The spanish influenza pandemic: a lesson from history 100 years after 1918

In Europe in 1918, influenza spread through Spain, France, Great Britain and Italy, causing havoc with military operations during the First World War. The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more than 50 million people worldwide. In addition, its socioeconomic consequences were huge. "Spanish flu", as the infection was dubbed, hit different agegroups, displaying a so-called "W-trend", typically with two spikes in children and the elderly. However, healthy young adults were also affected. In order to avoid alarming the public, several local health authorities refused to reveal the numbers of people affected and deaths. Consequently, it was very difficult to assess the impact of the disease at the time. Although official communications issued by health authorities worldwide expressed certainty about the etiology of the infection, in laboratories it was not always possible to isolate the famous Pfeiffer's bacillus, which was, at that time, deemed to be the cause of influenza. The first official preventive actions were implemented in August 1918; these included the obligatory notification of suspected cases and the surveillance of communities such as day-schools, boarding schools and barracks. Identifying suspected cases through surveillance, and voluntary and/or mandatory quarantine or isolation, enabled the spread of Spanish flu to be curbed. At that time, these public health measures were the only effective weapons against the disease, as no vaccines or antivirals were available. Virological and bacteriological analysis of preserved samples from infected soldiers and other young people who died during the pandemic period is a major step toward a better understanding of this pandemic and of how to prepare for future pandemics

CHANGE OF SPEED IN SIMULATED CROSS-COUNTRY SKI RACING: A KINEMATIC ANALYSIS

The purpose of the study was to identify the kinematic changes of the diagonal stride technique (DST) associated to a decrease of speed during a simulated cross-country ski race. Eight male cross-country skiers skied a 15 km course composed of 6 laps of 2.5 km. Full DST cycles were recorded using a digital camera for each lap. The fastest and slowest laps for each skier were selected, from which the following variables were studied: (i) cycle length and cycle frequency, (ii) propulsion length and duration, (iii) swing length and duration and (iv) trunk and knee angles. The skiing speed was significantly decreased between the first and the second part of the simulated race. The speed change was associated only with modification of the spatial components of the DST cycle (cycle and phase lengths, trunk and knee angles). The cycle durations remained constant. It was concluded that the decrease of speed resulted from a deterioration of the technique reducing the application of propulsion forces

The role of secondary Reggeons in central meson production

We estimate the contribution of f_2 trajectory exchange to the central \eta and \eta^\prime production. It is shown that secondary Reggeons may give a large contribution to processes of double diffractive meson production at high energy.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 5 figure

Patrones de actividad y abundancias estacionales del Flamenco Andino (Phoe-nicoparrus andinus) en dos humedales contrastantes en Argentina

El Flamenco Andino utilizade forma complementaria y alternativa humedales altoandinos de Argentina, Bolivia, Chile y Perú,además de humedales en las tierras bajas de Argentina. Estudios previos se enfocaron en su com-portamiento en sitios andinos, pero no existen al momento estudios de este tipo en sitios de tierrasbajas. Debido a esto, el objetivo del estudio fue analizar los patrones de actividad, de despliegues decortejo y abundancias de esta especie de flamenco en dos humedales contrastantes. Los sitios de es-tudio fueron: la Laguna de Vilama, en el noroeste de Argentina y a 4500 m s.n.m., la cual es utilizadaen el verano durante el período reproductivo; y la Laguna Melincué, en la planicie del centro-este deArgentina y a 84 m s.n.m., que es utilizada durante el período no reproductivo invernal. Entre sitios yentre años hubo marcadas diferencias en la abundancia y en los patrones de actividad. En la Lagunade Vilama, los flamencos se alimentaron durante la mayor parte del tiempo (95%), mientras que enla Laguna Melincué, los flamencos mostraron un rango más amplio de comportamientos, destinandosólo el 60% del tiempo a alimentarse. No registramos despliegues nupciales (marchas) en la Lagunade Vilama, mientras que en la Laguna Melincué sí registramos marchas, las cuales fueron másfrecuentes y de mayor duración en aquellos años con mayores abundancias de flamencos. Las dife-rencias en actividades entre los sitios estarían asociadas a la calidad y disponibilidad de recursos yal momento del ciclo reproductivo, donde los sitios de tierras bajas proveen hábitats críticos paralas actividades de cortejo que finalmente influyen el éxito reproductivo en los humedales de los AltosAndes.The Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus), one of three flamingo species in southernSouth America makes complementary and alternative use of high Andean wetlands in Argentina, Bolivia,Chile and Peru, and lowland wetlands in Argentina over its life cycle. Previous studies have focused onits behavior in Andean sites, but there are no such studies in lowland sites. Therefore, we analyzed theactivity patterns, courtship displays, and individual abundance of this flamingo species at two contrastingwetland sites, Laguna de Vilama, located at 4500 m a.s.l. in northwestern Argentina and used in summerduring the breeding season, and Laguna Melincué, a lowland wetland located at 84 m a.s.l. in the plainsof central east Argentina and used in winter during the non-breeding season. There were marked differ-ences in flamingo abundance and activity patterns between sites and years. In Laguna de Vilama, fla-mingos were feeding most of the time (95%), whereas at Laguna Melincué, flamingos showed a broaderrange of behaviors, with only a 60% of time spent feeding. We did not record marching displays atLaguna de Vilama, whereas at Laguna Melincué we recorded marching events in each of the three studyyears, being more frequent and lasting longer in the year with higher flamingo abundance. The differ-ences in behaviors at these sites are associated with resource quality and availability and with timing ofthe reproductive cycle, with lowland wetlands providing critical habitats for courtship displays that influ-ence reproductive success of this species breeding colonies in high Andean wetlands. Accepted 1 Octo-ber 2014Fil: Derlindati, Enrique Javier. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto Geonorte; Argentina. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Romano, Marcelo C. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Ambiente. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Cruz, Nancy N.. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto Geonorte; ArgentinaFil: Barisón, Caterina. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arengo, Felicity. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. American Museum Of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Barberis, Ignacio Martín. Grupo de Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

