Non-thermal emission in hyper-velocity and semi-relativistic stars

Context. There is a population of runaway stars that move at extremely high speeds with respect to their surroundings. The fast motion and the stellar wind of these stars, plus the wind-medium interaction, can lead to particle acceleration and non-thermal radiation. Aims. We characterise the interaction between the winds of fast runaway stars and their environment, in particular to establish their potential as cosmic-ray accelerators and non-thermal emitters. Methods. We model the hydrodynamics of the interaction between the stellar wind and the surrounding material. We self-consistently calculate the injection and transport of relativistic particles in the bow shock using a multi-zone code, and compute their broadband emission from radio to γ-rays. Results. Both the forward and reverse shocks are favourable sites for particle acceleration, although the radiative efficiency of particles is low and therefore the expected fluxes are in general rather faint. Conclusions. We show that high-sensitivity observations in the radio band can be used to detect the non-thermal radiation associated with bow shocks from hyper-velocity and semi-relativistic stars. Hyper-velocity stars are expected to be modest sources of sub-TeV cosmic rays, accounting perhaps for ∼0.1% of that of galactic cosmic rays

Characterisation of the ex vivo virulence of Leishmania infantum isolates from Phlebotomus perniciosus from an outbreak of human leishmaniosis in Madrid, Spain

BACKGROUND: Since mid 2009, an outbreak of human leishmaniosis in Madrid, Spain, has involved more than 560 clinical cases. Many of the cases occurred in people who live in areas around a newly constructed green park (BosqueSur). This periurban park provides a suitable habitat for sand flies (the vectors of Leishmania infantum). Indeed, studies of blood meals from sand flies captured in the area showed a strong association between the insect vector, hares or rabbits, and humans in the area. Interestingly, up to 70% of cases have been found in immunocompetent patients (aged between 46-60 years). This study was designed to evaluate the ex vivo virulence of the L. infantum isolates from Phlebotomus perniciosus captured in this area of Madrid. METHODS: Murine macrophages and dendritic cells were infected ex vivo with L. infantum strain BCN150, isolate BOS1FL1, or isolate POL2FL7. At different times after infection, the infection indices, cytokine production (IL-12p40 and IL-10), NO release and arginase activities were evaluated. RESULTS: Using an ex vivo model of infection in murine bone marrow-derived cells, we found that infection with isolates BOS1FL1 and POL2FL7 undermined host immune defence mechanisms in multiple ways. The main factors identified were changes in both the balance of iNOS versus arginase activities and the equilibrium between the production of IL-12 and IL-10. Infection with isolates BOS1FL1 and POL2FL7 also resulted in higher infection rates compared to the BCN150 strain. Infection index values at 24 h were as follows: BCN150-infected cells, 110 for infected MØ and 115 for infected DC; BOS1FL1-infected cells, 300 for infected MØ and 247 for infected DC; and POL2FL7-infected cells, 275 for infected MØ and 292 for infected DC. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that L. infantum isolates captured from this endemic area exhibited high virulence in terms of infection index, cytokine production and enzymatic activities involved in the pathogenesis of visceral leishmaniosis. Altogether, these data provide a starting point for the study of the virulence behaviour of parasites (BOS1FL1 and POL2FL7) isolated from P. perniciosus during the outbreak of human leishmaniosis in Madrid, Spain, and their involvement in infecting immunocompetent hosts.This study was supported by Grants AGL2010-17394 and AGL2013-44100R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and was partially funded by EU grant FP7-2011-261504 EDENext and the paper is catalogued by the EDENext Steering Committee as EDENext 276 (http://www.edenext.eu).S

Análisis y propuesta de trabajo para la reconstrucción tridimensional de imágenes maculares obtenidas mediante lámparas de hendidura

