Activated carbons as catalytic support for Cu nanoparticles

There are a wide range of catalytic applications for Cu-based nanoparticles materials, since Cu is an abundant and inexpensive metal and Cu nanoparticles possess unusual electrical, thermal and optical properties. The possible modification of the chemical and physical properties of these nanoparticles using different synthetic strategies and conditions and/or via postsynthetic chemical treatments has been largely responsible for the rapid growth of interest in these nanomaterials and their applications in catalysis. A previous work have explored the possibilities of SBA-15 (1,2) as support for Cu nanoparticles. In the present contribution, those results will be compared with the use of a carbon material as support, since activated carbon present many advantages with respect SBA, as the high surface area.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The effect of calcitriol, paricalcitol, and a calcimimetic on extraosseous calcifications in uremic rats

Vitamin D derivatives and calcimimetics are used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic renal failure. We investigated the effect of calcitriol, paricalcitol, and the calcimimetic AMG 641 on soft-tissue calcification in uremic rats with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Control and uremic rats were treated with vehicle, calcitriol, paricalcitol, AMG 641, or a combination of AMG 641 plus calcitriol or paricalcitol. Parathyroid hormone levels were reduced by all treatments but were better controlled by the combination of paricalcitol and AMG 641. The calcimimetic alone did not induce extraosseous calcification but co-administration of AMG 641 reduced soft-tissue calcification and aortic mineralization in both calcitriol- and paricalcitol-treated rats. Survival was significantly reduced in rats treated with calcitriol and this mortality was attenuated by co-treatment with AMG 641. Our study shows that extraskeletal calcification was present in animals treated with calcitriol and paricalcitol but not with AMG 641. When used in combination with paricalcitol, AMG 641 provided excellent control of secondary hyperparathyroidism and prevented mortality associated with the use of vitamin D derivatives without causing tissue calcification

Aerosol direct radiative effects of a transatlantic biomass burning plume over Granada, Spain

This work presents the assessment of the aerosol direct radiative effects for a special episode of transatlantic transport of a biomass burning plume, performed over Granada, south-eastern Iberian Peninsula, on 20th August 2007. The knowledge of aerosol radiative impact requires an accurate determination of their optical and microphysical properties, which are obtained here using ground-based remote sensing instrumentation by means of a combination of lidar and sun-photometer. Our data highlight the presence of a multilayered structure with a well-defined planetary boundary layer and biomass-particles in elevated layers, extending up to 9 km asl, at the south-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The aerosol direct shortwave radiative effects, evaluated from simulations with SBDART code, show that the biomass burning plume increases the heating rate up to 0.5 K/day in spite of the small contribution of these particles to the total aerosol optical depth (10-20%). In addition, our results indicate that the biomass burning plume strengths the negative radiative forcing about -5 down to -8 W/m2 at the surface, between noon and evening. At the TOA, radiative forcing appeared slightly positive but very close to zero at noon, and negative in the evening with a decrease of 1.5 W/m2 caused by the presence of the biomass burning plume.Postprint (published version

Optical properties from extinction cross-section of single pollen particles under laboratory-controlled relative humidity

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through projects ELPIS (PID2020-12001-5RB-I00), by the Junta de Andalucía Excellence project ADAPNE (P20-00136), AEROPRE (P-18-RT-3820), FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa, EQC2019-006423-P, INTEGRATYON (PID2020-117825 GB-C21 and PID2020-117825 GB-C22), the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through project ACTRIS. IMP (grant agreement No 871115), and ATMO-ACCESS (grant agreement No 101008004), and ACTRIS-España (RED2022-134824-E), FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades project DEM3TRIOS (A-RNM-430-UGR20) and by University of Granada Plan Propio through Excellence Research Unit Earth Science and Singular Laboratory AGORA (LS2022-1) programs and project Pre-GREENMITIGATION (PP2022.PP.34).A growing body of research suggests that pollen suspended in the atmosphere have a major environmental and climatic impact. However, our current knowledge of pollen is rather limited with respect to its extinction capacity, its optical properties and how these vary with atmospheric water content. Understanding their water absorption capacity can improve our understanding of their radiative effects and, thus, improve climate models. In this work, an electrodynamic Paul trap was coupled to a cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS) to directly measure the ring down time () of four individual types of pollen particles: Olea, Fraxinus, Populus and Salix exposed to changing relative humidity (RH). Resonant structures in values between ∼90 and 45 % RH indicated that pollen was wettable at high RHs. was used to calculate light extinction cross-section at 532 nm as a function of RH. Optical growth factor () was evaluated as the ratio between and From , the semi-empirical single hygroscopicity parameter () was found to be 0.038–0.058 for the four pollen types. Under controllable treatment of the water content and an adequate selection of complex refractive index , CRDS- data was fitted to theoretical from Mie theory. The reasonable agreement achieved allowed for gaining knowledge about the and how particle size shrugged during dehydration. As a result, a climate-lowering effect of Olea pollen particles, which contain a fraction of scattered aerosol, should be considered in the models.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-12001-5RB-I00)Junta de Andalucía Excellence: ADAPNE (P20-00136), AEROPRE (P-18-RT-3820), FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa, EQC2019-006423-P, INTEGRATYON (PID2020-117825GB-C21, PID2020-117825GB-C22)European Union's Horizon 2020 CTRIS.IMP 871115ATMO-ACCESS 101008004ACTRIS-España (RED2022-134824-E)FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades DEM3TRIOS (A-NM-430-UGR20)University of Granada LS2022-1, PP2022.PP.3

