Cavity losses estimation in CSP applications

AIP Conference Proceedings, 2033, Nov. 2018, Article number 210007-1-210007-8Estimations of convection and radiation cavity losses in two common CSP applications have been analyzed; a cavity in a solar tower plant for high temperature (800 K) and in a down facing cavity in a Fresnel configuration for medium temperature (350 K) applications. An analysis regarding the effect of the configuration, geometry and the presence of wind has been also carried out.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación MTM2015-65608-PJunta de Andalucía Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento P12-FQM-1658Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad DPI2016-78887-C3-1-

A Rad-hard On-chip CMOS Charge Detector with High Dynamic Range

This article introduces a CMOS charge detector tailored for measuring ionizing radiation in a wide range of fluences. It represents an entirely on-chip solution based on capacitive sensing. It was fabricated using a standard 0.18 μm CMOS process and employs Metal-insulator-Metal (MiM) capacitor arrays to attain high matching, low leakage, and minimal process variations. The sensing area was radhardened with a post-CMOS layer of metal deposited with a Focus Ion Beam (FIB) that removes the use of external metallic plates. Experimental testing under the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) demonstrated radiation hardness at energies up to 10 keV, with a very high dynamic range of up to 138 dB (externally adjustable), and with a sensitivity of 1.43 μV/e-. By harnessing the detection of relative charge variations instead of relying on absolute values, this approach proves highly suitable for particle event detection and facilitates future integrations compatible with the Address Event Representation (AER) communication protocol.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades PGC2018-101538-A-I00, PID2021-128009OBC31, VERSO AT21_00096, P20_0120

Fatigue Study of the Pre-Corroded 6082-T6 Aluminum Alloy in Saline Atmosphere

[Abstract] This work studies the influence of the saline atmospheric corrosion on the fatigue strength of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. For this purpose, this alloy was subjected to tests in a salt spray corrosion chamber at different exposure times (1, 2, and 3 months) according to ASTM B117 standard. The morphological study of the pits was carried out by confocal microscopy. Subsequently, fatigue tests were performed at variable stresses whose maximum stress (Smax) was between 30% and 95% of the yield strength (S0) in order to keep them within the zone of elastic behavior of the material. Data were analyzed using the Basquin equation and the maximum likelihood function method. The results show a similar decrease in the conventional fatigue limit (2 × 106 cycles) after one month (98 MPa) and two months (91 MPa) of corrosion. After three months of corrosion, the material showed a very important reduction in the fatigue limit (68 MPa) with respect to the uncorroded material (131 MPa). The data of Se/S0 (fatigue limit/yield strength) versus the ratio Pm/Dm (pit average depth/pit diameter at zero depth) can be fitted to a logarithmic curve

Simulating the efficacy of vaccines on the epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in a membrane computing model

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in [insert journal title] following peer review. The version of record [insert complete citation information here] is available online at: xxxxxxx [insert URL and DOI of the article on the OUP website].[EN] Membrane computing is a natural computing procedure inspired in the compartmental structure of living cells. This approach allows mimicking the complex structure of biological processes, and, when applied to transmissible diseases, can simulate a virtual `epidemic¿ based on interactions between elements within the computational model according to established conditions. General and focused vaccination strategies for controlling SARS-Cov-2 epidemics have been simulated for 2.3 years fromthe emergence of the epidemic in a hypothetical town of 10320 inhabitants in a country with mean European demographics where COVID-19 is imported. The age and immunological-response groups of the hosts and their lifestyles were minutely examined. The duration of natural, acquired immunity influenced the results; the shorter the duration, the more endemic the process, resulting in higher mortality, particularly among elderly individuals. During epidemic valleys between waves, the proportion of infected patients belonging to symptomatic groups (mostly elderly) increased in the total population, a population that largely benefits from standard double vaccination, particularly with boosters. There was no clear difference when comparing booster shots provided at 4 or 6 months after standard doubledose vaccination. Vaccines even of moderate efficacy (short-term protection) were effective in decreasing the number of symptomatic cases. Generalized vaccination of the entire population (all ages) added little benefit to overall mortality rates, and this situation also applied for generalized lockdowns. Elderly-only vaccination and lockdowns, even without general interventions directed to reduce population transmission, is sufficient for dramatically reducing mortality.This work was partially fund by the Fundación del Conocimiento Madri+d from the Madrid' Autonomous Community through a research contract (AVATAR-EPAMEC) within the Health Start Plus Program, promoted by the Carlos III Health Research Institute (ITEMAS), Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain.Campos Frances, M.; Sempere Luna, JM.; Galán, JC.; Moya, A.; Cantón, R.; Llorens, C.; Baquero, F. (2022). Simulating the efficacy of vaccines on the epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in a membrane computing model. microLife. 3:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsml/uqac018113

