Ultraviolet induction of antifungal activity in plants.

Ultraviolet-C irradiation as a method to induce the production of plant compounds with antifungal properties was investigated in the leaves of 18 plant species. A susceptibility assay to determine the antifungal susceptibility of filamentous fungi was developed based on an agar dilution series in microtiter plates. UV irradiation strongly induced antifungal properties in five species against a clinical Fusarium solani strain that was responsible for an onychomycosis case that was resistant to classic pharmacological treatment. The antifungal properties of three additional plant species were either unaffected or reduced by UV-C irradiation. This study demonstrates that UV-C irradiation is an effective means of modulating the antifungal activity of very diverse plants from a screening perspective.

La implementació dels ECTS a la titulació de Formació del Professorat : fomentant l'aprenentatge significatiu mitjançant b-learning, metodologies didàctiques innovadores i l'avaluació contínua

Aquest projecte ha servit per (1) establir un treball col·laboratiu entre el professorat que habitualment impartim les assignatures de Didàctica general i atenció a la diversitat i Organització del Centre Escolar; (2) dissenyar conjuntament espais del campus virtual en la plataforma moodle; (3) compartir material i experiències docents fent formació entre iguals; (4) dissenyar i desenvolupar accions didàctiques innovadores per afavorir l'aprenentatge significatiu; (5) prendre posició respecte a l'elaboració dels nous graus de Formació del Professorat i reelaborar els plans docents nous. Les noves titulacions, el disseny per competències, l’EEES ens ha obligat a fer una reflexió sobre la nostra docència, l’educació superior i la formació dels futurs mestres. Aquest projecte ha recolzat la tasca habitual, donant-li una orientació concreta, en ell hem estat implicat un grup important de professors i professores així com d’alumnes perquè s’ha implementat en els 13 grups d’alumnes de Formació del Professorat i en dues assignatures troncals i obligatòries. Per fer seguiment del treball hem analitzat els productes d’aprenentatges, els espais moodle, així mateix hem anat recollint les valoracions dels estudiants fent qüestionaris i grups de discussió. Tot i que el treball desenvolupat es considera positiu, hi ha aspectes per millorar que també es destaquen en l’informe: dificultats per manca de temps, poc reconeixement, necessitat de cohesionar i estabilitzar equips docents, necessitat d’incorporar tècniques especialistes en el disseny d’entorns virtuals d’aprenentatge en els equips docents, entre d’altres. D’altra banda amb l’elaboració dels nous plans d’estudis les assignatures amb les que hem treballat han perdut l’entitat i el pes que tenien per tenir-ne una altra i en des de 2007 fins a ara hem anat perdent professorat estable i incorporant associats. Fets que fan necessari seguir avançant d’altres maneres, per tant finalitzem un projecte, però es necessari replantejar-se un altre.

Origins and efficiency of the electric industry regulation in Spain, 1910-1936

The aim of this paper is to discover the origins of utility regulation in Spain, and to analyse, from a microeconomic perspective, its characteristics and the impact of regulation on consumers and utilities. Madrid and the Madrilenian utilities are taken as a case study. The electric industry in the period studied was a natural monopoly2. Each of the three phases of production, generation, transmission and distribution, had natural monopoly characteristics. Therefore, the most efficient form to generate, transmit and distribute electricity was the monopoly because one firm can produce a quantity at a lower cost than the sum of costs incurred by two or more firms. A problem arises because when a firm is the single provider it can charge prices above the marginal cost, at monopoly prices. When a monopolist reduces the quantity produced, price increases, causing the consumer to demand less than the economic efficiency level, incurring a loss of consumer surplus. The loss of the consumer surplus is not completely gained by the monopolist, causing a loss of social surplus, a deadweight loss. The main objective of regulation is going to be to reduce to a minimum the deadweight loss. Regulation is also needed because when the monopolist fixes prices at marginal cost equal marginal revenue there would be an incentive for firms to enter the market creating inefficiency. The Madrilenian industry has been chosen because of the availability of statistical information on costs and production. The complex industry structure and the atomised demand add interest to the analysis. This study will also provide some light on the tariff regulation of the period which has been poorly studied and will complement the literature on the US electric utilities regulation where a different type of regulation was implemented.

