Characterization of electrical crosstalk in 4T-APS arrays using TCAD simulations

TCAD simulations have been conducted on a CMOS image sensor in order to characterize the electrical component of the crosstalk between pixels through the study of the electric field distribution. The image sensor consists on a linear array of five pinned photodiodes (PPD) with their transmission gates, floating diffusion and reset transistors. The effect of the variations of the thickness of the epitaxial layer has been addressed as well. In fact, the depth of the boundary of the epitaxial layer affects quantum efficiency (QE) so a correlation with crosstalk has been identified.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2015-66878-C3-1RJunta de Andalucía TIC 2012-2338Office of Naval Research (USA) N00014141035

An Experimentally-Validated Verilog-A SPAD Model Extracted from TCAD Simulation

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) are photodetectors with exceptional characteristics. This paper proposes a new approach to model them in Verilog-A HDL with the help of a powerful tool: TCAD simulation. Besides, to the best of our knowledge, this is first model to incorporate a trap-assisted tunneling mechanism, a cross-section temperature dependence of the traps, and the self-heating effect. Comparison with experimental data establishes the validity of the model.Junta de Andalucía TIC 2012-2338Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2015-66878-C3-1-ROffice of Naval Research (USA) N00014141035

Perceived Similarity With Gay Men Mediates the Effect of Antifemininity on Heterosexual Men’s Antigay Prejudice

This research examined the hypothesis that heterosexual men’s motivation to differentiate themselves from gay men mediates the relationship between the antifemininity norm of masculinity and antigay prejudice. We assessed masculinity through three concepts: status, thoughness, and antifemininity. Participants then reported their perceived similarity with gay men and their antigay prejudice. The results showed that antifemininity was the best predictor of both perceived similarity and antigay prejudice: The more people endorsed the antifemininity norm, the more they perceived themselves as dissimilar from gay men and showed antigay prejudice. More important, perceived similarity mediated the effect of antifemininity on antigay prejudice. These findings provide direct evidence for the link between masculinity and the motivation to differentiate oneself from gay men, and they suggest that antigay prejudice accomplishes the identity function of maintaining unambiguous gender boundaries

Self-Esteem at University: Proposal of an Artificial Neural Network Based on Resilience, Stress, and Sociodemographic Variables

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a useful predictive tool for a wide variety of fields of knowledge. Despite this, the educational field is still an environment that lacks a variety of studies that use this type of predictive tools. In parallel, it is postulated that the levels of self-esteem in the university environment may be related to the strategies implemented to solve problems. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to analyze the levels of self-esteem presented by teaching staff and students at university (N = 290, 73.1% female) and to design an algorithm capable of predicting these levels on the basis of their coping strategies, resilience, and sociodemographic variables. For this purpose, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Brief Resilience Scale were administered. The results showed a relevant role of resilience and stress perceived in predicting participants’ self-esteem levels. The findings highlight the usefulness of artificial neural networks for predicting psychological variables in education

Gut Microbiota of Great Spotted Cuckoo Nestlings is a Mixture of Those of Their Foster Magpie Siblings and of Cuckoo Adults

Diet and host genetic or evolutionary history are considered the two main factors determining gut microbiota of animals, although studies are scarce in natural populations. The system of great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) parasitizing magpies (Pica pica) is ideal to study both effects since magpie adults feed cuckoo and magpie nestlings with the same diet and, consequently, differences in gut microbiota of nestlings of these two species will mainly reflect the importance of genetic components. Moreover, the diet of adults and of nestling cuckoos drastically differ from each other and, thus, differences and similarities in their microbiotas would respectively reflect the effect of environmental and genetic factors. We used next-generation sequencing technologies to analyze the gut microbiota of cuckoo adults and nestlings and of magpie nestlings. The highest -diversity estimates appeared in nestling cuckoos and the lowest in nestling magpies. Moreover, despite the greatest differences in the microbiome composition of magpies and cuckoos of both ages, cuckoo nestlings harbored a mixture of the Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) present in adult cuckoos and nestling magpies. We identified the bacterial taxa responsible for such results. These results suggest important phylogenetic components determining gut microbiome of nestlings, and that diet might be responsible for similarities between gut microbiome of cuckoo and magpie nestlings that allow cuckoos to digest food provided by magpie adults.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades and European (FEDER) funds (CGL2017-83103-P)

The microbiome of the uropygial secretion in hoopoes is shaped along the nesting phase

