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In the Corsican population, the incidence of beta-thalassemia traits is reported to be 3.1%. We have investigated the 2 more important beta-thalassemia mutations present in the Corsican population: beta0-39 and beta+IVS1-110. Seven polymorphic sites in the beta-globin gene cluster were analyzed from a sample of 43 non-related beta-thalassemia heterozygotes and of 47 nonrelated healthy individuals, from Central Corsica (Corte). Among the 43 Corsican patients analyzed, the nonsense codon is predominant (88.40%), whereas the beta+IVS1-110 mutation, the most common of beta-thalassemia in the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, is underrepresented (2.33%). The other individuals did not show positive for the two tested mutations (9.27%). The beta0-39 mutation in the studied population shows a strong association with haplotype II (18.7%) and a weaker association with haplotypes I (2.3%) and VII (2.1%). The strong association of the beta0-39 mutation with haplotype II was also found in Sardinia, suggesting that the mutation on the two islands have the same origin. In the present study all the data concerning frequencies of the mutations and of sequence haplotypes, support the hypothesis of a western Mediterranean origin of the beta0-39 mutation. For the first time, this paper analyzes the association of beta-globin gene cluster haplotypes with the 2 more frequent beta-thalassemia mutations in an isolated population in the centre of Corsica (Corte), which presents certain genetic peculiarities. However, the analysis of beta-haplotypes will be very useful for the genetic epidemiological study in this region.

To genetically reconstruct the demographic history of the human population of Corsica (western Mediterranean), we analyzed the variability at eight autosomal STR loci (FES, VWA, CSF1PO, TH01, F13A1, TPOX, CD4, and D3S1358) in a sample of 179 native blood donors from 4 out of the 5 administrative districts. The main line of genetic discontinuity inferred from the spatial distribution of STR variability overlapped the linguistic and geographic boundaries. In the innermost areas (Corte district) several estimators had larger stochastic effects on allele frequencies. Genetic distance measures underlying different evolutionary models all pointed to a higher variability within Corsicans than within the rest of the Mediterranean reference populations. All Corsican subsamples showed the highest distance with a pooled sample from central Sardinia, thus making recent gene flow between the two neighboring islands unlikely. Hierarchical AMOVA and distance-based multivariate genetic spaces stressed the closeness of Tuscan and Corsican frequency distributions, which could reflect peopling events with different time depths. Anyway, estimated separation times well support the linguistic hypothesis that Neolithic/Chalcolithic events have been far more important than Paleolithic or historical processes in the shaping of present Corsican variability.

International audience; BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the genetic patterns of Hemagglutinin (HA) genes of influenza A strains circulating on Corsica Island during the 2006-2009 epidemic seasons and the 2009-2010 pandemic season. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples from 371 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) were collected by General Practitioners (GPs) of the Sentinelles Network through a randomised selection routine. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis of HA revealed that A/H3N2 strains circulating on Corsica were closely related to the WHO recommended vaccine strains in each analyzed season (2006-2007 to 2008-2009). Seasonal Corsican influenza A/H1N1 isolated during the 2007-2008 season had drifted towards the A/Brisbane/59/2007 lineage, the A/H1N1 vaccine strain for the 2008-2009 season. The A/H1N1 2009 (A/H1N1pdm) strains isolated on Corsica Island were characterized by the S220T mutation specific to clade 7 isolates. It should be noted that Corsican isolates formed a separate sub-clade of clade 7 as a consequence of the presence of the fixed substitution D222E. The percentages of the perfect match vaccine efficacy, estimated by using the p(epitope) model, against influenza viruses circulating on Corsica Island varied substantially across the four seasons analyzed, and tend to be highest for A/H1N1 compared with A/H3N2 vaccines, suggesting that cross-immunity seems to be stronger for the H1 HA gene. CONCLUSION: The molecular analysis of the HA gene of influenza viruses that circulated on Corsica Island between 2006-2010 showed for each season the presence of a dominant lineage characterized by at least one fixed mutation. The A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm isolates were characterized by multiples fixation at antigenic sites. The fixation of specific mutations at each outbreak could be explained by the combination of a neutral phenomenon and a founder effect, favoring the presence of a dominant lineage in a closed environment such as Corsica Island.

