Content categories system for body constructs applied to patients with mastectomy

Body image is a predictor of psychological adjustment to cancer and a risk factor for depression. Questionnaires to assess body image in cancer patients assume a preconceived concept of body image and do not reflect the patient's subjective experience. This study aims to develop a content categories system for analyzing body constructs in breast cancer patients from their own experience. Methods The sample comprised 542 constructs, from 23 patients subjected to surgery (12 mastectomy/11 breast-conserving surgery) and 24 controls. Participants were assessed with the Body Grid. Three independent judges coded the constructs elicited following a tentative categories system. Result Six categories appeared: Objective Appearance, Esthetics, Function, Strength, Energy and Emotions, with similar distribution in the samples. Objective Appearance, Esthetics and Emotions were the most used. The inter-rater agreement was very good. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of knowing which thematic areas concern the most to each patient and the absent ones in their constructions, in order to focus psychotherapy on the developing of new meanings that allow a more integrated body imag

Androgen receptor immunoreactivity in forebrain axons and dendrites in the rat

As members of the steroid receptor superfamily, androgen receptors (ARs) have been traditionally identified as transcription factors. In the presence of ligand, ARs reside in the nucleus, where, upon ligand binding, the receptors dimerize and bind to specific response elements in the promoter region of hormone-responsive genes. However, in this report, we describe the discovery that ARs are also present in axons and dendrites within the mammalian central nervous system. AR expression in axons was identified in the rat brain at the light microscopic level using two different antibodies directed against the N terminus of the AR protein and nickel intensified 3′-3′-diaminobenzidine, and also using fluorescence methods and confocal microscopy. This distribution was confirmed at the ultrastructural level. In addition, AR immunoreactivity was identified in small dendrites at the ultrastructural level. AR-immunoreactive axons were observed primarily in the cerebral cortex and were rare in regions where nuclear AR expression is abundant. The observation that ARs are present in axons and dendrites highlights the possibility that androgens play an important and novel extranuclear role in neuronal function.Peer Reviewe

Phytoplankton, bacterioplankton and nitrate reductase activity distribution in relation to physical structure in the northern Alborán Sea and Gulf of Cadiz (southern Iberian Peninsula)

The IctioAlborán-Cadiz 95 cruise (July 1995) covered the northwest sector of the Alborán Sea, the Straits of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cadiz. We present and discuss the distribution of phytoand bacterioplankton abundance, nitrate concentration and nitrate reductase (NR) activity according to circulation patterns described previously in the literature. The water-column integrated values of chlorophyll-a in the Alborán Sea were higher and more variable (12 to 318 mg m⁻³) than in the Gulf of Cadiz (3 to 49 mg m⁻³). This reflects the higher dynamism of the Alborán sector, related to the existence of characteristic mesoscale physical structures. The plankton (2-80 μm equivalent spherical diameter) in the upwelling region of the Alborán Sea had a biovolume 30 times higher than in the nutrient-poorer water of the Gulf of Cadiz. Large organisms were abundant and dominated the size spectrum of one coastal station in the Alborán zone, whereas the slope of the size spectrum became more negative at the Gulf of Cadiz station, as a consequence of the dominance of small cells. Bacterial abundance maxima ( 3 X 10⁶ bact ml⁻¹) also occurred in the upwelling region. We found relatively high nitrate and chlorophyll a concentrations in Cape Trafalgar's cold surface waters, probably due to the interaction between topography and strong tidal currents. The spatial pattern of the NR activity is discussed according to chlorophyll a, nitrate and bacteria distributions. The existence of high NR activity but low chlorophyll a and bacterial abundance suggests that this could be related with dissimilatory activity in large-sized particles.La campaña IctioAlborán-Cádiz 95 (julio de 1995) cubrió el sector noroeste del mar de Alborán, estrecho de Gibraltar y golfo de Cádiz. En este trabajo se presentan y discuten las distribuciones de abundancia de fitoplancton y bacterioplancton, concentración de nitrato y actividad nitrato reductasa (NR) de acuerdo con los patrones de circulación descritos en la bibliografía. Los valores de clorofila a integrados en la columna de agua en Alborán fueron mayores y más variables (12 a 318 mg/m³) que en el golfo de Cádiz (3 a 49 mg/m³). Esto refleja el mayor dinamismo de la zona de Alborán, relacionado con la existencia de estructuras físicas características a mesoescala. El análisis de la comunidad nano-microplanctónica (2-80 μm, diametro esférico equivalente) de la región de afloramiento del mar de Alborán mostró un biovolumen 30 veces mayor que el de aguas más pobres en nutrientes del golfo de Cádiz. Por otro lado, el espectro de tamaños en una estación costera de Alborán está dominado por organismos planctónicos grandes, mientras que la pendiente del espectro de tamaño se hace más negativa en una estación del golfo de Cádiz, como consecuencia de la mayor abundancia de plancton de pequeño tamaño. En la región de afloramiento se dieron también máximos de abundancia bacteriana ( 3 X 10⁶ bact ml⁻¹). Se han encontrado valores relativamente altos de nitrato y clorofila a en las frías aguas superficiales cercanas al cabo de Trafalgar, lo que se debe, probablemente, a la interacción entre topografía y fuertes corrientes mareales. Se discute el patrón espacial de la actividad NR en relación con las distribuciones de clorofila a, nitrato y bacterias. En muestras con valores elevados de actividad NR pero bajos de clorofila y abundancia de bacterias, se sugiere que esta actividad se relaciona con actividad disimilatoria en agregados de gran tamaño.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Unveiling the structure of the planetary nebula M 2-48: Kinematics and physical conditions

