INFLUENCE OF THE ADDITION OF 0.5 AND 1% IN WEIGHT OF MULTI-WALL CARBON NANOTUBES (MWCNTs) IN POLY-LACTIC ACID (PLA) FOR 3D PRINTING

[EN] This research paper presents the characterization of a nanocomposite of polylactic acid (PLA) and carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different percentages of mixture in weight. This thermal characterization determines the influence carbon nanotubes have when those are added into PLA. This last one been used for additive manufacturing (FFF technology).. Once finished the tests, it was observed that the nanocomposite PLA/MWCNTs have a positive application during 3D printing. The extrusion temperatures used in tests were between 177 and 185ºC. The parameters given for the SLISER software, obtained a promising result for the application of a PLA / MWCNT nanocomposite into 3D printing.Cobos, C.; Conejero Rodilla, A.; Fenollar, O.; Ferrándiz Bou, S. (2019). INFLUENCE OF THE ADDITION OF 0.5 AND 1% IN WEIGHT OF MULTI-WALL CARBON NANOTUBES (MWCNTs) IN POLY-LACTIC ACID (PLA) FOR 3D PRINTING. Procedia Manufacturing. 41:875-881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2019.10.010S8758814

Limitations of the IAU2000 nutation model accuracy due to the lack of Oppolzer terms of planetary origin

[EN] Context. The current IAU2000 nutation model performed different approximations, one of them being that the Oppolzer terms associated to the planetary perturbations of the nutations were assumed to be smaller than 5 μas and thus were neglected. At present, the uncertainties of the amplitudes of individual components of the observed nutations are better, and the conventional nutation model does not fit the accuracy requirements pursued by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). Aims. The objective of this work is to estimate the magnitude of the lacking Oppolzer terms of the planetary nutations and find out whether they are still negligible or not. Methods. The Oppolzer terms resulting from the direct and indirect planetary perturbations of the Earth’s rotation have been computed for a two-layer Earth model following the Hamiltonian theory of the non-rigid-Earth. Results. The planetary Oppolzer terms for the non-rigid Earth are not really negligible as believed, and some of them have amplitudes larger than 10 μas, therefore significantly above the current level of uncertainty of individual harmonic constituents. Conclusions. In the short term, the IAU2000 nutation model must be supplemented with suitable corrections accounting for those missing components; its planetary component must be thoroughly revised in the medium term.SIThis work was partly supported by grant AYA2016-79775-P (AEI/FEDER, UE)

Engaging and Assessing Students through their Electronic Devices and Real Time Quizzes

[EN] This paper describes a teaching experience using Socrative, a third party electronic tool, for real-time questioning in lectures of Econometrics.  Econometrics is a theoretical-practical subject, but traditionally a large proportion of our students tend to focus on the practical and discard the theory, often skipping classes on theory and avoiding studying its content, probably motivated by its complexity. As a consequence, students’ marks obtained in the theoretical part of the exam are usually low. In this context, we put forward a change in our teaching methodology to include the use of Socrative, a freely available app, that allows students to answer teachers’ short, true/false, or multiple choice questions posed during each class using their smartphones (or other electronic devices with Internet connection). The objectives of this project are twofold: 1) to engage students and increase attendance at lectures; 2) to improve feedback on the learning process. The results of a survey of a sample of 186 students reveal that Socrative has been an effective tool for achieving these objectives.Ferrándiz, E.; Puentes, C.; Moreno, PJ.; Flores, E. (2016). Engaging and Assessing Students through their Electronic Devices and Real Time Quizzes. Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences. 3(2):173-184. doi:10.4995/muse.2016.6375.SWORD1731843

Asymmetric Organocatalysis in Deep Eutectic Solvents

The recent advances in asymmetric organocatalysis using eutectic mixtures as a reaction medium are revised in this mini‐review. In addition, the first enantioselective transformations using chiral eutectic solvents, which play the role of a green medium and organocatalyst, are described. In this mini‐review we intend to deepen not only in the synthetic aspects of asymmetric organocatalysis in eutectic mixtures, but also in the fundamental issues that seem to be essential for a successful development of this promising, and at the same time challenging, methodology.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN, PGC2018-096616-B-I00), the University of Alicante (VIGROB-173 and VIGROB-316FI), and the University of Pisa (PRA_2018_36)

Myc Inhibits p27-Induced Erythroid Differentiation of Leukemia Cells by Repressing Erythroid Master Genes without Reversing p27-Mediated Cell Cycle Arrest

