of Jesus (commonly known as the Infancy Narrative (or Gospel) of Thomas. There is then (in volume 14, but with continuous pagination) the edition and translation of an Irish thirteenth-century poem with elements from Infancy Narratives, and both Latin and Irish texts on the wonders at Christ's birth, accompanied by translations and notes. The edition of the Irish material is followed by a critical edition of the full Arundel and Hereford forms of the Infancy Narrative (here referred to as the "J Compilation"), together with a detailed study of all the questions relating to this work. The volume concludes with a critical edition (by Rita Beyers) of the Latin text of the Protevangelium of James, accompanied by a detailed study of the work.. The work contains a detailed study of the Latin translations of the Protevangelium of James and the transmission of this work in the West. The "J Compilation" (a combination of the Protevangelium and texts of Pseudo-Matthew) can be traced back in manuscript transmission to ca. 800,and must have originated some time earlier. Behind it stands an earlier "I ("I" for Irish) Compilation" without influence from Pseudo-Matthew, the form found in the Irish witnesses. It is argued that M. R. James's "Source" may be of Judaeo-Christian origin and may really be the Gospel of the Nazoreans. Among the indexes there is a list of all the Irish words found in the texts. This edition of the Irish and related Latin texts is a major contribution to the study of the apocryphal Infancy Narratives. It should also be of particular interest to Celtic scholars, to students of Irish ecclesiastical learning, and in general to all medievalists.

Influence of inter-electrode distance, contraction type, and muscle on the relationship between the sEMG power spectrum and contraction force.

INTRODUCTION: Spectral frequencies of the surface electromyogram (sEMG) increase with contraction force, but debate still exists on whether this increase is affected by various methodological and anatomical factors. This study aimed to investigate the influence of inter-electrode distance (IED) and contraction modality (step-wise vs. ramp) on the changes in spectral frequencies with increasing contraction strength for the vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) muscles. METHODS: Twenty healthy male volunteers were assessed for isometric sEMG activity of the VM and VL, with the knee at 90° flexion. Subjects performed isometric ramp contractions in knee extension (6-s duration) with the force gradually increasing from 0 to 80 % MVC. Also, subjects performed 4-s step-wise isometric contractions at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 % MVC. Interference sEMG signals were recorded simultaneously at different IEDs: 10, 20, 30, and 50 mm. The mean (F mean) and median (F median) frequencies and root mean square (RMS) of sEMG signals were calculated. RESULTS: For all IEDs, contraction modalities, and muscles tested, spectral frequencies increased significantly with increasing level of force up to 50-60 % MVC force. Spectral indexes increased systematically as IED was decreased. The sensitivity of spectral frequencies to changes in contraction force was independent of IED. The behaviour of spectral indexes with increasing contraction force was similar for step-wise and ramp contractions. CONCLUSIONS: In the VL and VM muscles, it is highly unlikely that a particular inter-electrode distance or contraction modality could have prevented the observation of the full extent of the increase in spectral frequencies with increasing force level.

Victimization in Childhood of Male Sex Offenders: Relationship between Violence Experienced and Subsequent Offenses through Discourse Analysis

This study aims at better understanding how the form of childhood violence experienced and the type of offense subsequently committed affect how sex offenders recall punishments and difficult events. Fifty-four male perpetrators convicted of sexual offenses against children (SOCs) or against adults (SOAs) were interviewed in France, Belgium, and Switzerland using the Lausanne Clinical Interview (Entretien Clinique de Lausanne or LCI). Almost three-quarters of the sex offenders reported having been victimized during childhood. The correspondence analysis identified several factors that differentiated them. Their appraisal of the distressing event, method of coping with and distancing themselves from it, and how they dealt with emotions varied markedly depending on whether they recognized having experienced various forms of violence during childhood and on what type of offense they subsequently committed. Victimization can be identified as much by the events experienced as by their effect on the sex offender's discourse. Identification of these discursive indicators may lead to an improved therapeutic approach for potentially traumatic childhood experiences.

Relationship between biological behaviour and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profiles of Trypanosoma cruzi strains

Once known some biological characteristics of six Trypanosoma cruzi strains, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was made. Cluster analysis by UPGMA (unweighted pair group method analysis) was then applied both to biological parameters and RAPD profiles. Inspection of the UPGMA phenograms indicates identical clusters, so supporting that usefulness of biological parameters to characterization of T. cruzi strains still remains.

Non-nest mate discrimination and clonal colony structure in the parthenogenetic ant Cerapachys biroi

Understanding the interplay between cooperation and conflict in social groups is a major goal of biology. One important factor is genetic relatedness, and animal societies are usually composed of related but genetically different individuals, setting the stage for conflicts over reproductive allocation. Recently, however, it has been found that several ant species reproduce predominantly asexually. Although this can potentially give rise to clonal societies, in the few well-studied cases, colonies are often chimeric assemblies of different genotypes, due to worker drifting or colony fusion. In the ant Cerapachys biroi, queens are absent and all individuals reproduce via thelytokous parthenogenesis, making this species an ideal study system of asexual reproduction and its consequences for social dynamics. Here, we show that colonies in our study population on Okinawa, Japan, recognize and effectively discriminate against foreign workers, especially those from unrelated asexual lineages. In accord with this finding, colonies never contained more than a single asexual lineage and average pairwise genetic relatedness within colonies was extremely high (r = 0.99). This implies that the scope for social conflict in C. biroi is limited, with unusually high potential for cooperation and altruism.

Angiotensinergic innervation of the kidney: Localization and relationship with catecholaminergic postganglionic and sensory nerve fibers.

We describe an angiotensin (Ang) II-containing innervation of the kidney. Cryosections of rat, pig and human kidneys were investigated for the presence of Ang II-containing nerve fibers using a mouse monoclonal antibody against Ang II (4B3). Co-staining was performed with antibodies against synaptophysin, tyrosine 3-hydroxylase, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase to detect catecholaminergic efferent fibers and against calcitonin gene-related peptide to detect sensory fibers. Tagged secondary antibodies and confocal light or laser scanning microscopy were used for immunofluorescence detection. Ang II-containing nerve fibers were densely present in the renal pelvis, the subepithelial layer of the urothelium, the arterial nervous plexus, and the peritubular interstitium of the cortex and outer medulla. They were infrequent in central veins and the renal capsule and absent within glomeruli and the renal papilla. Ang II-positive fibers represented phenotypic subgroups of catecholaminergic postganglionic or sensory fibers with different morphology and intrarenal distribution compared to their Ang II-negative counterparts. The Ang II-positive postganglionic fibers were thicker, produced typically fusiform varicosities and preferentially innervated the outer medulla and periglomerular arterioles. Ang II-negative sensory fibers were highly varicose, prevailing in the pelvis and scarce in the renal periphery compared to the rarely varicose Ang II-positive fibers. Neurons within renal microganglia displayed angiotensinergic, cate-cholaminergic, or combined phenotypes. Our results suggest that autonomic fibers may be an independent source of intrarenal Ang II acting as a neuropeptide co-transmitter or neuromodulator. The angiotensinergic renal innervation may play a distinct role in the neuronal control of renal sodium reabsorption, vasomotion and renin secretion.