Temperature for geopolymerization of fly ash. Mechanical behaviour

Alkali activation of fly ash (FA) is a chemical process which allows the transformation of the amorphous structure which makes up most of its particles, in compact cementitious skeletons geopolymers are called solid materials usually consist of a alkali hydroxide and solid precursor high content in silicon (Si) and aluminium. This paper presents the effect of temperature and the curing time in the alkali activation in FA pastes with 8M NaOH, geopolymers curing was carried out at room temperature, 60 °C and 80 °C at aged 7 14 and 21 days. Compression tests were conducted to obtain the strength of the geopolymer and analysis by X-ray diffraction to determine the new phases present resulting in higher compression resistance with higher temperature and curing time, a change was detected in the diffractogram because new phases present in the alkaline activation product.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Resistance of uropathogenic bacteria to first-line antibiotics in mexico city: A multicenter susceptibility analysis

AbstractBackgroundGrowing antibiotic resistance demands the constant reassessment of antimicrobial efficacy, particularly in countries with wide antibiotic abuse, where higher resistance prevalence is often found. Knowledge of resistance trends is particularly important when prescribing antibiotics empirically, as is usually the case for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Currently, in Mexico City, ampicillin, cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole), and ciprofloxacin are used as “first-line” antibiotic treatment for UTI.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to analyze the resistance of bacterial isolates to antibiotics, with a focus on first-line antibiotics, in Mexican pediatric patients and sexually active or pregnant female outpatients.MethodsIn this multicenter susceptibility analysis, bacterial isolates from urine samples collected from pediatric patients and sexually-active or pregnant female outpatients presenting with acute, uncomplicated UTIs in Mexico City from January 2006 through June 2006, were included in the study. Samples were tested for susceptibility to 10 antibiotics by the disk-diffusion method.ResultsFour-hundred and seventeen bacterial isolates were derived from sexually active or pregnant female outpatients (324 Escherichia coli) and pediatric patients (93 Klebsiella pneumoniae). We found a high prevalence of resistance towards the drugs used as “first-line” when treating UTIs: ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, and ciprofloxacin (79%, 60%, and 24% resistance, respectively). Ninety-eight percent of K pneumoniae isolates were resistant to ampicillin, whereas 66% of the E coli isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole. Resistance towards third-generation cephalosporins was also high (6%–8% of E coli and 10%–28% of K pneumoniae). This was possibly caused by chromosomal β-lactamases, as 30% of all isolates were also resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanate. In contrast, 98% of the E coli isolates and 84% of the K pneumoniae strains (96% of all isolates) were found to be susceptible to nitrofurantoin, which has been in clinical use for much longer than most other drugs in this study.ConclusionIn these urine samples from laboratories in Mexico City, resistance of K pneumoniae and E coli isolates to first-line treatment (ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, or ciprofloxacin) of UTI was high, whereas most E coli and K pneumoniae isolates were susceptible to nitrofurantoin and the fourth-generation cephalosporin cefepime. (Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2007;68:120–126) Copyright © 2007 Excerpta Medica, Inc

Social factors that determine the behavior of sustainable consumption in the Querétaro metropolitan area

El objetivo de esta investigación es definir los factores sociales que son determinantes en el comportamiento del consumo sustentable de las personas en México. El estudio presenta un diseño empírico estadístico de corte transversal que obtuvo resultados a través de un modelo integrado PLS-SEM. Se aplicó un cuestionario con 26 indicadores a una muestra probabilística de 244 elementos. Se partió de un modelo teórico que concluyó que el 50.8% de la varianza de la variable comportamiento de consumo sustentable, está explicada por los factores educación e información, presión social, condiciones del mercado, influencias del entorno social y variables demográficas. Este modelo provee información para quienes quieren participar de la transición de la sociedad a la sustentabilidad, toda vez que se cuenta con elementos para el diseño pertinente de estrategias, programas, soluciones y cualquier otra acción encaminada a este fin.The objective of this research is to define the social factors that are determinants in the sustainable consumption behavior of people in Mexico. The study presents a cross-sectional empirical statistical design that obtained results through an integrated PLS-SEM model. A questionnaire with 26 indicators was applied to a probabilistic sample of 244 elements. The starting point was a theoretical model that concluded that 50.8% of the variance of the sustainable consumption behavior variable is explained by the factors of education and information, social pressure, market conditions, influences of the social environment and demographic values. This model provided information for those who want to participate in society's transition to sustainability, since there are elements for the pertinent design of strategies, programs, solutions and any other action aimed at this end