Conservation of a threatened European tree frog (Hyla arborea) metapopulation

Summary: Amphibians are among the most vulnerable animals of the world. One third of all species are currently threatened with extinction. Habitat loss is the major menace to pond- and stream-breeding species in the old world. In highly urbanized landscape like the Swiss Plateau, most species suffer from habitat reduction and fragmentation. Among all indigenous species, the European tree frog (Hyla arborea L., 1758) is one of the most endangered. It experienced an alarming decline during the last century and its regional long-term persistence is not guaranteed. We developed a monitoring framework based on calling male counts which included multiple visits to each wetland during the reproduction period in order to precisely determine its distribution on the Lemanic coast. Our results indicate that visiting populations 3 limes under suitable climatic conditions (temperature >20°C) provides reliable presence/absence data. Based on our monitoring data, we analyzed the species requirements regarding its breeding habitat. It appeared that anthropogenic activities had paradoxical effects on the species. On one hand, urbanization, traffic and intensive agriculture had a strong detrimental effect on tree frog distribution. On the other hand, large tree frog populations were frequently associated with gravel pits and military training grounds. Our results allowed us to create a habitat suitability map taking into account detrimental landscape elements around ponds (>1100m away from urban areas and >500m away from first class roads). In parallel, we developed a metapopulation model of the European tree frog in order to identify the critical threats to the long term persistence of the species. Our results indicated that suitable pond density is at the low end of the species requirements. Pond creation must therefore be considered an essential complementary approach to pond conservation and restoration. Our model also provided a mapping solution permitting the location of the must suitable area for pond creation from a metapopulation perspective. As many other amphibians, the European tree frog is not only exposed to an aquatic habitat (breeding and larval period), but also to a terrestrial stage (summer and overwintering habitats). Unfortunately, animals in their terrestrial phase are less conspicuous and, as a consequence, their terrestrial needs are relatively unknown. Using a recent tracking method (the Harmonic Direction Finder), we followed post-breeding frogs and identified favored terrestrial habitats, thus providing another practical conservation tool. We conclude that only the combination of multiple spatially explicit approaches (landscape-scale habitat suitability, metapopulation dynamics and terrestrial needs) is likely to provide wildlife managers with effective tools for the conservation of highly endangered amphibians. Résumé: Les amphibiens font partie des animaux les plus vulnérables du monde. Un tiers des espèces est actuellement menacé d'extinction. Dans l'ancien monde, la disparition des habitats constitue la principale menace pour les grenouilles, crapauds, tritons et salamandres. Dans les paysages fortement urbanisés comme le Plateau Suisse, la plupart des espèces souffrent d'une réduction et d'une fragmentation de leurs habitats. Parmi toutes les espèces indigènes, la rainette verte (Hyla arborea L., 1758) est l'une des plus menacée. Sa distribution a régressé de manière alarmante durant le siècle passé et sa survie régionale à long terme n'est pas assurée. Nous avons développé une méthode de suivi des populations se basant sur le comptage des mâles chanteurs durant la période de reproduction. Cette méthode requiert plusieurs visites à chaque plan d'eau de manière à déterminer précisément la distribution de l'espèce. Nos résultats démontrent que 3 visites par population dans des conditions climatiques favorable (température >20°C) permettent d'obtenir des données de présence/ absence valables. Sur la base de nos comptages sur la Côte lémanique, nous avons analysé les exigences de l'espèce concernant ses sites de reproduction. Il est apparu que les activités humaines avaient un effet paradoxal sur l'espèce. D'une part, l'urbanisation, le trafic routier et l'intensification de l'agriculture ont un effet fortement préjudiciable, tandis que d'autre part les plus grandes populations sont souvent associées à des gravières et autres places d'armes. Nos résultats ont permis de créer une carte de qualité d'habitat prenant en compte les éléments paysagers préjudiciables à la rainette (situé à plus de 1100m de zones urbaines et à plus de 500m de routes de première classe). En parallèle, nous avons développé un modèle métapopulationnel (incluant l'ensemble des populations) de manière à identifier les menaces prépondérantes sur la survie à long terme de l'espèce. Nos résultats ont permis de déterminer que la densité actuelle de plans d'eau adéquats est à la limite inférieure des exigences de l'espèce. La création d'étangs doit donc être considérée comme une approche indispensable et complémentaire à la protection et à la restauration des sites existants. Notre modèle a également fourni des résultats cartographiables permettant l'identification des sites les plus appropriés dans une perspective métapopulationnelle. Comme de nombreux autres amphibiens, la rainette verte est exposée à un habitat aquatique (reproduction et développement larvaire) ainsi qu'à un habitat terrestre (été et hiver). Les animaux étant particulièrement cryptiques dans cette seconde phase, leurs besoins terrestres sont relativement mal connus. Nous avons donc développé une nouvelle méthode de télémétrie basée sur le goniomètre harmonique. Cette méthode nous a permis de suivre des rainettes dans leurs migrations jusqu'à leurs habitats d'été et d'établir ainsi des recommandations pratiques pour la conservation de la rainette. Nous concluons que la combinaison de multiples approches spatialement explicites (qualité d'habitat, dynamique de métapopulation et habitats terrestres) est seule à même de produire des outils efficaces pour la conservation des espèces menacées d'amphibiens.

