Negatively Charged Hadron Spectra in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV

Negatively charged hadron (h-) production in Au+Au collisions at BNL-RHIC is studied with the STAR experiment. Results are presented on h- multiplicity, pseudorapidity and transverse momentum distributions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Presented at Quark Matter 200

A syntactic-semantic analysis of English (non)-dativizable constructions in the production of a set of 2L1 English/Spanish simultaneous bilingual twins

This paper analyzes the syntactico-semantic factors which trigger Dative shift in English dativizable verbs, i.e. those verbs that allow alternation between double object and prepositional complement constructions. It also focuses on non-dativizable verbs that restrict their subcategorization framework to either double object or prepositional complement constructions. This syntactico-semantic relation between dativizable and nondativizable structures is addressed in acquisition by examining the incidence for the two verb types in a set of English/Spanish 2L1 bilingual twins. Our results show that the syntactic and semantic features that dativizable and non-dativizables present go hand in hand with the age of first occurrence and the language development of the participants. Hence, dativizable to-dative double object constructions (DOC) are the utterances produced the earliest at the age of 2, as opposed to dativizable to/for-datives and non-dativizable constructions, which begin to emerge at around the age of 3. Finally, our results also suggest that the high adult input frequency explains the twins' early production of dativizable structures and that, in the same way, the children's low exposure to non-dativizable utterances correlates with the later occurrence in the twins' spontaneous production.peer-reviewe

RNA microarray analysis in prenatal mouse cochlea reveals novel IGF-I target genes: implication of MEF2 and FOXM1 transcription factors

Background: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) provides pivotal cell survival and differentiation signals during inner ear development throughout evolution. Homozygous mutations of human IGF1 cause syndromic sensorineural deafness, decreased intrauterine and postnatal growth rates, and mental retardation. In the mouse, deficits in IGF-I result in profound hearing loss associated with reduced survival, differentiation and maturation of auditory neurons. Nevertheless, little is known about the molecular basis of IGF-I activity in hearing and deafness. Methodology/Principal Findings: A combination of quantitative RT-PCR, subcellular fractionation and Western blotting, along with in situ hybridization studies show IGF-I and its high affinity receptor to be strongly expressed in the embryonic and postnatal mouse cochlea. The expression of both proteins decreases after birth and in the cochlea of E18.5 embryonic Igf1(-/-) null mice, the balance of the main IGF related signalling pathways is altered, with lower activation of Akt and ERK1/2 and stronger activation of p38 kinase. By comparing the Igf1(-/-) and Igf1(+/+) transcriptomes in E18.5 mouse cochleae using RNA microchips and validating their results, we demonstrate the up-regulation of the FoxM1 transcription factor and the misexpression of the neural progenitor transcription factors Six6 and Mash1 associated with the loss of IGF-I. Parallel, in silico promoter analysis of the genes modulated in conjunction with the loss of IGF-I revealed the possible involvement of MEF2 in cochlear development. E18.5 Igf1(+/+) mouse auditory ganglion neurons showed intense MEF2A and MEF2D nuclear staining and MEF2A was also evident in the organ of Corti. At P15, MEF2A and MEF2D expression were shown in neurons and sensory cells. In the absence of IGF-I, nuclear levels of MEF2 were diminished, indicating less transcriptional MEF2 activity. By contrast, there was an increase in the nuclear accumulation of FoxM1 and a corresponding decrease in the nuclear cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1). Conclusions/Significance: We have defined the spatiotemporal expression of elements involved in IGF signalling during inner ear development and reveal novel regulatory mechanisms that are modulated by IGF-I in promoting sensory cell and neural survival and differentiation. These data will help us to understand the molecular bases of human sensorineural deafness associated to deficits in IGF-I

Fertilización orgánica-mineral del cultivo de amaranto (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)

de diferentes dosis de fertilización orgánica-mineral en el rendimiento de grano y altura de planta de amaranto; además, de determinar si existe correlación alguna entre las densidades de plantas y el rendimiento. El diseño experimental utilizado fue bloques completamente al azar con cuatro repeticiones. El experimento se condujo bajo el sistema tradicional de siembra directa durante los ciclos de cultivo (2014-2015). Los tratamientos se obtuvieron por medio de la matriz Plan Puebla I, los factores y niveles de estudio fueron: nitrógeno (20, 40, 80 y 100 kg ha-1), fósforo (0, 20, 40 y 60 kg ha-1) y composta de estiércol de bovino (0.5, 1, 2 y 3 t ha-1), agregándose 40 kg ha-1 de potasio a los tratamientos y el testigo (00-00-00-00). Las variables evaluadas fueron rendimiento de grano por m2, rendimiento por planta y altura de planta. Al momento del corte de panoja también se contó el número de plantas por unidad experimental con la finalidad de correlacionar la densidad de plantas y el rendimiento. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (Tukey, p< 0.05) en altura de planta, rendimiento por planta y rendimiento por m2; enambas variables de rendimiento el mejor tratamiento fue 80-20-00 kg ha-1 de N-P-K más una tonelada de composta. Se encontró una correlación negativa significativa (r2= -0.38982; Pearson, p< 0.05) entre el número de plantas y altura de planta; y entre número de plantas y rendimiento por planta (r2= -0.73993; Pearson, p< 0.05).CONACY

