110 research outputs found
Full-scale dynamometer tests of composite railway brake shoes including latxa sheep wool fibers
The main target of the present work is to characterize the effect of the inclusion of natural sheep wool (SW) into a railway brake block composition and then to compare it to that of a set of three organic fibers commonly used in the friction material industry: aramid fiber (AF), cellulose fiber (CF) and polyacrylonitrile fiber (PAN). In order to achieve this, 4 versions of the same friction material with a fixed amount of each organic fiber were produced and one more sample was manufactured including no organic fibers. The characterization work consisted of friction tests on a full-scale railway test rig. Then, the samples were SEM analyzed in order to characterize the tested surface microstructure. It was found that all organic fibers helped achieve a more stable bedding, and showed lower friction in wet conditions. They also affected the recovery %. Pictures of the blocks were taken after certain phases of the test and, although the failure sequence remained the same for all samples, the organic fibers very much influenced the magnitude of the wear rates. Sheep wool led to better results than cellulose. No final conclusions could be drawn with respect to metal pick-up. SEM analysis evidenced primary and secondary plateaus, but no significant differences were observed depending on the fiber nature. Finally, a Life Cycle Assessment with a “from cradle to gate” perspective was carried out. Ecoinvent v3.5 database and CML and ReCiPe Endpoint methodologies were used to evaluate the environmental impact create by the five brake block materials. Overall, cellulose, PAN and sheep wool brake blocks show slightly lower environmental impacts that the base material or than aramid fibers. Therefore, Latxa sheep wool offers a good balance between low cost, adequate wear rates and environmental impact, making it a compelling substitute for cellulose fibers
The ionized gas in the central region of NGC 5253: 2D mapping of the physical and chemical properties
ABRIDGED: NGC5253 was previously studied by our group with the aim to
elucidate in detail the starburst interaction processes. Some open issues
regarding the 2D structure of the main properties of the ionized gas remain to
be addressed. Using IFS data obtained with FLAMES, we derived 2D maps for
different tracers of electron density (n_e), electron temperature (T_e) and
ionization degree. The maps for n_e as traced by several line ratios are
compatible with a 3D stratified view of the nebula with the highest n_e in the
innermost layers and a decrease of n_e outwards. To our knowledge, this is the
first time that a T_e map based on [SII] lines for an extragalactic object is
presented. The joint interpretation of our two T_e maps is consistent with a
T_e structure in 3D with higher temperatures close to the main ionizing source
surrounded by a colder and more diffuse component. The highest ionization
degree is found at the peak of emission for the gas with relatively high
ionization in the main GHIIR and lower ionization degree delineating the more
extended diffuse component. Abundances for O, Ne and Ar are constant over the
mapped area within <0.1 dex. The mean 12+log(O/H) is 8.26 while the relative
abundances of log(N/O), log(Ne/O) and log(Ar/O) were \sim-1.32, -0.65 and
-2.33, respectively. There are two locations with enhanced N/O. The first
(log(N/O)\sim-0.95) is associated to two super star clusters. The second
(log(N/O)\sim-1.17), reported here for the first time, is associated to two
moderately massive (2-4x10^4 M_sun) and relatively old (\sim10 Myr) clusters. A
comparison of the N/O map with those produced by strong line methods supports
the use of N2O2 over N2S2 in the search for chemical inhomogeneities within a
galaxy. The results on the localized nitrogen enhancement were used to compile
and discuss the factors that affect the complex relationship between Wolf-Rayet
stars and N/O excess.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The gambling habits of university students in Aragon, Spain: a cross-sectional study
Gambling has become a routine form of entertainment for many young people. The aim of this study was to describe the gambling behavior that university students are developing in Aragon, Spain, and to analyze whether these habits are more common among students of sports science, on the assumption that they are more likely to have a higher exposure to betting company marketing. A cross-sectional design was applied, with data collected on advertising exposure, gambling habits and experiences, and opinions on the impact of gambling and its regulation from 516 undergraduate students from the University of Zaragoza. The online survey included ad hoc questions and the “Pathological Gambling Short Questionnaire” to screen for potential gambling disorders. Almost half of the sample had bet money at least once in their life (48.1%), and 2.4% screened positive for consideration of a possible diagnosis of pathological gambling. Betting shops (44.2%) were the most common gambling option, and students of sports science showed a higher prevalence of pathological gambling and had greater tendencies to make bets. Gambling is perceived as a normal leisure activity by a significant part of university students. The development of transversal strategies is required to raise awareness towards the potential dangers of gambling. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Integral field spectroscopy of nitrogen overabundant blue compact dwarf galaxies
