High temperature behavior of Sr-doped layered cobaltites Y(Ba1-xSrx)Co2O5.5: phase stability and structural properties

In this article we present a neutron diffraction in-situ study of the thermal evolution and high-temperature structure of layered cobaltites Y(Ba, Sr)Co2 O5+{\delta}. Neutron thermodiffractograms and magnetic susceptibility measurements are reported in the temperature range 20 K <= T <= 570 K, as well as high resolution neutron diffraction experiments at selected temperatures. Starting from the as-synthesized samples with {\delta} ~ 0.5, we show that the room temperature phases remain stable up to 550 K, where they start loosing oxygen and transform to a vacancy-disordered "112" structure with tetragonal symmetry. Our results also show how the so-called "122" structure can be stabilized at high temperature (around 450 K) in a sample in which the addition of Sr at the Ba site had suppressed its formation. In addition, we present the structural and magnetic properties of the resulting samples with a new oxygen content {\delta} ~ 0.25 in the temperature range 20 K <= T <= 300 K

Design Optimization of the Aeronautical Sheet Hydroforming Process Using the Taguchi Method

The aluminium alloy sheet forming processes forging in rubber pad and diaphragm presses (also known as hydroforming processes) are simple and economical processes adapted to aeronautical production. Typical defects of these processes are elastic recovery, necking, and wrinkling, and they present di culties in control mainly due to property variations of the sheet material that take place during the process. In order to make these processes robust and unresponsive to material variations, a multiobjective optimization methodology based on the Taguchi method is proposed in the present study. The design of experiments and process simulation are combined in the methodology, using the nonlinear finite element method. The properties of sheet material are considered noise factors of the hydroforming process, the objective being to find a combination of the control factors that causes minimal defects to noise factors. The methodology was applied to an AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy sheet of 1 mm thickness stamping process in a diaphragm press. The results allowed us to establish the optimal pressure values, friction coeficient between sheet and block, and friction coeficient between sheet and rubber to reduce the elastic recovery variations and the minimal thickness before noise facts

Two exopolyphosphatases with distinct molecular architectures and substrate specificities from the thermophilic green-sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum TLS

The genome of the thermophilic green-sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidumTLS possesses two genes encoding putative exopolyphosphatases (PPX; EC 3.6.1.11), namely CT0099 (ppx1, 993 bp) and CT1713 (ppx2, 1557 bp). The predicted polypeptides of 330 and 518 aa residues are Ppx-GppA phosphatases of different domain architectures - the largest one has an extra C-terminal HD domain - which may represent ancient paralogues. Both ppxgenes were cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). While CtPPX1 was validated as a monomeric enzyme, CtPPX2 was found to be a homodimer. Both PPX homologues were functional, K+-stimulated phosphohydrolases, with an absolute requirement for divalent metal cations and a marked preference for Mg2+. Nevertheless, they exhibited remarkably different catalytic specificities with regard to substrate classes and chain lengths. Even though both enzymes were able to hydrolyse the medium-size polyphosphate (polyP) P13-18 (polyP mix with mean chain length of 13-18 phosphate residues), CtPPX1 clearly reached its highest catalytic efficiency with tripolyphosphate and showed substantial nucleoside triphosphatase (NTPase) activity, while CtPPX2 preferred long-chain polyPs (>300 Pi residues) and did not show any detectable NTPase activity. These catalytic features, taken together with the distinct domain architectures and molecular phylogenies, indicate that the two PPX homologues of Chl. tepidum belong to different Ppx-GppA phosphatase subfamilies that should play specific biochemical roles in nucleotide and polyP metabolisms. In addition, these results provide an example of the remarkable functional plasticity of the Ppx-GppA phosphatases, a family of proteins with relatively simple structures that are widely distributed in the microbial world. © 2014 The Authors.España, Gobierno BFU2004-00843, BFU2007- 61887 and BFU2010-15622Junta de AndalucÍa BIO118

