Reply to Comment on "Magnetization Process of Single Molecule Magnets at Low Temperatures"

This is the reply to a Comment by I.S.Tupitsyn and P.C.E. Stamp (PRL v92,119701 (2004)) on a letter of ours (J.F.Fernandez and J.J.Alonso, PRL v91, 047202 (2003)).Comment: 2 LaTeX pages, 1 eps figure. Submitted to PRL on 20 October 200

Variable stars in the VVV globular clusters

Indexación: Scopus.The VVV survey observed some of the most crowded and most obscured regions in the inner Milky Way during the last years. A significant sample of the less known globular clusters in our galaxy lie there. Combining the high-resolution, wide-field, near infrared capabilities of the survey camera, the use of 5 different filters, and multi-epoch observations, we are able to overcome many of the previous challenges that prevented a proper study of these objects. Particularly, the identification of the RR Lyrae stars in these globular clusters is proving to be a fundamental tool to establish accurately their distances and reddenings, and to infer information about the Oosterhoff dichotomy that Galactic globular clusters seem to follow. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2017.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2017/21/epjconf_puls2017_01022.pd

L'assistència a prematurs extrems

Els avenços tecnològics han permès salvar la vida als prematurs que fins fa poc morien per immadurs. El prematur extrem viu una situació de risc que pot esdevenir facilment de dany. És difícil per als pares decidir què fer en el moment del part prematur si la informació previa és parcial i només surten als mitjans de comunicació les gestes de la tecnologia parlant dels nens miracle. L’aplicació de la tècnica per part dels metges en la recuperació de nens fetals hauria d’anar acompanyada de la seva responsabilitat en els resultats, tant si son bons com si no ho son tant. La societat ha de disposar d’aquesta informació, que no pot quedar restringida només en els àmbits mèdics, en especial sobre causes afavoridores de la prematuritat, com ara la ingestió de tòxics, la pol·lució ambiental, l’edat materna i la implantació de múliples embrions en les tècniques de reproducció humana assistida

In vitro and in vivo expression of foreign genes by transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus-derived minigenomes

A helper-dependent expression system based on transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) has been developed using a minigenome of 3·9 kb (M39). Expression of the reporter gene {beta}-glucuronidase (GUS) (2–8 µg per 106 cells) and the porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) ORF5 (1–2 µg per 106 cells) has been shown using a TGEV-derived minigenome. GUS expression levels increased about eightfold with the m.o.i. and were maintained for more than eight passages in cell culture. Nevertheless, instability of the GUS and ORF5 subgenomic mRNAs was observed from passages five and four, respectively. About a quarter of the cells in culture expressing the helper virus also produced the reporter gene as determined by studying GUS mRNA production by in situ hybridization or immunodetection to visualize the protein synthesized. Expression of GUS was detected in the lungs, but not in the gut, of swine immunized with the virus vector. Around a quarter of lung cells showing replication of the helper virus were also positive for the reporter gene. Interestingly, strong humoral immune responses to both GUS and PRRSV ORF5 were induced in swine with this virus vector. The large cloning capacity and the tissue specificity of the TGEV-derived minigenomes suggest that these virus vectors are very promising for vaccine development