Regulación Emocional y Calidad de Vida en mayores. Un estudio piloto

El presente estudio tiene como objetivo comprobar la influencia que la gestión de habilidades emocionales sobre en el nivel de calidad de vida de las persones mayores. Una muestra de 55 personas mayores alumnos de la Universitat per a Majors de la Universitat Jaume I de Castellón rellenaron los cuestionarios TMMS (Trait Meta Mood Scale) y GL-I (Indice de Calidad de Vida). Los resultados de correlaciones bivariadas muestran relaciones significativas entre dos de las habilidades emocionales medidas: la atención emocional y la comprensión emocional se relacionan positivamente con varios de los indicadores de calidad de vida: funcionamiento interpersonal y apoyo socio-emocional con atención emocional; bienestar psicológico/emocional, funcionamiento ocupacional, funcionamiento interpersonal y plenitud espiritual con comprensión emocional. No encontramos relaciones significativas entre la regulación emocional y el índice de calidad de vida percibido.This study aims to test the influence that managing emotional skills has on the quality of life of elderly people. A sample of 55 elderly people who were students at Universitat per a Majors of the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón fulfilled two questionnaires: the TMMS (Trait Meta Mood Scale) and GL-I (Quality of Life Index). The results obtained show significant bivariate correlations between two emotional measures skills: attention to feelings and clarity of feelings are positively related to several indicators of quality of life: interpersonal functioning and socio-emotional support were related to attention to feelings; psychological/emotional well-being, occupational functioning,interpersonal functioning and spiritual fulfilling to clarity of feelings. We found non significant relationships between mood repair and perceived quality of life indexes

A FPGA Spike-Based Robot Controlled with Neuro-inspired VITE

This paper presents a spike-based control system applied to a fixed robotic platform. Our aim is to take a step forward to a future complete spikes processing architecture, from vision to direct motor actuation. This paper covers the processing and actuation layer over an anthropomorphic robot. In this way, the processing layer uses the neuro-inspired VITE algorithm, for reaching a target, based on PFM taking advantage of spike system information: its frequency. Thus, all the blocks of the system are based on spikes. Each layer is implemented within a FPGA board and spikes communication is codified under the AER protocol. The results show an accurate behavior of the robotic platform with 6-bit resolution for a 130º range per joint, and an automatic speed control of the algorithm. Up to 96 motor controllers could be integrated in the same FPGA, allowing the positioning and object grasping by more complex anthropomorphic robots.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-02Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-0

Effect of the Synthesis Route on the Microstructure and the Dielectric Behavior of CaCu3Ti4O12 Ceramics

CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) was prepared by a conventional synthesis (CS) and through reaction sintering, in which synthesis and sintering of the material take place in one single step. The microstructure and the dielectric properties of CCTO have been studied by XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, AFM, and impedance spectroscopy to correlate structure, microstructure, and electrical properties. Samples prepared by reactive sintering show very similar dielectric behavior to those prepared by CS. Therefore, it is possible to prepare CCTO by means of a single-step processing method

Better Outcomes in Severe and Morbid Obese Patients (BMI > 35 kg/m2) in Primary Endo-Model Rotating-Hinge Total Knee Arthroplasty

The Endo-Model rotating-hinge prosthesis is preferably indicated as a primary implant in patients with advanced axial deviation of the lower limbs or unstable knees with severe bone defects. Outcomes were studied in 111 knees, operated in a three-year period; the mean followup was 28 months. Joint balance enhancement and limbs mechanical axis correction were achieved after surgery. There were 6 deep infections and 16 patients referred postoperative anterior knee pain. WOMAC index scores disaggregated by gender and BMI showed better outcomes in obese patients (specifically, those with a BMI of 35–40 kg/m2) and in men. Although the lack of a control group did not allow definite conclusions and despite a nonnegligible complication rate, our results reveal that the Endo-Model total knee arthroplasty can be a useful tool to deal with severe and morbid obese patients affected of severe gonarthrosis associated with marked axial deviations, ligament instability, or bone defects

