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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heritable (h2 = 24-71%) psychiatric illness. Copy number variation (CNV) is a form of rare genetic variation that has been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders, but no large-scale investigation of CNV in PTSD has been performed. We present an association study of CNV burden and PTSD symptoms in a sample of 114,383 participants (13,036 cases and 101,347 controls) of European ancestry. CNVs were called using two calling algorithms and intersected to a consensus set. Quality control was performed to remove strong outlier samples. CNVs were examined for association with PTSD within each cohort using linear or logistic regression analysis adjusted for population structure and CNV quality metrics, then inverse variance weighted meta-analyzed across cohorts. We examined the genome-wide total span of CNVs, enrichment of CNVs within specified gene-sets, and CNVs overlapping individual genes and implicated neurodevelopmental regions. The total distance covered by deletions crossing over known neurodevelopmental CNV regions was significant (beta = 0.029, SE = 0.005, P = 6.3 × 10-8). The genome-wide neurodevelopmental CNV burden identified explains 0.034% of the variation in PTSD symptoms. The 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion region was significantly associated with PTSD (beta = 0.0206, SE = 0.0056, P = 0.0002). No individual significant genes interrupted by CNV were identified. 22 gene pathways related to the function of the nervous system and brain were significant in pathway analysis (FDR q < 0.05), but these associations were not significant once NDD regions were removed. A larger sample size, better detection methods, and annotated resources of CNV are needed to explore this relationship further.

BACKGROUND: Treatment guidelines for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are based on a relatively small number of randomized controlled trials and do not consider patient-centered perceptions of treatment helpfulness. We investigated the prevalence and predictors of patient-reported treatment helpfulness for DSM-5 GAD and its two main treatment pathways: encounter-level treatment helpfulness and persistence in help-seeking after prior unhelpful treatment. METHODS: Data came from community epidemiologic surveys in 23 countries in the WHO World Mental Health surveys. DSM-5 GAD was assessed with the fully structured WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3.0. Respondents with a history of GAD were asked whether they ever received treatment and, if so, whether they ever considered this treatment helpful. Number of professionals seen before obtaining helpful treatment was also assessed. Parallel survival models estimated probability and predictors of a given treatment being perceived as helpful and of persisting in help-seeking after prior unhelpful treatment. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of GAD was 4.5%, with lower prevalence in low/middle-income countries (2.8%) than high-income countries (5.3%); 34.6% of respondents with lifetime GAD reported ever obtaining treatment for their GAD, with lower proportions in low/middle-income countries (19.2%) than high-income countries (38.4%); 3) 70% of those who received treatment perceived the treatment to be helpful, with prevalence comparable in low/middle-income countries and high-income countries. Survival analysis suggested that virtually all patients would have obtained helpful treatment if they had persisted in help-seeking with up to 10 professionals. However, we estimated that only 29.7% of patients would have persisted that long. Obtaining helpful treatment at the person-level was associated with treatment type, comorbid panic/agoraphobia, and childhood adversities, but most of these predictors w

This manuscript is the result of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society consensus conference on the surgical management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors from July 19 to 20, 2018. The group reviewed a series of questions of specific interest to surgeons taking care of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and for each, the available literature was reviewed. What follows are these reviews for each question followed by recommendations of the panel.

Mission designers must study many dynamical models to plan a low-cost spacecraft trajectory that satisfies mission constraints. They routinely use Poincar\'e maps to search for a suitable path through the interconnected web of periodic orbits and invariant manifolds found in multi-body gravitational systems. This paper is concerned with the extraction and interactive visual exploration of this structural landscape to assist spacecraft trajectory planning. We propose algorithmic solutions that address the specific challenges posed by the characterization of the topology in astrodynamics problems and allow for an effective visual analysis of the resulting information. This visualization framework is applied to the circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP), where it reveals novel periodic orbits with their relevant invariant manifolds in a suitable format for interactive transfer selection. Representative design problems illustrate how spacecraft path planners can leverage our topology visualization to fully exploit the natural dynamics pathways for energy-efficient trajectory designs., Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, to appear at IEEE VIS 2020

