The Determinants of Exit in Argentina: Core and Peripheral Regions

This paper analyses the regional determinants of exit in Argentina. We find evidence of a dynamic revolving door by which past entrants increase current exits, particularly in the peripheral regions. In the central regions, current and past incumbents cause an analogous displacement effect. Also, exit shows a U-shaped relationship with respect to the informal economy, although the positive effect is weaker in the central regions. These findings point to the existence of a core-periphery structure in the spatial distribution of exits. Key words: firm exit, count data models, Argentina JEL: R12; R30; C33

Low seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus among blood donors in Switzerland

Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) emerged as an autochthonous food-borne disease in developed countries, transmitted mainly through pork meat. Cases of transmission through blood transfusion have been reported. Recent studies revealed sero-prevalence rates of 13.5%, 16.6% and 20.6% among blood donors in England, France and Denmark, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of HEV among Swiss blood donors. Method: We screened 550 consecutive blood donations from the Service Régional Vaudois de Transfusion Sanguine of Epalinges, for the presence of anti-HEV IgG (MP Diagnostics HEV ELISA). The sample size was based on the Lorentz formula considering an expected prevalence of 3% with a precision of 1.5%. For each donor, we studied the following variables: age, sex and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value. Results: All blood donors were Caucasian, and included 332 men (60.4%) and 218 women (39.6%). The median age was 55 years (IQR 46-63 years). Overall, anti-HEV IgG were found in 27 of 550 samples (4.9%). The sero-prevalence was 5.4% (18/314) in men and 4.1% (9/209) in women. The presence of anti-HEV IgG was not correlated to age, gender or ALT values. Conclusion: Compared to other European countries, the HEV sero-prevalence among blood donors in Switzerland is surprisingly low. Possible explanations include the strict regulation of animals and meat import. However, to confirm this hypothesis, further studies assessing the prevalence of HEV in Swiss swine will be necessary.

Pontificale parisiense [Pontifical dit de Poitiers ou de Vierzon].