Bioactive Properties of Tagetes erecta Edible Flowers: Polyphenol and Antioxidant Characterization and Therapeutic Activity against Ovarian Tumoral Cells and Caenorhabditis elegans Tauopathy

Tagetes erecta is an edible flower deeply rooted in traditional Mexican culture. It holds a central role in the most popular and iconic Mexican celebration, “the Day of the Dead”. Furthermore, it is currently receiving interest as a potential therapeutic agent, motivated mainly by its polyphenol content. The present study aims to evaluate the biological activity of an extract synthesized from the petals of the edible flower T. erecta. This extract showed significant antioxidant scores measured by the most common in vitro methodologies (FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH), with values of 1475.3 μM trolox/g extr, 1950.3 μM trolox/g extr, and 977.7 μM trolox/g extr, respectively. In addition, up to 36 individual polyphenols were identified by chromatography. Regarding the biomedical aspects of the petal extract, it exhibited antitumoral activity against ovarian carcinoma cells evaluated by the MTS assay, revealing a lower value of IC50 compared to other flower extracts. For example, the extract from T. erecta reported an IC50 value half as low as an extract from Rosa × hybrida and six times lower than another extract from Tulbaghia violacea. This antitumoral effect of T. erecta arises from the induction of the apoptotic process; thus, incubating ovarian carcinoma cells with the petal extract increased the rate of apoptotic cells measured by flow cytometry. Moreover, the extract also demonstrated efficacy as a therapeutic agent against tauopathy, a feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the Caenorhabditis elegans experimental model. Treating worms with the experimental extract prevented disfunction in several motility parameters such as wavelength and swimming speed. Furthermore, the T. erecta petal extract prevented the release of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are associated with the progression of AD. Thus, treatment with the extract resulted in an approximate 20% reduction in ROS production. These findings suggest that these petals could serve as a suitable source of polyphenols for biomedical applications.FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento, Grants BAGR-193-UGR18, B-AGR-652-UGR20, and P20_00336Postdoctoral fellowship financed by Junta de Andalucia (ref. POSTDOC_21_028

Análisis comparativo de los impactos ambientales en sistemas de cerramientos de vivienda mediante el Análisis del Ciclo de Vida

El sector de la construcción se encuentra en un proceso de mejora al respecto de la protección medioambiental, por lo cual se han desarrollado metodologías que permiten evaluar sus implicaciones en el desarrollo sostenible; y de ellas, el Análisis del Ciclo de Vida (ACV) es la que se está consolidando como la más adecuada, no obstante de ser una técnica de uso reciente en el sector constructivo. El objetivo de este trabajo es verificar la efectividad del ACV en la evaluación comparativa de sistemas de cerramientos habituales del ámbito español actual. El alcance de este análisis se ha limitado a las etapas de extracción y producción de los materiales, y de la construcción de los cerramientos, para lo cual se utilizó ECOINVENT Y BEDEC como inventarios y LCA Manager 1.3 como programa informático para determinar los impactos ambientales. Fue posible verificar que el ACV es una herramienta eficiente y flexible que tiene aplicación en el sector de la construcción. (Anglès) The construction sector is in a process of improving respect to environmental protection. As part of this initiative have developed methodologies to assess their implications for sustainable development; and of these, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is being consolidated as the most appropriate, despite its recent use in the construction sector. The aim of this work is to verify the effectiveness of LCA in the benchmarking of enclosures construction systems of the current Spanish ambit. The scope of this analysis is limited to the extraction and production of materials and the construction phase of the enclosures. As inventories have been selected the database Ecoinvent and the BEDEC (Institute of Construction Technology of Catalonia); which were used to determine the environmental impacts using the LCA Manager 1.3 software. It was possible to verify that the LCA is an efficient and flexible tool that has application in the construction sector. Key Words: Life Cycle Assessment, Building Enclosures, Inventory Life Cycle, Environmental Impact, Embodied Energy.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

DISEÑO E IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE UN MULTÍMETRO DIGITAL CON FUNCIONES AMPLIADAS DE BAJO COSTO

ResumenEste documento describe el diseño e implementación de un multímetro digital de bajo costo para la medición de voltaje y corriente (directa y alterna), impedancia y temperatura. Para su implementación, se utilizó un divisor de voltaje, un sensor de corriente ACS712, el medidor de impedancias AD5933, un LM35 para la medición de temperatura. Después del acondicionamiento respectivo de cada sensor, las señales se adquirieron por un microcontrolador PIC16F877A para finalmente realizar el desplegado de datos en una pantalla de cristal líquido (LCD, por sus siglas en inglés) de 16x2. El multímetro diseñado realiza mediciones de 0 a 500 V, de 0 a 2 A, impedancias desde 1 kΩ hasta 10 MΩ y temperaturas de 0 a 150 ᵒC.  El multímetro posee rangos aceptables de medición, con la capacidad de realizar tales mediciones sin la necesidad de hacer un cambio de escala. De igual manera, su costo es menor comparado con equipos comerciales con capacidades similares.Palabras Claves: Corriente, impedancia, multímetro digital, temperatura, voltaje. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A DIGITAL MULTIMETER WITH EXTENDED LOW-COST FUNCTIONSAbstractThis document describes the design and implementation of a low-cost digital multimeter for measuring temperature, impedance, voltage and current. For its implementation, an ACS 712 current sensor, the AD5933 impedance meter, an LM35 for temperature measurement and a voltage divider for voltage measurement were used. After the respective conditioning of each sensor, the signals were acquired by a PIC16F877A microcontroller to finely perform the data display on a 16x2 LCD (liquid crystal display). The designed multimeter supports 0 to 500 V measurements, 0 to 2 A, 0 to 150 °C and impedance measurements from 1 kΩ to 10 MΩ.Keywords: Current, digital multimeter, impedance, temperature, voltage

Proposal evaluation matrix for geopark projects in Latin America, based in Protected Areas: Case Studies and Applicatio

Los países latinoamericanos han desarrollado diversos sistemas nacionales de ANP, algunas de las cuales denotan singularidades geológicas en marcos locales y regionales, que pueden perfilarse dentro de una estrategia territorial amplia y holística basada en el patrimonio geológico. Dado el déficit regional de geoparques, se propone una matriz de indicadores para evaluación de proyectos de geoparques aplicable en ANP, con el propósito de valorar territorios potenciales. Para este estudio se estimaron once sitios en cuatro naciones de América Latina, aplicando dos matrices de evaluación: una global y una propuesta regional; con el fin de observar el comportamiento individual de cada zona y la distribución de las categorías con relación al conjunto de datos. Como principal resultado se muestra el menester de fortalecer los aspectos comunicativos y socioeconómicos necesarios para la generación de geoparques. El uso de esta metodología permitirá visualizar los mejores prospectos entre las áreas de estudio y crear una valoración estándar para futuras estimaciones.Latin American countries have developed diverse national systems of NPA, some of which denote geo- logical oddities in local and regional frameworks, which can be profiled in a comprehensive and holistic regional strategy based on geological heritage. Given the regional deficit of Geoparks, is propose a matrix of indicators for geoparks projects evaluation applicable in NPA is proposed, in order to evaluate potential territories. For this study eleven localities from four Latin American countries were estimated, using two matrices of evaluation: global and regional proposal, in order to observe the individual trend of each zone and the distribution of the categories with respect to the data set. The main result shows the need to strengthen communication and socio -economic aspects necessary for the generation of geoparks. The use of this methodology allowed us to visualize of the top prospects from the study areas and create a standard assessment for future estimates