The training-induced changes on automatism, conduction and myocardial refractoriness are not mediated by parasympathetic postganglionic neurons activity

The purpose of this study is to test the role that parasympathetic postganglionic neurons could play on the adaptive electrophysiological changes produced by physical training on intrinsic myocardial automatism, conduction and refractoriness. Trained rabbits were submitted to aphysical training protocol on treadmill during 6 weeks. The electrophysiological study was performed in an isolated heart preparation. The investigated myocardial properties were: (a) sinus automatism, (b) atrioventricular and ventriculoatrial conduction, (c) atrial, conduction system and ventricular refractoriness. The parameters to study the refractoriness were obtained by means of extrastimulus test at four diVerent pacing cycle lengths (10% shorter than spontaneous sinus cycle length, 250, 200 and 150 ms) and (d) mean dominant frequency (DF) of the induced ventricular Wbrillation (VF), using a spectral method. The electrophysiological protocol was performed before and during continuous atropine administration (1 ¿M), in order to block cholinergic receptors. Cholinergic receptor blockade did not modify either the increase in sinus cycle length, atrioventricular conduction and refractoriness (left ventricular and atrioventricular conduction system functional refractory periods) or the decrease of DF of VF. These Wndings reveal that the myocardial electrophysiological modiWcations produced by physical training are not mediated by intrinsic cardiac parasympathetic activity.The authors thank Carmen Rams, Ana Diaz, Pilar Navarro and Cesar Avellaneda for their excellent technical assistance. This work has been supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (DEP2007-73234-C03-01) and Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO 2010/093). M Zarzoso was supported by a research scholarship from Generalitat Valenciana (BFPI/2008/003).Zarzoso Muñoz, M.; Such Miquel, L.; Parra Giraldo, G.; Brines Ferrando, L.; Such, L.; Chorro, F.; Guerrero, J.... (2012). The training-induced changes on automatism, conduction and myocardial refractoriness are not mediated by parasympathetic postganglionic neurons activity. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 112(6):2185-2193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2189-4S218521931126Armour JA, Hopkins DA (1990a) Activity of in vivo canine ventricular neurons. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 258:H326–H336. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00183.2004Armour JA, Hopkins DA (1990b) Activity of canine in situ left atrial ganglion neurons. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 259:H1207–H1215Armour JA (2004) Cardiac neuronal hierarchy in health and disease. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 287:R262–R271Armour JA, Murphy DA, Yuan BX, Macdonald S, Hopkins DA (1997) Gross and microscopic anatomy of the human intrinsic cardiac nervous system. Anat Rec 247:289–298Bedford TG, Tipton CM (1987) Exercise training and the arterial baroreflex. J Appl Physiol 63:1926–1932Bonaduce D, Petretta M, Cavallaro V, Apicella C, Ianniciello A, Romano M, Breglio R, Marciano F (1998) Intensive training and cardiac autonomic control in high level athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:691–696Brack KE, Coote JH, Ng GA (2011) Vagus nerve stimulation protects against ventricular fibrillation independent of muscarinic receptor activation. Cardiovasc Res 91:437–446. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvr105Brorson L, Conradson TB, Olsson B, Varnauskas E (1976) Right atrial monophasic action potential and effective refractory periods in relation to physical training and maximal heart rate. Cardiovasc Res 10:160–168Carmeliet E, Mubagwa K (1998) Antiarrhythmic drugs and cardiac ion channels: mechanisms of action. Prog Biophys Mol Biol 70:1–72Chorro FJ, Cánoves J, Guerrero J, Mainar L, Sanchis J, Such L, López-Merino V (2000) Alteration of ventricular fibrillation by flecainide, verapamil, and sotalol: an experimental study. Circulation 101:1606–1615Di Carlo SE, Bishop VS (1990) Exercise training enhances cardiac afferent inhibition of baroreflex function. Am J Physiol 258:212–220Gagliardi M, Randall WC, Bieger D, Wurster RD, Hopkins DA, Armour JA (1988) Activity of in vivo canine cardiac plexus neurons. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 255:H789–H800Gao L, Wang W, Liu D, Zucker IH (2007) Exercise training normalizes sympathetic outflow by central antioxidant mechanisms in rabbits with pacing-induced chronic heart failure. Circulation 115:3095–3102. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.677989Gaustad SE, Rolim N, Wisløff U (2010) A valid and reproducible protocol for testing maximal oxygen uptake in rabbits. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 17:83–88. doi: 10.1097/HJR.0b013e32833090c4Gómez-Cabrera MC, Borrás C, Pallardó FV, Sastre J, Ji LL, Viña J (2005) Decreasing xanthine oxidase-mediated oxidative stress prevents useful cellular adaptations to exercise in rats. J Physiol 567:113–120. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.080564Gray AL, Johnson TA, Ardell JL, Massari VJ (2004) Parasympathetic control of the heart II. A novel interganglionic intrinsic cardiac circuit mediates neural control of heart rate. J Appl Physiol 96:2273–2278. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiolHamilton KL, Powers SK, Sugiura T, Kim S, Lennon S, Tumer N, Mehta JL (2001) Short-term exercise training can improve myocardial tolerance to I/R without elevation in heat shock proteins. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 281:1346–1352Inoue H, Zipes DP (1987) Changes in atrial and ventricular refractoriness and atrioventricular nodal conduction produced by combinations of vagal and sympathetic stimulation that result in a constant spontaneous sinus cycle length. Circ Res 60:942–951Jew KN, Olsson MC, Mokelke EA, Palmer BM, Moore RL (2001) Endurance training alters outward K+ current characteristics in rat cardiocytes. J Appl Physiol 90:1327–1333Johnson TA, Gray AL, Lauenstein JM, Newton SS, Massari VJ (2004) Parasympathetic control of the heart I. An interventriculo-septal ganglion is the major source of the vagal intracardiac innervation of the ventricles. J Appl Physiol 96:2265–2272. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00620.2003Katona PG, McLean M, Dighton DH, Guz A (1982) Sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac control in athletes and nonathletes at rest. J Appl Physiol 52:1652–1657Lewis SF, Nylander E, Gad P, Areskog N (1980) Non-autonomic component in bradycardia of endurance trained men at rest and during exercise. Acta Physiol Scand 109:297–305Litovsky SH, Antzelevitch C (1990) Differences in the electrophysiological response of canine ventricular subendocardium and subepicardium to acetylcholine and isoproterenol. A direct effect of acetylcholine in ventricular myocardium. Circ Res 67:615–627Löffelholz K (1981) Release of acetylcholine in the isolated heart. Am J Physiol 240(4):H431–H440Lopatin AN, Nichols CG (2001) Inward rectifiers in the heart: an update on I(K1). J Mol Cell Cardiol 33:625–638. doi: 10.1006/jmcc.2001.1344Mace LC, Palmer BM, Brown DA, Jew KN, Lynch JM, Glunt JM, Parsons TA, Cheung JY, Moore RL (2003) Influence of age and run training on cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchange. J Appl Physiol 95:1994–2003. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00551.2003Martins JB, Zipes DP (1980) Effects of sympathetic and vagal nerves on recovery properties of the endocardium and epicardium of the canine left ventricle. Circ Res 46:100–110Mezzani A, Giovannini T, Michelucci A, Padeletti L, Resina A, Cupelli V, Musante R (1990) Effects of training on the electrophysiologic properties of atrium and accessory pathway in athletes with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. Cardiology 77:295–302Mokelke EA, Palmer BM, Cheung JY, Moore RL (1997) Endurance training does not affect intrinsic calcium current characteristics in rat myocardium. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 273:H1193–H1197Mont L, Elosua R, Brugada J (2009) Endurance sport practice as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Europace 11:11–17. doi: 10.1093/europace/eun289Moore RL, Korzick DH (1995) Cellular adaptations of the myocardium to chronic exercise. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 37:371–396Negrao CE, Moreira ED, Santos MC, Farah VM, Krieger EM (1992) Vagal function impairment after exercise training. J Appl Physiol 72:1749–1753Ng GA, Brack KE, Coote JH (2001) Effects of direct sympathetic and vagus nerve stimulation on the physiology of the whole heart—a novel model of isolated Langendorff perfused rabbit heart with intact dual autonomic innervation. Exp Physiol 86:319–329Nylander E, Sigvardsson K, Kilbom A (1982) Training-induced bradycardia and intrinsic heart rate in rats. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 48:189–199Panfilov AV (2006) Is heart size a factor in ventricular fibrillation? Or how close are rabbit and human hearts? Heart Rhythm 3:862–864. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2005.12.022Papka RE (1976) Studies of cardiac ganglia in pre- and postnatal rabbits. Cell Tissue Res 175:17–35Pardini BJ, Patel KP, Schmid PG, Lund DD (1987) Location, distribution and projections of intracardiac ganglion cells in the rat. J Auton Nerv Syst 20:91–101Scott AS, Eberhard A, Ofir D, Benchetrit G, Dinh TP, Calabrese P, Lesiuk V, Perrault H (2004) Enhanced cardiac vagal efferent activity does not explain training-induced bradycardia. Auton Neurosci 112:60–68. doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2004.04.006Seals DR, Chase PB (1989) Influence of physical training on HR variability and baroreflex circulatory control. J Appl Physiol 66:1886–1895Shi X, Stevens GHJ, Foresman BH, Stern SA, Raven PB (1995) Autonomic nervous system control of the heart: endurance exercise training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 27:1406–1413Snyders DJ (1999) Structure and function of cardiac potassium channels. Cardiovasc Res 42:377–390Stein R, Moraes RS, Cavalcanti AV, Ferlin EL, Zimerman LI, Ribeiro JP (2000) Atrial automaticity and atrioventricular conduction in athletes: contribution of autonomic regulation. 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Acta Physiol 193:331–339Vigmond EJ, Tsoi V, Kuo S, Arevalo H, Kneller J, Nattel S, Trayanova N (2004) The effect of vagally induced dispersion of action potential duration on atrial arrhythmogenesis. Heart Rhythm 1:334–344. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2004.03.077Zipes DP, Mihalick MJ, Robbins GT (1974) Effects of selective vagal and stellate ganglion stimulation of atrial refractoriness. Cardiovasc Res 8:647–65

