Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocrystalline ZnO Doped with Al3+ and Ni2+ by a Sol-Gel Method Coupled with Ultrasound Irradiation

Zinc oxide is one of the most important semiconducting metal oxides and one of the most promising n-type materials, but its practical use is limited because of both its high thermal conductivity and its low electrical conductivity. Numerous studies have shown that doping with metals in ZnO structures leads to the modification of the band gap energy. In this work, Al-doped ZnO, Ni-doped ZnO, and undoped ZnO nanocrystalline powders were prepared by a sol&-gel method coupled with ultrasound irradiation, and the results show the influence of Al3+ and Ni2+ ions in the ZnO network. The doping concentrations in ZnO of 0.99 atom % for ZnO&-Al and 0.80 atom % for ZnO&-Ni were obtained by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman Spectroscopy showed a decreased intensity and broadening of main peaks, indicating metallic ions. The crystallite size of the sample was decreased from 24.5 nm (ZnO) to 22.0 nm (ZnO&-Al) and 21 nm (ZnO&-Ni). The textural and morphological properties were analyzed via Nitrogen Adsorption (BET method) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM).The authors of this paper wish to thank Advanced Nanostructured Materials and Applications Network for its support via Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP)

La validez del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos como fuente de identificación de las anomalías congénitas en la Comunitat Valenciana

Objetivo Evaluar la validez del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos (CMBD) para identificar anomalías congénitas mayores en la Comunitat Valenciana. Métodos Se realizó un estudio epidemiológico retrospectivo. Del CMBD se seleccionaron las altas en menores de un año nacidos en 2007, residentes en la Comunitat Valenciana con código de anomalía congénita (740-759 CIE9-MC) y una muestra aleatoria de menores de un año sin altas con estos códigos. Tras revisar la documentación clínica, se clasificaron como verdaderos positivos y negativos y falsos positivos y negativos. Se calcularon el valor predictivo positivo y negativo y la sensibilidad. Se analizaron la concordancia de los diagnósticos entre el CMBD y la documentación clínica utilizando la prueba kappa. Resultados Se identificaron 2305 altas de 1651 pacientes. En los 544 pacientes de la muestra, 4 tenían alguna anomalía congénita mayor. El valor predictivo positivo fue del 56,4% (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 53,9-58,8) y el negativo fue del 99,3% (IC95%: 98,6-100,0). La sensibilidad del CMBD fue del 68,6% (IC95%: 66,1-71,1). Los códigos más frecuentes en los verdaderos positivos fueron: 745.5 (Comunicación interauricular), 745.4 (Comunicación interventricular) y 747.0 (Ductus arterioso persistente), y en los falsos positivos: 747.0, 745.5 y 752.51 (Criptorquidia). El 25,5% de los diagnósticos con anomalía congénita del CMBD no estaban en la historia clínica. Considerando todos los diagnósticos codificados en el CMBD, la concordancia fue de 0,70 (IC95%: 0,68-0,72). Conclusiones El CMBD es la principal fuente de información para la identificación de casos para el Registro Poblacional de Anomalías Congénitas de la Comunitat Valenciana, pero su principal limitación es el elevado número de casos falsos positivos que detecta. Objective To assess the validity of the Spanish Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) for identifying major congenital anomalies in the Valencian Community. Methods A retrospective epidemiological study was carried out. Children under the age of one year, born in 2007 and residing in the Valencian Community with congenital anomalies code 740-759 CIE9-MC, were selected from the MBDS, in addition to a random sample of children under the age of 1 year without these discharge codes. Having reviewed the clinical documentation, the cases were classified as true positives and negatives and false positives and negatives. Positive and negative predictive value and sensitivity were calculated. The kappa test was applied to analyse diagnostic consistency between the MBDS and the clinical documentation. Results A total of 2305 discharges of 1651 patients were identified. 4 out of the 5434 patients sampled had a major congenital abnormality. The positive predictive value was 56.4% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 53.9-58.8) and the negative predictive value was 99.3% (95%CI: 98.6-100.0). MBDS sensitivity was 68.6% (95%CI: 66.1-71.1). The most common codes in the true positives were: 745.5 (atrial septal defect), 745.4 (ventricular septal defect) and 747.0 (patent ductus arteriosus) and in the false positives: 747.0, 745.5 and 752.51 (cryptorchidism). 25.5% of diagnoses with congenital anomaly from the MBDS were not in the clinical documentation. Considering all diagnoses coded in the MBDS, the correlation was 0.70 (95%CI: 0.68-0.72) Conclusions The MBDS is the main source of information to detect cases in the registry of congenital anomalies of the Valencian Community. Its main limitation is the high number of false positive cases detected

Compilation of parameterized seismogenic sources in Iberia for the SHARE European-scale seismic source model.