Empoderamiento del alumnado adulto y de las personas mayores para una ciudadanía activa

Esta obra reúne iniciativas y experiencias de sensibilización y formación del profesorado y del alumnado adulto y mayor hacia una educación en competencias que contribuya a desarrollar la práctica de una ciudadanía activa compartiendo el tiempo libre, los conocimientos y las experiencias en proyectos sociales que consoliden y mejoren el entramado social de la ciudad, de las personas que la habitan y de la atención a sus necesidades. Su origen fue el proyecto CiudAct cofinanciado por el Programa Erasmus+ de la Unión Europea y en su desarrollo ha intervenido un equipo interinstitucional liderado por el Aula de Mayores+55 de la Universidad de Málaga y participado por el Centro de Profesorado «José Rodríguez Galán» de Antequera, la Asociación Cívica para la Prevención (ACP), la Asociación de Igualdad de Género Universitario (AIGU), y el Ayuntamiento de Faraján (Málaga). Con ellos, y con otras tantas instituciones y sus respectivos consorcios locales en toda Europa, se participa en la red supranacional Ciudades en Crecimiento.Programa Erasmus+ de la Unión Europea (referencia de proyecto 2015-1-ES01-KA104-014944

Gene Copy Number Quantification of SHOX , VAMP7 , and SRY for the Detection of Sex Chromosome Aneuploidies in Neonates

Aims: To explore the feasibility of detecting sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) by means of gene copy number quantification of short stature homeobox (SHOX), vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 (VAMP7), and SRY in newborns. Materials and Methods: Gene doses of SHOX, VAMP7, and SRY were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using DNA obtained from dried blood samples from newborns. Relative quantification values were obtained. An aneuploidy profile was established according to cutoff values. Samples with ≥2 gene doses (out of range) were reanalyzed, and those with aneuploidy profiles were confirmed by karyotyping. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were obtained. Results: A total of 10,033 samples were collected (4945 females and 5088 males). Of 244 (2.43%) samples with ≥2 gene doses that were retested, 20 cases were confirmed. The overall incidence of SCAs was 1 in 500 live newborns. There were six cases of Turner syndrome (1/824), 3 cases of XXX (1/1648), 7 cases of Klinefelter syndrome (1/726), and 4 cases of of XYY (1/1272). The sensitivity was 0.952 (95.24%), specificity of 0.975 (97.56%), positive predictive value of 0.909 (90.91%), and negative predictive value of 0.987 (98.77%). Conclusions: Gene copy number analyses of VAMP7, SHOX, and SRY genes by qPCR from blood samples spotted onto filter paper is a highly reliable method for the early detection of male and female SCAs

Cultura y sociedad en movimiento

La presente compilación de textos, que aborda temáticas diversas sobre cultura y sociedad, es corolario de un esfuerzo compartido de profesores investigadores y alumnos de licenciatura y posgrado con el fin de dar a conocer resultados de las investigaciones que se están realizando en el organismo académico, incluyendo, por supuesto, otros trabajos llevados a cabo por colegas de instituciones y disciplinas afines; de esta manera se fortalecen los cuerpos académicos y se promueven las líneas de generación y aplicación del conocimiento de éstos, evidenciando algunos campos de conocimiento de la antropología.Como es manifiesto, la obra en su conjunto aborda distintos temas desde diversas perspectivas epistemológicas y teórico-conceptuales. Constituye un trabajo plural que articula la perspectiva antropológica, con otras lentes disciplinares. Cuerpo, agricultura, desigualdad y bienestar se entrelazan como ejes en principio divergentes, que hallan en lo sociocultural un elemento común de análisis. Así, los textos aquí englobados tienen la expectativa de aportar en la discusión contemporánea de viejos y nuevos derroteros de interés antropológico, y social en general