Comment on "Canonical formalism for Lagrangians with nonlocality of finite extent"

We show by some counterexamples that Lagrangian sysytems with nonlocality of finite extent are not necessarily unstable.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP) and Atmospheric Pressure Gas Chromatography (APGC) coupled to Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (QTOF-MS) as alternative techniques to trace aromatic markers of mineral oils in food packaging

The aim of this work was to select and identify the best markers of aromatic hydrocarbon mineral oil (MOAH) in food packaging. For this purpose, a series of mineral oils was initially analysed. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the alkylated isomers of Methylnaphthalene (MNS), Diisopropylnaphtalene (DIPNs), Dibenzothiophenes (DBTS), Methyldibenzothiophene (MDBTs), Dimethyldibenzothiophenes (DMDBTs) and Benzonaphthiophenes (BNTS) were then explored. Their presence was confirmed by direct analysis of several mineral oils by Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ASAP-QTOF-MS). Atmospheric Pressure Gas Chromatography Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (APGC-QTOF-MS) was used to confirm the markers in different samples of oils, recycled PET (rPET), recycled cardboard and packaging of couscous and semolina to confirm the contamination. 27 markers were found in the mineral oil samples, 22 of them in rPET, 8 in recycled board and no MOAH were found in packaging of couscous and semolina

The role of gender and connections between entrepreneurship and employability in higher education

A global concern about youth employment and the challenges to better connect companies' needs and professional and labour profiles of graduates is shared by policy makers and higher education institutions. The recognition of entrepreneurship as an integral and sustainable part of the solution is a source of motivation for the incorporation of entrepreneurial competencies onto university curricula. The driving force of this study is to analyse how and to what extent the employability weighs on entrepreneurship. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is applied using a survey that links Employability and Entrepreneurial Intention positively and highlights the moderating effect of gender. Our study contributes to research showing the interconnection between both and provides an insight from a gender approach. Women feel competences related to entreprising people are useful beyond business creation and they reinforce their self-confidence about their skills facing both entrepreneurial or employment objectives.This work was supported by the Programme PAIDI Andalucía under grant number PY20_00407 (Junta de Andalucía/Universidad de Málaga) and Funding for Open Access Charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBUA; Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidad, Junta de Andalucía

Phylogenetic analyses and toxigenic profiles of Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium acuminatum isolated from cereals from Southern Europe

Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium acuminatum are toxigenic species that contaminate cereal crops from diverse climatic regions. They are common in Spanish cereals. The information available on their phylogenetics and toxigenic profiles is, however, insufficient to assist risk evaluation. In this work, phylogenetic analyses were performed using partial sequences of the translation elongation factor gene (EF-1a) of F. equiseti and F. acuminatum strains isolated from barley and wheat from Spain and other countries. The Northern and Southern European F. equiseti strains largely separated into two phylogenetically distinct clusters. This suggests the existence of two distinct populations within this species, explaining its presence in these regions of markedly different climate. Production of type A and B trichothecenes by the Spanish strains, examined in wheat cultures using a multitoxin analytical method, indicated that F. equiseti could produce deoxynivalenol and nivalenol and other trichothecenes, at concentrations that might represent a significant risk of toxin contamination for Southern European cereals. F. acuminatum showed low intraspecific genetic variability and 58% of the strains could produce deoxynivalenol at low level. Neither species was found to produce T-2 or HT-2 toxins. The present results provide important phylogenetic and toxigenic information essential for the accurate prediction of toxigenic risk

Esclerosis tuberosa: hallazgos clinicos en 67 pacientes

BACKGROUND: Tuberous sclerosis is an uncommon neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by the appearance of hamartomas in multiple organs. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria. OBJECTIVE. To report the clinical findings in a series of 67 patients with tuberous sclerosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive and observational retrospective study of patients with tuberous sclerosis referred to our dermatology clinics between January 1994 and March 2007. RESULTS: All patients presented neurological or dermatological disorders. Other disorders, in descending frequency, were psychiatric (55.5%), renal (32.8%), cardiac (22.4%), skeletal and pulmonary (13.4%), and ophthalmological (11.9%). CONCLUSIONS: We report the clinical findings in a series of patients with tuberous sclerosis. According to our literature search, this is the first such study in the Spanish population. Overall, our findings support those already publishe

¿Cómo nos afecta la pérdida de biodiversidad en el planeta? el uso de problemas en una propuesta para futuros profesores de primaria

Este trabajo forma parte de una tesis doctoral que indaga acerca de las concepciones y actitudes sobre la conservación del medio de los futuros maestros, las estrategias educativas que proponen para su desarrollo en Primaria y la posible relación entre ambos aspectos (lo que piensan y saben, y lo que hacen). Dentro de nuestro programa de formación, se ha diseñado la propuesta “¿Cuánta biodiversidad necesitamos para sobrevivir en este planeta?”. Se centra en la adquisición de conocimientos y el desarrollo de competencias ante la pérdida de biodiversidad, y el análisis y discusión de las prácticas educativas más adecuadas para lograr concienciar y cambiar el comportamiento de los alumnos. Se desarrolla en torno a problemas socioambientales cercanos, que atienden sus necesidades formativas como futuros maestros

