High-performance motor drives

This article reviews the present state and trends in the development of key parts of controlled induction motor drive systems: converter topologies, modulation methods, as well as control and estimation techniques. Two- and multilevel voltage-source converters, current-source converters, and direct converters are described. The main part of all the produced electric energy is used to feed electric motors, and the conversion of electrical power into mechanical power involves motors ranges from less than 1 W up to several dozen megawatts

Enoturismo en la denominación Tacoronte-Acentejo: su relevancia como elemento diversificador y factor de resiliencia

Desde el comienzo de la actividad turística en el Archipiélago Canario, esta se ha basado en una oferta caracterizada por productos relacionados con el segmento del sol y playa mayoritariamente. No obstante, las preferencias de los turistas parecen estar cambiando hacia un modelo complementario aparentemente más sostenible y respetuoso con respecto al tradicional. En líneas generales, el objetivo final de la redacción de este Trabajo de Fin de Grado se basa en ahondar en la capacidad de resiliencia de los escenarios rurales de la isla de Tenerife, además de hacer hincapié en la potencialidad del enoturismo como factor diversificador de las economías locales. De igual modo, se analizará la perspectiva local relacionada con la creación de las Denominaciones de Origen, y en concreto, el papel que toma la Denominación de Origen Tacoronte-Acentejo como herramienta de desarrollo local.Since the beginning of tourism activity in the Canary Islands, it has been based on an offer characterized by sun and beach products, in the majority of the cases. However, tourist preferences seem to be shifting towards an apparently more sustainable and respectful complementary model to the traditional one. In general terms, the final objective of this Final Degree Project is based on digging into the resilience of the rural scenarios of the island of Tenerife, as well as emphasizing the potential of wine tourism as a diversifying factor of local economies. In addition, the local perspective related to the creation of Designations on the island will be analyzed, and particularly, the role that the Designation of Origin Tacoronte-Acentejo has as a tool for local developmen

Generation of an iPSC line from a retinitis pigmentosa patient carrying a homozygous mutation in CERKL and a healthy sibling

Dermal fibroblasts from an autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patient, homozygous for the mutation c.769 C>T, p.Arg257Ter, in CERKL (Ceramide Kinase-Like) gene, and a healthy sibling were derived and reprogrammed by Sendai virus. The generated human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines RP3-FiPS4F1 and Ctrl3-FiPS4F1, were free of genomically integrated reprogramming genes, showed stable karyotypes, expressed pluripotency markers and could be differentiated towards the three germ layers in vitro. These hiPSC lines offer a useful resource to study RP pathomechanisms, drug testing and therapeutic opportunities

Análisis de variables predictores del índice de competitividad en los destinos turísticos de América Central y el Caribe

The competitiveness ranking of the World Economic Forum is based on the tourism and travel competitiveness index. A good location in the ranking provides good reputation and international prestige for any country. The edition in 2017 includes only 20 countries in Central America and the Caribbean; Cuba is not found. This is because indicators that are measured to determine the tourism and travel competitiveness index do not have an evaluation in these countries because they lack the relevant information. The objective of the research is to make, based on the available information, a study of tourism competitiveness indicators and select the variables that are potential predictors of the World Economic Forum score, to subsequently establish a model in which the position of the countries that are not. The principal components analysis was used to reduce the number of variables. To ensure that the selected variables are good predictors of the ranking, Cluster Analysis will be used from case analysis. It is obtained from a component that the predictor variables of the ranking are: Capital Investment, Individual Government Expenditures, Total Contribution to Employment, Direct Contribution to Employment, Total Contribution to Gross Domestic Product, Direct Contribution to Total Contribution to Gross Domestic Análisis de variables predictores del índice de competitividad en los destinos turísticos. Product, Expenditures leisure tourism, consumption of domestic tourism and foreign expenditure.  El ranking de competitividad del Foro Económico Mundial se basa en el índice de competitividad de viajes y turismo. Una buena ubicación en el ranking proporciona buena reputación y prestigio internacional para cualquier país. La edición en 2017 incluye solo a 20 países de América Central y el Caribe; Cuba no se encuentra. Esto se debe a que indicadores que son medidos para determinar el índice de competitividad de viajes y turismo no poseen evaluación en estos países por carecer de la información pertinente. El objetivo de la investigación es hacer, a partir de la información disponible, un estudio de indicadores de competitividad turística y seleccionar las variables que son potenciales predictores del score que establece el Foro para posteriormente, establecer un modelo matemático multivariado en el que se pueda estimar la posición de los países que no están. Se empleó el análisis de componentes principales para reducir el número de variables. Para asegurar que las variables seleccionadas son buenas predictores del ranking se empleará el análisis clusters a partir de análisis de casos. Se obtiene a partir de una componente que las variables predictoras del ranking son: inversión capital, gastos individuales del gobierno, contribución total al empleo, contribución directa al empleo, contribución total al producto interno bruto, Contribución directa al producto interno bruto, gastos de turismo de ocio, consumo de turismo interno y gasto extranjero

Estudo de Indicadores de Competitividade do Turismo com Base na Predição de Variáveis.

The competitiveness ranking of the World Economic Forum is based on the Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index. A good location in the ranking provides good reputation and international prestige for any country. The edition in 2017 includes only 20 countries in Central America and the Caribbean; Cuba is not found. This is because indicators that are measured to determine the tourism and travel competitiveness index do not have an evaluation in these countries because they lack the relevant information. The objective of the research is to make, based on the available information, a study of tourism competitiveness indicators and select the variables that are potential predictors of the WEF's score, to subsequently establish a model in which the position of the countries that are not. The principal components analysis was used to reduce the number of variables. To ensure that the selected variables are good predictors of the ranking, Cluster Analysis will be used from case analysis.  With the determination of the predictor variables of the tourist competitiveness index, a better management of tourist destinations (country destination) is provided.El ranking de competitividad del Foro Económico Mundial (WEF) se basa en el Índice de Competitividad de Viajes y Turismo. Una buena ubicación en el ranking proporciona buena reputación y prestigio internacional para cualquier país. La edición incluye solo a 20 países de América Central y el Caribe; Cuba no se encuentra. Esto se debe a que indicadores que son medidos para determinar el Índice de Competitividad de Viajes y Turismo no poseen evaluación en estos países por carecer de la información pertinente. El objetivo de la investigación es hacer, a partir de la información disponible, un estudio de indicadores de competitividad turística y seleccionar las variables que son potenciales predictores del score que establece el Foro Económico Mundial para posteriormente establecer un modelo matemático multivariado en el que se pueda estimar la posición de los países que no están. Se empleó el análisis de componentes principales para reducir el número de variables. Para asegurar que las variables seleccionadas son buenas predictores del ranking se empleará el análisis clusters a partir de análisis de casos. Con la determinación de las variables predictores del índice de competitividad turística se proporciona una mejor gestión de los destinos turísticos (destino país).O ranking de competitividade do Fórum Econômico Mundial (WEF) é baseado no Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index. Uma boa posição no ranking confere boa reputação e prestígio internacional a qualquer país. A edição contempla apenas 20 países da América Central e Caribe; Cuba não foi encontrada. Isso porque os indicadores que são medidos para determinar o Índice de Competitividade de Viagens e Turismo não têm avaliação nesses países por falta de informações relevantes. O objetivo da pesquisa é realizar, com base nas informações disponíveis, um estudo dos indicadores de competitividade do turismo e selecionar as variáveis ​​que são potenciais preditoras da pontuação estabelecida pelo Fórum Econômico Mundial para posteriormente estabelecer um modelo matemático multivariado no qual é possível estimar a posição dos países que não o são. A análise de componentes principais foi utilizada para reduzir o número de variáveis. Para garantir que as variáveis ​​selecionadas sejam bons preditores de classificação, a análise de cluster será usada com base na análise de caso. Com a determinação das variáveis ​​preditoras do índice de competitividade turística, proporciona-se uma melhor gestão dos destinos turísticos (destino país)

Early ERK1/2 activation promotes DRP1-dependent mitochondrial fission necessary for cell reprogramming

During the process of reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, somatic cells switch from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism, a transition associated with profound mitochondrial reorganization. Neither the importance of mitochondrial remodelling for cell reprogramming, nor the molecular mechanisms controlling this process are well understood. Here, we show that an early wave of mitochondrial fragmentation occurs upon expression of reprogramming factors. Reprogramming-induced mitochondrial fission is associated with a minor decrease in mitochondrial mass but not with mitophagy. The pro-fission factor Drp1 is phosphorylated early in reprogramming, and its knockdown and inhibition impairs both mitochondrial fragmentation and generation of iPS cell colonies. Drp1 phosphorylation depends on Erk activation in early reprogramming, which occurs, at least in part, due to downregulation of the MAP kinase phosphatase Dusp6. Taken together, our data indicate that mitochondrial fission controlled by an Erk-Drp1 axis constitutes an early and necessary step in the reprogramming process to pluripotency

Carbon remineralization by small mesopelagic and bathypelagic Stomiiforms in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

The organic carbon resulting from photosynthesis in the upper ocean is transferred downward through the passive sinking of organic particles, physical mixing of particulate and dissolved organic carbon as well as active flux transported by zooplanktonic and micronektonic migrants. Several meso- and bathypelagic organisms feed in shallower layers during the nighttime and respire, defecate, excrete and die at depth. Recent studies suggest that migrant micronekton transport similar amounts of carbon to migrant zooplankton. However, there is scarce information about biomass and carbon flux by non-migratory species in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. The non-migratory bristlemouth fishes (Cyclothone spp.) and partial migrator (A. hemigymnus) remineralise organic carbon at depth, and knowledge about this process by this fauna is lacking despite them having been referred to as the most abundant vertebrates on Earth. Here we show the vertical distribution of biomass and respiration of non-migratory mesopelagic fishes, during day and night, using the enzymatic activity of the electron transfer system (ETS) as a proxy for respiration rates. The study is focused on five Cyclothone species (C. braueri, C. pseudopallida, C. pallida, C. livida and C. microdon) and Argyropelecus hemigymnus. The samples were taken on a transect from the oceanic upwelling off Northwest Africa (20° N, 20° W) to the south of Iceland (60° N, 20° W). Cyclothone spp. showed, by far, the largest biomass (126.90 ± 86.20 mg C·m⁻²) compared to A. hemigymnus (0.54 ± 0.44 mg C·m⁻²). The highest concentrations of Cyclothone spp. in the water column were observed between 400 and 600 m and from 1000 to 1500 m depths, both during day and night. For the different species analysed, ETS activity did not show significant differences between diurnal and nocturnal periods. The total average specific respiration of Cyclothone spp. (0.02 ± 0.01 d⁻¹) was lower than that observed for A. hemigymnus (0.05±0.02 d⁻¹). The average carbon respiration of Cyclothone spp. was 2.22 ± 0.81 mg C·m⁻²·d⁻¹, while it was much lower for A. hemigymnus (0.04 ± 0.03 mg C·m⁻²·d⁻¹). The respiration of Cyclothone spp. was lower in the bathypelagic than in the mesopelagic zone (0.84 ± 0.48 vs 1.36 ± 1.01 mg C·m⁻²·d⁻¹, respectively). These results, to our knowledge, provide the first account of remineralisation by this community in the meso and bathypelagic zones of the ocean.En prens

c‑MYC Triggers Lipid Remodelling During Early Somatic Cell Reprogramming to Pluripotency

Metabolic rewiring and mitochondrial dynamics remodelling are hallmarks of cell reprogramming, but the roles of the reprogramming factors in these changes are not fully understood. Here we show that c-MYC induces biosynthesis of fatty acids and increases the rate of pentose phosphate pathway. Time-course profiling of fatty acids and complex lipids during cell reprogramming using lipidomics revealed a profound remodelling of the lipid content, as well as the saturation and length of their acyl chains, in a c-MYC-dependent manner. Pluripotent cells displayed abundant cardiolipins and scarce phosphatidylcholines, with a prevalence of monounsaturated acyl chains. Cells undergoing cell reprogramming showed an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential that paralleled that of mitochondrial-specific cardiolipins. We conclude that c-MYC controls the rewiring of somatic cell metabolism early in cell reprogramming by orchestrating cell proliferation, synthesis of macromolecular components and lipid remodelling, all necessary processes for a successful phenotypic transition to pluripotency

Generation of a disease-specific iPS cell line derived from a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2K lacking functional GDAP1 gene

Human CMT2-FiPS4F1 cell line was generated from fibroblasts of a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease harbouring the following mutations in the GDAP1 gene in heterozygosis: p.Q163X/p.T288NfsX3. This patient did not present mutations in the PM22, MPZ or GJB genes. Human reprogramming factors OCT3/4, KLF4, SOX2 and C-MYC were delivered using a non-integrative methodology that involves the use of Sendai virus