Semicentral idempotents in the multiplication ring of a centrally closed prime ring

Let R be a ring and let M(R) stand for the multiplication ring of R. An idempotent E in M(R) is called left semicentral if its range E(R) is a right ideal of R. In the case that R is prime and centrally closed we give a description of the left semicentral idempotents in M(R). As an application we prove that, if, in addition, M(R) is Baer (respectively, regular or Rickart), then R is Baer (respectively, regular or Rickart). Similar results for *-rings are also proved.• Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España y Fondos FEDER: Proyecto MTM2009-12067 • Junta de Andalucía: Proyecto FQM290peerReviewe

Rotationally invariant proof of Bell's theorem without inequalities

The singlet state of two spin-3/2 particles allows a proof of Bell's theorem without inequalities with two distinguishing features: any local observable can be regarded as an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen element of reality, and the contradiction with local realism occurs not only for some specific local observables but for any rotation whereof.Comment: REVTeX4, 3 page

Los polímeros tipo elastina y su utilización como tags para la purificación de proteínas

Actualmente, una de las técnicas más ampliamente utilizadas en la purificación de proteínas recombinantes es la cromatografía de afinidad. Sin embargo, esta técnica es costosa, requiere de equipo especializado y es difícil de escalar. Por tanto, es deseable el desarrollo de métodos más económicos y técnicamente más sencillos. Uno de estos métodos está basado en aprovechar las características termosensibles y el comportamiento inteligente de los polímeros tipo elastina (ELP) para purificar una proteína de interés. El bajo coste que esta metodología requiere permitiría disminuir el precio de diversas proteínas de interés biomédico en el mercado, con las consiguientes repercusiones que ello conlleva a la hora de su aplicación en clínica. Por tanto, el presente artículo pretende indagar en la utilización de los ELP como tags para la purificación proteica, gracias al diseño y la producción de construcciones de fusión compuestas por la proteína diana de interés unida al tag elastomérico. Además se resaltarán otros efectos colaterales positivos que la presencia del ELP puede aportar a la proteína quimérica.Currently, chromatography is one of the most commonly used techniques to achieve protein purification. Nevertheless, such technique requires specialized equipment and is difficult to scale-up. Therefore, the development of new, simpler and broadly applicable purification methods to circumvent these problems is desirable. One such approach takes advantages of the thermo-sensitive and smart behavior of the elastin like polymers (ELP) to purify the target protein. The low-cost of carrying out such methodology may permit us to decrease the price of diverse biomedical useful proteins, with the consistent impact that such fact entails when applying in clinic. Therefore, the aim of this article is to clarify some aspects related to the use of the ELP as protein purification tags. For such use, it is necessary to design and produce fusion constructs between the target protein and the elastomeric tag. Moreover, apart from protein purification, further effects of the presence of the ELP in the fusion construct would be described.Peer ReviewedAward-winnin

Serve profile of male and female professional tennis players at the 2015 Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament

The aim of this study was to compare the serve statistics profile of male and female high-level tennis players. In all, 111 tennis singles matches of the Roland Garros 2015 tennis tournament were collected and 10 variables related to first and second serve were analyzed according to service box (deuce and advantage sides) and landing location (wide, body and T-areas). The results show: (a) men served faster than women; (b) men served a higher percentage of serves at T-area on deuce side (35.0 vs 27.7%) and at the wide zone on advantage side (44.1 vs 36.7%) with first serves, while women hit more to the body on both sides; (c) men won a higher percentage of points with their first serve compared to women at any zone on both sides, except for the T-area on deuce side; (d) with their second serve, men placed a greater percentage of serves in the T-area on deuce side (28.0 vs 21.8%) and wide on the advantage side, whereas women directed more to the body on the advantage side (41.4 vs 33.5%); (e) men won a higher percentage of points with their second serve when they placed it to the body zone on deuce side (54.1 vs 47.1%) and at the T-area on the advantage side (64.4% vs 44.1%). Our conclusions are that with respect to gender, players showed differing serve patterns. Men served faster, with higher success and placed their serves more frequently to the external areas of the service boxes, while women directed a higher percentage of serves to the body of their opponent