Abstract: SHARE (Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe) is an EC-funded project (FP7) that aims to evaluate European seismic hazards using an integrated, standardized approach. In the context of SHARE, we are compiling a fully-parameterized active fault database for Iberia and the nearby offshore region. The principal goal of this initiative is for fault sources in the Iberian region to be represented in SHARE and incorporated into the source model that will be used to produce seismic hazard maps at the European scale. The SHARE project relies heavily on input from many regional experts throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. At the SHARE regional meeting for Iberia, the 2010 Working Group on Iberian Seismogenic Sources (WGISS) was established; these researchers are contributing to this large effort by providing their data to the Iberian regional integrators in a standardized format. The development of the SHARE Iberian active fault database is occurring in parallel with IBERFAULT, another ongoing effort to compile a database of active faults in the Iberian region. The SHARE Iberian active fault database synthesizes a wide range of geological and geophysical observations on active seismogenic sources, and incorporates existing compilations (e.g., Cabral, 1995; Silva et al., 2008), original data contributed directly from researchers, data compiled from the literature, parameters estimated using empirical and analytical relationships, and, where necessary, parameters derived using expert judgment. The Iberian seismogenic source model derived for SHARE will be the first regional-scale source model for Iberia that includes fault data and follows an internationally standardized approach (Basili et al., 2008; 2009). This model can be used in both seismic hazard and risk analyses and will be appropriate for use in Iberian- and European-scale assessments

Physics demos for all UVEG degrees: a unique project in Spain

The Physics Demo Project at the University of Valencia (www.uv.es/fisicademos) has developed a collection of physics demonstrations to be used during lectures. It consists of more than 130 experimental demos about different physics topics. More than 30 professors borrow them whenever they lecture on physics in any of our 40 courses in 17 different science or technical degrees, involving 246 ECTS and more than 3500 students. Each demo kit with a simple experimental set displays a particular physics phenomenon. An on-line user guide highlights the main physics principles involved, instructions on how to use it and advices of how to link it to the theoretical concepts or to technical applications. Demo lectures (and collections) are a usual and widespread practice in many countries but not in Spain. This unique initiative aims at the recovery of this practice by involving a growing collaborative team of users and with the aid of educational innovation projects. Here we explain the project content, organization and recent developments. Our experience, together with the positive students comments, allows us to draw the following conclusions: demos introduce the real sensible world in the lecture hall, providing the necessary link between concepts and everyday life, and becoming, again, something more than "chalk and talk"

Molecular profiling of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements unveils new potential prognostic markers for multiple myeloma patients

Altres ajuts: This work was partially supported by[...] , CIBERONC-CB16/12/00233, and "Una manera de hacer Europa" (Innocampus; CEI-2010-1-0010)". M.G.-A., I.P.-C., and C.J. are supported by the Fundación Española de Hematología y Hemoterapia (FEHH, co-funded by Fundación Cris in the latter case), A.M. by the European Social Fund and the Spanish Education Council through the University of Salamanca, [...]. All Spanish funding is co-sponsored by the European Union FEDER program.Multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous disease whose pathogenesis has not been completely elucidated. Although B-cell receptors play a crucial role in myeloma pathogenesis, the impact of clonal immunoglobulin heavy-chain features in the outcome has not been extensively explored. Here we present the characterization of complete heavy-chain gene rearrangements in 413 myeloma patients treated in Spanish trials, including 113 patients characterized by next-generation sequencing. Compared to the normal B-cell repertoire, gene selection was biased in myeloma, with significant overrepresentation of IGHV3, IGHD2 and IGHD3, as well as IGHJ4 gene groups. Hypermutation was high in our patients (median: 8.8%). Interestingly, regarding patients who are not candidates for transplantation, a high hypermutation rate (≥7%) and the use of IGHD2 and IGHD3 groups were associated with improved prognostic features and longer survival rates in the univariate analyses. Multivariate analysis revealed prolonged progression-free survival rates for patients using IGHD2/IGHD3 groups (HR: 0.552, 95% CI: 0.361−0.845, p = 0.006), as well as prolonged overall survival rates for patients with hypermutation ≥7% (HR: 0.291, 95% CI: 0.137−0.618, p = 0.001). Our results provide new insights into the molecular characterization of multiple myeloma, highlighting the need to evaluate some of these clonal rearrangement characteristics as new potential prognostic markers

