El Grafismo Americano: Análisis y Evolución en el cine de animación 3D

El grafismo es el arte de elaborar un discurso audiovisual donde se utilizan elementos gráficos en movimiento como pueden ser la tipografía, el color o las figuras geométricas. Se ha utilizado desde prácticamente los inicios del cine, aunque en la actualidad se ha profesionalizado tanto que ha llegado a convertirse en una forma de expresión artística y comunicativa más. Aunque el grafismo en el cine de animación no se popularizó hasta finales de los 90, en Japón, películas como Ghost in the Shell (1995) ya añadían grafismo para introducir al espectador en un mundo digitalizado controlado por las máquinas. Eso no quiere decir, que no hubiera precedentes, ya que Alfred Hitchcock fue pionero en utilizar grafismo en sus películas. Un ejemplo destacable es Vertigo (1958) donde el maestro y pionero del grafismo, Saul Bass, muestra la manera de preparar al espectador para lo que va a ver más adelante. Dentro del grafismo podemos distinguir diferentes funciones que se utilizan según el tipo de discurso audiovisual que se quiera transmitir. Estas funciones pueden ser organizativas, utilizada en la televisión para poder diferenciar un contenido audiovisual de otro; informativas, para que a través de una serie de imágenes puedas informarte de una situación en concreto; persuasivas, utilizadas mayormente en la publicidad para intentar captar la atención al espectador e intentar venderle un producto; y simbólica, donde una serie de elementos gráficos en movimiento ayudan al espectador a reconocer el producto. Otra característica del grafismo audiovisual es el discurso. Toda pieza de grafismo tiene un mensaje que quiere transmitir, algunos más claros que otros. Normalmente el discurso audiovisual se divide en dos partes: Discurso Semántico y Discurso Estético. Dentro de la creación de un grafismo, deben tenerse en cuenta diferentes elementos que ayudan a crear el discurso. Estos elementos suelen utilizarse de forma colectiva, pero, para poder hacer un discurso claro hay que pensar en cada uno de ellos. Suelen dividirse en espacio, tiempo e imagen. Si estos elementos se tienen en cuenta a la hora de construir un discurso, ayudan a un mejor entendimiento de este. Todas estas características se han creado a partir de los precedentes tanto en el mundo de la animación como en el mundo del grafismo. En este último, han habido grandes diseñadores que han ayudado a que evolucione y se profesionalice. Grafistas como Saul Bass, Maurice Binder, Wayne Fitzgerald, Richar y Robert Greenberg y Kyle Cooper, han inspirado a la mayoría de personas que se dedican a esta disciplina. Sin estos grafistas, los créditos de películas como Shrek, Las aventuras de Tintin: El secreto del Unicornio, Monster S.A, Wall-E y Kung Fu Panda, posiblemente no hubieran sido lo mismo.Motion Graphics is the art of elaborating an audiovisual discourse in which it aspects such as graphic elements in movement as the typography, the colour or the geometric forms are used. It has been used since the origins of films, although currently it has acquired a professional status, being transformed into another form of artistic and communicative expression. Despite the use of Motion Graphics in animated films was not popular until the late 90's, in Japan, films such as Ghost in the Shell in 1995 already added Motion Graphics in a film in order to introduce the audience into a digitalized world controlled by machines, although that does not indicate the inexistence of precedents, being Alfred Hithcock a pioneer in using Motion Graphics in his movies. A remarkable instance of this use is Vertigo (1958) in which the master and pioneer of Motion Graphics, Saul Bass shows the way to prepare the spectator for what is going to happen. Different functions can be distinguished inside Motion Graphics, functions that are used according to the type of audiovisual discourse to be transmitted. These functions can be organizational, used in television to differentiate one audiovisual content from another; informative, in order to be informed of a concrete situation through a series of images; persuasive, used mostly in advertising with the intention of attracting the attention of the viewer and trying to sell you a product; and symbolic, in which a string of graphic elements in movement helps the spectator to recognize the product. Another characteristic of the audiovisual Motion Graphics is the discourse. Every piece of Motion Graphics has a message to be transmitted, some of them clearer than others. Usually, the audiovisual discourse is divided into two parts: Semantic Discourse and Aesthetic Discourse. Inside the creation of a Motion Graphics, some elements have to be taken into account in order to create the discourse. These elements tend to be used collectively, but, to build a clear discourse, each one of these elements have to be pondered individually. It tends to be divided into space, time and image. If these elements are considered at the time of constructing a discourse, they help to establish a better process for its comprehension. All these characteristics have been created from their precedents both in the world of animation and in the world of Motion Graphics. In the latter, there have been great designers that have contributed to the evolution and professionalization of Motion Graphics. Graphic artists such as Saul Bass, Maurice Binder, Wayne Fitzgerald, Richard and Robert Greenberg and Kyle Cooper, have been an inspiration for a wide amount of professionals dedicated to this discipline. Without these graphic designers the motion credits of films such as Shrek, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of Unicorn, Monsters Inc, Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda would not have been the same.Méndez González, JA. (2017). El Grafismo Americano: Análisis y Evolución en el cine de animación 3D. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/89870TFG