Creation of antimicrobial biopolymers by the use of recombinant DNA technology

[Excerpt] The spread of antimicrobials resistant microorganisms has triggered the search for new ways to treat infections. One of these ways is the creation of antimicrobial devices and surfaces that kill or prevent the spread of microorganisms. In the present work we explored the properties of different antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) for the creation of biopolymers with broad antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial recombinant protein-based polymers (rPBPs) were designed by cloning the DNA sequence coding for the different AMPs in frame with the N-terminus of the elastin-like recombinamer consisting of 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG, here named A200. [...]This work was supported by the strategic programme UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569) funded by national funds through the FCT I.P. and by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI). By the Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2012-38043-C02-01) and Junta de Castilla y León-JCyL (VA152A12-2 and VA155A12-2), Spain. AC and RM, acknowledge FCT for SFRH/BD/75882/2011 and SFRH/BPD/86470/2012 grants, respectively

Obtención de un polímero de tipo Elastina modificado con secuencias Bioactivas y Biodegradables, para su aplicación en ingeniería

La matriz extracelular es uno de los principales elementos reguladores de la actividad celular. Los diferentes módulos de las macromoléculas que la componen son capaces de desencadenar señales que activan diferentes rutas intracelulares que organizan las funciones vitales de las células. La ingeniería de tejidos se dedica a desarrollar sistemas capaces de imitar, temporalmente, el comportamiento de la matriz extracelular con objeto de promover la regeneración o el reemplazo de tejidos y órganos dañados, actuando como un soporte atractivo para las células que deben adherirse y crecer sobre ella, hasta reemplazarla por tejido sano. En este trabajo se describe el proceso de diseño y producción de un polímero de tipo elastina que se ha funcionalizado con secuencias bioactivas que añaden actividades específicas al andamio o soporte celular que constituye la elastina. Así,algunos dominios elastoméricos se modificaron con el aminoácido lisina para poder entrecruzar las moléculas de polímero y conseguir matrices. También se incluyó la secuencia REDV, presente el dominio CS5 de la fibronectina humana, como motivo de adhesión celular. Por último, el polímero se funcionalizó con secuencias diana de enzimas proteolíticas para mejorar su bioprocesabilidad.Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a major component for the regulation of cell activity. The different modules of the proteins which constitute the extracellular matrix macromolecules represent for the cells which enter in contact with them, new signals capable of activating several intracellular signaling pathways, resulting in the modulation of numerous cell functions. Tissue engineering tries to develop new materials based on these components as scaffolds for cells to promote their adhesion and growth. In this work, genetic engineering techniques were used to design and biosynthesize an extracellular matrix analogue based in the elastin component. The structural base of our scaffold is an elastin –derived sequence which confers an adequate mechanical behavior. In addition, several domains were included, for adding new bioactivities to this elastin-like polymer (ELP). Some of these elastic domains were modified to contain lysine for cross linking purposes. The polymer also contained periodically spaced fibronectin CS5 domain enclosing the well known cell attachment sequence REDV. Finally, the polymer had target sequences for proteolitic action.Peer ReviewedAward-winnin

Statistical Differences in Set Analysis in Badminton at the RIO 2016 Olympic Games

The aim of the present study was to determine statistical differences in a set of badminton competition matches in five different modalities with regard to competition level (Group Phase vs. Eliminatory Phase). Data from 453 sets (125 in men's singles; 108 sets in women's singles; 77 sets in men's doubles; 73 in women's doubles and 70 in mixed doubles) from the RIO 2016 Olympics Games were recorded and classified in two groups of variables to analyze variables related to match (5) and set (15). A descriptive analysis and univariate test (Mann-Whitney U) for non-parametric data were conducted. The results show in men's and women's singles all the variables related to match were higher in the Elimination Phase than in the Group Phase (p < 0.01). In Sets 1 and 3, the longest set duration, rally and average rally were found in the Elimination Phase than Group Stage (p < 0.05). In women's singles, these differences were also recorded in Set 2. For doubles, the results are more stable among groups. Men's doubles had a longer duration of the match and set (sets 1 and set 2) (p < 0.01), and also scored highest for average rally strokes (sets 1 3) < 0.05) and shuttles used in the Elimination Phase vs. the Group Phase along the match (p < 0.01). In women's doubles, more shuttles were used in a match in the Elimination than in the Group Phase. Moreover, the same results are established for Set 2, including for average rally. Mixed doubles saw no match going to three sets. However, the greatest differences showed a longer rally and average rally being registered in the Elimination than in the Group Phase. In conclusion, the timing factors of the badminton singles and doubles games were different in the Elimination and Group Phases. This information may help players and coaches prepare and administer different types of workouts or, more specifically, competition schedules adapted to the characteristics of modern badminton

Antibacterial protein-based fibres: combining recombinant DNA technology with electrospinning

[Excerpt] With the increasing healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms there is a demand not only for new antimicrobial compounds but also for antimicrobial materials. Genetically engineered protein polymers functionalized with bioactive domains offer potential as multifunctional versatile materials for biomedical use. The present work describes the fabrication and characterization of antimicrobial fibre mats comprising the antimicrobial elastin-like recombinamer CM4-A200 [1]. [...]This work was supported by the strategic programme UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01- 0145-FEDER- 007569) through FCT I.P. and by ERDF through COMPETE2020 - POCI. The authors are grateful for funding from FCT (project “FunBioPlas” ERA-IB-2-6/0004/2014) and a fellowship to RM (SFRH-BPD/86470/2012). The authors also thank support from the COST Action MP1206

Commented checklist of marine fishes from the Galicia Bank seamount (NW Spain)

A commented checklist containing 139 species of marine fishes recorded at the Galician Bank seamount is presented. The list is based on nine prospecting and research surveys carried out from 1980 to 2011 with different fishing gears. The ichthyofauna list is diversified in 2 superclasses, 3 classes, 20 orders, 62 families and 113 genera. The largest family is Macrouridae, with 9 species, followed by Moridae, Stomiidae and Sternoptychidae with 7 species each. The trachichthyd Hoplostethus mediterraneus and the morid Lepidion lepidion were the most abundant species. Biogeographically, the Atlantic group, with 113 species (81.3%) is the best represented, followed by the Lusitanian one with 17 species (12.2%). Data on species abundance, as number of individuals caught, size and depth are reported. Habitat, distribution and vulnerability status are commented. Moreover, biometric data and meristic counts are also reported for several species. The results obtained showing a high fish biodiversity and a sensible number of threatened species, strongly support the future declaration of the Galicia Bank as a Marine Protected Area.En prensa0,974

Antimicrobial Electrospun Membranes of Selp/Ag Composites

Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) are a new class of bioinspired, biologically synthesized block copolymers, composed of silk and elastin repeating units. SELP electrospun fibre mats show potential for application as wound dressings for skin regeneration. In this work, antimicrobial nanofibrous mats were produced by electrospinning SELP solutions containing different concentrations of silver nitrate without addition of reducing agents. The SELP/Ag composite materials demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both Gram– and Gram+ bacteria. Furthermore, the SELP/Ag composite materials showed no cytotoxicity against normal human skin fibroblasts.This work was supported by FCT/MEC through Portuguese funds (PIDDAC) - PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014, PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011, Matepro - NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000037. RM, AC and VS, acknowledge FCT for SFRH-BPD/86470/2012, SFRH/BD/75882/2011 and SFRH/BPD/63148/2009 grants, respectively. The authors also thank support from the COST Action MP1206 “Electrospun Nano-fibres for bio inspired composite materials and innovative industrial applications”