Single-channel transmission in gold one-atom contacts and chains

We induce superconductivity by proximity effect in thin layers of gold and study the number of conduction channels which contribute to the current in one-atom contacts and atomic wires. The atomic contacts and wires are fabricated with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope. The set of transmission probabilities of the conduction channels is obtained from the analysis of the $I(V)$ characteristic curve which is highly non-linear due to multiple Andreev reflections. In agreement with theoretical calculations we find that there is only one channel which is almost completely open.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev. B, Rapid Communications (2003

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

Discourse, meaning, and political participation

We present an analysis of part of a data-set from a three-year study called ‘Work, Development and Diversity’ conducted by a network of Argentinean public and private research institutions. We sought to analyze the different ways in which strategic planning for local development, with a participatory approach, had been implemented in four geographic regions of Argentina. In this article we analyze how (1) participants in a given field of practice build strategic discursive actions and orient their interactions guided by their perception of who is included, and in what aspects of the process at stake; (2) participants build discourses that shape what counts as reality. Our analysis shows what happens when participants come together, since they dispute what counts as true, valid or even real, and these disputes can be analyzed through discourse; what may appear to be a linguistic detail is loaded with meaning due to the historical context in which the specific cultural terms are produced (e.g. participant, neighbor, and activist). We also show that in calls for participatory action, any specific community of participants may impose what they determine to be true over the others. When this is achieved, one may say that they have managed to impose a certain simplifying operation over the other participants, thus making it possible for their logic to prevail, and to reduce a certain amount of complexity at play. © 2009 Taylor & Francis.Fil: Heras Monner Sans, Ana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación; ArgentinaFil: Del Socorro Foio, María. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; Argentin

Sensibilización a BisfenolA y Bisfenol F en trabajadores expuestos a resinas Epoxi

Artículos originales[ES] Las aplicaciones de las diferentes resinas epoxi basadas en bisfenol A y F son extensas. Las resinas epoxi basadas en bisfenol F son más nuevas y resistentes que las de bisfenol A, y ambas son conocida de dermatitis de contacto alérgica. Se estudian 39 casos de sensibilización a resinas epoxi en los últimos 5 años. Los resultados obtenidos son: prevalencia de sensibilización a resinas epoxi entre los pacientes estudiados del 2%, 27 varones y 8 mujeres, con una edad media de 42.77, un período de medio sensibilización de 23,8 meses. La sensibilización a bisfenol F desde que se incluye para las pruebas del parche en la batería de resinas epoxi es del 100% para los casos sensibilizados a la resina. La localización mayoritaria se dio en las manos, con una relevancia actual del 84%. Se recomendó un cambio de puesto en el trabajo al 46% de estos pacientes.[EN] The applications of epoxy resins based on bisphenol A and F are extensive. Epoxy resins based on bisphenol F are new and more resistant than epoxy resins based on bisphenol A. Both of them cause allergic contact dermatitis. In the last 5 years, we have studied 39 cases of sensitization to epoxy resin. The results of our study were these: the global prevalence of epoxy resin sensitization was 2%, 27 men and 8 women. The mean age was 42.77years and the sensitization period was 23.8 months. The most frequent localization of the lesions were hands (84% of the patients). Since bisphenol F was included in epoxy resin battery for patch testing, a 100% of positives responses in patients sensitized to epoxy resin have been found. Sensitization to epoxy resins was a cause of change in workplace in 46% of cases in our series. There has been an increase in sensitization of bisphenol F that could be explained by a concomitant sensitization with bisphenol A, cross-reactivity between bisphenol A and F or because an incorrect chemical compound information of the resin.N