Energy Dissipation of Highly Convergent Chutes in Stilling Basins of Concrete Dams

This article presents the results of a combination of experimental and numerical research on the performance of stilling basins of spillways with highly convergent chutes (HCC). The comparison between the energy dissipation of the stilling basins with flat slab and baffle blocks shows that the latest are more efficient. Because of that, the cost savings of using such blocks can be significant. The results obtained could be applied in different cases such as increasing the capacity of existing spillways and protecting dams against overtopping. The application of HCC spillways in new dams could lead to a reduction in the cost of the stilling basin compared to conventional hydraulic jump energy dissipators

Food and nutrient intake in Spanish vegetarians and vegans

Objective: Vegetarian and vegan diets have gained popularity in Spain. ere is no available information about specic food, supplementary intake and macro and micronutrient prole in Spanish vegetarian population. is study aimed to determine and evaluate their dietary intake. Methods: One hundred two Spanish vegetarian and vegans completed a food frequency questionnaire from which their specic food consumption as well daily intake of macro and micronutrients was assessed and subsequently compared to Spanish Dietary Reference intakes. Results: In both groups the diet appeared well balanced with a healthy distribution of macronutrients and fatty acids and a high content of ber. Vegan subjects showed higher intakes of vegetables, nuts and seeds as compared to vegetarians. At micronutrient level, almost all the vitamins and minerals intake covered Spanish Dietary Reference intakes. Intakes of vitamin B12 and D were below recommendations in both groups. In those micronutrients with a lower intake, higher proportions of vegetarians did meet recommendations as compared to vegans. Conclusions: Diet appeared well balanced regarding macronu- trients and ber. Almost all of the vitamins and mineral intake covered the Spanish DRIs, except B12 and D. Further studies with a large sample are needed to establish conclusions to the Spanish vegetarian population

Effect of PEGylation on Ligand-Targeted Magnetoliposomes: A Missed Goal

We tested the targeting efficiency of magnetoliposomes (MLPs) labeled with tripeptide arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) on two types of cells: HeLa cells expressing RGD receptors and 3T3 cells lacking RGD receptors. The targeting ability of RGD-MLPs was compared to that of bare MLPs and MLPs stabilized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Cellular internalization of these liposomes was determined by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, which showed that both types of cells took up more nontargeting MLPs than targeting RGD-MLPs or PEG-MLPs, with PEG-MLPs showing the lowest degree of internalization. The presence of specific receptors on HeLa cells did not facilitate the binding of RGD-MLPs, probably due to the presence of PEG chains on the liposomal surface. The polymer increases the circulation time of the liposomes in the organism but reduces their interactions with cells. Despite the localization of the RGD peptide on the tip of PEG in RGD-MLPs, the interaction between the liposome and cell was still limited. To avoid this drawback, targeting drug delivery systems can be prepared with two types of PEG: one of a short length to enable biocompatibility and the other of a longer chain to carry the ligand

El seguro de enfermedad tras las propuestas de reforma de la Ley de Contrato de Seguro

The concept of health insurance has always been a problematic issue since the adoption of the regulatory law. It is difficult to say whether we have a single contractual arrangement or two differentiated figures covering the same risk. The new proposals of the Insurance Contract Law reform put an end to these discussions.El concepto de seguro de enfermedad siempre ha sido un tema problemático desde la aprobación de su Ley reguladora. Es difícil precisar si nos encontramos ante una sola modalidad contractual o dos figuras diferenciadas que cubren un mismo riesgo. Las nuevas propuestas de reforma de la Ley de contrato de seguro tratan de poner fin a estas discusiones.The concept of health insurance has always been a problematic issue since the adoption of the regulatory law. It is difficult to say whether we have a single contractual arrangement or two differentiated figures covering the same risk. The new proposals of the Insurance Contract Law reform put an end to these discussions

Substrat i superstrat en l'evolució del català

Reflections on the significance of substratum and superstratum in the genesis and evolution of Catalan. The author considers how the recourse to the pre-Roman susbtratum in the etymological interpretation or in the historical and critical grammar has been carried to excess both by those absolutely against it and by those who take it as an all-explaining panacea. He also points out that, conversely to the interest in substratum, the Germanic superstratum has not received the attention it deserves in the genesis of Catalan because of various prejudices, some of them of an ideological kind

Aspectes sintàctics de l'occità antic comparats amb els del català

The existence of a two cases declension system in medieval Occitan, which lacked in Catalan, was one of the most remarkable differences between both languages. This distinction arises when comparing the homilies from Tortosa, in Occitan, to the ones from Organyà, which are the Catalan translation from Occitan texts

Dual responsive gelatin-based nanoparticles for enhanced 5-fluorouracil efficiency

The very slow progress in the therapeutic efficacy of the treatment of severe diseases has suggested the use of a growing need for a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of therapeutics to targets tissues. There has been increasing effort in the design of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials that they will be developed into effective drug delivery vehicles. Most commonly, effective drug delivery is associated with nanomaterial-facilitated accumulation and/or cellular internalization. Recent studies in our lab have demonstrated that gelatin-based NPs can be considered suitable pH responsive devices for the effective intracellular delivery of drugs. Concerning cancer treatment, ligands recognizing tumour-associated antigens expressed on the surface of the tumour cells have been employed. Some of the target structures suitable for tumour targeting belong to integrins which mediate cell adhesion to extracellular matrix and other cells. Interestingly, gelatin chains contain motifs such as RGD sequences that can be recognised by integrins. In this work the inclusion of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on these gelatin-based NPs has been projected. These NPs may provide an opportunity to increase the therapeutic effect using a dual approach by: i) targeting the therapeutic drug to the tumour cells by the action of the naturally occurring RGD-motif on gelatin and ii) minimizing the non-productive trafficking from endosomes to lysosomes by releasing the cargo using the charge reversal approach after cellular internalization. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments of NPs on tumoral and non-tumoral cell lines have reported selectivity indexes higher than 30 demonstrating a great selectivity on the mode of action as a function of the cell line and the imposed compositions. Keywords: 5-fluorouracil; Gelatin; In vitro cytotoxicity; Loading efficiency; Nanoparticles; Selectivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Study of the reaction 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide + OH- in dimeric micellar solutions

The dehydrobromination reaction 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide + OH− was investigated in several alkanediyl---bis(dodecyldimethylammonium) bromide, 12-s- 12,2Br− (with s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12) micellar solutions, in the presence of NaOH 5 × 10−3 M. The kinetic data were quantitatively rationalized within the whole surfactant concentration range by using an equation based on the pseudophase ion-exchange model and taking the variations in the micellar ionization degree caused by the morphological transitions into account. The agreement between the theoretical and the experimental data was good in all the dimeric micellar media studied, except for the 12-2-12,2Br− micellar solutions. In this case, the strong tendency to micellar growth shown by the 12-2-12,2Br− micelles could be responsible for the lack of accordance. Results showed that the dimeric micelles accelerate the reaction more than two orders of magnitude as compared to waterConsejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía FQM-274and P07-FQM-03056DGCYT grant BQU2009-0747

Antiferromagnetism in four dimensions: search for non-triviality

We present antiferromagnetism as a mechanism capable of modifying substantially the phase diagram and the critical behaviour of statistical mechanical models. This is particularly relevant in four dimensions, due to the connection between second order transition points and the continuum limit as a quantum field theory. We study three models with an antiferromagnetic interaction: the Ising and the O(4) Models with a second neighbour negative coupling, and the \RP{2} Model. Different conclusions are obtained depending on the model.Comment: 4 pages LateX. Contribution to Lat9