This study primarily investigated inadequacies identified through the utilization of the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), a Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (VSRP) overseen by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The primary objective of this research was to ascertain whether the FAA was properly managing the ATSAP and if the program was capable of effectively identifying safety hazards present in the national airspace. To assist in this determination, this study communicated the basic characteristics and significance of safety management and voluntary reporting in aviation. This served to clarify the intended function of the ATSAP and to articulate contributions that modern voluntary disclosure programs provide to the air traffic community and larger aviation community. It was discovered that several issues primarily relating to ATSAP data dissemination require attention from government regulators. Furthermore, due to previous scholarly research into the program being rather limited and dated, it was noted that this research was unable to fully portray the current state of the ATSAP. In response to the findings, two recommendations are provided. The first encourages the FAA to implement a more comprehensive and intuitive VSRP, one which can be utilized by both air traffic personnel and other aviation professionals. The second recommendation affirms the importance of continued research in to the ATSAP and that additional studies have the potential to reveal further improvements that can be made to the voluntary reporting process.

This report addressed the effects rising global temperatures resulting from climate change have had on flight operations in their entirety. The research objective was to discover what methods could enhance climate adaptation in airport construction, as higher mean-surface temperatures have an increasingly negative effect on aircraft performance. The findings would primarily be of interest to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Primary Office presiding over the planning and development of airports. Overall, the report provided a comprehensive analysis of global warming’s effects on aviation, including the implications of degraded aircraft performance and sea-level rise for coastal airports. Additionally, it examined comparative solutions relating to the improved development of aircraft engine efficiency and takeoff weight (TOW) restrictions, as well as explored established airport construction practices. The study revealed that the most effective way to acclimatize to rising global temperature is to develop innovative airport architecture, while also modernizing present structures. Furthermore, solutions worth considering include the construction of airports at locations with higher latitudes and medium-elevations, and equipping airport terminal areas with advanced heating/cooling systems.

During the last glaciation, most of the British Isles and the surrounding continental shelf were covered by the British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS). An earlier compilation from the existing literature (BRITICE version 1) assembled the relevant glacial geomorphological evidence into a freely available GIS geodatabase and map (Clark etal. 2004: Boreas 33, 359). New high-resolution digital elevation models, of the land and seabed, have become available casting the glacial landform record of the British Isles in a new light and highlighting the shortcomings of the V.1 BRITICE compilation. Here we present a wholesale revision of the evidence, onshore and offshore, to produce BRITICE version 2, which now also includes Ireland. All published geomorphological evidence pertinent to the behaviour of the ice sheet is included, up to the census date of December 2015. The revised GIS database contains over 170000 geospatially referenced and attributed elements - an eightfold increase in information from the previous version. The compiled data include: drumlins, ribbed moraine, crag-and-tails, mega-scale glacial lineations, glacially streamlined bedrock (grooves, roches moutonnees, whalebacks), glacial erratics, eskers, meltwater channels (subglacial, lateral, proglacial and tunnel valleys), moraines, trimlines, cirques, trough-mouth fans and evidence defining ice-dammed lakes. The increased volume of features necessitates different map/database products with varying levels of data generalization, namely: (i) an unfiltered GIS database containing all mapping; (ii) a filtered GIS database, resolving data conflicts and with edits to improve geo-locational accuracy (available as GIS data and PDF maps); and (iii) a cartographically generalized map to provide an overview of the distribution and types of features at the ice-sheet scale that can be printed at A0 paper size at a 1:1250000 scale. All GIS data, the maps (as PDFs) and abibliography of all published sources are availablefor downl

