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The Texas Frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail, 1858-1861 . By Glen Sample Ely. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2016. xii + 428 pp. Illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography, index. $34.95.) This is a rare combination of local, state, regional, and national history, using the short-lived (30 months) Butterfield Overland Mail (BOM) route and stations across Texas as the vehicle to tell the story of Texas, the West, and the nation on the eve of the Civil War, including sectionalism, federal vs. state authority, geographical features, natural resources, environment, transportation, economic development, social structure, cultural diversity, racism, Indian-white relations, lawlessness, military operations, and conflicts (virtually everywhere). Ely spent a quarter-century on this project, relying on the 1947 standard study of … Independent HistorianWoodston KSPO Box 1Woodston KS 67675785-425-7312, oliva{at}ruraltel.net

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to assess the role of different therapeutic options aimed at modifying the gut microecology in experimental liver cirrhosis in view of the cytokine cascade and splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics. METHODS: Cirrhosis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by carbon tetrachloride (CCL4). After the 6th week of CCL4 administration rats were divided into 5 groups for the remaining 6 weeks: (A) saline b.i.d; (B) lactulose 0.5 g b.i.d.; (C) rifaximine 1 mg b.i.d; (D) 2 mL b.i.d of a probiotic mixture and (E) 1 week of rifaximine followed by 5 weeks of probiotic. RESULTS: Rats with cirrhosis and ascites showed a significantly high concentration of either portal, splanchnic and systemic endotoxin, as well as plasma TNF-α concentration (P

Smooth muscle tumours and endometrial stromal tumours represent the two main categories of mesenchymal tumours of the uterus. Although their diagnosis is straightforward in most cases, difficulties arise with particular leiomyoma variants, especially highly cellular leiomyoma (often confused with an endometrial stromal tumour) and leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei, mitotically active leiomyoma, and leiomyomas with hydropic or myxoid change, which may cause concern for leiomyosarcoma. Endometrial stromal tumours including several recently described variants, those with smooth muscle, sex-cord-like or glandular differentiation, or a fibrous-myxoid background are responsible for their own subset of diagnostic problems as are two other entities considered here: high-grade endometrial sarcomas and uterine tumours resembling ovarian sex-cord tumours. This review highlights useful morphologic features as well as immunohistochemical findings that may help in the classification of these often confusing tumours.

The value of metazoan parasites of the hake Merluccius gayi as biological tags for stock identification is assessed. Seven hundred and eighty-two hake ( Merluccius gayi gayi ), obtained from the four most important landing ports in central and southern Chile (Coquimbo, San Antonio, Talcahuano and Puerto Montt) as well as previously published data on 140 Peruvian hake ( Merluccius gayi peruanus ) from Callao, Peru are analyzed. Thirty species of metazoan parasites (22 in Chilean hake, 17 in Peruvian) were obtained. A canonical discriminant function using the most prevalent parasites suggests that the Chilean hake subspecies includes two stocks: a southern stock, associated with the fishing port of Puerto Montt, and a central stock, associated with the fishing ports of Talcahuano, San Antonio and Coquimbo. Identification of stocks is based on significant differences in the mean intensity of adult Clestobothrium crassiceps and larval Hepatoxylon trichiuri (Eucestoda), the monogenean Anthocotyle merlucci and the copepod Neobrachiella insidiosa f . pacifica .

The endohelminth parasite fauna of the teleost fish Labrisomus philippii, the “trambollo” (Labrisomidae), from the central Peruvian coast is quantitatively described. The assemblage was composed of 7 species: the adult digeneans Helicometra fasciata (Rudolphi, 1819), Zoogonus rubellus (Olsson, 1868), Prosorhynchus Odhner, 1905 sp., and Bucephalopsis (Diesing, 1855) sp.; metacercariae of Bucephalus Baer, 1826, sp.; and the larval Lacistorhynchus tenuis (van Beneden, 1858) (Eucestoda) and Corynosoma australe Johnston, 1937 (Acanthocephala). Up to 98% of the fish were parasitized. The highest prevalence was shown by Z. rubellus (74%) and the highest mean intensity by Bucephalopsis sp. (103.7). No common pattern of infection as a function of host body size or sex was noted. The major characteristic of the endohelminth community of L. philippii was the richness of digeneans compared with those of other marine fishes in this geographical area. This richness may be a consequence of abiotic factors parti...

