Synthesis and characterization of o-fluorosulfinylaniline: A comparative vibrational study of fluorinated sulfinylaniline series

The synthesis of o-fluorosulfinylaniline is reported with the aim to complete the fluorinated sulfinylaniline series. The FT-IR and Raman spectra of o-fluorosulfinylaniline are recorded and the fundamental modes of its vibrational frequencies are assigned together with a tentative assignment of the NMR and mass spectra. Quantum chemical calculations on the optimized geometry predict in the liquid phase a planar structure with syn orientation of the –N[double bond, length as m-dash]S[double bond, length as m-dash]O moiety (syn of the S[double bond, length as m-dash]O double bond relative to the C–N single bond), which belongs to the CS symmetry group. The experimentally observed spectral data (FT-IR, Raman, 1H and 13C and GC-mass spectrometry) of the title compound are compared with those obtained theoretically from DFT calculations and the gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. Vibrational frequencies were assigned with the aid of anharmonic variational methods (VSCF) obtaining a significantly better agreement with experiment than with simple harmonic oscillator methods. Moreover, stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions and charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis.Fil: Paez Jerez, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Alonso de Armiño, Diego Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Robles, Norma Lis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentin

Artificial intelligence techniques for prediction of the capacity of RC beams strengthened in shear with external FRP reinforcement

7 páginas, 7 figuras, 3 tablas.-- El Pdf es la versión post-print de autor.The prediction of the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams retrofitted in shear by means of externally bonded FRP is very complex as demonstrate the studies carried out up to date. As alternative to the conventional methods two approaches based on artificial intelligence are proposed for the first time. Firstly, the use of neural networks as a means of predicting shear capacity without the need of using complex models and, secondly, the use of genetic algorithms as a means of determining suitably how the shear mechanism works. Predictions obtained with both approaches are compared to experimental values.The writers acknowledge support for the work reported in this paper from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (project BIA2007-67790).Peer reviewe

Characteristics and Performance of Knowledge Networks in the Biotechnology Sector

This research aimed to analyze the properties and typologies of a biotechnology sector network with regard to their relationships, attributes and performance in research and production of innovations. For this purpose, it had as its empirical field the Northeast Biotechnology Network, using patent reports produced by the network as a data source. In order to track the relationship networks between members, groups, institutions and projects, social networking analysis tools were used, making it possible to construct relationship matrices between thelaboratories and companies and, lastly, researchers. In total, 117 researchers were identified, distributed among 18 research centers and 47 laboratories or companies. Their projects are distributed across three main areas: agriculture, industrial and health, the latter being the strongest of the three with more patents produced and more institutions involved in research. The weak density presented by the network, at all analysis levels, strengthens the necessity for integration strategies. Also, it indicates the possibility for new relationships between agents that are still isolated. However, it does not diminish its importance for economic development in the region in which it operates

Election of Water Resources Management Entity Using a Multi-Criteria Decision (MCD) Method in Salta Province (Argentine)

At present, the water resources are a strategic element each time more necessary and limited becoming a source of conflicts. For that, it is fundamental to create an independent and competent entity with good reputation and social acceptation. This entity must be able to obtain, store and process all data dispersed in different entities creating a network for these purposes. Finally, it must be able to organize different branches between the government and the final users. Using one of the wellknown Multicriteria Decision Methods(MCDM) with several realistic alternatives and several criteria identified in expert seminars in Salta and Madrid, we have obtained hopeful results and more recently new modifications introduced have generated better results

Short-term synaptic plasticity regulates the level of olivocochlear inhibition to auditory hair cells

In the mammalian inner ear, the gain control of auditory inputs is exerted by medial olivocochlear (MOC) neurons that innervate cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). OHCs mechanically amplify the incoming sound waves by virtue of their electromotile properties while the MOC system reduces the gain of auditory inputs by inhibiting OHC function. How this process is orchestrated at the synaptic level remains unknown. In the present study, MOC firing was evoked by electrical stimulation in an isolated mouse cochlear preparation, while OHCs postsynaptic responses were monitored by whole-cell recordings. These recordings confirmed that electrically evoked IPSCs (eIPSCs) are mediated solely by α9β10 nAChRs functionally coupled to calcium-activated SK2 channels. Synaptic release occurred with low probability when MOC-OHC synapses were stimulated at 1 Hz. However, as the stimulation frequency was raised, the reliability of release increased due to presynaptic facilitation. In addition, the relatively slow decay of eIPSCs gave rise to temporal summation at stimulation frequencies >10 Hz. The combined effect of facilitation and summation resulted in a frequency-dependent increase in the average amplitude of inhibitory currents in OHCs. Thus, we have demonstrated that short-term plasticity is responsible for shaping MOC inhibition and, therefore, encodes the transfer function from efferent firing frequency to the gain of the cochlear amplifier.Fil: Ballestero, Jimena Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Zorrilla de San Martín, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Goutman, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Elgoyhen, Ana Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Fuchs, Paul A.. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Katz, Eleonora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular; Argentin

Work–Life Balance and Teleworking: Lessons Learned during the Pandemic on Gender Role Transformation and Self-Reported Well-Being

Lockdown during COVID-19 forced the emergence of a new scenario, with men and women teleworkers spending all their time at home. The purpose of this study is to address whether this situation has triggered a transformation in gender roles and self-reported well-being, comparing the responses of male and female respondents to the EUROFOUND April to July 2020 survey. The analysis addresses cultural differences across European regions related to diverse gender regimes, employment status, and the possibility of teleworking. It explores male and female well-being through life satisfaction, the distance between happiness and life satisfaction, and rates their feelings about work–life balance. Findings on life satisfaction display a low transformation of social roles, with women still worrying about work–life balance, while men were more affected by the health crisis. Men self-report high life satisfaction across Europe compared to women, although unexpectedly, female freelancers in Northern and Southern European had a higher life satisfaction ratio than men. Both men and women teleworkers reported difficulties with managing work–life balance at home, despite women handling core care and household tasks. These findings suggest that women would have received more support from men, as they worked harder and longer hours during the lockdown, despite their weak position in the labor market. This would seem to be a propitious setting for men to have assumed more responsibility at home, resulting in a more equal distribution of roles at home

Armadura de polímeros reforzados con fibras (PRF) para estructuras de hormigón en la nueva versión del Eurocódigo 2

The new version of Eurocode 2 will include for the first time an informative annex, Annex R “Embedded FRP reinforcement”, to design reinforced concrete structures with fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement. FRP embedded reinforcement has some advantages such as their low susceptibility to corrosion, high-strength, and low life-cycle cost. FRP rebars can be used as longitudinal or transverse reinforcement in a similar way than conventional steel rebars. However, in the design of FRP reinforced concrete structures, some particular aspects related to the reinforcement properties must be taken into account, among which it is worth highlighting their linear elastic behaviour until failure, their relatively low modulus of elasticity or their behaviour under sustained stresses. Since, the content of Annex R is new, a summary and background related to all aspects required for designing with FRP reinforcement are given in this paper.The authors acknowledge the support provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/  AEI)  and  by  the  European  Funds  for  Regional  Development  in  the  following  projects  during their collaboration in the TN140/SC2 and in the CEN/TC250/SC2/WG1/TG1 (Eva Oller): BIA2015‐64672‐C4‐1‐R, RTI2018‐097314‐B‐C21, and PID2020‐119015GB‐C22.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Faecal bacteria in Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mollusca: Bivalvia) for biomonitoring coastal waters and seafood quality

