Optimal Response to a Demographic Shock

We examine the optimal policy response to an exogenously given demographic shock. Such a shock affects negatively the financing of retirement pensions, and we use optimal fiscal policy in order to determine the optimal strategy of the social security administration. Our approach provides specific policy responses in an environment that guarantees the financial sustainability of existing retirement pensions. At the same time, pensions will be financed in a way that by construction generates no welfare losses for any of the cohorts in our economy. In contrast to existing literature we endogenously determine optimal policies rather than exploring implications of exogenously given policies. Our results show that the optimal strategy is based in the following ingredients: elimination of compulsory retirement, a change in the structure of labor income taxation and a temporary increase in the level of government debt.

The ALICE EMCal L1 trigger first year of operation experience

The ALICE experiment at the LHC is equipped with an electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal) designed to enhance its capabilities for jet, photon and electron measurement. In addition, the EMCal enables triggering on jets and photons with a centrality dependent energy threshold. After its commissioning in 2010, the EMCal Level 1 (L1) trigger was officially approved for physics data taking in 2011. After describing the L1 hardware and trigger algorithms, the commissioning and the first year of running experience, both in proton and heavy ion beams, are reviewed. Additionally, the upgrades to the original L1 trigger design are detailed.Comment: Proceedings of TWEPP-12, Oxford. 10 pages, 9 figure

Distribution, morphology and habitats of saline wetlands : a case study from Monegros, Spain

Wetlands in semiarid regions have received less attention than wetlands in humidtemperate areas, and the limited amount of information has resulted in little regulatory recognition. A comprehensive map of the saline wetlands that occur in karstic depressions in the semiarid region of Monegros, NE Spain, was developed from historical data, topography, and surveys of vascular flora. Playa-lakes and other saline depressions are expressions of solution dolines largely founded on groundwater dynamics and favored by the limestone and gypsum-rich substrate. Substrate composition, groundwater dynamics, and the network of infilled valleys are key factors in the distribution of the wetlands. In spite of the anthropogenic imprint, wetlands morphometrics are the expression of geological processes. Significant correlations were found between basin area and depth, and between elongation and substrate composition. The predominantly subelongated shape of the Monegros saline wetlands (MSW) reflects their origin and a geometry strongly influenced by fractures. Grouping the MSW based on geological and vegetation features, provide a predictable relationship of surficial processes with the occurrence of otherwise complex and undetectable hydrological connectivity. Our ten geologybased Groups showed a high intra-group variation in depth, elongation, and vegetation cover. The eight vegetation-based categories mirror the gradation in flooding frequency and the soil salinity of MSW. The significant contrasts existing in-between the groups of wetlands and the disclosure of their causal factors provides a functional perspective at the landscape scale. This approach will help to monitor the ongoing environmental alterations associated with new on-farm irrigation developments

El método de geometría de cauces aplicado a la estimación de caudales máximos de crecida en la Vega Alta del Segura

[Resumen] En condiciones naturales, la forma del cauce suele ser la expresión más clara de su adaptación a corrientes de régimen alto. Esta adaptación implica normalmente cambios en la configuración del lecho y modificación de la anchura y profundidad del cauce asociados a caudales dominantes y extremos. El presente trabajo dedica especial atención a dichas relaciones, eligiendo para su estudio el método de geometría de cauces, ya utilizado por numerosos autores como método indirecto de estimación de caudales de inundación. Aquí ha sido aplicado al tramo de la Vega Alta del Segura, cuyo cauce presenta niveles de referencia geomórfica netos y un modelo de cauce meandriforme bien definido. Para el conjunto del tramo se han obtenido empíricamente ecuaciones de tipo potencial que relacionan los datos de corriente de las estaciones de aforo con las dimensiones del cauce medidas a partir de secciones transversales naturales próximas a ellas. Los resultados constituyen una aproximación teórica compara-ble a las ecuaciones regionales desarrolladas en otros medios fluviales semiáridos.[Abstract] Under natural conditions, the channel geometry is usually the clearest expression of its adjustments to high-water flows. These adjustments often implie changes in the bed-forms and changes in width and depth of the channel related to extreme and dominant discharges. This work devotes special attention to that relationship, choosing the channel geometry method, in order to study it. Method has been used by a lot of authors as an inderect method to estimate flood discharges. Here, it has been applied to the sector in the 'Vega Alta' of Segura, where the channel shows net geomorphic reference levels and a meandering pattern which is well defined.For the set of reaches potential equations have been obtained empirically. Equations that relate discharge records in gauge stations to channel dimension measurements based in cross-sections near them. The results are a theoretica

