La reforma del sistema público de pensiones español: el factor de sostenibilidad

En este artículo se analiza el impacto que puede provocar la aplicación del factor de sostenibilidad introducido en la última reforma del sistema público de pensiones español, el cual pretende regular la pensión inicial según la evolución de la esperanza de vida. Adicionalmente, se analiza qué habría ocurrido si tal factor se hubiera aplicado anteriormente. Los resultados muestran que el factor produce una progresiva reducción de la pensión si la esperanza de vida continúa incrementándose y el gasto en pensiones se ajusta a la evolución demográfica. En concreto, la pensión inicial podría reducirse hasta un 23 % en 2051 si la tendencia demográfica no cambia.This paper analyzes the future impact of the implementation of the sustainability factor, introduced in the last reform of the Spanish public pension system. This factor aims to regulate the initial pension according to the evolution of life expectancy. Additionally, it examines what could have happened in case of an earlier implementation of the factor. The results show that the factor produces a progressive pension reduction if life expectancy continues to increase, and pension spending is adjusted to demographic evolution. Specifically, the initial pension could be reduced up to 23 % in 2051 if the demographic trend does not change

Growth factors and experimental arterial grafts

Background: The production of growth factors from several experimental arterial conduits was determined. Methods: We implanted 105 experimental arterial grafts that were 1 cm long in the abdominal aorta of Lewis rats (average weight, 250 g). Five different types of grafts were analyzed: arterial isografts, vein grafts, arterial allografts, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts with normal or decreased compliance. Animals were killed humanely 4 weeks after surgery and the production of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor-b, tumor necrosis factor-a, and interleukin-1 was analyzed. Results: Myointimal hyperplasia (MH) was evident in vein grafts, arterial allografts, and PTFE grafts, but not in arterial isografts. Growth factor production was increased for grafts prone to develop MH like vein, PTFE grafts, and arterial allografts. PDGF and bFGF were increased significantly for PTFE and vein grafts, but not for arterial allografts. The importance of bFGF and PGDF was confirmed by the capability of antibody to PDGF and to bFGF to reduce the mitogenic activity of smooth muscle cells, in vivo and in vitro, for PTFE and vein grafts, but not for arterial allografts, in which a predominant role was played by interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-a. Conclusions: Agents able to neutralize this increased production of growth factors, either directly or by competition with their receptors, can prevent MH formation. (J Vasc Surg 2016;64:1444-9.) Clinical Relevance: Arterial grafts release growth factors, which can lead to myointimal hyperplasia formation and atherosclerosis progression in the arterial tree. Both phenomena can cause graft occlusion. Inhibition of growth factor release by arterial grafts can improve their clinical effectiveness

Numerical and experimental investigation of the stability of a drop in a single-axis acoustic levitator

Acoustic levitation can be employed to hold liquid drops in midair, enabling novel applications in X-ray scattering of proteins, amorphous crystallization of solutions, or contactless mixing. Multiple studies have characterized the physical behavior of a levitated drop inside an acoustic field. Here, we present a numerical and experimental study on the acoustic levitation of water drops in a single-Axis acoustic levitator consisting of an ultrasonic transducer and an opposing reflector. Instead of modeling an abstract incident acoustic field, our model considers the shape of the drop as well as the real geometry of the levitator. We also use a high-speed camera to observe the disintegration and the undesired oscillations of the drops. Our results show that the insertion of a drop in the levitator provokes a shift in its resonant frequency that depends on the shape of the drop. Second, the levitation behavior depends on whether the levitator operates slightly below or above the resonance. Third, if the levitator is driven above the resonant frequency, it is possible to levitate with more strength and avoid disintegration of the drop. This research provides an insight on how to achieve more stable experiments that avoid the bursting and undesired oscillations of the levitated sample. We hope that it will facilitate numerous experiments involving acoustically levitated liquid drops.This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (Grant No. 2017/27078-0)

Acoustic levitation in mid-air: recent advances, challenges, and future perspectives

Mid-air acoustic levitation is becoming a powerful tool to suspend and manipulate millimetric objects. Because of its unique characteristics, acoustic levitation is suitable to trap a wide variety of materials such as liquids, solids, soap bubbles, and even living creatures. Acoustic levitation can also be combined with noncontact measurement systems, allowing contactless analysis and characterization of levitating samples. In this article, we review some of the advances that have been made over the last decade. We also present the technical challenges that must be overcome in order to extend the capability of current acoustic levitation devices and, finally, we point out future directions for acoustic levitation.This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation–FAPESP (Grant No. 2017/27078-0) and by the Government of Navarre through Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) Project No. 0011-1365-2019-000086

Perlindungan Konsumen di Indonesia

Law No. 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection must be upheld in business and trade relations in general for the creation of a justice. Criminal provisions should be placed as Primum remedium About Consumer Protection Act so that it really works with its criminal sanctions as special and general prevention of corporate crime

Experimental investigation of the particle oscillation instability in a single-axis acoustic levitator

Single-axis acoustic levitators are employed in biomedicine, chemistry and physics experiments due to their ability to trap in mid-air objects of a wide range of materials and sizes. Although this type of levitator has been studied for decades, there are effects that are not well understood. One of these effects is the particle oscillation instability, in which the levitating particle starts to oscillate with increasing amplitude until it is ejected out of the levitator. Most of the operations performed with acoustic levitation require high accuracy regarding the positioning of the particle, thus a lack of stability severely hinders the experiments. In this paper, we present an experimental setup that consists of a single-axis levitator, a mechanized stage to control the separation between the emitter and the reflector, a scale to measure the radiation force and a high-speed camera. We experimentally investigate the effect of the distance between the emitter and the reflector on the apparatus resonant frequency and on levitation stability. In accordance with previous theoretical studies, three types of levitation behavior were experimentally identified: stable levitation, oscillation of constant amplitude and unstable oscillation. We also show that the type of levitation behavior can be controlled by changing the distance between the emitter and the reflector.This research was supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP (Grant No. 2017/27078-0) and by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the FET-Open Scheme with grant agreement No 737087. Gianluca Memoli's time is partially funded by his UKRI fellowship (EP/S001832/1)

Automatic contactless injection, transportation, merging, and ejection of droplets with a multifocal point acoustic levitator

The following article appeared in Andrade, Marco A.B., Marzo, Asier, (2018). Automatic contactless injection, transportation, merging, and ejection of droplets with a multifocal point acoustic levitator. Review of Scientific Instruments December 2018 89 (12), doi: 10.1063/1.5063715 and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/doi: 10.1063/1.5063715.We present an acoustic levitation system that automatically injects, transports, merges and ejects liquid droplets in mid-air. The system consists of a phased array operating at 40 kHz on top of a plane reflector. The phase array generates multiple focal points at independent positions that form standing waves between the array and the reflector. In the reflector there is an inlet for a piezoelectric droplet injector which automatically inserts liquid droplets at the lower pressure nodes of the standing waves, and a hole that serves as an outlet for ejecting the processed droplets out of the system. Simulations of the acoustic radiation potential acting on the levitating droplets are in good agreement with the experiments. High-speed footage captured the functioning of the system in four fluidic operations: injection, transport, merging and ejection of liquid droplets. Having these operations integrated reliably into a single automatic system paves the way for the adoption of mid-air acoustophoretic processing in biological, chemical and pharmaceutical applications.This research was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (Grants Nos. 2017/27078-0 and 2018/04101-0)

Vascular dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease - A review of endothelium-mediated mechanisms and ensuing vicious circles

Late-onset dementia is a major health concern in the ageing population. Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for the largest proportion (65-70%) of dementia cases in the older population. Despite considerable research effort, the pathogenesis of late-onset AD remains unclear. Substantial evidence suggests that the neurodegenerative process is initiated by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) caused by ageing and cardiovascular conditions. CCH causes reduced oxygen, glucose and other nutrient supply to the brain, with direct damage not only to the parenchymal cells, but also to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a key mediator of cerebral homeostasis. BBB dysfunction mediates the indirect neurotoxic effects of CCH by promoting oxidative stress, inflammation, paracellular permeability, and dysregulation of nitric oxide, a key regulator of regional blood flow. As such, BBB dysfunction mediates a vicious circle in which cerebral perfusion is reduced further and the neurodegenerative process is accelerated. Endothelial interaction with pericytes and astrocytes could also play a role in the process. Reciprocal interactions between vascular dysfunction and neurodegeneration could further contribute to the development of the disease.A comprehensive overview of the complex scenario of interacting endothelium-mediated processes is currently lacking, and could prospectively contribute to the identification of adequate therapeutic interventions. This study reviews the current literature of in vitro and ex vivo studies on endothelium-mediated mechanisms underlying vascular dysfunction in AD pathogenesis, with the aim of presenting a comprehensive overview of the complex network of causative relationships. Particular emphasis is given to vicious circles which can accelerate the process of neurovascular degeneration

Contactless pick-and-place of millimetric objects using inverted near-field acoustic levitation

We model and realize an ultrasonic contactless pick-and-place device capable of picking, self-centering, self-orienting, translating, and releasing flat millimetric objects. The device is an ultrasonic Langevin transducer operating at 21 kHz that radiates into air through a tapered tip. Objects are trapped few micrometers below the tip due to the near-field acoustic levitation phenomenon. We first investigate the conditions to achieve an attractive force on the object depending on its size and the device operating frequency. Second, we use a 3D acoustic model that describes the converging forces and torque that provide the self-centering and self-orienting capabilities. Third, a more advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics model based on the Navier-Stokes equations explains the small gap between the tip and the trapped object. The contactless manipulation capabilities of the device are demonstrated by picking, transporting, and releasing a Surface Mount Device in air. The presented manipulation concept can be an interesting alternative for manipulating delicate objects such as microelectromechanical devices, silicon dies, or micro-optical devices.This research was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (Grant Nos. 2017/27078-0 and 2018/04101-0)

Anti-inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol, a Nonpsychotropic Cannabinoid, in Experimental Allergic Contact Dermatitis

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