A study of the f0(1370), f0(1500), f0(2000) and f2(1950) observed in the centrally produced 4pi final states

The production and decay properties of the f0(1370), f0(1500), f0(2000) and f2(1950) have been studied in central pp interactions at 450 GeV/c. The dPT, phi and |t| distributions of these resonances are presented. For the J = 0 states, the f0(1370) and f0(2000) have similar dPT and phi dependences. These are different to the dPT and phi dependences of the f0(980), f0(1500) and f0(1710). For the J = 2 states the f2(1950) has different dependences to the f2(1270) and f2'(1520). This shows that the dPT and phi dependences are not just J phenomena.Comment: 14 pages, Latex, 4 Figure

Experimental evidence for a vector-like behaviour of Pomeron exchange

Evidence is presented that the Pomeron act as a non-conserved vector current. A study has been made of the azimuthal angle phi, which is defined as the angle between the pT vectors of the two outgoing protons, in the reaction pp -> pp(X0) for those resonances (X0) which are compatible with being produced by double Pomeron exchange. These distributions have been compared with a model which describes the Pomeron as a non-conserved vector current and a qualitative agreement is found. In addition, when one of the particles exchanged is known to have spin 0, namely pi-Pomeron exchange, the phi distribution is flat.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 4 Figure

A coupled channel analysis of the centrally produced K+K- and pi+pi- final states in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

A coupled channel analysis of the centrally produced K+K- and pi+pi- final states has been performed in pp collisions at an incident beam momentum of 450 GeV/c. The pole positions and branching ratios to pipi and KK of the f0(980), f0(1370), f0(1500) and f0(1710) have been determined. A systematic study of the production properties of all the resonances observed in the pi+pi- and K+K- channels has been performed.Comment: 16 pages, Latex, 5 Figure

A search for charmonium states produced in central pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

A search for centrally produced charmonium states has been presented. There is no significant evidence for any charmonium production. An upper limit of 2 nb is found for the cross section of chic production using the decay chic(1P)-> J/psi gamma.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, 4 Figure

How parental autonomy support prevent from adolescents’ depression and low self-esteem: a mediational model with trait Emotional Intelligence

Objective: The main aim of this study was to deepen the literature about parental autonomy support, analysing the relation between its two dimensions, Promotion of Independence (PI) and Promotion of Volitional Functioning (PVF), and adaptive outcomes in adolescents. Specifically, it was hypothesized that both components would predict higher self-esteem and lower depression in adolescents, through the mediation of trait Emotional Intelligence (trait EI). Method: A total of 283 adolescents, aged between 14 and 17 years (M=15.53; SD=1.21), participated in this study. They completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies- Depression Scale (CES-D), the Promotion of Independence (PI) and Promotion of Volitional Functioning (PVF), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF). Results: It was found that parental autonomy support predicted trait EI, which in turn fully mediated the relation between supportive practices and psychological outcomes in adolescents, with several interesting parent gender differences. Conclusions: This study highlights how autonomy-supportive practices are fundamental for healthy and adequate development of emotional intelligence in adolescents. It also contributes to the advancement of research on the contextual and individual mechanisms underlying the functional adaptation of offspring

Antecedents and consequences of parental psychological control and autonomy support: the role of psychological basic needs

Research suggest that psychologically controlling and autonomy supportive parenting can be described within the SDT's framework. Two studies were conducted to examine: (a) the role of parental need frustration as a predictor of parental psychological control, (b) the role of parental need satisfaction as a predictor of parental autonomy support and (c) the role of parents' psychological control and autonomy support in the intergenerational transmission of satisfaction and frustration of the psychological basic needs. Study-1 provided evidence, in a sample of 203 Italian coupled parents, that needs frustration and needs satisfaction represent distinct antecedents of psychological control and autonomy support. Study-2, showed that in 135 families, the intergenerational association between parents' and adolescents' need frustration was partial mediated by psychological control and autonomy support. Results clearly showed that parents who experienced high level of psychological needs frustration are more likely to use psychological control and in turn to promote a feeling of need frustration in their adolescents; differently, parents who experienced high levels of psychological needs satisfaction tend to exert more autonomy support in their relationship with their children and in turn adolescents tend to perceive higher level of needs satisfaction. These findings are discussed in light of SDT and underline the importance of needs in the parenting context and have implications for interventions