Morphological Characterization of Indoor Airborne Particles in Seven Primary Schools

This paper focuses on a study of fine (less than 2.5 µm) airborne particles collected inside seven primary schools located on a coastal Mediterranean area which has a significant industrial hub for the processing of clays and other minerals as raw materials. Of the seven schools, three are located in an urban area 20 km away from the main industrial hub, three are in a town located next to the industrial estate, and one is in a rural location, 30 km from the industrial area. The objective of this study is to identify the main types of particles found in the three examined environments. The particle matter identified in the fine particle samples is grouped into three main groups: mineral compounds, particles from combustion processes and phases emitted in high-temperature industrial processes. The mineral particles, which can come from natural or anthropogenic emissions, have been classified depending on their morphology as isometric allotriomorphs or subidiomorphs, with a tabular habit; acicular forms; or pure crystalline forms. Compounds from combustion processes have two types of morphologies: spheroid and dendritic soot particles. Additionally, in smaller quantities, spherical particles associated with high-temperature industrial processes, such as the emissions of ceramic tile-firing and frit-melting processes, are identified. A summary table is shown, which lists the characteristics, as well as the most significant origin of the main particles identified in the fine (<2.5 μm) airborne particles collected inside primary schools located in three different environments (urban, industrial and rural). A visual scale has been established based on the number of particles observed in the samples of the atmospheric particulate fraction between the sizes of 2.5 and 10 µm collected inside the schools. The ratios Ca/Si, S/Si, S/Ca and (Si+Ca)/S have been established. Results obtained may be useful in epidemiological studies in the ceramic cluster area in order to estimate children’s exposure to different indoor primary school microenvironments. Effective policies and mitigation measurements for the protection of children’s health should be carried out in this highly industrialized area

Differential protein expression analysis to study the pathogenicity of the protozoa parasite Trichomonas Gallinae

Comunicaciones a congreso

A conjecture on Exceptional Orthogonal Polynomials

Exceptional orthogonal polynomial systems (X-OPS) arise as eigenfunctions of Sturm-Liouville problems and generalize in this sense the classical families of Hermite, Laguerre and Jacobi. They also generalize the family of CPRS orthogonal polynomials. We formulate the following conjecture: every exceptional orthogonal polynomial system is related to a classical system by a Darboux-Crum transformation. We give a proof of this conjecture for codimension 2 exceptional orthogonal polynomials (X2-OPs). As a by-product of this analysis, we prove a Bochner-type theorem classifying all possible X2-OPS. The classification includes all cases known to date plus some new examples of X2-Laguerre and X2-Jacobi polynomials

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells by screen printing with preheating

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells were manufactured by the screen-printing method using a triple mesoscopic layer of TiO, ZrO and carbon. The perovskite solution was infiltrated at the TiO/ZrO porous interface through the printed carbon layer on top of the ZrO. Using a simple preheating of the substrates and the perovskite solution, a film deposited in air can be obtained. Using this method, an air-processed CPSC made under a humid atmosphere with 55% RH achieved a PCE of 10.35%

Type II pp-wave Matrix Models from Point-like Gravitons

The BMN Matrix model can be regarded as a theory of coincident M-theory gravitons, which expand by Myers dielectric effect into the 2-sphere and 5-sphere giant graviton vacua of the theory. In this note we show that, in the same fashion, Matrix String theory in Type IIA pp-wave backgrounds arises from the action for coincident Type IIA gravitons. In Type IIB, we show that the action for coincident gravitons in the maximally supersymmetric pp-wave background gives rise to a Matrix model which supports fuzzy 3-sphere giant graviton vacua with the right behavior in the classical limit. We discuss the relation between our Matrix model and the Tiny Graviton Matrix theory of hep-th/0406214.Comment: 18 page

High density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics as vectors of Triclosan towards marine invertebrates: signals of reduced bioreactivity