The kinematics and physical conditions of the bipolar planetary nebula M 2-48 are analysed from high and low dispersion long-slit spectra. Previous CCD narrow-band optical observations have suggested that this nebula is mainly formed by a pair of symmetric bow-shocks, an off-center semi-circular shell, and an internal bipolar structure. The bipolar outflow has a complex structure, characterised by a series of shocked regions located between the bright core and the polar tips. There is an apparent kinematic discontinuity between the bright bipolar core and the outer regions. The fragmented ring around the bright bipolar region presents a low expansion velocity and could be associated to ejection in the AGB-PN transition phase, although its nature remains unclear. The chemical abundances of the central region are derived, showing that M 2-48 is a Type I planetary nebula (PN)

The magnetic field toward the young planetary nebula K~3-35

K 3-35 is a planetary nebula (PN) where H2O maser emission has been detected, suggesting that it departed from the proto-PNe phase only some decades ago. Interferometric VLA observations of the OH 18 cm transitions in K~3-35 are presented.OH maser emission is detected in all four ground state lines (1612, 1665, 1667, and 1720 MHz). All the masers appear blueshifted with respect to the systemic velocity of the nebula and they have different spatial and kinematic distributions.The OH 1665 and 1720 MHz masers appear spatially coincident with the core of the nebula, while the OH 1612 and 1667 MHz ones exhibit a more extended distribution. We suggest that the 1665 and 1720 masers arise from a region close to the central star, possibly in a torus, while the 1612 and 1667 lines originate mainly from the extended northern lobe of the outflow. It is worth noting that the location and velocity of the OH 1720 MHz maser emission are very similar to those of the H2O masers (coinciding within 0.1" and ~2 km/s, respectively). We suggest that the pumping mechanism in the H2O masers could be produced by the same shock that is exciting the OH 1720 MHz transition. A high degree of circular polarization (>50%) was found to be present in some features of the 1612, 1665, and 1720 MHz emission.For the 1665 MHz transition at ~ +18 km/s the emission with left and right circular polarizations (LCP and RCP) coincide spatially within a region of ~0.03" in diameter.Assuming that these RCP and LCP 1665 features come from a Zeeman pair, we estimate a magnetic field of ~0.9 mG within 150 AU from the 1.3 cm continuum peak. This value is in agreement with a solar-type magnetic field associated with evolved stars.Comment: 6 pages, 2 tables, 4 figures, ApJ accepte

Spread of the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (Caulerpales, Chlorophyta) along the Mediterranean Coast of the Murcia region (SE Spain)