Políticas urbanas de intervención en el Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México bajo el modelo de Estado Neoliberal, 1989-2010

La transición de un modelo de Estado a otro ha significado para la política urbana la modificación de sus formas de ocupar e intervenir los núcleos históricos en temas relacionados con la vivienda, la rehabilitación del patrimonio y el espacio público, lo cual ha motivado la construcción de nuevos valores para interpretar la significación cultural del lugar. La cuestión que se plantea desarrollar en este trabajo tiene como marco a los planes y programas de la política urbana neoliberal para determinar: cómo la lógica de actuación del Estado ha contribuido al proceso de revalorización y transformación espacial del Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México, durante el periodo de 1989-2010. Las conclusiones obtenidas expresan la visión elitista con que la política urbana neoliberal ha reformado ciertas áreas del centro histórico en favor del desarrollo económico e inmobiliario, pero ajena a las demandas de infraestructura y seguridad de los barrios populares. Dicha disparidad ha sido causa de conflictos que han alimentado la percepción de un centro histórico fragmentado por la inequidad de resultados de una política urbana que no ha comprendido que la valorización de un territorio pasa por la construcción de una visión unitaria que dicte una intervención equilibrada sobre el patrimonio, sus funciones sociales, prácticas culturales y rescate de su tradición

Enfermedad periodontal y embarazo. (revisión bibliográfica)

Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica sobre la enfermedad periodontal en el embarazo, con el objetivo de corroborar los criterios actuales sobre el tema, teniendo en cuenta que las hormonas sexuales femeninas son un factor condicionante en la enfermedad periodontal; su aumento en el embarazo provoca alteraciones vasculares, celulares, microbiológicas e inmunológicas, que condicionan una respuesta clínica diferente al resto de las pacientes. La enfermedad periodontal supone un depósito permanente de microorganismos y productos bacterianos que pueden ocasionar un riesgo sistémico. La infección periodontal provoca un aumento de la concentración intramniótica de PGE-2 y TNF alfa, mediadores fisiológicos del parto, de modo que pudiera precipitarse el trabajo del parto. Se necesitan estudios longitudinales en humanos para establecer la asociación entre infección periodontal y embarazo de riesgo, si dicha hipótesis pudiera ser confirmada habría que considerar la enfermedad periodontal un factor de riesgo de bajo peso y parto prematuro. <br /

Life cycle assessment of PE and PP multi film compared with PLA and PLA reinforced with nanoclays film

Plastic has become essential for our economy and the packaging industry. However, plastic use is linked to environmental problems such as waste generation and loss of resources, since only 42% of the plastic used for packaging purposes is recycled. Another problem associated with the use of plastic materials is caused by their abandonment in the environment since they are non-degradable polymers. This paper analyses the environmental performance of using biodegradable poly-lactic acid bags, pure (PLA) and reinforced with nanoclays (PLA + NC), in comparison to conventional alternatives made of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) for being used to pack fresh bakery products. The results reveal that for Climate Change and Fossil Resources use, PLA + NC performs better than the alternatives. In the case of Climate Change, it has 45% less impact than low density polyethylene (LDPE), 39% less than PP, and 2% less than PLA. However, the use of PLA + NC, results in higher impacts on Land Use and Water Use, because this is produced from crops. Compared with PLA, PLA + NC has 5% less impact on these impact categories, but between 99 and 100% more impact on Land Use and between 79 and 81% more impact on Water use than PP and LDPE. Thus, poly-lactic acid bags reinforced with nanoclays are shown as an alternative for fossil-based polymers (PE and PP) for certainty type of applications when we focus on Climate Change and Fossil resources use reduction. In this sense, the results also reveal that the most environmentally friendly end-of-life for PLA and PLA + NC is incineration instead of composting.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Maleic anhydride polylactic acid coupling agent prepared from solvent reaction: synthesis, characterization and composite performance

In the present work, a functionalization of polylactic acid (PLA) has been carried out to anchor maleic anhydride onto the main polymer chain to promote improvement in the compatibility of this polymer matrix with cellulose fibres. Low-molecular-weight PLA has been reacted with maleic anhydride following different procedures: a bulk reaction in an internal mixer and a solution reaction. The presence of oxygen during bulk processing did not allow for functionalization, guiding the reaction towards a decrease in the molecular weight of the material. On the contrary, a controlled reaction under an inert atmosphere in the presence of dioxane as the solvent, at reflux temperature, led to the functionalization of the polymer reaching different yields depending on the percentage of radical initiator and maleic anhydride added and reaction time. The yield of functionalization has been monitored by acid number titration as well as 1H NMR, with optimal yield values of functionalization being up to 3.5%. The PLA-functionalized formula has been used to make commercial PLA compatible with cellulose fibres derived from a thermomechanical treatment. The addition of 10% w/w of fibres to PLA increases the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of PLA by up to 15%. The incorporation of 4 w/w of the already-functionalized coupling agent to the composite produces improvements in UTS of up to 24% regarding PLA, which confirms the functionalization from a performance point of view.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Simulated environmental conditioning of PHB composites reinforced with barley fibres to determine the viability of their use as plastics for the agriculture sector

Nowadays, the search for new materials with a sustainable character to reduce the production of residues is under continuous research. In this sense, fully biodegradable composites based on polyhydroxybutyrate and different pretreated fibres coming from barley straw have been fabricated, and their resistance to environmental controlled conditions have been characterized. The materials were already compounded in a kinetic mixer and injection-moulded as specimens for tensile assay to be aged in a Xenotest chamber so as to simulate environmental conditioning. The samples, after accelerated aging, were characterized thus: mechanical characterization (tensile assay), water uptake (immersion and contact angle), and surface observation (optical and SEM microscopy). The incorporation of the fibres helps the composite to keep its structure for a longer time. On the other hand, the presence of the fibres increases the water uptake capacity to allow water permeation in the composite, which allows final degradation, characterised by a significant drop in properties after one month of exposure to simulated environmental conditions.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Polyhydroxy-3-Butyrate (PHB)-based composite materials reinforced with cellulosic fibers, obtained from barley waste straw, to produce pieces for agriculture applications: production, characterization and scale-up analysis

Cellulosic fibers obtained from Barley straw were utilized to reinforce PHB. Four different processed fibers were employed as reinforcing material: sawdust (SW), defibered (DFBF), delignified (DBF), and bleached (BBF) fibers. The composite was processed from two different perspectives: a discontinuous (bach) and an intensification process (extrusion). Once processed and transformed into final shape specimens, the materials were characterized by mechanical testing (tensile mode), scanning electron microscopy, and theoretical simulations by finite elements analysis (FEA). In terms of mechanical properties, only the elastic moduli (Et) exhibited results ranging from 37% to 170%, depending on the reinforcement composition. Conversely, strengths at break, under both tensile and bending tests, tended to decrease, indicating poor affinity between the components. Due to the mechanical treatment applied on the fiber, DFBF emerged as the most promising filler, with mechanical properties closest to those of neat PHB. DFBF-based composites were subsequently produced through process intensification using a twin-screw extruder, and molded into flowerpots. Mechanical results showed almost identical properties between the discontinuous and intensification processes. The suitability of the material for agriculture flowerpots was demonstrated through finite analysis simulation (FEA), which revealed that the maximum von Mises stresses (5.38 × 105 N/m2) and deformations (0.048 mm) were well below the limits of the composite materialsThis research was funded by Interreg program (POCTEFA 2014–2020), grant number Bioplast-EF 253/16. APC was funded by UdG. Dr. Oliver-Ortega acknowledges the funding of the research group TECTEX (2021 SGR 01056) from the Department de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de CatalunyaPostprint (published version

A chemical representation of a chaotic system with a unique stable equilibrium point

"In this paper we present a chemical representation of a chaotic system with only one stable equilibrium point. The approach invokes cooperative catalysis and slow-fast reactions, primarily. The obtained chemical based chaotic dynamical system preserves the eigenvalues of the unique and stable equilibrium point along with the Lyapunov’s dimension and exponents of the original one.

Primer registro fósil del gasterópodo Cincinnatia (Hydrobiidae: Nymphophilinae) en México

Se describe el primer registro en México de conchas fósiles del gasterópodo de aguas continentales del género Cincinnatia Pilsbry, 1891, encontrados en sedimentos fluviátiles del Pleistoceno tardío en el valle de Acatita, Coahuila. La morfología y el análisis discriminante de las conchas indican que el material fósil corresponde a Cincinnatia integra (Say, 1821), una especie reciente con una distribución disjunta entre la parte oriental de los EUA y sur de Canadá y un área pequena˜ en la cuenca del río Pánuco, San Luís Potosí, México. Los nuevos hallazgos marcan el límite más occidental de la distribución original del género Cincinnatia y sugieren una conexión entre ambas áreas norte-sur en la extensión original de C. integra, hoy separadas, según registros, por más de 700 km, desde el Pleistoceno tardío hasta tiempos subrecientes. Considerando que el norte de México es hasta la fecha una región poco muestreada con referencia a los miembros de la familia Hydrobiidae, existe una alta probabilidad de hallazgos de poblaciones vivas de Cincinnatia en las cuencas altas de esta región así como en sitios acuáticos de la parte norte de los estados de Coahuila, Nuevo León y Tamaulipas. ABSTRAC The first record of fossil shells of the freshwater gastropod genus Cincinnatia Pilsbry, 1891 found in fluvial sediments of the late Pleistocene in the Acatita Valley, Coahuila, Mexico, is described. Morphology and discriminant analysisindicate that the fossil material correspond to Cincinnatia integra (Say, 1821), an extant species with a disjunct distribution between the eastern part of United States of America and southern Canada and a small area near Pánuco River, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The new findings mark the westernmost limit of the original distribution of Cincinnatia and suggest a north-south connection between both areas in the original extension of C. integra, today separated according to the records by more than 700 km, since the late Pleistocene to sub-recent times. Considering that northern Mexico to date is under-sampled for the Hydrobiidae, there is a high probability of finding live populations of Cincinnatia in this region and in other aquatic habitats in the northern part of the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas

Nanoclay effect into the biodegradation and processability of poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites for food packaging

One of the most promising expectations in the design of new materials for food packaging is focused on the development of biodegradable systems with improved barrier character. In this sense PLA reinforced with nanoclay is a potential alternative to the use of conventional oil-derivative polymers due to the synergetic effect of the biodegradable character of PLA and the barrier-induced effect derived from the dispersion of nanoparticles. In this work, composite materials based on PLA and reinforced with bentonite nanoparticles (up to 4% w/w) (NC) have been prepared to produce films with improved barrier character against water vapor transportation. Additionally, the biodegradable character of the composites depending on the crystallinity of the polymer and percentage of NC have been evaluated in the presence of an enzymatic active medium (proteinase K). Finally, a study of the capacity to film production of the composites has been performed to determine the viability of the proposals. The dispersion of the nanoparticles induced a tortuous pathway of water vapor crossing, reducing this diffusion by more than 22%. Moreover, the nanoclays materials were in all the cases acceptable for food packing in terms of migration. A migration lower than 1 mg/m2 was obtained in all the materials. Nonetheless, the presence of the nanoclays in decreased biodegradable capacity was observed. The time was enlarged to more than 15 days for the maximum content (4% w/w). On the other hand, the incorporation of NC does not avoid the processability of the material to obtain film-shaped processed materials.Postprint (published version