Inhibition of differentiation has been proposed as an important mechanism for Myc-induced tumorigenesis, but the mechanisms involved are unclear. We have established a genetically defined differentiation model in human leukemia K562 cells by conditional expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p27 (inducible by Zn2+) and Myc (activatable by 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen). Induction of p27 resulted in erythroid differentiation, accompanied by Cdk inhibition and G1 arrest. Interestingly, activation of Myc inhibited p27-mediated erythroid differentiation without affecting p27-mediated proliferation arrest. Microarray-based gene expression indicated that, in the presence of p27, Myc blocked the upregulation of several erythroid-cell-specific genes, including NFE2, JUNB, and GATA1 (transcription factors with a pivotal role in erythropoiesis). Moreover, Myc also blocked the upregulation of Mad1, a transcriptional antagonist of Myc that is able to induce erythroid differentiation. Cotransfection experiments demonstrated that Myc-mediated inhibition of differentiation is partly dependent on the repression of Mad1 and GATA1. In conclusion, this model demonstrates that Myc-mediated inhibition of differentiation depends on the regulation of a specific gene program, whereas it is independent of p27-mediated cell cycle arrest. Our results support the hypothesis that differentiation inhibition is an important Myc tumorigenic mechanism that is independent of cell proliferation. Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.This study was supported by grants CICYT SAF05-00461 from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC), ISCIII-RETIC RD06/0020 from the Spanish Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, API-17-05 from the Fundación Marques de Valdecilla (to J.L), and FIS04/1083 (to M.D.D). J.C.A., G.B., and N.F. were supported by fellowships from the MEC, and V.T. was supported by a Lady Tata Memorial Trust award.Peer Reviewe

El uso de información visual en el dibujo de imaginación

Entre los siglos XV y XVIII, contemporáneamente al estudio sistemático de la naturaleza y al interés por el dibujo con modelo del natural, tiene lugar una intensa búsqueda plástica de la movilidad de la figura humana ingrávida, cuyo movimiento no pertenece a la realidad visible. Ante la abundancia de figuras de este tipo y la diversidad de soluciones plásticas, nos preguntamos acerca del hecho artístico que permite su expresión móvil. Para ello analizamos las diferencias entre el movimiento ligado a la gravedad y el movimiento inventado de los personajes flotantes; y estudiamos el uso de información visual y la imaginación en el proceso de expresión plástica del movimiento, buscando los referentes que nutren la experiencia visual del creador y su transformación por medio de la imaginación creadora

FRUITFULL controls SAUR10 expression and regulates Arabidopsis growth and architecture

[EN] MADS-domain transcription factors are well known for their roles in plant development and regulate sets of downstream genes that have been uncovered by high-throughput analyses. A considerable number of these targets are predicted to function in hormone responses or responses to environmental stimuli, suggesting that there is a close link between developmental and environmental regulators of plant growth and development. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis MADS-domain factor FRUITFULL (FUL) executes several functions in addition to its noted role in fruit development. Among the direct targets of FUL, we identified SMALL AUXIN UPREGULATED RNA 10 (SAUR10), a growth regulator that is highly induced by a combination of auxin and brassinosteroids and in response to reduced R:FR light. Interestingly, we discovered that SAUR10 is repressed by FUL in stems and inflorescence branches. SAUR10 is specifically expressed at the abaxial side of these branches and this localized activity is influenced by hormones, light conditions and by FUL, which has an effect on branch angle. Furthermore, we identified a number of other genes involved in hormone pathways and light signalling as direct targets of FUL in the stem, demonstrating a connection between developmentally and environmentally regulated growth programs.We thank Arjo Meijering for assistance with the light measurements, Niek Stortenbeker for contributions to the manuscript, and Ueli Grossniklaus (University of Zurich) for financial and technical support. MB was supported by the Dutch Organization for Scientific research (NWO) in the framework of the ERA-NET on Plant Genomics (ERA-PG) program project CISCODE and by an NWO Veni-grant. In part, this work was performed in Ueli Grossniklaus' laboratory at the University of Zurich with support through an EMBO LT Fellowship to MB and a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation to Ueli Grossniklaus. HM was supported by an NWO Vidi-grant, granted to KK.Bemer, M.; Van Mourik, H.; Muiño, JM.; Ferrandiz Maestre, C.; Kaufmann, K.; Angenent, G. (2017). FRUITFULL controls SAUR10 expression and regulates Arabidopsis growth and architecture. Journal of Experimental Botany. 68(13):3391-3403. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erx184S33913403681

P73 plays a role in erythroid differentiaion through GATA1 induction

The TP73 gene gives rise to transactivation domain-p73 isoforms (TAp73) as well as ΔNp73 variants with a truncated N terminus. Although TAp73α and -Β proteins are capable of inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation, ΔNp73 acts in many cell types as a dominant-negative repressor of p53 and TAp73. It has been proposed that p73 is involved in myeloid differentiation, and its altered expression is involved in leukemic degeneration. However, there is little evidence as to which p73 variants (TA or ΔN) are expressed during differentiation and whether specific p73 isoforms have the capacity to induce, or hinder, this differentiation in leukemia cells. In this study we identify GATA1 as a direct transcriptional target of TAp73α. Furthermore, TAp73α induces GATA1 activity, and it is required for erythroid differentiation. Additionally, we describe a functional cooperation between TAp73 and ΔNp73 in the context of erythroid differentiation in human myeloid cells, K562 and UT-7. Moreover, the impaired expression of GATA1 and other erythroid genes in the liver of p73KO embryos, together with the moderated anemia observed in p73KO young mice, suggests a physiological role for TP73 in erythropoiesis.Peer reviewe

Design and synthesis of novel 1,4-benzodiazepine surrogates as potential CCKA and CCKB antagonists via palladium-catalyzed three-component cascade reactions

Structurally diverse novel 1,4-benzodiazepine analogues related to selective CCKA antagonist MK-329, and CCKB antagonists L-365,260 and YM022 are prepared via palladium-catalyzed three component domino reactions involving allenylation-carbonylation-anion capture in one-pot cascade protocol in good to excellent yields