Preparación y caracterización de compuestos poliméricos a base de aceite de linaza epoxidado y nanotubos de carbono

Establecer las condiciones de preparación de compuestos poliméricos a base de aceite de linaza y nanotubos de carbono no modificados y modificados químicamente, y llevar a cabo su caracterización por FT-IR, SEM, propiedades eléctricasSe alcanzó el objetivo del proyecto. Se analizó el efecto de la funcionalización de nanotubos de carbono de pared múltiple (NTCPM) en la dispersión en una matriz polimérica. Esa dispersión se evaluó indirectamente mediante la medición de la resistencia eléctrica y posterior cálculo de la resistividad de películas de los compuestos poliméricos a base de Aceite de linaza epoxidado (ALE) y NTCPM sin modificar y modificados superficialmente por oxidación química, a diferentes composiciones de NTCPM. El método de dispersión y la observación cualitativa de ésta, se realizó como se estableció en la metodología, observando cada hora, en diferentes disolventes, un concentración dada de NTCPM , en un microscopio óptico. Se determinó como el tiempo de dispersión adecuado, aquel en donde se observaron en mayoría, NTCPM individuales, siendo el mejor disolvente la Dimetil Formamida (DMF). El tiempo varió acorde al tipo de NTC empleados. Con los datos de resistividad, se construyeron las curvas de percolación de las tres series de compuestos generadas y se modeló la concentración crítica

Formation of b-Bi2O3 and d-Bi2O3 during laser irradiation of Bi films studied in-situ by spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy

The formation of different phases of Bi2O3 induced by laser irradiation of Bi films has been assessed in situ by micro-Raman spectroscopy as a function of laser wavelength, power density and irradiation time. Raman mapping of the irradiated samples enabled a spatially-resolved study of the distribution of the formed Bi2O3 phases. Red laser (633 nm) irradiation was found to induce the appearance of b-Bi2O3, within a certain range of power densities, by diffusion-controlled processes. In contrast, ultraviolet (UV, 325 nm) laser irradiation, above a certain power density threshold, initially induces the formation of both b and d-Bi2O3 phases. The amount of the produced d-Bi2O3 phase increases by increasing the irradiation time, while that of the b phase follows the opposite trend. UV laser irradiation seems to be a suitable method to produce room temperature stable d-Bi2O3 patterns on Bi film

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures formation on bismuth thin films upon irradiation in ambient air

ARTICULO DE INVESTIGACIÓNARTICULO DE INVESTIGACIÓ

Temas selectos en ciencia de materiales i (pdf)

Se presentan una selección de 12 capítulos de diferentes investigadores , los temas de esta obra se encuentran relacionados con polímeros y sus compuestos, nanoestructuras metálicas y óxidos metálicos.El presente libro de investigación tiene como objetivo difundir a la comunidad estudiantil de nivel licenciatura y posgrado, principalmente, algunos temas de actualidad en el campo de Ciencia de Materiales, para motivarla e interesarla en esa área tan importante. Se espera también que el libro sea de utilidad para estudiantes de posgrado en Ciencias e Ingeniería de Materiales o áreas afines

Effect of thermal treatment on Zn nanodisks

Artículo asociado a tesis de Doctorado del estudiante Pedro Estanislao Acuña AvilaMetallic Zn nanodisks with hexagonal morphology were obtained onto glass sub- strate under vacuum thermal evaporation. A thermal characterization of Zn nanodiks showed a lower oxidation temperature than source powder Zn. Different thermal treatment on Zn nanodisks played an important role on the morphology, crystal size and surface vibrational modes of ZnO. The growth of ZnO nanoneedles started at the edge of metallic zinc hexagonal structures according with SEM images, the higher temperature the longer needles were grown. XRD diffractogram confirmed the wurtzite structure of ZnO with metallic nuclei. A wide band between 530 and 580 cm−1 of Raman scattering corresponded at surface vibrational modes not observed at higher temperatur

Ether gas-sensor based on Au nanoparticles-decorated ZnO microstructures

Trabajo de Investigación derivado de la estancia Posdoctoral del Dr. Roberto LópezAn ether gas-sensor was fabricated based on gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) decorated zinc oxide microstructures (ZnO-MS). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-resolution transmission elec- tron microscope (HRTEM) measurements were performed to study morphological and structural proper- ties, respectively, of the ZnO-MS. The gas sensing response was evaluated in a relatively low temperature regime, which ranged between 150 and 250 C. Compared with a sensor fabricated from pure ZnO-MS, the sensor based on Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS showed much better ether gas response at the highest working temperature. In fact, pure ZnO-MS based sensor only showed a weak sensitivity of about 25%. The improvement of the ether gas response for sensor fabricated with Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS was attributed to the catalytic activity of the Au-NPs.Investigación realizada bajo proyecto UAEM 1025/2014RIF