Management of Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Antibiotic Allergy. Executive Summary of Guidance from the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), the Spanish Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC), the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH) and the Spanish Society of Intensive Medicine and Coronary Care Units (SEMICYUC)

Suspected or confirmed antibiotic allergy is a frequent clinical circumstance that influences antimicrobial prescription and often leads to the avoidable use of less efficacious and/or more toxic or costly drugs than first-line antimicrobials. Optimizing antimicrobial therapy in patients with antibiotic allergy labels has become one of the priorities of antimicrobial stewardship programs in several countries. These guidelines aim to make recommendations for the systematic approach to patients with suspected or confirmed antibiotic allergy based on current evidence. An expert panel (11 members of various scientific societies) formulated questions about the management of patients with suspected or confirmed antibiotic allergy. A systematic literature review was performed by a medical librarian. The questions were distributed among panel members who selected the most relevant references, summarized the evidence, and formulated graded recommendations when possible. The answers to all the questions were finally reviewed by all panel members. A systematic approach to patients with suspected or confirmed antibiotic allergy was recommended to improve antibiotic selection and, consequently, clinical outcomes. A clinically oriented, 3-category risk-stratification strategy was recommended for patients with suspected antibiotic allergy. Complementary assessments should consider both clinical risk category and preferred antibiotic agent. Empirical therapy recommendations for the most relevant clinical syndromes in patients with suspected or confirmed ss-lactam allergy were formulated, as were recommendations on the implementation and monitoring of the impact of the guidelines. Antimicrobial stewardship programs and allergists should design and implement activities that facilitate the most appropriate use of antibiotics in these patients

Engineering single-atom Fe-N active sites on hollow carbon spheres for oxygen reduction reaction

Seeking alternatives to noble metals-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hollow carbon spheres (CSs) were finely tuned with stable single-atom Fe-N species through a synthesis methodology requiring only earth-abundant metal precursors. CSs with different sizes were synthesized by sol-gel polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde over silica nanoparticles, followed by thermal annealing and silica etching. A catalyst screening revealed the positive impact of both the hollow core and structural defects of the CSs for ORR. Single-atom Fe-N active sites were introduced on the best performing CSs through simultaneous incorporation of iron and nitrogen precursors, and glucose. A significant enhancement in ORR activity was observed despite the small iron load introduced (0.12 wt%). ORR performance indicators, advanced characterization, and molecular simulation studies revealed nitrogen's crucial role in anchoring individual iron atoms and modulating the charge density nearby the active sites (increase of 80 mV in the half-wave potential). Adding glucose as a chelating agent enhances the metal-heteroatom coordination and subsequent dispersion of iron, accounting for an increase of 20 mV in the half-wave potential, an average of electrons transferred as high as 3.9 (at 0.4 V vs. RHE), and higher stability (99%) than that of a platinum-based (20 wt%) electrocatalyst (92%).11 página

Semiclassical Equations for Weakly Inhomogeneous Cosmologies

The in-in effective action formalism is used to derive the semiclassical correction to Einstein's equations due to a massless scalar quantum field conformally coupled to small gravitational perturbations in spatially flat cosmological models. The vacuum expectation value of the stress tensor of the quantum field is directly derived from the renormalized in-in effective action. The usual in-out effective action is also discussed and it is used to compute the probability of particle creation. As one application, the stress tensor of a scalar field around a static cosmic string is derived and the backreaction effect on the gravitational field of the string is discussed.Comment: 35 pages, UAB-FT 316, Latex (uses a4wide.sty, a4.sty included in the file)(replaced due to tex problems

Arylimidamides have potential for chemoprophylaxis against blood-transmitted Chagas disease

Chagas disease (CD) affects over 6 million people worldwide and can be transmitted iatrogenically. Crystal violet (CV) was previously used for pathogen reduction but has harmful side-effects. In the present study, three arylimidamides (AIAs) and CV were used to sterilize mice blood samples experimentally contaminated with bloodstream trypomastigotes (BT) of Trypanosoma cruzi, at non hemolytic doses. All AIAs were not toxic to mouse blood cells until the highest tested concentration (96 µM). The previous treatment of BT with the AIAs impaired the infection establishment of cardiac cell cultures. In vivo assays showed that pre-incubation of mouse blood samples with the AIAs and CV (96 µM) significantly suppressed the parasitemia peak, but only the AIA DB1831 gave ≥90% animal survival, while vehicle treated samples reached 0%. Our findings support further studies regarding the potential use of AIAs for blood bank purposes