The aim of this paper was to document the appearance and spread of the green alga Caulerpa racemosa along the coast of Murcia in south–eastern Spain. It was found for the first time in the area in 2005 and over the next two years the number of new sightings increased almost exponentially. In the period 2005–2007 the total surface area colonised by the alga in the region was estimated to be at least 265 ha. Benthic assemblages colonised by the alga were rocky bottoms with photophilic algae, dead P. oceanica rhizomes, infralittoral and circalittoral soft bottoms and maerl beds. No penetration of the alga was observed in P. oceanica meadows, except in one locality. Biometric analysis indicated high vegetative development in the established colonies in comparison to those described in other Mediterranean areas. Rapid spreading dynamics observed in the Murcia region is a potential threat for native benthic communities. Key words: Biological invasions, Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea, Colonised surface area, Distribution, Mediterranean Sea, Spain.En el presente trabajo se documenta la aparición y dispersión del alga verde Caulerpa racemosa a lo largo de la costa de Murcia, región situada en el sureste español. El alga fue detectada por primera vez en el año 2005 y durante los dos años consecutivos se observó un crecimiento casi exponencial en el número de áreas colonizadas. La superficie total colonizada por el alga en Murcia durante el periodo 2005–2007 ha sido estimada en 265 ha., siendo las comunidades bentónicas afectadas algas fotófilas sobre sustrato rocoso, "mata muerta" de P. oceanica, fondos blandos infralitorales y circalitorales y fondos con comunidades de maërl. La presencia del alga dentro de praderas de P. oceanica solamente fue detectada en una localidad. Los estudios biométricos realizados muestran un elevado desarrollo vegetativo de las poblaciones de C. racemosa en Murcia en comparación con colonias de otras áreas del Mediterráneo, siendo esta rápida dinámica de expansión una amenaza potencial para las comunidades bentonicas nativas. Palabras clave: Invasiones biológicas, Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea, Superficie colonizada, Mar Mediterraneo, España.The aim of this paper was to document the appearance and spread of the green alga Caulerpa racemosa along the coast of Murcia in south–eastern Spain. It was found for the first time in the area in 2005 and over the next two years the number of new sightings increased almost exponentially. In the period 2005–2007 the total surface area colonised by the alga in the region was estimated to be at least 265 ha. Benthic assemblages colonised by the alga were rocky bottoms with photophilic algae, dead P. oceanica rhizomes, infralittoral and circalittoral soft bottoms and maerl beds. No penetration of the alga was observed in P. oceanica meadows, except in one locality. Biometric analysis indicated high vegetative development in the established colonies in comparison to those described in other Mediterranean areas. Rapid spreading dynamics observed in the Murcia region is a potential threat for native benthic communities. Key words: Biological invasions, Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea, Colonised surface area, Distribution, Mediterranean Sea, Spain

Singular Temperatures Connected to Charge Transport Mechanism Transitions in Perylene Bisimides from Steady-State Photocurrent Measurements

Perylene bisimides (PBIs) are n-type semiconducting and photogenerating materials widely used in a variety of optoelectronic devices. Particularly interesting are PBIs that are simultaneously water-soluble and liquid-crystalline (PBI-W+LC) and, thus, attractive for the development of high-performing easily processable applications in biology and “green” organic electronics. In this work, singular temperatures connected to charge transport mechanism transitions in a PBI-W+LC derivative are determined with high accuracy by means of temperature-dependent photocurrent studies. These singular temperatures include not only the ones observed at 60 and 110 °C, corresponding to phase transition temperatures from crystalline to liquid-crystalline (LC) and from LC to the isotropic phase, respectively, as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), but also a transition at 45 °C, not observed by DSC. By analyzing the photocurrent dependence simultaneously on temperature and on light intensity, this transition is interpreted as a change from monomolecular to bimolecular recombination. These results might be useful for other semiconducting photogenerating materials, not necessarily PBIs or even organic semiconductors, which also show transport behavior changes at singular temperatures not connected with structural or phase transitions.We appreciate support from the Spanish government (MINECO) and the European Community (FEDER) through Grant MAT-2011-28167-C02-01, as well as the University of Alicante. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from MINECO (MAT2014-52305-P) and the UCM-BSCH joint project (GR3/14-910759). A. de la Peña thanks Universidad Complutense for a predoctoral fellowship

Influence of gaseous pollutants and their synergistic effects on the aging of reflector materials for concentrating solar thermal technologies

ABSTRACT: Concentrating solar thermal technologies have experienced an important boost in the last few years. Besides the production of electricity, they are particularly useful for the supply of industrial process heat. The industrial atmospheres affecting these solar plants typically contain gaseous pollutants that are likely to promote corrosion on the components of the solar facility, specifically solar reflectors, thereby compromising their optimal performance and the overall system efficiency. Seven accelerated aging tests were designed to study the effects of three air pollutants (H2S, SO2 and NO2) on the durability of two commercially available reflector types (silvered glass and aluminum), both in single-gas tests and in multicomponent gas mixtures. Additionally, the same material types were exposed outdoors at five representative polluted sites, including industrial, urban and coastal environments. Reflectance and optical microscope monitoring corroborated which degree of corrosion was developed on a specific type of reflector in the different tests with gaseous pollutants, as well as the synergistic effects of gas combinations. For example, tests with sulfur were harmful for silvered-glass reflectors (up to a total of 16 corrosion spots), whereas aluminum was particularly affected by tests with NO2 (numerous micro spots of around 50 pm size). Moreover, comparisons of the corrosion patterns found in accelerated-aging and outdoor exposures revealed which laboratory test reproduced the different real polluted atmospheres in the most realistic way, which is the main goal of this work. For instance, the degradation found at Site 2 was reproduced by Test NO2+SO2, with an acceleration factor of 27.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio