PLLA/ZnO nanocomposites: dynamic surfaces to harness cell differentiation

This work investigates the effect of the sequential availability of ZnO nanoparticles, (nanorods of ∼40 nm) loaded within a degradable poly(lactic acid) (PLLA) matrix, in cell differentiation. The system constitutes a dynamic surface, in which nanoparticles are exposed as the polymer matrix degrades. ZnO nanoparticles were loaded into PLLA and the system was measured at different time points to characterise the time evolution of the physicochemical properties, including wettability and thermal properties. The micro and nanostructure were also investigated using AFM, SEM and TEM images. Cellular experiments with C2C12 myoblasts show that cell differentiation was significantly enhanced on ZnO nanoparticles—loaded PLLA, as the polymer degrades and the availability of nanoparticles become more apparent, whereas the release of zinc within the culture medium was negligible. Our results suggest PLLA/ZnO nanocomposites can be used as a dynamic system where nanoparticles are exposed during degradation, activating the material surface and driving cell differentiation

Retórica democrática, identidades y ciudadanía. Asociacionismo y calidad de la democracia en Andalucía

Fernando Fernández-Llebrez González. Granada:Universidad de Granada, 2012, 243 pp

A Microcontroller Based System for Controlling Patient Respiratory Guidelines

The need of making improvements in obtaining (in a non-invasive way) and monitoring the breathing rate parameters in a patient emerges due to (1) the great amount of breathing problems our society suffer, (2) the problems that can be solved, and (3) the methods used so far. Non-specific machines are usually used to carry out these measures or simply calculate the number of inhalations and exhalations within a particular timeframe. These methods lack of effectiveness and precision thus, influencing the capacity of getting a good diagnosis. This proposal focuses on drawing up a technology composed of a mechanism and a user application which allows doctors to obtain the breathing rate parameters in a comfortable and concise way. In addition, such parameters are stored in a database for potential consultation as well as for the medical history of the patients. For this, the current approach takes into account the needs, the capacities, the expectations and the user motivations which have been compiled by means of open interviews, forum discussions, surveys and application uses. In addition, an empirical evaluation has been conducted with a set of volunteers. Results indicate that the proposed technology may reduce cost and improve the reliability of the diagnosis.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2016-76956-C3-2-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2015-71938-RED

Use of a new enrichment nanosorbent for speciation of mercury by FI-CV-ICP-MS

Mercury is one of the most toxic environmental pollutants and its effects on human and ecosystem health are well known. All mercury species are toxic, with organic mercury compounds generally being more toxic than inorganic species. Chromatography techniques (GC, HPLC) coupled to element specific detectors, are able to separate mercury species in order to elucidate mercury transformation and transport processes where the determination of all mercury species is desirable. However, in practice, especially in sampling campaigns for sea water analysis where a large number of samples are collected over a longer period of time, a combination of methods is usually applied to accurately determine the most toxic mercury species. These include non-chromatographic methods based on the different chemical and/or physical behavior of the mercury species. These non-chromatographic methods can be less time consuming, more cost effective and available, and present competitive limits of detection. Especially when mercury could vapor (CV) generation technique is employed, which reduces salt effect on the analytical signal and improve the sensibility. Among non-chromatographic methods, solid phase extraction and microextraction (SPE and SPME) which is becoming increasingly popular for sample preparation in organic analysis, found its way to speciation analysis of organometals. SPE/SPME is the most popular sample preconcentration method for its simplicity, high enrichment factor, low or no consumption of organic solvents and feasibly to be automated. On the other hand, the exploration of new materials, especially nanometer sized materials, as the support phase is another active research area in SPE/SPME for mercury determination. The use of nanoparticles leads to higher extraction capacity/efficiency and rapid dynamics of extraction originated from the higher surface area to volume ratio and short diffusion route. In this work, a new enrichment nanosorbent functionalized with 1,5 bis (2-pyridyl) methylene thiocarbohidrazide was synthesized and characterized. From the study of its adsorption capacity toward metal ions, Hg2+ was observed to be one of the most retained 173.1 µmol g-1 at pH 5. Thus, a flow injection solid phase extraction and cold vapor generation method for its determination and speciation based on the use of this new chelating nanosorbent was optimized. The method developed has showed to be useful for the automatic pre-concentration and sequential speciation of mercury and methylmercury in environmental and biological samples. The system was based on chelating retention of the analytes onto a mini-column filled with the new nanosorbent and their sequential elution by using two different eluents, 0.2 % HCl for CH3Hg+ and 0.1 % thiourea in 0.5 % HCl for Hg2+. The determination was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Under the optimum conditions and 120 s preconcentration time, the enrichment factors were 4.7 and 11.0; the detection limits (3σ) were 0.002 and 0.004 µg L-1; the determination limits (10σ) were 0.011 and 0.024 µg L-1; and the precisions (calculated for 10 replicate determinations at a 2 µg L-1 standard of both species) were 2.8 and 2.6 % (RSD); for CH3Hg+ and Hg2+, respectively. Linear calibration graphs were obtained for both species from the determination limits to at least 70 µg L-1. For the quality control of the analytical performance and the validation of the newly developed method, the analysis of two certified samples, LGC 6016 estuarine water and SRM 2976 mussel tissue were addressed. The results showed good agreement with the certified values. The method was successfully applied to the speciation of mercury in sea-water samples collected in the Málaga Bay.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Automatización en la detección y prevención de errores en publicaciones técnicas aeronáuticas

