Analysis and comparison of competitive balance in the Spanish ACB basketball league : a preliminary study

Regardless its relevance in sports economics, competitive balance has not been studied neither in Spanish nor in European professional basketball. In this preliminary study we measured the competitive balance in the Spanish ACB League from seasons 1983/1984 to 2003/2004 using the well-known winning percentage standard deviation index. Results showed great difference between seasons and a general low competitive balance index. In addition, tournament designing did not seem to affect the competitive balance in ACB

Inactive and temperature-sensitive folding mutants of aldehyde dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli

Aldehyde dehydrogenase, encoded by the aldA gene in Escherichia coli, is inactive in nitrosoguanidine induced mutant strain ECL40 and temperature-sensitive in spontaneous mutant strain JA104. Both mutants were proven, by complementation experiments, to have a functional aldA regulator and promoter. In spite of no immunodetection of the aldA product, its specific transcript was present in the mutant extracts. It was subsequently proven that the immunodetection of aldehyde dehydrogenase in these mutants required denaturation, revealing that cells lacking the enzyme activity had the inactive protein in their extracts. Thus, the mutations seemed to affect the protein conformation. The temperature-sensitive aldehyde dehydrogenase did not show, neither in vivo nor in vitro, a different thermal stability compared to the wild type enzyme. In this temperature-sensitive strain, the recovery of active aldehyde dehydrogenase, in the presence of rifampicin but not of chloramphenicol, when cells grown at 37°C were shifted to 30°C indicated that this mutation affected the folding process of the protein at the restrictive temperature. Sequencing of the two mutant aldA corresponding genes determined a single amino acid change of Pro to Leu at position 182 for strain ECL40, and of Val to Met at position 145 for strain JA104. These mutations were thought to possibly promote changes in the local flexibility in the first case, and to perturb the packing of residues by steric hindrance in the second case

The Therapeutic and Educational Unit at Villabona prison, a new penal model of social rehabilitation

La societat estructura les relacions socials a través del risc. La por de la possible pèrdua dels nostres béns socials protegits ens ha portat a un canvi de paradigma en la intervenció penal. Passem de models de responsabilitat a models de seguretat ciutadana i a la identificació del delinqüent com a enemic social. Tanmateix, la gestió eficient del risc per part de l’administració penitenciària passa per possibilitar processos de reeducació i reinserció efectius. La Unitat Terapèutica i Educativa del Centre Penitenciari de Villabona s’ha erigit com un dels models penals que permeten aconseguir els ideals constitucionals. La seva tasca de reeducació efectiva i el disseny de propostes de reinserció, tenint com a eix de l’acció el mateix intern en tant que subjecte actiu del seu procés resocialitzador, asseguren un model penal que redueix la taxa de reincidència i construeix una societat més cohesionada i participativa.Nuestra sociedad estructura las relaciones sociales a través del riesgo. El miedo a la posible pérdida de nuestros bienes sociales protegidos nos ha llevado a un cambio en el paradigma de la intervención penal. Pasamos de modelos de responsabilidad a modelos de seguridad ciudadana y a la identificación del delincuente como enemigo social. Sin embargo, la gestión eficiente del riesgo por parte de la administración penitenciaria pasa por posibilitar procesos de reeducación y reinserción efectivos. La Unidad Terapéutica y Educativa del Centro Penitenciario de Villabona se ha erigido como uno de los modelos penales que permiten conseguir los ideales constitucionales. Su trabajo de reeducación efectiva y el diseño de propuestas de reinserción, teniendo como eje de la acción al propio interno como sujeto activo de su proceso resocializador, aseguran un modelo penal que reduce la tasa de reincidencia y construye una sociedad más cohesionada y participativaOur society structures social relations by way of risk. Fear of the possible loss of our protectedssocial assets has resulted in a change of paradigmsin the nature of penal intervention. There has been a shift from models of responsibility to models of public safety and the identification of the offender as social enemy. However, efficient risk management by the prison administration enables processes effective rehabilitation and rehabilitation. The Therapeutic and Educational Unit at Villabona prison has emerged as one of the penal models that is managing to achieve constitutional ideals. The Unit’s work of effective re-education and design of rehabilitation proposals, with the axis of the action being the prisoners themselves as active subjects of their process of re-socialization, ensure a penal model that significantly reduces recidivism and builds a more cohesive and participative society