Sur le feuillet de garde A, cette note autographe de Mabillon : « Hic codex optimae notae scriptus est ante annos circiter octingentos. Multa scitu digna continet, maxime in triduo ante Pascha. In litaniis sabbati sancti fit supplicatio pro congregatione S. Petri, quem patronum habet Pictavensis ecclesia. Invocantur etiam in iisdem sanctus Hilarius et sancta Radegundis, qui praecipue ad ecclesiam Pictavensem pertinent ; sed nulla mentio de aliis sanctis ejusdem dioecesis. Haec scripsi XI kal. decembris an. 1695. — F. J. M. » Fol. 1 : « Benedictio episcoporum. — Consecratio ». Fol. 2 : « Oratio ad ordinandum praesbiterum. — Consecratio. ». Fol. 3 : « Oratio ad ordinandum diaconum. — Consecratio. » Fol. 4 : « Ordo qualiter in Romana ecclesia praesbiteri, diaconi, subdiaconi ordinandi sunt. » Fol. 5 : « Ordinatio subdiaconi ». Fol. 5v° : « Ordinatio ostiarii. » Fol. 6 : « Ordinatio lectoris ». Fol. 6v° : « Ordinatio exorcistae ». Fol. 7 : « Ordinatio acoliti ». Fol. 7v° : « Incipit ordo qualiter publice vel specialiter agitur modus paenitentiae secundum censuram ecclesiasticam, quod quarta feria quinquagesime inchoatur ». Fol. 8v° : « Confessio pura coram Deo et angelis et coram omnibus sanctis » : — de superbia (fol. 12) ; de inani gloria (fol. 13) ; de invidia (fol. 13 vo) ; de ira (fol. 14 vo) ; de tristitia (fol. 15) ; de avaricia (fol. 16) ; de ventris ingluvie (fol. 20) ; de luxuria (fol. 23). Fol. 40v° : « Missa pro paenitentibus et confitentibus, sive unus sive plures fuerint ». Fol. 43 : « Denunciatio scrutinii quod tertia ebdomada in quadragesima secunda feria iniciatur ». Fol. 43v° : « Oratio super electos ad catecuminum faciendum ». Fol. 44 : « Benedictio salis dandi caticuminis. » — Prières et exhortations aux catéchumènes. Explication des évangiles. Fol. 54-56 : Le Credo, en grec avec traduction latine au-dessus. La traduction est faite de mot à mot. Pour l'article grec, le traducteur s'est contenté de mettre au-dessus, dans le texte latin, ces lettres ar. (articulus). Fol. 58v° : Explication du Pater. Fol. 60v° : « Incipit missa primi scrutinii ». Fol. : 63 : « Alia missa de secundo scrutinio ». Fol. 66v° : « Missa de tertio scrutinio ». Fol. 70 : « Sabbato ante diem Palmarum ». Fol. 72 : « Dominica indulgentiae quae est dies Palmarum ». Fol. 73 : Les 36 premiers vers de la pièce Gloria, laus de Théodulfe, évêque d'Orléans (Henry Martin signale l'éd. qu'en a fait Duemmler dans les Poetae latini aevi carolini, t. I, p. 558 : « Gloria, laus et honor tibi sit, Christe redemptor, Cui puerile decus promsit osanna pium. Israhel es tu rex Davidis et inclita proles, Nomine qui in Domini, rex benedicte, venis... » Fol. 95 :« Feria II post Palmas ». Fol. 98v° : « Feria tertia ». Fol. 130 : « Feria V, quae est cena Domini ». Fol. 141v° : « Alia missa eodem die, si plures ad reconciliandum venerint ». Fol. 154 : « Missa chrismalis ». Fol. 160 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Denys, Quentin, Julien, Géréon, Hilaire, Martin, Aignan, Benoît, Cloud [Clodoald], Ste Geneviève. Fol. 170v° : « Benedictio chrismatis principalis ». Fol. 171 : « Exorcismus olei ad baptizandos ». Fol. 173v° : In cena Domini de Flavius, évêque: « Versus Flavii episcopi ad mandatum in cena Domini ». « Tellus a cethra jubilent in magni cena principis, Que protoplasti pectora vite purgavit ferculo ; Hac nocte factor omnium potenti sat mysterio Carnem suam cum sanguine in escam transfert anime. — Tellus. » Fol. 174 : « Item versus Bedae » (Bède). « Fuit Domini dilectus languens a Bethania Lazarus beatus sacris olim cum sororibus quas Jhesus eternus Amor diligebat plurimum Martham simul et Mariam, felices per secula. » Fol. 174v° : « Feria VI quae est Parasceve ». Fol. 192v° : « Pange lingua gloriosi Proelium certaminis ». Fol. 193 : « Incipit de sabbato sancto. — Ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 200v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Quentin, Cucuphat, Julien, Lucien, Hilaire, Martin, Benoît, Germain, Columban, Samson ; SStes Geneviève, Brigitte, Colombe, Radegonde, Aldegonde. — A noter aussi (fol. 201 vo) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut illum abbatem et cunctam congregationem sancti illius in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris... » Fol. 202 : « Benedictio cerei. — Exultet jam angelica turba coelorum. Exultent divina mysteria... », avec neumes. Fol. 208 : Litanies. A noter : SS. Hilaire, Martin, Ambroise, Maur, Maurille, Lezin, évêque d'Angers ; SStes Blandine, Nathalie. Fol. 210 : « Inde canitur hic versus : »« Urbs beata Hierusalem, dicta pacis visio, que construitur in celis vivis ex lapidibus... » Fol. 210v° : « Benedictio fontis ». Fol. 213 : vers « Tibi laus perennis auctor baptismatis... » Fol. 213v° : Litanies. A noter : SS. Martin, Brice, Médard, Vaast, Germain, Marcel, Hilaire ; SStes Reine, Julienne, Gertrude, Colombe, Geneviève, Afre, Radegonde, Aldegonde, Darie, Brigitte, Paule. — A noter (fol. 215) : « Ut exercitum Francorum conservare digneris. — Ut congregationem sancti Petri in tuo apto servitio conservare digneris ». Fol. 223 : « Finit ordo baptisterii ». Fol. 227 : Le jour de Pâques. Fol. 230v° : « Feria II ». Fol. 241 : « Feria quinta ». Fol. 245v° : « Feria VI ». Fol. 248 : « Sabbato ». Fol. 252v° : « In octavis Paschae ». Fol. 256v° : « Missa in octavis Paschae pro baptizatis ». Fol. 257v° : « Missa pro parroechias in diebus paschalibus... ». Fol. 258v° : « Fides catholica continens credulitatem... » Fol. 269 : « Missa pro conjugibus sterilitate infecundis in procreatione prolis ». Fol. 273v° : « Orationes ad benedicendam aquam aspergendam in domo. — Exorcismus salis ». Fol. 274 : « Benedictio salis. — Exorcismus aque. — Benedictio aque ». Fol. 274v° : « Benedictio salis et aquae... » etc. Fol. 275 : « Exorcismus salis et aquae contra fulgura ». Fol. 276 : « Benedictio salis ad pecora. — Orationes ad clericum faciendum ». Fol. 276v° : « Benedictio putei ». Fol. 277 : « Benedictio frugum novarum ». Fol. 277v° : « Benedictio panis. — Oratio ad capillarum (sic). — Alia ad tonsorandum puerum ». Fol. 278 : « Oratio post tonsionem. — Oratio ad barbas tondendas ». Fol. 278 : « lncipit actio pontificalis ad... » . Le verso du feuillet 279 est tout à fait effacé. Neumes français, du IXe s., aux f. 202-204 (l'Exultet) ; addition du Xe s. au f. 203 v° (Bernard).