The next generation of multi-junction concentrator solar cells will have to reach higher efficiencies than today's devices. At the same time these solar cells must be reliable in the field, be manufacturable with good yield and at sufficiently low cost. Inevitably the request of higher efficiency requires four or even more junction devices. A four-junction solar cell combination of GaInP/GaAs//GaInAsP/GaInAs with bandgap energies of 1.9, 1.4, 1.1, 0.7 eV is developed in a close collaboration between the Fraunhofer ISE, Soitec, CEA-LETI and HZB. This 4-junction cell hits close to the optimum of theoretical efficiency contour plots and has the potential to reach efficiencies up to 50 % under concentration. Challenges are associated with lattice-mismatch between GaAs and InP which is overcome by direct wafer-bonding. The high cost of the InP is addressed by the use of engineered substrates which only require a 500 nm thin mono-crystalline InP layer instead of several hundred µm. Excellent solar cell results up to 44.7 % efficiency have been obtained under concentration for devices manufactured on InP bulk substrates. The high cell efficiency is also supported by out-door characterization of one cell below a Fresnel lens with 16 cm2 aperture area. 38.5 % conversion efficiency has been measured for this mono-module in Freiburg under real operating conditions without any corrections.

MOONS is a new Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph selected by ESO as a third generation instrument for the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The grasp of the large collecting area offered by the VLT (8.2m diameter), combined with the large multiplex and wavelength coverage (optical to near-IR: 0.8μm - 1.8μm) of MOONS will provide the European astronomical community with a powerful, unique instrument able to pioneer a wide range of Galactic, Extragalactic and Cosmological studies and provide crucial follow-up for major facilities such as Gaia, VISTA, Euclid and LSST. MOONS has the observational power needed to unveil galaxy formation and evolution over the entire history of the Universe, from stars in our Milky Way, through the redshift desert, and up to the epoch of very first galaxies and re-ionization of the Universe at redshift z>8-9, just few million years after the Big Bang. On a timescale of 5 years of observations, MOONS will provide high quality spectra for >3M stars in our Galaxy and the local group, and for 1-2M galaxies at z>1 (SDSS-like survey), promising to revolutionise our understanding of the Universe. The baseline design consists of ~1000 fibers deployable over a field of view of ~500 square arcmin, the largest patrol field offered by the Nasmyth focus at the VLT. The total wavelength coverage is 0.8μm-1.8μm and two resolution modes: medium resolution and high resolution. In the medium resolution mode (R~4,000-6,000) the entire wavelength range 0.8μm-1.8μm is observed simultaneously, while the high resolution mode covers simultaneously three selected spectral regions: one around the CaII triplet (at R~8,000) to measure radial velocities, and two regions at R~20,000 one in the J-band and one in the H-band, for detailed measurements of chemical abundances. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

In this chapter we have reviewed the modelization of seeded soft X-ray lasers using plasma amplifiers from solid. Since these sources present different temporal and spatial scales from nanoseconds (plasma characteristic time), picoseconds (atomic system) and femtoseconds (HOH electric field envelope), specific multiscale tools are needed. The creation and evolution of the plasma amplifier is studied with a 2D hydrodynamic code, optimized for this kind of problem. Atomic parameters, as gain and saturation fluence, are obtained postprocessing hydrodynamic data. Then, amplification is studied in different ways: a 3D ray-tracing code is used to study the role of refraction and focusing in the amplification process, whereas a Maxwell-Bloch code is used to model the temporal evolution of the seeded radiation and its coupling with the atomic system. Powerful visualization tools are also used to properly display the 3D properties of the system. The results obtained with these computational tools provide an invaluable aid to comprehend experimental results and design and optimize new schemes, by identifying the key parameters of the experiments.

Two different process technologies were investigated for the fabrication of high-efficiency GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cells on silicon: direct epitaxial growth and layer transfer combined with semiconductor wafer bonding. The intention of this research is to combine the advantages of high efficiencies in III-V tandem solar cells with the low cost of silicon. Direct epitaxial growth of a GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cell on a GaAsyP1-y buffer on silicon yielded a 1-sun efficiency of 16.4% (AM1.5g). Threading dislocations that result from the 4% lattice grading are still the main limitation to the device performance. In contrast, similar devices fabricated by semiconductor wafer bonding on n-type inactive Si reached efficiencies of 26.0% (AM1.5g) for a 4-cm2 solar cell device.

Multiple-junction solar cells made from III-V compound semiconductors are delivering the highest solar-electric conversion efficiencies. Increasing the number of junctions offers the potential to reach higher efficiencies. Direct wafer bonding offers a unique opportunity to combine lattice mismatched materials through a permanent, electrically conductive and optically transparent interface. In addition, the use of Smart Cut ™ technology, associated with its material recycling capabilities allows from a cost perspective the use of expensive bulk material such as InP. Combination of both technologies opens new opportunities to deliver cost effective high efficiency solar cells. In this respect, we have been able to demonstrate a record efficiency of 44,7% with a wafer bonded 4-junction GaInP/GaAs//GaInAsP/GaInAs concentrator solar cell with bandgap energies of 1.88/1.44//1.11/0.70 eV respectively. The bandgaps are chosen to be close to optimal for conversion under concentrated sunlight [1]. This paper presents the improvements made to achieve the world record result leading to higher efficiencies and lower cost.

