GASOL: Gas Analysis and Optimization for Ethereum Smart Contracts

We present the main concepts, components, and usage of GASOL, a Gas AnalysiS and Optimization tooL for Ethereum smart contracts. GASOL offers a wide variety of cost models that allow inferring the gas consumption associated to selected types of EVM instructions and/or inferring the number of times that such types of bytecode instructions are executed. Among others, we have cost models to measure only storage opcodes, to measure a selected family of gas-consumption opcodes following the Ethereum's classification, to estimate the cost of a selected program line, etc. After choosing the desired cost model and the function of interest, GASOL returns to the user an upper bound of the cost for this function. As the gas consumption is often dominated by the instructions that access the storage, GASOL uses the gas analysis to detect under-optimized storage patterns, and includes an (optional) automatic optimization of the selected function. Our tool can be used within an Eclipse plugin for Solidity which displays the gas and instructions bounds and, when applicable, the gas-optimized Solidity function

Evolution of Microstructure during Isothermal Treatments of a Duplex-Austenitic 0.66C11.4Mn.9.9Al Low-Density Forging Steel and Effect on the Mechanical Properties

In the last decades, low-density steels for forging have increasing interest in the automotive industry, and good mechanical properties are required for their real application. This paper describes the results obtained for a 0.66C11.4Mn9.9Al duplex austenitic low-density steel after applying a set of isothermal treatments at different combinations of time and temperature, aimed to promote kappa carbide precipitation, and improve the mechanical properties obtained with a water quenching treatment. The effects of the different isothermal treatments on the microstructure and on the mechanical properties have been analyzed and compared to those obtained from a quenching heat treatment. We found that isothermal treatments in the range temperature between 550–750 °C promoted the profuse precipitation of coarse kappa carbides at grain boundaries, which dramatically reduced the ductility of the alloy, whereas a traditional quenching treatment resulted in a better combination of ductility and mechanical strength.This research has been carried out with a financial grant of the Basque Government under its ELKARTEK Research Program, KK-2016/00029-ABADE project and KK-2018/00016-COFADEN project

From semiotic configurations to epistemic configurations of a geometric drawing task: what is expected and what is implemented

El uso del constructo configuración epistémica permite reflexionar sobre los objetos matemáticos movilizados en una tarea y ayuda en la identificación de conflictos cognitivos y semióticos. Lo anterior es posible al reconocer términos verbales, simbólicos y gráficos (lenguaje matemático), ejercicios y ejemplos (situaciones problema), las definiciones, los procedimientos, las proposiciones y los argumentos utilizados en un episodio dentro del aula. El profesor en activo es consciente de las variaciones que sufre una tarea al momento de su implementación en el aula. En una implementación exitosa, los alumnos reaccionen más o menos según lo diseñado. Al utilizar herramientas de análisis didáctico, como la configuración epistémica, el profesor observa que en un episodio de clase exitoso se presentan los seis objetos primarios según se tenía previsto al momento del diseño. Cuando la implementación de la tarea no muestra las evidencias de aprendizaje previstas, el profesor puede identificar las variaciones en los objetos primarios previstos al contrastar la configuración epistémica hipotética o esperada con la configuración epistémica real o de la implementación. El objetivo de esta comunicación es valorar el nivel de éxito de la implementación de una tarea de dibujo geométrico, dirigida a alumnos de secundaria, al contrastar sus estados hipotético e implementado. De acuerdo con los resultados, la implementación fallida de la tarea se debió a desfases en los seis objetos primarios de la configuración epistémica

Análisis de la novela Atalanta de Gianni Rodari desde una perspectiva ecofeminista