Urban development in coastal areas is intense and leads to the increase of sewage outfall and other negative impacts as consequences. Thus, stringent regulations establishing limits to the microbiological contamination of water and seafood are needed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Enterococci and Thermotolerant Coliform densities in the flesh of mussels Perna perna as an alternative tool for monitoring the microbiological quality of coastal waters. The study also considers allometric relations applied to clearance rates to understand rates of bacterial concentration. Bacterial loads obtained in mussels' flesh were from 50 to 4,300 times greater than in the water sampled in the vicinity of the mussels and some were considered inappropriate for consumption even when the water presented no restrictions. The mean clearance rate obtained for Enterococci retention was 317.7 ml h-1 and this rate (CR) is related to the mussels' size (L) by the equation CR = 28.3229L1.6421. The results showed that bacterial densities in the mussels' tissues may reflect chronic contamination of the environment and that clearance rates are important for taking the best decision in situations where, for example, it is desired to introduce mussels for aquaculture and the evaluation of the water concerned is required.O desenvolvimento urbano em áreas costeiras é intenso e o aumento das descargas de esgoto é uma das conseqüências. Assim, leis específicas que regulem limites para a contaminação microbiológica das águas e de alimentos de origem marinha são necessárias. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a utilização de Enterococos e coliformes termotolerantes na carne de mexilhões Perna perna como alternativa para o monitoramento da qualidade microbiológica de águas costeiras. O estudo também considera relações alométricas aplicadas às taxas de "clearance" para entender a concentração de bactérias pelo molusco. As densidades bacterianas obtidas no molusco foram de 50 a 4300 vezes maiores do que nas amostras de água coletadas próximas dos moluscos e alguns foram considerados impróprios para consumo, mesmo quando as águas não mostraram restrições. A taxa de "clearance" média obtida para retenção de Enterococos foi 317.7 ml h-1 e essas taxas (CR) puderam ser relacionadas com o tamanho dos mexilhões (L) pela equação CR = 28.3229L1.6421. Os resultados mostram que as densidades bacterianas nos tecidos dos mexilhões podem refletir a contaminação crônica do ambiente e que as taxas de "clearance" devem ser consideradas para a tomada de decisão em situações onde, por exemplo, se deseja implantar mexilhões para cultivo

Comportamiento de pilares de hormigón armado confinados con materiales compuestos sometidos a compresión centrada

En la actualidad muchas estructuras de hormigón armado necesitan ser reforzadas debido a diversas razones: errores en el proyecto o construcción, deterioro debido a efectos ambientales, cambios de uso o mayores requerimientos en los códigos. Los materiales compuestos, también conocidos como polímeros reforzados con fibras (FRP), están constituidos por fibras continuas de gran resistencia y rigidez embebidas en un material polimérico. Los FRP se utilizan cada vez más en aplicaciones estructurales debido a sus excelentes propiedades (elevadas resistencia y rigidez específicas y resistencia a la corrosión). Una de las aplicaciones más atractivas es el refuerzo de pilares mediante confinamiento para incrementar su resistencia y ductilidad. El confinamiento puede conseguirse pegando capas de FRP envolviendo el pilar en la dirección de los cercos (con las fibras orientadas en dirección perpendicular al eje del elemento). Se han realizado numerosos estudios experimentales en probetas cilíndricas pequeñas confinadas con encamisados de FRP y sometidas a compresión axial, y se han propuesto varios modelos sobre el hormigón confinado con FRP. Es sabido que el confinamiento de pilares de sección no circular es menos eficiente. En una sección circular, el FRP ejerce una presión de confinamiento uniforme sobre todo el perímetro, mientras que en una sección rectangular la acción de confinamiento se concentra en las esquinas. Esta tesis presenta los resultados de una investigación experimental sobre el comportamiento de probetas de hormigón de sección cuadrada confinadas con FRP y sometidas a compresión centrada. Se realizaron un total de 42 ensayos investigándose el comportamiento en las direcciones axial y transversal. Las variables del estudio incluyen: la resistencia del hormigón, el tipo de fibras (vidrio o carbono), la cuantía de refuerzo y el radio de curvatura de las esquinas. Los resultados de los ensayos realizados muestran que el confinamiento con FRP puede mejorar considerablemente la resistencia y ductilidad de pilares de hormigón armado de sección cuadrada con las esquinas redondeadas. La mejora conseguida es mayor en los hormigones de baja resistencia que en los de resistencia media. La deformación de rotura de la camisa de FRP es menor que la que se obtiene en ensayos de tracción normalizados del laminado, y la eficiencia del confinamiento depende en gran medida del radio de redondeo de las esquinas. Los resultados se han comparado con los obtenidos según los modelos teóricos más aceptados. Hay dos parámetros críticos en el ajuste de los modelos: el factor de eficiencia de la deformación y el efecto de confinamiento en secciones no circulares. Nowadays, many existing RC structures are in need of repair and strengthening for several reasons: design or construction errors, deterioration caused by environmental effects, change in use of the structures or revisions of code requirements. Composite materials, also known as fibre reinforced polymers (FRP), are composed of high strength and stiffness continuous fibres embedded in a polymer material. FRP materials are being increasingly used in many structural applications due to their excellent properties (high strength- and stiffness-toweight ratio, good corrosion behaviour). One of the most attractive applications of FRP is the confinement of concrete columns to enhance both strength and ductility. Concrete confinement can be achieved by bonding layers of hoop FRP around the column (fibres oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis). Many experimental studies have been conducted on small-scale plain concrete specimens of circular cross-sections confined with FRP and subjected to pure axial compressive loading, and several design models have been proposed to describe the behaviour of FRP-confined concrete. It is widely accepted that the confinement of non-circular columns is less efficient than the confinement of circular columns. In a circular cross section, the jacket exerts a uniform confining pressure over the entire perimeter. In the case of a rectangular cross section, the confining action is mostly concentrated at the corners. This thesis presents the results of a comprehensive experimental investigation on the behaviour of axially loaded square concrete specimens confined with FRP. A total of 42 compression tests were conducted, and the behaviour of the specimens in the axial and transverse directions were investigated. The parameters considered in this study are: concrete strength, type of fibres (glass or carbon), amount of FRP reinforcement and corner radius of the cross section. The tests results indicate that FRP confinement can enhance considerably the compressive strength and ductility of RC square columns with rounded corners. The enhancement is more pronounced for low- than for normal-strength concrete. The rupture strain of the FRP jacket is lower than the ultimate strain obtained by standard tensile testing of the FRP material, and the confinement efficiency significantly depends on the corner radius. The confined concrete behaviour was predicted according to the more accepted theoretical models and compared with experimental results. There are two key parameters which critically influence the fitting of the models: the strain efficiency factor and the effect of confinement in non-circular sections

Biological and behavioral impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in childhood

Trabajo fin de grado en EnfermeríaIntroducción: La pandemia de COVID-19 y las medidas decretadas para su contención han tenido un impacto en la salud de la población, pero sus efectos en los niños han sido poco estudiados. Objetivo: Analizar el impacto y efecto indirecto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la salud física y conductual de los niños en edad preescolar y escolar. Metodología: Se realiza una revisión narrativa mediante búsqueda bibliográfica en bases de datos de Ciencias de la Salud (PubMed, CINAHL®, PsyINFO®, CUIDEN, Enfispo, Biblioteca Virtual de Salud) y buscadores generales (SciELO, Dialnet y Google Académico). Resultados: Se analizaron 38 artículos, donde se encontraron diferentes consecuencias en la salud biológica y conductual de los niños debido al aislamiento social y cierre de centros educativos. Se encontró un aumento del estrés fisiológico en los niños y en sus familias con repercusión en la violencia, mayor sedentarismo, menor exposición a la luz solar, cambios alimentarios con exceso y deficiencias nutricionales, empeoramiento de la salud bucodental, trastornos del sueño, exposición prolongada a las pantallas, cambios conductuales con desarrollo de somatizaciones y fobias, y prevalencia de emociones negativas. Conclusiones: La salud infantil se ha visto alterada negativamente debido a los cambios en los hábitos que la población pediátrica y sus familias tenían antes del confinamiento. El papel de la Enfermería es fundamental para la detección de signos y síntomas de alarma ante el posible desarrollo de enfermedades, y para la promoción de estilos de vida saludable.Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures enacted to contain it have had an impact on the health of general population. Nevertheless, its effects on children have been less studied. Objetive: Analyze the impact and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and behavioral health of preschool child and children. Methodology: A narrative review was carried out by a literature search in health databases (PubMed, CINAHL®, PsyINFO®, CUIDEN, Biblioteca Virtual de Salud) and general researches (SciELO, Dialnet and Google Scholar). Results: 38 articles were analyzed, where different consequences on biological and behavioral health were found, due to social isolation and the closure of schools. Increased physiological stress in children and their families was found with an impact on violence, increased sedentary lifestyles, reduced exposure to sunlight, dietary changes with nutritional excess and deficiencies, worsening oral health, sleep disorders, prolonged exposure to screens, behavioral changes with development of somatization and phobias, and prevalence of negative emotions. Conclusion: Children's health has been negatively altered due to changes in habits that pediatric population and their families had prior to confinement. The role of nursing is fundamental for the detection of warning signs and symptoms of the possible development of diseases, and for the promotion of healthy lifestyles