Osteoarthrosis and foot. Basis of bioregulator treatment

La OsteoArtrosis (OA) es un síndrome complejo, que afecta a las estructuras no solo articulares sino periarticulares como ligamentos, tendones y sistema miofascial, generando un cuadro clínico en el que predomina los síntomas neurogénicos, a consecuencia de un fenómeno conocido como “facilitación” o “campo interferente”. Las últimas investigaciones avalan como causa primaria de la OA las cargas inadecuadas soportadas por el complejo articular debido al mal alineamiento segmentario; y la inflamación sinovial, antaño causa inicial, como proceso secundario a la presencia de fragmentos cartilaginosos, debido a su deterioro, en el espacio articular. La Biopuntura de medicamentos Biorreguladores aporta una perspectiva terapéutica que abarca todos los elementos implicados en esta patología, su clínica y el proceso degenerativo del “órgano articular”.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex syndrome, which affects not only the structures but periarticular joint such as ligaments, tendons and myofascial system, resulting in a clinically predominant neurogenic symptoms as a result of a phenomenon known as “facilitation” or “interference field.” Recent investigations support as the primary cause of OA inappropriate burdens borne by the joint complex due to segmental malalignment, and synovial inflammation, once the initial cause, as a process secondary to the presence of cartilage fragments, due to deterioration in the joint space. The drug Biopuntura Bioregulators provides a therapeutic perspective that encompasses all the elements involved in this pathology, clinical history and the degenerative process of “joint authority.

NUEVO ENFOQUE EN LA ENSEÑANZA DE LA INGENIERIA. FUTURO Y RELACION CON EL DESARROLLO SUSTENTABLE

En tanto la enseñanza de la ingeniería se da en un mundo de constantes cambios en los conocimientos que involucran a la tecnología, y en donde la velocidad de los mismos compite con los tiempos de adecuación y puesta a punto de las ofertas curriculares para que estas tengan vigencia y actualización permanente; el trabajo reflexiona sobre la manera en que la Universidad debe formar profesionales aptos para desenvolverse en un mundo social que también reclama nuevas actitudes como el desarrollo sustentable, la preservación de los ecosistemas, la reflexión crítica y las formulaciones participativas. Se pone a debate un nuevo enfoque en los modos de gestión, enfatizando en aspectos de calidad y de responsabilidad social; a partir de la en enunciacion de una serie de criterios que indican que la UNNOBA en Ingeniería propone como meta superadora una enseñanza basada en competencias y una implícita definición del proceso de aprendizaje basado en resultado

Effects of export proactivity and market orientation on foreign trade operations

El objetivo del presente trabajo, de naturaleza exploratoria, es analizar, a través de un modelo conceptual y de los datos recogidos a partir de una muestra de 150 empresas exportadoras españolas, las consecuencias de la proactividad exportadora y de la orientación al mercado en las operaciones de comercio exterior. Más concretamente, se analiza como ambos factores influencian el nivel de compromiso exportador de la organización, así como las decisiones estratégicas tendentes a adaptar los elementos de marketing-mix a las necesidades de los mercados extranjeros. Además, se evalúa como tales comportamientos empresariales en el ámbito internacional influyen en las percepciones directivas sobre el logro de ventajas competitivas en los mercados extranjeros, así como en las actitudes futuras de la dirección de la empresa hacia su actividad exportadora. Los resultados corroboran el importante papel que desempeña la proactividad exportadora y la orientación al mercado en los comportamientos, percepciones y actitudes directivas hacia la exportación, siendo recomendable potenciar tales orientaciones en aquellas organizaciones que realizan operaciones de comercio exterior.The aim of this paper, exploratory, is to analyze, through a conceptual model and the information obtained from a sample of 150 Spanish export firms, the impact of export and proactive market orientation on business operations abroad. More specifically, we analyze how these two factors influence the level of export commitment of the organization, and strategic decisions aimed at adapting the elements of marketing mix to the needs of foreign markets. Also evaluates such conduct business internationally directives affect perceptions about the achievement of competitive advantages in foreign markets and in the future attitudes of the management of the company towards its export activity. The results confirm the important role of exporting and proactive market orientation on the behaviors, attitudes, perceptions and policies towards exports, strengthen those guidelines being recommended for organizations that conduct business abroad

