The f0(1370)f_0(1370), f0(1710)f_0(1710), f2(1270)f_2(1270), f2′(1525)f_2'(1525), and K2∗(1430)K_2^*(1430) as dynamically generated states from vector meson - vector meson interaction

We report on some recent developments in understanding the nature of the low-lying mesonic resonances $f_0(1370)$, $f_0(1710)$, $f_2(1270)$, $f_2'(1525)$, and $K_2^*(1430)$. In particular we show that these five resonances can be dynamically generated from vector meson--vector meson interaction in a coupled-channel unitary approach, which utilizes the phenomenologically very successful hidden-gauge Lagrangians to produce the interaction kernel between two vector mesons, which is then unitarized by the Bethe-Salpeter-equation method. The data on the strong decay branching ratios, total decay widths, and radiative decay widths of these five states, and on related $J/\psi$ decay processes can all be well described by such an approach. We also make predictions, compare them with the results of earlier studies, and highlight observables that if measured can be used to distinguish different pictures of these resonances.Comment: 9 pages; Invited talk at workshop CHIRAL'10, Valencia (Spain), June 21-24, 201

Improving simulation of soil water balance using lysimeter observations in a semiarid climate.

Water balance simulation in cropping systems is a very useful tool to study how water can be used efficiently. However this requires that models simulate an accurate water balance. Comparing model results with field observations will provide information on the performance of the models. The objective of this study was to test the performance of DSSAT model in simulating the water balance by comparing the simulations with observed measurements. The soil water balance in DSSAT uses a one dimensional ?tipping bucket? soil water balance approach where available soil water is determined by the drained upper limit (DUL), lower limit (LL) and saturated water content (SAT). A continuous weighing lysimeter was used to get the observed values of drainage and evapotranspiration (ET). An automated agrometeorological weather station close to the lisymeter was also used to record the climatic data. The model simulated accurately the soil water content after the optimization of the soil parameters. However it was found the inability of the model to capture small changes in daily drainage and ET. For that reason simulated cumulative values had larger errors as the time passed by. These results suggested the need to compare outputs of DSSAT and some hydrological model that simulates soil water movement with a more mechanistic approach. The comparison of the two models will allow us to find which mechanism can be modified or incorporated in DSSAT model to improve the simulations

Social participation of the elders in Europe: the influence of individual and contextual variables.

This study analyzes the social participation of older people based on individual and contextual variables. For this purpose the data of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in particular waves 1, 2 and 4 have been used. A four-level model with fixed and random effects was carried out. The model obtained shows the effect of individual variables: a greater participation in more recent waves, in ages between 60-70 years and the effect of variables such as cognitive functioning, years of education and health self-perception. But significant differences were also found in participation in contextual variables and between countries. These results are important for public policy managers, who must take into account not only individual variables, but also contextual variables, which explain the differences in the participation rate of the elderly.pre-print1693 K

Field analysis of the deterioration after some years of use of four insect-proof screens utilized in Mediterranean greenhouses

The installation of insect-proof screens on greenhouse vents is one of the principal methods of protection against harmful insects for crops. Their main disadvantage lies on their negative effects on natural ventilation and greenhouse microclimate, which have been the focus of studies by several authors. However, few works have analysed the effect of accumulated dust and dirt on these screens. The present study has analysed four anti-insect screens, comparing their geometric characteristics before installation and after three to four years of use. Two negative effects have been observed and quantified: deterioration of the threads that make up the screen and reduction of porosity due to accumulated dirt in the pores. This deterioration over time gives leads to a mean increase in thread diameter of 3.1%, as well to a mean decrease in the pore size of 6.2% and 2.3% in the weft (Lpx) and the warp (Lpy), respectively. In fact, the insect-proof screen porosity (φ) decreased due to the deterioration of the threads by an average of 6.5%, in addition to an average 20.3% reduction due to the accumulation of dirt in the pores, making a total reduction in porosity of 26.8%. This decrease in porosity leads to lower greenhouse ventilation rates, and is therefore detrimental for the greenhouse microclimate. Consequently, it is recommended that insect-proof screens in arid areas such as Almería (Spain), with abundant dust suspended in the atmosphere, be washed monthly using water sprayed at high pressure

A cost utility analysis alongside a cluster-randomised trial evaluating a minor ailment service compared to usual care in community pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Minor ailments are "self-limiting conditions which may be diagnosed and managed without a medical intervention". A cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) was designed to evaluate the clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes of a Minor Ailment Service (MAS) in community pharmacy (CP) compared with usual care (UC). METHODS: The cRCT was conducted for 6 months from December 2017. The pharmacist-patient intervention consisted of a standardised face-to-face consultation on a web-based program using co-developed protocols, pharmacists' training, practice change facilitators and patients' educational material. Patients requesting a non-prescription medication (direct product request) or presenting minor ailments received MAS or UC and were followed-up by telephone 10-days after the consultation. The primary economic outcomes were incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of the service and health related quality of life (HRQoL). Total costs included health system, CPs and patient direct costs: health professionals' consultation time, medication costs, pharmacists' training costs, investment of the pharmacy and consultation costs within the 10 days following the initial consultation. The HRQoL was obtained using the EuroQoL 5D-5L at the time of the consultation and at 10-days follow up. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using bootstrapping. There were two sub-group analyses undertaken, for symptom presentation and direct product requests, to evaluate possible differences. RESULTS: A total of 808 patients (323 MAS and 485 UC) were recruited in 27 CPs with 42 pharmacists (20 MAS and 22 UC). 64.7% (n = 523) of patients responded to follow-up after their consultation in CP. MAS patients gained an additional 0.0003 QALYs (p = 0.053). When considering only MAS patients presenting with symptoms, the ICUR was 24,733€/QALY with a 47.4% probability of cost-effectiveness (willingness to pay of 25,000€/QALY). Although when considering patients presenting for a direct product request, MAS was the dominant strategy with a 93.69% probability of cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Expanding community pharmacists' scope through MAS may benefit health systems. To be fully cost effective, MAS should not only include consultations arising from symptom presentation but also include an oversight of self-selected products by patients. MAS increase patient safety through the appropriate use of non-prescription medication and through the direct referral of patients to GP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN17235323 . Registered 07/05/2021 - Retrospectively registered