Apport de l'utltrasonographie dans la chirurgie d'épargne du rein et du testicule [Benefits of ultrasonography in kidney and testicular-sparing surgery].

Renal and testicular cancers account for 4% and 1% of all malignancies, respectively. Their prevalence has increased over the past years and is related to the widespread use of medical imaging and the incidental findings of small asymptomatic tumors on computed tomography scanners and ultrasounds examinations. The urologist faces the dilemma of overtreating benign asymptomatic lesions with radical surgery. Therefore, organ-sparing surgery was developed. Recent studies have shown that recurrence rates are often similar between organ-sparing and radical surgery for small kidney or testicular tumors. However, the risk of positive surgical margins consecutive to organ-sparing surgery remains a matter of debate. This article discusses the role of ex-vivo peroperative ultrasonography in predicting negative surgical margins during kidney- and testicular-sparing surgery.

Ácido cianídrico em tecidos de mandioca em função da idade da planta e adubação nitrogenada

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o teor de ácido cianídrico em tecidos de mandioca, em função da idade da planta e níveis de adubação nitrogenada. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As doses de nitrogênio em cobertura (0, 30, 60, 150 e 330 kg ha-1) foram alocadas nas parcelas, e as épocas de avaliação (90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 300 e 360 dias após o plantio), nas subparcelas. Os teores de ácido cianídrico foram avaliados em tecidos da folha, caule, polpa e córtex da raiz da cultivar Aciolina. Os efeitos das doses de N e das épocas de avaliação foram independentes. Doses entre 219 e 241 kg ha-1 de N em cobertura proporcionam os maiores teores de ácido cianídrico, que variaram de 332 a 401 mg kg-1 de matéria fresca nos tecidos avaliados. O teor de ácido cianídrico nos tecidos reduz-se linearmente com a idade da planta. O córtex da raiz acumula o maior teor de ácido cianídrico, e a polpa da raiz o menor. Por ocasião da colheita, aos 360 dias após o plantio, essa cultivar é classificada como mandioca mansa.

Isothermal sections of the Ru-Si-Ge, Ru-Ge-Sn and Ru-Si-Sn systems at 900°C

The ternary systems Ruthenium-Silicon-Germanium, Ruthenium-Germanium-Tin and Ruthenium-Silicon-Tin were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis. Relations at 900 degrees C between solid phases are given and no ternary compound was found. Solubilities and evolution of lattice parameters have been correlated. Maximum mutual solubilities in the Si-Sn and Ge-Sn systems are given. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.

T cell recognition of hapten. Anatomy of T cell receptor binding of a H-2kd-associated photoreactive peptide derivative.

To elucidate the structural basis of T cell recognition of hapten-modified antigenic peptides, we studied the interaction of the T1 T cell antigen receptor (TCR) with its ligand, the H-2Kd-bound Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite peptide 252-260 (SYIPSAEKI) containing photoreactive 4-azidobenzoic acid (ABA) on P. berghei circumsporozoite Lys259. The photoaffinity-labeled TCR residue(s) were mapped as Tyr48 and/or Tyr50 of complementary determining region 2beta (CDR2beta). Other TCR-ligand contacts were identified by mutational analysis. Molecular modeling, based on crystallographic coordinates of closely related TCR and major histocompatibility complex I molecules, indicated that ABA binds strongly and specifically in a cavity between CDR3alpha and CDR2beta. We conclude that TCR expressing selective Vbeta and CDR3alpha sequences form a binding domain between CDR3alpha and CDR2beta that can accommodate nonpeptidic moieties conjugated at the C-terminal portion of peptides binding to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encoded proteins.

A multi-temporal approach to model endangered species distribution in Europe: the case of the Eurasian otter in Italy

We analysed the relationship between changes in land cover patterns and the Eurasian otter occurrence over the course of about 20 years (1985-2006) using multi-temporal Species Distribution Models (SDMs). The study area includes five river catchments covering most of the otter's Italian range. Land cover and topographic data were used as proxies of the ecological requirements of the otter within a 300-m buffer around river courses. We used species presence, pseudo-absence data, and environmental predictors to build past (1985) and current (2006) SDMs by applying an ensemble procedure through the BIOMOD modelling package. The performance of each model was evaluated by measuring the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC). Multi-temporal analyses of species distribution and land cover maps were performed by comparing the maps produced for 1985 and 2006. The ensemble procedure provided a good overall modelling accuracy, revealing that elevation and slope affected the otter's distribution in the past; in contrast, land cover predictors, such as cultivations and forests, were more important in the present period. During the transition period, 20.5% of the area became suitable, with 76% of the new otter presence data being located in these newly available areas. The multi-temporal analysis suggested that the quality of otter habitat improved in the last 20 years owing to the expansion of forests and to the reduction of cultivated fields in riparian belts. The evidence presented here stresses the great potential of riverine habitat restoration and environmental management for the future expansion of the otter in Italy

Les limites de la fibroscopie [Limits of fibroscopy]

La fibroscopie oesophagienne n'est pas sans poser quelques problèmes : pouvoir optique limité, examen insuffisant de l'hypopharynx et des zones sphinctériennes, manque de sélectivité des biopsies en muqueuse plane, possibilités instrumentales insuffisantes pour la désobstruction alimentaire et l'hémostase. Bien que le fibroscope reste l'instrument de choix pour les examens de routine, l'oesophagoscope rigide doit jouer un rôle déterminant dans le bilan pré-thérapeutique des patients porteurs d'un carcinome epidermoïde « précoce », dans l'extraction des corps étrangers, et dans toutes les situations complexes où l'instrument flexible se révèle insuffisant pour des raisons techniques (biopsie, coloration vitale, désobstruction alimentaire, etc.).