El siguiente trabajo consta de dos partes, la primera aborda el tema del ecofeminismo, rama del movimiento feminista. El ecofeminismo podría definirse como el movimiento social, resultado del movimiento feminista y ecologista y que relaciona la subordinación y opresión de las mujeres en la historia con la explotación de la naturaleza. Es un movimiento que busca un cambio del paradigma actual y la creación de un mundo sostenible, a través de la igualdad entre los seres humanos, los animales no humanos y la naturaleza. Por otro lado se ha realizado el análisis de la novela Atalanta (1964) de Gianni Rodari atendiendo a los aspectos ecofeministas, esta novela se ha considerado adecuada para la educación literaria por los valores que resalta.<br /

Diseño de una metodología para la implantación de herramientas automáticas de corrección de estilo y buenas prácticas en asignaturas de programación

Depto. de Sistemas Informáticos y ComputaciónFac. de InformáticaFALSEsubmitte

TUP1-mediated filamentation in Candida albicans leads to inability to colonize the mouse gut.

AIM To investigate the role of Candida albicans TUP1-mediated filamentation in the colonization of the mice gut. MATERIALS & METHODS We used molecular genetics to generate a strain where filamentation is regulated by altering the expression of the TUP1 gene with tetracyclines. RESULTS The colonization rates reached with the TUP1-RFP strain were lower compared with wild-type strain and completely absent after induction of filamentation. No differences in the susceptibility to bile salts nor in the adhesion to the mouse intestine epithelium were observed. CONCLUSION Blockage of C. albicans in a filamentous form impedes gut cell colonization in the mouse

Formulation of liposomes loading lentisk oil to ameliorate topical delivery, attenuate oxidative stress damage and improve cell migration in scratch assay

Pistacia lentiscus L. is a sclerophyllous shrub capable of growing under harsh climatic conditions especially in the Mediterranean Basin. Different products can be obtained from this plant, such as essential oil, mastic gum or even fixed oil. The last is well known for its flavor which is mainly exploited in the food industry. Additionally, it has been traditionally used in the treatment of skin diseases, but, at the moment, any suitable formulation for skin delivery has been formulated and its biological effects was not deeply confirmed. Given that, in the present study, the lentisk oil has been formulated in liposomes at different concentrations (10, 20, 30 mg/ml) and their physicochemical, technological and main biological properties have been evaluated. Vesicles were prepared by using natural soy lecithin and a green and organic solvent free method, thus obtaining spherical, small (~ 118 nm), homogeneously dispersed (0.27) and highly negatively charged (~ -62 mV) vesicles. The used amount of oil loaded in liposomes (10, 20, 30 mg/ml) modulated the penetration ability of vesicles in the skin, favoring the deposition of the payload in the deeper strata. The loading in the vesicles potentiated the ability of oil to counteract the damaging effects caused by hydrogen peroxide in keratinocytes and fibroblasts and facilitate their migration in a cell monolayer lesion. Overall findings suggested that the incorporation of lentisk oil in liposomes made from soy lecithin can be an alternative and natural approach to exploit it in pharmaceutical ad cosmetical applications and manufacturing natural products suitable for the treatment of skin lesions

Innovative strategies to treat skin wounds with mangiferin: fabrication of transferosomes modified with glycols and mucin

im: The moisturizing properties of glycerol, the penetration enhancing capability of propylene glycol and the bioadhesive properties of mucin were combined to improve the carrier capabilities of transfersomes and the efficacy of mangiferin in the treatment of skin lesions. Materials & methods: Mangiferin was incorporated in transfersomes and glycoltransfersomes, which were also modified with mucin. The physico-chemical features were assessed, along with the efficacy against oxidative stress and skin wounds in vitro and in vivo. Results: Glycoltransfersomes promoted the deposition of mangiferin in epidermis and dermis, protected fibroblasts from oxidative stress and stimulated their proliferation. The wound healing and anti-inflammatory efficacy of glycoltransfersomes were confirmed in vivo. Conclusion: Results confirmed the potential of glycoltransfersomes in preventing/treating of skin lesions

Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options

Producción CientíficaPine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe. Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM) solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk. We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (contract IF/00471/2013/CP1203/CT0001)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420