Laser treatment of nanoparticulated metal thin films for ceramic tile decoration

This paper presents a new method for the fabrication of metal-like decorative layers on glazed ceramic tiles. It consists of the laser treatment of copper thin films prepared by electron beam evaporation at glancing angles. A thin film of discontinuous copper nanoparticles was electron beam evaporated in an oblique angle configuration onto ceramic tiles and an ample palette of colors obtained by laser treatment both in air and in vacuum. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FESEM) along with UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) analysis were used to characterize the differently colored layers. Based on these analyses, color development has been accounted for by a simple model considering surface melting phenomena and different microstructural and chemical transformations of the outmost surface layers of samples.Financial support from the EU (Grant LIFE11/ENV/ES560), Innovaragon (Grant ITA-DGA/ES 1368), DGA (Group T87), MINECO (Projects MAT2013-40852-R and MAT2013-42900-P), and Junta de Andalucia (Projects TEP 8067 and FQM 6900) is gratefully acknowledged. F.R.-G. acknowledges the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation for Grant SFRH/BPD/108581/2015.Peer reviewe

Laser-induced coloration of ceramic tiles covered with magnetron sputtered precursor layers

This paper reports a new methodology for the coloring of glazed ceramic tiles consisting of the near infrared pulsed laser processing of copper containing oxide coatings prepared by magnetron sputtering. As a second approach, the employ for the same purpose of a novel laser furnace technique is also described. Changing the laser parameters and using the laser furnace to treat the tiles at high temperature during irradiation has resulted in a wide color palette. The optical characterization of the modified tiles by UV-Vis spectroscopy has been complemented with their microstructural and compositional analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Time Of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The chemical composition of the surface was obtained by X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS) and its structure determined by X?ray diffraction (XRD). The chemical resistance was characterized by several tests following the norm ISO 10545-13. Color changes have been attributed to surface microstructural and chemical transformations that have been accounted for by simple models involving different ablation, melting, diffusion, and segregation/agglomeration phenomena depending on the laser treatments employed

Patrones de teleconexión entre circulación atmosférica a gran escala y precipitación en la Península Ibérica

Ponencia presentada en: II Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología “El tiempo del clima”, celebrado en Valencia del 7 al 9 de junio de 2001[ES]Un análisis de descomposición singular ha sido realizado a la matriz de croscovarianza de dos Campos para investigar la naturaleza de las interacciones entre la circulación atmosférica a gran escala y la precipitación en la Península Ibérica. Este análisis ha sido aplicado a una base de datos de 30 inviernos consistente en precipitación mensual acumulada en la Península Ibérica y altura geopotencial mensual media en varios niveles atmosféricos sobre la cuenca del Atlántico Norte. El análisis ha dado como resultado 2 pares significativos de patrones de teleconexión que cuentan con más del 86% del total de la covarianza cuadrada entre los dos campos. El primer patrón de geopotencial, el modo dominante, puede ser identificado con la Oscilación del Atlántico Norte y da cuenta del valor más alto de fracción de covarianza cuadrada en todos los niveles atmosféricos. Este modo muestra una distribución espacial que se mantiene en toda la troposfera. El segundo modo muestra altos valores de correlación en varios niveles atmosféricos. Este patrón de teleconexión está caracterizado por un dipolo de anomalías de geopotencial orientado SW-NE acoplado con un patrón de precipitación que presenta fuertes anomalías negativas en el norte de la Península Ibérica y anomalías positivas en el sur y el este. Para una mejor interpretación de los patrones resultantes, se ha complementado la información con un análisis de funciones ortogonales empíricas de los campos individuales.[EN]To investigate the nature of the atmosphere circulation interactions with the rainfall at Iberia a singular value decomposition analysis has been performed to a croscovariance matrix of two fields. This analysis has been applied to a 30-winter dataset consisting of both monthly totals of precipitation in Iberia and monthly mean geopotential height at several levels over North Atlantic Ocean. The analysis has yielded two significant pairs of teleconnection patterns that account for more than 86% of the total square covariance between the two fields. The first geopotential pattern, the dominant mode, has been recognised as the North Atlantic Oscillation with the highest value of square covariance fraction at all atmospheric levels. The mode shows a spatial distribution which is kept on the whole troposphere. The second mode shows high correlation values at the several atmospheric levels. These second teleconnection patterns showed a geopotential anomaly dipole SW-NE pattern that is coupled with strong negative precipitation anomalies at N of the Iberian Península and positive ones at southern and eastern areas. To avoid misinterpretations, the information of these teleconnection patterns has been completed by the empirical orthogonal function analysis of the individual fields.Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por el proyecto de investigación REN2000-0786/CLI

Photonic sensor systems for the identification of hydrocarbons and crude oils in static and flow conditions

Identification of hydrocarbons and crude oils is typically carried out with samples that, taken from natural sources or refineries, must be brought to the laboratory for their analysis with rather sophisticated instruments. Alternatively, “in situ” procedures have been also developed for this purpose. In this work, we propose the use of a series of several sensor systems based on photonic transducers in the form of chips for the identification and classification of crude oils and hydrocarbons through the determination of their refractive index in the visible and absorption in the near infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Two of the photonic transducers rely on modifications of a Bragg microcavity and they monitor the changes in visible light interference phenomena that occur in response to the variation of the refractive index of oils. The third one, in the form of a dielectric mirror, monitors the near infrared absorption of crude oils and hydrocarbons through the recording of a transflectance spectrum. The capacity of these transducers for crude oil identification is proved by the analysis of a series of oils and distilled fractions that have been properly identified and classified as a function of their density and partition of long hydrocarbon chains. The three photonic transducers are operated with optical fibers and can be used in static and dynamic modes, this latter under conditions that are especially well-suited for “insitu” analysis of oil streams in real facilities. The proved resistance of the chips to high pressure and temperature conditions supports their suitability to withstand harsh working environments as those existing in extraction wells.Peer reviewe

Alu retrotransposons promote differentiation of human carcinoma cells through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor

Cell differentiation is a central process in development and in cancer growth and dissemination. OCT4 (POU5F1) and NANOG are essential for cell stemness and pluripotency; yet, the mechanisms that regulate their expression remain largely unknown. Repetitive elements account for almost half of the Human Genome; still, their role in gene regulation is poorly understood. Here, we show that the dioxin receptor (AHR) leads to differentiation of human carcinoma cells through the transcriptional upregulation of Alu retrotransposons, whose RNA transcripts can repress pluripotency genes. Despite the genome-wide presence of Alu elements, we provide evidences that those located at the NANOG and OCT4 promoters bind AHR, are transcribed by RNA polymerase-III and repress NANOG and OCT4 in differentiated cells. OCT4 and NANOG repression likely involves processing of Alu-derived transcripts through the miRNA machinery involving the Microprocessor and RISC. Consistently, stable AHR knockdown led to basal undifferentiation, impaired Alus transcription and blockade of OCT4 and NANOG repression. We suggest that transcripts produced from AHR-regulated Alu retrotransposons may control the expression of stemness genes OCT4 and NANOG during differentiation of carcinoma cells. The control of discrete Alu elements by specific transcription factors may have a dynamic role in genome regulation under physiological and diseased conditions.Trabajo financiado por: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Proyectos BFU2011-22678, SAF2014-51813-R (I+D+i) para Pedro María Fernández Salguero Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Instituto Carlos III, Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Cáncer Junta de Extremadura. Ayudas GR10008, GR15008 CICE-FEDER-P09-CTS-4980, CICE-FEDERP12-CTS-2256, Plan Nacional de I+D+I 2008–2011 y 2013–2016 (FIS-FEDER-PI11/01489, FIS-FEDERPI14/02152), PCIN-2014-115-ERA-NET NEURON II, para José Luis García Pérez European Research Council ERC-Consolidator ERC-STG-2012-233764 International Early Career Scientist Beca de la Howard Hughes Medical Institute IECS-55007420 Programa Unión Europea de Fondos FEDERpeerReviewe

Interferometric characterization of GRIN lenses for ophtalmic uses

The proposal of this work is the study of a method for characterization of the focal of ophthalmic lenses whosesurface refraction index has been modified by diffusion techniques based on thermal ion exchange in glass. Inparticular the aim is the measurement of the variations in focal length of ophtalmic lenses after undergoing adiffusion process. An interferometric technique has been used and computer simulations have also been carrzedou

Ray tracing for ophthalmic optics. Specific developments for GRIN materials

In this work we present the developments for the simulation of image formation through an ophthalmic lens. The procedure is, essentially an exact ray tracing taking into account the particular mobility conditions of the exit pupil. This leads to the computation of astigmatism as a function of the field angle considered. In the computer program, the use of a commercial glass with a gradient in the refractive index (GRIN material) is foreseen. This latter feature proves to be useful for two practical objectives: modifying the power and the astigmatism of the lens. To illustrate these points, an example based on a lens made by deforming a plane parallel plate of GRIN material will be presented

The Impact of Culturing the Organ Preservation Fluid on Solid Organ Transplantation: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Background. We analyzed the prevalence, etiology, and risk factors of culture-positive preservation fluid and their impact on the management of solid organ transplant recipients. Methods. From July 2015 to March 2017, 622 episodes of adult solid organ transplants at 7 university hospitals in Spain were prospectively included in the study. Results. The prevalence of culture-positive preservation fluid was 62.5% (389/622). Nevertheless, in only 25.2% (98/389) of the cases were the isolates considered ?high risk? for pathogenicity. After applying a multivariate regression analysis, advanced donor age was the main associated factor for having culture-positive preservation fluid for high-risk microorganisms. Preemptive antibiotic therapy was given to 19.8% (77/389) of the cases. The incidence rate of preservation fluid?related infection was 1.3% (5 recipients); none of these patients had received preemptive therapy. Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients with high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid receiving preemptive antibiotic therapy presented both a lower cumulative incidence of infection and a lower rate of acute rejection and graft loss compared with those who did not have high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid. After adjusting for age, sex, type of transplant, and prior graft rejection, preemptive antibiotic therapy remained a significant protective factor for 90-day infection. Conclusions. The routine culture of preservation fluid may be considered a tool that provides information about the contamination of the transplanted organ. Preemptive therapy for SOT recipients with high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid may be useful to avoid preservation fluid?related infections and improve the outcomes of infection, graft loss, and graft rejection in transplant patients

Evaluación frecuente, mentorías y rendimiento académico en el programa mentor de Aeronáuticos

El Programa Mentor de Aeronáuticos se inicia en 2004con una doble vertiente de actuación. Por un lado, Tutores y Mentores facilitan el proceso de integración de los Alumnos de Nuevo Ingreso en la vida universitaria; por otro, el estudio de las dificultades académicas de los Alumnos Tutelados conduce a Cambios Metodológicas en el Aula que ayudan a activar las relaciones profesor-alumno y a mejorar el rendimiento del esfuerzo de todos, profesores y alumnos. Se describen éstas experiencias, así como los resultados obtenidos en los últimos cuatro año