Microbial symbiont acquisition by hosts may determine the effectiveness of the mutualistic relationships. A mix of vertical and horizontal transmission may be advantageous for hosts by allowing plastic changes of microbial communities depending on environmental conditions. Plasticity is well known for gut microbiota but is poorly understood for other symbionts of wild animals. We here explore the importance of environmental conditions experienced by nestling hoopoes (Upupa epops) during the late nesting phase determining microbiota in their uropygial gland. In cross-fostering experiments of 8 days old nestlings, “sibling-sibling” and “mother-offspring” comparisons were used to explore whether the bacterial community naturally established in the uropygial gland of nestlings could change depending on experimental environmental conditions (i.e., new nest environment). We found that the final microbiome of nestlings was mainly explained by nest of origin. Moreover, cross-fostered nestlings were more similar to their siblings and mothers than to their stepsiblings and stepmothers. We also detected a significant effect of nest of rearing, suggesting that nestling hoopoes acquire most bacterial symbionts during the first days of life but that the microbiome is dynamic and can be modified along the nestling period depending on environmental conditions. Estimated effects of nest of rearing, but also most of those of nest of origin are associated to environmental characteristics of nests, which are extended phenotypes of parents. Thus, natural selection may favor the acquisition of appropriated microbial symbionts for particular environmental conditions found in nests.Support by funding was provided by Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, European funds (FEDER) (CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P, CGL2013-48193-C3-2-P), and Junta de Andalucía (P09-RNM-4557). AM-G had a predoctoral grant from the Junta de Andalucía (P09-RNM-4557).Peer reviewe

Soluciones innovadoras basadas en la aplicación de pulsos eléctricos de alto voltaje para mejorar la extracción y liberación de compuestos de interés producidos por microorganismos

Los cultivos microbianos como las levaduras y las microalgas representan una fuente muy prometedora para obtener productos de alto valor como pigmentos. Además, algunos procesos de la industria alimentaria se basan en la liberación de ciertos componentes de microorganismos, como es el caso de la “crianza sobre lías” de los vinos, en el cuál las manoproteinas son liberadas de la pared celular de Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Aunque algunos de estos componentes de alto valor son liberados al medio durante el metabolismo normal, la mayoría permanecen dentro de las células. La recuperación de estos componentes que están encerrados intracelularmente debería ocurrir a través de un proceso de bio-refinería sostenible y verde en el que la técnica de desintegración celular usada para mejorar la eficiencia de la etapa de extracción juega un papel principal. Los Pulsos Eléctricos de Alto Voltaje (PEAV) es una tecnología no térmica que produce el incremento de la permeabilidad de la membrana citoplasmática al paso de iones y macromoléculas. Por lo tanto, el tratamiento de PEAV mejora el fenómeno de transferencia de masa a través de la membrana citoplasmática porque esta pierde su permeabilidad selectiva después del tratamiento. El objetivo de esta Tesis Doctoral fue evaluar el potencial de la tecnología de PEAV para mejorar la extracción de compuestos intracelulares de interés de levaduras y microalgas. Se estudió: la liberación de manoproteinas de la levadura S. cerevisiae, la extracción de carotenoides de la levadura Rhodotorula glutinis y la extracción de pigmentos como ficocianina, ficoeritrina y carotenoides de las microalgas: Artrosphira platensis, Porphyridium cruentum y Haematococcus pluvialis respectivamente. La electroporación de la membrana citoplasmática de S. cerevisiae desencadenó la autolisis y aceleró la liberación de manoproteinas de la pared celular de la levadura durante la incubación. La autolisis inducida por PEAV y la subsiguiente liberación de manoproteinas fue más rápida a altas temperaturas y pHs, y bajas concentraciones de etanol. La mejora de la liberación de manoproteinas por PEAV se asoció al hecho de que el tratamiento facilitó la liberación de enzimas de las vacuolas y el subsiguiente acceso de dichas enzimas a la pared celular. Se detectó una alta concentración de β-glucanasa y proteasa en el medio extracelular que contenía células de S. cerevisiae tratadas por PEAV en comparación con el control. Así mismo, los PEAV aceleraron la liberación de manoproteinas durante la “crianza sobre lías” del vino Chardonnay sin afectar negativamente a sus propiedades fisicoquímicas. Las manoproteinas liberadas de las células de S. cerevisiae tratadas por PEAV mostraron propiedades funcionales similares en el vino que las manoproteinas liberadas durante la autolisis natural. Por otro lado, la electroporación de biomasa fresca de levadura R. glutinis fue inefectiva para extraer carotenoides usando etanol como solvente. Sin embargo, la incubación durante 24 horas de las células electroporadas de R. glutinis en un medio acuoso permitió la extracción de carotenoides en etanol. Este efecto fue también observado cuando las células fueron liofilizadas después de la incubación en medio acuoso. La necesidad de la incubación en medio acuoso para la extracción de carotenoides fue atribuida a la acción de las esterasas que causarían la disociación de los carotenoides unidos a las estructuras celulares. Una alta concentración de esterasas, cuya actividad disminuyó en presencia de etanol, fue detectada en el medio extracelular que contenía células de R. glutinis tratadas por PEAV. Finalmente, los tratamientos de PEAV permitieron la recuperación de Cficocianina de biomasa fresca de la microalga A. platensis usando agua como solvente con mejor pureza que los extractos obtenidos usando molino de perlas. La eficacia de los tratamientos de PEAV en los rendimientos de extracción fue altamente dependiente de la temperatura de aplicación. Por otro lado, la electroporación de la microalga P. cruentum estuvo influenciada por la intensidad del campo eléctrico y el tiempo de tratamiento y permitió la extracción de ficoeritrina. La liberación de este pigmento de las células tratadas por PEAV al medio acuoso requirió en todos los casos un tiempo de demora que indicaría la necesidad de la disociación de la ficobiliproteina de las estructuras celulares, que se asumió que estaba relacionada con el efecto de la autolisis desencadenada por los PEAV. De forma similar a R. glutinis, la electroporación de la biomasa fresca de la microalga H. pluvialis fue inefectiva para extraer el carotenoide astaxantina usando etanol como solvente. Sin embargo, el tratamiento de PEAV de la biomasa fresca seguido de la incubación en el propio medio de crecimiento permitió la extracción de este compuesto en etanol. Como se detectó principalmente astaxantina en forma libre en los extractos en vez de formando ésteres, se pensó que también la actividad esterasa estaba involucrada en el efecto observado. <br /