AO-4025 ITT ESA - Surface treatments and coatings for reduction of multipactor and Passive InterModulation (PIM) effect in RF components

This is the electronic version of a paper presented at the 4th International Workshop on Multipactor, Corona and Passive Intermodulation in Space RF Hardware (MULCOPIM 2003) held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.ESA has initiated several activities with the aim to reduce the risk of multipaction and corona effects in space hardware. Within the activity Surface Treatment and Coating for the Reduction of Multipactor and Passive Intermodulation (PIM) Effects in RF Components a European group has been formed to investigate new surface coatings / treatments to improve the power handling capability of passive equipment with respect to multipactor and passive intermodulation. This paper presents an overview of the activities to be performed within this project and describes the first results

Análisis de la Motivación, la Satisfacción y el Esfuerzo en la Implantación de un Grado Bilingüe

La internacionalización de las enseñanzas a través de la implantación de titulaciones bilingües presenta importantes retos para el alumnado, el profesorado y la institución. La identificación temprana de barreras y problemas es fundamental para lograr con éxito su implantación. Con este objetivo en mente, este trabajo presenta los resultados obtenidos de la evaluación de la implantación de un título bilingüe en un grado de Ingeniería Informática. En concreto, se han contemplado tres ejes fundamentales dentro de esta evaluación: (1) la motivación del alumnado para no elegir enseñanzas en inglés, (2) la satisfacción del alumnado con el desarrollo de las asignaturas en inglés, y (3) el esfuerzo del profesorado en la docencia en inglés. A partir de estos datos se realiza un análisis de la docencia en castellano y la docencia en inglés para el mismo conjunto de asignaturas. El objetivo último del estudio es proponer acciones para la mejora continua, así como extraer conclusiones sobre el funcionamiento del título que puedan servir como referencia para la puesta en marcha o mejora de otras iniciativas de implantación de títulos bilingües.Higher education internationalization by means of bilingual degrees presents great challenges for students, teaching staff and institutions. Early identification of burdens and issues is of utmost importance to offer such studies successfully. Within that goal, this work presents results obtained from the evaluation of a new bilingual degree (English) in Computer Science. Concretely, three main dimensions has been evaluated: (1) students’ motivation to learn in English; (2) students’ satisfaction with English teaching; and (3) perceived staff effort to teach in English. Based on the resulting data we perform an analysis about teaching in English and in Spanish the same subject set. The final goal of this study is to propose concrete actions for continuous enhancement and to derive conclusions about degree development, so that they may be useful for other initiatives of bilingual educational programs

Recent advances on dendrogeomorphological research applied to flood hazard analysis in Spain.

