On the \phi(1020)f_0(980) S-wave scattering and the Y(2175) resonance

We have studied the \phi(1020)f_0(980) S-wave scattering at energies around threshold employing chiral Lagrangians coupled to vector mesons through minimal coupling. The interaction kernel is obtained by considering the f_0(980) as a K\bar{K} bound state. The Y(2175) resonance is generated in this approach by the self-interactions between the \phi(1020) and the f_0(980) resonances. We are able to describe the e^+e^-\to \phi(1020)f_0(980) recent scattering data to test experimentally our scattering amplitudes, concluding that the Y(2175) resonance has a large \phi(1020)f_0(980) meson-meson component.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure

\pi N scattering in relativistic baryon chiral perturbation theory revisited

We have analyzed pion-nucleon scattering using the manifestly relativistic covariant framework of Infrared Regularization up to {\cal O}(q^3) in the chiral expansion, where q is a generic small momentum. We describe the low-energy phase shifts with a similar quality as previously achieved with Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory, \sqrt{s}\lesssim1.14 GeV. New values are provided for the {\cal O}(q^2) and {\cal O}(q^3) low-energy constants, which are compared with previous determinations. This is also the case for the scattering lengths and volumes. Finally, we have unitarized the previous amplitudes and as a result the energy range where data are reproduced increases significantly.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, 5 table

Dynamic factors for underpasses in high speed train lines

Los pasos inferiores son muy numerosos en las líneas de ferrocarril. Su comportamiento dinámico ha recibido mucha menos atención que el de otras estructuras como los puentes, pero su elevado número hace que su estudio sea económicamente relevante con vista a optimizar su forma, manteniendo la seguridad. El proyecto de puentes según el Eurocódigo incluye comprobaciones de estados límite de tensiones bajo carga dinámica. En el caso de pasos inferiores, las comprobaciones pueden resultar tan costosas como aquellas de puentes, pese a que su coste es mucho menor. Por tanto, se impone la búsqueda de unas reglas de cálculo simplificado que pongan en consonancia el coste de la estructura con el esfuerzo necesario para su proyecto. Este artículo propone un conjunto de reglas basadas en un estudio paramétrico.Underpasses are common in modern railway lines. Wildlife corridors and drainage conduits often fall into this category of partially buried structures. Their dynamic behavior has received far less attention than that of other structures such as bridges, but their large number makes their study an interesting challenge from the viewpoint of safety and cost savings. The bridge design rules in accordance with the Eurocode involve checks on stresses according to dynamic loading. In the case of underpasses, those checks may be as much as those for bridges. Therefore, simplified design rules may align the design effort with their cost. Such a set of rules may provide estimations of response parameters based on the key parameters influencing the result. This paper contains a proposal based on a parametric study.Peer Reviewe

Multiscale modelling of vascular tumour growth in 3D: the roles of domain size & boundary condition

We investigate a three-dimensional multiscale model of vascular tumour growth, which couples blood flow, angiogenesis, vascular remodelling, nutrient/growth factor transport, movement of, and interactions between, normal and tumour cells, and nutrient-dependent cell cycle dynamics within each cell. In particular, we determine how the domain size, aspect ratio and initial vascular network influence the tumour's growth dynamics and its long-time composition. We establish whether it is possible to extrapolate simulation results obtained for small domains to larger ones, by constructing a large simulation domain from a number of identical subdomains, each subsystem initially comprising two parallel parent vessels, with associated cells and diffusible substances. We find that the subsystem is not representative of the full domain and conclude that, for this initial vessel geometry, interactions between adjacent subsystems contribute to the overall growth dynamics. We then show that extrapolation of results from a small subdomain to a larger domain can only be made if the subdomain is sufficiently large and is initialised with a sufficiently complex vascular network. Motivated by these results, we perform simulations to investigate the tumour's response to therapy and show that the probability of tumour elimination in a larger domain can be extrapolated from simulation results on a smaller domain. Finally, we demonstrate how our model may be combined with experimental data, to predict the spatio-temporal evolution of a vascular tumour

Myristic acid potentiates palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity and steatohepatitis associated with lipodystrophy by sustaning de novo ceramide synthesis.

Palmitic acid (PA) induces hepatocyte apoptosis and fuels de novo ceramide synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Myristic acid (MA), a free fatty acid highly abundant in copra/palmist oils, is a predictor of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and stimulates ceramide synthesis. Here we investigated the synergism between MA and PA in ceramide synthesis, ER stress, lipotoxicity and NASH. Unlike PA, MA is not lipotoxic but potentiated PA-mediated lipoapoptosis, ER stress, caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release in primary mouse hepatocytes (PMH). Moreover, MA kinetically sustained PA-induced total ceramide content by stimulating dehydroceramide desaturase and switched the ceramide profile from decreased to increased ceramide 14:0/ceramide16:0, without changing medium and long-chain ceramide species. PMH were more sensitive to equimolar ceramide14:0/ceramide16:0 exposure, which mimics the outcome of PA plus MA treatment on ceramide homeostasis, than to either ceramide alone. Treatment with myriocin to inhibit ceramide synthesis and tauroursodeoxycholic acid to prevent ER stress ameliorated PA plus MA induced apoptosis, similar to the protection afforded by the antioxidant BHA, the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-Fmk and JNK inhibition. Moreover, ruthenium red protected PMH against PA and MA-induced cell death. Recapitulating in vitro findings, mice fed a diet enriched in PA plus MA exhibited lipodystrophy, hepatosplenomegaly, increased liver ceramide content and cholesterol levels, ER stress, liver damage, inflammation and fibrosis compared to mice fed diets enriched in PA or MA alone. The deleterious effects of PA plus MA-enriched diet were largely prevented by in vivo myriocin treatment. These findings indicate a causal link between ceramide synthesis and ER stress in lipotoxicity, and imply that the consumption of diets enriched in MA and PA can cause NASH associated with lipodystrophy

Aspectos deontológicos y prácticos de la confección de medicamentos, Palermo. Siglos XV y XVI

Las normativas legales sobre el ejercicio de la farmacia en la ciudad de Palermo, en los siglo XV y XVI, contemplan como uno de sus aspectos fundamentales el de la correcta elaboración de los medicamentos y otros productos farmacéuticos por parte de los boticarios, en una etapa de la historia en que la adulteración de aquellos era moneda corriente

Interrelaciones socio profesionales entre médicos y boticarios, Palermo, S. XVI

Basándonos en una serie de documentos procedentes del Archivo Histórico Nacional de Madrid, intentamos presentar un panorama de los problemas que, a nivel legal, existían entre los médicos y boticarios de Palermo, particularmente el del intrusismo

Interrelaciones socio profesionales entre médicos y boticarios, Palermo, S. XVI

Basándonos en una serie de documentos procedentes del Archivo Histórico Nacional de Madrid, intentamos presentar un panorama de los problemas que, a nivel legal, existían entre los médicos y boticarios de Palermo, particularmente el del intrusismo

La adulteración de productos de farmacia en los Estatutos del Colegio de Boticarios de Palermo (siglos XV-XVI)

El tema de la posible adulteración tanto de medicamentos como de cualquier otro producto que se pudiera vender en una botica fué una constante preocupación de los legisladores de la ciudad de Pelermo en los siglos XV y XVI. Aquí presentamos un estudio de los capítulos a ello dedicados por los sucesivos estatutos del Colegio de Boticarios, así como algunos datos comparativos con otros lugares del mismo área geográfica