New Species of \u3ci\u3ePhyllophaga\u3c/i\u3e Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from northeastern Mexico

Three new species of Phyllophaga are described from northeastern Mexico: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. from grasslands near Monterrey city, state of Nuevo Leon; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. from mixed forests of Sierra Chipinque, Nuevo Leon; and P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. from pine-oak forests of mountains in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. Illustrations of diagnostic structures and comments about the relations of each species are provided. Se describen tres especies nuevas de Phyllophaga procedentes del noreste de México: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. de los pastizales cercanos a la ciudad de Monterrey, Nuevo León; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. de los bosques mixtos de la Sierra de Chipinque, Nuevo León; y P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. de los bosques mixtos en las montañas de Nuevo León y Coahuila. Se incluyen ilustraciones de las estructuras diagnósticas y comentarios sobre las relaciones de cada una de las especies descrita

Toxicidad de la ciclosporina A y efecto de la S-adenodilmetionina

This work was supported in part by grants from Junta de Castilla y Le—n and Europharma S.A. (Madrid, Spain). The authors thank Boehringer-Europharma S.A. and Sandoz A.G. (Basel, Switzerland) for the kind gift of the SAMe and cyclosporine A, respectively. A.I.G. is a Postdoctoral Fellowship of Boehringer-Europharma S.A. (Madrid).We studied the simultaneous changes undergone by the main indicators of hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and diabetogenicity in rats treated with cyclosporine A (CyA) for one, two, three and four weeks, using the dose of 10 and 20 mg/kg/day. The effects of the drug on the biliary excretion of several biliary compounds as well as on the bile flow fractions - dependent and independent- of the biliary secretion of bile acids and glutathione were also studied. A further aim of this research was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) against the action of CyA. Our results show that CyA treatment alters hepatic, renal and pancreatic functions rapidly and simultaneously; the changes were slightly more intense with the higher dose but they did not become more pronounced when the treatment was prolonged for 4 weeks. The cholestatic effect of the drug is a multifactorial phenomena and develops accompanied by simultaneous decreases in the biliary secretion of bile acids, lipid, glutathione and proteins. SAMe plus CyA cotreatment antagonizes the main hepatotoxic effects of CyA in this species. This hepatoprotective effect of SAMe could be related to its regulatory function as regards membrane lipid composition and fluidity and to its key role in promoting the hepatic synthesis of thiol compounds.Hemos estudiado los cambios simultáneos experimentados por los principales indicadores de hepatotoxicidad, nefrotoxicidad y diabetogenicidad en ratas tratadas con ciclosporina A (CyA) durante una, dos, tres y cuatro semanas, utilizando dósis de 10 y 20 mg/kg/día. También fueron estudiados los efectos de la droga sobre la excreción biliar de varios compuestos biliares, así como sobre las fracciones de flujo biliar –dependiente e independiente- de la secreción biliar de ácidos biliares y glutation. Otro objetivo de este estudio fue la evaluación del efecto hepatoprotector de la S-Adenosilmetionina (SAMe) frente a la acción de la CyA. Nuestros resultados mostraron que el tratamiento con CyA alteran las funciones hepática, renal y pancreática rápida y simultáneamente; los cambios cambios fueron ligeramente más intensos con una dosis más alta pero no se volvieron más pronunciados cuando el tratamiento se prolongó hasta las cuatro semanas. El efecto colestático de la droga es un fenómeno multifactorial y se desarrolla junto a una disminución de la secreción biliar de ácidos biliares, lípidos, glutation y proteinas. El tratamiento conjunto de SAMe y CyA antagoniza los principales efectos hepatotóxicos del CyA en estas especies. Este efecto hepatoprotector del SAMe podría estar relacionado con su función reguladora al preservar la composición y fluidez de la membrana lipídica y con su papel clave en la promoción de la síntesis de componentes tiol

New Species of Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from northeastern Mexico

Three new species of Phyllophaga are described from northeastern Mexico: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. from grasslands near Monterrey city, state of Nuevo Leon; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. from mixed forests of Sierra Chipinque, Nuevo Leon; and P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. from pine-oak forests of mountains in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. Illustrations of diagnostic structures and comments about the relations of each species are provided

Rehabilitación integral de barriadas con dificultades sociales en Andalucía. La experiencia de San Martín de Porres en Córdoba

The recovery of the districts built during the second half of the twentieth century, especially those with greater social difficulties, constitutes a sustainable alternative to the failure of continuous urban growth. It is essential to promote integral actions in order to correct both deficiencies and deterioration in residential buildings, improve the relationship of these areas with their urban environments, provide them with facilities and high quality public spaces, as well as to encourage local civil community involvement. On the basis of the experiences and tools that have been developed over the past decade in Andalusia, this paper analyzes the integral renovation of the so called San Martin de Porres district. Here we study its urban and architectural development –standing out the work of the architect Rafael de La-Hoz– as well as the social transformations of its population. From the study of the design, management and execution of its renovation the most relevant aspects are deduced with the objective of facilitating their consideration in future renovation policies.La recuperación de barriadas construidas en la segunda mitad del siglo XX, especialmente aquellas con mayores dificultades sociales, constituye una alternativa sostenible al fracaso del continuo crecimiento urbano. Es necesario promover actuaciones integrales que corrijan el deterioro y carencias de edificios residenciales, mejoren las relaciones de estos ámbitos con sus entornos urbanos, los doten de equipamientos y espacios públicos de calidad e impulsen la participación vecinal y su desarrollo social y económico. A partir de experiencias e instrumentos desarrollados en la última década en Andalucía, se analiza la rehabilitación integral de la barriada de San Martín de Porres en Córdoba. Se aborda su desarrollo urbanístico y arquitectónico –donde sobresale la figura de Rafael de La-Hoz– y las transformaciones sociales de su población. Del diseño, gestión y ejecución de la experiencia analizada se destacan los aspectos más relevantes, con el objetivo de facilitar su consideración en las futuras políticas de rehabilitación

Rehabilitación integral de barriadas con dificultades sociales en Andalucía. La experiencia de San Martín de Porres en Córdoba

The recovery of the districts built during the second half of the twentieth century, especially those with greater social difficulties, constitutes a sustainable alternative to the failure of continuous urban growth. It is essential to promote integral actions in order to correct both deficiencies and deterioration in residential buildings, improve the relationship of these areas with their urban environments, provide them with facilities and high quality public spaces, as well as to encourage local civil community involvement. On the basis of the experiences and tools that have been developed over the past decade in Andalusia, this paper analyzes the integral renovation of the so called San Martin de Porres district. Here we study its urban and architectural development –standing out the work of the architect Rafael de La-Hoz– as well as the social transformations of its population. From the study of the design, management and execution of its renovation the most relevant aspects are deduced with the objective of facilitating their consideration in future renovation policies.<br><br>La recuperación de barriadas construidas en la segunda mitad del siglo XX, especialmente aquellas con mayores dificultades sociales, constituye una alternativa sostenible al fracaso del continuo crecimiento urbano. Es necesario promover actuaciones integrales que corrijan el deterioro y carencias de edificios residenciales, mejoren las relaciones de estos ámbitos con sus entornos urbanos, los doten de equipamientos y espacios públicos de calidad e impulsen la participación vecinal y su desarrollo social y económico. A partir de experiencias e instrumentos desarrollados en la última década en Andalucía, se analiza la rehabilitación integral de la barriada de San Martín de Porres en Córdoba. Se aborda su desarrollo urbanístico y arquitectónico –donde sobresale la figura de Rafael de La-Hoz– y las transformaciones sociales de su población. Del diseño, gestión y ejecución de la experiencia analizada se destacan los aspectos más relevantes, con el objetivo de facilitar su consideración en las futuras políticas de rehabilitación

Endemic Circulation of European Bat Lyssavirus Type 1 in Serotine Bats, Spain

To determine the presence of European bat lyssavirus type 1 in southern Spain, we studied 19 colonies of serotine bats (Eptesicus isabellinus), its main reservoir, during 1998–2003. Viral genome and antibodies were detected in healthy bats, which suggests subclinical infection. The different temporal patterns of circulation found in each colony indicate independent endemic circulation

Magnetic ordering of the antiferromagnet Cu2MnSnS4 from magnetization and neutron-scattering measurements

Magnetization and neutron-diffraction measurements were performed on a single crystal of Cu2MnSnS4. This quartenary magnetic semiconductor has the stannite structure (derived from the zinc-blende structure which is common to many II-VI dilute magnetic semiconductors), and it orders antiferromagnetically at low temperature. The neutron data for the nuclear structure confirm that the space group is I42̄m. Both the neutron and magnetization data give TN=8.8 K for the Néel temperature. The neutron data show a collinear antiferromagnetic (AF) structure with a propagation vector k=[1/2,0,1/2], in agreement with earlier neutron data on a powder. However, the deduced angle θ between the spin axis and the crystallographic c direction is between 6° and 16°, in contrast to the earlier value of 40°. The magnetization curve at T≪TN shows the presence of a spin rotation (analogous to a spin flop), which indicates that the spin axis is indeed close to the c direction. The deduced magnetic anisotropy gives an anisotropy field HA≅2 kOe. At high magnetic fields the magnetization curve at T≪TN shows the transition between the canted (spin-flop) phase and the paramagnetic phase. The transition field, H=245.5 kOe, yields an intersublattice exchange field HE= 124 kOe. The exchange constants deduced from HE and the Curie-Weiss temperature Θ=-25 K show that the antiferromagnetic interactions are an order of magnitude smaller than in II-VI dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS's). The much weaker antiferromagnetic interactions are expected from the difference in the crystal structures (stannite versus zincblende). A more surprising result is that the exchange constant which controls the AF order below TN is not between Mn ions with the smallest separation. This result contrasts with a prediction made for the related II-VI DMS, according to which the exchange constants decrease rapidly with distance.The work at Tufts University was partially supported by NSF Grant No. DMR-9219727. The research in Zaragoza was supported by CICYT Grant No. MAT94-0043. The work at Brown University was supported by NSF Grant No. DMR-9221141. The Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory was supported by NSF.Peer Reviewe

A Smart Phone-based Personal Area Network for Remote Monitoring of Biosignals

This paper presents a system whose purpose is to monitor a patient continuously from indoor or outdoor environments. The system is based on a Bluetooth PAN, carried by the patient, whose central node, a smart phone, compiles information about patient’s location and health status. These data are encrypted to be sent to a server through Wifi or GPRS/UMTS. The system provides facilities to access to patient’s data, even from a smart phone by a J2ME application. It also allows to configure remotely the threshold values used to detect emergency situations.Ministerio de Eduación y Ciencia TEC2006-12211-C02-01/TCMMinisterio de Educación y Ciencia TIC2003- 07953-C02-0