In vitro and in vivo expression of foreign genes by transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus-derived minigenomes

A helper-dependent expression system based on transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) has been developed using a minigenome of 3·9 kb (M39). Expression of the reporter gene {beta}-glucuronidase (GUS) (2–8 µg per 106 cells) and the porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) ORF5 (1–2 µg per 106 cells) has been shown using a TGEV-derived minigenome. GUS expression levels increased about eightfold with the m.o.i. and were maintained for more than eight passages in cell culture. Nevertheless, instability of the GUS and ORF5 subgenomic mRNAs was observed from passages five and four, respectively. About a quarter of the cells in culture expressing the helper virus also produced the reporter gene as determined by studying GUS mRNA production by in situ hybridization or immunodetection to visualize the protein synthesized. Expression of GUS was detected in the lungs, but not in the gut, of swine immunized with the virus vector. Around a quarter of lung cells showing replication of the helper virus were also positive for the reporter gene. Interestingly, strong humoral immune responses to both GUS and PRRSV ORF5 were induced in swine with this virus vector. The large cloning capacity and the tissue specificity of the TGEV-derived minigenomes suggest that these virus vectors are very promising for vaccine development

Estudio de la sustitución y suspensión de la pena en justicia juvenil. Aproximación a la realidad penal juvenil catalana

El procés d’acompanyament i transició a la llibertat és part de l’èxit educatiu en la reinserció social. Potenciar vincles comunitaris i la millora de competències socials són aspectes ineludibles en el procés d’incorporació social, especialment per als menors amb delictes greus. En el present article analitzem l’aplicació de mesures de substitució i suspensió com a institucions que eviten la consolidació d’identitats subculturals i permeten processosde vinculació comunitaris.The process of professional support and transition to freedom is a significant part of educational success in social reintegration.The strengthening of community ties and the enhancing of social skills are crucial aspects of the process of social inclusion, especiallyfor minors convicted of serious crimes. In this paper we analyse the application of alternative measures sentence substitution and suspension as effective steps towards preventing the consolidationof subcultural identities and fostering processes of belonging in the community.El proceso de acompañamiento y transición a la libertad es parte del éxito educativo en la reinserción social. Potenciar vínculos comunitarios y la mejora de competencias sociales son aspectos ineludibles en el proceso de incorporación social, especialmente para los menores con delitos graves. En el presente artículo analizamos la aplicación de medidas de sustitución y suspensión como instituciones que evitan la consolidación de identidades subculturales y permiten procesos de vinculación comunitarios

A Transmissible Gastroenteritis Coronavirus Nucleoprotein Epitope Elicits T Helper Cells That Collaborate in the in Vitro Antibody Synthesis to the Three Major Structural Viral Proteins

AbstractFour strong T cell epitopes have been identified studying the blastogenic response of lymphocytes from haplotype-defined transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) immune miniswine to sixty-one 15-mer synthetic peptides. Three of these epitopes are located on the nucleoprotein (N48 amino acids 46 to 60; N272, amino acids 272 to 286; and N321 amino acid 321 to 335), and one on the membrane protein (M196, amino acids 196 to 210). N321, peptide induced the highest T cell response and was recognized by immune miniswine lymphocytes with haplotypes dd, aa , and cc. T lymphocytes from peptide N321-immune miniswine reconstituted the in vitro synthesis of TGEV-specific antibodies by complementing CD4- TGEV-immune cells. This response was directed at least against the three major structural proteins. The synthesized antibodies specific for S protein preferentially recognized discontinous epitopes and neutralized TGEV infectivity. These results show that peptide N321 defines a functional T helper epitope eliciting T cells capable of collaborating with B cells specific for different proteins of TGEV