Synthesis and characterization of fluorescent hollow silica nanoparticles: Control of size and metal incorporation for several nanotechnology applications

En el mundo de los nanomateriales la sílice es uno de los compuestos mas estudiados debido a sus propiedades y la versatilidad que ofrece en cuanto aplicaciones. En este proyecto se desarrolla un nuevo método de obtención de sílice funcionalizada con moléculas fluorescentes y nanoparticulas metálicas lo cual le confiere al material nuevas propiedades que lo hacen válido para uso como marcadores, catálisis, aplicaciones biómedicas..

Application of digital speckle interferometry to visualize surface changes in metallic samples immersed in Cu(NO3)2 solutions

Digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) has been applied to analyze surface corrosion processes in a metallic sample immersed in a 0.1 M Cu(NO3)2 solution. The corrosion process induces changes in the surface and in the solution refractive index. A detailed analysis of the DSPI measurements has been performed to obtain a two-dimensional visualization of the surface changes and an evaluation of the refractive index changes of the solution. The possibilities of DSPI for measuring surface changes in these conditions have been analyzed.Funding of this research by Spanish MINECO and the European FEDER Program (Project MAT2011-22719) and by Gobierno de Aragón (Research groups T12 and T76) is gratefully acknowledged. Authors would also like to acknowledge the use of Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación-SAI, Universidad de Zaragoza.Peer Reviewe

Tilted illumination in-line holographic velocimetry: Improvements in the axial spatial resolution

Two are the main limitations of in-line holography: the twin image problem and the poor spatial resolution in the optical axis direction. The twin image problem can be solved with the introduction of an imaging lens and a knife-edge aperture located at its focal plane. In this work, a theoretical analysis of the axial resolution with and without aperture is provided from the perspective of the Optical Diffraction Tomography. Theoretical analysis and controlled experiments with the different recording options, demonstrate that a small tilt of the illumination beam, together with a centered rectangular aperture, is a key parameter as it improves the spatial resolution along the optical axis during the location and tracking of a particle field

Localizando partículas en un fluido a partir de holografías y computación de altas prestaciones

La tomografía se ha introducido recientemente en la velocimetría de fluidos para proporcionar información en tres dimensiones de la localización de partículas en el seno de fluidos. En concreto, algunos trabajos previos han probado el potencial de la Tomografía Óptica Difraccional en este campo. En general, los métodos de reconstrucción en longitudes de ondas visibles tienen que tener en cuenta la difracción. La Primera Aproximación de Born (aproximación lineal) se ha utilizado para la reconstrucción 3D de imágenes, pero un método no lineal de reconstrucción es necesario cuando la dispersión múltiple no es despreciable. Por lo tanto, si nuestro interés se centra en el desarrollo de técnicas alta precisión de velocimetría de fluidos, una estrategia interesante consiste en incluir en los fluidos un conjunto de partículas sembradoras cuya posición se puede determinar mediante TOD pero el proceso de reconstrucción debe considerar los campos dispersados. En este trabajo se describe una optimización iterativa no lineal para localizar las partículas sembradoras y computar después el campo de velocidad del fluido y, por tanto, métodos de reconstrucción no lineales. Este método de inversión requiere la resolución de la ecuación de Helmholtz, con una alta demanda computacional relacionada con el tamaño del problema. Por lo tanto, la computación de altas prestaciones se hace imprescindible para la solución de este tipo de problemas. Este trabajo muestra los resultados de acelerar esta técnica de reconstrucción utilizando la computación con GPUs y un formato adaptado a las características de la matriz involucrada en la ecuación de Helmholtz.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Universidad de Valladolid. SARTECO(Sociedad de Arquitectura y Tecnología de Computadores

Traditional and new strategies in the primary prevention of eating disorders: a comparative study in Spanish adolescents

Ignacio Jáuregui Lobera1, Pilar León Lozano2, Patricia Bolaños Ríos3, Juan Romero Candau2, Gregorio Sánchez del Villar y Lebreros4, M Teresa Morales Millán1,5, M Teresa Montaña González1,5, Lourdes Andrés Martín2, Isabela Justo Villalobos2, Nuria Vargas Sánchez21Área de Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad Pablo de Olavide; 2Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos; 3Instituto de Ciencias de la Conducta; 4Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria “Murillo”; 5Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, SpainBackground: Research conducted to date into the primary prevention of eating disorders (ED) has mainly considered the provision of information regarding risk factors. Consequently, there is a need to develop new methods that go a step further, promoting a change in attitudes and behavior in the target population.Objective: This study describes an adaptation of the Girls’ Group model to the Spanish context, the main objective being to compare two types of intervention, ie, one based on this model and the other following the traditional approach of providing information. The ultimate aim was to implement a prevention program that reduces the risk factors and boosts the protection factors that have been empirically shown to be related to ED.Methods: On the basis of previous research on the primary prevention of ED, and taking into account recognized risk and protective factors, the following topics were addressed: nutritional aspects; self-esteem; coping strategies; the ideal image of what is attractive and role of the media; and body image. The total sample (174 girls and 197 boys) was divided into 12 work groups, six for the intervention group (one school) and six for the control group (two schools). School-based input (intervention group) was provided by a pharmacist, a psychologist, a qualified nutritionist/dietician, and specialist support staff (psychologists and/or educators) and teachers of the three schools.Results: Participation in the intervention group reduced body dissatisfaction (F = 13.41; P < 0.01), the drive to thinness (F = 10.79; P < 0.01), and the influence of the media with respect to the esthetic body shape model (F = 13.90; P < 0.01), while self-esteem (F = 7.34; P < 0.01) and the use of coping strategies (F = 13.74; P < 0.01) both improved. There was also an improvement in the eating habits of participants, with better outcomes being achieved when intervening with females.Conclusions: The present study shows that in the primary prevention of eating disorders, better outcomes are achieved by new models which target the attitudes and behavior of adolescents rather than focusing solely on the provision of risk information to raise awareness.Keywords: coping strategies, adolescence, primary prevention, eating disorders, positive psycholog

High frequency response of adenine-derived carbon in aqueous electrochemical capacitor

Electrochemical capacitors are attractive power sources, especially when they are able to operate at high frequency (high current regime). In order to meet this requirement their constituents should be made of high conductivity materials with a suitable porosity. In this study, enhanced power and simultaneously high capacitance (120 F g−1 at 1 Hz or 10 A g−1) electrode material obtained from carbonized adenine precursor is presented. A micro/mesoporous character of the carbon with optimal pore size ratio and high surface area was proven by the physicochemical characterization. The beneficial pore structure and morphology resembling highly conductive carbon black, together with a significant nitrogen content (5.5%) allow for high frequency response of aqueous capacitor to be obtained. The carbon/carbon symmetric capacitor (in 1 mol L−1 Li2SO4) has been tested to the voltage of 1.5 V. The cyclic voltammetry indicates a good electrochemical response even at high scan rate (50 mV s−1). The cyclability of the capacitor is comparable to the one operating with commercial carbon (YP50F). The adenine-based capacitor is especially favourable for stationary applications requiring high power.Partners acknowledge M-ERA.NET network, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Ref. PCI2019–103637), CIBER-BBN, ICTS ‘‘NANBIOSIS’’, ICTS ELECMI node "Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas", National Science Centre, Poland (2018/30/Z/ST4/00901), and Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport for financial support and the grant of Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland, no. 0911/SBAD/2101. A.V., B.T., E.T. and R.D. additionally acknowledge financial support from the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) research core funding P2–0393.Peer reviewe

Photocatalytic rermoval of contaminants in water using nanostructured metal oxides

Resumen del póster presentado a la XXXVIII Reunión Bienal de la Real Sociedad Española de Química, celebrada en el Palacio de Congresos de Granada, del 27 de junio al 30 de junio de 2022.An important variety of metal oxides are photoactive semiconductor solids with the capacity to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in aqueous media. The excellent oxidizing capacity of these ROS has been studied by the scientific community in the elimination of pollutants as part of the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) in the purification of polluted water. The main photocatalysts used to date (TiO2, ZnO, g-C3N4...) are only capable of being photoactivated with UV radiation, which means that they can only take advantage of a small fraction of the solar spectrum; or require the use of UV lamps, with the consequent energy consumption. For this reason, this work has proposed the development of new photocatalysts with narrower band gaps capable of generating ROS when irradiated with Visible-NIR photons, thus taking advantage of the largest possible portion of the sunlight spectrum. New nanostructured metal oxides based on Fe and W, photoactive with visible light, have been obtained. In addition, some hybrids consisting of photoactive substrates with semiconductor nanocrystals have been developed, thus improving the photocatalytic properties of the initial materials separately. Finally, all these materials have been tested and optimized in photocatalysis experiments in aqueous suspension of model pollutants.Peer reviewe

Dry powder formulation for pulmonary infections: Ciprofloxacin loaded in chitosan sub-micron particles generated by electrospray

Electrospray was used as a one-step technique to generate inhalable ciprofloxacin-loaded chitosan sub-micron particles with potential use in the treatment of pulmonary infections. The effect of operating parameters was studied and the preparation method optimized. The final sizes of ciprofloxacin-loaded particles were 386.1 ± 248.5 nm and 501.1 ± 276.3 nm for high and low molecular weight chitosan, respectively. The high surface charge of the particles formed, around +45 mV, enhances their mucoadhesive properties. The particles were biocompatible with alveolar cell line (A549), and showed a high antimicrobial activity against two of the most common respiratory pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Financial support from Nanbiosis platform and Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN). B. Arauzo thanks DGA predoctoral fellowship for personal researcher (2017–2021). Authors thank the “Advanced Microscopy Laboratory” of the “Institute of Nanoscience and Materials of Aragon - University of Zaragoza”, LMA-INMA, for access to their instruments.Peer reviewe

Two-dimensional quantification of the corrosion process in metal surfaces using digital speckle pattern interferometry

The applicability of digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) to the analysis of surface corrosion processes has been evaluated by studying the evolution of an Fe surface immersed in sulfuric acid. This work describes the analysis process required to obtain quantitative information about the corrosion process. It has been possible to evaluate the corrosion rate, and the results agree with those derived from the weight loss method. In addition, a two-dimensional analysis has been applied, showing that DSPI measurements can be used to extract information about the corrosion rate at any region of the surface.Peer reviewe