Proyecto PRIC: Protección Robotizada de Infraestructuras Críticas

Esta comunicación resume los trabajos realizados por el Grupo de Robótica y Cibernética (RobCib) del Centro de Automática y Robótica (CAR), formado por UPM y CSIC, en el contexto del proyecto PRIC (Protección Robotizada de Infraestructuras Críticas). Este proyecto tiene como objetivo el desarrollo de sistemas robóticos capaces de vigilar las infraestructuras críticas, detectando las potenciales amenazas e interviniendo cuando sea necesario. Algunos de estos trabajos están encaminados a la detección de anomalías visuales y acústicas, la detección, predicción e interceptación de intrusos, el desarrollo de un robot de pequeño tamaño y un manipulador híper-redundante para intervenir en áreas de difícil acceso, el diseño de una interfaz para misiones multi-robot y la adaptación de herramientas comunes en el mundo de la robótica a los escenarios multi-robot

Evaluation of the In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis of a Novel 3D-Printed Degradable Drug Delivery System Based on Polycaprolactone/Chitosan/Vancomycin—Preclinical Study

Acute and chronic bone infections, especially those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), remains a major complication and therapeutic challenge. It is documented that local administration of vancomycin offers better results than the usual routes of administration (e.g., intravenous) when ischemic areas are present. In this work, we evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy against S. aureus and S. epidermidis of a novel hybrid 3D-printed scaffold based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and a chitosan (CS) hydrogel loaded with different vancomycin (Van) concentrations (1, 5, 10, 20%). Two cold plasma treatments were used to improve the adhesion of CS hydrogels to the PCL scaffolds by decreasing PCL hydrophobicity. Vancomycin release was measured by means of HPLC, and the biological response of ah-BM-MSCs growing in the presence of the scaffolds was evaluated in terms of cytotoxicity, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. The PCL/CS/Van scaffolds tested were found to be biocompatible, bioactive, and bactericide, as demonstrated by no cytotoxicity (LDH activity) or functional alteration (ALP activity, alizarin red staining) of the cultured cells and by bacterial inhibition. Our results suggest that the scaffolds developed would be excellent candidates for use in a wide range of biomedical fields such as drug delivery systems or tissue engineering applications.FarmaciaMedicin

Synthesis of New Cyclodextrin-Based Adsorbents to Remove Direct Red 83:1

Two cyclodextrins (CDs), γ– and hydroxypropyl (HP)–γ–CDs were used to synthesize new adsorbents by using epichlorohydrin (EPI) as cross-linking agent in order to remove Direct Red 83:1 (DR) from water. Both polymers were characterized in terms of Fourier spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, particle size distribution and thermogravimetric analysis. Experimental data for both polymers were well fitted to the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion model, indicating that in the adsorption both chemical and physical interactions are essential in the removal of DR. Three different isotherm models were analyzed, concluding that γ–CDs–EPI followed the Temkin isotherm and HP–γ–CDs-EPI the Freundlich isotherm, these results suggested that the adsorption was happening onto heterogeneous surfaces. The results of the Gibbs free energy showed that the adsorption was spontaneous at room temperature. In order to eliminate the remaining dye after the polymer treatment, and advanced oxidation process (AOP) was considered, achieving more than 90% of removal combining both mechanisms.European project “DYES4EVER” (Use of cyclodextrins for treatment of wastewater in textile industry to recover and reuse textile dyes, LIFE12 ENV/ES/000309) within the LIFE+ 2012 “Environment Policy and Governance project application” program.Ingeniería, Industria y Construcció

The GenTree Platform: growth traits and tree-level environmental data in 12 European forest tree species

Background: Progress in the field of evolutionary forest ecology has been hampered by the huge challenge of phenotyping trees across their ranges in their natural environments, and the limitation in high-resolution environmental information. Findings: The GenTree Platform contains phenotypic and environmental data from 4,959 trees from 12 ecologically and economically important European forest tree species: Abies alba Mill. (silver fir), Betula pendula Roth. (silver birch), Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Picea abies (L.) H. Karst (Norway spruce), Pinus cembra L. (Swiss stone pine), Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine), Pinus nigra Arnold (European black pine), Pinus pinaster Aiton (maritime pine), Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine), Populus nigra L. (European black poplar), Taxus baccata L. (English yew), and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. (sessile oak). Phenotypic (height, diameter at breast height, crown size, bark thickness, biomass, straightness, forking, branch angle, fructification), regeneration, environmental in situ measurements (soil depth, vegetation cover, competition indices), and environmental modeling data extracted by using bilinear interpolation accounting for surrounding conditions of each tree (precipitation, temperature, insolation, drought indices) were obtained from trees in 194 sites covering the species’ geographic ranges and reflecting local environmental gradients. Conclusion: The GenTree Platform is a new resource for investigating ecological and evolutionary processes in forest trees. The coherent phenotyping and environmental characterization across 12 species in their European ranges allow for a wide range of analyses from forest ecologists, conservationists, and macro-ecologists. Also, the data here presented can be linked to the GenTree Dendroecological collection, the GenTree Leaf Trait collection, and the GenTree Genomic collection presented elsewhere, which together build the largest evolutionary forest ecology data collection available

Between but not within species variation in the distribution of fitness effects

New mutations provide the raw material for evolution and adaptation. The distribution of fitness effects (DFE) describes the spectrum of effects of new mutations that can occur along a genome, and is therefore of vital interest in evolutionary biology. Recent work has uncovered striking similarities in the DFE between closely related species, prompting us to ask whether there is variation in the DFE among populations of the same species, or among species with different degrees of divergence, i.e., whether there is variation in the DFE at different levels of evolution. Using exome capture data from six tree species sampled across Europe we characterised the DFE for multiple species, and for each species, multiple populations, and investigated the factors potentially influencing the DFE, such as demography, population divergence and genetic background. We find statistical support for there being variation in the DFE at the species level, even among relatively closely related species. However, we find very little difference at the population level, suggesting that differences in the DFE are primarily driven by deep features of species biology, and that evolutionarily recent events, such as demographic changes and local adaptation, have little impact

Hydroxytyrosol and Potential Uses in Cardiovascular Diseases, Cancer, and AIDS

Hydroxytyrosol is one of the main phenolic components of olive oil. It is present in the fruit and leaf of the olive (Olea europaea L.). During the past decades, it has been well documented that this phenolic compound has health benefits and a protective action has been found in preclinical studies against several diseases. Here, we review its bioavailability in human beings and several assays showing significant results related with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Mechanisms of action include potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, among others. The importance of hydroxytyrosol in protection of low-density lipoproteins and consequently its implication in the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk has been highlighted by the European Food Safety Authority, concluding that 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives should be consumed daily to reach this effect at physiological level. We discuss the potential uses of this compound in supplements, nutraceutic foods, or topical formulations in the disease risk reduction. Finally, we conclude that more studies are needed to sustain or reject many other health claims not yet fully documented and to validate these newly available hydroxytyrosol-based products, because it seems to be a good candidate to reduce the risk of diseases mentioned.This study was supported by the projects AGL2011-23690 (CICYT), and CSIC 201170E041 (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). Libia A. García-Flores was granted a pre-doctoral FPI, fellowship program from the Spanish government.Peer reviewedPeer Reviewe

Heating and ventilating system for IFE building : With the use of renewable energy sources.

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester'.For the last fifteen weeks our team, consisting of four members, has been carrying out the project entitled “Heating and ventilating system for IFE building, with the use of renewable energy sources” for the European Project Semester (EPS). This project is devoted to establish the review analysis of energy consumption of the building in order to determine the most promising solution of the problem which affects this building: using the central heating system, fed by the urban supply. This consumption is not rentable in terms of economy and is not using a renewable energy source. According to the Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (recast), the energy consumption of newly developed buildings (starting from 2020) has to reach 20% in use of the renewable energy sources and restricting the CO2 emissions by 20%. To deal with this problem it was necessary to analyze all the types of heat sources available in Łódź, which could be used within the buildings premises. The project output is to create a heating system for the building, using the so-called heat pump device, situated inside the basement of IFE building. The first design assumption was the use of a system of heat exchangers restoring the required amount of energy form a ground, covering the buildings' energy needs. Solar radiation, air, ground and water source are the analyzed energy sources applicable for a heat pump or a binary system (heat pump with its source + other applicable), which, in fact, the mother source is solar radiation, stored or taken directly. The next step was to compute the power demand of the building monthly, to decide on the size of a chosen heat pump, using the optimization of the size in the cost function, or more specifically, the cost (power) minimization. To do this we had to contact the providers to get information about the most appropriate heat pumps and other relevant costs in order to make the good investment, taking in a count the repayment and the right efficiency of the system. We made also the overall SWOT analysis to make sure the final outcome is the most appropriate. In the end, we decided which source and heat pump would the best solution for our problem, and introduced the design process with its outcome (installation design of the heat pump with the lower heat source and its' placement in the IFE building premises)

Heating and ventilating system for IFE building : With the use of renewable energy sources.

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester'.For the last fifteen weeks our team, consisting of four members, has been carrying out the project entitled “Heating and ventilating system for IFE building, with the use of renewable energy sources” for the European Project Semester (EPS). This project is devoted to establish the review analysis of energy consumption of the building in order to determine the most promising solution of the problem which affects this building: using the central heating system, fed by the urban supply. This consumption is not rentable in terms of economy and is not using a renewable energy source. According to the Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (recast), the energy consumption of newly developed buildings (starting from 2020) has to reach 20% in use of the renewable energy sources and restricting the CO2 emissions by 20%. To deal with this problem it was necessary to analyze all the types of heat sources available in Łódź, which could be used within the buildings premises. The project output is to create a heating system for the building, using the so-called heat pump device, situated inside the basement of IFE building. The first design assumption was the use of a system of heat exchangers restoring the required amount of energy form a ground, covering the buildings' energy needs. Solar radiation, air, ground and water source are the analyzed energy sources applicable for a heat pump or a binary system (heat pump with its source + other applicable), which, in fact, the mother source is solar radiation, stored or taken directly. The next step was to compute the power demand of the building monthly, to decide on the size of a chosen heat pump, using the optimization of the size in the cost function, or more specifically, the cost (power) minimization. To do this we had to contact the providers to get information about the most appropriate heat pumps and other relevant costs in order to make the good investment, taking in a count the repayment and the right efficiency of the system. We made also the overall SWOT analysis to make sure the final outcome is the most appropriate. In the end, we decided which source and heat pump would the best solution for our problem, and introduced the design process with its outcome (installation design of the heat pump with the lower heat source and its' placement in the IFE building premises)