A combination of mechanical experiments and fabrication of very-long-wavelength infrared (VLWIR) HgCdTe-infrared detectors has been used to investigate the interaction between various unit-cell design and dry-etch process variables on final unit-cell dimensions and detector performance. Etch rate, which determines the process time required to achieve a specified etch depth, was found to be a function of both the trench width opening used to delineate an individual detector element in a focal-plane array (FPA) and the mesa profile observed during etching. Current-voltage (I-V) probe data at 78 K demonstrated the successful fabrication of 30 µm unit-cell, VLWIR-HgCdTe diodes with mesa delineation performed by dry etching. The breakdown performance of these diodes is sensitive to trench width and dry-etch process time.

We have investigated the negative luminescence properties of a midwave-infrared (MWIR) HgCdTe photodiode (λco = 5.3 µm at 295 K) grown on a silicon substrate. The internal negative luminescence efficiencies measured using a self-referencing optical technique were 88% throughout the 3–5 µm spectral region and nearly independent of temperature in the 240–300 K range. This corresponds to an apparent temperature reduction of 53 K at room temperature and 35 K at 240 K. Efficiencies measured by an electrical modulation technique were consistent with the measured internal efficiencies and the measured reflectivity of the device. This is the highest efficiency and largest apparent reduction in temperature reported to date, and slightly higher than that measured earlier for photodiodes grown on CdZnTe despite a longer cut-off wavelength. These results provide further indication that the HgCdTe/Si photovoltaic device technology is capable of combining high quality with high yield.

Low-energy electron-enhanced etching (LE4) is applied to HgCdTe to eliminate ion-induced surface damage. First, LE4 results for patterned samples are illustrated. The LE4 mechanism is understood from a mechanistic study in terms of three etch variables: direct current (DC) bias, gas composition, and sample temperature. For this paper, the effects of DC bias (electron energy) and gas composition (CH4 concentration) are summarized qualitatively, followed by quantitative evidence. Etch rate, the amount of polymer, surface stoichiometry, and surface roughness have specific relations with each etch variable under competition between pure LE4 and polymer deposition.

Values of the aspect ratio for trenches etched into HgCdTe by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma containing hydrogen and argon are limited by the phenomenon of etch lag. Modeling this plasma as an ion assisted, reactive-etching process leads to a set of conditions that greatly reduces etch lag. Use of these new process conditions produces trenches with aspect ratios greater than 3, widths less than 3 µm, and depths in excess of 15 µm.

Factors that affect width and aspect ratio in electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) etched HgCdTe trenches are investigated. The ECR etch bias and anisotropy are determined by photoresist feature erosion rate. The physical characteristics of the trenches are attributed to a combination of photoresist feature geometry and ECR plasma etch chemistry. This knowledge has led to production of trenches suitable for two-color, 20 µm pitch detectors.

We are continuing development of the growth of midwave infrared (MWIR) HgCdTe by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on 4-in. Si substrates and the fabrication of state-of-the-art detectors and focal plane arrays (FPAs). Array formats of up to 2048 × 2048 and unit cells as small as 20 µm have been made. We regularly measure response operability values in excess of 99% on these arrays. These values typically exceed expectations, with the number of outages corresponding to as-grown defect densities four times lower than what we measure. We have investigated this operability discrepancy and now can account for it. Comparisons of measured properties were used to establish trends between defect occurrence and pixel operability. These correlations show that a combination of defect removal and low-impact defects provide the explanation. Having this knowledge will allow for better operability predictions and assist in efforts to reduce defect impact on FPA performance.