Estudios dendroecológicos para el análisis de regímentes torrenciales y avenida

Regulación de genes que afectan la biosíntesis de compuestos de azufre en cerveza

RESUMEN Durante la fermentación alcohólica, la levadura producirá submetabolitos que alteran las características de la cerveza. Los compuestos volátiles de azufre (CVA) son generados por la activación de genes involucrados en el metabolismo de asimilación de sulfatos, sulfitos y síntesis de aminoácidos. Identificamos los genes que participan en la producción de CVA y su respuesta bajo distintas condiciones de proceso. Utilizamos dos cepas de levadura sometidas a diferentes tipos de mosto y evaluamos su respuesta genética. Los resultados mostraron que la producción de CVA depende de la constitución genética de la cepa y su interacción con el mosto. ABSTRACT During brewing process, the yeast will produce secondary metabolites altering the characteristics of the beer. Volatile sulfur compounds (CVA) are generated by activation of genes involved in the metabolism of assimilation of sulfates, sulfites, and amino acid synthesis. We identified genes involved in the production of VCA and its response under different process conditions. We used two yeast strains fermenting different types of worts, and we evaluated their genetic response. The results showed that the production of CVA depends on the genetic constitution of the strain and its interaction with the wor

Suppression of Coulomb-nuclear interference in the near-barrier elastic scattering of 17 Ne from 208 Pb

The proton drip-line nucleus 17Ne is considered a good candidate for a Borromean two-proton halo with a 15O + p+ pstructure. Angular distributions of the elastic scattering and inclusive 15O production for a 136 MeV 17Ne beam incident on a 208Pb target were measured for the first time at the SPIRAL1 facility, GANIL. Use of the GLORIA detector array allowed high-resolution data over a wide angular range from 20◦up to 95◦in the laboratory frame to be obtained. The elastic scattering angular distribution shows similarities with those for both 6He and 20Ne at equivalent collision energies with respect to the corresponding Coulomb barriers, exhibiting the suppression of the Coulomb rainbow peak characteristic of strong coupling. Optical model and coupled channel fits suggest that this is due to a combination of coupling to low-lying quadrupole resonances and Coulomb dipole coupling to the low-lying continuum, although their relative importance depends on the relevant B(E2)values which remain to be firmly determined

Effectiveness of a universal personalized intervention for the prevention of anxiety disorders: Protocol of a randomized controlled trial (the prevANS project)

Background: To date, all preventive anxiety disorders interventions are one-fit-all and none of them are based on individual level and risk profile. The aim of this project is to design, develop and evaluate an online personalized intervention based on a risk algorithm for the universal prevention of anxiety disorders in the general population. Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two parallel arms (prevANS vs usual care) and 1-year follow- up including 2000 participants without anxiety disorders from Spain and Portugal will be conducted. The prevANS intervention will be self-guided and can be implemented from the prevANS web or from the participants' Smartphone (through an App). The prevANS intervention will have different intensities depending on the risk level of the population, evaluated from the risk algorithm for anxiety: predictA. Both low and moderate-high risk participants will receive information on their level and profile (risk factors) of anxiety disorders, will have access to stress management tools and psychoeducational information periodically. In addition, participants with a moderate-high risk of anxiety disorders will also have access to cognitive-behavioral training (problem-solving, decision-making, communication skills, and working with thoughts). The control group will not receive any intervention, but they will fill out the same questionnaires as the intervention group. Assessments will be completed at baseline, 6 and 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome is the cumulative incidence of anxiety disorders. Secondary outcomes include depressive and anxiety symptoms, risk probability of anxiety disorders (predictA algorithm) and depression (predictD algorithm), improvement in physical and mental quality of life, and acceptability and satisfaction with the intervention. In addition, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses will also be carried out from two perspectives, societal and health system, and analyses of mediators and moderators will also be performedSpanish Ministry of Health, the Institute of Health Carlos III, co-funded by the European Social Fund “Investing in your future” (grant references: CP19/00056), and the Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion Research Network ‘RICAPPS’ (RD21/0016/0012); and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the State Investigation Agency (PID2020-119652RA-l00). These funding sources had no role in the design of this study and will not have any role during its execution, analyses, interpretation of the data, or decision to submit resultsS