Resistance to Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus in Cucurbita spp

[EN] Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is a bipartite begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) first reported in India and its neighbouring countries. ToLCNDV severely affects zucchini crop (Cucurbita pepo) in the main production areas of Southern Spain since 2012. This emerging begomovirus is a serious threat to this and other cucurbit crops. Breeding resistant cultivars is the most promising method for disease control, but requires the identification of sources of resistance in the Cucurbita genus. In this work, we screened for ToLCNDV resistance a large collection of Cucurbita spp. accessions, including landraces and commercial cultivars of the main cultivated species, C. pepo, Cucurbita moschata and Cucurbita maxima and wild species. The screening was performed using mechanical and whitefly inoculation. The level of resistance was assessed by scoring symptom severity and bymeasuring the virus content with quantitative polymerase chain reaction in selected genotypes. Diversity in the response was observed within and among species. Severe symptoms and high viral amounts were found at 30 days after mechanical and whitefly inoculation in C. pepo, in all accessions belonging to the Zucchini morphotype and to other morphotypes of both subspecies, pepo and ovifera, and even in the wild relative Cucurbita fraterna. C. maxima was also highly susceptible. This species showed characteristic symptoms of leaf decay and intense yellowing, different from those of mosaic, curling and internode shortening found in C. pepo. The only species showing resistance was C. moschata. Four accessions were symptomless or had some plants with only mild symptoms after three independent rounds of mechanical inoculation with different inoculum sources. Two of them also remained symptomless after virus inoculation with viruliferous whiteflies. ToLCNDV was detected in these asymptomatic accessions at 15 and 30 days post inoculation, but viral amounts were much lower than those found in susceptible genotypes, suggesting a high level of resistance. The symptoms in the susceptible accessions of this specieswere also different, with a characteristic leaf mottling, evolving to a severe mosaic. The newly identified C. moschata resistant accessions are good candidates for breeding programmes to avoid the damage caused by ToLCNDV.This work was supported by Projects E_RTAE2013-00020-C04-03 and E-RTA2013-00020-C04-01 from the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias (INIA) cofunded with FEDER funds.Sáez Sánchez, C.; Martínez Martínez, C.; Ferriol Molina, M.; Manzano, S.; Velasco, L.; Jamilena, M.; López Del Rincón, C.... (2016). Resistance to Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus in Cucurbita spp. ANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY. 169(1):91-105. https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12283S91105169

Modelling constraints on the emission inventory and on vertical dispersion for CO and SO₂ in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area using Solar FTIR and zenith sky UV spectroscopy

International audienceEmissions of air pollutants in and around urban areas lead to negative health impacts on the population. To estimate these impacts, it is important to know the sources and transport mechanisms of the pollutants accurately. Mexico City has a large urban fleet in a topographically constrained basin leading to high levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Large point sources of sulfur dioxide (SO2) surrounding the basin lead to episodes with high concentrations. An Eulerian grid model (CAMx) and a particle trajectory model (FLEXPART) are used to evaluate the estimates of CO and SO2 in the current emission inventory using mesoscale meteorological simulations from MM5. Vertical column measurements of CO are used to constrain the total amount of emitted CO in the model and to identify the most appropriate vertical dispersion scheme. Zenith sky UV spectroscopy is used to estimate the emissions of SO2 from a large power plant and the Popocatépetl volcano. Results suggest that the models are able to identify correctly large point sources and that both the power plant and the volcano impact the MCMA. Modelled concentrations of CO based on the current emission inventory match observations suggesting that the current total emissions estimate is correct. Possible adjustments to the spatial and temporal distribution can be inferred from model results. Accurate source and dispersion modelling provides feedback for development of the emission inventory, verification of transport processes in air quality models and guidance for policy decisions

Comparison of three models of population density estimation for Central American red brocket deer (Mazama temama)

The deer Mazama temama has a wide range in the tropical rain forest of Mexico, but the IUCN classifies it as Data Deficient, and information is urgently need for management and conservation. Here we assess which population density estimation model is more appropriate among those by Tyson (1959), Mandujano and Jones (2005) and Crego and Macri (2009). We compare them with field data from Tepetla (Puebla, Mexico), from 2015 to 2017, with three replicates in the wet season and three in dry season. An ANOVA indicated that the three methods produce equivalent results