Numerical Modelling of Electrical Discharges

The problem of the propagation of an electrical discharge between a spherical electrode and a plane has been solved by means of finite element methods (FEM) using a fluid approximation and assuming weak ionization and local equilibrium with the electric field. The numerical simulation of this type of problems presents the usual difficulties of convection-diffusion-reaction problems, in addition to those associated with the nonlinearities of the charged species velocities, the formation of steep gradients of the electric field and particle densities, and the coexistence of very different temporal scales. The effect of using different temporal discretizations for the numerical integration of the corresponding system of partial differential equations will be here investigated. In particular, the so-called -methods will be used, which allows to implement implicit, semi-explicit and fully explicit schemes in a simple way

Investigation of potential distribution on a CFRP coupon under impulse current: test results and FDTD simulation

CFRP is becoming in an important material for the future blades due to alternative renewable energy industry plans to increase the length of the blades. This work shows some analytical results about potential distribution on a CFRP coupon obtained after applying an impulse current with different rise time. Effects around electrodes are, symmetry behavior and some interesting comments about the influence of the rise time appear. A FDTD simulation is done and a comparison between FDTD and analytical results. The aim is to evaluate how useful can be this technique when current distribution is over an anisotropic material since tests are not always possible.Preprin

Multi-species simulation of Trichel pulses in oxygen

A multi-species model consisting of seven species has been implemented to simulate the generation and development of Trichel pulses in oxygen between a sphere (the cathode) and a plane (the anode). The spatial and temporal evolution of species is obtained by solving the continuity equations of species using a classical one-dimensional model of negative corona discharge. The chemical kinetics of corona discharge includes electron impact reactions (ionization, dissociative and non-dissociative electron attachment, molecular dissociation, etc.), charge transfer reactions and reactions between neutral species

Enodiplomacia y neuromarketing: La Inteligencia Artificial en defensa de la identidad ante el reto del cambio climático. El caso del vino de La Mancha

Resumen Uno de los conceptos que está generando un mayor debate académico en el mundo de la vitivinicultura es el de la Enodiplomacia es decir el de la “Diplomacia por medio del vino”. Este trabajo quiere seguir debatiendo este concepto, desde una doble vertiente. Por un lado, se busca refrendar la importancia del vino en las relaciones económicas internacionales y, en segundo lugar, introducir un método de análisis basado en el neuromarketing para comprender el proceso sensorial en la toma de decisiones basados en el sentimiento de identidad. Es decir, la percepción que tiene el consumidor de vino de comprar algo que identifica un determinado territorio y lo cualifica. Esta calidad del producto, argumentada en base a su identidad y lo que hay detrás de ella, sirve como baluarte en foros internacionales como argumento competitivo. Además, en esta ponencia, se pondrá en valor como emblema identitario el patrimonio medioambiental que identifica a un determinado terruño (en este caso de La Mancha) y que sirve, -no sólo de seña de identidad-, sino de presentación y valor

Prevalencia de las alteraciones del metabolismo óseo-mineral asociadas a enfermedad renal crónica no en diálisis

Background: chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem, and bone mineral metabolism disorder is one of its main complications that directly contributes to morbidity and mortality. Several previous studies have shown an increase in its prevalence as the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreases, however, we do not have data from our country or Latin America. Methods: We conducted a unicentric cross-sectional study in a nephrology consultation service in adults with CKD G1 to 5 who were not in renal replacement therapy, evaluated between January 2014 and March 2015. Data collection was performed with an instrument predefined that included demographic data, alterations of the mineral and bone metabolism parameters, and their management. Results: 2026 patients were included, of whom 1756 had parathyroid hormone measurement, the average age was 74 years, 62% were women. The distribution by degrees of CKD was: G1: 4.9%, G2: 22.8%, G3: 57.4%, G4: 12.5% and G5: 2.4%. The main causes were hypertensive and diabetic nephropathy. We found vitamin D deficiency in 78.16%, secondary hyperparathyroidism in 63.67% and hyperphosphatemia in 12.38%, with an increase in prevalence as GFR worsened. Conclusions: We found that mineral and bone metabolism alterations are frequent in patients with chronic kidney disease and start from early stages, as has been demonstrated in other studies. We believe that these results will lead to new management investigations in patients with CKD.Introducción: la enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) es un problema de salud pública, siendo el trastorno del metabolismo óseo mineral una de sus principales complicaciones y que contribuye directamente a la morbilidad y mortalidad. Varios estudios previos han demostrado un aumento de su prevalencia a medida que disminuye la tasa de filtración glomerular (TFG), sin embargo, no contamos con datos en nuestro país ni en América Latina. Métodos: realizamos un estudio transversal unicéntrico en un servicio de consulta de nefrología, en adultos con ERC G1 a 5 que no estuvieran en terapia de reemplazo renal, evaluados entre enero de 2014 y marzo de 2015. La recolección de datos se realizó con un instrumento predefinido que incluía datos demográficos, alteraciones de los parámetros del metabolismo mineral y óseo, y su manejo. Resultados: se incluyeron 2026 pacientes, de los cuales 1756 tenían medición de hormona paratiroidea, la edad promedio fue 74 años, el 62 % eran mujeres. La distribución por grados de ERC fue: G1:4,9 %, G2:22,8 %, G3: 57,4 %, G4: 12,5 % y G5:2,4 %. Las principales causas fueron la nefropatía hipertensiva y diabética. Encontramos deficiencia de vitamina D en el 78,16 %, hiperparatiroidismo secundario en el 63,67 % e hiperfosfatemia en el 12,38 %, con aumento de la prevalencia a medida que la TFG empeoraba. Conclusiones: encontramos que las alteraciones del metabolismo mineral y óseo son frecuentes en los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica e inician desde estadios tempranos, como se ha demostrado en otros estudios. Consideramos que estos resultados llevarán a nuevas investigaciones de manejo en pacientes con ERC

