A Rational Expectations Model for Simulation and Policy Evaluation of the Spanish Economy

This paper describes a Rational Expectations Model of the Spanish economy, REMS, which is in the tradition of small open economy dynamic general equilibrium models, with a strongly microfounded system of equations. The model is built on standard elements, but incorporates some distinctive features to provide an accurate description of the Spanish economy. We contribute to the existing models of the Spanish economy by adding search and matching rigidities to a small open economy framework. Our model also incorporates habits in consumption and rule-of-thumb households. As Spain is a member of EMU, we model the interaction between a small open economy and monetary policy in a monetary union. The model is primarily constructed to serve as a simulation tool at the Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance. As such, it provides a great deal of information regarding the transmission of policy shocks to economic outcomes. The paper describes the structure of the model in detail, as well as the estimation and calibration technique and some examples of simulations.general equilibrium, rigidities, policy simulations

The REMSDB Macroeconomic Database of The Spanish Economy

This paper presents a new macroeconomic database for the Spanish economy, REMSDB. The construction of this database has been oriented to conducting medium-term simulations for policy evaluation with the REMS model, a large Rational Expectations macroeconomic Model for Spain. The paper provides a detailed description of the data and documents its main statistical properties. The database is thought to be of major interest to related applications,whether strictly associated with the REMS model or, rather, with empirical macroeconomic studies.Spanish Data, Growth Data, Business Cycle Data, REMS

Epigenetics override pro-inflammatory PTGS transcriptomic signature towards selective hyperactivation of PGE 2 in colorectal cancer

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.[Background]: Misregulation of the PTGS (prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase, also known as cyclooxygenase or COX) pathway may lead to the accumulation of pro-inflammatory signals, which constitutes a hallmark of cancer. To get insight into the role of this signaling pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC), we have characterized the transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes of the PTGS pathway genes in normal and cancer cells. [Results]: Data from four independent series of CRC patients (502 tumors including adenomas and carcinomas and 222 adjacent normal tissues) and two series of colon mucosae from 69 healthy donors have been included in the study. Gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR and Affymetrix U219 arrays. DNA methylation was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing, dissociation curves, and HumanMethylation450K arrays. Most CRC patients show selective transcriptional deregulation of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of prostanoids and their receptors in both tumor and its adjacent mucosa. DNA methylation alterations exclusively affect the tumor tissue (both adenomas and carcinomas), redirecting the transcriptional deregulation to activation of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) function and blockade of other biologically active prostaglandins. In particular, PTGIS, PTGER3, PTGFR, and AKR1B1 were hypermethylated in more than 40 % of all analyzed tumors. [Conclusions]: The transcriptional and epigenetic profiling of the PTGS pathway provides important clues on the biology of the tumor and its microenvironment. This analysis renders candidate markers with potential clinical applicability in risk assessment and early diagnosis and for the design of new therapeutic strategies.IC was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/28464/2006); JC was funded by a FPI fellowship. ADV was supported in part by a contract from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (PTC2011-1091). This work was supported by the MINECO(SAF2011/23638, SAF2014/52492), the Catalan Institute of Oncology and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant PI11-01439, RD12/0042/0019 and CIBERESP CB06/02/2005), the Generalitat de Catalunya (grant 2014SGR647), and the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC).Peer Reviewe

Oxidative stress and antioxidant diet supplementation in ageing, atherosclerotic and immune dysfunction processes

El aumento de la longevidad en los paises industrializados requiere costosos servicios sanitarios y asistenciales, pues muchas personas ancianas sufren un proceso de envejecimiento patológico ligado a enfermedades degenerativas crónicas y déficits funcionales de larga duración. Por otra parte, numerosos estudios sugieren que más personas podrían evitar el envejecimiento patológico si consumieran dietas ricas en antioxidantes. Así sería posible proteger más eficazmente al organismo contra el estrés oxidativo, que contribuye al envejecimiento normal y tiene un papel aún más importante en la aterosclerosis, la inmunodepresión y otros procesos degenerativos que a menudo forman parte del envejecimiento patológico. De acuerdo con lo anterior, y según los datos revisados, la suplementación de la dieta de los sujetos de edad madura o avanzada con antioxidantes (como la tioprolina, la N-acetilcisteina y los antioxidantes fenólicos de la cúrcuma) podría aumentar las probabilidades de prevenir o frenar los mencionados procesos degenerativos, ayudando así a conseguir una mayor longevidad con adecuada preservación funcional.The increase in longevity in the developed countries requires costly health and social aid programs, since many elderly persons suffer from pathological ageing processes linked to chronic degenerative diseases and long-lasting functional deficiencies. However, many studies have suggested that a greater number of persons could prevent pathological ageing by consuming diets rich in antioxidants. Such diets could provide the organism with more effective protection against the oxidative stress that contributes to normal ageing, and have an even more important role in atherosclerosis, immune depression and other degenerative processes that are often found in pathological ageing. In accordance with these concepts and with the data reviewed, diet supplementation in mature or advanced age subjects with antioxidants (such as thioproline, N-acetylcysteine and the phenolic compounds of curcuma longa) could increase the chances of preventing or retarding the above-mentioned degenerative processes, thus helping to reach greater longevity with the adequate preservation of functional capacity

