Influence of platinum group metal-free catalyst synthesis on microbial fuel cell performance

© 2017 The Authors Platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) ORR catalysts from the Fe-N-C family were synthesized using sacrificial support method (SSM) technique. Six experimental steps were used during the synthesis: 1) mixing the precursor, the metal salt, and the silica template; 2) first pyrolysis in hydrogen rich atmosphere; 3) ball milling; 4) etching the silica template using harsh acids environment; 5) the second pyrolysis in ammonia rich atmosphere; 6) final ball milling. Three independent batches were fabricated following the same procedure. The effect of each synthetic parameters on the surface chemistry and the electrocatalytic performance in neutral media was studied. Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) experiment showed an increase in half wave potential and limiting current after the pyrolysis steps. The additional improvement was observed after etching and performing the second pyrolysis. A similar trend was seen in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), in which the power output increased from 167 ± 2 μW cm−2 to 214 ± 5 μW cm−2. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate surface chemistry of catalysts obtained after each synthetic step. The changes in chemical composition were directly correlated with the improvements in performance. We report outstanding reproducibility in both composition and performance among the three different batches

Efecto antilipoperoxidante de Plukenetia volubilis L. (Sacha inchi) en ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano.

Con el objetivo de  demostrar el efecto  antilipoperoxidante de   Plukenetia volubilis L. (Sacha Inchi). en ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano. Método: se diseñó  un estudio experimental de casos y controles. 24 ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano, fueron distribuida al azar en   4 grupos: (G0) Grupo control que recibieron 0,64 ml/kg de etanol,  (G1) Grupo estándar tratado con  de 0,25 ml/kg de vitamina E,  (G2) Grupo Experimental tratado con 120 mg/kg de extracto fluido de Sacha Inchi, (G3) Grupo Experimental tratado con  140 mg/kg de extracto fluido de Sacha Inchi.En todos los especímenes se determinó   nivel sérico de Malon dialdehido (MDA) uno basal y otro a los  16 días de iniciado el experimento.  Resultados: G1 mostró una reducción significativa de los niveles de Malondialdehido (MDA) sérico de 30% con respecto al control. El grupo G2, aproximadamente del 16.18% con respecto al control y el grupo G3 también mostró una reducción significativa del 23.5% con respecto al grupo control. Conclusión: la administración del extracto de hojas de Plukenetia Volubilis L in vivo tiene efecto antilipoperoxidante en ratas.  El mismo que es dependiente de  la dosis  administrada. Palabras clave: lipoperoxidación, glicemia, Plukenetia volubilis L., diabetes, estrés oxidativo

The Caldera. No. 15

“No existe gran talento sin gran voluntad”. Honoré de Balzac. Desde la inteligencia emocional se distinguen una serie de cualidades, de aptitudes y de características que diferencian a un ser humano de otro y que nos permiten hablar de los determinados talentos que cada uno de nosotros posee. En nuestra institución, precisamente, existe un nutrido número de niños y de jóvenes talentosos en diferentes campos, a saber: La música, el teatro, la danza, el canto, los deportes, la escritura, la pintura, el diseño y, por supuesto, a nivel académico; personas sensibles al arte y a sus diferentes manifestaciones porque poseen un talento intrínseco que les permite destacarse en el medio en donde interactúan. En esta edición de “La Caldera” se pretende continuar con la labor de seguir destacando, mostrando, promoviendo algunos de los talentosos estudiantes que hacen parte de nuestra Institución. La edición también tiene como meta hacer la invitación a aquellos talentos aprendidos o innatos, pero ocultos, para que compartan con nuestra familia caldista sus dones. Es así como la institución privilegia diferentes espacios institucionales que, años tras año, han ido consolidándose como la muestra de talentos caldistas, en donde conocemos, valoramos, apreciamos y disfrutamos, precisamente, de las destrezas, de las habilidades que tienen nuestros educandos. Hagamos parte activa de estos espacios porque en la medida en la que nos involucremos, en esa medida, nuestra Institución seguirá creciendo y destacándose como una de las mejores a nivel regional y nacional.Entrevista a: William Ospina; Por: Lina maría Beltrán…04 El infinito Océano de la paz; Por: María Camila Escobar y Nicolás Espinel Martínez…05 Homenaje a Gabriel García Márquez; Por: Gisela Afanador…10 Dibujando sueños; Por: Lina maría Beltrán…14 A través de los ojos de Camila; Por: Valentina Vega…16 Expresiones Artísticas…17"There is no great talent without great will." Honoré de Balzac. From emotional intelligence, a series of qualities, aptitudes and characteristics are distinguished that differentiate one human being from another and that allow us to talk about the specific talents that each of us possesses. In our institution, precisely, there is a large number of talented children and young people in different fields, namely: music, theater, dance, singing, sports, writing, painting, design and, of course , at the academic level; people who are sensitive to art and its different manifestations because they have an intrinsic talent that allows them to stand out in the environment where they interact. In this edition of "La Caldera" it is intended to continue with the work of continuing to stand out, showing, promoting some of the talented students that are part of our Institution. The edition also aims to invite those talents learned or innate, but hidden, to share their gifts with our Caldista family. This is how the institution privileges different institutional spaces that, year after year, have been consolidated as the sample of Caldista talents, where we know, value, appreciate and enjoy, precisely, the skills, the abilities that our students have. Let's take an active part in these spaces because to the extent that we get involved, to that extent, our Institution will continue to grow and stand out as one of the best at the regional and national level

Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores

Funder: Funder: Fundación bancaria ‘La Caixa’ Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: Grifols SA Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: European Union/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Number: 115975 Funder: JPco-fuND FP-829-029 Number: 733051061Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer's disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer's disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer's disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer's disease

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared to the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

Impacto socio-económico, consecuencias y regulación por parte del estado, de las movilizaciones de protesta en Bogotá D.C.

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Vibrational Funnels for Energy Transfer in Organic Chromophores

Photoinduced intramolecular energy transfers in multichromophoric molecules involve nonadiabatic vibronic channels that act as energy transfer funnels. They commonly take place through specific directions of motion dictated by the nonadiabatic coupling vectors. Vibrational funnels may support persistent coherences between electronic states and sometimes delineate the presence of minor alternative energy transfer pathways. The ultimate confirmation of their role on the interchromophoric energy transfer can be achieved by performing nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics simulations by selectively freezing the nuclear motions in question. Our results point out this strategy as a useful tool to identify and evaluate the impact of these vibrational funnels on the energy transfer processes and guide the in silico design of materials with tunable properties and enhanced functionalities. Our work encourages applications of this methodology to different chemical and biochemical processes such as reactive scattering and protein conformational changes, to name a few.Fil: Negrín Yuvero, Lázaro Hassiel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Freixas Lemus, Victor Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ondarse Alvarez, Dianelys. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alfonso Hernandez, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rojas Lorenzo, German. Instituto Superior de Tecnologías y Ciencias Aplicadas.; CubaFil: Bastida, Adolfo. Universidad de Murcia; EspañaFil: Tretiak, Sergei. No especifíca;Fil: Fernández Alberti, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Susceptibilidad de híbridos de sorgo al daño causado por el pulgón amarillo, Melanaphis sacchari/sorghi (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

El pulgón amarillo del sorgo (PAS), Melanaphis sacchari/sorghi, constituye una plaga de gran importancia para este cultivo, conocer la tolerancia de los híbridos a los daños causados por el PAS es un aspecto importante a la hora de planificar estrategias para el manejo integrado de esta problemática. En este ensayo se evaluó la susceptibilidad de los híbridos de sorgo Tobin 42891, Fan 172 AT y Quimarsem 186 frente al daño ocasionado por M. sacchari/sorghi. Este último hibrido no evidenció un impacto significativo del PAS en los parámetros evaluados, mostrando una tolerancia a los daños ocasionados por esta plaga.Fil: Casmuz, Augusto Sebastián. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Vera, Martin Alejandro. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Gimenez Sardi, José A.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Cejas Marchi, Emmanuel. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Medrano, Cristian M.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Alvarez Paz, Pablo. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Romero, Ignacio. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Ale Reuter, Julio P.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Margaglioti, María Eugenia. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Lourdes Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (p). Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Gastaminza, Gerardo Alfredo. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Scarola, Franco S.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Rojas, Jorge D.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Gamboa, Daniel E.. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); Argentin