What explains productivity differentials across spanish cities?

This paper estimates the determinants of productivity differentials across urban areas in Spain. To do so we resort to Spanish Social Security administrative data (MCVL) matched with workers’ fiscal information. We use two-step approach that allows us to control for the confounding effects due to the sorting of more productive workers and more productive firms in bigger cities. Our results indicate that city size is a significant determinant of productivity differentials across Spanish urban areas. We estimate an elasticity of urban agglomeration of 3.3%, which is within the range of values already observed in other countries. We also find that the level of human capital, firm size and the level of industrial specialization also matters in order explain productivity differentials across Spanish cities. Keywords: Agglomeration, wages, productivity, city size. JEL codes: R10, R23, J31

When culture does (not) matter: role models and self-efficacy as drivers of entrepreneurial behavior

The correlation between facets of national culture and startup activities has received confirmation in empirical research while many mechanisms behind the correlation remain unclear. We study the interplay between the individualism-collectivism orientation of national culture, the incidence of entrepreneurial role models and selfefficacy understood as the perception of possessing relevant skills and knowledge to become a successful entrepreneur. We find that exposure to entrepreneurial role models offsets self-efficacy as a driver of entrepreneurial intentions. The effect is magnified by the individualistic character of the national culture. Key words: entrepreneurial intentions, role models, self-efficacy, individualism, multilevel regressions

Contribution of cytochrome P450 and ABCB1 genetic variability on methadone pharmacokinetics, dose requirements, and response

Although the efficacy of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in opioid dependence disorder has been well established, the influence of methadone pharmacokinetics in dose requirement and clinical outcome remains controversial. The aim of this study is to analyze methadone dosage in responder and nonresponder patients considering pharmacogenetic and pharmacokinetic factors that may contribute to dosage adequacy. Opioid dependence patients (meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, [4th Edition] criteria) from a MMT community program were recruited. Patients were clinically assessed and blood samples were obtained to determine plasma concentrations of (R,S)-, (R) and (S)- methadone and to study allelic variants of genes encoding CYP3A5, CYP2D6, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and P-glycoprotein. Responders and nonresponders were defined by illicit opioid consumption detected in random urinalysis. The final sample consisted in 105 opioid dependent patients of Caucasian origin. Responder patients received higher doses of methadone and have been included into treatment for a longer period. No differences were found in terms of genotype frequencies between groups. Only CYP2D6 metabolizing phenotype differences were found in outcome status, methadone dose requirements, and plasma concentrations, being higher in the ultrarapid metabolizers. No other differences were found between phenotype and responder status, methadone dose requirements, neither in methadone plasma concentrations. Pharmacokinetic factors could explain some but not all differences in MMT outcome and methadone dose requirements.

MIR135A1 (microRNA 135a-1)

Review on MIR135A1, with data on DNA/RNA and where the gene is implicated.

Métodos Ultravioleta Selectivo y de reducción con Hidracina en la determinación del ión nitrato an aguas subterraneas

In this study, a comparison of two methods, the Selective UV Spectrophotometrical Method and Reduction with Hidrazine Method, for the determination of Nitrate ion in groundwater, was carried out. For this purpose, the results from all the drinking water collectings of the city of Olavarría, Argentina, were employed. Both methods present significant different means, but they don´t present significant differences in their variances.

Proposta de model per mesurar el valor percebut, la satisfacció i la lleialtat a les destinacions turístiques transfrontereres

L’objectiu d’aquesta treball és proposar un model de relacions causals i unes hipòtesis de treball sobre la lleialtat dels turistes a les destinacions transfrontereres en el context de la Unió Europea