El Devenir Inmediato de la Reforma y Gestión Universitaria en México y sus Tareas en el Marco de la Agenda Mundial

En su devenir inmediato, la universidad como parte integrante del sistema de educación superior, ha venido presentando un conjunto de transformaciones caracterizadas por hechos que han respondido en su momento a dinámicas propias del sistema educativo como también a las de su contexto y sectores con los cuales se vincula. En tales situaciones, las universidades han transitado por un conjunto de reformas y procesos de gestión que han tendido tanto a su adecuación a las necesidades presentes como a su transformación para atender las necesidades emergentes en relación a su objeto de ser. En tales contextos, el presente documento de trabajo hace un recorrido temporal sobre aquellos hechos inmediatos que han sido significativos en las reformas y procesos de gestión académica de las universidades, para luego identificar algunas de las principales tendencias de la educación superior que se presentan en el plano internacional y a partir de ello derivar un conjunto de factores y retos que permiten plantear algunas tareas que se consideran pendientes y necesarias en el marco de las reformas universitarias y sus respectivos procesos de gestión susceptibles de llevar a cabo en los próximos años

Network perspective of histamine related diseases

Histamine is the most pleiotropic biogenic amine. Produced and stored by a limited set of cells—histaminergic neurons, enterochromaffin-like cells, and mast cells—it broadcasts intercellular communication signals to a wide variety of cell types through its tissue-specific receptors. The many molecular interactions of these receptors and other mediators result in complex cellular networks whose alteration result in disease. Therefore, complex diseases map to modules of these cellular networks in the diseasomes. In this communication, we survey the histamine cellular networks to map the histamine diseasome, presenting a network view of the pleiotropy of histamine and its role in several complex diseases.A.A. Moya is a CIBERER fellow. The "CIBER de Enfermedades Raras" is an initiative from the ISCIII (Spain)]. This communication has the support of a travel grant "Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech"

Inorganic Polyphosphate in the Microbial World. Emerging Roles for a Multifaceted Biopolymer

inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) are linear polymers of tens to hundreds orthophosphate residues linked by phosphoanhydride bonds. These fairly abundant biopolymers occur in all extant forms of life, from prokaryotes to mammals, and could have played a relevant role in prebiotic evolution. Since the first identification of polyP deposits as metachromatic or volutin granules in yeasts in the nineteenth century, an increasing number of varied physiological functions have been reported. Due to their "high energy" bonds analogous to those in ATP and their properties as polyanions, polyP serve as microbial phosphagens for a variety of biochemical reactions, as a buffer against alkalis, as a storage of Ca(2+) and as a metal-chelating agent. In addition, recent studies have revealed polyP importance in signaling and regulatory processes, cell viability and proliferation, pathogen virulence, as a structural component and chemical chaperone, and as modulator of microbial stress response. This review summarizes the current status of knowledge and future perspectives of polyP functions and their related enzymes in the microbial world.España, MINECO BFU2004-00843, BFU2007-61887, BFU2010-15622España, Junta de Andalucía BIO-26

Estudio de la calidad ambiental del ruido en frontis principal del campus de la Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego de Trujillo

El presente trabajo se centró en el estudio de la calidad del ruido en el frontis de la Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego de Trujillo (UPAO), sector ubicado en la intersección de dos importantes arterias viales urbanas y que concentra actividades comerciales relacionadas directamente con la dinámica académica de la universidad, así como otras complementarias a la primera, conformando un foco de contaminación sonora que puede, a largo plazo, afectar significativamente a la salud de la población que reside y frecuenta dicha zona de la ciudad. El objetivo principal fue evaluar la calidad ambiental del ruido mediante un monitoreo por muestreo de datos, tomados directamente in situ, de manera que puedan compararse con los Estándares de calidad ambiental de ruido vigentes a nivel nacional. El informe se organizó de la siguiente forma: La introducción, que abordó aspectos relacionados con la realidad problemática, la metodología de investigación y el marco referencial, que incluye el marco teórico, el conceptual y el normativo. Luego, la caracterización del sector urbano en estudio, describiendo como se encuentran actualmente tanto la Urb. Monserrate, en el borde que corresponde al límite con la Av. América Sur, como el campus principal de la UPAO. Posteriormente se desarrolló el proceso de monitoreo para la evaluación de la calidad del ruido, en base al Protocolo Nacional de Monitoreo de Ruido Ambiental. En la última parte se abordó el análisis y discusión para finalmente arribar a las conclusiones y recomendaciones. El método empleado fue descriptivo-experimental y el objeto de estudio se centró en la calidad del ruido ambiental. Los resultados obtenidos son: los niveles de presión sonora continua equivalente detectados exceden notoriamente a los límites establecidos por la normatividad vigente, confirmándose la hipótesis planteada. Por lo tanto, se concluye que, con dichos excesos de contaminación sonora permanente la población residente en el lugar, así como los usuarios directos de la UPAO, podrían poner en riesgo su salud, desarrollando enfermedades tanto a nivel fisiológico como psicológico.This present study focused on the quality of noise from Antenor Orrego private university’s façade, located between the intersection of two important urban traffic roads which concentrates comercial dynamics related to the academic university activities so as many others, forming a focus of noise pollution whose long term exposure can affect importantly the population health, especially to those living and frequenting the surroundings. The main objective was to evaluate the environmental noise quality by monitoring sampling data taken in situ so that can be compared with the national environmental noise quality standards. This report is organized in the following way: the introduction presenting aspects related to the problematic reality, the investigation methology and the frame of reference including theoretical, conceptual and regulatory framework. Then, the characterisation of the sector describing Monserrate urbanisation current location, bording America Sur avenue, as well as UPAO main campus. Afterwards it is developed the procedure of monitoring the appraisal noise quality based on the noise pollution monitoring protocol. Finally the last chapters present the analysis and the discussion leading to the conclusions and recommendations. The research method used was the descriptive-experimental and the objective of the study was the environmental noise quality. The obtained results showed that the detected sound pressure levels exceed permissible limits by current regulations, validating the suggested hypothesis. Therefore it concludes that these permanent high noise levels contribute to physiological and psychological diseases in the population living in the community and people attending UPAO.Tesi

Inductores de valor para instituciones de educación superior privadas en Colombia

Las instituciones de educación superior privadas, en su gran mayoría, se han mantenido al margen de implementar herramientas de análisis financiero, diferentes al seguimiento del balance y el estado de resultados, para evaluar la eficiencia en el manejo de los recursos, que son fundamentales para dar respuesta a las exigencias del entorno y al aumento de la competencia por parte de universidades internacionales en un mundo cada vez más globalizado y un país abriendo mercados a través de tratados de libre comercio.45 p.The majority of Higher Education Institutions private, have remained away from implementing financial analysis tools, different from monitoring the balance and income statement, in order to assess efficiency in the management of the resources, which are essential to response to the demands of the environment and the increasing competition from international universities in an increasingly globalized world and in a country opening markets through free trade treaties

Los animales fieros en el Infierno de los enamorados del Marqués de Santillana.

Durante la Edad Media, el Infierno fue recurrentemente representado de distintas formas y con diversos elementos en su interior, uno de ellos fue la Boca Devoradora que simulaba la entrada a través de un animal que tragaba a los condenados hacia su destino. Aunque este elemento fue muy notable en la pintura de esa época, en la literatura también se puede rastrear su presencia. Así, en la Baja Edad Media, un poeta de la Península Ibérica, don Íñigo López de Mendoza, o mejor conocido como el Marqués de Santillana, escribió un poema titulado Infierno de los enamorados, en el que se advierte el uso de la Boca Devoradora por medio de un grupo denominado “animales fieros”, mismo que está conformado por leones, serpientes, tigres y dragones. El análisis simbólico de cada animal permitirá relacionar a cada uno con la entrada abrupta del Infierno