Alcool et comorbidités psychiatriques pour le praticien [Alcohol and psychiatric comorbidities in primary care].

Patients presenting with alcohol-related problems frequently suffer from comorbid mental health problems. From a broader perspective, patients having a comorbid situation between an addiction and a psychiatric trouble are at risk of being underdiagnosed for one of the two diseases. This litterature review tries to outline the issues linked to rigorous psychiatric diagnoses in the alcoologic situation, to describe the epidemiology of alcohol dual diagnosis, and to sum up scientific knowledge about the most adapted medication options and treatment settings.

How to use the standard model with own data?

In this work discuss the use of the standard model for the calculation of the solvency capital requirement (SCR) when the company aims to use the specific parameters of the model on the basis of the experience of its portfolio. In particular, this analysis focuses on the formula presented in the latest quantitative impact study (2010 CEIOPS) for non-life underwriting premium and reserve risk. One of the keys of the standard model for premium and reserves risk is the correlation matrix between lines of business. In this work we present how the correlation matrix between lines of business could be estimated from a quantitative perspective, as well as the possibility of using a credibility model for the estimation of the matrix of correlation between lines of business that merge qualitative and quantitative perspective.

Narrative Diagrammatik. Mit einer Modellanalyse: Die Diagrammatik des "Decameron"

Taking as a starting point the seeming inconsistency of late-medieval romances notoriously 'run wild' (verwildert), this article is concerned with the description of an abstract form of narrative coherence that is based on the notion of the diagrammatic. In a first section, this concept is illustrated in a simplified manner by an analysis of Boccaccio's Decameron based on two levels of spatial structure: that of the autograph Berlin manuscript (Codex Hamilton 90) and that of the recipient's mental visualisation of the relations between the frame and the tales of the work. It is argued that the connectivity of the work as a whole depends on the perception of those two spatial representations of the plot. A second section develops this concept in a more theoretical fashion, drawing on Charles Sanders Peirce's notion of diagrammatic reasoning as a way of perceiving relations through mental and material topological representations. Correspondingly, a view of narrative is proposed that does not depend on the traditional perspective of temporal sequence but emphasizes the spatial structure of literary narrative. It is argued that these conditions form the primary ontological mode of narrative, whereas the temporal development of a story is an aesthetic illusion that has been specifically stimulated by the narrative conventions of approximately the past three centuries and must thus be considered a secondary effect. To conclude, an interpretation in miniature of an aspect of Heinrich von Neustadt's Apollonius von Tyrland that seems to have 'run wild' is undertaken from a diagrammatic perspective.

Computational quest for understanding the role of astrocyte signaling in synaptic transmission and plasticity.

The complexity of the signaling network that underlies astrocyte-synapse interactions may seem discouraging when tackled from a theoretical perspective. Computational modeling is challenged by the fact that many details remain hitherto unknown and conventional approaches to describe synaptic function are unsuitable to explain experimental observations when astrocytic signaling is taken into account. Supported by experimental evidence is the possibility that astrocytes perform genuine information processing by means of their calcium signaling and are players in the physiological setting of the basal tone of synaptic transmission. Here we consider the plausibility of this scenario from a theoretical perspective, focusing on the modulation of synaptic release probability by the astrocyte and its implications on synaptic plasticity. The analysis of the signaling pathways underlying such modulation refines our notion of tripartite synapse and has profound implications on our understanding of brain function.

La ética del cuidar y la atención de enfermería

El present treball analitza l'ètica de la cura i l'atenció d'infermeria. Es descriuen els seus antecedents i la influència del feminisme en les cures d'infermeria. Així mateix, s'analitza mitjançant unes entrevistes en profunditat, la dimensió ètica de les cures segons els models de Watson i Roach a un centre hospitalari del nostre pais.

La construcció del funcionari. Un estudi de cas : INSS Barcelona

El treballador públic és sotmès, des que comença la seva particular relació laboral, a un món fortament estructurat i amb una cultura, unes característiques i un tarannà propis i particulars. És en aquest procés que les forces socialitzadores del seu lloc de treball, juntament amb les del món exterior, el van formant com a treballador públic, fins al punt que es pot parlar del funcionari com d'una construcció. Això produeix una manera de veure i entendre el món laboral molt diferent de la que es té en l'empresa privada. Així, les aptituds, les actituds, les maneres de fer, les dèries i les manies només tenen sentit dins el seu entorn, que ell mateix comprèn com a totalment diferent. L'oposició com a ritual de pas, la socialització secundària, la percepció de l'alteritat, el qui és l'altre, el quan i el perquè, i els trets de la seva cultura - el temps, el treball, la normativa són algunes de les claus estudiades en aquest treball que ens ajuden a comprendre el perquè i el com d'aquesta construcció.

Analyse de la prise en charge médicale et de l'impact économique des patients ayant présentés des coûts extrêmes dans un hôpital universitaire [Analysis of the medical management and the economic impact of patients who have represented extreme costs at a university hospital]

Les coûts de traitement de certains patients s'avèrent extrêmement élevés, et peuvent faire soupçonner une prise en charge médicale inadéquate. Comme I'évolution du remboursement des prestations hospitalières passe à des forfaits par pathologie, il est essentiel de vérifier ce point, d'essayer de déterminer si ce type de patients peut être identifié à leur admission, et de s'assurer que leur devenir soit acceptable. Pour les années 1995 et 1997. les coûts de traitement dépassant de 6 déviations standard le coût moyen de la catégorie diagnostique APDRG ont été identifiés, et les dossiers des 50 patients dont les coûts variables étaient les plus élevés ont été analysés. Le nombre total de patients dont I'hospitalisation a entraîné des coûts extrêmes a passé de 391 en 1995 à 328 patients en 1997 (-16%). En ce qui concerne les 50 patients ayant entraîné les prises en charge les plus chères de manière absolue, les longs séjours dans de multiples services sont fréquents, mais 90% des patients sont sortis de l'hôpital en vie, et près de la moitié directement à domicile. Ils présentaient une variabilité importante de diagnostics et d'interventions, mais pas d'évidence de prise en charge inadéquate. En conclusion, les patients qualifiés de cas extrêmes sur un plan économique, ne le sont pas sur un plan strictement médical, et leur devenir est bon. Face à la pression qu'exercera le passage à un mode de financement par pathologie, les hôpitaux doivent mettre au point un système de revue interne de I'adéquation des prestations fournies basées sur des caractéristiques cliniques, s'ils veulent garantir des soins de qualité. et identifier les éventuelles prestations sous-optimales qu'ils pourraient être amenés à délivrer. [Auteurs] Treatment costs for some patients are extremely high and might let think that medical care could have been inadequate. As hospital financing systems move towards reimbursement by diagnostic groups, it is essential to assess whether inadequate care is provided, to try to identify these patients upon admission, and make sure that their outcome is good. For the years 1995 and 1997, treatment costs exceeding by 6 standard deviations the average cost of their APDRG category were identified, and the charts of the 50 patients with the highest variable costs were analyzed. The total number of patients with such extreme costs diminished from 391 in 1995 to 328 in 1997 (-16%). For the 50 most expensive patients, long stays in several services were frequent, but 90% of these patients left the hospital alive, and about half directly to their home. They presented an important variation in diagnoses and operations, but no evidence for inadequate care. Thus, patients qualified as extreme from an economic perspective cannot be qualified as such from a medical perspective, and their outcome is good. To face the pressure linked with the change in financing system, hospitals must develop an internal review system for assessing the adequacy of care, based on clinical characteristics, if they want to guarantee good quality of care and identify potentially inadequate practice.