Self-Correlations of Electroencephalograms

A susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) cellular automaton model for collective neural interactions proposed recently is revisited. In this model, neurons are simple network nodes with different states: active or firing, and quiescent. The main thesis of this approach is that the electroencephalogram (EEG) could emerge as the fluctuations in the number of firing neurons. In this framework, EEG is understood as a statistical epiphenomenon. In this paper, the mean number of active sites and the self-correlation function both in the SIS stochastic model and in elementary cellular automata (ECAs) are considered. Damped oscillatory relaxation to the stationary state is found both in the SIS model and in ECA rule 30; periodic oscillations are found for other class 3 and class 4 cellular automata. A statistical analysis of the selfcorrelations in real EEG shows that the damped oscillatory relaxations are found both in delta and alpha waves. The normalized amplitude of these correlations is predicted by cellular automata models. This reinforces the view of the brain as a highly complex cellular automata system.Acedo Rodríguez, L.; Aranda Lozano, DF. (2012). Self-Correlations of Electroencephalograms. Complex Systems. 20(4):289-303. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/67069S28930320

Advanced Statistical Techniques for Noninvasive Hyperglycemic States Detection in Mice Using Millimeter-Wave Spectroscopy

In this article, we discuss the use of advanced statistical techniques (functional data analysis) in millimeter-wave (mm-wave) spectroscopy for biomedical applications. We employ a W-band transmit-receive unit with a reference channel to acquire spectral data. The choice of the W-band is based on a tradeoff between penetration through the skin providing an upper bound for the frequencies and spectral content across the band. The data obtained are processed using functional principal component logit regression (FPCLoR), which enables to obtain a predictive model for sustained hyperglycemia, typically associated with diabetes. The predictions are based on the transmission data from noninvasive mm-wave spectrometer at W-band. We show that there exists a frequency range most suitable for identification, classification, and prediction of sustained hyperglycemia when evaluating the functional parameter of the functional logit model (β). This allows for the optimization of the spectroscopic instrument in the aim to obtain a compact and potential low-cost noninvasive instrument for hyperglycemia assessment. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that the statistical tools alleviate the problem of calibration, which is a serious obstacle in similar measurements at terahertz and IR frequencies

Hydrometallurgical extraction of Li and Co from LiCoO2 particles–Experimental and Modeling

The use of lithium-ion batteries as energy storage in portable electronics and electric vehicles is increasing rapidly, which involves the consequent increase of battery waste. Hence, the development of reusing and recycling techniques is important to minimize the environmental impact of these residues and favor the circular economy goal. This paper presents experimental and modeling results for the hydrometallurgical treatment for recycling LiCoO2 cathodes from lithium-ion batteries. Previous experimental results for hydrometallurgical extraction showed that acidic leaching of LiCoO2 particles produced a non-stoichiometric extraction of lithium and cobalt. Furthermore, the maximum lithium extraction obtained experimentally seemed to be limited, reaching values of approximately 65–70%. In this paper, a physicochemical model is presented aiming to increase the understanding of the leaching process and the aforementioned limitations. The model describes the heterogeneous solid–liquid extraction mechanism and kinetics of LiCoO2 particles under a weakly reducing environment. The model presented here sets the basis for a more general theoretical framework that would describe the process under different acidic and reducing conditions. The model is validated with two sets of experiments at different conditions of acid concentration (0.1 and 2.5 M HCl) and solid to liquid ratio (5 and 50 g L−1). The COMSOL Multiphysics program was used to adjust the parameters in the kinetic model with the experimental results.This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 778045. Paz-Garcia acknowledges financial support from the program “Proyectos I+D+i en el marco del Programa Operativo FEDER Andalucía 2014–2020”, No. UMA18-FEDERJA-279. Cerrillo-Gonzalez acknowledges the FPU grant obtained from the Spanish Ministry of Education. The University of Malaga is acknowledged for the financial support in the postdoctoral fellowship of Villen-Guzman

Leaching of LiCoO2 using H2O2 as reductant

The growing use of Lithium-Ion batteries (LIBs) in the field of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage entails the production of toxic and environmental hazardous wastes. Furthermore, some components in these batteries are classified as Critical Raw Material due to their supply risk and economic importance. Hence, the development of more efficient process to recycle LIBs is gaining importance for economic aspects and environmental protection. In this work, the hydrometallurgical leaching process for the recovery of valuable metals from the cathode active materials of spent LIBs batteries was evaluated. Batch Experiments were carried out using LiCoO2 which is one of the most used cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. The selection of the extracting agent, its concentration, the reducing agent and the solid-liquid ratio are some of the parameters under study in this research. Hydrochloric acid was used as the extracting agent and its concentration was modified from 0.1 M to 2.5 M while solid-liquid ratio (50 g/L), temperature (25 ºC) were fixed in all of them. The percentage of metal extracted was 31% of Co and 66% of Li for 0.1 M HCl solution. Extraction with 2.5M HCl solution was similar, 35% and 71% of Co and Li, respectively, but extracted in just 90 min, unlike the 72 h in the previous test. An experiment using H2O2 as a reducing agent was also performed, reaching a high percentage of metal extracted: 93% of Co and 100% of Li for a 0.6%vol of H2O2 Although tests have been carried out using LiCoO2, the technique can be applied to different kinds of cathode from spent batteries. The results suggested that the recovery of Co and Li is viable at optimized experimental conditions. The results indicated clearly that the dissolution of LiCoO2 particles is faster and more extensive when using more acidic extracting solution and stronger reducing agents, such as hydrogen peroxide.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Modeling of LiCoO2 leaching reaction using COMSOL multiphysics

Currently, the most popular LIBs recycling processes are either pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical. Although the former is the most used method on an industrial scale, hydrometallurgical has become a promising process due to its recovery rate, high purity of the metals and a lower energy consumption. The main step of the hydrometallurgical process is the leaching, where acid is used as an extracting agent to recover metal from the waste LIBs. Different factors influencing the leaching process are the extracting agent concentration, temperature, solid-liquid ratio, reaction time and reductant agent concentration. Determine the reaction rate and the rate controlling step is essential to optimize leaching parameters and improve the process efficiency. In this work, a mathematical model is presented with the aim of determine the leaching reaction kinetic of LIBs components, namely, LiCoO2 particles. The model is based on a solid-liquid reaction model, in particular on the shrinking core model, due to the formation of Co3O4 in the outer part of the LiCoO2 particle when is used an inorganic acid as extracting agent in absence of an external reducing agent. In this model, the diffusion of the reactant through the product layer and the chemical reaction at the surface of the unreacted core are defined as the rate controlling step. A series of extraction analyses were carried out and their results were used to adjust the formulated model. COMSOL Multiphysics 5.5 program was used to adjust the kinetic model with the experimental results, obtaining as result the value of the kinetics and diffusion constant. The implemented model for simulation of the lithium and cobalt leaching from LiCoO2 reproduces the experimental results, predicting the non-equimolar proportion between Li+ and Co2+ and verifying the hypothesis of the Co3O4 layer formation.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Classification of skin phenotypes caused by diabetes mellitus using complex scattering parameters in the millimeter-wave frequency range

The pathological skin phenotype caused by hyperglycemia is an important indicator for the progress of diabetes mellitus. An early detection of diabetes assures an early intervention to regulate the carbohydrate metabolism. In this publication a non-invasive detection principle based on the measurement of complex scattering parameters in the millimeter-wave frequency range is presented. The measurement principle provides evidence of the applicability for the identification of different glycemic states in animal models. The method proposed here can be used to predict diabetes status in animal models and is interesting for application on humans in view of safeness of millimeter-wave radiation. Furthermore the complex scattering parameters give important information about the anatomic varieties between the analyzed skin samples of the different mice strains. In contrast to other methods, our approach is less sensitive to skin variations between animals

A factorial design for the evaluation of the optimal conditions for LiCoO2 particles dissolution

The hydrometallurgical leaching process for the recovery of valuable metals from the cathode active materials of spent lithium batteries was evaluated. Experiments were carried out using LiCoO2 which is one of the most used cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. With the aim of optimizing the most relevant parameters (solid to liquid ratio, the concentration of the extracting agent and the concentration of the reducing agent) for the extraction process, a factorial experimental design was carried out to evaluate the effect of them in the dissolution process. Batch experiments were performed using 0.1 and 1 M HCl solution as extracting agent, solid to liquid ratio of 5 and 50 g L–1 and in absence and presence of reducing agent, i.e. 5% H2O2. The kinetic of LiCoO2 dissolution was studied in batch experiments using as extracting agent 2.5 M of HCl, achieving an extraction of 52% and 87% of cobalt and lithium, respectively.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech