History of a Letter

What follows is the epilogue to the book Fuego de puro amor: mensajes desde la Resistencia (Santiago: Cinco Ases, 2021) reproduced with the generous permission of its editor, Axel Pickett Lazo, and the author, Camila Krauss Ruz. It is dedicated to all the executed political prisoners of Chile’s civil-military dictatorship. —TH & G

Prevalência de pediculose em crianças de escola rural em Yucatan, Mexico

We conducted an analytical cross-sectional survey to estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with active head lice infestation. In total 140 children, aged 6 to 16-years, from a public school in rural Yucatan, Mexico, were examined by wet-combing. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on individuals and the conditions in the surrounding environment. Head lice infestation was found in 19 out of the 140 children tested (13.6%) and this was associated with both lower income (OR 9.9, 95% CI 2.15-45.79, p = 0.003) and a higher frequency of hair washing (OR 8, 95% CI 1.58-50, p = 0.012). Intersectoral control programs that take into account the socioeconomic differences of children should be implemented.Foi conduzido um estudo numa escola publica de área rural em Yucatan, Mexico com o objetivo de estimar a prevalência de pediculose e fatores de risco associados. Das 140 crianças incluídas 19 (13.6%) apresentaram pediculose. A infestação de piolho foi associada com baixa renda (OR 9.9, 95% CI 2.15-45.79, p = 0.003) e maior frequência de lavagem de cabelos (OR 8, 95% CI 1.58-50, p = 0.012). Programas intersetoriais de controle da pediculose que levam em conta as características socioeconômicas das crianças deveriam ser executados

CAST microbulk micromegas in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory

During the last taking data campaigns of the CAST experiment, the micromegas detectors have achieved background levels of $\approx 5 \times 10^{-6}$keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ between 2 and 9 keV. This performance has been possible thanks to the introduction of the microbulk technology, the implementation of a shielding and the development of discrimination algorithms. It has motivated new studies towards a deeper understanding of CAST detectors background. One of the working lines includes the construction of a replica of the set-up used in CAST by micromegas detectors and its installation in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. Thanks to the comparison between the performance of the detectors underground and at surface, shielding upgrades, etc, different contributions to the detectors background have been evaluated. In particular, an upper limit $< 2 \times 10^{-7}$keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ for the intrinsic background of the detector has been obtained. This work means a first evaluation of the potential of the newest micromegas technology in an underground laboratory, the most suitable environment for Rare Event Searches.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation for Particle Physics (TIPP 2011

Effects of carbohydrate–protein beverages on recovery of the exercise

Este artículo aporta una revisión del efecto de la coingesta de la proteína de suero de leche y proteína caseína administradas en bebidas carbohidratadas, sobre la recuperación y los parámetros del daño muscular en ejercicios de larga duración. La búsqueda se ha realizado en abril de 2013 en las bases de datos del ISI Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, Sport Discuss, PubMed, Medline Sportdiscus, y en las bases de datos CINDOC en las redes CTI-CSIC, RESH, DICE y DIALNET cruzando los descriptores “Exercise”, “Resistance training” y “Recovery” con los términos “Ergogenic beverage”, “Casein Protein” y “Whey Protein”. La estrategia nutricional más respaldada es la ingesta de un preparado líquido carbohidratado en donde se combinan proteínas de diferentes fuentes sobre pruebas de esfuerzos prolongados similares a la competición tanto en deportes individuales como en colectivos, con resultados discrepantesThis manuscript shows a review about the effects of the whey and casein protein on recovery and parameters of muscle damage in long-term exercise. The search was conducted in April 2013 in the databases of ISI Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, PubMed, Medline, SportDiscus, and databases on Spanish networks CINDOC CTI-CSIC, RESH, DICE, and DIALNET crossing the descriptors "Exercise", "Resistance training" and "Recovery" with the terms "Ergogenic Beverage", "Casein Protein" and "Whey Protein". The most used nutritional strategies are based in a carbohydrate beverage which combines different protein sources on prolonged exercise tests similar to sports competition, in both individual and collective sports, with discrepant result

Microsatellites for the Amazonian Fish Hypophthalmus marginatus

We isolated 41 and characterized 17 microsatellite loci for evaluating the genetic structure of the Amazonian fish Hypophthalmus marginatus, from the Tocantins and Araguaia River in the Eastern Amazonia. Of the 17 selected microsatellite sequences, 15 were dinucleotide repeats, 9 of which were perfect (5–31 repetitions) and 6 were composite motifs. Among these 17 microsatellites, only two were polymorphic. The average number of alleles (Na) observed in the five examined populations ranged from 3.5 to 4.5, while the average observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.3 to 0.6. The allelic frequency was less homogeneous at the locus Hm 5 than that for the Hm 13. Genetic diversity was measured in three upstream and two downstream populations under the influence of the Tucuruí Hydroelectric Dam. Our findings provide evidence for low levels of genetic diversity in H. marginatus of the Tocantis basin possibility related to the Dam construction. The Fst and Rst analysis fits well with migratory characteristics of H. marginatus, suggesting the existence of a gene flow mainly in the upstream or downstream directions. To test the hypothesis that the Dam was responsible for the detected reduction on this species genetic diversity, a large number of genetic markers are recommended, covering geographic distribution range of the fish species