We study the spatial distribution of the physical properties and of oxygen
and nitrogen abundances in three Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxiess (HS 0128+2832, HS
0837+4717 and Mrk 930) with a reported excess of N/O in order to investigate
the nature of this excess and, particularly, if it is associated with
Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars We have observed these BCDs by using PMAS integral field
spectroscopy in the optical spectral range (3700 - 6900 {\AA}), mapping their
physical-chemical properties, using both the direct method and appropriate
strong-line methods. We make a statistical analysis of the resulting
distributions and we compare them with the integrated properties of the
galaxies. Our results indicate that outer parts of the three galaxies are
placed on the "AGN-zone" of the [NII]/H{\alpha} vs. [OIII]/H{\beta} diagnostic
diagram most likely due to a high N/O combined with the excitation structure in
these regions. From the statistical analysis, it is assumed that a certain
property can be considered as spatially homogeneous (or uniform) if a normal
gaussian function fits its distribution in several regions of the galaxy.
Moreover, a disagreement between the integrated properties and the mean values
of the distribution usually appears when a gaussian does not fit the
corresponding distribution. We find that for Mrk 930, the uniformity is found
for all parameters, except for electron density and reddening. The rotation
curve together with the H{\alpha} map and UV images, reveal a perturbed
morphology and possible interacting processes. The N/O is found to be constant
in the three studied objects at spatial scales of the order of several kpc so
we conclude that the number of WR stars estimated from spectroscopy is not
sufficient to pollute the ISM and to produce the observed N/O excess in these
objectsComment: 17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
A systematic review of the adherence to home-practice meditation exercises in patients with chronic pain
Mindfulness-, compassion-, and acceptance-based (i.e., “third wave”) psychotherapies are effective for treating chronic pain conditions. Many of these programs require that patients engage in the systematic home practice of meditation experiences so they can develop meditation skills. This systematic review aimed at evaluating the frequency, duration, and effects of home practice in patients with chronic pain undergoing a “third wave” psychotherapy. A comprehensive database search for quantitative studies was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Sciences Core Collection; 31 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies tended to indicate a pattern of moderately frequent practice (around four days/week), with very high variability in terms of time invested; most studies observed significant associations between the amount of practice and positive health outcomes. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy were the most common interventions and presented low levels of adherence to home practice (39.6% of the recommended time). Some studies were conducted on samples of adolescents, who practiced very few minutes, and a few tested eHealth interventions with heterogeneous adherence levels. In conclusion, some adaptations may be required so that patients with chronic pain can engage more easily and, thus, effectively in home meditation practices
Piecing together the puzzle of NGC 5253: abundances, kinematics and WR stars
We present Gemini-S/GMOS-IFU optical spectroscopy of four regions near the
centre of the nearby (3.8 Mpc) dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 5253. This galaxy is
famous for hosting a radio supernebula containing two deeply embedded massive
super star clusters, surrounded by a region of enhanced nitrogen abundance that
has been linked to the presence of WR stars. We detected 11 distinct sources of
red WR bump (CIV) emission over a 20" (~350 pc) area, each consistent with the
presence of ~1 WCE-type star. WC stars are not found coincident with the
supernebula, although WN stars have previously been detected here. We performed
a multi-component decomposition of the H\alpha\ line across all four fields and
mapped the kinematics of the narrow and broad (FWHM = 100-250 km/s) components.