Towards AER VITE: building spike gate signal

Neuromorphic engineers aim to mimic the precise and efficient mechanisms of the nervous system to process information using spikes from sensors to actuators. There are many available works that sense and process information in a spike-based way. But there are still several gaps in the actuation and motor control field in a spike-based way. Spike-based Proportional-Integrative-Derivative controllers (PID) are present in the literature. On the other hand, neuro-inspired control models as VITE (Vector Integration To End point) and FLETE (Factorization of muscle Length and muscle Tension) are also present in the literature. This paper presents another step toward the spike implementation of those neuro-inspired models. We present a spike-based ramp multiplier. VITE algorithm generates the way to achieve a final position targeted by a mobile robotic arm. The block presented is used as a gate for the way involved and it also puts the incoming movement on speed with a variable slope profile. Only spikes for information representation were used and the process is in real time. The software simulation based on Simulink and Xilinx System Generator shows the accurate adjust to the traditional processing for short time periods and the hardware tests confirm and extend the previous simulated results for any time. We have implemented the spikes generator, the ramp multiplier and the low pass filter into the Virtex-5 FPGA and connected this with an USB-AER (Address Event Representation) board to monitor the spikes.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0

Papel de la inflamación y la adhesión leucocitaria en la fisiopatología del daño orgánico en la hipertensión arterial.

La hipertensión arterial aumenta el estrés oxidativo, el cual a su vez impide una adecuada función endotelial. La disfunción endotelial es común en los pacientes hipertensos; se asocia con inflamación, incremento de algunos mediadores de la inflamación y daño a órgano blanco. En presencia de disfunción endotelial, se expresan en el endotelio vascular moléculas de adhesión, las cuales facilitan el rodamiento de los leucocitos (especialmente monocitos) sobre la pared arterial, así como su paso al espacio subendotelial. Estas moléculas se han asociado con algunas complicaciones de la hipertensión arterial. Se ha identificado un posible nexo entre inflamación e hipertensión arterial, y recientemente se ha destacado el papel de la inflamación en el desarrollo de las complicaciones cardiovasculares de la enfermedad, en este escrito revisaremos los mecanismos que contribuyen a ese nexo, así como el papel de la inflamación en el desarrollo de complicaciones en el paciente hipertenso

Electrodeposition of Co-Sb Thick Films and their Thermoelectric Properties in DMSO

Póster presentado en la 11th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (ECT2013), celebrada en Noordwijk (Holanda) del 18 al 20 de noviembre de 2013.In the last decade there has been an increasingly interest in the Skutterudites in the field of thermoelectricity 1. This interest is based on the fact that the highest performance of this material happens at 400ºC, which makes it ideal for multiple applications as energy harvesting devices. Generally, most of the actual compounds working under these conditions are unstable or presents a low figure of merit 2. However, Skutterudites have usually good values of the power factor, but also they offer the possibility of an enhancement of their efficiency due to the reduction of the thermal conductivity via doping the structure 3 or filling of the voids 3 of the structure with heavy atoms. Nevertheless, to obtain the right phase by electrodeposition is still not a solve question. 4 This work deals the electrodeposition of Skutterudite (CoSb3). We have been able to grow CoSb3 films via electrochemical deposition in an organic solvent (DMSO). After studying different parameters such as temperature, stirring, time of deposition or potential, we have been able to obtain quite homogeneously films with 1:3 ratio. For the first time, thermoelectric properties have been measured in different labs, to measure the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the films in plane, and using a Seebeck microprobe system, to measure and make a map of the Seebeck coefficient in cross-plane. We determine the Seebeck coefficient to be -12 µV/K in plane and -37 µV/K out of plane, and an electrical conductivity of around 9 S/cm in plane.The research work is supported by the European Commission under FP7-NEXTEC project, Grant # 263167 [FP7/2011-2013].Peer Reviewe

Evolución microestructural en la preparación de materiales compuestos NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 por vía hidrotermal

La obtención de materiales monofásicos con respuesta ferroeléctrica y (anti-)ferromagnética simultánea y acoplada resulta problemática debido a limitaciones intrínsecas de tipo físico, estructural y electrónico. En este sentido una alternativa más realista, y en cierto modo con mayor flexibilidad a la hora de diseñar futuros dispositivos multiferroicos, consiste en preparar materiales compuestos en los cuales el acoplamiento magnetoeléctrico se puede alcanzar explotando los efectos interfaciales entre fases disimilares. Tal es el caso de los materiales compuestos basados en BaTiO3 (fase ferroeléctrica) y NiFe2O4 (fase magnética), que ya se han empezado a preparar fundamentalmente por medio de técnicas de deposición altamente energéticas. Sin embargo de cara a su aplicación práctica, sería interesante poder preparar esos materiales por métodos más sostenibles y menos costosos. De acuerdo con ello, en este trabajo se presenta un estudio preliminar en torno a la evolución microestructural experimentada por los materiales basados en NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 cuando son preparados mediante una técnica de procesamiento suave en disolución como es la síntesis hidrotermal. En concreto se ha analizado la influencia que diversos parámetros característicos del procesamiento hidrotermal pueden tener sobre la generación y distribución de fases e interfases durante la posterior consolidación térmica de estos materiales compuestos

Repuesta ferro-piezoeléctrica de KNN-LTS poroso

La obtención de materiales monofásicos con respuesta ferroeléctrica y (anti-)ferromagnética simultánea y acoplada resulta problemática debido a limitaciones intrínsecas de tipo físico, estructural y electrónico. En este sentido una alternativa más realista, y en cierto modo con mayor flexibilidad a la hora de diseñar futuros dispositivos multiferroicos, consiste en preparar materiales compuestos en los cuales el acoplamiento magnetoeléctrico se puede alcanzar explotando los efectos interfaciales entre fases disimilares. Tal es el caso de los materiales compuestos basados en BaTiO3 (fase ferroeléctrica) y NiFe2O4 (fase magnética), que ya se han empezado a preparar fundamentalmente por medio de técnicas de deposición altamente energéticas. Sin embargo de cara a su aplicación práctica, sería interesante poder preparar esos materiales por métodos más sostenibles y menos costosos. De acuerdo con ello, en este trabajo se presenta un estudio preliminar en torno a la evolución microestructural experimentada por los materiales basados en NiFe2O4-BaTiO3 cuando son preparados mediante una técnica de procesamiento suave en disolución como es la síntesis hidrotermal. En concreto se ha analizado la influencia que diversos parámetros característicos del procesamiento hidrotermal pueden tener sobre la generación y distribución de fases e interfases durante la posterior consolidación térmica de estos materiales compuestos

Dielectric behaviour of Hf-doped CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics obtained by conventional synthesis and reactive sintering

CaCu3(Ti4xHfx)O12 ceramics (JC = 0.04, 0.1 and 0.2) were prepared by conventional synthesis (CS) and through reactive sintering (RS), in which synthesis and sintering of the material take place in one single step. The microstructure and the dielectric properties of Hf-doped CCTO (CCTOHf) have been studied by XRD, FE-SEM, AFM, Raman and impedance spectroscopy (IS) in order to correlate the structure, microstructure and the electrical properties. Samples prepared by reactive sintering show slightly higher dielectric constant than those prepared by conventional synthesis in the same way than the pure CCTO. Dielectric constant and dielectric losses decrease slightly increasing Hf content. For CCTOHf ceramics with x> 0.04 for CS and x> 0.1 for RS, a secondary phase HfTi04 appears. As expected, the reactive sintering processing method allows a higher incorporation of Hf in the CCTO lattice than the conventional synthesis one