Dual Action of BPC194: A Membrane Active Peptide Killing Bacterial Cells

Membrane active peptides can perturb the lipid bilayer in several ways, such as poration and fusion of the target cell membrane, and thereby efficiently kill bacterial cells. We probe here the mechanistic basis of membrane poration and fusion caused by membrane-active, antimicrobial peptides. We show that the cyclic antimicrobial peptide, BPC194, inhibits growth of Gram-negative bacteria and ruptures the outer and inner membrane at the onset of killing, suggesting that not just poration is taking place at the cell envelope. To simplify the system and to better understand the mechanism of action, we performed Förster resonance energy transfer and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy studies in model membranes and show that the BPC194 causes fusion of vesicles. The fusogenic action is accompanied by leakage as probed by dual-color fluorescence burst analysis at a single liposome level. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations reveal how the peptides are able to simultaneously perturb the membrane towards porated and fused states. We show that the cyclic antimicrobial peptides trigger both fusion and pore formation and that such large membrane perturbations have a similar mechanistic basis

Muerte ¿digna?

El objetivo de este trabajo es reflexionar sobre el concepto de muerte digna en la historia del pensamiento y el mundo actual; analizar las ideas sobre la muerte de personas en situación terminal y poner ambas en relación.

Decomposição catalítica de óxidos de nitrogênio

Contaminant gases in the atmosphere constitute an important problem to be solved in the world. The NOx gases produced as a consequence of engine high temperatures are deleterious to environment and human health, as they promote acid rain and can act in the same way as freons in the destruction of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. In this review, three way and selective reduction catalysts for decomposition of these contaminant gases are described. Details about conditions and problems, such as catalyst poisoning, and the search for new catalysts are shown.

Determinación de cinc a microescala en un medicamento especifico

This work presents zinc determination in certain medicines that contain zinc oxide and zinc undecylenate. The technique consists of a spectrophotometric micro-scale titration, where EDTA is used as titrant, and xylenol orange as an indicator, in a medium adjusted to pH = 6 with acetic acid and sodium acetate. After each added portion of EDTA, the absorbance value is measured at a selected wavelength, in order to detect the end-point of the spectrophotometric titration. The results already obtained are satisfactory and promote student's interest. An additional contribution intends to propose the use of micro-scale techniques.

Intravitreal docosahexaenoic acid in a rabbit model: preclinical safety assessment

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the retinal toxicity of a single dose of intravitreal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in rabbit eyes over a short-term period. Methods Sixteen New Zealand albino rabbits were selected for this pre-clinical study. Six concentrations of DHA (Brudy Laboratories, Barcelona, Spain) were prepared: 10 mg/50 µl, 5 mg/50 µl, 2'5 mg/50 µl, 50 µg/50 µl, 25 µg/50 µl, and 5 µg/50 µl. Each concentration was injected intravitreally in the right eye of two rabbits. As a control, the vehicle solution was injected in one eye of four animals. Retinal safety was studied by slit-lamp examination, and electroretinography. All the rabbits were euthanized one week after the intravitreal injection of DHA and the eyeballs were processed to morphologic and morphometric histological examination by light microscopy. At the same time aqueous and vitreous humor samples were taken to quantify the concentration of omega-3 acids by gas chromatography. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 21.0. Results Slit-lamp examination revealed an important inflammatory reaction on the anterior chamber of the rabbits injected with the higher concentrations of DHA (10 mg/50 µl, 5 mg/50 µl, 2'5 mg/50 µ) Lower concentrations showed no inflammation. Electroretinography and histological studies showed no significant difference between control and DHA-injected groups except for the group injected with 50 µg/50 µl. Conclusions Our results indicate that administration of intravitreal DHA is safe in the albino rabbit model up to the maximum tolerated dose of 25 µg/50 µl. Further studies should be performed in order to evaluate the effect of intravitreal injection of DHA as a treatment, alone or in combination, of different retinal diseases.

Comparative effects of macro-sized aluminum oxide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles on erythrocyte hemolysis: influence of cell source, temperature and size

Al2O3 is the most abundantly produced nanomaterial and has been used in diverse fields, including the medical, military and industrial sectors. As there are concerns about the health effects of nanoparticles, it is important to understand how they interact with cells, and specifically with red blood cells. The hemolysis induced by three commercial nano-sized aluminum oxide particles (nanopowder 13 nm, nanopowder <50 nm and nanowire 2-6 nm × 200-400 nm) was compared to aluminum oxide and has been studied on erythrocytes from humans, rats and rabbits, in order to elucidate the mechanism of action and the influence of size and shape on hemolytic behavior. The concentrations inducing 50% hemolysis (HC50) were calculated for each compound studied. The most hemolytic aluminum oxide particles were of nanopowder 13, followed by nanowire and nanopowder 50. The addition of albumin to PBS induced a protective effect on hemolysis in all the nano-forms of Al2O3, but not on Al2O3. The drop in HC50 correlated to a decrease in nanomaterial size, which was induced by a reduction of aggregation Aluminum oxide nanoparticles are less hemolytic than other oxide nanoparticles, and behave differently depending on the size and shape of the nanoparticles. The hemolytic behavior of aluminum oxide nanoparticles differs from that of aluminum oxide.

Caracterización morfológica, textural y composicional de las partículas de oro reveladas en placeres marinos de las playas Mejías y Jiguaní (NE de Cuba Oriental)

En este trabajo se describen los principales rasgos morfológicos, texturales y composicionales de las partículas de oro presentes en los placeres marinos costeros de las playas Mejías y Jiguaní, Cuba. Las partículas de oro estudiadas en ambos depósitos, son muy finas, mostrando formas tabulares predominantes; en ocasiones aparecen muy aplastadas, formando especies de laminillas o hojuelas, observándose, a través de las imágenes de electrones etrodispersados,partículas con texturas internas muy complejas , así como cariado de los granos. Las partículas están compuestas por subgranos de composición diferente,correspondientes a aleaciones naturales de Electrum, oro nativo y oro mercurial en ambos placeres y aleaciones de Au-Cu (tetraauricuprido) en el Placer Jiguaní. Estos subgranos frecuentemente se encuentran alterados en sus bordes. Esta alteración consiste predominantemente en un enriquecimiento en oro con relación a la plata.

Álvaro Cunqueiro y la defensa de la autosuficiencia del arte. Una cala en el 'Destino' de los años sesenta

Si bien Álvaro Cunqueiro había colaborado estrechamente con el semanario Destino durante la primera posguerra, hasta la década de los sesenta no volvió a cobrar cierto protagonismo en las páginas culturales de la revista. Es entonces, aún vigentes los últimos coletazos del realismo social en la novela española, cuando Destino enarboló el ejemplo de Cunqueiro como propuesta estética alternativa. En este trabajo glosaremos cómo la obra del escritor gallego se tomó como bandera a través de textos críticos de, fundamentalmente, Guillermo Díaz-Plaja, Antonio Vilanova, Néstor Luján o Joan Perucho. Palabras clave: Álvaro Cunqueiro, Guillermo Díaz-Plaja, prensa, crítica literaria, novela española de posguerra.

Comparative effects of macro-sized aluminum oxide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles on erythrocyte hemolysis: influence of cell source, temperature and size

Al2O3 is the most abundantly produced nanomaterial and has been used in diverse fields, including the medical, military and industrial sectors. As there are concerns about the health effects of nanoparticles, it is important to understand how they interact with cells, and specifically with red blood cells. The hemolysis induced by three commercial nano-sized aluminum oxide particles (nanopowder 13 nm, nanopowder <50 nm and nanowire 2-6 nm × 200-400 nm) was compared to aluminum oxide and has been studied on erythrocytes from humans, rats and rabbits, in order to elucidate the mechanism of action and the influence of size and shape on hemolytic behavior. The concentrations inducing 50% hemolysis (HC50) were calculated for each compound studied. The most hemolytic aluminum oxide particles were of nanopowder 13, followed by nanowire and nanopowder 50. The addition of albumin to PBS induced a protective effect on hemolysis in all the nano-forms of Al2O3, but not on Al2O3. The drop in HC50 correlated to a decrease in nanomaterial size, which was induced by a reduction of aggregation Aluminum oxide nanoparticles are less hemolytic than other oxide nanoparticles, and behave differently depending on the size and shape of the nanoparticles. The hemolytic behavior of aluminum oxide nanoparticles differs from that of aluminum oxide.