Detection of an intergalactic meteor particle with the 6-m telescope

On July 28, 2006 the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences recorded the spectrum of a faint meteor. We confidently identify the lines of FeI and MgI, OI, NI and molecular-nitrogen N_2 bands. The entry velocity of the meteor body into the Earth's atmosphere estimated from radial velocity is equal to 300 km/s. The body was several tens of a millimeter in size, like chondrules in carbon chondrites. The radiant of the meteor trajectory coincides with the sky position of the apex of the motion of the Solar system toward the centroid of the Local Group of galaxies. Observations of faint sporadic meteors with FAVOR TV CCD camera confirmed the radiant at a higher than 96% confidence level. We conclude that this meteor particle is likely to be of extragalactic origin. The following important questions remain open: (1) How metal-rich dust particles came to be in the extragalactic space? (2) Why are the sizes of extragalactic particles larger by two orders of magnitude (and their masses greater by six orders of magnitude) than common interstellar dust grains in our Galaxy? (3) If extragalactic dust surrounds galaxies in the form of dust (or gas-and-dust) aureoles, can such formations now be observed using other observational techniques (IR observations aboard Spitzer satellite, etc.)? (4) If inhomogeneous extragalactic dust medium with the parameters mentioned above actually exists, does it show up in the form of irregularities on the cosmic microwave background (WMAP etc.)?Comment: 9 pages, 6 EPS figure

Karshomyia caulicola (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Associated with Sclerotinia-Infected Soybean in the United States and Canada

The white-mold gall midge, Karshomyia caulicola Coquillett, was documented in association with soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., infected with the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. This mycetophagous cecidomyiid appears widespread in the northern soybean producing region, with confirmed detections from Minnesota, North Dakota and Québec. Though likely not a pest of soybean plants, the presence of K. caulicola in soybean fields may complicate identification, population assessment and decision making for soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné, which is a recently described pest of soybean. Here, we provide an overview of the known biology and distribution of K. caulicola and descriptions to aid in distinguishing these two cecidomyiids

Motor Decline in Clinically Presymptomatic Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 Gene Carriers

BACKGROUND: Motor deficits are a critical component of the clinical characteristics of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. However, there is no current information on the preclinical manifestation of those motor deficits in presymptomatic gene carriers. To further understand and characterize the onset of the clinical manifestation in this disease, we tested presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers, and volunteers, in a task that evaluates their motor performance and their motor learning capabilities. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 28 presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers and an equal number of control volunteers matched for age and gender participated in the study. Both groups were tested in a prism adaptation task known to be sensible to both motor performance and visuomotor learning deficits. Our results clearly show that although motor learning capabilities are intact, motor performance deficits are present even years before the clinical manifestation of the disease start. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a clear deficit in motor performance that can be detected years before the clinical onset of the disease. This motor performance deficit appears before any motor learning or clinical manifestations of the disease. These observations identify the performance coefficient as an objective and quantitative physiological biomarker that could be useful to assess the efficiency of different therapeutic agents

Guidelines for autopsy investigation of sudden cardiac death: 2017 update from the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology.

Although sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the most important modes of death in Western countries, pathologists and public health physicians have not given this problem the attention it deserves. New methods of preventing potentially fatal arrhythmias have been developed and the accurate diagnosis of the causes of SCD is now of particular importance. Pathologists are responsible for determining the precise cause and mechanism of sudden death but there is still considerable variation in the way in which they approach this increasingly complex task. The Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology has developed these guidelines, which represent the minimum standard that is required in the routine autopsy practice for the adequate investigation of SCD. The present version is an update of our original article, published 10 years ago. This is necessary because of our increased understanding of the genetics of cardiovascular diseases, the availability of new diagnostic methods, and the experience we have gained from the routine use of the original guidelines. The updated guidelines include a detailed protocol for the examination of the heart and recommendations for the selection of histological blocks and appropriate material for toxicology, microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular investigation. Our recommendations apply to university medical centers, regionals hospitals, and all healthcare professionals practicing pathology and forensic medicine. We believe that their adoption throughout Europe will improve the standards of autopsy practice, allow meaningful comparisons between different communities and regions, and permit the identification of emerging patterns of diseases causing SCD. Finally, we recommend the development of regional multidisciplinary networks of cardiologists, geneticists, and pathologists. Their role will be to facilitate the identification of index cases with a genetic basis, to screen appropriate family members, and ensure that appropriate preventive strategies are implemented

Desarrollo social sostenible como resultado de la gerencia académica en organizaciones universitarias de gestión privada

This research has had as purpose analyse sustainable social development as a result of academic management in University organizations of private management. This study was based on the proposals: documents of the United Nations (2002, 2005, 2007, 2010), Guijarro and Chavez (2006), Fuenmayor, Chourio and López (2007), among others. This work was considered analytical-descriptive, with a non-experimental design, field; using the observation as a technique and as a data collection instrument a questionnaire scale Likert type, consisting of reagents 79; determining content validity by expert opinion, for its reliability applied you to the results of the pilot test the formula alpha from Cronbach, obtaining a α = 0.96, considering highly reliable. The same applied to the selected population formed by forty-four (44) Directors of school of the Universidad José Gregorio Hernández (UJGH), Universidad Rafael Urdaneta (URU), Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta (UNICA), Universidad Alonso de Ojeda (UNIOJEDA), located in the State of Zulia. The results obtained allowed to establish a very high category for both variables. Concluding the existence of great strengths in terms of sustainable social development and academic management. Among the recommendations were formulated strategic guidelines for the purpose of propping up the commitment of the University management towards sustainable social development.Questa ricerca ha avuto come finalità analizzare lo sviluppo sociale sostenibile come risultato della gestione accademica nelle organizzazioni universitarie di gestione private. Questo studio si è fondamentato nelle proposte dei Documenti delle Nazioni Unite (2002, 2005, 2007, 2010), Guijarro e Chávez (2006), Fuenmayor, Chourio e López (2007), tra altri. Questo lavoro di tipo analitico-descrittivo con un disegno non sperimentale e di campo ha usato la tecnica dell’osservazione e come strumento di raccolata dati un questionario basato nella scala tipo Likert formato da 79 reattivi. Si è determinata la validità dei contenuti secondo il giudizio degli esperti dell’area; mentre per l’affidabilità si è applicata una prova pilota con la formula Alfa di Crombach e si è ottenuto un α = 0,96 considerandosi altamente affidabile. Lo stesso si è applicato alla popolazione selezionata costituita da quarantaquattro (44) Direttori di Scuole delle Universidad José Gregorio Hernández (UJGH), Universidad Rafael Urdaneta (URU), Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta (UNICA) e la Universidad Alonso de Ojeda (UNIOJEDA), localizzate nello stato Zulia. I risultati ottenuti permettono stabilire una categoria Molto Alta per entrambi variabili e si conclude che l’esistenza di grandi punti di forza in quanto allo sviluppo sociale sostenibile e la gestione accademica. Tra le raccomandazioni si sono formulate delle linee stratetegiche con il proposito di consolidare il compromesso della suddetta gestione universitaria verso lo sviluppo sostenibile.La presente investigación ha tenido como propósito analizar el desarrollo social sostenible como resultado de la gerencia académica en organizaciones universitarias de gestión privada. Este estudio se fundamentó en las propuestas de: Documentos de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (2002, 2005, 2007, 2010), Guijarro y Chávez (2006), Fuenmayor, Chourio y López (2007), entre otros. Este trabajo se consideró analítico-descriptivo, con un diseño no experimental, de campo; utilizando como técnica la observación y como instrumento de recolección de datos un cuestionario escala tipo Likert, constituido por 79 reactivos; determinándose la validez de contenido por juicio de expertos, para su confiabilidad se le aplicó a los resultados de la prueba piloto la formula Alfa de Crombach, obteniéndose un α = 0,96, considerándose altamente confiable. El mismo se aplicó a la población seleccionada conformada por cuarenta y cuatro (44) Directores de Escuela de la Universidad José Gregorio Hernández (UJGH), Universidad Rafael Urdaneta (URU), Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta (UNICA), Universidad Alonso de Ojeda (UNIOJEDA), ubicadas en el estado Zulia. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron establecer una categoría Muy alta para ambas variables. Se concluyó la existencia de grandes fortalezas en cuanto al desarrollo social sostenible y la gerencia académica. Entre las recomendaciones se formularon lineamientos estratégicos con el propósito de apuntalar el compromiso de dicha gerencia universitaria hacia el desarrollo social sostenible

Una perspectiva axiológica del cuerpo humano sin vida

La muerte está constituida por una sucesión de fases de desestructuración rápida y progresiva del funcionamiento integrado del organismo, como unidad biológica. Bajo este paradigma biomédico, el cuerpo sin vida de una persona sigue siendo visto como un objeto, al igual como se percibe desde la mirada cartesiana. Al ver como día a día los cuerpos humanos sin vida, son irrespetados, degradados y vistos como simples objetos; nos motivamos a realizar este trabajo, cuyo objetivo general fue interpretar el significado asignado al fenómeno desde la perspectiva de los sujetos del estudio. Este estudio se realizó bajo la matriz epistémica fenomenológica. Se utilizó el diseño de Herbert Spiegelberg y la entrevista a profundidad a siete sujetos vinculados al fenómeno, seleccionados de manera intencional. Ellos describieron el fenómeno desde sus propias experiencias, y a través del procesamiento de la información emergieron tres categorías: cuerpo humano sin vida, trato al cuerpo humano sin vida, y la muerte. De allí surgió la teoría emergente: Al cuerpo humano sin vida, le fueron asignados valores inherentes a su condición humana como el amor, el respeto y la dignidad, los cuales tienen trascendencia más allá de la muerte física de las personas, e implican un trato con consideraciones propias del derecho natural a morir dignamente. Esa visión de preservación de la condición humana, como un estado transitorio entre la vida y una existencia póstuma en un territorio desconocido, refleja una prolongación de la vida, como también ocurre con el sentimiento de no abandonar el recuerdo de la persona fallecid