BackgroundTraumatic events are common globally; however, comprehensive population-based cross-national data on the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the paradigmatic trauma-related mental disorder, are lacking.MethodsData were analyzed from 26 population surveys in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. A total of 71 083 respondents ages 18+ participated. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed exposure to traumatic events as well as 30-day, 12-month, and lifetime PTSD. Respondents were also assessed for treatment in the 12 months preceding the survey. Age of onset distributions were examined by country income level. Associations of PTSD were examined with country income, world region, and respondent demographics.ResultsThe cross-national lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 3.9% in the total sample and 5.6% among the trauma exposed. Half of respondents with PTSD reported persistent symptoms. Treatment seeking in high-income countries (53.5%) was roughly double that in low-lower middle income (22.8%) and upper-middle income (28.7%) countries. Social disadvantage, including younger age, female sex, being unmarried, being less educated, having lower household income, and being unemployed, was associated with increased risk of lifetime PTSD among the trauma exposed.ConclusionsPTSD is prevalent cross-nationally, with half of all global cases being persistent. Only half of those with severe PTSD report receiving any treatment and only a minority receive specialty mental health care. Striking disparities in PTSD treatment exist by country income level. Increasing access to effective treatment, especially in low- and middle-income countries, remains critical for reducing the population burden of PTSD.

Landslides are one of the most widespread geohazards in Europe, producing significant social and economic impacts. Rapid population growth in urban areas throughout many countries in Europe and extreme climatic scenarios can considerably increase landslide risk in the near future. Variability exists between European countries in both the statutory treatment of landslide risk and the use of official assessment guidelines. This suggests that a European Landslides Directive that provides a common legal framework for dealing with landslides is necessary. With this long-term goal in mind, this work analyzes the landslide databases from the Geological Surveys of Europe focusing on their interoperability and completeness. The same landslide classification could be used for the 849,543 landslide records from the Geological Surveys, from which 36% are slides, 10% are falls, 20% are flows, 11% are complex slides, and 24% either remain unclassified or correspond to another typology. Most of them are mapped with the same symbol at a scale of 1:25,000 or greater, providing the necessary information to elaborate European-scale susceptibility maps for each landslide type. A landslide density map was produced for the available records from the Geological Surveys (LANDEN map) showing, for the first time, 210,544 km2 landslide-prone areas and 23,681 administrative areas where the Geological Surveys from Europe have recorded landslides. The comparison of this map with the European landslide susceptibility map (ELSUS 1000 v1) is successful for most of the territory (69.7%) showing certain variability between countries. This comparison also permitted the identification of 0.98 Mkm2 (28.9%) of landslide-susceptible areas without records from the Geological Surveys, which have been used to evaluate the landslide database completeness. The estimated completeness of the landslide databases (LDBs) from the Geological Surveys is 17%, varying between 1 and 55%. This variability is due to the d

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the duration of chest tube drainage on pain intensity and distribution after cardiac surgery. Methods: Two groups of 80 cardiac surgery adult patients, operated on in two different hospitals, by the same group of cardiac surgeons, and with similar postoperative strategies, were compared. However, in one hospital (long drainage group), a conservative policy was adopted with the removal the chest tubes by postoperative day (POD) 2 or 3, while in the second hospital (short drainage group), all the drains were usually removed on POD 1. Results: There was a trend toward less pain in the short drainage group, with a statistically significant difference on POD 2 (P=0.047). There were less patients without pain on POD 3 in the long drainage group (P=0.01). The areas corresponding to the tract of the pleural tube, namely the epigastric area, the left basis of the thorax, and the left shoulder were more often involved in the long drainage group. There were three pneumonias in each group and no patient required repeated drainage. Conclusions: A policy of early chest drain ablation limits pain sensation and simplifies nursing care, without increasing the need for repeated pleural puncture. Therefore, a policy of short drainage after cardiac surgery should be recommended

Objectives: Prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is not exactly known among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are considered for surgical revascularisation. We evaluated the value of screening AAA among coronary patients admitted in our cardiovascular surgery unit. Methods: Over a 24-month period, an abdominal echography was proposed to male patients aged 60 or more while hospitalised for surgical coronary revascularisation. Patients with previous investigation of the aorta were excluded. The aorta was considered aneurysmal when the anterior-posterior diameter was of 30 mm or more. Results: Three hundred and ninety-five consecutive patients all accepted a proposed abdominal echographic screening for AAA. Forty unsuspected AAA were detected (10.1%). The mean diameter was 38.9±1.3 mm. Four AAA were larger than 50 mm and considered for surgery after the CABG procedure. Surveillance was proposed to the other 36, especially the 10 patients with an AAA larger than 40 mm. Patients with AAA were significantly older than those without AAA (71.3±0.8 vs. 69.4±0.3 years, P<0.05). Smoking history (P<0.05) and hypertension (P<0.05) were also associated more frequently with AAA. More than 16% of the patients being smokers and suffering hypertension presented with unsuspected AAA. Conclusions: In-hospital screening of AAA is very efficient among patients with coronary artery disease. Therefore, patients with CAD may be considered for routine AAA screening