CP Violation in \tau ->\nu\pi K_S and D->\pi K_S: The Importance of K_S-K_L Interference

The $B$-factories have measured CP asymmetries in the $\tau\to\pi K_S\nu$ and $D\to K_S\pi$ modes. The $K_S$ state is identified by its decay to two pions at a time that is close to the $K_S$ lifetime. Within the Standard Model and many of its extensions, the asymmetries in these modes come from CP violation in $K^0-\bar{K}^0$ mixing. We emphasize that the interference between the amplitudes of intermediate $K_S$ and $K_L$ is as important as the pure $K_S$ amplitude. Consequently, the measured asymmetries depend on the times over which the relevant decay rates are integrated and on features of the experiment.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Legal evidence: a realistic approach

The issue of the veracity of legal claims and its consequences is based, first and foremost, on the study of legal philosophy. This article explores the substantivity of judicial evidence from the perspective of classical legal realism, as a key mechanism against claims of truth and the different models of truth from different positions. Judicial decisions go through ontological and definitive interpretations of what is fair and right, in relation to judicial evidence, through the exercise of legal science by the jurist.El problema del potencial de verdad de las afirmaciones jurídicas y de sus consecuencias tiene como sustrato primero y primordial los problemas de la filosofía del derecho: su objeto de estudio. Se explora aquí, desde la perspectiva del realismo jurídico clásico, la sustantividad de la prueba judicial como mecanismo decisivo frente a las distintas posiciones respecto a las "pretensiones de verdad" en el derecho y los distintos modelos de verdad. Por ello, la decisión jurídica pasa por una interpretación ontológica y definitiva de lo "justo", lo debido, en relación con la prueba judicial, por medio del ejercicio de la ciencia práctica del "derecho" por parte del jurista

Treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism does not affect bone mass as determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, peripheral quantitative computed tomography and quantitative bone ultrasound in Spanish women.

INTRODUCTION: The results of studies examining the influence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and levothyroxine (L-T4) replacement therapy on bone have generated considerable interest but also controversy. The present research aims to evaluate the effects of L-T4 treatment on different skeletal sites in women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 45 premenopausal (mean age: 43.62 ±6.65 years) and 180 postmenopausal (mean age: 59.51 ±7.90 years) women with SCH who were undergoing L-T4 replacement therapy for at least 6 months were compared to 58 pre- and 180 postmenopausal women with SCH (untreated) matched for age. The mean doses of L-T4 were 90.88 ±42.59 µg/day in the premenopausal women and 86.35 ±34.11 µg/day in the postmenopausal women. Bone measurements were obtained using quantitative bone ultrasound (QUS) for the phalanx, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for the lumbar spine and hip, and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) for the non-dominant distal forearm. RESULTS: No differences were observed between patients and untreated controls in these bone measurements except in the bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine (p = 0.0214) in postmenopausal women, which was greater in treated women than in untreated controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that adequate metabolic control through replacement treatment with L-T4 in pre- and postmenopausal women does not affect bone mass

Botulinum toxin treatment of spasticity in diplegic cerebral palsy : a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of three doses of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A; Dysport®) in 125 patients (mean age 5.2 years, SD 2; 54% male)with dynamic equinus spasticity during walking. Participants were randomized to receive Dysport (10, 20, or 30 units/kg) or placebo to the gastrocnemius muscle of both legs. Muscle length was calculated from electrogoniometric measurements and the change in the dynamic component of gastrocnemius shortening at four weeks was prospectively identified as the primary outcome measure. All treatment groups showed statistically significant decreases in dynamic component compared with placebo at 4 weeks. Mean improvement in dynamic component was most pronounced in the 20 units/kg group, being equivalent to an increase in dorsiflexion with the knee extended at 19°, and was still present at 16 weeks. The safety profile of the toxin appears satisfactory