An observational study of the 7 September 2005 Barcelona tornado outbreak

This paper presents an observational study of the tornado outbreak that took place on the 7 September 2005 in the Llobregat delta river, affecting a densely populated and urbanised area and the Barcelona International airport (NE Spain). The site survey confirmed at least five short-lived tornadoes. Four of them were weak (F0, F1) and the other one was significant (F2 on the Fujita scale). They started mostly as waterspouts and moved later inland causing extensive damage estimated in 9 million Euros, three injured people but fortunately no fatalities. Large scale forcing was provided by upper level diffluence and low level warm air advection. Satellite and weather radar images revealed the development of the cells that spawned the waterspouts along a mesoscale convergence line in a highly sheared and relatively low buoyant environment. Further analysis indicated characteristics that could be attributed indistinctively to non-supercell or to mini-supercell thunderstorms.

Measuring conduct and cost parameters in the Spanish air transport market

This paper estimates a model of airline competition for the Spanish air transport market. I test the explanatory power of alternative oligopoly models with capacity constraints. In addition, I analyse the degree of density economies. Results show that Spanish airlines conduct follows a price-leadership scheme so that it is less competitive than the Cournot solution. I also find evidence that thin routes can be considered as natural monopolies

Algunos Briozos del Cuaternario del Delta del río Llobregat (Barcelona)

Se estudian algunas formas de Briozoos del Cuaternario del delta del Llobregat (tocando a la ciudad de Barcelona). Se reconocen dos especies del gnero Cellaria, una Discoporella, una Cupztladria y una Porclla. Adems de una discusin sistemtica sobre el gnero Cellaria y Porclla se dan datos micromtricos abundantes y se establecen comparaciones con los dados por otros autores insinundose algunas conclusiones.

Análisis litosísmico y estructura sedimentaria de la plataforma interna al Norte del delta del Ebro (sector de Vandellós)

El análisis sísmico de perfiles de alta resolución del tipo ((uniboom)), realizados en la plataforma interna al N del Delta del Ebro, permite definir las unidades sísmicas y establecer la estructura sedimentaria del Ambos aspectos reflejan la influencia diferencial de los procesos recubrimiento cuaternario medio/superior. Ambos aspectos reflejan la influencia diferencial de los procesos dinámicos y de las oscilaciones eustáticas.

Sedimentos prodeltaicos en el Delta emergido del Llobregat

La unidad de limos intermedios del delta del Llobregat corresponde a un ambiente prodeltaico en el que se han identificado, por comparación al modelo actual, subambientes de prodelta proximal, medio y medio-distal. Su agua intersticial es sinsedimentaria, hallándose en la actualidad parcialmente diluida.

Delta(1232) isobar excitations in nuclear many-body systems from varios NN interactions.

Delta isobar components in the nuclear many-body wave function are investigated for the deuteron, light nuclei (16O), and infinite nuclear matter within the framework of the coupled-cluster theory. The predictions derived for various realistic models of the baryon-baryon interaction are compared to each other. These include local (V28) and nonlocal meson exchange potentials (Bonn2000) but also a model recently derived by the Salamanca group accounting for quark degrees of freedom. The characteristic differences which are obtained for the NDelta and Delta Delta correlation functions are related to the approximation made in deriving the matrix elements for the baryon-baryon interaction.

Delta(1232) isobar excitations and the ground state of nuclei

The influence of Delta isobar components on the ground-state properties of nuclear systems is investigated for nuclear matter as well as finite nuclei. Many-body wave functions, including isobar configurations and binding energies, are evaluated employing the framework of the coupled-cluster theory. It is demonstrated that the effect of isobar configurations depends in a rather sensitive way on the model used for the baryon-baryon interaction. As examples for realistic baryon-baryon interactions with explicit inclusion of isobar channels we use the local (V28) and nonlocal meson-exchange potentials (Bonn2000) but also a model recently developed by the Salamanca group, which is based on a quark picture. The differences obtained for the nuclear observables are related to the treatment of the interaction, the pi-exchange contributions in particular, at high momentum transfers.

Threading dislocation lines in two-sided flux-array decorations

Two-sided flux decoration experiments indicate that threading dislocation lines (TDLs), which cross the entire film, are sometimes trapped in metastable states. We calculate the elastic energy associated with the meanderings of a TDL. The TDL behaves as an anisotropic and dispersive string with thermal fluctuations largely along its Burgers vector. These fluctuations also modify the structure factor of the vortex solid. Both effects can, in principle, be used to estimate the elastic moduli of the material.

Comparative sensitivity of tumor and non-tumor cell lines as reliable approach for in vitro cytotoxicity screening of lysine-based surfactants with potential pharmaceutical applications

Surfactants are used as additives in topical pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. The biocompatibility of amino acid-based surfactants makes them highly suitable for use in these fields, but tests are needed to evaluate their potential toxicity. Here we addressed the sensitivity of tumor (HeLa, MCF-7) and non-tumor (3T3, 3T6, HaCaT, NCTC 2544) cell lines to the toxic effects of lysine-based surfactants by means of two in vitro endpoints (MTT and NRU). This comparative assay may serve as a reliable approach for predictive toxicity screening of chemicals prior to pharmaceutical applications. After 24-h of cell exposure to surfactants, differing toxic responses were observed. NCTC 2544 and 3T6 cell lines were the most sensitive, while both tumor cells and 3T3 fibroblasts were more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of surfactants. IC50-values revealed that cytotoxicity was detected earlier by MTT assay than by NRU assay, regardless of the compound or cell line. The overall results showed that surfactants with organic counterions were less cytotoxic than those with inorganic counterions. Our findings highlight the relevance of the correct choice and combination of cell lines and bioassays in toxicity studies for a safe and reliable screen of chemicals with potential interest in pharmaceutical industry.

Measuring conduct and cost parameters in the Spanish air transport market

This paper estimates a model of airline competition for the Spanish air transport market. I test the explanatory power of alternative oligopoly models with capacity constraints. In addition, I analyse the degree of density economies. Results show that Spanish airlines conduct follows a price-leadership scheme so that it is less competitive than the Cournot solution. I also find evidence that thin routes can be considered as natural monopolies