A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research

We report on the design, construction and operation of a low background x-ray detection line composed of a shielded Micromegas (micromesh gaseous structure) detector of the microbulk technique. The detector is made from radiopure materials and is placed at the focal point of a $\sim$~5 cm diameter, 1.3 m focal-length, cone-approximation Wolter I x-ray telescope (XRT) comprised of thermally-formed (or "slumped") glass substrates deposited with multilayer coatings. The system has been conceived as a technological pathfinder for the future International Axion Observatory (IAXO), as it combines two of the techniques (optic and detector) proposed in the conceptual design of the project. It is innovative for two reasons: it is the first time an x-ray optic has been designed and fabricated specifically for axion research, and the first time a Micromegas detector has been operated with an x-ray optic. The line has been installed at one end of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) magnet and is currently looking for solar axions. The combination of the XRT and Micromegas detector provides the best signal-to-noise ratio obtained so far by any detection system of the CAST experiment with a background rate of 5.4$\times$10$^{-3}\;$counts per hour in the energy region-of-interest and signal spot area.Comment: 21 pages, 16 figure

Urinary Excretion of Mimosine Derivatives by Cows with and without Experience in Consumption of \u3cem\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e

Leucaena leucocephala is a leguminous tree widely distributed in the tropical regions of the world. In Mexico, it has been incorporated into silvopastoral systems and is highly regarded, owing to its high content of crude protein. Nonetheless, L. leucocephala contains secondary metab-olites, such as mimosine, a non-protein free amino acid, which may induce toxic effects in unadapted ruminants that consume the forage (Hammond 1995). Although Synergistes jonesii, an anaerobic bacterium, has the ability to degrade 3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP to non-toxic compounds (Allison et al. 1992), in Mexico its presence has not yet been confirmed. Recent work has suggested the occurrence of sub-clinical toxicity to 3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP in cattle grazing L. leucocephala in Australia and Thailand (Graham 2007; Dalzell et al. 2012; Phaikaew et al. 2012). Several options such as the transfer of rumen liquor and the adaptation of ruminants to the intake of L. leucocephala have been studied in an attempt to reduce the excretion of mimosine and its metabolites (Palmer et al. 2010). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the experience of consumption of L. leucocephala on excretion of mimosine derivatives (3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP) in the urine of cattle

The Micromegas detector of the CAST experiment

A low background Micromegas detector has been operating in the CAST experiment at CERN for the search of solar axions during the first phase of the experiment (2002-2004). The detector, made out of low radioactivity materials, operated efficiently and achieved a very low level of background rejection (5 x 10^-5 counts/keV/cm^2/s) without shielding.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures and images, submitted to New Journal o

Urinary Excretion of Mimosine Metabolites by Hair Sheep Fed Foliage of \u3cem\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e

Leucaena leucocephala is an adapted legume widely distributed in the tropical regions of Mexico. The high crude protein content of leucaena leaves renders it appropriate for ruminant feeding under commercial conditions. However, the foliage contains the non-protein amino acid mimosine, which, if consumed in high amounts, may induce toxicity in animals which have not previously consumed the legume or without microorganisms capable of degrading mimosine and its derivatives 2,3-DHP (dihydroxypyridine) and 3,4-DHP (Hammond 1995, Palmer et al. 2010, Dalzell et al. 2012). Barros-Rodríguez et al. (2012) found that dry matter intake and weight gain were reduced when sheep grazed paddocks with 55,000 plants of leucaena per hectare. Early work in Australia led to the isolation of Synergistes jonesii, an anaerobic bacterium able to degrade 3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP to non-toxic compounds (Allison et al. 1992). In Mexico, the presence of this microorganism in the rumen has not yet been confirmed. Inoculation of non-accustomed animals with rumen liquor of ruminants adapted to the consumption of leucaena can reduce the impact of mimosine and its metabolites on animal health (Ghosh et al. 2009; Palmer et al. 2010). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effects of transferring rumen liquor of cows adapted to the consumption of L. leucocephala to sheep without experience of consumption, on urinary excretion of 3.4-DHP and 2.3-DHP by means of a colorimetric technique