El objetivo de este Trabajo de Fin de Grado es la automatización de la detección y prevención de determinados errores en las Publicaciones Técnicas (PPTT) aeronáuticas de la empresa Airbus Defence and Space y concretamente para el programa militar A330- MRTT. Las PPTT contienen algunos errores debido a que sobre ellas trabajan una gran cantidad de personas con grados de experiencia y conocimientos muy diversos. En ocasiones no se logra validar de manera exhaustiva todo el trabajo y esto puede conllevar a un error en la publicación de un manual. Si tenemos en cuenta la enorme cantidad de datos que se editan/incluyen en cada revisión (cada 3 meses) de cada manual y el tiempo que lleva desarrollándose este programa (más de una década) podemos prever que el número de errores no será despreciable: aunque no lo sea en valor relativo a la información total de los manuales sí que lo es en valor absoluto. Estos errores pueden traer consecuencias negativas al departamento implicado en su producción. Por ello, debido al actual estado de madurez del proyecto, se está comenzando a focalizar esfuerzos por detectar y resolver estos problemas. El gran obstáculo para lograr este nuevo objetivo es la falta de perfiles en la empresa con conocimientos de programación capaces de desarrollar códigos que puedan detectar dichos errores. Debido a la gran cantidad de información que se maneja no es asumible la detección de errores de manera manual con el tiempo y el número de personas que trabajan en el proyecto. El objetivo de este trabajo es trazar de manera accesible, rápida y automática estos errores sin que requiera el trabajo de uno o varios trabajadores durante varios días o meses, solventando así el problema descrito. Para ello, se automatizarán algunos casos de modo que sirva para sentar las bases de cómo debería hacerse para el resto de casos. Adicionalmente, se propone un modelo de generación automática de un manual para así reducir la posibilidad de cometer un error humano en las publicaciones.The aim of this End of Degree Project is the automation of the detection and prevention of certain errors in the aeronautical Technical Publications (PPTT) of the company Airbus Defence and Space and specifically for the military programme A330- MRTT. The PPTTs contain some errors because a large number of people with very di↵erent degrees of experience and knowledge work on them. Sometimes it is not possible to validate all the work exhaustively and this can lead to an error in the publication of a manual. If we consider the enormous amount of data that is edited/included in each revision (every 3 months) of each manual and the time that this program has been developing (more than a decade) we can foresee that the number of errors will not be negligible: although it is not in relative value to the total information of the manuals it is in absolute value. These errors can have negative consequences for the department involved in their production. Therefore, due to the current state of maturity of the project, e↵orts are beginning to focus on detecting and solving these problems. The big obstacle to achieve this new goal is the lack of profiles in the company with programming knowledge capable of developing codes that can detect such errors. Due to the large amount of information handled it is not possible to detect manually errors with the time and the number of people working on the project. The aim of this project is to outline these errors in an accessible, fast and automatic way without requiring the work of one or some workers for several days or months, thus solving the problem described. To this end, some cases will be automated so that it serves to lay the foundations of how it should be done for the rest of cases. In addition, an automatic generation model of a manual is proposed to reduce the possibility of human errors in publications.Universidad de Sevilla. Grado en Ingeniería Aeroespacia

Analysis of digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu) in teacher trainees: the context of Melilla, Spain

This study was partly funded by the autonomous city of Melilla, Spain, through PROMESA and the UGR-Enterprise Foundation.The Spanish autonomous city of Melilla, located in northwest Africa, has one of the highest academic failure and abandonment rates in Europe. An effective way to improve this situation would be to improve students’ digital competence. In order to do so, teachers must have competent digital skills themselves and also be able to teach them. To determine teachers’ level of digital competence, the Spanish adaptation of the European Framework for Digital Competence of Educators was used to analyse the self-assessment responses of teachers in training at the Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences in Melilla, Spain. Several quantitative techniques were used to analyse data collected from a questionnaire based on the items in the framework. Indicators were given to each competence using a factor analysis to contrast differences between undergraduate and postgraduate students. Correlations between some of the students’ characteristics and the competences were estimated using OLS. The results show students’ self-assessment level of digital competence in different areas and differences between the bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Digital competence gaps were also detected in teacher training, especially in security. The conclusions highlight the need to improve digital security and facilitate a higher level of digital skills in line with the framework. Indeed, more hours of training in digital competence are required while taking into account the educational context and the technological, pedagogical and content knowledge needed to teach. Equally, the same skills must be developed by educators in order for them to transmit digital competence to their students and support them in educational centres.autonomous city of Melilla, Spain, through PROMESAUGR-Enterprise Foundatio

Simplified 1D Empirical Model for Volumetric Behavior of High-Carbonate Clay

The Guadalquivir blue marl is a high plasticity overconsolidated carbonate clay. This soil presents an elevated fragility and high susceptibility to moisture changes. These characteristics have caused many geotechnical accidents, such as the Aznalcollar dam failure, in Seville (Spain). A comprehensive test campaign has been conducted to determine the physical and chemical properties of the blue marl. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) allowed characterising its internal structure, revealing clear differences between the macro and the microstructure. A novel model for predicting the volumetric deformation (under oedometric conditions) of the Guadalquivir blue marl with suction and vertical pressure changes has been proposed. The model, based on data from shrink-swell tests, provides an acceptable estimation of the volumetric behaviour of the soil with a relatively simple set of parameters. The results were experimentally verified by suction-controlled oedometer tests and showed an acceptable agreement with the data measured. It has been specified when swelling. shrinkage or collapse occur

New Political Parties, old cleavages: an ecological approach to Basque Country´s new Party System

La presente nota de investigación contiene un estudio indiciario sobre la conformación de las bases sociopolíticas que sustentaron a los nuevos partidos emergentes a escala estatal que intentaron obtener representación en las elecciones autonómicas vascas de 2016. Para ello, se parte del concepto de cleavage en su acepción más clásica para la identificación de los posibles factores estructuradores de la competencia electoral en dicho territorio. La estrategia analítica se lleva a cabo mediante técnicas geoestadísticas bivariadas y datos agregados referidos a los municipios. Los resultados evidencian que ambas formaciones concentran sus apoyos en zonas donde se agrupan determinados tipos de electores en torno a los ejes clásicos de la competencia en el País Vasco.The present paper contains a circumstantial study regarding the sociological and political electoral bases which define the new emerging Spanish political parties. Both of them try to get some representatives during the last regional elections held in the Basque Country on 2016. In this sense, we observe the cleavage issue in its classical meaning in order to identify the possible structural elements on the electoral competition in this territory. The analytical approach taken for this study will use bivariate geostatistical techniques and aggregate datasets referred to the different municipalities conforming this region. The results shown that both political formations hold their support in areas where certain kind of electors concentrate alongside the classical cleavages defining the electoral competence in the Basque Country

Melhores práticas na utilização da aprendizagem móvel por professores universitários de Didáctica Linguagem-Literatura.

This paper has been funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of the Government of Spain (Reference FPU16/01762).The use of mobile learning is becoming increasingly widespread among university teachers, thanks to its many benefits. Moreover, its application is associated with good teaching practices. The aim of this study is to analyse the development of good teaching practices in the use of m-learning by university teachers from the Department of Didactics of Language and Literature, as well as to identify the factors that influence the development of best practices. The research method developed is based on a transversal design. 110 teachers from the Department of Language and Literature Didactics participated in the study. The instrument used is the scale of Analysis of M-learning practices at the University (APMU). The results show that more than half of the teachers use the teaching method based on mobile learning. It can be concluded that in the development of best practices, gender is not influential, but age and teaching experience are. In addition, personal concern and experience in the use of mobile devices by teachers is a key factor in the appropriate development of the m-learning method.A utilização da aprendizagem móvel está a tornar-se cada vez mais generalizada entre os professores universitários, graças aos seus múltiplos benefícios. Além disso, a sua aplicação está associada a boas práticas de ensino. O objectivo deste estudo é analisar o desenvolvimento de boas práticas de ensino na utilização do m-learning por professores universitários do Departamento de Didáctica da Língua e Literatura, bem como identificar os factores que influenciam o desenvolvimento de boas práticas. O método de investigação desenvolvido é baseado num desenho transversal. O estudo envolveu 110 professores do Departamento de Didáctica da Língua e Literatura. O instrumento utilizado é a Análise das práticas de M-learning na escala da Universidade (APMU). Os resultados mostram que mais de metade dos professores fazem uso do método de ensino baseado na aprendizagem móvel. Pode-se concluir que, no desenvolvimento de boas práticas, o género não é influente, algo que ocorre com a idade e a experiência de ensino. Além disso, o interesse pessoal e a experiência na utilização de dispositivos móveis pelos professores é um factor chave para o desenvolvimento adequado do método m-learning.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte FPU16/0176