Nanomechanics of Langmuir-Blodgett films

La caracterització topogràfica i nanomecànica de pel·lícules moleculars és important degut al creixent interès que aquestes desperten, tant des del punt de vista científic com tecnològic. Com a cas particular tenim les pel·lícules Langmuir i Langmuir- Blodgett (LB), les quals permeten el control de l'àrea per molècula i per tant de la nanoestructura de la mostra. Les pel·lícules Langmuir poden caracteritzar-se en la interfase aire-aigua mitjançant les isotermes de pressió superficial-àrea i amb el Microscopi d'Angle de Brewster (BAM). Les mesures de pressió superficial proporcionen informació global de la pel·lícula mentre que el BAM proporciona imatges òptiques d'àrees de dimensions mil·limètriques amb resolució lateral a escala micromètrica. Les pel·lícules Langmuir poden ser transferides a un substrat pla (pel·lícules LB) i poden estudiar-se a escala nanomètrica mitjançant les Microscopies de Sonda Local (SPMs). Entre elles, la Microscòpia de Forces Atòmiques proporciona imatges topogràfiques, mentre que la Microscòpia de Forces Laterals i l'Espectroscòpia de Forces proporcionen informació sobre les propietats nanotribològiques i nanomecàniques de les pel·lícules. En aplicar aquestes tècniques a l'estudi de pel· lícules mixtes, proporcionen informació sobre miscibilitat, separació de fases, estructura de dominis i propietats mecàniques. Degut a la possibilitat de controlar la pressió superficial de la pel·lícula, es pot correlacionar aquest valor amb l'estructura i el comportament nanomecànic de les capes.The topographical and nanomechanical characterization of molecular films is an important issue due to the increasing interest in this kind of 2-dimensional structure, both from a scientific and technological point of view. In particular, Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films have been widely studied as it is possible to control the area per molecule in the layer, with the consequent control over the sample nanostructure. Langmuir films can be characterized at the air-water interphase by using surface pressure-area isotherms and Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM). Surface pressure measurements provide information on the films as a whole and BAM provides optical images of areas in the millimetric range with lateral resolution on the micrometric scale. Langmuir films can be transferred onto an atomically flat substrate and the transferred films (LB films) can be studied in the nanometric range using Scanning Probe Microscopies (SPMs). Of these, Atomic Force Microscopy provides topographical information, while Lateral Force Microscopy and Force Spectroscopy provide information about the nanotribological and nanomechanical properties of the films. These techniques, when applied to the study of mixed films, provide information about miscibility, phase separation, domain structure and mechanical properties. In this respect, SPMs can provide information at a nanometric level that it is not available using BAM. Thanks to the possibility of controlling the film surface pressure, correlation between sample nanostructure and nanomechanics can be established

Anàlisis de l’evolució de les polítiques de participació a l’Ajuntament de Terrassa

El treball pretén analitzar l?administració pública del municipi de Terrassa com un sistema complex on diferents actors interactuen en la creació i la implementació de les polítiques ambientals i culturals de la ciutat. El nostre objectiu es saber els diferents recursos emprats, els plans implementats i les relacions de poder entre les institucions públiques del municipi.Es proposaran millores institucionals que promoguin una Terrassa més resilient

Comparative proteomic analysis of collection and clinical-isolate strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Comunicaciones a congreso

Comparative proteomic analysis of collection and clinical-isolate strains of psudomonas aeruginosa

Comunicaciones a congreso

Model calibration and leakage assessment applied to a real Water Distribution Network

The use of water distribution network models depends highly on the confidence that the operators have on them. Models generated automatically from the Geographical Information System using the hydraulic equations integrated in a simulation model [7] are available in most of the water utilities. Once the first simulation results are compared with the available measurements, calibration is required [6]. This paper presents the process of adjusting the original network model of a village called Sant Joan de Vilatorrada network to fit the simulation results with the measurements. The adjustments in the model range from the macroalibration level to the microcalibration level [3]. The macrocalibration process is based on the analysis done by the engineers, and the conclusions are formalised for future use in other networks. Microcalibration is centred in setting the emitter coefficients using Genetic Algorithm optimisation. The results of the work include an adjusted model for decision taking, an assessment of the background leakage and a methodology to be applied in other parts of the network.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

L'estratègia comunicativa dels clubs de futbol en xarxes socials : anàlisis de l'ús de Twitter, Instagram i Facebook en el Cerdanyola del Vallès FC i Sant Cugat del Vallès FC

En les últimes dècades l'aparició de les xarxes socials ha canviat la manera com vivim en tots els aspectes, concretament en el món del futbol ha significat un canvi de 360 graus en la manera com es presenten i es consumeixen els continguts. Aquest treball de recerca pretén fer una anàlisi profund sobre com els clubs de futbol amateurs utilitzen aquest recurs per difondre els seus esdeveniments esportius i, per altra banda com utilitzen les xarxes per fidelitzar i fer créixer la seva comunitat.En las últimas dècadas, la aparición de las redes sociales ha cambiado la manera como se vive en todos los aspectos, concretamente en el mundo del fútbol ha significado un cambio de 360 grados en la forma en como se presentan y se consumen los contenidos. De esta manera, se han convertido en el elemento informativo principal de los grandes clubes de fútbol y en la forma principal para dar visibilidad, informar y promocionar los eventos deportivos. Esta investigación pretende conocer en profundidad cómo los clubes de fútbol amateurs utilizan las redes sociales, y también analizar si hacen una estrategia comunicativa eficaz.In the last few decades, the appearance of social networks has changed the way we live in all aspects, and specifically in the world of football it has meant a 360-degree change in the way in which content is presented and consumed. In this way, they have become the main informative element of the big football clubs and the main way to give visibility, inform and promote events. This research aims to find out in depth how amateur football clubs use social networks, and also to analyse how they carry out an effective communication strategy

Cognitive reserve assessment scale in health (CRASH): its validity and reliability

Background: the cognitive reserve (CR) concept has not been precisely defined in severe mental disorders and has been estimated using heterogeneous methods. This study aims to investigate and develop the psychometric properties of the Cognitive Reserve Assessment Scale in Health (CRASH), an instrument designed to measure CR in people with severe mental illness; (2) Methods: 100 patients with severe mental illness (non-affective psychoses and affective disorders) and 66 healthy controls were included. The internal consistency and convergent validity of CRASH were assessed. Spearman's correlations coefficients were also performed to examine the relationship between CRASH and neuropsychological tests, psychosocial functioning, and clinical course; (3) Results: the internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.903). The CRASH global score had a large positive correlation with the Cognitive reserve questionnaire total score (r = 0.838, p < 0.001), demonstrating good convergent validity. The correlation coefficients between the CRASH total scores and clinical, functional, and neuropsychological performance were different between groups. In order to provide clinical interpretation, severity classification based on diagnosis (non-affective psychotic disorders, affective disorders, and healthy controls) have been created; (4) Conclusions: CRASH is the first CR measure developed specifically for patients with severe mental illness, facilitating reliable and valid measurement of this construct. The scale may aid in the stratification of patients and the implementation of personalized interventions

Evaluation of integrated care services in Catalonia: population-based and service- based real-life deployment protocols

Background: Comprehensive assessment of integrated care deployment constitutes a major challenge to ensure quality, sustainability and transferability of both healthcare policies and services in the transition toward a coordinated service delivery scenario. To this end, the manuscript articulates four different protocols aiming at assessing large-scale implementation of integrated care, which are being developed within the umbrella of the regional project Nextcare (2016-2019), undertaken to foster innovation in technologically-supported services for chronic multimorbid patients in Catalonia (ES) (7.5 M inhabitants). Whereas one of the assessment protocols is designed to evaluate population-based deployment of care coordination at regional level during the period 2011-2017, the other three are service-based protocols addressing: i) Home hospitalization; ii) Prehabilitation for major surgery; and, iii) Community-based interventions for frail elderly chronic patients. All three services have demonstrated efficacy and potential for health value generation. They reflect different implementation maturity levels. While full coverage of the entire urban health district of Barcelona-Esquerra (520 k inhabitants) is the main aim of home hospitalization, demonstration of sustainability at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona constitutes the core goal of the prehabilitation service. Likewise, full coverage of integrated care services addressed to frail chronic patients is aimed at the city of Badalona (216 k inhabitants). Methods: The population-based analysis, as well as the three service-based protocols, follow observational and experimental study designs using a non-randomized intervention group (integrated care) compared with a control group (usual care) with a propensity score matching method. Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of the interventions using a Quadruple aim approach is a central outcome in all protocols. Moreover, multi-criteria decision analysis is explored as an innovative method for health delivery assessment. The following additional dimensions will also be addressed: i) Determinants of sustainability and scalability of the services; ii) Assessment of the technological support; iii) Enhanced health risk assessment; and, iv) Factors modulating service transferability. Discussion: The current study offers a unique opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of integrated care fostering deployment of services at regional level. The study outcomes will contribute refining service workflows, improving health risk assessment and generating recommendations for service selection. Trials registration: NCT03130283 (date released 04/06/2018), NCT03768050 (date released 12/05/2018), NCT03767387 (date released 12/05/2018)

Comorbidity of eczema, rhinitis, and asthma in IgE-sensitised and non-IgE-sensitised children in MeDALL: a population-based cohort study

n/

Abundance of the Quorum-Sensing Factor Ax21 in Four Strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Correlates with Mortality Rate in a New Zebrafish Model of Infection

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a Gram-negative pathogen with emerging nosocomial incidence. Little is known about its pathogenesis and the genomic diversity exhibited by clinical isolates complicates the study of pathogenicity and virulence factors. Here, we present a strategy to identify such factors in new clinical isolates of S. maltophilia, incorporating an adult-zebrafish model of S. maltophilia infection to evaluate relative virulence coupled to 2D difference gel electrophoresis to explore underlying differences in protein expression. In this study we report upon three recent clinical isolates and use the collection strain ATCC13637 as a reference. The adult-zebrafish model shows discrimination capacity, i.e. from very low to very high mortality rates, with clinical symptoms very similar to those observed in natural S. maltophilia infections in fish. Strain virulence correlates with resistance to human serum, in agreement with previous studies in mouse and rat and therefore supporting zebrafish as a replacement model. Despite its clinical origin, the collection strain ATCC13637 showed obvious signs of attenuation in zebrafish, with null mortality. Multilocus-sequence-typing analysis revealed that the most virulent strains, UV74 and M30, exhibit the strongest genetic similitude. Differential proteomic analysis led to the identification of 38 proteins with significantly different abundance in the three clinical strains relative to the reference strain. Orthologs of several of these proteins have been already reported to have a role in pathogenesis, virulence or resistance mechanisms thus supporting our strategy. Proof of concept is further provided by protein Ax21, whose abundance is shown here to be directly proportional to mortality in the zebrafish infection model. Indeed, recent studies have demonstrated that this protein is a quorum-sensing-related virulence factor