The microstructure of Ni-5at%W (Ni-W) and Ni-11at%V (Ni-V) biaxially textured substrates has been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The correlation between the substrate microstructure and superconducting transport properties of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/ (YBCO) film grown on it has been studied on the YBCO/CeO/sub 2//Ni-W and YBCO/CeO/sub 2//NiO/Ni-V architectures. Our study has ascertained that the in-plane texture of the substrates is one of the most important factors, limiting the critical current density. The Ni-V substrate has a lower percolation area due to the larger number of twinned grains and a broader in-plane angular distribution and, as a consequence, the YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/ (YBCO) film grown on it has a critical current density of 0.6 /spl times/ 10/sup 6/ A/cm/sup 2/, depressed by factor 2 with respect to YBCO grown on the Ni-W substrate. For the Ni-V substrate, another limiting factor is its low oxidation resistance. In contrast to Ni-V, the Ni-W substrate has a larger percolation area, mainly due to the absence of twinned grains, and a high oxidation resistance.

An informative set of biallelic polymorphisms was used to study the structure of Y-chromosome variability in a sample from the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sicily, and compared with data on Sardinia to gain insights into the ethnogenesis of these island populations. The results were interpreted in a broader Mediterranean context by including in the analysis neighboring populations previously studied with the same methodology. All samples studied were enclosed in the comparable spectrum of European Y-chromosome variability. Pronounced differences were observed between the islands as well as in the percentages of haplotypes previously shown to have distinctive patterns of continental phylogeography. Approximately 60% of the Sicilian haplotypes are also prevalent in Southern Italy and Greece. Conversely, the Corsican sample had elevated levels of alternative haplotypes common in Northern Italy. Sardinia showed a haplotype ratio similar to that observed in Corsica, but with a remarkable difference in the presence of a lineage defined by marker M26, which approaches 35% in Sardinia but seems absent in Corsica. Although geographically adjacent, the data suggest different colonization histories and a minimal amount of recent gene flow between them. Our results identify possible ancestral continental sources of the various island populations and underscore the influence of founder effect and genetic drift. The Y-chromosome data are consistent with comparable mtDNA data at the RFLP haplogroup level of resolution, as well as linguistic and historic knowledge.

We report on the growth of MgB 2 thin films by means of Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and Electron Beam (EB) deposition techniques. In order to develop an in-situ deposition procedure both techniques have been exploited following two approaches: the "as grown" procedure, where the superconducting phase is formed during the film growth, and no further process is performed, and the "annealing" procedure, where precursor layers are deposited and annealed in argon atmosphere. In the case of EB evaporated films, the "as grown" procedure revealed to be inadequate, because of the low reactivity of the thermally evaporated species and the high magnesium volatility. On the contrary, using PLD, the higher reactivity of the plasma species promotes the formation of the superconducting phase at deposition temperature as low as 350°C. In the "annealing" procedure, different kinds of precursor layers have been studied, in order to reduce and prevent the fast Mg evaporation at high temperature. Different annealing processes were investigated in order to promote the interdiffusion and reaction between Mg and B. The films were characterised by means of resistivity measurements and X-ray analyses. The surface morphology was observed by SEM microscopy.

A study on CeO 2 film growth on randomly oriented metallic substrate using lnclined Substrate Deposition (ISD) technique was performed in order to develop a biaxially aligned buffer layer for YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) coated conductors. The influence of deposition parameters, as the substrate inclination angle α with respect to the CeO 2 vapor direction, deposition temperature and film thickness, on structural and morphological properties of the film was investigated. At substrate temperature between 200°C and 700°C a biaxial texture was observed for α ranging from 15° to 75°. The minimum value of the ϕ-scan full width at half maximum (FWHM) on (002) poles of about 13.5° was obtained for film 2 μm thick deposited at 200°C and α=55°. Morphological analyses on cross-sectioned samples revealed a columnar structure, typical for this deposition technique, with spaced grains and a tile like surface.

The frequencies of 19 classical genetic markers for a total of 54 alleles were studied in a sample of 1,164 individuals born and residing in five different regions of Corsica. The results, which are also discussed in the context of the Mediterranean populations, show the existence within Corsica of a certain genetic differentiation between north and south which follows the linguistic subdivision differentiation. Compared to the other Mediterranean populations, Corsica also appears to be greatly differentiated from the populations of regions such as France and Tuscany, regions which have had great political and cultural influence. The Mediterranean population most comparable to Corsica is Sardinia. Despite their common origin, however, they do not prove to be absolutely identical. The genetic characteristics of Corsica and their relationship with the Mediterranean populations are interpreted in terms of demographic and matrimonial structure, isolation, and genetic drift.