Regio- and stereo-selectivity in the intramolecular quenching of the excited benzoylthiophene chromophore by tryptophan

Laser flash photolysis studies on the photobehaviour of a series of bichromophoric derivatives bearing benzoylthiophene and tryptophan groups have shown that the efficiency of the intramolecular quenching process depends on both the stereochemistry of the chiral centers and the relative ketone versus tryptophan orientation.Perez Prieto, Julia, [email protected]

Efectos farmacológicos y nutricionales de los extractos de Curcuma longa L. y de los cucuminoides

La Curcuma longa L., es una planta de origen asiático muy usada comúnmente como una especia en la culturaasiática. El principal componente es la curcumina, uno de los ingredientes activos responsables de su actividadbiológica. Se sabe que esta sustancia es estable en el estómago y en el intestino delgado; su elevada lipofilia le permiteuna rápida absorción gastrointestinal por difusión pasiva. Tras su administración, es metabolizada y excretadaprincipalmente por bilis y heces, y también por orina. Sus principales metabolitos también son bioactivos.Desde antiguo, se han descrito muchas propiedades para los extractos de Curcuma longa y para la curcumina. Seconoce su actividad antibacteriana, antifúngica y antiparasitaria, y recientemente se ha demostrado su capacidadpara inhibir la integrasa del HIV-1. También se han demostrado efectos específicos en otros tejidos y órganos, comola piel, el sistema gastrointestinal y respiratorio y en el hígado.Todas estas propiedades son debidas a distintos mecanismos de acción. Se ha demostrado que la cúrcuma poseeefectos antiinflamatorios, a través de la modulación del metabolismo de los eicosanoides, tiene capacidadinmunomoduladora, principalmente alterando el perfil de las citoquinas Thl de los linfocitos T helper, y actividadhipolipidémica, disminuyendo el colesterol, los triglicéridos y los fosfolípidos plasmáticos así como en las LDL.Hay muchos estudios que demuestran la capacidad de la cúrcuma para estabilizar membranas y para prevenir laperoxidación lipídica, un proceso fundamental en el establecimiento, la progresión y las complicaciones de muchaspatologías como las enfermedades hepáticas, renales, cardiovasculares, neurodegenerativas, en la diabetes y en lascataratas. Las últimas investigaciones sobre los efectos biológicos de los extractos de cúrcuma y de los curcuminoidesestán encaminados a estudiar su actividad anticancerosa, principalmente frente al cáncer de piel, colon y duodeno

Projected multicluster model with Jastrow and linear state dependent correlations for 12≤A≤1612 \leq A \leq 16 nuclei

Variational wave functions based on a Margenau-Brink cluster model with short range and state dependent correlations, and angular momentum projection are obtained for some nuclei with $12 \leq A \leq 16$. The calculations have been carried out starting from the nucleon-nucleon interaction by using the Variational Monte Carlo method. The configuration used consists of three alpha clusters located at the apexes of an equilateral triangle, and an additional cluster, not necessarily of alpha type, forming a tetrahedron. This cluster is located at the top of its height. Short-range and state dependent correlations are included by means of a central Jastrow factor and a linear operatorial correlation factor respectively. Angular momentum projection is performed by using the Peierls-Yoccoz operators. Optimal structures are obtained for all the nuclei studied. Some aspects of our methodology have been tested by comparing with previous calculations carried out without short range correlations. The binding energy, the root mean square radius, and the one- and two-body densities are reported. The effects of correlations on both the energy and the nucleon distribution are analyzed systematically.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure