Academic and Molecular Matrices:A Study of the Transformations of Connective Tissue Research at the University of Manchester (1947–1996)

This paper explores the different identities adopted by connective tissue research at the University of Manchester during the second half of the 20th century. By looking at the long-term redefinition of a research programme, it sheds new light on the interactions between different and conflicting levels in the study of biomedicine, such as the local and the global, or the medical and the biological. It also addresses the gap in the literature between the first biomedical complexes after World War II and the emergence of biotechnology. Connective tissue research in Manchester emerged as a field focused on new treatments for rheumatic diseases. During the 1950s and 60s, it absorbed a number of laboratory techniques from biology, namely cell culture and electron microscopy. The transformations in scientific policy during the late 70s and the migration of Manchester researchers to the US led them to adopt recombinant DNA methods, which were borrowed from human genetics. This resulted in the emergence of cell matrix biology, a new field which had one of its reference centres in Manchester. The Manchester story shows the potential of detailed and chronologically wide local studies of patterns of work to understand the mechanisms by which new biomedical tools and institutions interact with long-standing problems and existing affiliations

Targeting child poverty in Canada

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the federal government\u27s program designed to address child poverty after the commitment made by the Canadian parliament, in 1989, to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000. Specifically, the Child Tax Benefit (CT-13), the targeted children\u27s poverty program introduced by the federal government in 1993, is analysed in relation to whether it reduced, made no difference, or increased the level and depth of child poverty in Canada. To examine if there were significant correlational effects among the three years (1990, 1993, 1997) of data used in this study a Structural Equation Model was developed. Relationships of control (or modifying) variables such as total income, wages and salaries, and income after tax, were found to be appropriate predictors when dealing with child poverty. It was also found that each year could be treated/examined separately and that there was very little dependence between years. The results provide sufficient support to sustain that the effects of the program CT-13 on child poverty are negligible. The cutbacks to social assistance through claw backs and de-indexing and overall reduction on expenditures for social programs delivered through the welfare state had deleterious consequences for families and children during the time periods analysed in this study

Wideband performance comparison between the 40 GHz and 60 GHz frequency bands for indoor radio channels

When 5G networks are to be deployed, the usability of millimeter-wave frequency allocations seems to be left out of the debate. However, there is an open question regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the main candidates for this allocation: The use of the licensed spectrum near 40 GHz or the unlicensed band at 60 GHz. Both bands may be adequate for high performance radio communication systems, and this paper provides insight into such alternatives. A large measurement campaign supplied enough data to analyze and to evaluate the network performance for both frequency bands in different types of indoor environments: Both large rooms and narrow corridors, and both line of sight and obstructed line of sight conditions. As a result of such a campaign and after a deep analysis in terms of wideband parameters, the radio channel usability is analyzed with numerical data regarding its performance

Genetic Dissection of the Seminal Root System Architecture in Mediterranean Durum Wheat Landraces by Genome-Wide Association Study

Roots are crucial for adaptation to drought stress. However, phenotyping root systems is a difficult and time-consuming task due to the special feature of the traits in the process of being analyzed. Correlations between root system architecture (RSA) at the early stages of development and in adult plants have been reported. In this study, the seminal RSA was analysed on a collection of 160 durum wheat landraces from 21 Mediterranean countries and 18 modern cultivars. The landraces showed large variability in RSA, and differences in root traits were found between previously identified genetic subpopulations. Landraces from the eastern Mediterranean region, which is the driest and warmest within the Mediterranean Basin, showed the largest seminal root size in terms of root length, surface, and volume and the widest root angle, whereas landraces from eastern Balkan countries showed the lowest values. Correlations were found between RSA and yield-related traits in a very dry environment. The identification of molecular markers linked to the traits of interest detected 233 marker-trait associations for 10 RSA traits and grouped them in 82 genome regions named marker-train association quantitative trait loci (MTA-QTLs). Our results support the use of ancient local germplasm to widen the genetic background for root traits in breeding programs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Rise and Fall of the Idea of Genetic Information (1948-2006)

[ES] El 26 de junio de 2000, durante la presentación del primer borrador del Proyecto Genoma Humano, el entonces presidente de los Estados Unidos, Bill Clinton, afirmó que "hoy estamos aprendiendo el lenguaje en el que Dios creó la vida". Detrás de sus palabras se escondía una historia de más de medio siglo basada en el entendimiento del ADN como información. Mi artículo analiza esta historia, abordando los orígenes de la visión informacional de nuestros genes a principios de los 50, cómo esta visión afectó las investigaciones en el código genético (años 50 y 60) y la transformación de la idea de información genética en el contexto de las primeras técnicas de secuenciación de ADN y de la bioinformática (años 80 y 90). Propongo que el concepto de ADN como información alcanzó un climax con el planteamiento del Proyecto Genoma Humano, pero actualmente afronta una crisis que coincide con el cuestionamiento de la idea de sociedad de la información. Finalmente, analizo el desarrollo de la biología de sistemas como paradigma alternativo.[EN] On 26 June 2000, during the presentation of the Human Genome Project’s first draft, Bill Clinton, then President of the United States, claimed that “today we are learning the language in which God created life”.1 Behind his remarks lay a story of more than half a century involving the understanding of DNA as information. This paper analyses that story, discussing the origins of the informational view of our genes during the early 1950s, how such a view affected the research on the genetic code (1950s and ‘60s) and the transformation of the information idea in the context of DNA sequencing and bioinformatics (‘80s and ‘90s). I suggest that the concept of DNA as information reached a climax with the proposal of the Human Genome Project (HGP), but is currently facing a crisis coinciding with the questioning of the information society. Finally, I discuss the emergence of systems biology as an alternative paradigm.This research was conducted while holding postgraduate fellowships given by Caja Madrid Foundation, Madrid City Hall and Residencia de Estudiantes (Spain) as well as a Hans Rausing Fellowship given by the Centre for the History of Science, Imperial College, London. Without them, it would not have been feasible.Peer reviewe

Síntesis y caracterización de complejos macrocíclicos mixtos lantanoides

Habiendo explorado los métodos de síntesis de diftalocianinas lantanoides, presentamos una ruta alterna que utiliza los complejos monoftalocianina lantanoide y ftalocianina de dilitio. Los espectros UV-Vis. e IR de los complejos obtenidos con dicha técnica muestran las bandas características reportadas en la literatura. El USO de acetatos lantanoides permitió la obtención de los complejos de acetato de tetrafenilporfirinato de lantánido, L(TPP)Ac, de pureza aceptable y rendimientos altos. Con elementos como holmio, tulio, iterbio y lutecio, se generó una especie no registrada que presenta dos iones lantánidos por unidad de porfirina. Los complejos L(TPP)Ac se usaron para la síntesis de los complejos mixtos, tipo HL(TPP)Pc, cuyos espectros UV-Vis. e IR presentan bandas tanto de f'talocianina como de tetrafenilporfírina y bandas adicionales que confirman la naturaleza de los sistemas. El seguimiento de nuestro trabajo se apoya principalmente en la espectroscopía UV-Vis., detectando los cambios y desplazamientos de las bandas Características y comparando con datos de la literatura. La caracterización se realizó por medio de espectroscopía W-Vis., IR, analisis termogravimétrico y análisis elemental. A pesar de que nuestros rendimientos son bajos y la estructura de las especies preparadas no ha sido decifrada plenamente, su pureza es aceptable lo cual nos permite inferir que el método empleado es confiable sin necesidad de mucho equipo, pero que puede mejorarse