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an emerging pathogen increasingly being isolated from respiratory samples of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Its role and clinical significance in lung pathogenesis have not yet been clarified. The aim of the present study was to genetically characterize A. xylosoxidans strains isolated from CF patients by use of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles and to look for a possible correlation between RAPD profiles and the patients' clinical features, such as their spirometry values, the presence of concomitant chronic bacterial flora at the time of isolation, and the persistent or intermittent presence of A. xylosoxidans strains. A set of 106 strains of A. xylosoxidans were typed by RAPD analysis, and their profiles were analyzed by agglomerative hierarchical classification (AHC) and associated with the patient characteristics mentioned above by factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). The overall results obtained in this study showed that (i) there is a marked genetic relationship between strains isolated from the same patients at different times, (ii) characteristic RAPD profiles are associated with different predicted classes for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%), (iii) some characteristic RAPD profiles are associated with different concomitant chronic flora (CCF) profiles, and (iv) there is a significant division of RAPD profiles into “persistent strains” and “intermittent strains” of A. xylosoxidans . These findings seem to imply that the lung habitats found in CF patients are capable of shaping and selecting the colonizing bacterial flora, as seems to be the case for the A. xylosoxidans strains studied.

Biaxially aligned YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) thick films were deposited by pulsed laser ablation technique on cube textured non-magnetic Ni89V11 (Ni–V) substrate, using CeO2/YSZ/CeO2/NiO buffer layer architecture. The first NiO seed layer was formed by epitaxial oxidation of the Ni–V substrate. Structural analyses show typical full width at half maximum values of φ- and ω-scans less than 10° and 8°, respectively. The highest value obtained for the critical current density at 77 K and zero magnetic field was 6×105 A cm−2, which is close to that obtained for YBCO films grown on CeO2/NiO buffer layer architecture.

The epitaxial oxidation of the (0 0 1)[1 0 0] textured Ni100−xVx tapes was studied because of the practical interest of NiO as a first buffer layer for the YBCO based coated conductors. The study revealed that the oxidation of the Ni–V alloy is rather complex, the less noble V being internally oxidized, while Ni undergoes an external oxidation. Moreover, the formation of the NiVO3 and of Ni7V5O17 compounds have negative effects on the epitaxial oxidation and on the surface morphology, as well. The role of vanadium on the epitaxial oxidation of Ni–V alloy has not been fully understood yet. The optimum conditions for the epitaxial oxidation have been found to be: 700 ° C, t

Biaxial cube texturing and surface quality of the metallic substrate are key parameters for high J c coated conductors. Experiments have demonstrated that the sharp cube texture can be developed up to 11 at.% V, 12 at.% Cr and 5 at.% W alloys; the respective cube textured area fractions result to be 96%, 97% and 99%. For all the studied alloys, FWHM values of ω - and φ -scans are in the range of 5–6° and 6–8°, respectively. Microstructural analyses reveal smooth surfaces with grooves localized at the grain boundaries of twinned cube textured and misoriented grains.

We are continuing to develop our growth and processing capabilities for HgCdTe grown on 4-in. Si substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Both short-wave and mid-wave infrared (SWIR and MWIR) double-layer hetero-junctions (DLHJs) have been fabricated. In order to improve the producibility of the material, we have implemented an in-situ growth composition-control system. We have explored dry etching the HgCdTe/Si wafers and seen promising results. No induced damage was observed in these samples. Detector results show that the HgCdTe/Si devices are state-of-the-art, following the diffusion-limited trend line established by other HgCdTe technologies. Focal-plane array (FPA) testing has been performed in order to assess the material over large areas. The FPA configurations range from 128 × 128 to 1,024 × 1,024, with unit cells as small as 20 µm. The MWIR responsivity and NEDT values are comparable to those of existing InSb FPAs. Pixel operabilities well in excess of 99% have been measured. We have also explored the role of growth macrodefects on diode performance and related their impact to FPA operability. The SWIR HgCdTe/Si shows similar results to the MWIR material. Short-wave IR FPA, median dark-current values of less than 0.1 e-/sec have been achieved.