Mineralogy with Touch

En este trabajo se describe la actividad (taller-exposición) de divulgación científica inclusiva realizada dentro del Proyecto Mineralogía con Tacto de la Universidad de Sevilla y en colaboración con la Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE). El taller se realizó en el Centro de Recursos Educativos ONCE de Sevilla para estudiantes con diversidad funcional visual de 3º y 4º de la ESO de las Comunidades Autónomas de Andalucía y Extremadura. El taller-exposición versó sobre los minerales, sus propiedades físicas, sus usos y su condición como formadores de rocas. Con el objetivo de hacer efectivo el aprendizaje de este alumnado, los contenidos se diseñaron, trabajaron y experimentaron desde las propiedades organolépticas o sensoriales de los minerales. La valoración del alumnado sobre el enfoque de este taller como estrategia de aprendizaje de conceptos geológicos fue muy positiva.This paper describes an activity (workshop-exhibition) of inclusive scientific divulgation carried out in the framework of the Project ‘Mineralogy with Touch’ supported by the University of Seville in collaboration with the National Organization of Spanish Blind People (acronym ‘ONCE’ in Spanish). The workshop was held in the facilities of the ‘Educational Resource Center ONCE’ (Seville) for students with visual functional diversity. The students, belonging to the 3rd and 4th courses of secondary education (acronym ‘ESO’ in Spanish), came from Andalusia and Extremadura (southern and western Spain, respectively). The workshop-exhibition focused on minerals, their physical properties, their uses and their conditions as rock-forming minerals. In order to make effective the learning of these students, the contents were designed, developed and experimented from the organoleptic or sensorial properties of minerals. The aim of this workshop as a learning strategy for geological concepts was positively assessed by the students.VI Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Sevill

Kinetics and effect of temperature in anaerobic fluidised bed reactors with clayey supports

An anaerobic treatment in batch regime of swine wastewater was carried out. Five stirred tank reactors were used, one of them containing suspended biomass for reference, and the other four with various suspended micronised clay supports of different chemical composition (saponite, zeolite, calcined sepiolite and esmectite). The experimental device was maintained at three different temperatures: 25, 35 and 47°C. The obtained removal efficiency (ηCOD/%) was about 80 % at 25°C, in reactors containing esmectite, saponite and calcined sepiolite support. The reactor with zeolite support showed the minimum mean concentrations in NH4+-N and volatile acids in the effluents, at any temperature. The Romero methane production kinetic model has been applied obtaining the value of the maximum specific growth rate of microorganisms, μmax, and the specific kinetic constant, k, for each temperature studied. The highest mean μmax was obtained at 25°C and a decrease was observed as the temperature applied increased

