Pseudo-differential Operators with Semi-Quasielliptic Symbols Over p-adic Fields

In this article, we study pseudo-differential equations involving semi-quasielliptic symbols over p-adics. We determine the function spaces where such equations have solutions. We introduce the space of infinitely pseudo-differentiable functions with respect to a semi-quasielliptic operator. By using these spaces we show the existence of a regularization effect for certain parabolic equations over p-adics.Comment: Accepted in Journal of Mathemaatical Analysis and its Application

COCAINE SEIZURES AND CRIME: DATA ANALYTICS USING BIG DATA TOOLS

Includes Supplementary MaterialColombia's status as the largest cocaine producer in the world has prompted its government's strategies to combat drug trafficking. One of these strategies is to seize cocaine in the Colombian jurisdictional territory. The unintended consequences of this strategy on crime rates, particularly homicides, remain uncertain. Web scraping methods and big data tools were used to gather and construct a time series dataset on cocaine seizures from three distinct websites, while the homicides dataset was supplied by the Colombian Ministry of Defense (MDN). This study aims to investigate, from a quantitative standpoint, whether there is a link between cocaine seizures and homicides in the Colombian Pacific region, utilizing an exploratory data analysis (EDA) method and machine learning techniques. The study recognizes the constraints of the sample size and opts to reveal valuable insights through data analysis and modeling instead. Despite the constraints, two models were developed to partially explicate the significance of this correlation. The study's findings provide value for policymakers, military personnel, government officials, and academics, offering essential perspectives to devise improved policies and strategies to mitigate drug trafficking in the Colombian Pacific region without exacerbating homicide rates. Future research endeavors could consider expanding the sample size of the cocaine seizure time-series dataset to conduct a more robust correlation analysis.Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.Outstanding ThesisCapitan de Corbeta, Colombian National Nav

CWPO Degradation of Natural Organic Matter: Synthetic Water vs. Real Surface Water

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are feasible and very promising methods to oxidize NOM from raw waters. Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO) degradation of NOM present in (i) a synthetic model water and (ii) raw surface, real water was carried out in order to determine the efficiency of NOM removal

Al/Fe-, Al/Cu- and Al/(Fe-Cu)-pillared clays: Structural features at low Atomic Active Metal Ratios (AMR)

A set of Al/Fe-, Al/Cu- and Al/(Fe-Cu)-pillared clays were prepared from a Colombian bentonite in sodium or natural (Ca/Mg) form as starting materials. The effect of the loading of the second metal(s) (Fe and/or Cu) related to Al (AMR) in the intercalating solutions at low range of values ≤ 10%, on the main physicochemical properties was investigated. The insertion of the active metals rose almost linearly with AMR for both binary, Al/Fe- and Al/Cu- mixed metal systems. For the three-metal Al/(Fe-Cu)- mixed system, the stabilization of copper behaved randomly as a function of AMR, while the stabilization of Fe was almost not affected by the presence of Cu. On the basis of the ionic radii of the metals involved, a possible competition of the two active metals for the octahedral sites available in the Al13 polycationic structure is proposed for the three-metal system (ionic radii values: Al3+ = 0.68 Å; Fe3+ = 0.67 Å; Cu2+ = 0.73 Å), but also as a good explanation for the efficiency of stabilization for iron around 15 times higher than copper in the binary metal systems. A clear dependence of the compensation of the cationic exchange capacity by polycations with the AMR value was found only for the system Al/Fe-, which was explained in terms of the opposite changes in the final pH obtained in the intercalating solutions, induced by the active metals in the Keggin-like polycations. The change in the basal spacings obtained in the XRD patterns from oriented glasses as a function of AMR was interpreted in terms of the opposite effect expected on the molecular size of the polycations as higher amounts of Fe or Cu would isomorphically substitute Al into the Al13 framework, allowing to propose that both, iron and copper are able to carry out such a substitution, although in different extent. The hydrogen consumption in the H2-TPR analysis of the materials was mainly distributed between two broad peaks: one from about 250ºC to 580ºC, and a second one from about 750ºC to 950ºC. Despite the several metal oxide species that are possible to form, the first signal in samples modified with the Al/Fe- system may correspond with the sequential overlapped reduction of Fe2O3 in up to three steps: (1) Fe2O3 → Fe3O4; (2) Fe3O4 → FeO; and (3) FeO → Fe, and to two sequential reduction effects in the range of 210-260 ºC for Cu2+→ Cu+ and Cu+→ Cu0 at higher temperatures of ca. 400 ºC to 700 ºC. In the Al/Fe- system two shoulders were observed at around 600ºC and 850ºC, whose intensity grow as the active metal loading increases, seem to be related to two kinds of metal sites repeatedly claimed in the literature as responsible for the high catalytic activity displayed by these materials in Fenton-like reactions; Fe “decorating” Al pillars and true mixed Al/Fe pillars, respectively. The textural analysis of the natural modified samples suggest that at AMR below 5.0 %, a discrete maximum exist for the systems Al/Fe- and Al/Cu- over which the sorption capacity starts to be significantly affected. Simultaneous thermal analysis (DSC/TGA) demonstrated that the addition of a second metal in the intercalating system enhanced more the fraction of physisorbed water and decreased the maximum temperature for such a thermal event than intercalation with simple Al- polycations. SEM micrographs showed significant changes in morphology of the particles as AMR increased from 2.0 to 5.0%; as the amount of iron and/or copper added to the system increased, a greater amount of tiny particles deposited on the clay surface was seen, may be corresponding with external oxide aggregates. Likewise, the ratio Fe/Al obtained from the semi-quantitative surface chemical EDX analysis of the samples modified with the system Al/Fe- indicated that the AMR increasing also leads to higher fraction of the iron inserted represented in intercalated, possibly less aggregated mixed species in the materials. Acknowledgements: Financial support from MEC and FEDER funds (Ref. MAT2007-66439-C02)