Hydroxytyrosol fatty acid esters as new candidate markers for detecting olive oil inadequate storage conditions by UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS

Recently, lipophenols (or phenolipids), which are composed of a fatty acid (FA) and a phenolic core such as hydroxytyrosol (HT), have been detected in extra virgin olive oils (EVOO), promoted by the esterification reaction between FA and HT in a unique lipophenolic molecule (HT-FAs). However, the levels of HT-FAs, as well as potential alterations in their concentrations during the storage of EVOO, are still unexplored. Thus, the present study uncovers, by UHPLC-MS/MS triple quadrupole analyzer, the changes of HT-FA levels in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) during 12 months of storage, mimicking both commercial temperatures (room temperature (RT)), as well as inappropriate conditions of storage at high temperatures (40 °C). In addition, levels of HT-FAs in olive oils (blends with refined olive oil) compared to EVOO were assessed to investigate the effect of the refining process on lipophenol generation. Free HT concentration in EVOO was increased, after 12 months, by 121.31% and 236.80% at RT and 40 °C, respectively. Additionally, HT-FAs in EVOO samples, mainly, esterified with linoleic acid and oleic acid, enhanced up to 2.6-fold and 5.5-fold, respectively after 12 months at 40 °C. Nonetheless, in blends with refined oils, the levels of free HT decreased by 80.2%, whereas esterified HT augmented significantly. The type of FA linked to HT core, as well as the degree of unsaturation of FA seem to influence the lipophenolic derivative generation. Significant concentration differences found during storage time supported their potential use as candidate markers, but these findings so require further assessment to establish the HT-FAs concentration range for authentication purposes. Likewise, the ratio between esterified/free HT could be employed as freshness or aging indices of the EVOO during its shelf life, when used in conjunction with validated olive quality parameters.The authors thank the company Olimendros S.L. (Murcia, Spain) for the supply of extra virgin olive oils. This work was funded by the Saavedra-Fajardo program 21078/SF/19 from the Agency for Science and Technology of the Región de Murcia – “Fundación Séneca” (Spain)

Hydroxytyrosol: a new class of microbicide displaying broad anti-HIV-1 activity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the toxicity and activity against HIV of 5-hydroxytyrosol as a potential microbicide. DESIGN: The anti-HIV-1 activity of 5-hydroxytyrosol, a polyphenolic compound, was tested against wild-type HIV-1 and viral clones resistant to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors and integrase inhibitors. In addition to its activity against founder viruses, different viral subtypes and potential synergy with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine and emtricitabine was also tested. 5-Hydroxytyrosol toxicity was evaluated in vivo in rabbit vaginal mucosa. METHODS: We have cloned pol gene from drug-resistant HIV-1 isolated from infected patients and env gene from Fiebeg III/IV patients or A, C, D, E, F and G subtypes in the NL4.3-Ren backbone. 5-Hydroxytyrosol anti-HIV-1 activity was evaluated in infections of MT-2, U87-CCR5 or peripheral blood mononuclear cells preactivated with phytohemagglutinin + interleukin-2 with viruses obtained through 293T transfections. Inhibitory concentration 50% and cytotoxic concentration 50% were calculated. Synergy was analysed according to Chou and Talalay method. In-vivo toxicity was evaluated for 14 days in rabbit vaginal mucosa. RESULTS: 5-Hydroxytyrosol inhibited HIV-1 infections of recombinant or wild-type viruses in all the target cells tested. Moreover, 5-hydroxytyrosol showed similar inhibitory concentration 50% values for infections with NRTIs, NNRTIs, protease inhibitors and INIs resistant viruses; founder viruses and all the subtypes tested. Combination of 5-hydroxytyrosol with tenofovir was found to be synergistic, whereas it was additive with lamivudine and emtricitabine. In-vivo toxicity of 5-hydroxytyrosol was very low even at the highest tested doses. CONCLUSION: 5-Hydroxytyrosol displayed a broad anti-HIV-1 activity in different cells systems in the absent of in-vivo toxicity, therefore supporting its candidacy as a potential new class of microbicides.AIM-HIV Network of Excellence of the EU, grant number HEALTH-F3-2012-305938. CHAARM European Community's Seventh Framework programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 242135. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Intrasalud PI12/0056). The following reagents were obtained through the NIH AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program, Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH: tenofovir, lamivudine, emtricitabine, nevirapine and raltegravir.S