Objective: Although recent experience suggests that transmyocardial laser revascularisation (TMLR) relieves angina, its mechanism of action remains undefined. We examined its functional effects and analysed its morphological features in an animal model of acute ischaemia. Methods: A total of 15 pigs were randomised to ligation of left marginal arteries (infarction group, n=5), to TMLR of the left lateral wall using a holmium:yttrium-aluminium garnet (Ho:YAG) laser (laser group, n=5), and to both (laser-infarction group, n=5). All the animals were sacrificed 1 month after the procedure. Haemodynamics and echocardiography with segmental wall motion score were carried out at both time intervals (scale 0-3: 0, normal; 1, hypokinesia; 2, akinesia; 3, dyskinesia). Histology of the involved area was analysed. Results: Laser group showed no change of the segmental wall motion score of the involved area 30 min after the laser channels were made (score: 0±0). Infarction and laser-infarction groups both showed a persistent and definitive increase of the segmental wall motion score (at 30 min: 1.6±0.3 and 2±0, respectively; at 1 month: 1.8±0.2 and 1.8±0.4, respectively). These increases were all statistically significant in comparison with baseline values (P<0.5), however comparison between infarction and laser-infarction groups showed no significant difference. On macroscopic examination of the endocardial surface, no channel was opened. On histology, there were signs of neovascularisation around the channels in the laser group, whereas in the laser-infarction group the channels were embedded in the infarction scar. Conclusions: In this acute pig model, TMLR did not provide improvement of contractility of the ischaemic myocardium. To the degree that the present study pertains to the clinical setting, the results suggest that mechanisms other than blood flow through the channels should be considered, such as a laser-induced triggering of neovascularisation or neural destruction

Objective: Minimally invasive open heart surgery involves limited intrathoracic cannulation sites necessitating cardiopulmonary bypass to be initiated via peripheral access using percutaneous cannulae with the tip placed into the right atrial cavity. However, surgery involving the opening of the right heart obliges the surgeon to maintain the end of the cannulae into the vena cavae. The impeded venous return due to the smaller diameter may be alleviated by inserting a centrifugal pump in the venous line. Methods: Right anterior mini-thoracotomy and exposure of the femoral site were performed before the patient was heparinized. Cannulation of the femoral artery, the inferior vena cava via the femoral vein and the superior vena cava through the mini-thoracotomy was performed and cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated. Venous drainage was augmented with the centrifugal pump. Cardiac arrest was provoked and both vena cavae were snared before performing the intracardiac procedure. Results: Twenty consecutive patients were operated on using this technique (15 males/five females; age: 44.8±14.3 years; bodyweight: 73.5±15.1 kg; body surface area: 1.8±0.2 m2; theoretical blood flow rate: 4.4±0.5 l/min). The cannula sizes were 21.9±2.2 Fr for the femoral artery, 26.5±1.7 Fr for the inferior vena cava and 23.8±2.5 Fr for the superior vena cava. Venous drainage through the single inferior vena cava cannula was 2.1±0.6 l/min (48.8±13.3% of the theoretical flow). Adding the superior vena cava cannula increased the venous flow to 3.1±0.4 l/min (70.7±9.6% of the theoretical value, P<0.005). The use of the centrifugal pump increased the flow to 4.1±0.6 l/min (93.4±8.9% of the theoretical flow, P<0.001) with a mean inlet negative pressure of −69.1±10.2 mmHg. The mean bypass time was 64.0±24.6 min for a mean operative time of 226.3±61.0 min. Minimum venous saturation was 69.4±8.5%. Conclusions: Despite the smaller diameter of the vena cavae compared to the right atrium, and a smaller in

