Directed Random Markets: Connectivity determines Money

Boltzmann-Gibbs distribution arises as the statistical equilibrium probability distribution of money among the agents of a closed economic system where random and undirected exchanges are allowed. When considering a model with uniform savings in the exchanges, the final distribution is close to the gamma family. In this work, we implement these exchange rules on networks and we find that these stationary probability distributions are robust and they are not affected by the topology of the underlying network. We introduce a new family of interactions: random but directed ones. In this case, it is found the topology to be determinant and the mean money per economic agent is related to the degree of the node representing the agent in the network. The relation between the mean money per economic agent and its degree is shown to be linear.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Fabrication and Characterization of Multiband Solar Cells Based on Highly Mismatched Alloys

Multiband solar cells are one type of third generation photovoltaic devices in which an increase of the power conversion efficiency is achieved through the absorption of low energy photons while preserving a large band gap that determines the open circuit voltage. The ability to absorb photons from different parts of the solar spectrum originates from the presence of an intermediate energy band located within the band gap of the material. This intermediate band, acting as a stepping stone allows the absorption of low energy photons to transfer electrons from the valence band to the conduction band by a sequential two photons absorption process. It has been demonstrated that highly mismatched alloys offer a potential to be used as a model material system for practical realization of multiband solar cells. Dilute nitride GaAs1-xNx highly mismatched alloy with low mole fraction of N is a prototypical multiband semiconductor with a well-defined intermediate band. Currently, we are using chemical beam epitaxy to synthesize dilute nitride highly mismatched alloys. The materials are characterized by a variety of structural and optical methods to optimize their properties for multiband photovoltaic devices

Strength distribution of solar magnetic fields in photospheric quiet Sun regions

The magnetic topology of the solar photosphere in its quietest regions is hidden by the difficulties to disentangle magnetic flux through the resolution element from the field strength of unresolved structures. The observation of spectral lines with strong coupling with hyperfine structure, like the observed MnI line at 553.7 nm, allows such differentiation. The main aim is to analyse the distribution of field strengths in the network and intranetwork of the solar photosphere through inversion of the MnI line at 553.7 nm. An inversion code for the magnetic field using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been developed. Statistical tests are run on the code to validate it. The code has to draw information from the small-amplitude spectral feature oppearing in the core of the Stokes V profile of the observed line for field strengths below a certain threshold, coinciding with lower limit of the Paschen-Back effect in the fine structure of the involved atomic levels. The inversion of the observed profiles, using the circular polarization (V) and the intensity (I), shows the presence of magnetic fields strengths in a range from 0 to 2 kG, with predominant weak strength values. Mixed regions with mean strength field values of 1130 and 435 Gauss are found associated with the network and intranetwork respectively. The MnI line at 553 nm probes the field strength distribution in the quiet sun and shows the predominance of weak, hectoGauss fields in the intranetwork, and strong, kiloGauss fields in the network. It also shows that both network and intranetwork are to be understood at our present spatial resolutions as field distributions of which we hint the mean properties.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

El colegio de farmacia de San Antonio de Sevilla

The School of Pharmacy of San Antonio in Seville was created in 1815 and was closed in 1822. Even though it had an ephemerd life, it gained a well-deserved reputation in its time. The educational labour developed by its prestigious professors during the time the school worked, was precicely the most efficient incentive to channel and develop the scientific teaching at the University of Seville, helping to the implantation of physicochemical and natural sciences in il.El Colegio de Farmacia de San Antonio de Sevilla fue creado en el año 1815 y clausurado en 1822. Aunque tuvo una vida efimera, gozó de merecida fama en su tiempo. La labor docente desarrollada por sus prestigiosos catedráticos durante el tiempo que el Colegio funcionó, fue precisamente el incentivo más eficaz para encauzar y desarrollar la enseñanza científica en la Universidad de Sevilla, contribuyendo a la implantación en la misma de las ciencias fisico-químicas y naturales

Distribution of melanopsin positive neurons in pigmented and albino mice: evidence for melanopsin interneurons in the mouse retina.

Here we have studied the population of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) in adult pigmented and albino mice. Our data show that although pigmented (C57Bl/6) and albino (Swiss) mice have a similar total number of ipRGCs, their distribution is slightly different: while in pigmented mice ipRGCs are more abundant in the temporal retina, in albinos the ipRGCs are more abundant in superior retina. In both strains, ipRGCs are located in the retinal periphery, in the areas of lower Brn3a(+)RGC density. Both strains also contain displaced ipRGCs (d-ipRGCs) in the inner nuclear layer (INL) that account for 14% of total ipRGCs in pigmented mice and 5% in albinos. Tracing from both superior colliculli shows that 98% (pigmented) and 97% (albino) of the total ipRGCs, become retrogradely labeled, while double immunodetection of melanopsin and Brn3a confirms that few ipRGCs express this transcription factor in mice. Rather surprisingly, application of a retrograde tracer to the optic nerve (ON) labels all ipRGCs, except for a sub-population of the d-ipRGCs (14% in pigmented and 28% in albino, respectively) and melanopsin positive cells residing in the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) of the retina. In the CMZ, between 20% (pigmented) and 24% (albino) of the melanopsin positive cells are unlabeled by the tracer and we suggest that this may be because they fail to send an axon into the ON. As such, this study provides the first evidence for a population of melanopsin interneurons in the mammalian retina

Intermittent voluntary wheel running promotes resilience to the negative consequences of repeated social defeat in mice

A novel approach to reduce the incidence of substance use disorders is to promote resilience to stress using environmental resources such as physical exercise. In the present study we test the hypothesis that Voluntary Wheel Running (VWR) during adolescence blocks the negative consequences of stress induced by intermittent repeated social defeat (IRSD). Four groups of adolescent male C57BL/6 mice were employed in the experiment; two groups were exposed to VWR (1 h, 3 days/week) from postnatal day (PND) 21 until the first social defeat (PND 47), while the remaining two groups did not have access to activity wheels (controls). On PND 47, 50, 53 and 56 mice, who had performed VWR, were exposed to an episode of social defeat by a resident aggressive mouse (VWR+IRSD group) or allowed to explore an empty cage (VWR+EXPL group). The same procedure was performed with control mice that had not undergone VWR (CONTROL+IRSD and CONTROL+EXPL groups). On PND 57, all the mice performed the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), Hole-Board, Social Interaction, Tail Suspension and Splash tests. After an interval of 3 weeks, all mice underwent a conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure with 1 mg/kg of cocaine. Exposure to VWR prevented the negative consequences of social stress in the EPM, splash test and CPP, since the VWR+IRSD group did not display anxiety- or depression-like effects or the potentiation of cocaine reward observed in the Control+IRSD group. Our results support the idea that physical exercise promotes resilience to stress and represents an excellent target in drug abuse prevention. © 202

¿Qué está haciendo el científico? : análisis de la actividad científica descrita por alumnos secundarios chilenos de 11° y 12° grado de distintos tipos de establecimientos educacionales

Con el objetivo de conocer la representación de estudiantes secundarios chilenos de distintos tipos de establecimientos acerca de los científicos y la actividad que estos realizan, se aplicó a una muestra de 438 estudiantes de 11° y 12° grado el Draw-a-Scientist-Test, en la versión de Türkmen (2008). En ella, los alumnos son invitados a describir de manera escrita la actividad que realiza el científico que dibujaron. Dichas narraciones fueron analizadas en función de los procesos científicos relatados, propósitos y consecuencia de la actividad descrita. Los procesos científicos más frecuentemente mencionados fueron “experimentar” y “observar”. “Formular modelos”, proceso fundamental en la actividad científica, prácticamente no fue mencionado. En relación a propósitos y consecuencias la mayoría de los alumnos tiene una imagen positiva de la actividad científica

Brief maternal separation inoculates against the effects of social stress on depression-like behavior and cocaine reward in mice

Exposure to intermittent repeated social defeat (IRSD) increases the vulnerability of mice to the rewarding effects of cocaine in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. According to the “inoculation of stress” hypothesis, a brief period of maternal separation (MS) can provide protection against the negative effects of IRSD. The aim of the present study was to assess whether exposure to a brief episode of MS prevents the subsequent short-term effects of IRSD on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and to explore its long-term effects on cocaine CPP in mice. Four groups of male C57BL/6 mice were employed; two groups were separated from their mother 6 h on postnatal day (PND) 9], while the other two groups were not (controls). On PND 47, 50, 53 and 56, mice that had experienced MS were exposed to social defeat in the cage of an aggressive resident mouse (MS + IRSD group) or were allowed to explore an empty cage (MS + EXPL group). The same procedure was performed with control mice that had not experienced MS (CONTROL + IRSD and CONTROL + EXPL groups). On PND57-58, all the mice performed the elevated plus maze and the hole-board, social interaction and splash tests. Three weeks after the last episode of defeat, all the mice underwent the CPP procedure with cocaine (1 mg/kg). Irrespective of whether or not MS had taken place, a reduction in open arms measures, dips, and social interaction was observed in mice that experienced IRSD. A higher latency of grooming and acquisition of cocaine-induced CPP were observed only in mice exposed to IRSD alone (CONTROL + IRSD). These results suggest that exposure to a brief episode of stress early in life increases the subsequent resilience of animals to the effects of social stress on vulnerability to cocaine. Copyright © 2022 Calpe-López, Martínez-Caballero, García-Pardo and Aguilar

Quality of thawed deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) treated with melanosis-inhibiting formulations during chilled storage

This work investigates how the treatment of thawed deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) with several melanosis-inhibiting formulations, affects the quality of the shrimp during chilled storage. Formulations were as follows: a formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol (0.1 and 0.05%), in combination with organic acids and chelating agents, a commercial formula based on sulphites, and a mixture of gluconic acid and commercial sulphites. No noticeable differences were observed for both trimethylamine and total volatile bases during chilled storage. pH evolution was irrespective of the treatment condition. Microbial load enlarged after the sixth day of chilled storage. Higher total bacteria counts were associated with the control and sulphite treatment conditions, while lactic acid bacteria growth seemed to be favoured under formulations based on 4-hexylresorcinol. The appearance of melanosis occurred more rapidly in control shrimp or in shrimp treated with commercial sulphites. 4-hexylresorcinol formulations preserved the quality of thawed shrimp and could replace traditional sulphites. © 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation 2007 Institute of Food Science and Technology Trust Fund.Peer Reviewe

Exploring pig trade patterns to inform the design of risk-based disease surveillance and control strategies

An understanding of the patterns of animal contact networks provides essential information for the design of risk-based animal disease surveillance and control strategies. This study characterises pig movements throughout England and Wales between 2009 and 2013 with a view to characterising spatial and temporal patterns, network topology and trade communities. Data were extracted from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)’s RADAR (Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risks) database, and analysed using descriptive and network approaches. A total of 61,937,855 pigs were moved through 872,493 movements of batches in England and Wales during the 5-year study period. Results show that the network exhibited scale-free and small-world topologies, indicating the potential for diseases to quickly spread within the pig industry. The findings also provide suggestions for how risk-based surveillance strategies could be optimised in the country by taking account of highly connected holdings, geographical regions and time periods with the greatest number of movements and pigs moved, as these are likely to be at higher risk for disease introduction. This study is also the first attempt to identify trade communities in the country, information which could be used to facilitate the pig trade and maintain disease-free status across the country in the event of an outbreak