Se estudió una muestra de 1 022 pacientes ingresados en el Hospital Docente "Salvador Allende", en el año 1997, de los cuales 897 fueron por enfermedad cerebrovascular. Se utilizaron como fuentes principales para el estudio las historias clínicas y las necropsias realizadas de los pacientes, y para el análisis estadístico, el procesamiento manual con distribución de frecuencia con la utilización para el cálculo de la media aritmética. Los resultados obtenidos se representaron en tablas. Los parámetros fundamentales estudiados fueron, edad, factor de riesgo, tipo de enfermedad cerebrovascular y evolución. También se realizó la revisión de los protocolos de necropsias para la verificación del daño vascular encontrado. Como resultados relevantes se observó que la hipertensión arterial es el factor de riesgo más frecuente en todos los casos, que la incidencia de enfermedad cerebrovascular es más alta en pacientes mayores de 65 años y que la mortalidad es superior en los pacientes con hemorragia cerebralA sample of 1 022 patients admitted in the "Salvador Allende" Teaching Hospital in 1997, of whom 897 had cerebrovascular disease, was studied. Medical histories and the necropsies performed were used as main sources for the study, whereas the manual processing, with frequency distribution with the utilization for the calculation of the arithmetical mean was used for the statistical analysis. The results obtained were shown in tables. The fundamental parameters studied were: age, risk factor, type of cerebrovascular disease and evolution. The protocols of the necropsies were also reviewed to verify the vascular damage found. It was observed that arterial hypertension (AHT) is the most frequent risk factor in all cases, that the incidence of cerebrovascular disease is the highest in patients over 65 and that mortality is higher among patients with cerebral hemorrhage

Se hizo un breve repaso conceptual de la ética y la bioética médica para encausar un tema de singular importancia: el consentimiento informado ¿Por qué es importante su concepto y su aplicación? En Cuba en esta última década se han incrementado los estudios científicos médicos e investigativos para mejorar la salud de la población y la obtención de nuevos medicamentos. Los ensayos clínicos con pacientes siempre deberán cumplir un basamento ético que permita el respeto a la vida humana, en esta revisión se detalla conceptualmente el ensayo clínico, la hoja de información al paciente y su contenido, el consentimiento informado, sus principios y elementos. La mezcla de todos hará más humano el trabajo científicoA brief conceptual review of the medical ethics and bioethics was made to deal with a topic of particular importance: the informed consent. Why is its concept and application important? The scientific medical and research studies have increased in Cuba during the last decade in order to improve the health of the population and the obtention of new drugs. The clinical trials with patients should always have an ethical foundation that allows the respect to human life. The clinical trial, the sheet of information given to the patient and its content, the informed consent, its principles and elements are conceptually detailed in this review. The combination of all of them will make scientific work more human

Examination of 450 specimens of Macruronus magellanicus from two fishing grounds in southern Chile (Talcahuano: 36°40'S, Punta Arenas: 54° S) revealed 24 205 metazoan parasites, belonging to 15 taxa with low specificity: Chondracanthus australis and Neobrachiella sp. (Copepoda); Elytrophalloides oatesi, Gonocerca phycidis, Derogenes varicus and Brachyphallus parvus, (Digenea); Hepatoxylon trichiuri, Scolex pleuronectis, Clestobothrium crassiceps, Grillotia dollfusi, Pseudophyllidea gen. sp. (Cestoda); Anisakidae, Cucullanus sp. (Nematoda), Corynosoma australe and Acanthocephala gen. sp. (Acanthocephala). The list includes parasites that are common to other merluccids from the zone. The parasitological evidence does not suggest the existence of two discrete stocks, but the existence of a migratory process from south to north.

The metazoan parasite fauna of Hippoglossina macrops (n = 123) from northern Chile (30 degrees S) is quantitatively described for the first time, and the role of host age and sex was evaluated. Twelve parasite species were recovered, including 5 ectoparasites (2 Monogenea, 2 Copepoda and 1 Piscicolidae) and 7 endoparasites (1 Digenea, 3 Cestoda, 2 Acanthocephala, and 1 Nematoda). The copepod Holobomolochus chilensis, the monogenean Neoheterobothrium sp., the adult acanthocephalan Floridosentis sp. and the hirudinean, Gliptonobdella sp. are new geographical and host records. The most prevalent ectoparasitic species were the monogenean, Neoheterobothrium sp. and the copepod, H. chilensis. Among endoparasites, the acanthocephalans Floridosentis sp. and Corynosoma australe were most prevalent and abundant. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection for most parasitic species were not affected by host sex, however the prevalence of Floridosentis sp. was significantly greater in males. Intensity of infection was positively correlated with host age for Neoheterobothrium sp., and negatively correlated for Floridosentis sp. and H. chilensis. The helminth species richness of the host H. macrops was lower compared to related flatfishes from the Northern Hemisphere. The relationship of the helminth fauna of H. macrops, its feeding habits and ecological habitats are discussed.

Specimens of the edtble mollusk Concholepas concholepas from Tocopllla northern Chile, were found to be Infected with larval forms of a fellodislom~d d ~ g e n e a n Plevalence of infection did not signlflcantly differ between male and female mollusks A close ie la t~onshlp between first maturlty and parasitic infection is suggested Flukes invade gonadal and hepatopancreat~c tlssue and adversely affect structure and functlon of these organs In heavy infections the penls was absent and destruction of the hepatopancreas was accompanied by dlsorganizatlon of germinal tissue

This paper investigates which normal Flint glasses are best suited for the design of lens systems work- ing in the infrared up to about 1.7 m, and possibly up to 2.5 m. Between 0.9 and 2.5 m the best known achromatic pairs are BaF2 IRG2 and SrF2 IRG3 and, to a lesser extent, CaF2 IRG7 (Oliva & Gennari 1995). Unfortunately, Schott will most probably stop the produc- tion of these very little used and commercially uninterest- ing IRG glasses. Here we show that equally good performances can be obtained coupling BaF2 or SrF2 with standard SF glasses. The pairs we analyze in details are BaF2 SF6 and BaF2 SF56A, and we also present new measurements of transmission for several SF glasses which are quite trans- parent up to 1.65 m and can be therefore readily em- ployed in ber{fed spectrographs and other instruments which do not extend beyond the H atmospheric window. At longer wavelengths the use of SF glasses is limited by strong water absorption features, but these could be eliminated by preparing the glass in vacuum environment. Although this production is expensive and commercially unattractive, we hope however that a large enough group of astronomers will support glass manufacturers in the production of \IR{grade SF glasses". As a practical application we present representative results of the design of F/2 (4 lenses) and F/1.4 (5 lenses) cameras for near infrared (0.95 2.5 m) spectrometers.

We present an efficient algorithm using a complex variables formulation for the computation of the gravity effect of 2D polygonal bodies having densities varying both laterally and with depth. The first derivatives of the gravity effect are also provided in order to enable the computation of the Jacobian matrix, which is necessary for linear inverse gravity problems. A geophysical example based on numerical assumptions about the density contrast on a well-studied basin area shows the applicability of the algorithm.

The optical characteristics of birefringent ma- terials transmitting in the near IR (0:9 2:5 m) are an- alyzed. Wollaston prisms with large beam separation and virtually free from lateral chromatism { e.g. with elds of view > 1 arcmin and image elongation 3c m 1 )b eyond 2.25m. The ab- sorption does not decrease signicantly when the crystals is cooled, CaCO3 should not be therefore used in instru- ments working beyond 2.0 m.

We discuss 2.5–45 µm spectra of the Circinus galaxy and of Cen A, obtained with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) on board the Infrared Space Observatory. The large number of detected ionic fine structure lines, observable also in visually obscured sources, provides strong constraints on the shape of the ionizing spectrum, which is found to exhibit a UV bump peaking at ~ 70 eV in the case of Circinus. Pure rotational emission of molecular hydrogen, directly probing warm molecular gas, can for the first time be detected in external galaxies.

Recent observations show that the CLR is small (a few tens of parsecs), has large column densities (N ≈ 1022 cm−2), and lies close to and is probably photoionized by the AGN. Coronal lines give information on Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ca, and Fe abundances, on the dust content and dynamics of the CLR, and can be used to trace hidden AGN. If they are powered by photoionization, coronal lines could be used to reconstruct the AGN spectrum at 100-400 eV. However, a proper understanding of the results requires careful use of photoionization codes, since the ionization parameter at the inner face is probably meaningless for CLR models, and a reliable convergence of the ‘highly variable’ atomic parameters for coronal lines. A shock model for the CLR in NGC 1068 requires collisional ionization of ≥ 600 M⊙ yr−1 of dense (n > 104 cm −3) gas within a region no larger than 30 pc. Maintaining a shock-excited CLR for a reasonable time requires > 1010M⊙ of fuel, which must be continuously supplied to the CLR.

Intraspecific variability in parasite life cycle complexity (number of hosts and species of hosts in the life cycle) may have an impact how parasite genetic variation is partitioned among individual parasites, host individuals or host species within a given area. Among digenean trematodes, a three-host life cycle is common. However, a few species are precocious and may reach sexual maturity in what is typically regarded as the second intermediate host. The objective of this study was to determine whether a precocious life cycle predisposes digeneans to possible inbreeding or genetic subdivision among host species. As a study system, we used the digenean Proctoeces cf. lintoni whose metacercariae precociously mature (facultative) without a cyst wall in the gonads of multiple sympatric species of keyhole limpets (Fissurella spp.), typically regarded as the second intermediate hosts. Genotyped parasites were collected from four species of limpets and the clingfish Sicyases sanguineus, the third and final host where sexual maturity occurs. We found very high microsatellite diversity, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium over all genotyped individuals, and little to no genetic structuring among parasites collected from the different host species. The fact that metacercariae do not encyst in the keyhole limpets, coupled with the high mixing potential of an aquatic environment, likely promote panmixia in local populations of P. cf. lintoni.

