Membranas nanoestructuradas, compuestas de capa fina y nanocompuestas para el tratamiento de aguas

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, leída el 06/11/2020. Tesis formato europeo (compendio de artículos)During last decades, population growth, climate change, natural disasters, uncontrolled urbanization, and pollution have left about one third of the world’s population without adequate access to drinking water. Water issue is expected to be more exacerbated in the coming decades, with water scarcity occurring globally and affecting even regions currently considered waterrich. Addressing this problem requires a great deal of adequate research to improve the efficiency of water use and wastewater treatment, as well as to mitigate the impacts of a wide variety of factors affecting water availability worldwide. Over the past twenty years, membrane filtration technology has become a significant separation methodology for drinking water production from saltwater (i.e. desalination) and wastewater (or groundwater), providing environmentally friendly and effective alternatives to conventional technologies. The main advantages of membrane filtration technology over conventional separation methods are its high removal capacity of particulates and microorganisms, very low thermal and chemical impact, flexibility of operation, modular design, moderate energy consumption and high cost effectiveness. The growth of the global membranes market is mainly the result of the impressive development of materials used for membrane fabrication and modification, improvements in membrane modules, and the progress of related systems, plants and equipment. However, the application of membranes in water treatment is limited by membrane fouling, which reduces water production rate, increases energy consumption, deteriorates membrane separation capability, and shortens membrane lifespan increasing, consequently, operation and maintenance costs. Particularly, organic and microbial fouling are the initial steps for biofilm formation, resulting in severe fouling problems in many environmental and engineered applications including membrane water filtration. Therefore, it is crucial the preparation of membranes with optimized surface properties, which induce a high fouling resistant capacity. This PhD thesis is focused on the preparation, characterization, modification and optimization of novel and advanced membranes with enhanced organic and microbial antifouling performance for the treatment, clearance and disinfection of different types of water as a sustainable way to increase drinking water availability and reduce water scarcity. First, an overview of the progress made during last few years on the preparation of novel membranes and their modification for water treatment by hydrostatic pressure and vapor pressure gradient membrane processes (i.e., microfiltration, MF; ultrafiltration, UF; nanofiltration, NF; reverse osmosis, RO; membrane distillation, MD and pervaporation, PV) is outlined in order to better understand the challenges and drawbacks that still need to be overcome for these membrane filtration technologies...Durante las últimas décadas, el crecimiento demográfico, el cambio climático, los desastres naturales, la urbanización descontrolada y la contaminación han dejado a aproximadamente un tercio de la población mundial sin acceso adecuado al agua potable. Se espera que el problema del agua se agrave aún más en las próximas décadas, habiendo escasez de agua en todo el mundo y afectando incluso a las regiones actualmente consideradas ricas en agua. Abordar este problema requiere una gran cantidad de investigación adecuada para mejorar la eficiencia del uso del agua y el tratamiento de aguas residuales, así como para mitigar los impactos de una amplia variedad de factores que afectan la disponibilidad del agua en todo el mundo. En los últimos veinte años, la tecnología de filtración por membrana se ha convertido en una metodología de separación significativa para la producción de agua potable a partir de agua salada (es decir desalinización) y aguas residuales (o aguas subterráneas), proporcionando alternativas ecológicas y efectivas respecto a las tecnologías convencionales. Las principales ventajas de la tecnología de filtración por membrana sobre los métodos de separación convencionales son su alta capacidad de eliminación de partículas y microorganismos, muy bajo impacto térmico y químico, flexibilidad de operación, diseño modular, consumo moderado de energía y alta rentabilidad. El crecimiento del mercado mundial de membranas es principalmente el resultado del impresionante progreso en los materiales utilizados para la fabricación y modificación de membranas, las mejoras en los módulos de membranas y la evolución de los sistemas, plantas y equipos relacionados. Sin embargo, la aplicación de membranas para el tratamiento de agua está limitada por el ensuciamiento de la membrana, lo que reduce la tasa de producción de agua, aumenta el consumo de energía, deteriora la capacidad de separación de la membrana y acorta la vida útil de la misma aumentando, en consecuencia, los gastos de operación y mantenimiento. Particularmente, el ensuciamiento orgánico y microbiano conforman las etapas iniciales para la formación de biopelículas, lo que da lugar a graves problemas de ensuciamiento en muchas aplicaciones ambientales y de ingeniería, incluida la filtración de agua por membrana. Por consiguiente, resulta crucial preparar membranas con propiedades superficiales optimizadas que induzcan una alta capacidad de resistencia al ensuciamiento. Esta tesis doctoral se centra en la preparación, caracterización, modificación y optimización de membranas novedosas y avanzadas con una eficiencia de anti-ensuciamiento “antifouling” orgánico y microbiano mejorada para el tratamiento, depuración y desinfección de diferentes tipos de agua como una forma sostenible de aumentar la disponibilidad de agua potable y reducir la escasez de agua. Primero, se ofrece una visión general del progreso realizado durante los últimos años en la preparación de nuevas membranas y su modificación para el tratamiento de agua mediante procesos de membrana con gradiente de presión hidrostática y presión de vapor (incluyendo microfiltración, MF; ultrafiltración, UF; nanofiltración, NF; ósmosis inversa, OI; destilación en membrana, DM y pervaporación, PV) con el objetivo de comprender mejor los desafíos y los inconvenientes que aún deben ser superados por estas tecnologías de filtración de membrana...Fac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEunpu

Successful Direct Acting Antiviral Therapy in ChronicHepatitis C Normalizes IFN and IL2 Production in T Cells Together with TLR8 Expression and Functionality in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) activates a systemic cell-mediated immune response characterized by the production of IFN? and an innate immune response addressed by the activation of TLR signaling. We aimed to investigate whether HCV eradication by direct acting antivirals (DAA) leads to a recovery in cell-mediated immune response and TLR expression and functionality. Blood samples were obtained in HCV infected patients before DAA treatment and at week +48 after the end of treatment. Results were compared to healthy controls. Cell surface expression of TLR8 was assessed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry. Freshly isolated PBMCs were cultured with specific TLR8 agonists and intracellular production of cytokines was determined by flow-cytometry after ex vivo TLR8 activation with ssRNA 40. Production of IFN?, IL2 and IL17 was assessed by flow cytometry in T cells after polyclonal activation. Included were 50 HCV-infected patients and 15 controls. TLR8 expression in PBMCs was significantly increased before treatment and recovered normal levels at week +48. Production of IL1b, IL6 and TNF? dependent on the activation of TLR8 in PBMCs was also increased in patients before DAA treatment, with a significant reduction at week +48. Combined expression of IFN? and IL2 in CD4+ T cells in HCV-infected patients was significantly increased compared to controls and recovered normal levels at week +48. DAA-mediated clearance of HCV is associated with a decreased expression and activation of TLR8 in PBMCs until healthy control levels which is accompanied by a reduction in the Th1 response.This research was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), grant number PIE15/00079

Developing a new innovative methodology to integrate geophysical techniques into characterization of potential CO2 storage sites: Lopín structure (Southern Ebro basin, Spain)

Abstract:One of the main challenges facing geological storage is to identify cost-effective methodologicalworkflows for characterizing and monitoring geological storage sites. In the framework of the ALGECO2 pro-ject, led by the IGME (Geological and Mining Institute, Spain), a preliminary study of the Lopín site in the NEof Spain indicated conditions were promising for geological storage of CO2. However, the poor quality of thelegacy seismic reflection data precluded thorough characterization. Within the H2020 PilotSTRATEGY pro-ject, one of the possible selected target reservoirs was the Lopín structure. In order to characterize its geometryand physical properties as required to properly evaluate its storage potential, IGME applied a new emergingmethodology that integrates reinterpreted reflection seismic data with newly acquired and interpreted gravity,passive seismic and petrophysical data. This methodology was successfully applied along one seismic profile. Inthis paper, we present the results of this integration as thefirst step towards characterizing the site and evaluatingits suitability for storage.Funding for this research came from the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (European Climate,Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), award 101022664

The tree of life: intertwining genomics and evolution

20 páginas.- 2 figuras.- 44 referencias,. CSIC Libro blanco 2Evolutionary biology seeks to understand how biological diversity originates and is maintained. High-throughput sequencing permits assembling chromosome-level genomes, characterizing single-cell transcriptomes, and determining epigenomic modifications. Once widely applied to the diversity of living organisms, the reconstruction of the Tree of Life and the identification of the genomic targets of natural selection will be achievedPeer reviewe

The Neuropeptide VIP Limits Human Osteoclastogenesis: Clinical Associations with Bone Metabolism Markers in Patients with Early Arthritis

We aimed to evaluate the direct action of VIP on crucial molecules involved in human osteoclast differentiation and function. We also investigated the relationship between VIP serum levels and bone remodeling mediators in early arthritis patients. The expression of VIP receptors and osteoclast gene markers in monocytes and in vitro differentiated osteoclasts was studied by real-time PCR. NFATc1 activity was measured using a TransAM® kit. Osteoclastogenesis was confirmed by quantification of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase positive multinucleated cells. OsteoAssay® Surface Multiple Well Plate was used to evaluate bone-resorbing activity. The ring-shaped actin cytoskeleton and the VPAC1 and VPAC2 expression were analyzed by immunofluorescence. We described the presence of VIP receptors in monocytes and mature osteoclasts. Osteoclasts that formed in the presence of VIP showed a decreased expression of osteoclast differentiation gene markers and proteolytic enzymes involved in bone resorption. VIP reduced the resorption activity and decreased both β3 integrin expression and actin ring formation. Elevated serum VIP levels in early arthritis patients were associated with lower BMD loss and higher serum OPG concentration. These results demonstrate that VIP exerts an anti-osteoclastogenic action impairing both differentiation and resorption activity mainly through the negative regulation of NFATc1, evidencing its bone-protective effects in humans

Material audiovisual para el mural "El Tiempo en Geología" de la Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas

La Geología abarca toda la historia del planeta, por lo que se hace inviable utilizar conceptos temporales de nuestra vida cotidiana. Por ello, se ha realizado un friso para el hall de la Facultad y para presentarlo, se ha realizado un vídeo explicativo del mismo

Lugar(es)

Catálogo de la exposición colectiva celebrada en la sala de exposiciones de la Facultad de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid entre el 14 y el 30 de enero de 201