Objective: Heart manipulation during OPCAB may cause hemodynamical instability in particular for access to the posterior and lateral walls. The ‘no compression' technique involves enucleation of the heart without any compression on the cavities, and stabilization of the target area with a suction device. The impact of this technique on hemodynamics is assessed. Methods: In order to analyze a homogeneous group, 26 consecutive patients with triple grafts, one to each side of the heart in the same sequential order (posterior, lateral and anterior wall successively) were selected. Heart rate (HR), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP, mmHg), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP, mmHg), mean arterial pressure (MAP, mmHg), cardiac output index (COI, l/min per m2), and central venous saturation (SvO2,%) were monitored. A coronary shunt was used for all the anastomoses. Results: HR was stable with baseline value of 60±10 and the highest value for the anterior wall, 63.6±8 (P=0.23). PAP and PCWP exhibited their highest increase, when compared with baseline, for the lateral wall, 23.9±4.7 vs. 20.7±6.2 (P=0.06), and 17.2±4.7 vs. 14.9±5.6 (P=0.16), respectively. MAP, COI and SvO2, exhibited their largest drop, when compared with baseline, for the lateral wall too, 73.1±9.1 vs. 77.1±7.5 (P=0.12), 1.99±0.47 vs. 2.26±0.55 (P=0.09), and 70.5±8.4 vs. 74.8±9.3 (P=0.12), respectively. Conclusions: None of the hemodynamical parameter differed significantly from baseline value for all three territories. While hemodynamics was perfectly maintained during the posterior and anterior walls revascularization, exposure of the lateral wall led to marginal changes only

Mark D Mifflin,1 Xavier M Mortensen,1 Brent S Betts,1 Cole Gross,2 Brian Zaugg1 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 2University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA Purpose: To study the accuracy and reliability of optical pachymetry using the Alcon WaveLight EX500 during laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Materials and methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 90 eyes from 45 patients who had undergone LASIK (mean age 35.2±8.2 years; 19 males, 26 females). The WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser was programmed to cut LASIK flaps at a desired depth of 120 µm. Optical low-coherence reflectometry (WaveLight EX500) was used to measure central corneal thickness prior to lifting the flap, and the residual stromal bed immediately after excimer ablation. Flap thickness (FT) was calculated using simple subtraction. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure central corneal thickness, flap thickness, and residual stromal bed in the postoperative period and the results compared to intraoperative measurements. Results: Mean programmed FS200 FT was 119 µm. Mean FT using EX500 optical pachymetry was 109 µm. The difference between FS200- programmed and EX500-measured FT was 9 µm (P<0.001). There was also a significant difference between the EX500 and OCT FT (109 µm vs 119 µm, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusion: FT values calculated using intraoperative EX500 optical pachymetry were significantly lower than programmed FS200 values or OCT measurements. Keywords: flap thickness, optical coherence tomography, femtosecond laser

BACKGROUND: The current study sought to examine the diagnostic overlap in DSM-IV and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder (AUD) and determine the clinical correlates of changing diagnostic status across the 2 classification systems. METHODS: DSM-IV and DSM-5 definitions of AUD were compared using cross-national community survey data in 9 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Participants were 31,367 respondents to surveys in the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 3.0, was used to derive DSM-IV and DSM-5 lifetime diagnoses of AUD. Clinical characteristics, also assessed in the surveys, included lifetime DSM-IV anxiety; mood and drug use disorders; lifetime suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt; general functional impairment; and psychological distress. RESULTS: Compared with DSM-IV AUD (12.3%, SE = 0.3%), the DSM-5 definition yielded slightly lower prevalence estimates (10.8%, SE = 0.2%). Almost one-third (n = 802) of all DSM-IV abuse cases switched to subthreshold according to DSM-5 and one-quarter (n = 467) of all DSM-IV diagnostic orphans switched to mild AUD according to DSM-5. New cases of DSM-5 AUD were largely similar to those who maintained their AUD across both classifications. Similarly, new DSM-5 noncases were similar to those who were subthreshold across both classifications. The exception to this was with regard to the prevalence of any lifetime drug use disorder. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cross-national community sample, the prevalence of DSM-5 lifetime AUD was only slightly lower than the prevalence of DSM-IV lifetime AUD. Nonetheless, there was considerable diagnostic switching, with a large number of people inconsistently identified across the 2 DSM classifications.