Triclosan (TCS) is an emerging contaminant used as a preservative for its antifungal and bactericidal properties. Previous studies have showed different capacity of TCS sorption depending on the MP type, which was related to their physicochemical properties. As a part of the general objective to evaluate the capacity of polyethylene(PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics as TCS vectors in marine environments, the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis was used as a model organism to evaluate effects on immune function after in vivo co-exposure. Acute TCS spill scenario in the presence/absence of microplastics in the surrounding water was simulated under laboratory conditions. Mussels were simultaneously exposed to one type of weathered microplastics (PE or PS) and a high TCS concentration during 72 hours. In general, a decrease in lysosomal membrane stability was observed with all treatments compared to the control after three days, with most treatments resulting in moderate cell stress in mussels. A overall decrease in phagocytic efficiency was also observed in all treated mussels compared to the control mussels, the only exception being mussels individually exposed to PE, where a slight but not statistically significant increase was detected. No differences were observed between treatments in extracellular lysozyme activity and oxyradicals production. In general, mussels co-exposed to TCS+PE and TCS+PS showed effects on immune function that were lower than or comparable to those observed with individual exposures to TCS, PE and PS. Based on the results of this study, an additive effect on immune function derived from the co-exposure of TCS+PE and TCS+PS microplastics can be discarded. However, a weak antagonistic effect is suggested, potentially due to a reduction in their bioreactivity as a consequence of the adsorption of TCS to the surface of the ingested microplastics. The comparison of the results of bioaccumulation of TCS in mussels between the individual treatments and treatments with co-exposure to TCS, which are currently being analyzed, will help to strengthen or refute this hypothesis

"Retórica y pragmática: aportación sobre sus convergencias y divergencias"

En este trabajo intentamos reconocer algunas de las principales relaciones de semejanzas y diferencias que existen entre dos de las disciplinas que se ocupan del tratamiento del uso de la lengua; de la comunicación lingüística en cuanto tal, esto es, la Pragmática y la Retórica. Nuestro objetivo, por lo tanto, es el de concretar algunos de los puntos de acercamiento y desencuentro que se dan entre estas dos materias. Para ello, la metodología que vamos a seguir será la de exponer algunas de las principales convergencias y divergencias que se dan entre los fines y objetivos; el planteamiento teórico y los planteamientos instructivos de la Retórica y la Pragmática. De esta forma, llegaremos a la conclusión de que, en realidad, no son tan lejanos los principios teóricos de los que parten ambas disciplinas y que, incluso, podemos aventurar la idónea complementación de sus teorías para estudiar el acto comunicativo

Prosopis, Retama monosperma. Phragmites y Arundo donax en cosechas sucesivas a uno y dos años de crecimiento, para la elaboración de pasta celulósica y papel

Se evalúa la aptitud de ciertas especies regeneradoras de terrenos degradados: Prosopis (variedades: alba y juliflora),Retama monosperma, Phragmites y Arundo donax, para la fabricación de pastas celulósicas y hojas de papel, mediante un proceso de pasteo organosolv alcalino. Se caracterizan y comparan las materias primas, pastas celulósicas y hojas de papel, para cosechas de un año (más rebrotes de un año de edad, después de haberlas cortado al año) y dos años de crecimiento. Las especies Retama monosperma, Phragmites y Arundodonax muestran potencialidad para su aprovechamientoindustrial, en cosechas de corta rotación, para la obtenciónde pastas celulósicas y papel. Los números kappa de las pastas de 2º año están entre 10,3 y 12,6, con números de tracción entre 13,7 y 20,9 kNm·kg–1 en las pastas sin refinar. Sin embargo la explotación industrial de las dos variedades de Prosopis precisaría su adecuación a tiempos de explotación más largos, que los estudiados en este trabajo

Abordaje del dolor en pacientes con cáncer. Revisión de las principales guías de tratamiento del dolor oncológico

El dolor es uno de los principales síntomas en pacientes con cáncer. El tratamiento actual se basa en la escalera analgésica de la OMS, siendo los fármacos opioides los más usados y la morfina el fármaco prototipo. Una de las técnicas más utilizadas es la llamada rotación de opioides, que consiste en la sustitución de un opioide por otro para conseguir un balance positivo entre los resultados analgésicos y la aparición de efectos adversos. Cuando no se consigue controlar con fármacos analgésicos, se recurre a tratamientos coadyuvantes y técnicas de neuromodulación. El manejo del dolor oncológico es complejo, lo que favorece que no esté bien controlado. Por ello, es necesario un equipo multidisciplinar en el que el farmacéutico esté integrado y pueda ayudar a mejorar la calidad de vida del paciente