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Influence of oxygen pressure on the fs laserinduced oxidation of molybdenum thin films
We present a study of femtosecond (1028 nm, 230 fs, 54.7 MHz) laser processing on molybdenum (Mo) thin films. Irradiations were done under ambient air as well as pure oxygen (O2) at various gauge pressures (4, 8, 12 and 16 psi). Our results indicate that the high heating rates associated with laser processing allow the production of different molybdenum oxides. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize the molybdenum oxidation for the different irradiation and oxygen pressures parameters chosen showing a high correlation between well-defined oxidation zones and the oxygen pressure surrounding the samples during the irradiation of the Mo thin films
Blockverse: A Cloud Blockchain-based Platform for Tracking in Affiliate Systems
Affiliate systems are a crucial piece of today’s online advertising. In affiliate systems, web traffic is directed from certain sites displaying ads to the websites of those company whose products or services are advertised. The way in which these ads are monetized is diverse and can respond to different models. In many cases, affiliates establish a cost based on impressions (displays of the ad) or on clicks. However, more intricate models are becoming widespread, such as the cost per action, where the affiliate incomes are due to the users
performing certain actions in the target website. In particular, in the world of iGaming, it is frequent that affiliates charges are based on registrations, deposits or money lost on bets. In this scenario, Blockverse is a tool whose objective is to record transactions occurring in affiliate systems at large scale, using a permissioned blockchain implemented atop state-of-the-art cloud technology. Additionally, the system will be able to execute smart deals that generate income for affiliates based on the agreed conditions, and to provide real-time analytics in the context of the affiliate system
Gender gap in self-rated health: a cohort perspective in eastern European countries
Background: The relationship between self-rated health and gender differs across countries and generations. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of socioeconomic conditions on self-rated health from a generational perspective, its differential effect on gender, and its influence on the gender gap in order to explore health diversity using a multidisciplinary approach and considering policy implications in Eastern European countries. Methods: We used data drawn from the European Health Interview Survey for eight Eastern European countries and EUROSTAT from 2006 through to 2009. We conducted multilevel analyses to understand the individual and national health determinants of self-rated health by gender and to determine whether national differences remain after controlling for micro variables. In order to analyze the role of equity (Gini quartile) in gender differences, Oaxaca analyses were used. Results: The self-rated health gender gap increases with age. Individual characteristics, such as educational level or smoking, influence citizens’ perceived health, and have a stronger effect on women than on men. Knowing both the characteristics (endowment effects) and the effects of individual characteristics (coefficient effects) on health is important in order to understand gender gaps among people from the silent generation. Conclusions: Our research indicates that random effects are greater for men than for women. Moreover, random effects might be explained to a certain extent by economic equity (Gini index). The combined effects of gender, cohort, and geographical differences on self-rated health have to be taken into account to develop public health policies. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Effectiveness of a program of physical activity in people with serious mental disorder
En el presente estudio se analiza el impacto que ha tenido un Programa
de actividad física y deporte en un grupo de 28 personas con Trastorno
Mental Grave (TMG). Se realizó una evaluación antes del comienzo del Programa y otra
a los cuatro meses, tomando medidas antropométricas, de capacidad física
funcional, equilibrio y coordinación, así como del funcionamiento social y las
actividades de la vida cotidiana. Los resultados mostraron mejorías
estadísticamente significativas en aquellas personas que asistieron a más del
50% de las sesiones en todas las variables antropométricas, y de condición física
funcional y cualidades motrices, así como en la Escala de Funcionamiento
Personal y Social (PSP).Por otro lado, la asistencia al programa fue alta,
manteniéndose en el mismo el 80% de las personas que lo iniciaron. Se discute
la relevancia de los resultados y la necesidad de implantar este tipo de
intervenciones en el TMGIn this paper the effectiveness of a physical activity and sport program is
analyzed in a group of 28 people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI). An
assessment was made before the start of the program and again after four
months, measuring anthropometric variables, physical functional ability, balance
and coordination, and social functioning and activities of daily life. The results
showed statistically significant improvements in those who attended more than
50% of the sessions in all anthropometric variables, and functional fitness and
motor skills, as well as the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP).
