Odorant Receptor (Or) genes: polymorphism and divergence in the D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura Lineages

Background: In insects, like in most invertebrates, olfaction is the principal sensory modality, which provides animals with essential information for survival and reproduction. Odorant receptors are involved in this response, mediating interactions between an individual and its environment, as well as between individuals of the same or different species. The adaptive importance of odorant receptors renders them good candidates for having their variation shaped by natural selection. Methodology/Principal Findings: We analyzed nucleotide variation in a subset of eight Or genes located on the 3L chromosomal arm of Drosophila melanogaster in a derived population of this species and also in a population of Drosophila pseudoobscura. Some heterogeneity in the silent polymorphism to divergence ratio was detected in the D. melanogaster/D. simulans comparison, with a single gene (Or67b) contributing ~37% to the test statistic. However, no other signals of a very recent selective event were detected at this gene. In contrast, at the speciation timescale, the MK test uncovered the footprint of positive selection driving the evolution of two of the encoded proteins in both D. melanogaster ¿OR65c and OR67a ¿and D. pseudoobscura ¿OR65b1 and OR67c. Conclusions: The powerful polymorphism/divergence approach provided evidence for adaptive evolution at a rather high proportion of the Or genes studied after relatively recent speciation events. It did not provide, however, clear evidence for very recent selective events in either D. melanogaster or D. pseudoobscura

Symmetric periodic orbits near heteroclinic loops at infinity for a class of polynomial vector fields

For polynomial vector fields in R3, in general, it is very difficult to detect the existence of an open set of periodic orbits in their phase portraits. Here, we characterize a class of polynomial vector fields of arbitrary even degree having an open set of periodic orbits. The main two tools for proving this result are, first, the existence in the phase portrait of a symmetry with respect to a plane and, second, the existence of two symmetric heteroclinic loops

Cosmogenic radionuclide production in NaI(Tl) crystals

arXiv:1411.0106v2.-- et al.The production of long-lived radioactive isotopes in materials due to the exposure to cosmic rays on Earth surface can be an hazard for experiments demanding ultra-low background conditions, typically performed deep underground. Production rates of cosmogenic isotopes in all the materials present in the experimental set-up, as well as the corresponding cosmic rays exposure history, must be both well known in order to assess the relevance of this effect in the achievable sensitivity of a given experiment. Although NaI(Tl) scintillators are being used in experiments aiming at the direct detection of dark matter since the first nineties of the last century, very few data about cosmogenic isotopes production rates have been published up to date. In this work we present data from two 12.5 kg NaI(Tl) detectors, developed in the frame of the ANAIS project, which were installed inside a convenient shielding at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory just after finishing surface exposure to cosmic rays. The very fast start of data taking allowed to identify and quantify isotopes with half-lives of the order of tens of days. Initial activities underground have been measured and then production rates at sea level have been estimated following the history of detectors; values of about a few tens of nuclei per kg and day for Te isotopes and 22Na and of a few hundreds for I isotopes have been found. These are the first direct estimates of production rates of cosmogenic nuclides in NaI crystals. A comparison of the so deduced rates with calculations using typical cosmic neutron flux at sea level and a carefully selected description of excitation functions will be also presented together with an estimate of the corresponding contribution to the background at low and high energies, which can be relevant for experiments aiming at rare events searches.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and the European Regional Development Fund (MINECO-FEDER) (FPA2011-23749), the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Programme under grants MULTIDARK CSD2009-00064 and CPAN CSD2007-00042, and the Gobierno de Aragón (Group in Nuclear and Astroparticle Physics, ARAID Foundation and C. Cuesta predoctoral grant). C. Ginestra and P. Villar are supported by the MINECO Subprograma de Formación de Personal Investigador.Peer Reviewe

Role of Empathy and Lifelong Learning Abilities in Physicians and Nurses Who Work in Direct Contact with Patients in Adverse Working Conditions

This research and the APC were funded by Fundacion Rioja Salud, reference funds FPBIO-2022.Empathy and lifelong learning are two professional competencies that depend on the four principles of professionalism: humanism, altruism, excellence, and accountability. In occupational health, there is evidence that empathy prevents work distress. However, in the case of lifelong learning, the evidence is still scarce. In addition, recent studies suggest that the development of lifelong learning varies in physicians and nurses and that it is sensitive to the influence of cultural stereotypes associated with professional roles. This study was performed with the purpose of determining the specific role that empathy and lifelong learning play in the reduction in occupational stress. This study included a sample composed by 40 physicians and 40 nurses with high dedication to clinical work in ambulatory consultations from a public healthcare institution in Paraguay. Somatization, exhaustion, and work alienation, described as indicators of occupational stress, were used as dependent variables, whereas empathy, lifelong learning, gender, discipline, professional experience, civil status, and family burden were used as potential predictors. Three multiple regression models explained 32% of the variability of somatization based on a linear relationship with empathy, lifelong learning, and civil status; 73% of the variability of exhaustion based on a linear relationship with empathy, somatization, work alienation, and discipline; and 62% of the variability of work alienation based on a linear relationship with lifelong learning, exhaustion, and discipline. These findings indicate that empathy and lifelong learning play important roles in the prevention of work distress in physicians and nurses. However, this role varies by discipline.Fundacion Rioja Salu

How real estate agents behavior affects urban growth : an agent-based model approach

During the early 2000s Spanish territory has suffered major transformations due to fast urbanization. The main actors involved on this process are: urban planners, real estate agents and population. This paper presents an Agent- Based Model (ABM) which simulates the behavior of those three agents in order to better understand how the interaction of those different actors contributes to the process and produces changes in the territory in the form of urban growth. This study is applied to the Corredor del Henares, an area of 18 municipalities at Madrid Region in Spain. The paper presents the overall model with particular focus on the behavior of Real Estate Agents. Preliminary results suggest the model is capable to produce realistic scenarios and, thus, help to improve the understanding of the dynamics of urban growth in Corredor del Henares

Learning and Teaching Strategic Management: a Continuous Improvement

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