En oftalmología, las imágenes resultan fundamentales tanto para establecer diagnósticos como para evaluar la evolución y respuesta terapéutica. La biomicroscopía del fondo de ojos es un estudio sencillo que utiliza una lámpara de hendidura, equipo disponible en la gran mayoría de los consultorios oftalmológicos, para estudios de polo anterior y retina. El presente trabajo propone brindarle valor diagnóstico agregado a las lámparas de hendidura del mercado, a través de la obtención de la topografía del fondo ocular, en particular la mácula, mediante la captura de imágenes de campos de luz. Esta novedosa técnica permite la obtención de una serie de imágenes con múltiples focos y ángulos de visión (paralaje) a partir de una única captura. Además se realiza un análisis detallado de los pasos a seguir para este fin y describe los avances que se han obtenido en la etapa inicial del proyecto de investigación y desarrollo que se lleva a cabo en la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Análisis y propuesta de trabajo para la reconstrucción tridimensional de imágenes maculares obtenidas mediante lámparas de hendidura

En oftalmología, las imágenes resultan fundamentales tanto para establecer diagnósticos como para evaluar la evolución y respuesta terapéutica. La biomicroscopía del fondo de ojos es un estudio sencillo que utiliza una lámpara de hendidura, equipo disponible en la gran mayoría de los consultorios oftalmológicos, para estudios de polo anterior y retina. El presente trabajo propone brindarle valor diagnóstico agregado a las lámparas de hendidura del mercado, a través de la obtención de la topografía del fondo ocular, en particular la mácula, mediante la captura de imágenes de campos de luz. Esta novedosa técnica permite la obtención de una serie de imágenes con múltiples focos y ángulos de visión (paralaje) a partir de una única captura. Además se realiza un análisis detallado de los pasos a seguir para este fin y describe los avances que se han obtenido en la etapa inicial del proyecto de investigación y desarrollo que se lleva a cabo en la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Análisis y propuesta de trabajo para la reconstrucción tridimensional de imágenes maculares obtenidas mediante lámparas de hendidura

En oftalmología, las imágenes resultan fundamentales tanto para establecer diagnósticos como para evaluar la evolución y respuesta terapéutica. La biomicroscopía del fondo de ojos es un estudio sencillo que utiliza una lámpara de hendidura, equipo disponible en la gran mayoría de los consultorios oftalmológicos, para estudios de polo anterior y retina. El presente trabajo propone brindarle valor diagnóstico agregado a las lámparas de hendidura del mercado, a través de la obtención de la topografía del fondo ocular, en particular la mácula, mediante la captura de imágenes de campos de luz. Esta novedosa técnica permite la obtención de una serie de imágenes con múltiples focos y ángulos de visión (paralaje) a partir de una única captura. Además se realiza un análisis detallado de los pasos a seguir para este fin y describe los avances que se han obtenido en la etapa inicial del proyecto de investigación y desarrollo que se lleva a cabo en la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Electrochemically assisted dewatering for the removal of oxyfluorfen from a coagulation/flocculation sludge

This work focuses on the evaluation of the electrochemical dewatering of sludge obtained in the coagulation of wastes polluted with oxyfluorfen. To do this, sludge samples were treated, aiming not only to reduce the sludge volume, but also to facilitate the degradation of oxyfluorfen contained in the cake via electrolysis with a boron-doped diamond anode. Results show that water can be effectively recovered through three sequential stages. First, a gravity-driven stage, that can recover around 60% of initial volume and where no oxyfluorfen is dragged. Then, a second stage that involves the application of pressure and which accounts for the recuperation of an additional 25% of the total volume of the water removed and in which oxyfluorfen also remained in the cake. Finally, an electrochemical stage, which involves the application of electricity with increasing electric fields (1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 16.0 V cm−1), accounting for the recovery of the rest of water released and where an electrolytic degradation of oxyfluorfen is obtained, whose extension depends on the electrode configuration used in the electro-dewatering cell. This electrode configuration also influences the retention or loss of oxyfluorfen from the cake, being the optimum choice the placement of the cathode downstream, next to the outlet of the dewatering cell