Accepting Methadone: The Evolution of an Institutional Decision

This is a study of organisational decision making among senior civil servants in the Department of Health (DOH) in relation to the acceptance of methadone maintenance as a valid treatment modality for opiate misuse in Ireland. A qualitative strategy was adopted with an emergent design and grounded theory perspective. The data was collected using a naturalistic mode of inquiry and comprised of documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews. The aspects of decision making chosen for the study were: 1. Identifying the actors involved considering the heretofore dominant 'corporation sole' culture of the Irish public administration. 2. Identifying two (out of the myriad) processes involved in decision making. 3. Identifying what theoretical model(s) of decision making most closely approximates to this case. The findings were as follows: 1. Actors involved at all levels of the decision making could be identified, albeit with some difficulty. This as a result of the strategic management initiative. Previously, it may not have been possible. Stages or phases could not, in this case, be readily identified though limitations of this study may prove significant. 2. Both the processes selected in decision-making in this case were confirmed. Personal and professional support provided by peers and seniors is crucial to decision making. Decision making does occur within networks: these tend to be those that are formally appointed rather than informal ones. 3. The model closest to that of this case was that of incremental decision making within network settings.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010 - 2015: Investing in Global Relationships

Ireland, as a small, open European economy, relies fundamentally on international engagement. An internationalised education system in Ireland has a crucial role to play in maintaining Ireland’s international profile and attractiveness by educating the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and decision-makers in our partner-countries, by giving our own students the intercultural expertise demanded in the global economy, and by enhancing the direct link with Ireland for members of our global diaspora who choose to come home to study. The High-Level Group on International Education takes the view that, from a national perspective, the most compelling rationale for internationalisation is investment in future global relationships: with students educated in Ireland who will become our advocates overseas, with educational institutions that will be the research and teaching partners of the future, and with the countries that will be Ireland’s next trading and business partners

Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010 - 2015: Investing in Global Relationships Summary Report

Ireland, as a small, open European economy, relies fundamentally on international engagement. An internationalised education system in Ireland has a crucial role to play in maintaining Ireland’s international profile and attractiveness by educating the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and decision-makers in our partner-countries, by giving our own students the intercultural expertise demanded in the global economy, and by enhancing the direct link with Ireland for members of our global diaspora who choose to come home to study. The High-Level Group on International Education takes the view that, from a national perspective, the most compelling rationale for internationalisation is investment in future global relationships: with students educated in Ireland who will become our advocates overseas, with educational institutions that will be the research and teaching partners of the future, and with the countries that will be Ireland’s next trading and business partners. Internationalisation also provides a means of enhancing the quality of learning, teaching and research in Ireland and makes a significant contribution to our broader ambition as a global innovation hub.

When the mummy is digital : preservation and dissemination

Most educational institutions include nowadays a digital repository as part of their development and positioning strategy. The main goals of a digital repository are preservation and dissemination, which are some how contradictory, especially if the repository follows an open approach, as it is designed, built and managed from an institutional perspective, although it is intended to be used by teachers and learners. This fact may lead to a low level of usage, as final users are not able to integrate the learning object repository into their learning process. In this paper we will discuss how to promote open educational resources by connecting open repositories with open social networks, bridging the gap between resources and final users (teachers and learners).