Es conserva a la Biblioteca Episcopal de Vic un foli manuscrit procedent d?un llibre litúrgic copte en paper. El text conservat és un fragment de la Salmòdia de khoiak, el mes del calendari copte en què se celebra el Nadal. La Salmòdia és un conjunt de pregàries de preparació per a la recepció de l?eucaristia, que es resen la nit abans de celebrar-la. No forma part de la litúrgia eucarística ni tampoc de la litúrgia de les hores, malgrat que per la seva estructura que alterna salms i composicions hímniques, pugui recordar-la. Està recollida en un llibre litúrgic propi., In the Biblioteca Episcopal de Vic is preserved a manuscript sheet coming from a coptic paper liturgical book. The preserved text is a fragment of the Christmas psalmody of Khoiak, the month of the coptic calendar in which Christmas is celebrated. The Psalmody is an ensemble of preparatory prayers before receiving Eucharist, said the night before the celebration. It is not part of the eucharistical liturgy neither of the office, although it can remind of it due to its structure alternating psalms and hymns. It is recorded in a proper liturgical book.

[ES] Existen interesantes y numerosos estudios que ahondan sobre la influencia de un conjunto de factores (personales, sociales, institucionales, etc.) como facilitadores e inhibidores de una adecuada transición académica desde la perspectiva del alumnado. El presente trabajo describe el proceso de ajuste académico a la universidad desde la perspectiva del profesorado del primer año. Conocer las opiniones de quienes han sido el referente de entrada de estudiantes de nuevo acceso en asignaturas obligatorias del primer año puede contribuir a arrojar luz sobre la necesidad de establecer un perfil –o perfiles– de profesorado en función, no sólo, de las características de la disciplina a impartir sino, también, del perfil del alumno y de las características de los grupos clase.Para ello, se ha administrado una encuesta “on-line” a todo el profesorado de primer curso de los grados de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ADE) y de Pedagogía de la Universidad de Barcelona al finalizar el curso 2, [EN] Could be easy to find interesting studies about the influence of some factors (personal, social, institutional, etc.) as facilitators or inhibitors of adequate academic transition from student’s perspective. This paper describes the process of academic adjustment to high education college from the perspective of first-year teachers. Underlies also the relationship between faculty motivation and satisfaction and students retention. Collect opinions of first-year teachers could result of particular interest. They can have an important influence on students, being a reference for them. Could be possible to identify some profile of first year teachers, not only in terms of the characteristics of the discipline to be taught, but also the student’s profile and the characteristics of the class groups.A statistical survey has been done to all first-year teachers at grades of Administration and Management (ADE) and Education studies, at the University of Barce

Previous research suggests that many people receiving mental health treatment do not meet criteria for a mental disorder but are rather 'the worried well'.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Despite significant improvements in visceral organ transplantation over the last few decades, some technical aspects of organ harvesting remain controversial. The purpose of this article is to review and summarize the latest literature on how to perfuse in multiorgan procurement. RECENT FINDINGS Few prospective studies have analyzed and compared technical aspects of harvesting such as cannulation (aortic-only versus dual aortic and portal flush), flush rates and volumes as well as flush pressures (high pressure vs. gravity). However, these and most data available from additional retrospective and experimental studies do not clearly support one harvesting technique over another. SUMMARY Currently, because of lack of superiority data, no clear guidelines exist on what cannulation techniques to apply during organ procurements in visceral organ transplantation. Additional prospective trials are needed to clarify these questions.