The absence of the larval Anisakis simplex s. l. in samples from central Chile but heavy infections in fish from southern localities suggest the existence of two stocks of Strangomera bentincki, one closely associated with the central coast of Chile (landing port San Antonio and Talcahuano, c. 33° 30' S-36° 40' S) and the other associated with southern Chile (landing port Puerto Montt, c. 41° 30' S). Results confirm the usefulness of metazoan parasites, like A. simplex s. l. as biological markers.

Post-larval dispersal along the sediment–water interface is an important process in the dynamics of macrobenthic populations and communities in marine sublittoral sediments. However, the modes of post-larval dispersal in low energy sublittoral habitats have been poorly documented. Herein we examined the specific dispersal mechanisms (diel vertical migration, water column, and bedload transport) and corresponding biological traits of the dispersing assemblage. At two sublittoral sites (sheltered and exposed) along the northern coast of Chile, we installed different trap types that capture benthic organisms with specific modes of dispersal (active emergence and passive water column drifting) and also by a combination of mechanisms (bedload transport, passive suspension and settlement from the water column). Our results show that even though there were common species in all types of traps, the post-larval macrobenthic assemblage depended on specific mechanisms of dispersal. At the sheltered site, abundant emerging taxa colonized sediments that were placed 0.5 m above the bottom and bedload-transported invertebrates appeared to be associated to the passive drifting of macroalgae. At the exposed site, assemblage dispersal was driven by specific mechanisms e.g. bedload transport and active emergence. At both sites the biological traits “small size, swimming, hard exoskeleton, free living and surface position” were associated to water column and bedload dispersal. This study highlights the importance of (i) the water–sediment interface for dispersal of post-larvae in sublittoral soft-bottom habitat, and (ii) a specific set of biological traits when dispersing either along the bottom or through the water column.

Several polypropylene-ethylene vinyl acetate (PP/EVA) copolymers with compositions ranging from 90/10 to 10/90 PP/EVA were prepared and characterized in terms of their morphology by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and their mechanical properties were also studied. The results show a wide range of spatial structures which correlate well to the corresponding measurements of elastic modulus of the blends.

Three species of protistan and 22 species of metazoan parasites were obtained from a sample of 179 flatfish, (Paralichthys adspersus) taken-off Antofagasta, northern Chile. Prevalence of infection of seven parasites (Protista: 1, Copepoda: 2, Digenea: 1, Acantocephala: 1, Nematoda: 2) was significantly and positively correlated with host size. Host's sex do not seem to affect prevalence of infection, except for Nybelinia surmenicola, Capillaria sp. and Anisakis sp. (prevalence of infection significantly greater in males than females) and Philometra sp. (prevalence higher in females). Mean abundance is correlated with size in nine species (Protista: 1, Copepoda: 2, Digenea: 3, Acantocephala: 1, Nematoda: 2). Host's sex do not affect mean abundance, except for Cainocreadium sp. and Philometra sp.(mean abundance higher in females) and Nybelinia surmenicola, Capillaria sp. and Anisakis sp. (mean abundance higher in males).

Commercial nylon 6–12 fibers were subjected to various doses of γ-radiation. The mechanical and some thermal properties, as compared to those of non-irradiated fibers, show changes which are discussed in terms of the radiation-matter interactions.

El trabajo se desarrolló durante el periodo de Julio-noviembre del año 2015, al interior del Centro Universitario de los Valles de la Universidad de Guadalajara (CUValles) con estudiantes de la propia dependencia, participando en su estructura e indagatoria el Mtro. Sergio Eduardo Arévalo Contreras y el Mtro. Francisco E. Oliva, así como un grupo de apoyo de estudiantes de la carrera de psicología del 4° semestre de la asignatura reporte de investigación de campo.

Spionidae, particularly polydorids, are common polychaete parasites of edible mollusks around the world. However, our understanding of the regulatory factors and population structure of these parasites is scant. In this study involving Polydora bioccipitalis and the surf clam Mesodesma donacium we evaluated (1) the environmental correlates of the prevalence and mean intensity of the infestation, (2) the relationship between the number of egg capsules and juvenile and adult parasites and the time elapsed since infestation, and (3) the spatial patterns of juveniles and adults within the host. Environmental factors showed no significant correlations with prevalence and mean intensity, suggesting that these factors do not act directly as regulators. Rather, storm surges seemingly induced clam stranding, which in turn affected both the prevalence and intensity of the infestation. The numbers of juveniles and egg capsules in blisters were significantly related to the time since infestation, suggesting mechanisms of use and expansion of the space within the host. Juvenile worms showed an aggregated distribution that was probably related to the episodic nature of infestation events, whereas adults exhibited uniform distributions that probably reflect territorial behavior and reproductive strategies.

In this paper a new solar cell design is introduced where solar cells are interconnected in series via the front surface only. Indoor measurement results of single solar cells and compact concentrator modules consisting of 14 series-interconnected solar cells are presented. The epitaxial structure is a metamorphic triple-junction concept (Ga0.35In0.65P/Ga0.83In0.17As/Ge) produced at Fraunhofer ISE. Indoor measurements show a cell performance of 35.2% at 334 × 1000 W/m2 referring to the designated area. Series connected solar cells on the module base plate were measured indoors at 280 x with an efficiency of 27.4% considering total module area. In addition, outdoor measurements of the modules were performed at Tel Aviv University in a dish system showing module electrical efficiency of 22.8%. For combined electrical and thermal energy a total efficiency of 64.1 % has been achieved.

Transmission electron microscopy of thin sections of rubber-reinforced polystyrene commercial specimens was performed. The importance of an adequate sample preparation technique to obtain reliable microstructural information is demonstrated through the observations and analysis of samples prepared by variuos methods. The relevance of carefully selecting preparation method is emphasized.

We present and discuss some recent results ofgroundbased IR spectroscopie studies ofstarburst and Seyfert galaxies through the 1–5 μm atmospheric windows. Of particular interest in this spectral range are H and He recombination lines, stellar CO and other absorption bands which can provide information on the stellar populations; [SiVI, VII, IX], [CaVIII] and [SIX] coronal lines in Seyferts and [FeII] and ro-vibrational H 2 lines from circumnuclear gas excited by high energy photons and winds associated with recently formed hot stars, SN/SNR and AGN. Recent progress in the latter case has largely been achieved through the first use of 2D arrays to obtain maps and images of the extended line emission in several relatively nearby galaxies.

Argopecten purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819) and Mesodesma donacium (Lamarck, 1818) are bivalves that inhabit the Humboldt Current Upwelling Ecosystem. They have contrasting biogeographical origins, suggesting that their responses to exogenous factors should differ. Using circular statistics, we examine synchrony/asynchrony in the reproductive cycle between populations of each species. The results indicate that there is reproductive asynchrony in both species along their distributional range. However, there was synchrony for A. purpuratus in several location-pairs, including Paita-Chimbote, Chimbote-Callao, Callao-Pisco and Pisco-Antofagasta. For M. donacium, there were only two synchronic groups: Camaná-Capellanía-Mehuín and Hornitos-Peñuelas-Longotoma-La Ligua-Cucao-Quilanlar. A. purpuratus showed gametogenenic activity throughout the year. In contrast, M. donacium showed strong seasonality, with gametogenesis in winter and spawning in spring/summer. In conclusion, the patterns observed for these sympatric species suggest that on a large scale the reproductive cycles follow the expected patterns for the contrasting biogeographic origin of each species, so it could be argued that they are modulated by endogenous factors. However, at a local scale, the reproductive cycles of these species show variation, likely determined by local oceanographic or hydrographic processes. Argopecten purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819) y Mesodesma donacium (Lamarck, 1818) son moluscos bivalvos endémicos del sistema de afloramiento de la Corriente de Humboldt pero tienen orígenes biogeográficos opuestos. Por tanto, se esperaría que los factores exógenos afectaran sus ritmos biológicos diferencialmente, entre ellos sus ciclos reproductivos. Mediante análisis de distribución circular se evaluó el sincronismo/asincronismo en ciclos reproductivos entre poblaciones de cada especie. Los resultados indican que existe asincronía reproductiva en ambas especies a lo largo de su distribución. Sin embargo para A. purpuratus se encontró varios pares de localidades sincrónicas: Paita-Chimbote; Chimbote-Callao; Callao-Pisco y Pisco-Antofagasta, y para M. donacium se dieron dos grupos sincrónicos, el primero entre las poblaciones de Camaná, Capellanía y Mehuín; y el segundo grupo entre Hornitos, Peñuelas, Longotoma, La Ligua, Cucao y Quilanlar. A. purpuratus presentó actividad gametogénica continua. En contraste, M. donacium presentó una marcada estacionalidad, con gametogénesis durante invierno y desoves durante primavera y/o verano. En conclusión, los patrones observados para ambas especies simpátricas sugieren que, a gran escala el ciclo reproductivo sigue los patrones esperados para el origen biogeográfico contrastante de cada especie, por lo tanto se podría argumentar que es modulada por factores endógenos. Sin embargo, a escala local el ciclo reproductivo de ambas especies muestra variaciones, aparentemente influenciados por los factores oceanográficos o hidrográficos locales.

