Measurement of the velocity of neutrinos from the CNGS beam with the large volume detector.

We report the measurement of the time of flight of ∼17 GeV ν(µ) on the CNGS baseline (732 km) with the Large Volume Detector (LVD) at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. The CERN-SPS accelerator has been operated from May 10th to May 24th 2012, with a tightly bunched-beam structure to allow the velocity of neutrinos to be accurately measured on an event-by-event basis. LVD has detected 48 neutrino events, associated with the beam, with a high absolute time accuracy. These events allow us to establish the following limit on the difference between the neutrino speed and the light velocity: -3.8 × 10(-6) < (v(ν)-c)/c < 3.1 × 10(-6) (at 99% C.L.). This value is an order of magnitude lower than previous direct measurements.

Colour polymorphism in birds: causes and functions.

We studied polymorphism in all species of birds that are presently known to show intraspecific variation in plumage colour. At least three main mechanisms have been put forward to explain the maintenance of polymorphism: apostatic, disruptive and sexual selection. All of them make partly different predictions. Our aims were to investigate evolutionary causes and adaptive functions of colour polymorphism by taking into account a number of ecological and morphological features of polymorphic species. Overall, we found 334 species showing colour polymorphism, which is 3.5% of all bird species. The occurrence of colour polymorphism was very high in Strigiformes, Ciconiiformes, Cuculiformes and Galliformes. Phylogenetically corrected analysis using independent contrasts revealed that colour polymorphism was maximally expressed in species showing a daily activity rhythm extended to day/night, living in both open and closed habitats. All these findings support the hypothesis that colour polymorphism probably evolved under selective pressures linked to bird detectability as affected by variable light conditions during activity period. Thus, we conclude that selective agents may be prey, predators and competitors, and that colour polymorphism in birds may be maintained by disruptive selection.

Clinical impact of residual renal function on patients starting dialysis treatment.

We describe our clinical experience of monitoring residual renal function of patients on regular dialysis treatment as residual renal function can play an important role in the management of patients undergoing regular dialysis. With active residual renal function it is possible to delay the start of haemodialytic programmes. In managing dialysis treatments, it is important to maintain residual renal function by preventing hypotensive events. It is known that in acute renal failure intradialytic hypotension is able to reduce the recovery of renal function. Out patient follow-up plays an important role for these patients. This paper will also discuss the use of biocompatible membranes during dialysis. The outcome is that they are not associated with better maintenance of residual renal function.

Haemodialysis in acute renal failure.

Haemodialysis in acute renal failure differs from chronic uraemia. We describe our clinical experience comparing tolerance to dialysis and dialysis efficacy of bicarbonate haemodialysis in comparison to haemofiltration. Both provide adequate treatment for ARF, Kt/v 0.6 +/- 0.1, URR 56% in bicarbonate haemodialysis compared to Kt/v 0.4 +/- 0.06, URR 60% in haemofiltration. Clinical outcome was the same in both groups, in particular the overall survival was satisfactory at about 70%. These results are likely to reflect close control of these patients by nursing staff committed to haemodialysis in acute renal failure.

Paternity and multiple signaling: effects of a secondary sexual character and song on paternity in the barn swallow.

Multiple signals may evolve because they provide independent information on the condition of a signaler. Females should pay attention to male characters relative to their reliability as signals of male attractiveness or quality. Since behavioral traits are flexible and, therefore, subject to strong environmental influences, females should weigh stable morphological signals higher in their choice of mates for genetic benefits than flexible behavioral traits, for example, by paying particular attention to phenotypically plastic traits when produced in combination with an exaggerated morphological signal. Consistent with this prediction, female barn swallows Hirundo rustica, which are known to prefer males with the longest tail feathers (a secondary sexual character), also preferred males with extreme expressions of a behavioral trait (song rate), as determined from patterns of paternity assessed by microsatellites. However, a statistical interaction between tail length and song rate implied that song rate was relatively unimportant for males with a short tail but more important for longtailed males. Since song rate is a flexible behavioral trait, females appear to have responded to this flexibility by devaluing the importance of song rate in assessment of unattractive sires.

Clinical impact of residual function in haemodialysis.

The term residual renal function (RRF) refers to the small renal function activity persisting in patients affected by chronic renal failure in the uraemic phase. It is associated with better clinical features as well as better laboratory values (1). Nevertheless, RRF usually decreases with variable rates over time; in particular peritoneal dialysis is associated with a better preservation of RRF than haemodialysis.