On the production of ozone, hydrogen peroxide and peroxone in pressurized undivided electrochemical cells

This work is focused on the characterization of the production of ozone, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals (peroxone) in pressurized undivided electrochemical cells. BDD and MMO electrodes were compared as anodes and RVC, graphite and stainless steel as cathodes. Gauge pressures in the range 2–4 bar were applied. Results demonstrate the complexity in the production of oxidants in an undivided cell, allowing to propose a model of the set of reactions (both electrochemical and in the bulk) occurring in the system. A higher pressure decreases the accumulation of ozone meanwhile hydrogen peroxide production is maximized at intermediate values of pressure. Combining BDD and graphite is the best combination for enhancing the production of hydroxyl radicals for which a negligible influence of pressure was observed. These results would allow to select the proper design to maximize the efficiency in the production of each of the oxidants studied

Valorization of high-salinity effluents for CO2 fixation and hypochlorite generation

In this work, it is evaluated the fixation of carbon dioxide using the alkali generated in the chloralkaline process, as a new way to face the treatment of highly saline wastewater, in which it is aimed not to separate the wastewater into concentrated and diluted streams but to recover value-added products (VAPs) while contributing to minimize the carbon fingerprint of other processes. The electrolytic process is combined with a reactive absorption and with a crystallization, demonstrating the formation of pure nahcolite, hypochlorite (or chlorine) and hydrogen from the waste. Carbon dioxide is captured with a current efficiency over 90% and the energy required is around 0.65 kWh kg−1, which is very promising from the view point of sustainability, considering that the system can be easily powered with green energies

An example of Space Engineering Education in Spain: a master in space based on Project-Based Learning (PBL)

This work describes the successful education experience for five years of space engineering education at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain. The MSc. in Space Systems (MUSE, Máster Universitario en Sistemas Espaciales) is a 2-year and 120-ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) master program organized by the Microgravity Institute ‘Ignacio Da Riva’ (IDR/UPM), a research institute of UPM with extensive experience in the space sector. The teaching methodology is oriented to Project Based Learning (PBL), taking advantage of the IDR/UPM Institute experience. The main purposes are to share the IDR/UPM knowledge with the students and promote their collaboration with several space scientific institutions, both national and international. In the present work, the most relevant characteristics of this master program are described, highlighting the importance of the student’s participation in actual missions. In addition, to offer practical cases in all aspects of satellite development, the IDR/UPM decided to create its own satellite development program, the UPMSats. The latest, the UPMSat-2, is an educational, scientific, and in-orbit technological demonstration microsatellite (50 kg-class) that was launched in September 2020 on-board a Vega launcher (VV-16 flight). MUSE students have participated in all phases of the mission, from design to integration, calibration, and testing, and (at present) in-orbit operation. The construction of a microsatellite, although it exceeds in time the academic duration of the master, has proven to be a very interesting and versatile tool for PBL education, since it provides practical cases at all levels of development. Furthermore, the continuity of the project encourages graduated students to continue their education with a Ph.D. and the collaboration of master and doctoral students. These reasons have made MUSE one of the most successful academic programs in space systems engineering in Spain, with high employment rates in the most prestigious space engineering institution

Técnicas Nucleares Aplicadas a la Investigación en Ingeniería Ambiental

From the year 2002, activities have been developed inside theagreement effective University LIBRE - INGEOMINAS, using TechnicalNuclear Applied of Investigation in Environmental Engineering thespecific projects of Silts, Humidity - Density and Underground Water.Desde el año 2002, se han desarrollado actividades dentro delconvenio vigente Universidad Libre - INGEOMINAS, utilizando TécnicasNucleares Aplicadas a la Investigación en Ingeniería Ambiental losproyectos específicos de Sedimentos, Humedad – Densidad y AguaSubterránea