[EN] This article documents the addition of 111 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, Anopheles nuneztovari sensu lato, Asellus aquaticus, Calopteryx splendens, Calopteryx virgo, Centaurea aspera, Centaurea seridis, Chilina dombeyana, Proctoeces cf. lintoni and Pyrenophora teres f. teres. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The occurrence of the dracunculoid nematode Philometra chilensis Moravec, Chávez et Oliva, 2011 (Philometridae) infecting the ovary of the red cusk-eel, Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot), off the Pacific coast of northern Chile is reported. A sample of 266 fish specimens (total body length 34–96 cm) revealed the nematode overall prevalence (April 2007) of this parasite to be 18.5% and the mean intensity of infection 17.9 (SD = 30.8). All infected fish were mature females. The present results suggest that infection by the nematode shows seasonality and coincides with specific reproductive stages of the red cusk-eel, a partial spawner, and as a result the infection can affect the reproductive success of the host.

Work automation is regarded as a key technological resource for the improvement of competitiveness in most organizations. Indeed, automation of critical tasks has become an urgent need for a number of firms in Mexico, who require to increase plant productivity, product quality and safety and welfare levels. Because of their importance in the Mexican economic structure, the complexity of their problems and their limited capability to solve them, small and medium size industrial firms do call for special attention by research institutions. It must be pointed out that, in our environment, most managers of these firms lack information about the factors determining successful work automation and their feasibility studies are mainly devoted to the analysis of economic and technological aspects, social impact and cultural background are only marginally considered, if at all. This is why, with the aim of contributing towards the solution of the aforementioned problem, this paper discusses how appropriate work automation could be implemented in the Mexican environment, with special emphasis on small and medium size industrial firms. Also, the role of industrial managers is discussed and some general infrastructure requirements are presented.

III–V multi-junction concentrator solar cells today are optimized for maximum conversion efficiency under AM1.5d standard test conditions at 25 °C cell temperature. But, a higher efficiency for a multi-junction solar cell under these artificial conditions does not necessarily lead to more energy generation in a real photovoltaic concentrator system. The variation of the spectrum during the day and year is crucial to the amount of energy which can be produced. In this paper we calculate the energy which can be harvested on the basis of more than 4000 realistic spectra generated for each daytime hour of the year. Calculations are performed for three typical CPV locations in Colorado, Spain and Israel. A detailed balance approach is used to predict the energy harvesting efficiency for each bandgap combination in a specific multi-junction solar cell. It turns out that all advanced concepts have advantages compared to the state-of-the-art Ga 0.5 In 0.5 P/Ga 0.99 In 0.01 As/Ge triple-junction solar cell used today. For example, a monolithic 4-junction device with an ideal combination of bandgap energies could boost the power generation of a CPV system by up to 19 %. Material availability, quality and manufacturing complexity will finally determine the most successful approaches for achieving optimum performance.

We have investigated the relevant trend of the bolometric correction (BC) at the cool-temperature regime of red giant stars and its possible dependence on stellar metallicity. Our analysis relies on a wide sample of optical-infrared spectroscopic observations, along the 3500A-2.5micron wavelength range, for a grid of 92 red giant stars in five (3 globular + 2 open) Galactic clusters, along the -2.2, Comment: 18 pages with 12 color figures and 12 tables. To appear in the MNRAS. Full spectral catalog of stars available at http://www.bo.astro.it/~eps/home.html

Two species of Proctoeces Odhner, 1911 have been described in marine organisms from Chile: P. humboldti George-Nascimento & Quiroga (1983), parasitizing the gonads of keyhole limpets (Fissurella spp.), and P. chilensis Oliva (1984), an intestinal parasite of Sicyases sanguineus (Teleostei); both species were subsequently considered as P. lintoni Siddiqi & Cable (1960). To assist in the resolution of the taxonomic identification of Proctoeces species in marine organisms from Chile, phylogenetic studies using DNA sequences from the V4 region of the SSU rRNA gene were performed. Several specimens of P. lintoni were isolated from keyhole limpets (Fissurella spp.) and clingfish (S. sanguineus) from Bahia San Jorge (23°40′S) and Bahia Concepción (36°50′S). Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using three different approaches: a neighbour-joining (NJ), a maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). The phylogenetic analysis confirms that specimens of Proctoeces obtained from keyhole limpets and those specimens from the clingfish are in fact the same species. We prefer to consider our specimens as Proctoeces cf. lintoni, as the morphology of Proctoeces appears to be of doubtful value and genetic information about P. lintoni Siddiqi & Cable (1960) is not available. In addition, our results strongly suggest that there are at least three species in this genus.