Disinfection Potential of the Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO) for inactivation of intestinal parasites Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum

Introduction WHO (World Health Organization) has estimated that around 24 % of the diseases at a global scale are related to environmental factors like consumption of insecure drinking water. Recent laws have become more stringent about the permitted parameters of quality, including more careful surveillance on the presence of resistant forms of Giardia (cysts) and Cryptosporidium (oocysts) in water for human consumption. It has been pointed out that some particular physicochemical properties of their cysts/oocysts cell walls make them strongly resistant against conventional chlorine disinfection [1]. Moreover, complex mechanisms there implied are not still completely elucidated. Therefore, conventional disinfection by chlorine should be assisted or even replaced by novel, safer technologies like the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The CWPO is a very efficient, not expensive AOP [2] that could offer a very interesting performance for effective and safe inactivation of resistant pathogen agents like the cysts/oocysts of the intestinal parasites Giardia and Cryptosporidium, even under very mild conditions of ambient temperature and pressure (15 – 25 °C; < 1 atm). This work is devoted to explore the true potential of the CWPO technology in the inactivation of these couple of resistant forms of dangerous parasites

Formation in-situ of metallic nanoclusters of Mn interlayered into bentonite previously pillared with Al

Hasta el momento, el crecimiento de agregados polinucleares en el espacio interlaminar de diferentes aluminosilicatos por reacción en el estado sólido requiere de tiempos prolongados de contacto (alrededor de 4 meses). En consecuencia, en el presente trabajo se ha evaluado una metodología novedosa para llevar a cabo tal síntesis, específicamente para el crecimiento in-situ de MnS en el espacio interlaminar de una bentonita que involucra un tiempo aproximado de 10 horas de reacción. Sin embargo, los resultados han evidenciado que hay varias condiciones que se deben controlar por cuanto afectan la estabilidad de los clusters; entre estos factores están el tratamiento químico, térmico, el tipo de atmósfera empleado en la calcinación y la densidad de los pilares de Al

COMBUSTION MODEL FOR SPARK IGNITION ENGINES OPERATING ON GASOLINE-ETHANOL BLENDS

This article presents a phenomenological combustion model using turbulent flame propagation theory developed by Keck and coworkers, 1974. The model was adapted to work with gasoline-ethanol blends, following correlations presented by Bayraktar,2005. New sub-models were introduced for intake valve velocity and combustion efficiency. These allow simulating the effect of compression ratio, spark timing and fuel change. Results show good agreement with the ones in the original work as well as with experimental results in a Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) engine

Modulation of microRNA editing, expression and processing by ADAR2 deaminase in glioblastoma.

Background: ADAR enzymes convert adenosines to inosines within double-stranded RNAs, including microRNA (miRNA) precursors, with important consequences on miRNA retargeting and expression. ADAR2 activity is impaired in glioblastoma and its rescue has anti-tumoral effects. However, how ADAR2 activity may impact the miRNome and the progression of glioblastoma is not known. Results: By integrating deep-sequencing and array approaches with bioinformatics analyses and molecular studies, we show that ADAR2 is essential to edit a small number of mature miRNAs and to significantly modulate the expression of about 90 miRNAs in glioblastoma cells. Specifically, the rescue of ADAR2 activity in cancer cells recovers the edited miRNA population lost in glioblastoma cell lines and tissues, and rebalances expression of onco-miRNAs and tumor suppressor miRNAs to the levels observed in normal human brain. We report that the major effect of ADAR2 is to reduce the expression of a large number of miRNAs, most of which act as onco-miRNAs. ADAR2 can edit miR-222/221 and miR-21 precursors and decrease the expression of the corresponding mature onco-miRNAs in vivo and in vitro, with important effects on cell proliferation and migration. Conclusions: Our findings disclose an additional layer of complexity in miRNome regulation and provide information to better understand the impact of ADAR2 editing enzyme in glioblastoma. We propose that ADAR2 is a key factor for maintaining edited-miRNA population and balancing the expression of several essential miRNAs involved in cancer

Destete precoz y manejo de la cerda de cria y su camada.

En la Sabana de Bogotá se realizan 3 experimentos de lactancia en cerdas utilizando un diseño completamente al azar que involucró un total de 112 cerdas y sus camadas. El objetivo fue el de comparar el suministro de alimento a voluntad vs. restringido a las cerdas durante la lactancia de 42 vs. 56 días, empleando como fuente de proteína para la dieta de las cerdas torta de soya vs. torta de algodón. Los lechones recibieron desde los 10 días de edad una dieta de preiniciación. Hubo menor consumo de alimentos para las cerdas destetadas a los 42 días con mayor pérdida de peso para ellas. El consumo y pérdida de peso para las cerdas restringidas varió de acuerdo al número de lechones que estuviesen amamantando: a mayor número de lechones, mayor consumo y menor pérdida de peso. No hubo diferencias estadísticas en el peso y consumo de alimento de lechones hijos de cerdas alimentadas a voluntad vs. restringidas. El menor consumo de alimento y peso de los lechones a los 56 días de edad correspondió a los tratamientos con alimento restringido y destetados a los 42 días. Se observó una ligera mejor eficiencia total en los tratamientos con alimento restringido destetados a los 42 ó 56 días. La eficiencia más baja se observó en los tratamientos con consumo a voluntad y destete a los 56 días de edad. La mayor rentabilidad se obtuvo con los tratamientos restringidos, especialmente con el destete a los 42 díasMaestría en CienciasMaestrí