External interaction management of VRML scenes for e-learning applications

This is an electronic version of the paper presenten at the International conference on International Workshop on Web3D Technologies in Learning, Education and Training (LET-Web3D 2004) held in Udine (Italy) on 2004This paper describes an innovative approach to solve some of the problems that arise when integrating virtual reality capabilities into e-learning environments. The VRML representation of a scene includes, along with its geometric description, a full specification of the student-scene interaction logic. This representation is rendered by a browser, which also orchestrates the interaction according to the logic. Such a mechanism implies reprogramming and/or replicating partly the logic when modifying the interaction scheme of a single scene for different students. It also prevents any external access to student’s actions or scene reactions, which is necessary for on-line evaluation or instruction. We propose to expand the standard interaction mechanism of VRML so that both the specification of the scene logic and the interaction flow are managed by an external and centralized entity following a clientserver approach, hence solving the identified problems, while additionally increasing design efficiency and content protection.This work has been partly supported by the Plan Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología of the Spanish Government under project TIC2001-306

Zinc nitride thin films: Basic properties and applications

A. Redondo-Cubero, M. Gómez-Castaño, C. García Núñez, M. Domínguez, L. Vázquez, J. L. Pau , "Zinc nitride thin films: basic properties and applications", Oxide-based Materials and Devices VIII, Proc. SPIE 10105, 101051B (24 February 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2253044. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibitedProceedings of VIII Oxide-based Materials and Devices Conference (San Francisco, California, United States)Zinc nitride films can be deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering using a Zn target at substrate temperatures lower than 250°C. This low deposition temperature makes the material compatible with flexible substrates. The asgrown layers present a black color, polycrystalline structures, large conductivities, and large visible light absorption. Different studies have reported about the severe oxidation of the layers in ambient conditions. Different compositional, structural and optical characterization techniques have shown that the films turn into ZnO polycrystalline layers, showing visible transparency and semi-insulating properties after total transformation. The oxidation rate is fairly constant as a function of time and depends on environmental parameters such as relative humidity or temperature. Taking advantage of those properties, potential applications of zinc nitride films in environmental sensing have been studied in the recent years. This work reviews the state-of-the-art of the zinc nitride technology and the development of several devices such as humidity indicators, thin film (photo)transistors and sweat monitoring sensors.This research is supported by the MINECO (CTQ2014-53334-C2-2-R) and Comunidad de Madrid (NANOAVANSENS ref. S2013/MIT-3029). ARC acknowledges Ramón y Cajal program (under contract number RYC-2015-18047

Influence of Short Carbon-Chain Alcohol (Ethanol and 1-Propanol)/Diesel Fuel Blends over Diesel Engine Emissions

Oxygenated fuels, in this case short carbon-chain alcohols, have been investigated as alternative fuels to power compression ignition engines. A major advantage of short-chain alcohols is that they can be produced from renewable resources, i.e., cultivated commodities or biomass-based biorefineries. However, before entering the market, the effects of short-chain alcohols on engine performance, exhaust emissions, noise and sound quality need to be understood. This work sheds light on the relationship between the physicochemical properties of the alcohol/diesel fuel blends (ethanol and 1-propanol) on engine performance, exhaust emissions and, for the first time, on noise and sound quality. It has been demonstrated that when the content of alcohol in blends increased, soot and soluble organic material emissions drastically decreased, mainly due to the increase of oxygen content in the fuel. Reduction in soot emissions combined with higher thermodynamic efficiency of alcohol fuels, with respect to diesel fuel, enable their utilization on compression ignition engines. There is also an improvement in the soot-NOx trade off, leading to large reductions on soot with a small effect on NOx emissions. The oxygen content within the fuel reduces CO and THC emissions at extra-urban driving operation conditions. However, hydrocarbons and CO emissions increased at urban driving conditions, due to the high heat of vaporization of the alcohol fuels which reduces cylinder temperature worsening fuel atomization, vaporization and mixing with air being more significant at lower cylinder temperature conditions (low engine loads and speeds). Similarly, the higher the presence of alcohol in the blend, the higher the noise emitted by the engine due to their low tendency to auto-ignition. The optimization of alcohol quantity and the calibration of engine control parameters (e.g., injection settings) which is out of the scope of this work, will be required to overcome noise emission penalty. Furthermore, under similar alcohol content in the blend (10% v/v), the use of propanol is preferred over ethanol, as it exhibits lower exhaust emissions and better sound quality than ethanol

Genetic inactivation and pharmacological blockade of sigma-1 receptors prevent paclitaxel-induced sensory-nerve mitochondrial abnormalities and neuropathic pain in mice

Background Paclitaxel, a widely-used antineoplastic drug, produces a painful peripheral neuropathy that in rodents is associated with peripheral-nerve mitochondrial alterations. The sigma-1 receptor (σ1R) is a ligand-regulated molecular chaperone involved in mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and pain hypersensitivity. This receptor plays a key role in paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain, but it is not known whether it also modulates mitochondrial abnormalities. In this study, we used a mouse model of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain to test the involvement of the σ1R in the mitochondrial abnormalities associated with paclitaxel, by using genetic (σ1R knockout mice) and pharmacological (σ1R antagonist) approaches.Results Paclitaxel administration to wild-type (WT) mice produced cold- and mechanical-allodynia, and an increase in the frequency of swollen and vacuolated mitochondria in myelinated A-fibers, but not in C-fibers, of the saphenous nerve. Behavioral and mitochondrial alterations were marked at 10 days after paclitaxel-administration and had resolved at day 28. In contrast, paclitaxel treatment did not induce allodynia or mitochondrial abnormalities in σ1R knockout mice. Moreover, the prophylactic treatment of WT mice with BD-1063 also prevented the neuropathic pain and mitochondrial abnormalities induced by paclitaxel.Conclusions These results suggest that activation of the σ1R is necessary for development of the sensory nerve mitochondrial damage and neuropathic pain produced by paclitaxel. Therefore, σ1R antagonists might have therapeutic value for the prevention of paclitaxel-induced neuropathy.This study was partially supported by grant P11-CTS-7649 and grant CTS-109 from Junta de Andalucía, FEDER funds, a grant from Esteve, and a grant from the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (NeoGenius Pharma project). F. R. Nieto was supported by a FPU grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC) and C. M. Cendán by the Research Program of the University of Granada

Nucleus Accumbens MC4-R Stimulation Reduces Food and Ethanol Intake in Adult Rats Regardless of Binge-Like Ethanol Exposure during Adolescence

The melanocortin (MC) system regulates feeding and ethanol consumption. Recent evidence shows that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4-R) stimulation within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) elicits anorectic responses and reduces ethanol consumption and ethanol palatability in adult rats. Ethanol exposure during adolescence causes long-lasting changes in neural pathways critically involved in neurobehavioral responses to ethanol. In this regard, binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence reduces basal alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and alters the levels of agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in hypothalamic and limbic areas. Given the protective role of MC against excessive ethanol consumption, disturbances in the MC system induced by binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence might contribute to excessive ethanol consumption during adulthood. In the present study, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence leads to elevated ethanol intake and/or eating disturbance during adulthood. Toward that aim, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with ethanol (3 g/kg i.p.; BEP group) or saline (SP group) for 14 days (PND 25 to PND 38). On PND73, all the groups were given access to 20% ethanol on an intermittent schedule. Our results showed that adult rats given intermittent access (IAE) to 20% ethanol achieved high spontaneous ethanol intake that was not significantly enhanced by binge-like ethanol pretreatment during adolescence. However, BEP group exhibited an increase in food intake without a parallel increase in body weight (BW) relative to SP group suggesting caloric efficiency disturbance. Additionally, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence alters the expected reduction in feeding and ethanol consumption following NAc shell administration of a selective MC4-R agonist in adult rats showing high rates of ethanol consumption. For that, animals in each pretreatment condition (SP and BEP) were divided into three subgroups and given bilateral NAc infusions of the selective MC4-R agonist cyclo(NH-CH2-CH2-CO-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Glu)-NH2 (0, 0.75 or 1.5 μg). Results revealed that MC4-R stimulation within the NAc reduced feeding and ethanol intake in high ethanol-drinking adult rats, regardless of previous binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence, which adds new evidence regarding the dual ability of MC compounds to control excessive ethanol and food intake

The role of the oxide shell in the chemical functionalization of plasmonic gallium nanoparticles

S. Catalán-Gómez, M. Briones, A. Redondo-Cubero, F. J. Palomares, F. Nucciarelli, E. Lorenzo, J. L. Pau, "The role of the oxide shell in the chemical functionalization of plasmonic gallium nanoparticles", SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics Proc. SPIE 10231 (16 May 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2265665; Copyright 2017 Society of Photo‑Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.Plasmonic Ga nanoparticles (NPs) were thermally oxidized at low temperature in order to increase the native Ga 2 O 3 shell thickness and to improve their stability during the chemical functionalization. The optical, structural and chemical properties of the oxidized NPs have been studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A clear redshift of the peak wavelength is observed with the increasing annealing time due to the Ga 2 O 3 thickness increase, and barely affecting the intensity of the plasmon resonance. This oxide layer enhances the stability of the NPs upon immersion in ethanol or water. The surface sensitivity properties of the as-grown and oxidized NPs were investigated by linking a thiol group from 6-Mercapto-1-hexanol through immersion. Ellipsometric spectra at the reversal polarization handedness (RPH) condition are in agreement with the Langmuir absorption model, indicating the formation of a thiol monolayer on the NPs

Bovine Tuberculosis in a Free Ranging Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) from Doñana National Park (Spain)

During 1997 and 1998, a survey of Iberian carnivores was conducted to study the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in the Doñana National Park and surrounding areas in southwestern Spain. Post-mortem examinations were done on seven red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), two Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), one weasel (Mustela nivalis), two genets (Genetta genetta), one Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), one Eurasian badger (Meles meles), and two polecats (Mustela putorius). Lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis were not detected but, in culture, Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from the retropharyngeal lymph nodes of one adult male red fox. This is the first report of M. bovis infection in red fox in Spain.Peer reviewe

Chloride regulates leaf cell size and water relations in tobacco plants

19 páginas.-- 9 figuras.-- 5 tablas.-- 77 referencias.-- Supplementary Data: Supplementary_figures_S1_S7___Tables_S1_S7.pdfChloride (Cl–) is a micronutrient that accumulates to macronutrient levels since it is normally available in nature and actively taken up by higher plants. Besides a role as an unspecific cell osmoticum, no clear biological roles have been explicitly associated with Cl– when accumulated to macronutrient concentrations. To address this question, the glycophyte tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Habana) has been treated with a basal nutrient solution supplemented with one of three salt combinations containing the same cationic balance: Cl–-based (CL), nitrate-based (N), and sulphate+phosphate-based (SP) treatments. Under non-saline conditions (up to 5mM Cl–) and no water limitation, Cl– specifically stimulated higher leaf cell size and led to a moderate increase of plant fresh and dry biomass mainly due to higher shoot expansion. When applied in the 1–5mM range, Cl– played specific roles in regulating leaf osmotic potential and turgor, allowing plants to improve leaf water balance parameters. In addition, Cl– also altered water relations at the whole-plant level through reduction of plant transpiration. This was a consequence of a lower stomatal conductance, which resulted in lower water loss and greater photosynthetic and integrated water-use efficiency. In contrast to Cl–, these effects were not observed for essential anionic macronutrients such as nitrate, sulphate, and phosphate. We propose that the abundant uptake and accumulation of Cl– responds to adaptive functions improving water homeostasis in higher plants.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation-FEDER grant AGL2009-08339/AGR. The help, expertise, and technical assistance of C. Rivero, A. Vázquez, S. Luque, B.J. Sañudo, F.J. Durán, Y. Pinto, and J. Espartero are gratefully acknowledged. We would like to extend our gratitude to the valuable reviews and contributions by the anonymous referees and the editor, Timothy Colmer, which helped us to improve the manuscript substantially.Peer reviewe

Registro Español de Trasplante Cardiaco. XXVII Informe Oficial de la Sección de Insuficiencia Cardiaca y Trasplante Cardiaco de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología (1984-2015)

[Abstract] Introduction and objectives. The present article reports the characteristics and results of heart transplants in Spain since this therapeutic modality was first used in May 1984. Methods. We describe the main features of recipients, donors, surgical procedures, and results of all heart transplants performed in Spain until December 31, 2015. Results. A total of 299 cardiac transplants were performed in 2015, with the whole series comprising 7588 procedures. The main transplant features in 2015 were similar to those observed in recent years. A remarkably high percentage of transplants were performed under emergency conditions and there was widespread use of circulatory assist devices, particularly continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices prior to transplant (16% of all transplants). Survival has significantly improved in the last decade compared with previous time periods. Conclusions. During the last few years, between 250 and 300 heart transplants have consistently been performed each year in Spain. Despite a more complex clinical context, survival has increased in recent years.[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. Se presentan las características y los resultados del trasplante cardiaco en España desde que empezó su actividad en mayo de 1984. Métodos. Se realiza un análisis descriptivo de las características de los receptores, los donantes, los procedimientos quirúrgicos y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en España hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2015. Resultados. Durante 2015 se han realizado 299 procedimientos, con lo que la serie histórica consta de 7.588 trasplantes. Las características generales del procedimiento son similares a las observadas en los últimos años y destacan el alto porcentaje de procedimientos realizados en código urgente y, sobre todo, la extensión del uso de dispositivos de asistencia circulatoria, particularmente la asistencia ventricular de flujo continuo (el 16% del total de trasplantes). La supervivencia ha aumentado significativamente en la última década con respecto a periodos anteriores. Conclusiones. La actividad de trasplante cardiaco en España permanece estable en los últimos años, con alrededor de 250-300 procedimientos al año. A pesar de la mayor complejidad del contexto clínico, se observa una mejora de la supervivencia en los últimos años