Determining major factors controlling phosphorus removal by promising adsorbents used for lake restoration: a linear mixed model approach

Phosphorus (P) removal from lake/drainage waters by novel adsorbents may be affected by competitive substances naturally present in the aqueous media. Up to date, the effect of interfering substances has been studied basically on simple matrices (single-factor effects) or by applying unsuitable statistical approaches when using natural lake water. In this study, we determined major factors controlling P removal efficiency in 20 aquatic ecosystems in the southeast Spain by using linear mixed models. Two non-magnetic -CFH-12® and Phoslock®- and two magnetic materials -hydrous lanthanum oxide loaded silica-coated magnetite (Fe-Si-La) and commercial zero-valent iron particles (FeHQ)- were tested to remove P at two adsorbent dosages. Results showed that the type of adsorbent, the adsorbent dosage and color of water (indicative of humic substances) are major factors controlling P removal efficiency. Differences in physico-chemical properties (i.e. surface charge or specific surface), composition and structure explain differences in maximum P adsorption capacity and performance of the adsorbents when competitive ions are present. The highest P removal efficiency, independently on whether the adsorbent dosage was low or high, were 85-100% for Phoslock and CFH-12®, 70-100% for Fe-Si-La and 0-15% for FeHQ. The low dosage of FeHQ, compared to previous studies, explained its low P removal efficiency. Although non-magnetic materials were the most efficient, magnetic adsorbents (especially Fe-Si-La) could be proposed for P removal as they can be recovered along with P and be reused, potentially making them more profitable in a long-term period.This work was supported by Junta de Andalucía project P10-RNM-6630 [Proyectos de Excelencia, Spain]; MINECO CTM 2013-46951-R project; and MAT 2016-78778-R project [Spain]. Authors would also like to thank Fernando Ortega for helping in the sampling procedure

Solving a model for the evolution of smoking habit in Spain with homotopy analysis method

We obtain an approximated analytical solution for a dynamic model for the prevalence of the smoking habit in a constant population but with equal and different from zero birth and death rates. This model has been successfully used to explain the evolution of the smoking habit in Spain. By means of the Homotopy Analysis Method, we obtain an analytic expression in powers of time t which reproduces the correct solution for a certain range of time. To enlarge the domain of convergence we have applied the so-called optimal convergence-control parameter technique and the homotopy-Padé technique. We present and discuss graphical results for our solutions. ©Guerrero, F.; Santonja, F.; Villanueva Micó, RJ. (2013). Solving a model for the evolution of smoking habit in Spain with homotopy analysis method. Nonlinear Analysis: Real World Applications. 14(1):549-558. doi:10.1016/j.nonrwa.2012.07.015S54955814

Comprehensive framework for the development of control and navigation systems of autonomous underwater vehicles: the mission-sicuva project

This paper presents an overview of coordinated project MISSION-SICUVA, and the results achieved at its recent completion. A prototype of UUV has been built with an orientation to oceanographic research and test of new control algorithms. It consist of an underwater vehicle towing a surface buoy, with applications such as monitoring water quality, high resolution bathymetry of the seabed and its map projection. New biological inspired navigation algorithms have been implemented using a comprehensive component based development framework.Peer Reviewe

¿Cómo han vivido los niños el confinamiento por el coronavirus?

Introducción: los niños muestran sentimientos y vivencias que no saben o no se atreven a expresar y que se pueden conocer a través de sus dibujos e imaginación. La Asociación Española de Pediatría de Atención Primaria (AEPap) se ha propuesto conocer cómo han vivido los niños el confinamiento. Material y métodos: se ha organizado un concurso en la página web Familia y Salud. Sujetos: niños o niñas de todo el territorio nacional con edades comprendidas entre los 3 y 16 años. Trabajos: dibujos, cuentos y vídeos breves. Resultados: hemos recibido 53 trabajos procedentes de diferentes comunidades autónomas y entregado cinco premios. Los elementos que más se repiten son: el coronavirus, figuras de niños dentro de las casas, el arco iris entre las nubes y los sanitarios. El aburrimiento, la tristeza de no poder ver a abuelos y amigos, la confianza en los sanitarios, la valoración positiva del cambio de vida en la familia, la mejora en la contaminación ambiental y el mensaje positivo de que todo va a salir bien son algunos de los temas expresados. Conclusiones: los resultados obtenidos en el presente estudio denotan optimismo en general, y permiten concluir que los dibujos, los relatos y los vídeos son herramientas útiles para analizar la percepción de esta población ante situaciones de riesgo. Además, destaca el interés de los pediatras de Atención Primaria por conocer cómo han vivido los niños el confinamiento a causa de la infección por coronavirus y crear la inquietud de que el dibujo infantil debe ser estudiado de manera rigurosa

Geoelectrical and electromagnetic methods applied to paleolimnological studies: Two examples from desiccated lakes in the Basin of Mexico

Paleolimnological studies require a broad understanding of the geometry and depth of the sedimentary fill of lake basins prior to coring campaigns. Seismic methods are routinely employed for the indirect characterization of lake-bottom sediments. However, the use of seismic methods might occasionally be limited due to surface conditions or poor seismic contrasts between the stratigraphic units, which lead to data quality that is too poor to provide sufficient information for the selection of drill sites. Sources of cultural noise are one of the main reasons why seismic methods fail in study areas near or within large cities, such as Mexico City. Under certain conditions, electrical and electromagnetic methods might be a suitable substitute or complement to seismic exploration, as they respond to different physical properties of the subsurface. To evaluate the applicability of such methods, here we present two recent case studies from the desiccated lakes Chalco and Xochimilco both located in urban areas within the Basin of Mexico where electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), transient electromagnetic (TEM) and magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were conducted for the characterization of lake basement and lacustrine sediments. In both examples, the results of the geophysical exploration contributed valuable stratigraphic information for the following drilling and core recovery, which highlights the potential of electrical and electromagnetic methods in paleolimnological studies