This paper presents the design, fabrication and performance of an uncooled micro-optomechanical infrared (IR) imaging system consisting of a focal-plane array (FPA) containing bi-material cantilever pixels made of silicon nitride (SiNx) and gold (Au), which serve as infrared absorbers and thermomechanical transducers. Based on wave optics, a visible optical readout system is designed to simultaneously measure the deflections of all the cantilever beams in the FPA and project the visible deflection map onto a visible charge-coupled device (CCD) imager. The IR imaging results suggest that the detection resolution of current design is 3-5 K, whereas noise analysis indicates the current resolution to be around 1 K. The noise analysis also shows that the theoretical noise-equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of the system can be below 3 mK.

The article aims to address the agrarian conflict in 2008 in Argentina from the interplay of three axes: hegemony, accumulation and territory. To achieve this, we analyze the dynamics of the soy production circuit and its relationship to the accumulation model, getting then to the study of the specific political and ideological components of the conflict, which were to constitute a genuine struggle for hegemony, investigating, as well, territorial factors that influenced this process significantly.

El artículo se inscribe en el proceso de investigación acerca de la configuración de la Argentina post-convertibilidad, abordando, en este caso, las dinámicas de hegemonía y acumulación durante el gobierno de Eduardo Duhalde. Partimos de una caracterización de la crisis de 2001, analizándola en sus distintas dimensiones, para indagar cómo éstas fueron abordadas durante el gobierno duhaldista con el fin de suturarlas. En el este camino, damos cuenta de la emergencia de un discurso productivista que promueve un cambio de alianza entre Estados y empresarios, al tiempo que procura desactivar el conflicto social mediante una estrategia de contención/coerción. Finalmente analizamos un conjunto de políticas que fueron fundacionales en términos del modelo de acumulación post-convertibilidad. Así, rescatamos la relevancia del 2002 en la conformación del actual escenario nacional. The article is part of the research process on the configuration of the post-convertibility Argentina, addressing, in this case, the dynamics of hegemony and accumulation during the government of Eduardo Duhalde. We start with a characterization of the 2001 crisis, analyzing its different dimensions, to investigate how these were attended during Duhalde´s government, in order to suture them. In this way, we account for the emergence of a productivist discourse that promotes a change of alliance between State and entrepreneurs, while seeking to defuse social conflict through a strategy of containment / coercion. Finally, we analyze a set of policies that were foundational in terms of the post-convertibility accumulation model. Thus, we rescue the relevance of the 2002 in the shaping of the current national scenario. Fil: Varesi, Gastón Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentina

Background Data describing the epidemiology and management of viral acute diarrhea (AD) in adults are scant. The objective of this study was to identify the incidence, clinical characteristics, management and risk factors of winter viral AD in adults. Methods The incidence of AD in adults during two consecutive winters (from December 2010 to April 2011 and from December 2011 to April 2012) was estimated from the French Sentinelles network. During these two winters, a subset of Sentinelles general practitioners (GPs) identified and included adult patients who presented with AD and who filled out a questionnaire and returned a stool specimen for virological examination. All stool specimens were tested for astrovirus, group A rotavirus, human enteric adenovirus, and norovirus of genogroup I and genogroup II. Age- and sex-matched controls were included to permit a case–control analysis with the aim of identifying risk factors for viral AD. Results During the studied winters, the average incidence of AD in adults was estimated to be 3,158 per 100,000 French adults (95% CI [2,321 – 3,997]). The most reported clinical signs were abdominal pain (91.1%), watery diarrhea (88.5%), and nausea (83.3%). GPs prescribed a treatment in 95% of the patients with AD, and 80% of the working patients with AD could not go to work. Stool examinations were positive for at least one enteric virus in 65% (95% CI [57 – 73]) of patients with AD with a predominance of noroviruses (49%). Having been in contact with a person who has suffered from AD in the last 7 days, whether within or outside the household, and having a job (or being a student) were risk factors significantly associated with acquiring viral AD. Conclusions During the winter, AD of viral origin is a frequent disease in adults, and noroviruses are most often the cause. No preventable risk factor was identified other than contact with a person with AD. Thus, at the present time, reinforcement of education related to hand hygiene remains the only way to reduce the burden of disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0574-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