Altres ajuts: This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2005-01262 and SAF2008-00962) and from the European Community (FP6 CLINIGENE, LSHB-CT-2006-018933). X.M.A., J.A., and A.R. were recipients of a predoctoral fellowship from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, and D.C. received a predoctoral fellowship from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain. C.J.M., In type 1 diabetes, loss of tolerance to β-cell antigens results in T-cell-dependent autoimmune destruction of β cells. The abrogation of autoreactive T-cell responses is a prerequisite to achieve long-lasting correction of the disease. The liver has unique immunomodulatory properties and hepatic gene transfer results in tolerance induction and suppression of autoimmune diseases, in part by regulatory T-cell (Treg) activation. Hence, the liver could be manipulated to treat or prevent diabetes onset through expression of key genes. IGF-I may be an immunomodulatory candidate because it prevents autoimmune diabetes when expressed in β cells or subcutaneously injected. Here, we demonstrate that transient, plasmid-derived IGF-I expression in mouse liver suppressed autoimmune diabetes progression. Suppression was associated with decreased islet inflammation and β-cell apoptosis, increased β-cell replication, and normalized β-cell mass. Permanent protection depended on exogenous IGF-I expression in liver nonparenchymal cells and was associated with increased percentage of intrapancreatic Tregs. Importantly, Treg depletion completely abolished IGF-I-mediated protection confirming the therapeutic potential of these cells in autoimmune diabetes. This study demonstrates that a nonviral gene therapy combining the immunological properties of the liver and IGF-I could be beneficial in the treatment of the disease.

Es conserva a la Biblioteca Episcopal de Vic un foli manuscrit procedent d?un llibre litúrgic copte en paper. El text conservat és un fragment de la Salmòdia de khoiak, el mes del calendari copte en què se celebra el Nadal. La Salmòdia és un conjunt de pregàries de preparació per a la recepció de l?eucaristia, que es resen la nit abans de celebrar-la. No forma part de la litúrgia eucarística ni tampoc de la litúrgia de les hores, malgrat que per la seva estructura que alterna salms i composicions hímniques, pugui recordar-la. Està recollida en un llibre litúrgic propi., In the Biblioteca Episcopal de Vic is preserved a manuscript sheet coming from a coptic paper liturgical book. The preserved text is a fragment of the Christmas psalmody of Khoiak, the month of the coptic calendar in which Christmas is celebrated. The Psalmody is an ensemble of preparatory prayers before receiving Eucharist, said the night before the celebration. It is not part of the eucharistical liturgy neither of the office, although it can remind of it due to its structure alternating psalms and hymns. It is recorded in a proper liturgical book.

Contains fulltext : 111582.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Contains fulltext : 111833.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Alternative, established models for the deglaciation of the midlands of Ireland are tested against an interpretation of a suite of deglacial sediments covering an area of 600 km 2 in the east central midland area. Interpretation of the sediments is based on geomorphological mapping, lithostratigraphic characterization of exposures and geotechnical data supported by electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground penetrating radar (GPR). GPR depicted small-scale sedimentological and deformational structures within low-conductivity soft sediments, such as cross-bedding, planar bedding, channel-like features and faulting planes, and revealed the internal architecture of eskers, glaciodeltas, subaqueous fans and raised bogs. ERT data permitted the detection of depth to bedrock and the lithological characterization of unconsolidated sediments. The ten sites presented were surveyed by traditional mapping methods and/or geophysical techniques. This allowed the construction of a local model of the deglaciation of the area which recognized five main stages. An ice sheet covering most of Ireland withdrew as a single body as far as the midlands. At this stage, two main directions of ice retreatare identified from thespatial distribution of meltwater/overflow channels, esker and morainic ridges, and ice-marginal glaciolacustrine deposits. A pattern of deglacial sedimentation into an expanding ice-marginal glacial lake is depicted. The glacial lake was dammed to the west by two ice dome fronts, one decaying to the north-west and another to the south-west, and by the Shannon Basin watershed to the east. Glacial lake outlets identified along the watershed and the altitude of the topset/foreset interface zone depicted in glaciodeltaic deposits allowed the identification of three lake water levels. The highest level is at 87– 89m Ordnance Datum (OD), the second lake level at 84m OD and the third at 78m OD.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) data are influenced by a number of factors associated with the subsurface such as porosity, moisture content and lithology; as well as external factors such as rainfall and temperature. Two time-lapse ERT profiles with 5 m and two with 2 m electrode spacings were acquired over a range of Quaternary sediment types encompassing till, esker gravel, glaciofluvial sand and silt and glaciolacustrine silt/clay. Data were collected on a monthly basis during 2006 at a site located in the Midlands of Ireland in order to evaluate the influence of such conditioning factors on the resistivity of the subsurface. Effective recharge, the depth of investigation, the texture and the internal architecture of the different sediment types and temperature variation are the main factors influencing the resistivity seasonal variation. The shallow subsurface (b3 m depth) showed a direct relationship between resistivity variation and effective recharge, whereas, an increasing time-lag between effective recharge and resistivity was recorded at increasing depths. As a result of the time-lag, it was possible to determine the rate of movement of the wetting/drying front for the unconsolidated relatively sorted coarse sediments recorded on the site at 7.8 cm/day. Conversely, poorly sorted and fine sediments show little resistivity variation and the velocity of the wetting front could not be estimated. Other factors influencing the electrical response of the subsurface are the electrode spacing used for data collection and the seasonal temperature variation of the subsurface. Two methods for temperature correction of electrical resistivity data were tested in this study — both gave similar results. Resistivity values recorded in the shallow subsurface (b5 m) show variations of over 15% subsequent to temperature correction. The results illustrate that seasonal temperature changes and their influence on subsurface temperature have to be accounted for in data i

