Cosmological Boundary Flux Parameter

The {\it{Cosmological Boundary Flux Parameter}} is a novel proposal that attempts to explain the origin of the cosmological parameter $\Lambda$ purely by geometric nature. Then we implement this new approach to a flat FLRW universe along with a barotropic fluid. We present an ansatz in which $\Lambda$ is straightforwardly coupled to the matter sector; therefore, only one additional parameter was introduced: $\lambda$. Also, through a statistical analysis, using late-time data of observational Hubble and type Ia Supernovae, we computed the joint best-fit value of the free parameters by means of the affine-invariant MCMC. We want to emphasise that the joint analysis produces a smaller $H_{0}^{\rm CBFP}=69.80\rm\,\, Km \,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}$ in contrast to the flat $\Lambda$CDM result $H_{0}^{\Lambda\rm CDM}=70.53\rm\,\, Km \,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}$. The work presented here seeks to contribute to the discussion of the possible explanation for the cosmos' acceleration, together with tackling other important questions in modern cosmology.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Consumer Bankruptcy Panel: Undue Hardship: An Analysis of Student Loan Debt Discharge in Bankruptcy

The Consumer Panel focused on student loan debt, featuring judicial, academic, and practical insights and a call to action to help consumers

Rogers-Shephard inequality for log-concave functions

In this paper we prove different functional inequalities extending the classical Rogers-Shephard inequalities for convex bodies. The original inequalities provide an optimal relation between the volume of a convex body and the volume of several symmetrizations of the body, such as, its difference body. We characterize the equality cases in all these inequalities. Our method is based on the extension of the notion of a convolution body of two convex sets to any pair of log-concave functions and the study of some geometrical properties of these new sets.Comment: 25 page

Natural radiactivity from building materials in Spain

The industrial construction sector is very important in Spain. Building materials used in this industry are sources of radiation from natural radionuclides they contain. The European Commission published some recommendations to facilitate the trade of these materials in the E.U. The studies about this subject have increased notably during last years. This, probably, can be associated with the increase interest from natural radiation radiological risk on indoor exposure.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear. CSN-201

Arabic gum plus colistin coated moxifloxacin-loaded nanoparticles for the treatment of bone infection caused by Escherichia coli

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory process of bone and bone marrow that may even lead to patient death. Even though this disease is mainly caused by Gram-positive organisms, the proportion of bone infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, has significantly increased in recent years. In this work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles have been employed as platform to engineer a nanomedicine able to eradicate E. coli- related bone infections. For that purpose, the nanoparticles have been loaded with moxifloxacin and further functionalized with Arabic gum and colistin (AG+CO-coated MX-loaded MSNs). The nanosystem demonstrated high affinity toward E. coli biofilm matrix, thanks to AG coating, and marked antibacterial effect because of the bactericidal effect of moxifloxacin and the disaggregating effect of colistin. AG+CO-coated MX-loaded MSNs were able to eradicate the infection developed on a trabecular bone in vitro and showed pronounced antibacterial efficacy in vivo against an osteomyelitis provoked by E. coli. Furthermore, AG+CO-coated MX-loaded MSNs were shown to be essentially non-cytotoxic with only slight effect on cell proliferation and mild hepatotoxicity, which might be attributed to the nature of both antibiotics. In view of these results, these nanoparticles may be considered as a promising treatment for bone infections caused by enterobacteria, such as E. coli, and introduce a general strategy against bone infections based on the implementation of antibiotics with different but complementary activity into a single nanocarrier. Statement of significance: In this work, we propose a methodology to address E.coli bone infections by using moxifloxacin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles coated with Arabic gum containing colistin (AG+CO-coated MX-loaded MSNs). The in vitro evaluation of this nanosystem demonstrated high affinity toward E. coli biofilm matrix thanks to the Arabic gum coating, a disaggregating and antibacterial effect of colistin, and a remarkable antibiofilm action because of the bactericidal ability of moxifloxacin and colistin. This anti-E. coli capacity of AG+CO-coated MX-loaded MSNs was brought out in an in vivo rabbit model of osteomyelitis where the nanosystem was able to eradicate more than 90% of the bacterial load within the infected boneFinancial support from the Eu-ropean Research Council through ERC-2015-AdG-694160 (VERDI) grant. AM is funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the “Miguel Servet” program (CP15/00053

Full wave modelling of hts dual mode patch filters and staggered coupled-line filters

In order to obtain high-power handling, dual-mode patch HTS filters have been analyzed through Green's function and desegmentation techniques. A precise circuit model has been obtained and applied to the filter design process, and useful design curves relating filter parameters and physical dimensions of the square patch have been plotted. Several designs have been made using them and then optimized with the Method of Moments in the Spectral Domain. For higher order circuits, staggered coupled-line HTS filters have been considered. The designs have been made using the method of moments to compute the coupling capacitances, and then optimized with the Method of Moments in the Spectral Domain. One dual-mode patch filter and one staggered coupled-line filter have been fabricated on a YBCO film. Measurements agree well with simulationsPeer Reviewe

An open secret in porcine acute myocardial infarction models: The relevance of anaesthetic regime and breed in ischaemic outcomes.

Large animal models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) play a crucial role in translating novel therapeutic approaches to patients as denoted by their use in the right-before-human testing platform. At present, the porcine model of AMI is used most frequently as it mimics the human condition and its anatomopathological features accurately. We want to describe to, and share with, the translational research community our experience of how different anaesthetic protocols (sevoflurane, midazolam, ketamine+xylazine+midazolam, and propofol) and pig breeds [Large White and Landrace x Large White (LLW)] can dramatically modify the outcomes of a well-established porcine model of closed-chest AMI. Our group has extensive experience with the porcine model of reperfused AMI and, over time, we reduced the time of ischaemia used to induce the disease from 90 to 50 min to increase the salvageable myocardium for cardioprotection studies. For logistical reasons, we changed both the anaesthetic protocol and the pig breed used, but these resulted in a dramatic reduction in the size of the myocardial infarct, to almost zero in some cases (sevoflurane, 50-min ischaemia, LLW, 2.4 ± 3.9% infarct size), and the cardiac function was preserved. Therefore, we had to re-validate the model by returning to 90 min of ischaemia. Here, we report the differences in infarct size and cardiac function, measured by different modalities, for each combination of anaesthetic protocol and pig breed we have used. Furthermore, we discuss these combinations and the limited literature pertaining to how these two factors influence cardiac function and infarct size in the porcine model of AMI.This research was funded by a grant (PI18/00277) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Spain—Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). FJ is the recipient of the Ayudas para la formación de profesorado Universitario (FPU19/04925) grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. IDIBAPS belongs to the CERCA Programme and receives partial funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya.S

Los fundamentos filosóficos de la investigación científica y su papel epistemológico (Revisión)

A bibliographic revision is carried out, using the method of analysis and criticism of the sources, in order to characterize the philosophical foundations of the scientific research, since its view of the world and conceptual importance in the orientation of all systematized inquiry about the reality object of study, according to the dialectic materialistic approach of the science. Conceptual operators are added to highlight its epistemological role from its capability to contribute to the construction of the epistemic frame of science. In short, philosophical meta- reflection becomes an instrument to deepen the scientific rationality of all research.Se ejecuta una revisión bibliográfica, mediante el empleo del método de análisis y crítica de las fuentes, para caracterizar los fundamentos filosóficos de la investigación científica, dada su importancia cosmovisiva y conceptual en la orientación de toda indagación sistematizada sobre la realidad objeto de estudio, de conformidad con el enfoque dialéctico-materialista de la ciencia. Se aportan operadores conceptuales que destacan su papel epistemológico desde su capacidad de contribuir a la construcción del marco epistémico de la ciencia. Se concluye que la meta-reflexión filosófica deviene instrumento para profundizar la racionalidad científica de toda investigación