International audience; Influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance is important to identify circulating and emerging/reemerging strains and unusual epidemiological trends. The present study aimed to give an accurate picture of the 2012–2013 ILI outbreak in Corsica by combining data from several surveillance systems: general practice, emergency general practice, hospital emergency units, intensive care units, and nursing homes. Twenty-eight respiratory viruses were retrospectively investigated from patients in general practice with ILI. Sequence analysis of the genetic changes in the hemagglutinin gene of influenza viruses (A(H1N1)pdm2009, A(H3N2) and B) was performed. The trends in ILI/influenza consultation rates and the relative illness ratios (RIRs) of having an ILI consultation were estimated by age group for the different surveillance systems analyzed. Of the 182 ILI patients enrolled by general practitioners, 57.7% tested positive for influenza viruses. Phylogenetic analyses suggested a genetic drift for influenza B and A(H3N2) viruses. The ILI/influenza surveillance systems showed similar trends and were well correlated. In accordance with virological data, the RIRs of having an ILI consultation were highest among the young (,15 years old) and decreased with age. No clusters of acute respiratory illness were declared by the sentinel nursing homes. This study is noteworthy in that it is the first extensive description of the 2012–2013 ILI outbreak in Corsica as monitored through several surveillance systems. To improve ILI surveillance in Corsica, a consortium that links together the complementary regional surveillance ILI systems described here is being implemented.

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International audience

El artículo se propone como objetivo abordar el conflicto agrario de 2008 en la Argentina a partir de la interrelación de tres ejes: hegemonía, acumulación y territorio. Para esto, analizamos las dinámicas del circuito productivo sojero y su relación con el modelo de acumulación, e ingresamos luego en el estudio de los componentes específicamente políticos e ideológicos del conflicto, que fueron constituyendo una genuina lucha por la hegemonía. Asimismo, indagamos factores de carácter territorial que atravesaron de modo significativo dicho proceso. The article aims to address the agrarian conflict in 2008 in Argentina from the interplay of three axes: hegemony, accumulation and territory. To achieve this, we analyze the dynamics of the soy production circuit and its relationship to the accumulation model, getting then to the study of the specific political and ideological components of the conflict, which were to constitute a genuine struggle for hegemony, investigating, as well, territorial factors that influenced this process significantly. Fil: Varesi, Gastón Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentina

International audience

El artículo se propone analizar la hegemonía kirchnerista desde su proceso de configuración inicial, durante el gobierno de Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007), observando sus rasgos centrales y duraderos. Abordar esta construcción política implica indagar el proyecto que comenzó a desplegarse a nivel nacional desde 2003, convocándonos a analizar la conformación del kirchnerismo comocultura política, en tanto éste se instituye a partir de una reformulación particular del peronismo, en cuya tradición se inscribe, definiendo el carácter de la dirección ideológico-cultural que traza junto a su estrategia de conducción política. Nos preguntamos entonces: ¿cuáles son los factores principales en los que se funda la hegemonía kirchnerista? Partimos, desde una perspectiva gramsciana, a realizar una caracterización de la crisis de 2001, con el fin de exhibir la relevancia que dicha crisis tuvo para el surgimiento del kirchnerismo y dar cuenta de las diversas estrategias de sutura desplegadas por éste, analizando su construcción identitaria en el campo de antagonismo. En este trayecto, analizamos la matriz ideológico-cultural del kirchnerismo a partir del discurso presidencial, atravesando la delimitación del adversario e indagando los principales componentes del proyecto político-económico de gobierno, la conformación de la fuerza política y su estrategia hegemónica., The article analyzes the kirchnerist hegemony from its initial configuration process, during the government of Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007), noting its central and lasting features. Addressing this political construction means exploring the project which started to unfold at a national level since 2003, implying to analyze the formation of Kirchnerism as a political culture, that is instituted from a particular reformulation of Peronism, in whose tradition it is inscribed, defining the character of the ideological and cultural lead as well as its political direction. Thus, we ask: what are the main factors in which kirchnerist hegemony is founded? We start, from a Gramscian perspective, to perform a characterization of the 2001 crisis, in order to show the relevance that this crisis had in the emergence of Kirchnerism and to take account for the various suture strategies developed, analyzing the identity construction in the antagonism field. In this way, we analyze the kirchnerist ideological-cultural matrix, exploring presidential discourse, through the definition of the adversary and the main components of the political and economic project of government, the formation of the political force and its hegemonic strategy., Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación

This study reports data on the sequences of the first hypervariable segment of a sample of the Sicilian population from Alia (Palermo, Italy). The results show the presence of 32 different haplotypes in the 49 individuals examined. The average number of pairwise nucleotide differences was 4.04, i.e., 1.17% per nucleotide. The distribution of the nucleotide differences matches the theoretical distribution and indicates only one major episode of expansion that occurred between 20,732 and 59,691 years ago, between the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic. Compared with the other populations, parameters of the Sicilian sample lie in an intermediate position between the eastern and western Mediterranean populations. This is due to numerous contacts that Sicily has had with the Mediterranean area since prehistoric times. At the same time, the singularity of some of the haplotypes present in the sample studied indicates the persistence of some characteristics caused by genetic drift and isolation that the population has endured in the course of its history. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 13:576–589, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

We have developed the capability to grow HgCdTe mid-wave infrared radiation double-layer heterojunctions (MWIR DLHJs) on 4″ Si wafers by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and fabricate devices from these wafers that are comparable to those produced by mature technologies. Test data show that the detectors, which range in cutoff wavelength over 4–7 μm, are comparable to the trendline performance of liquid phase epitaxy (LPE)-grown material. The spectral characteristics are similar, with a slight decrease in quantum efficiency attributable to the Si substrate. With respect to R0A, the HgCdTe/Si devices are closer to the theoretical radiative-limit than LPE-grown detectors. Known defect densities in the material have been correlated to device performance through a simple model. Slight 1/f noise increases were measured in comparison to the LPE material, but the observed levels are not sufficient to significantly degrade focal plane array (FPA) performance. In addition to discrete detectors, two FPA formats were fabricated. 128×128 FPAs show MWIR sensitivity comparable to mature InSb technology, with pixel operability values in excess of 99%. A 640×480 FPA further demonstrates the high-sensitivity and high-operability capabilities of this material.

HgCdTe p-on-n double layer heterojunctions (DLHJs) for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detector applications have been grown on 100 mm (4 inch) diameter (211) silicon substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The structural quality of these films is excellent, as demonstrated by x-ray rocking curves with full widths at half maximum (FWHMs) of 80–100 arcsec, and etch pit densities from 1 106 to 7 106 cm−2. Morphological defect densities for these layers are generally less than 1000 cm−2. Improving Hg flux coverage of the wafer during growth can reduce void defects near the edges of the wafers. Improved tellurium source designs have resulted in better temporal flux stability and a reduction of the center to edge x-value variation from 9% to only 2%. Photovoltaic MWIR detectors have been fabricated from some of these 100mm wafers, and the devices show performance at 140 K which is comparable to other MWIR detectors grown on bulk CdZnTe substrates by MBE and by liquid phase epitaxy.