Risk Factors and Predictive Score for Bacteremic Biliary Tract Infections Due to Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium: a Multicenter Cohort Study from the PROBAC Project

Biliary-tract bloodstream infections (BT-BSI) caused by Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium are associated with inappropriate empirical treatment and worse outcomes compared to other etiologies. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors for enterococcal BT-BSI. Patients with BT-BSI from the PROBAC cohort, including consecutive patients with BSI in 26 Spanish hospitals between October 2016 and March 2017, were selected; episodes caused by E. faecalis or E. faecium and other causes were compared. Independent predictors for enterococci were identified by logistic regression, and a predictive score was developed. Eight hundred fifty episodes of BT-BSI were included; 73 (8.5%) were due to target Enterococcus spp. (48 [66%] were E. faecium and 25 [34%] E. faecalis). By multivariate analysis, the variables independently associated with Enterococcus spp. were (OR; 95% confidence interval): cholangiocarcinoma (4.48;1.32 to 15.25), hospital acquisition (3.58;2.11 to 6.07), use of carbapenems in the previous month (3.35;1.45 to 7.78), biliary prosthesis (2.19;1.24 to 3.90), and moderate or severe chronic kidney disease (1.55;1.07 to 2.26). The AUC of the model was 0.74 [95% CI0.67 to 0.80]. A score was developed, with 7, 6, 5, 4, and 2 points for these variables, respectively, with a negative predictive value of 95% for a score # 6. A model, including cholangiocarcinoma, biliary prosthesis, hospital acquisition, previous carbapenems, and chronic kidney disease showed moderate prediction ability for enterococcal BT-BSI. Although the score will need to be validated, this information may be useful for deciding empirical therapy in biliary tract infections when bacteremia is suspected. IMPORTANCE Biliary tract infections are frequent, and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Bacteremia is common in these infections, particularly in the elderly and patients with cancer. Inappropriate empirical treatment has been associated with increased risk of mortality in bacteremic cholangitis, and the probability of receiving inactive empirical treatment is higher in episodes caused by enterococci. This is because many of the antimicrobial agents recommended in guidelines for biliary tract infections lack activity against these organisms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study analyzing the predictive factors for enterococcal BT-BSI and deriving a predictive score.8 página

X chromosome inactivation does not necessarily determine the severity of the phenotype in Rett syndrome patients

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurological disorder usually caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. Since the MECP2 gene is located on the X chromosome, X chromosome inactivation (XCI) could play a role in the wide range of phenotypic variation of RTT patients; however, classical methylation-based protocols to evaluate XCI could not determine whether the preferentially inactivated X chromosome carried the mutant or the wild-type allele. Therefore, we developed an allele-specific methylation-based assay to evaluate methylation at the loci of several recurrent MECP2 mutations. We analyzed the XCI patterns in the blood of 174 RTT patients, but we did not find a clear correlation between XCI and the clinical presentation. We also compared XCI in blood and brain cortex samples of two patients and found differences between XCI patterns in these tissues. However, RTT mainly being a neurological disease complicates the establishment of a correlation between the XCI in blood and the clinical presentation of the patients. Furthermore, we analyzed MECP2 transcript levels and found differences from the expected levels according to XCI. Many factors other than XCI could affect the RTT phenotype, which in combination could influence the clinical presentation of RTT patients to a greater extent than slight variations in the XCI pattern

The pace of life for forest trees.

Tree growth and longevity trade-offs fundamentally shape the terrestrial carbon balance. Yet, we lack a unified understanding of how such trade-offs vary across the world's forests. By mapping life history traits for a wide range of species across the Americas, we reveal considerable variation in life expectancies from 10 centimeters in diameter (ranging from 1.3 to 3195 years) and show that the pace of life for trees can be accurately classified into four demographic functional types. We found emergent patterns in the strength of trade-offs between growth and longevity across a temperature gradient. Furthermore, we show that the diversity of life history traits varies predictably across forest biomes, giving rise to a positive relationship between trait diversity and productivity. Our pan-latitudinal assessment provides new insights into the demographic mechanisms that govern the carbon turnover rate across forest biomes

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality