Electrospun Nanomaterials: Applications in Food, Environmental Remediation, and Bioengineering

This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, grant number MAT-2017-86805-R,and Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCI)—Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), grant number RTI2018-101969-J-I00

Implicación de los receptores Fc y el factor nuclear-'kappa'B en la aterosclerosis experimental: mecanismos moleculares y aplicaciones terapéuticas

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica. Fecha de lectura: 23 de Julio de 2012

Comparision of over the counter and organized markets over futures & options

RESUMEN: El presente trabajo académico está orientado a realizar el análisis de dos mercados financieros: mercados Over The Counter (OTC) o mercados no organizados y los mercados organizados. Empezaremos el trabajo explicando porque se ha escogido este tema y la relevancia del mismo en la actualidad. Seguiremos con una introducción histórica al origen de los mercados financieros, generalmente conocidos como “Bolsa o Bolsa de Valores”. Desde sus inicios durante la Edad Antigua, pasando por la Compañía Holandesa de las Indias Orientales hasta la actualidad. También comentaremos algunos de los hechos históricos negativos o trágicos de gran relevancia dentro de la historia de los mercados financieros. Para entender mejor los datos empezaremos con una explicación de sendos mercados, analizando todos sus componentes, observando cómo funcionan, y con esta información implementar la mejor estrategia posible adaptada a cada mercado. Dentro de la explicación de los mercados dedicaremos un apartado al desarrollo en profundidad de los derivados financieros, en este preciso caso sobre los futuros y las opciones, que son los instrumentos que utilizaremos para comparar el mercado organizado con el mercado no organizado. Una vez realizado el análisis sobre las características de los mercados procederemos a compararlos de manera objetiva, resaltando tanto virtudes como defectos que puedan aparecer durante el análisis. Una vez analizados los mercados realizaremos dos operaciones en ambos mercados, siendo estas sobre los derivados financieros futuros y opciones. Y por último analizaremos los resultados de dichas operaciones. Sobre estas operaciones recopilaremos unos resultados que analizaremos para ver de manera cuantitativa cómo funcionan los mercados.ABSTRACT: This academic paper is oriented to make an analysis over a position in two markets: Over The Counter (OTC) market or non-organized markets and organized markets. We will start by explaining why we choose this subject and its relevance in the actual times. We’ll continue with the historical origin of financial markets, commonly known as “stock or stock exchange”. From its beginnings in Ancient History, trough the Dutch East India Company to the present day. We will also recall some of the negative/tragic historical events of great relevance inside financial markets history. For a better understanding of the data we will explain both markets, analyzing its components, taking in consideration how they work. And with all that information we will apply the best strategy to each market. Inside the markets explanation we will make a deeper development of financial derivatives, in this specific case futures and options, which are the instruments we will use to make a comparison between organized and non-organized markets. With the finished analysis over the characteristics of the markets we will make a comparison from an objective point of view, arising both virtues and defects that might appear during the analysis. Once analyzed both markets, we will proceed to open two positions in both markets, being those operations over futures and options financial derivatives. The last thing to do will be to analyze the results of those operations to see in a quantitative way how the markets work.Grado en Economí

Gene deficiency in activating Fcγ receptors influences the macrophage phenotypic balance and reduces atherosclerosis in mice

Immunity contributes to arterial inflammation during atherosclerosis. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins induce an autoimmune response characterized by specific antibodies and immune complexes in atherosclerotic patients. We hypothesize that specific Fcγ receptors for IgG constant region participate in atherogenesis by regulating the inflammatory state of lesional macrophages. In vivo we examined the role of activating Fcγ receptors in atherosclerosis progression using bone marrow transplantation from mice deficient in γ-chain (the common signaling subunit of activating Fcγ receptors) to hyperlipidemic mice. Hematopoietic deficiency of Fcγ receptors significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion size, which was associated with decreased number of macrophages and T lymphocytes, and increased T regulatory cell function. Lesions of Fcγ receptor deficient mice exhibited increased plaque stability, as evidenced by higher collagen and smooth muscle cell content and decreased apoptosis. These effects were independent of changes in serum lipids and antibody response to oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Activating Fcγ receptor deficiency reduced pro-inflammatory gene expression, nuclear factor-κB activity, and M1 macrophages at the lesion site, while increasing anti-inflammatory genes and M2 macrophages. The decreased inflammation in the lesions was mirrored by a reduced number of classical inflammatory monocytes in blood. In vitro, lack of activating Fcγ receptors attenuated foam cell formation, oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory gene expression, and increased M2-associated genes in murine macrophages. Our study demonstrates that activating Fcγ receptors influence the macrophage phenotypic balance in the artery wall of atherosclerotic mice and suggests that modulation of Fcγ receptor-mediated inflammatory responses could effectively suppress atherosclerosis

Characterization and expression of the cbbE\u27 gene of Coxiella burnetii

A gene which is unique to the QpRS plasmid from chronic isolates of Coxiella burnetii was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. This gene, termed cbbE\u27, codes for a putative surface protein of approximately 55 kDa, termed the E\u27 protein. The cbbE\u27 gene is 1485 bp in length, and is preceded by predicted promoter regulatory sequences of TTTAAT (-35), TATAAT (-10), and a Shine-Dalgarno sequence of GGAGAGA, all of which closely resemble those of E. coli and other rickettsiae. The open reading frame (ORF) of cbbE\u27 ends with a UAA codon followed by a second in-frame UAG stop codon and a region of dyad symmetry which may act as a rho-factor-independent terminator. The ORF of cbbE\u27 is capable of coding for a polypeptide of 495 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 55893 Da. The E\u27 protein has a predicted pI of approximately 8.7, and contains a distinct hydrophobic region of 12 amino acid residues. In vitro transcription/translation and E. coli expression of recombinant plasmids containing cbbE\u27 produce a protein of approximately 55 kDa. The in vivo expression of cbbE\u27 yields a novel protein that can be detected on immunoblots developed with rabbit antiserum generated against purified outer membrane from C. burnetii. DNA hybridization analysis shows that cbbE\u27 is unique to the QpRS plasmid found in chronic isolates of C. burnetii, and is absent in chromosomal DNA and plasmids (QpH1, QpDG) from other isolates of C. burnetii. A search of various DNA and amino acid sequence data bases revealed no homologies to cbbE\u27

Polymeric films based on blends of 6FDA-6FpDA polyimide plus several copolyfluorenes for CO2 separation

Producción CientíficaThree emitting copolyfluorenes, based on 2,7-(9,9-dihexyl)fluorene and different aryl groups (1,4-bencene, PFH-B; 1,4-bencen-1,2,5-thiadiazole PFH-BT; 1,4-naphthalen- 1,2,5-thiadiazole, PFH-NT), showing diverse acceptor character, in different proportions were blended with a polyimide 6FDA-6FpDA to make a series of films. These copolyfluorene-polyimide blends were prepared and characterized in solid state, using several techniques. The fluorescence of conjugated polymers can be used as a tool to understand the formation of the membrane and also to increase permeability and selectivity in comparison to films without fluorescence. The relationship between the intrinsic fluorescence of conjugated polyfluorenes and their gas separation properties has been explored in order to establish the influence of the composition and the nature of the aryl group, in the conjugated polymer, on the gas separation performances. In all cases, a low proportion of copolyfluorenes (< 1%weight) gives better CO2/CH4 permselectivity properties than the original pure polyimide matrix. The best results were found for the samples that contain PFH-NT. This sample gives 25 % increase in the CO2 permeability with 15 % increase in CO2/CH4 selectivity. Finally, the loss of efficiency in conjugation mechanisms of absorption and emission of the samples could be explained on the basis of the π-staking of the polymer chains produced when a certain low percentage of conjugated polymers in the blend is surpassed. When this π- staking starts, gas permeation properties start to decline too.Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA302U13

Formation of Multicolor Nanogels Based on Cationic Polyfluorenes and Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic monoethyl ester): Potential Use as pH-Responsive Fluorescent Drug Carriers

In this study, we employed the copolymer poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic monoethyl ester) (PMVEMA-Es) and three fluorene-based cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes to develop flu orescent nanoparticles with emission in the blue, green and red spectral regions. The size, Zeta Potential, polydispersity, morphology, time-stability and fluorescent properties of these nanoparticles were characterized, as well as the nature of the interaction between both PMVEMA-Es and fluorescent polyelectrolytes. Because PMVEMA-Es contains a carboxylic acid group in its structure, the effects of pH and ionic strength on the nanoparticles were also evaluated, finding that the size is responsive to pH and ionic strength, largely swelling at physiological pH and returning to their initial size at acidic pHs. Thus, the developed fluorescent nanoparticles can be categorized as pH-sensitive fluorescent nanogels, since they possess the properties of both pH-responsive hydrogels and nanoparticulate systems. Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as a model drug to show the capacity of the blue-emitting nanogels to hold drugs in acidic media and release them at physiological pH, from changes in the fluorescence properties of both nanoparticles and DOX. In addition, preliminary studies by super-resolution confocal microscopy were performed, regarding their potential use as image probes

Physico-Chemically Distinct Nanomaterials Synthesized from Derivates of a Poly(Anhydride) Diversify the Spectrum of Loadable Antibiotics

Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology such as nanoencapsulation offer new biomedical applications, potentially increasing the scope and efficacy of therapeutic drug delivery. In addition, the discovery and development of novel biocompatible polymers increases the versatility of these encapsulating nanostructures, enabling chemical properties of the cargo and vehicle to be adapted to specific physiological requirements. Here, we evaluate the capacity of various polymeric nanostructures to encapsulate various antibiotics of different classes, with differing chemical structure. Polymers were sourced from two separate derivatives of poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) (PMVE/MA): an acid (PMVE/MA-Ac) and a monoethyl ester (PMVE/MA-Es). Nanoencapsulation of antibiotics was attempted through electrospinning, and nanoparticle synthesis through solvent displacement, for both polymers. Solvent incompatibilities prevented the nanoencapsulation of amikacin, neomycin and ciprofloxacin in PMVE/MA-Es nanofibers. However, all compounds were successfully loaded into PMVE/MA-Es nanoparticles. Encapsulation efficiencies in nanofibers reached approximately 100% in all compatible systems; however, efficiencies varied substantially in nanoparticles systems, depending on the tested compound (14%–69%). Finally, it was confirmed that both these encapsulation processes did not alter the antimicrobial activity of any tested antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, supporting the viability of these approaches for nanoscale delivery of antibioticsThis research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, grant numbers MAT-2017-86805-R and MAT-2014-53282-R,and Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCI)—Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), grant number RTI2018-101969-J-I0

Analytical Evaluation of the Ratio Between Injection and Space-Charge Limited Currents in Single Carrier Organic Diodes

An analytical, complete framework to describe the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of organic diodes without the use of previous approaches, such as injection or bulk-limited conduction is proposed. Analytical expressions to quantify the ratio between injection and space-charge-limited current from experimental I-V characteristics in organic diodes have been derived. These are used to propose a numerical model in which both bulk transport and injection mechanisms are considered simultaneously. This procedure leads to a significant reduction in computing time with respect to previous rigorous numerical models. In order to test the model, different diode structures based on two different polymers: poly(2-methoxy-5-{3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy}-p-phenylenevinylene) (MDMO-PPV) and a derivative of the poly (2,7-fluorene phenylidene) [PFP:(CN)2], have been fabricated. The present model is excellently fitted to experimental curves and yields the microscopic parameters that characterize the active layer