A hybrid superconducting fault current limiter (HSFCL) has been developed consisting of a transformer whose secondary is connected to a series of parallel YBCO superconducting bars. The transformer is used as a coupling impedance of the protected line with a superconducting switch. We show that very high quench currents (IQ~3.000 A) may be achieved at 77 K with YBCO single domain samples grown by Bridgman, but that the transition is initiated at the electrical contacts. To overcome this problem two different strategies concerning the tuning of the critical currents of the materials have been envisaged: (i) to promote an enhanced quenched volume from the electrical contacts through the increase of the critical currents and (ii) to initiate an homogeneous quench through a decrease of the overall critical currents of the material. Several methodologies have been envisaged to enhance the critical currents of Y-123/211 composites: an optimized 211 content, a low temperature-high isostatic pressure post-processing treatment, a high oxygen pressure annealing and, finally, including Ag additives in the 123/211 composites. Post-processing processes promote the generation of (1/6)031 partial dislocations which behave as flux pinning centres. On the other hand, we will show that an enhanced spreading of the quench transition may be achieved by decreasing quench currents, either by increasing the measuring temperature or by MgO doping the MTG YBCO bars. This last approach of decreasing Tc and hence Jc appears very promising in order to develop effective elements for a SFCL.

The mtDNA sequence variation of the hypervariable segment I of the control region was studied in 47 unrelated individuals of Corsican origin from Corte (Corsica, France). Thirty-one different sequences were identified by 40 variable sites, of which five involve transversions. The nucleotide diversity among the sequences was estimated as 1.03%. The pairwise difference agreed with the model proposed by Rogers and Harpending ([1992] Mol Biol Evol 9:552–569) and appeared bell-shaped, with only one peak at 3.71, indicating the occurrence of a single episode of demographic expansion roughly 14,443 to 41,584 years ago. From our results it seems that the ancestral Corsican population expanded more recently than all other studied European populations. Compared to other populations by genetic distances and a neighbor-joining tree, Corsicans appear most closely linked to the Basques and Sardinians than to other populations. Although the results substantiate an east-to-west migration, some problems are evident: 1) the estimates of demographic expansion are not in agreement with paleontological data; 2) the expansion occurred later than the expansion of the Sardinian population; and 3) the genetic affinity between Corsicans, Basques, and Sardinians. Answers will need to come from archaeological, paleontological, genetic, geological, and climatological observations. Finally, the study of mtDNA confirms what had already been shown with classic genetic markers. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 12:339–351, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Finger pattern types, pattern intensity indices and finger ridge counts in 110 individuals (54 males and 56 females) from Corte in the central area of Corsica (France) were investigated. The comparison of the Corsican qualitative and quantitative digital dermatoglyphics with those from other samples of Mediterranean and European countries show a clearcut difference between Corsicans and Continental Italian populations and a great affinity between Corsicans and Sardinians. These results are regarded as compatible with the interpretation of archaeological, historical and genetic evidence.

An experimental study on microscopic scale measurements of thermal expansion and temperature by using the Scanning Joule Expansion Microscope (SJEM) based on the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was conducted. While the AFM is scanning on the sample heated by AC current, topographical and thermal expansion images are measured simultaneously by detecting DC and AC motions of the cantilever. In order to apply this technique to the temperature measurement in microscopic scale, the sample was covered with a thin film of polymer (PMMA) which has a high thermal expansion coefficient compared with metals and dielectric materials. Merits of this technique are (1) quite simplicity of measurement because of using the commercial cantilever instead of complicated thermal cantilever for the typical Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM) and (2) a higher spatial resolution of 20 nm which is restricted by the point contact scale between the cantilever and the sample.

International audience; A 24 bp duplication in the CHIT1 gene (H allele) is associated with a deficiency in the activity of chitotriosidase, an enzyme with the capability to hydrolyse chitin. A recent study in European and two sub-Saharan populations suggested a relationship between the presence of the mutation, improved environmental conditions, and the disappearance of parasitic diseases, including Plasmodium falciparum malaria. This result was not supported by the high frequency of the 24 bp duplication in a sample from Taiwan, an area with high malaria endemicity until 40 years ago. In this study, we analysed the frequency variability of the H allele in Mediterranean populations and its internal variability in Sardinia (Italy) with respect to malaria, which had been endemic on the island until its eradication during 1946-1950. The pattern of H frequency distributions is not consistent with the hypothesis of selective pressures acting on CHIT1 gene. The Moran's index coefficient and correlogram seem to indicate, indeed, that allele distribution was determined by random factors. The pattern of frequency distribution suggests a possible Asiatic origin of the H allele, but it could be possible also that the mutant allele had diffused out of Africa, and was subsequently lost from African populations.