Usual dietary intake, nutritional adequacy and food sources of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D of spanish children aged one to dagger

Bone problems in the population begin to be establish in childhood. The present study aims to assess the usual calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D intakes, along with the food sources of these nutrients, in Spanish children participating in the EsNuPI (Estudio Nutricional en Población Infantil Española) study. Two 24 h dietary recalls were applied to 1448 children (1 to <10 years) divided into two sub-samples: one reference sample (RS) of the general population [n = 707] and another sample which exclusively included children consuming enriched or fortified milks, here called “adapted milks” (AMS) [n = 741]. Estimation of the usual intake shows that nutrient intake increased with age for all nutrients except vitamin D. Using as reference the Dietary Reference Values from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), calcium and magnesium intakes were found to be below the average requirement (AR) and adequate intake (AI), respectively, in a considerable percentage of children. Furthermore, phosphorus exceeded the AI in 100% of individuals and vitamin D was lower than the AI in almost all children studied. The results were very similar when considering only plausible reporters. When analyzing the food sources of the nutrients studied, milk and dairy products contributed the most to calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D. Other sources of calcium were cereals and vegetables; for phosphorus: meat, meat products, and cereals; for magnesium: cereals and fruits; and, for vitamin D: fish and eggs. These results highlight the desirability of improving the intake concerning these nutrients, which are involved in bone and metabolic health in children. The AMS group appeared to contribute better to the adequacy of those nutrients than the RS group, but both still need further improvement. Of special interest are the results of vitamin D intakes, which were significantly higher in the AMS group (although still below the AI), independent of age

Detection of kinase domain mutations in BCR::ABL1 leukemia by ultra-deep sequencing of genomic DNA

The screening of the BCR::ABL1 kinase domain (KD) mutation has become a routine analysis in case of warning/failure for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Philadelphia (Ph)-positive patients. In this study, we present a novel DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) methodology for KD ABL1 mutation detection and monitoring with a 1.0E−4 sensitivity. This approach was validated with a well-stablished RNA-based nested NGS method. The correlation of both techniques for the quantification of ABL1 mutations was high (Pearson r = 0.858, p < 0.001), offering DNA-DeepNGS a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 82%. The clinical impact was studied in a cohort of 129 patients (n = 67 for CML and n = 62 for B-ALL patients). A total of 162 samples (n = 86 CML and n = 76 B-ALL) were studied. Of them, 27 out of 86 harbored mutations (6 in warning and 21 in failure) for CML, and 13 out of 76 (2 diagnostic and 11 relapse samples) did in B-ALL patients. In addition, in four cases were detected mutation despite BCR::ABL1 < 1%. In conclusion, we were able to detect KD ABL1 mutations with a 1.0E−4 sensitivity by NGS using DNA as starting material even in patients with low levels of disease.Tis project was funded in part by CRIS CANCER FOUNDATION

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results

Jet size dependence of single jet suppression in lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s(NN)) = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s) = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 7 inverse microbarns, ATLAS has measured jets with a calorimeter over the pseudorapidity interval |eta| < 2.1 and over the transverse momentum range 38 < pT < 210 GeV. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-kt algorithm with values for the distance parameter that determines the nominal jet radius of R = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The centrality dependence of the jet yield is characterized by the jet "central-to-peripheral ratio," Rcp. Jet production is found to be suppressed by approximately a factor of two in the 10% most central collisions relative to peripheral collisions. Rcp varies smoothly with centrality as characterized by the number of participating nucleons. The observed suppression is only weakly dependent on jet radius and transverse momentum. These results provide the first direct measurement of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions and complement previous measurements of dijet transverse energy imbalance at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages plus author list (30 pages total), 8 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Physics Letters B. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/HION-2011-02