Moreover, assistance to the program was high, keeping the same 80% of
people who started it. The relevance of the results and the need to implement
such interventions in the SMI is discusse
Plant Traits and Phylogeny Predict Soil Carbon and Nutrient Cycling in Mediterranean Mixed Forests
Soil functioning is closely linked to the interactions
between biological communities with the physical
environment. Yet, the impact of plant community
attributes on metabolic processes promoting soil
nutrient cycling remains largely unknown. We
hypothesized that the plant community acts as a
regulating agent of nutrient mobilization in soils
according to the phylogenetic and morpho-functional
traits of plant species of which it is composed.
Rhizosphere soils were collected in autumn and
spring under 32 tree and shrub species in two
Mediterranean mixed forests (four plots in each)
located in southern Spain, and nine soil enzymatic
activities related to C, N and P mobilization were
assessed. Phylogeny and morpho-functional traits of
plant species were recorded and their imprint in soil
enzymatic activities across forests was determined.
The results showed a plant phylogenetic signal for N
mobilization in both forests, while it varied across
forests for non-labile C and P mobilization. The plant
phylogenetic signals were primarily driven by lineages
that diversified through the Miocene, about 25
Myr ago. In addition, leaf traits and plant’s mycorrhizal
type explained soil enzymatic activities independently
from phylogeny. C and P mobilization
increased under ectomycorrhizal plants, whilst enhanced
N mobilization did occur under arbuscular
mycorrhizal ones. The plant community composition
led to a different carbon and nutrient mobilization
degree, which in turn was mediated by
distinct microbial communities mirroring differentiated
resource-acquisition strategies of plants. Our
results highlight the role of plant traits and mycorrhizal
interactions in modulating carbon and nutrient
cycling in Mediterranean mixed forest soils.CRUE-CSIC
Springer Natur
Numerical simulations of thixotropic semi-solid aluminium alloys in open-rotor and rotor-stator mixers
This research uses the Bautista-Manero-Puig (BMP) model to examine flow patterns of semi-solid aluminium alloys (Al) in open-rotor and stator-rotor mixers via numerical solutions. The model captures the distinct thixo-viscoelastic behavior of the Al-alloys at low temperatures, near melting point. The analysis involves using 2D structured-meshes for open-rotor and rotor-stator geometries. Solutions for Newtonian and thixo-viscoelastic model fluids are reported through fields of velocity, strain-rate, stress, fluidity, and streamlines, revealing distinct features. Findings reveal nonlinear thixo-viscoelastic vortex patterns that vary with rotational speed, resulting in different fluidity and stress profiles compared to the invariant response of Newtonian fluids. At lower rotational speeds, rotor-pallets are dominated by structured material that gradually becomes unstructured to cover the outer vessel walls. When including a stator, the inner stator region resembles the Newtonian solution, but the outflow through stator gaps is reduced due to flow-structure levels outside. This information is of interest for industrial design and optimization of molten Al-alloy processing.Programa de Transferencia de Tecnología de la DFB
FEDER
Consejo Nacional de Ciencias, Humanidades y Tecnologı́as (CONAHCYT, Mexico)
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNA
SPH simulations of thixo-viscoplastic fluid flow past a cylinder
Thixotropic materials are complex fluids that display time-dependent viscosity and/or yield-stress response upon the application of a fixed deformation, while recovering their original structured-state when the deformation is discontinued. Thixotropic effects are presents in many different systems and applications, ranging from food products, such as ketchup, to metals, such as molten aluminum. In this work we present a first attempt to simulate the rheological properties of thixo-viscoplastic flows using a Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) method. The study set up is a 2D flow around a circular cylinder as well as a simple shear flow between parallel plates to validate our numerical results. SPH solutions are compared with simulations performed using the open-source Finite Volume Method solver RheoTool, based on OpenFOAM. The viscoplastic model used in this work is the Papanastasiou model combined with a recently developed microstructural one, in order to include thixotropy. In this thixo-viscoplastic framework, we analyze the flow properties in terms of yield-fronts, streamlines and structure-parameter fields at different Bingham and Thixotropy numbers, through microstructural thixotropic and yield-stress parameters variation. Obtained results show an important novelty: an asymmetry in the thixo-viscoplastic flow around the cylinder
Linearizing Control Based on Adaptive Observer for Anaerobic Continuous Sulphate Reducing Bioreactors with Unknown Kinetics
Anaerobic reactors are a typical example of processes that exhibit non-linear behavior and, also time varying parameters; hence their operation is known to be difficult to model and control. In contrast to modeling approaches, in practice linear controllers are widely employed for industrial processes because of their easy implementation and manipulation by plant operators; nevertheless linear approaches are not robust when the operating conditions
change suddenly and/or strong disturbances are present. In order to introduce robust controllers to these processes, this paper addresses the tracking problem for the substrate (sulphate) control in a class of continuous bioreactors. An experimentally corroborated bioreactor model serves as benchmark problem for advanced non-linear analysis and control techniques; taking into account system non-linearities, stability and performance objectives over large operating regions. It is considered that, as it is common in practice,
the rate of substrate consumption exhibits uncertainty. Results show that the proposed controller exhibits better dynamic performance than a classical Proportional-Integral control tuned using the methodology suggested by Internal Model Control
Severa complicación neurológica tras vertebroplastia percutánea
La vertebroplastia percutánea como tratamiento de las fracturas acuñamientos vertebrales osteoporóticos tras fracaso del tratamiento sintomático y ortopédico así como para el tratamiento de lesiones tumorales del caquis ha tomado un auge importante debido a los buenos resultados publicados y la baja tasa de complicaciones. Este hecho ha llevado a las casas comerciales a desarrollar productos específicos para esta técnica que simplifican su utilización y disminuyen en lo posible las dificultades técnicas del procedimiento así como sus complicaciones. A pesar de ello, en nuestra opinión es una técnica que requiere una alta demanda de entrenamiento y que puede dar lugar a graves complicaciones a pesar de que no existan prácticamente en la literatura complicaciones severas con la utilización de esta técnica. Presentamos un caso ocurrido en nuestra serie de una paraplejia completa no resuelta tras una vertebroplastia percutanea torácica para una fractura osteoporótica.The technique of percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic fractures and spine tumors was develop an important increase because there were a lot of publications with good results and low rate of complications. This fact was done a fast developing of instruments and new PMMA cements to simplify this technique and decreased the rate of complications. In our opinion the percutaneous vertebroplasty is a high demand technique and have a high potential of major neurological complications if it is not performed with use of appropriate safeguards, but the purpose of this article is not to condemn the technique because we have had a good results using it in this pathologies and the majority of publications have shown a high rate of excellent results
Deep XMM-Newton observation of the Eta Chamaleontis cluster
The members of the Eta Chamaleontis cluster are in an evolutionary stage in
which disks are rapidly evolving. It also presents some peculiarities, such as
the large fraction of binaries and accretion disks, probably related with the
cluster formation process. Its proximity makes this stellar group an ideal
target for studying the relation between X-ray emission and those stellar
parameters. The main objective of this work is to determine general X-ray
properties of the cluster members in terms of coronal temperature, column
density, emission measure, X-ray luminosity and variability. We also aim to
establish the relation between the X-ray luminosity of these stars and other
stellar parameters, such as binarity and presence of accretion disks. A study
of flare energies for each flare event and their relation with some stellar
parameters is also performed. We used proprietary data from a deep XMM-Newton
observation pointed at the core of the Eta Chamaleontis cluster. Specific
software for the reduction of XMM-Newton data was used for the analysis of our
observation. For the detection of sources, we used the wavelet-based code
PWDetect. General coronal properties were derived from plasma model fitting. We
also determined variability of the Eta Chamaleontis members in the EPIC
field-of-view. A total of six flare-like events were clearly detected in five
different stars. For them, we derived coronal properties during the flare
events and pseudo-quiescent state separately. In our observations, stars that
underwent a flare event have higher X-ray luminosities in the pseudo-quiescent
state than cluster members with similar spectral type with no indications of
flaring, independently whether they have an accretion disk or not. Observed
flare energies are typical of both pre-main and main-sequence M stars. We
detected no difference between flare energies of stars with and without an
accretion disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 12 pages, 30
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