Estudio de la evolución mineralógica y geoquímica de bentonitas compactadas en experimentos de larga duración en celdas termohidráulicas

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Geología y Geoquímica. Fecha de Lectura: 21-05-2025El almacenamiento geológico profundo (AGP), cuya seguridad está basada en la superposición de barreras de ingeniería y naturales, es considerado a nivel internacional como la opción más adecuada para la gestión final de residuos radiactivos de alta actividad. En esta Tesis Doctoral se ha estudiado el comportamiento de la bentonita, material que constituirá una de las barreras de ingeniería empleadas en el AGP, centrándose en los cambios físico-químicos, geoquímicos y mineralógicos que ocurren bajo condiciones específicas de temperatura y humedad similares a las de un almacenamiento. Durante su servicio, la barrera de ingeniería se verá sometida al gradiente térmico debido al calor generado por el residuo en su desintegración, y a la hidratación con el agua procedente del macizo rocoso en que el almacenamiento está excavado. Estas condiciones se simulan en laboratorio mediante ensayos en celdas termohidráulicas de escala decimétrica. En concreto se ha trabajado con datos procedentes de cinco ensayos termohidráulicos realizados con dos tipos de bentonitas (MX-80 y FEBEX) bajo diferentes condiciones respecto a las características iniciales de la bentonita, la salinidad del agua de hidratación y la temperatura del calentador. Un aspecto distintivo de esta serie de ensayos es su larga duración, entre 3 y 12 años. En esta Tesis Doctoral se ha analizado la mineralogía, la capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC), la distribución de cationes intercambiables y de sales solubles, entre otros, y cómo todos ellos se ven afectados por el tratamiento termohidráulico. Se ha profundizado en el estudio de la evolución del complejo de cambio de la interlámina de la esmectita y la proporción de minerales accesorios, para lo cual, además de los métodos habituales de determinación, se han refinado los difractogramas de rayos X y desarrollado un sistema de patrones que permiten estimar la prevalencia de cationes monovalentes o divalentes en la interlámina. Complementariamente, se ha realizado un análisis estadístico para identificar qué variables son más importantes para describir la evolución de la bentonita en los experimentos. La composición mineralógica de las muestras la constituyen las fases minerales de esmectita dioctaédrica (fase mayoritaria), mica-illita, cuarzo, cristobalita y feldespatos en ambas bentonitas. Su cuantificación presenta valores homogéneos y estables, indicando mínimos cambios en la composición de los minerales mayoritarios. Esto es coherente en general con la CIC de las dos bentonitas, que se ha mantenido constante siempre que se han dado condiciones próximas a su saturación, con independencia de la temperatura. Sin embargo, la solubilización de especies ocasionada por el aumento de humedad que conlleva la hidratación y su transporte sí da lugar a variaciones locales en el contenido de minerales accesorios y en la composición del agua de poro, quizá transitorias. Por tanto, las variables que mejor representan los cambios producidos en las celdas experimentales son las relativas a cationes intercambiables e iones solubles, estos últimos relacionados con la redistribución de minerales accesorios más solubles, que precipitan en la transición de zonas saturadas frías a zonas no saturadas a mayor temperatura. La estabilidad mineralógica y geoquímica (CIC) determinada en las distintas bentonitas y celdas, representativas de diversos entornos de las barreras bentonita en experimentos de larga duración, son argumentos para apoyar la viabilidad de un AGP a largo plaz

Low-cost, robust, and transportable devices based on Cu(i)-I cluster hybrid luminescent compounds as tetracycline sensors for contaminated waters

ubmicron particles of [Cu4I6/(pr-ted)2] (pr-ted=1-propyl-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-ium) are easy to synthesize in one step under mild conditions. Additionally, they exhibit strong emission at 530 nm, high photoluminescence quantum yield, and excellent thermal (250 °C) and water stability (pH = 4-9). These properties make them a promising candidate for studying luminescence responses to external stimuli, potentially serving as a chemical sensor. Furthermore, their size and morphology make it possible to obtain stable suspensions in ethanol and water, which are extremely useful for subsequent processing. Indeed, submicrometric [Cu4I6/(pr-ted)2] particles in deionized water and real river water suspensions can be used to efficiently detect tetracycline (TC) via photoinduced electron transfer, resulting in a detectable fluorescence quenching. It features a low detection limit of 1.18 nM (0.52 ppb) and the reversible quenching of the emission demonstrates recyclability for over 30 cycles. The detection process is unaffected by other antibiotics, including sulfamethazine (SMZ), chloramphenicol (CAP), and ornidazole (ORN). Effective TC detection is supported by the theoretical computations of the energy bands of TC antibiotic and [Cu4/6(pr-ted)2], indicating a good match between their energy bands, which aligns with the fluorescence quenching observed. As a proof of concept, the material has been further processed into various formats - such as pellets, paper strips, fiberglass, polylactic acid (PLA) composite films, and 3D-printed composite meshes using commercial photosensitive resins-for their practical application as robust, high sensitivity, rapid on-off response, and cost-effective tetracycline water sensor devicesThis work was supported by MCINN/AEI/10.13039/5011000011033 and European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR, under the National Program of Sciences and Technological Materials (PID2022–138968NB-C21, PID2022–138968NB-C22, and PID2022138470NB-I00). The authors thank Marta Muñoz from URJC for her help in processing the materials. This work is dedicated to Juan Jesús Amo Mor

#UAMdiversa: Primer diagnóstico de diversidad, equidad e inclusión de la UAM

Este diagnóstico tiene como objetivo evaluar el estado actual de la diversidad dentro de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), así como identificar las posibles barreras a las que se enfrenta la comunidad universitaria en términos de representación e inclusión. Los resultados de este análisis servirán de base para el diseño del I Plan de Diversidad de la UAM. Para realizar este primer diagnóstico de diversidad de la UAM se utilizaron dos técnicas de recolección de información principales: grupos focales y entrevistas individuales. La muestra de personas entrevistadas incluyó a 42 personas, tanto estudiantes como personal de la UAM, lo cual permitió captar una amplia variedad de vivencias y perspectivas sobre las dinámicas dentro de la universidad. En cuanto a los grupos focales, se realizaron 16 grupos con un total de 69 participantes. El objetivo del diseño metodológico escogido para este primer diagnóstico es subrayar la percepción y las experiencias de las personas que conforman la comunidad UAM. El propósito es tomarlas como punto de partida para evaluar, mediante los indicadores incorporados a lo largo del proceso de análisis, las necesidades y/o espacios de mejora, así como reconocer los medios disponibles para elloEste informe fue solicitado y financiado por la Unidad de Equidad Social del Vicerrectorado de Compromiso Social y Sostenibilidad de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM

Anisotropic porous iron-based nanoparticles through two-step hydrothermal and hydrogen-based reduction: Enhanced magnetic performance for potential biomedical applications

Iron-based nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates for diverse biomedical applications, including cell separation, targeted drug delivery, hyperthermia therapy, and magnetic resonance imaging. This study reports the scalable synthesis of high-magnetization iron-based nanoparticles with controlled anisotropic shapes, achieved via a two-step process. Hematite nanoparticles, featuring nanocube, nanoellipse, and nanoneedle morphologies, were synthesized through the hydrolysis of ferric chloride in the presence of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, with the morphology precisely tuned by adjusting reagent concentrations. These hematite nanoparticles were subsequently reduced in a hydrogen-based direct reduction at 480 °C, yielding iron-magnetite nanocomposites that retained their anisotropic shapes, exhibited significant porosity, and achieved an exceptional saturation magnetization of 207 emu/g - approximately 150% higher than conventional magnetite nanoparticles. Comprehensive characterization via SQUID magnetometry, Mössbauer spectroscopy, Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data, and XPS for surface analysis confirmed the formation of metallic iron nanoparticles covered by a magnetite shell. Biocompatibility studies demonstrated the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles across a wide concentration range, underscoring their suitability for biomedical applicationsS.C. acknowledges the FCT grant, ref. 2021.08212.BD. F.J.F-.A. acknowledges the Formación de Profesorado Universitario programme, ref. FPU22/04365. S.M.G. acknowledges the FCT grant, ref. 2024.01570.BD. IST authors acknowledge FCT (Portugal) support through contracts UIDB/04349/2020 and the National Infrastructure Roadmap, LTHMFL-NECL, LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022096. A.A. acknowledges FCT─Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for her contract DL57/2016 (ref. DL 57/2016/CP1454/CT0017) with DOI: 10.54499/DL57/2016/CP1454/CT0017 (10.54499/DL57/2016/CP1454/CT0017) and Projects H2FlexiPEC’s (ref. 2022.07332.PTDC) with DOI: 10.54499/2022.07332.PTDC (10.54499/2022.07332.PTDC); IFIMUP─UIDB/04968/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/04968/2020), UIDB/04968/2021 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/04968/2021), LapMET-LA/P/0095/2020 DOI (10.54499/LA/P/0095/2020); 2024.00223.CERN; COST Action NETPORE (CA20126)/OC-2020-1-24842. C.T.d.S. acknowledges the program Atracción de Talento (Comunidad Autonoma de Madrid), ref. 2020-T1/IND-19889, and Agencia Estatal de Investigación for the project PID2022-141080OB-C2

The index of severity for eosinophilic esophagitis reflects treatment response in children and associates with outcome variables

We aimed to categorize the severity of eosinophilic esophagitis using the recently developed Index of Severity of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (I-SEE), to assess the longitudinal response to treatment, and to correlate baseline severity with outcome variables. A retrospective analysis of a prospectively enrolled cohort of children at two centers was performed. I-SEE was calculated at diagnosis, at the second endoscopy after initial treatment, and at the last endoscopy over a mean of 35 months. We analyzed clinical, endoscopic, and histologic characteristics at baseline by disease severity, examined the change in severity at the second and last endoscopy, and evaluated the association of baseline disease severity with treatment variables. Of 95 children meeting inclusion criteria, 35%, 63%, and 2% had mild, moderate, and severe I-SEE scores, respectively, at baseline. Between baseline and the second endoscopy, the median I-SEE decreased from 7 (7–8) to 2 (0–5) (p < 0.001), and to 0 (0–3) at last endoscopy, with 53% of patients having inactive and 47% having mild scores (p < 0.001). Patients with histologic response at the second and final endoscopy had lower I-SEE scores than non-responders (p < 0.001). A higher baseline I-SEE score was associated with increased odds of receiving 2 or more treatments or combined therapy (OR 95% CI 1.28 (1.03–1.59) and (1.18 (1.04–1.39), respectively). Conclusions: The I-SEE score reflects longitudinal treatment response in children with EoE. Patients with higher baseline I-SEE may be at higher risk of requiring more than one treatment, sequentially or in combination. (Table presented.

A cross-country analysis and comparison of the technical efficiency of higher education systems

The study of the performance of primary and secondary educational institutions has gained popularity in recent years, but cross-country evaluations of higher education (HE) systems remain rare. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing the technical efficiency (TE) of 87 national HE systems using stochastic production frontier models. The empirical model considers, for each country, the number of universities in the 2023 SCImago Institutions Ranking (SIR) by knowledge areas as the dependent variable, and GDP, R&D expenditures, and national English proficiency as explanatory variables. To offer a comprehensive analysis, the model is applied across all SIR ranking levels. Results show that Western countries generally lead in TE, but three performance profiles emerge: countries that concentrate their resources on a few HE institutions (efficient at the top SIR levels), others with homogeneous HE institutions (high TE across all levels), and low-performance HE systems. Policy implications are discusse

Caring in the shadows: Emotional and caregiving challenges faced by families of individuals in coercive controlling groups and relationships

Purpose Studies on families of individuals experiencing coercive control have generally considered them as informants or supporters, often overlooking their own difficulties and needs. Evidence from other areas highlights the importance of acknowledging family emotions and caregiving experiences, emphasizing their impact on family mental health and the progression of their relatives’ condition. This study aimed to explore the emotional and caregiving challenges faced by family members and friends of individuals in coercive controlling groups and relationships, along with their associations with distress, well-being, and mastery. Methods Using data from the Family Caring Survey, a quantitative study investigating family members’ experiences and needs, we examined the factor structure, internal reliability, measurement invariance across gender, and criterion-related validity of the Family Questionnaire (FQ) and the Brief Experience of Caregiving Inventory (BECI) in a convenience sample of 264 family members of individuals in coercive controlling groups or relationships. Results Interpretable and well-fitting factor structures emerged for both the FQ (intense emotional expression, over-concern, critical comments, monitoring) and BECI (stigma, difficult behaviors, positive personal experiences). Families face substantial emotional turmoil and caregiving challenges, significantly related to distress, anxiety, depression, and lower mastery. Stigma and Intense Emotional Expression were notably linked to poorer mental health outcomes. Strong ties existed between Difficult Behaviors and Critical Comments, both strongly associated to potential family separation. Gender differences in caregiving experiences and expressed emotion were mostly nonsignificant, though women exhibited a slightly heightened Over-Concern. Conclusions The findings provide insights to understand the unique challenges these families face, underscoring the importance of developing family-based intervention programs and enhancing support for a population traditionally marginalized in scientific literatureOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This research was supported by grant from the Spanish State Research Agency, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (PID2019-110963GB-00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Francisco González-Espejito, was supported by a predoctoral contract for the training of research personnel (FPI-UAM) in the 2022 cal

Supplementation with the Postbiotic BPL1™-HT (Heat-Inactivated Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis) Attenuates the Cardiovascular Alterations Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion in Mice

Hypertension is associated with alterations in the composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota. Indeed, supplementation with probiotics and prebiotics has shown promising results in modulating the gut microbiota and improving cardiovascular health. However, there are no studies regarding the possible beneficial effects of postbiotics on cardiovascular function and particularly on hypertension-induced cardiovascular alterations. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of supplementation with the heat-treated Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 strain (BPL1™ HT), a postbiotic developed by the company ADM-Biopolis, on cardiovascular alterations induced by angiotensin II (AngII) infusion in mice. For this purpose, three groups of C57BL/6J male mice were used: (i) mice infused with saline (control); (ii) mice infused with AngII for 4 weeks (AngII); and (iii) mice supplemented with BPL1™ HT in the drinking water (1010 cells/animal/day) for 8 weeks and infused with AngII for the last 4 weeks (AngII + BPL1™ HT). AngII infusion was associated with heart hypertrophy, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines in aortic tissue. BPL1™ HT supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure and attenuated AngII-induced endothelial dysfunction in aortic segments. Moreover, mice supplemented with BPL1™ HT showed a decreased gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (Il-6) and the prooxidant enzymes NADPH oxidases 1 (Nox-1) and 4 (Nox-4), as well as an overexpression of AngII receptor 2 (At2r) and interleukin 10 (Il-10) in arterial tissue. In the heart, BPL1™ HT supplementation increased myocardial contractility and prevented ischemia–reperfusion-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In conclusion, supplementation with the postbiotic BPL1™ HT prevents endothelial dysfunction, lowers blood pressure, and has cardioprotective effects in an experimental model of hypertension induced by AngII infusion in miceThis work has been funded by the company ADM Wild/Biopolis. Community of Madrid funded the contract of Mario de la Fuente Muñoz (PEJ-2020-AI/BMD-19155) through the Youth Employment Progra

Multiscale extensions for enhancing coarse grid computations

Many phenomena in Physics and Engineering are modeled by Partial Differential Equations. Typically, analytical solutions of such problems are unknown. Hence, numerical schemes are applied for approximating the exact solutions. In order to accurately approximate the exact solutions, very fine grids are required. However, the computations become too costly. In this work, a multiscale iterative approach is utilized for enhancing the accuracy of coarse grid computations which results from a high-order finite difference scheme. The main idea is to run the finite difference computations on a coarse grid until some intermediate time level. Then, the coarse grid results are interpolated and extended to a fine grid using Laplacian Pyramids, a multiscale iterative approach. Finally, the finite difference scheme is employed on the finer grid until a prescribed final time. Comparing the results to those obtained on a fine grid, we see that the convergence rates obtained from the two methods are comparable, while the computational time is significantly reduced. A modified multimodal Laplacian Pyramids algorithm for predicting future values of the solution is also suggested. The method approximates and extends a function based on two or more input modalities coded by a series of multiscale kernels, which are averaged as a convex combination. In this work, the modalities are the numerical model's approximations of the solution of the differential equation and its derivative at previous time steps, and the goal is to predict the solution at a proceeding time step. It can be seen that, by adapting the convex combination of the kernels to local regions of the solution with stronger or weaker gradients, the predicted results are improvedThis research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation [1144/20