Sincronización de estros en bovinos con dos fuentes de prostaglandinas

Se comparó el dinoprost trometamina vs. cloprostenol con respecto a respuesta al estro, tasa de fertilidad y costos. El protocolo 1 (P1) consistió en la aplicación de CIDR-B por siete días, aplicando 1.0 mg de cipionato de estradiol al día 0, al T1 se le aplicó 0.30 mg de dinoprost trometamina al retiro del CIDR-B y al T2: 0.52 mg de cloprostenol. El protocolo 2 (P2) consistió en la aplicación de dos inyecciones de PGF2α con intervalo de 11 d (T1: 0.30 mg de dinoprost trometamina y T2: 0.52 mg de cloprostenol). La detección de estros en P1 se realizó el día nueve; en P2, fue posterior a la inyección. La inseminación artificial fue realizada 12 a 18 h después del inicio de estro en ambos protocolos. Para evaluar el porcentaje de estros se utilizó la prueba de Chi-cuadrada. El porcentaje de preñez en P1 se evaluó por la prueba exacta de Fisher y en P2 se empleó un modelo para datos categóricos. El porcentaje de estros para P1 fue100%enambosgruposyparaP292(T1)y88%(T2).Los porcentajes de preñez para P1 16.67 (T1) y 38.46 % (T2); P2 52 (T1) y 44 % (T2). La T1 y T2 se comportaron de manera similar, concluyéndose que T2 es más recomendable, ya que es 25 % más económico. Abstract Dinoprost tromethamine and cloprostenol were compared regarding estrus percentage, rate of pregnancy and costs. Protocol 1 (P1) consisted in the application of CIDR-B by 7 days with 1.0 mg of estradiol cypionate at day 0. T1 was treated with 0.30 mg of dinoprost tromethamine (PGF2a) when CIDR-B was withdrawn and T2 just 0.52 mg of cloroprostenol. Protocol 2 (P2) consisted in the application of two injections of PGF2α within 11 days interval (T1: 0.30 mg of dinoprost tromethamine and T2: 0.52 mg of cloprostenol. Estrus detection in P1 was evaluated at day 9, while for P2 was evaluated after injection. Artificial insemination was carried out 12 to 18 h after estrus onset for both protocols. Estrus percentage was evaluated by a Chi Square Test, rate of pregnancy in P1 was analyzed by a Fisher Exact Test while P2 by a Categorical Data Model Estrus percentage was 100 % for both groups of P1 and for P2 was 92 % (T1) and 88 % (T2); rate of pregnancy was for P1 16.67 (T1) and 38.46 % (T2). For P2,was 52 % (T1) and 44 % (T2). Similar response was observed for T1 and T2. In conclusion, T2 is more recommendable because is 25 % cheaper. Keywords: Dinoprost trometamina, cloprostenol, estrus, fertility, inseminatio

Liver injury in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with urea cycle enzyme dysregulation

The main aim was to evaluate changes in urea cycle enzymes in NAFLD patients and in two preclinical animal models mimicking this entity. Seventeen liver specimens from NAFLD patients were included for immunohistochemistry and gene expression analyses. Three-hundred-and-eighty-two biopsy-proven NAFLD patients were genotyped for rs1047891, a functional variant located in carbamoyl phosphate synthetase-1 (CPS1) gene. Two preclinical models were employed to analyse CPS1 by immunohistochemistry, a choline deficient high-fat diet model (CDA-HFD) and a high fat diet LDLr knockout model (LDLr −/−). A significant downregulation in mRNA was observed in CPS1 and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC1) in simple steatosis and NASH-fibrosis patients versus controls. Further, age, obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m), diabetes mellitus and ALT werefound to be risk factors whereas A-allele from CPS1 was a protective factor from liver fibrosis. CPS1 hepatic expression was diminished in parallel with the increase of fibrosis, and its levels reverted up to normality after changing diet in CDA-HFD mice. In conclusion, liver fibrosis and steatosis were associated with a reduction in both gene and protein expression patterns of mitochondrial urea cycle enzymes. A-allele from a variant on CPS1 may protect from fibrosis development. CPS1 expression is restored in a preclinical model when the main trigger of the liver damage disappears.The research leading to these results has received funding from the Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía under grant agreement PC-0148-2016-0148 and PE-0451-2018 and Instituto de Salud Carlos III under grant agreements CD21/00095, PI16/01842, PI19/01404, PI19/00589, IFI18/00041, FI20/00201, CD18/00126 and EHD18PI04/2021. Rocío Gallego-Durán has received the Andrew K Burroughs Fellowship from European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), Aprendizaje de Nuevas Tecnologías fellowship from Asociación Española para el Estudio del Hígado (AEEH) and CIBERehd Grant to support researcher’s mobility

Responding to the challenges of Water and Global Warming: Environmental Hydrogeology and Global Change Research Group (HYGLO-Lab)

[EN] The current Global Warming of planet Earth is probably the most important geological phenomenon in the last 20,000 years of its history and for human race. This process is having nowadays notable effects on the climate, ecosystems and natural resources. Possibly the most important renewable geological resource is water. One of the most strategic phases of the water cycle is groundwater. Despite its low visibility, quantitatively (and qualitatively too) it is essential for life on Planet Earth. Foreseeable consequences on groundwater due to climate change and sea level rise will be very significant. Hydrogeology can provide answers to many of the questions that are beginning to be raised in relation to these impacts and their effects. Environmental hydrogeology is a way of understanding the set of disciplines mixed in Hydrogeology as a Science of Nature. The HYGLO-Lab Research Group of the IGME-CSIC National Center attempts, through its lines of research, with a double global and local component, to provide answers to some of these questions.Peer reviewe