Several coherent soft x-ray lasers are available for applications nowadays. Among them, plasma-based soft x-ray lasers promise to generate high-energy, highly coherent, short pulse beam. Solid target based amplifiers, due to the fact that his density is higher, should store a higher amount of energy. However, to-date output energy from seeded solid amplifiers remains as low as 60 nJ. We demonstrated that the extraction of the energy stored in the plasma is enhanced by carefully tailoring the plasma shape, to inhibit deleterious hydrodynamical effects. With 1 mm wide plasma, energy as high as 22 μJ in sub-ps pulse is achievable. Not only the energy extracted is higher in these tailored plasmas but also gain and pumping efficiency are increased by nearly a factor of ten as compared to the narrowest plasma amplifiers studied previously and here.

The Humboldt Current System is a highly productive ecosystem that is subject to the dynamics of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). El Nino (EN, the warm phase of ENSO) causes vital changes in surface water temperature, oxygen levels, and salinity conditions, which arc reflected in various responses of coastal pelagic and benthic organisms. For very shallow habitats such as sandy beaches, temperature and salinity are considered the principal parameters changing during strong EN. However, the mechanisms by which these changes effect change on the structure of coastal populations remains largely unknown. The surf clam Donax ohesulus is dominant on large sandy beaches of the Humboldt Current System. Its biogeographical distribution is largely influenced by EN-induced environmental changes. Despite the species' key role in the beach ecosystem, the effects of modified abiotic conditions on the meroplanktonic larval stages and threshold temperatures involved have not yet been investigated. After EN episodes, meroplanktonic larval stages play a crucial role in the medium- and long-term stability of shallow-water species. Thus, this study makes a first attempt to describe the ontogeny of D. ohesulus and examines the effects on development of EN temperature conditions (ENTC) in comparison with normal temperature conditions (NTC). Results indicate that early life history follows a pattern previously described for other donacid bivalves. Development, growth, and mortality of larvae were assessed during a 3-wk in vitro experiment, indicating that larvae reared under ENTC grew and developed faster in comparison with those reared under NTC; mortality was slightly higher under ENTC. During a 2nd experiment, larvae were exposed for 48 h to a distinct range of different salinities (35, 25, 15, and 5 ± 1) at 2 different temperatures (NTC and ENTC). At both temperatures, larvae suffered no mortality at medium and low salinity (35, 25, and 15 ± 1) but showed 100% mortality at very low salinity (5 ± 1) after 16 h at NTC and 32 h at ENTC. Activity of larvae was highest at medium salinity (25 ± 1) and lowest at normal salinity (35 ± 1). The results of this study indicate that early larval stages of D. ohesulus can cope with temperature and salinity changes induced during EN. Only extremely low salinity (5 ± 1) such as that observed close to river mouths may cause high mortality rates in D. ohesulus offspring.

The mussel Perumitylus purpuratus has been described as the first intermediate host for the digenea Proctoeces lintoni (Fellodistomidae) in the Chilean coast. The study of more than 3000 specimens of P. purpuratus, taken off northern Chile revealed the absence of sporocysts. Experimental infection of mussels with eggs obtained from the known host for P. lintoni was unsuccessful. We analyze the V4 region of the SSU rRNA of living sporocysts and cercariae obtained from P. purpuratus from central Chile in order to confirm the proposed life cycle for this digenea. Our results demonstrated that sporocysts and cercariae obtained from P. purpuratus do not belong to P. lintoni but to an undescribed digenea from the Chilean coast.

Group production, rational automation and ergonomics can be jointly applied in developing countries for creating a more human oriented working environment in industry. Most managers in developing countries are unaware of the urgent need for work humanization, as a sine qua non requirement for achieving and sustaining survival-determining global competitivity. Many of these managers are acquainted with some of the benefits that can be attained through work automation, but only a few have ever heard of group production and ergonomics, not to mention their joint implementation. In this context, group production is aimed to improve work organisation, inter-personal relations and job satisfaction; rational automation, in turn, will mean to deliver the individual from dangerous, strenuous and boring tasks; and ergonomics will be used to fit manual and intellectual tasks, as well as the surrounding environment, to the features of the personnel.

Specimens of Fissurella crassa (Archaeogastropoda) from Ilo, southern Perú, are infected with the adult stage of the digenetic trematode Proctoeces lintoni (Fellodistomidae). The histopatological analysis of the male and female gonads show a strong effect of the parasite on the structure and function of these organs. P. lintoni live unencysted in the gonads, and the main mechanical damage is originated by the action of a well developed acetabulum. Chemical actions of parasitic secretions may also be involved. The infected gonads show altered structure and the gametogenic processes is aborted. There is no evidence of hemocytic response, but leucocite infiltration is evident at least in male infected gonads. An increased content of polysaccarides is evident in infected gonads.