Development of encapsulation strategies and composite edible films to maintain lactoferrin bioactivity: A review

Lactoferrin (LF) is a whey protein with various and valuable biological activities. For this reason, LF has been used as a supplement in formula milk and functional products. However, it must be considered that the properties of LF can be affected by technological treatments and gastrointestinal conditions. In this article, we have revised the literature published on the research done during the last decades on the development of various technologies, such as encapsulation or composite materials, to protect LF and avoid its degradation. Multiple compounds can be used to con-duct this protective function, such as proteins, including those from milk, or polysaccharides, like alginate or chitosan. Furthermore, LF can be used as a component in complexes, nanoparticles, hy-drogels and emulsions, to encapsulate, protect and deliver other bioactive compounds, such as essential oils or probiotics. Additionally, LF can be part of systems to deliver drugs or to apply certain therapies to target cells expressing LF receptors. These systems also allow improving the detection of gliomas and have also been used for treating some pathologies, such as different types of tu-mours. Finally, the application of LF in edible and active films can be effective against some con-taminants and limit the increase of the natural microbiota present in meat, for example, becoming one of the most interesting research topics in food technology. © 2021 by the authors. Li-censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Attitudes to kidney donation among primary care patients in rural Crete, Greece

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Greece, there is limited research on issues related to organ donation, and the low rate of registration as donors requires explanation. This study reports the findings of a survey of knowledge and attitudes to kidney donation among primary care patients in rural Crete, Greece.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two rural primary care settings in the island of Crete, Anogia Health Centre and Vrachasi Practice, were involved in a questionnaire survey. This was conducted among primary care patients (aged 18 years and over) with routine appointments, to assess their knowledge and attitudes to kidney donation. General practitioners (GPs) recruited patients and questionnaires were completed following the patients' medical consultation. Pearson's chi square tests were used and crude odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated in order to investigate into the possible associations between the respondents' knowledge, attitudes and specific concerns in relation to their socio-demographic features. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine differences by geographical location.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 224 (92.5%) of the 242 primary care attenders who were approached agreed to participate. Only 2.2% (5/224) of the respondents carried a donor card. Most participants (84.4%, 189/224) did not feel well informed about registering as a kidney donor. More than half of the respondents (54.3%, 121/223) were unwilling to register as a kidney donor and donate kidneys for transplant after death. Over a third of respondents (35.4%, 79/223) were not confident that medical teams would try as hard as possible to save the life of a person who has agreed to donate organs. People with a higher level of education were more likely to be willing to register as kidney donors [(OR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.8–6.0), p < 0.001)] and to be less worried about their kidneys being removed after death [(OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1–0.5), p < 0.001)] than those having a lower level of education.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Lack of knowledge and information regarding organ donation and negative attitudes related to registration as donors were the main findings of this study. Efforts should be based on targeting the attitudes to organ donation of individuals and population groups.</p

Simulation and experimental study of rheological properties of CeO2 – water nanofluid

Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Metal oxide nanoparticles offer great merits over controlling rheological, thermal, chemical and physical properties of solutions. The effectiveness of a nanoparticle to modify the properties of a fluid depends on its diffusive properties with respect to the fluid. In this study, rheological properties of aqueous fluids (i.e. water) were enhanced with the addition of CeO2 nanoparticles. This study was characterized by the outcomes of simulation and experimental results of nanofluids. The movement of nanoparticles in the fluidic media was simulated by a large-scale molecular thermal dynamic program (i.e. LAMMPS). The COMPASS force field was employed with smoothed particle hydrodynamic potential (SPH) and discrete particle dynamics potential (DPD). However, this study develops the understanding of how the rheological properties are affected due to the addition of nanoparticles in a fluid and the way DPD and SPH can be used for accurately estimating the rheological properties with Brownian effect. The rheological results of the simulation were confirmed by the convergence of the stress autocorrelation function, whereas experimental properties were measured using a rheometer. These rheological values of simulation were obtained and agreed within 5 % of the experimental values; they were identified and treated with a number of iterations and experimental tests. The results of the experiment and simulation show that 10 % CeO2 nanoparticles dispersion in water has a viscosity of 2.0–3.3 mPasPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Vector bosons in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC

Vector bosons become accessible experimental probes in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. The capabilities of the LHC experiments to perform their measurement are outlined. The focus is given to their utility to study the possible formation and properties of the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) in the most central heavy-ion collisions. Their own sensitivity (if any) to the QGP is discussed. Their interest as references to observe multiple QGP sensitive probes is justified.Comment: HP2008 proceedings, to appear in Eur.Phys.J.