These maps paint a picture of localised gas flows, as part of multiple
overlapping bubbles and filaments driven by the star clusters throughout the
starburst. We confirm the presence of a strong H\alpha\ velocity gradient over
~4.5" (~80 pc) coincident with the region of N/O enhancement, and high gas
density known from previous study, and interpret this as an accelerating
ionized gas outflow from the supernebula clusters. We measure the ionized gas
abundances in a number of regions in the outer IFU positions and combine these
with measurements from the literature to assess the radial abundance
distribution. We find that the O/H and N/H profiles are consistent with being
flat. Only the central 50 pc exhibits the well-known N/O enhancement, and we
propose that the unusually high densities/pressures in the supernebula region
have acted to impede the escape of metal-enriched hot winds from the star
clusters and allow them to mix with the cooler phases, thus allowing these
freshly processed chemicals to be seen in the optical.Comment: 16 pages, accepted to A&
A photoionization model of the spatial distribution of the optical and mid-IR properties in NGC595
We present a set of photoionization models that reproduce simultaneously the
observed optical and mid-infrared spatial distribution of the HII region NGC595
in the disk of M33 using the code CLOUDY. Both optical (PMAS-Integral Field
Spectroscopy) and mid-infrared (8 mi and 24 mi bands from Spitzer) data provide
enough spatial resolution to model in a novel approach the inner structure of
the HII region. We define a set of elliptical annular regions around the
central ionizing cluster with an uniformity in their observed properties and
consider each annulus as an independent thin shell structure. For the first
time our models fit the relative surface brightness profiles in both the
optical (Halpha, [OII], [OIII]) and the mid-infrared emissions (8 mi and 24
mi), under the assumption of a uniform metallicity (12+log(O/H) = 8.45; Esteban
et al. 2009) and an age for the stellar cluster of 4.5 Myr (Malumuth et al.
1996). Our models also reproduce the observed uniformity of the R23 parameter
and the increase of the [OII]/[OIII] ratio due to the decrease of the
ionization parameter. The variation of the Halpha profile is explained in terms
of the differences of the occupied volume (the product of filling factor and
total volume of the shell) in a matter-bounded geometry, which also allows to
reproduce the observed pattern of the extinction. The 8 mi/24 mi ratio is low
(ranging between 0.04 and 0.4) because it is dominated by the surviving of
small dust grains in the HII region, while the PAHs emit more weakly because
they cannot be formed in these thin HII gas shells. The ratio is also well
fitted in our models by assuming a dust-to-gas ratio in each annulus compatible
with the integrated estimate for the whole HII region after the 70 mi, and 160
mi Spitzer observations.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 9 pages, 17 figure
First survey of Wolf-Rayet star populations over the full extension of nearby galaxies observed with CALIFA
The search of extragalactic regions with conspicuous presence of Wolf-Rayet
(WR) stars outside the Local Group is challenging task due to the difficulties
in detecting their faint spectral features. In this exploratory work, we
develop a methodology to perform an automated search of WR signatures through a
pixel-by-pixel analysis of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data belonging to
the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey, CALIFA. This technique
allowed us to build the first catalogue of Wolf-Rayet rich regions with
spatially-resolved information, allowing to study the properties of these
complexes in a 2D context. The detection technique is based on the
identification of the blue WR bump (around He II 4686 {\AA}, mainly associated
to nitrogen-rich WR stars, WN) and the red WR bump (around C IV 5808 {\AA} and
associated to carbon-rich WR stars, WC) using a pixel-by-pixel analysis. We
identified 44 WR-rich regions with blue bumps distributed in 25 galaxies of a
total of 558. The red WR bump was identified only in 5 of those regions. We
found that the majority of the galaxies hosting WR populations in our sample
are involved in some kind of interaction process. Half of the host galaxies
share some properties with gamma-ray burst (GRB) hosts where WR stars, as
potential candidates to being the progenitors of GRBs, are found. We also
compared the WR properties derived from the CALIFA data with stellar population
synthesis models, and confirm that simple star models are generally not able to
reproduce the observations. We conclude that other effects, such as the binary
star channel (which could extend the WR phase up to 10 Myr), fast rotation or
other physical processes that causes the loss of observed Lyman continuum
photons, are very likely affecting the derived WR properties, and hence should
be considered when modelling the evolution of massive stars.Comment: 33 pages, accepted for publication in A&
Mass-metallicity relation explored with CALIFA I. Is there a dependence on the star-formation rate?
We studied the global and local M-Z relation based on the first data available from the CALIFA survey (150 galaxies). This survey provides
integral field spectroscopy of the complete optical extent of each galaxy (up to 2−3 effective radii), with a resolution high enough to separate
individual Hii regions and/or aggregations. About 3000 individual Hii regions have been detected. The spectra cover the wavelength range
between [OII]3727 and [SII]6731, with a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to derive the oxygen abundance and star-formation rate associated with
each region. In addition, we computed the integrated and spatially resolved stellar masses (and surface densities) based on SDSS photometric data.
We explore the relations between the stellar mass, oxygen abundance and star-formation rate using this dataset.
We derive a tight relation between the integrated stellar mass and the gas-phase abundance, with a dispersion lower than the one already reported
in the literature (σΔlog (O/H) = 0.07 dex). Indeed, this dispersion is only slightly higher than the typical error derived for our oxygen abundances.
However, we found no secondary relation with the star-formation rate other than the one induced by the primary relation of this quantity with
the stellar mass. The analysis for our sample of ∼3000 individual Hii regions confirms (i) a local mass-metallicity relation and (ii) the lack of a
secondary relation with the star-formation rate. The same analysis was performed with similar results for the specific star-formation rate.
Our results agree with the scenario in which gas recycling in galaxies, both locally and globally, is much faster than other typical timescales, such
like that of gas accretion by inflow and/or metal loss due to outflows. In essence, late-type/disk-dominated galaxies seem to be in a quasi-steady
situation, with a behavior similar to the one expected from an instantaneous recycling/closed-box model.Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo funding programs of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
AYA2010-22111-C03-03
AYA2010-10904ERamon y Cajal project of the spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
RyC-2011-07590Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR Internal support program of international cooperation projects-PIPPMS)
M100031241
M100031201Czech Republic program for the long-term development of the research institution
RVO67985815Plan Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo funding program
AYA2010-15081Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT)Spanish grant
AYA2010-15169Junta de Andalucía
TIC114Excellence Project
P08-TIC-03531Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Junta para la Ampliación de EstudiosEuropean Social Fund (ESF)spanish programme of International Campus of Excellence MoncloaSpanish PNAYA
AYA2010-21887Spanish Government
CSD2006-00070
AYA2012-38491-C02-02Junta de Andalucía
TIC114Autonomic Government of Andalusia
P08-TIC-4075
TIC-126CienciaPortuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission
European Commission Joint Research Centre
European Social Fund (ESF)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology
SFRH/BPD/66958/2009National Science Foundation (NSF
Protective role of mindfulness, self-compassion and psychological flexibility on the burnout subtypes among psychology and nursing undergraduate students
Aims: To explore the relationship between mindfulness, self-compassion and psychological flexibility, and the burnout subtypes in university students of the Psychology and Nursing degrees, and to analyse possible risk factors for developing burnout among socio-demographic and studies-related characteristics. Design: Cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 644 undergraduate students of Nursing and Psychology from two Spanish universities. Methods: The study was conducted between December 2015 and May 2016. Bivariate Pearson''s correlations were computed to analyse the association between mindfulness facets, self-compassion and psychological flexibility, and levels of burnout. Multivariate linear regression models and bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions were also computed. Results: The three subtypes of burnout presented significant correlations with psychological flexibility, self-compassion and some mindfulness facets. Psychological flexibility, self-compassion and the mindfulness facets of observing and acting with awareness were significantly associated to burnout. Among the risk factors, ‘year of study’ was the only variable to show significantly higher risk for every burnout subtype. Conclusion: The significant associations found between mindfulness, self-compassion, psychological flexibility and burnout levels underline the need of including these variables as therapeutic targets when addressing the burnout syndrome in university students. Impact. Undergraduate students, especially those of health sciences, often experience burnout. This study delves into the protective role of some psychological variables: mindfulness, self-compassion and psychological flexibility. These should be considered as potentially protective skills for developing burnout, and therefore, undergraduate students could be trained on these abilities to face their studies and their future profession to prevent experiencing burnout syndrome. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Lt
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