Geophysical techniques Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) supported by traditional field methods are used for the geological mapping, description and interpretation of Quaternary unconsolidated sediments in a site located in theMidlands of Ireland. The site comprises a broad range of glacial and postglacial sediments (diamicton, esker sand and gravel, glaciolacustrine sand, glaciolacustrine silt/clay and peat). Preliminary fieldwork comprising, geomorphological mapping, lithostratigraphic analysis of exposures and borehole drilling and laboratory testing encompassing particle size distribution analysis were carried out to broadly characterise the geology of the study area. These data aided locating the geophysical profiles and supported the geophysical data interpretation. FiveGPR radargrams were collected and permitted depicting the subsurface internal architecture within low conductivity unconsolidated sediments and aided to the classification and characterisation of sedimentological and deformational structures. Four ERT profiles allowed the depth to bedrock to be determined and lithological classification of the sediments. The use of these geophysical techniques in combination with geotechnical and geological data allowed (i) the determination of the lithological composition and detailed internal architecture of the subsurface, (ii) the characterisation and description of the geology of the site and (iii) understanding the depositional processes acting in the area during ice withdrawal. Diamicton and esker gravelswere deposited subglacially by an ice sheetwithdrawingwestwards; glaciolacustrine sediments located along the southmargin of the esker ridgewere laid down in an ice marginal environment as a subaqueous fan composed of silt, sand and gravel, and as distal deposits composed of silt and clay in the lower ground area between the fan and the esker ridge. Peat developed during postglacial times andwas partially cut away

Besides its well recognized role in lipid and carbohydrate metabolisms, glycerol is involved in the regulation of cellular energy homeostasis via glycerol-3-phosphate, a key metabolite in the translocation of reducing power across the mitochondrial inner membrane with mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Here, we report a high rate of gluconeogenesis from glycerol and fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes from Lou/C, a peculiar rat strain derived from Wistar, which is resistant to age- and diet-related obesity. This feature, associated with elevated cellular respiration and cytosolic ATP/ADP and NAD(+)/NADH ratios, was linked to a high expression and activity of mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Interestingly, this strain exhibited high expression and protein content of thyroid hormone receptor, whereas circulating thyroid hormone levels were slightly decreased and hepatic thyroid hormone carrier MCT-8 mRNA levels were not modified. We propose that an enhanced liver thyroid hormone receptor in Lou/C may explain its unique resistance to obesity by increasing fatty acid oxidation and lowering liver oxidative phosphorylation stoichiometry at the translocation of reducing power into mitochondria.

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