D-mannose transport and metabolism in isolated enterocytes

D-mannose transport and metabolism has been studied in enterocytes isolated from chicken small intestine. In the presence of Na+, the mannose taken up by the cells either remains free, is phosphorylated, is catabolized to H2O, or becomes part of membrane components. The mannose remaining free in the cytosol is released when the cells are transferred to an ice bath. The Na+-dependent D-mannose transport is electrogenic and inhibited by ouabain and dinitrophenol; its substrate specificity differs from SGLT-1 transporter. The Glut2 transporter inhibitors phloretin and cytochalasin B added following 30-min mannose uptake reduced the previously accumulated D-mannose, whereas these two agents increased the cell to external medium 3-O-methyl-glucose (3-OMG) concentration ratio. D-mannose efflux rate from preloaded D-[2-3H]-mannose enterocytes is Na+-independent. Phloretin did not affect D-mannose efflux rate, whereas it inhibited that of 3-OMG. Neither mannose uptake nor efflux rate were affected by fructose. It is concluded that part of the mannose taken up by the enterocytes is rapidly metabolized and that enterocytes have two D-mannose transport systems: one is concentrative and Na+-dependent and the other is Na+-independent and passive.Dirección General de Investiagación Científica y Técnica PM99-012

The Hoopoe's Uropygial Gland Hosts a Bacterial Community Influenced by the Living Conditions of the Bird

Molecular methods have revealed that symbiotic systems involving bacteria are mostly based on whole bacterial communities. Bacterial diversity in hoopoe uropygial gland secretion is known to be mainly composed of certain strains of enterococci, but this conclusion is based solely on culture-dependent techniques. This study, by using culture-independent techniques (based on the 16S rDNA and the ribosomal intergenic spacer region) shows that the bacterial community in the uropygial gland secretion is more complex than previously thought and its composition is affected by the living conditions of the bird. Besides the known enterococci, the uropygial gland hosts other facultative anaerobic species and several obligated anaerobic species (mostly clostridia). The bacterial assemblage of this community was largely invariable among study individuals, although differences were detected between captive and wild female hoopoes, with some strains showing significantly higher prevalence in wild birds. These results alter previous views on the hoopoe-bacteria symbiosis and open a new window to further explore this system, delving into the possible sources of symbiotic bacteria (e.g. nest environments, digestive tract, winter quarters) or the possible functions of different bacterial groups in different contexts of parasitism or predation of their hoopoe host.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (projects CGL2005-06975/BOSFEDER; CGL2007-61251/BOSFEDER), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (projects CGL2009-14006/BOSFEDER; CGL2010-19233-C03-01/BOSFEDER; CGL2010-19233-C03-03/BOSFEDER), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (projects CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P/BOSFEDER; CGL2013-48193-C3-2-P/BOSFEDER), and the Junta de Andalucía (RNM 345, P09-RNM-4557). SMRR received a grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (FPI program, BES-2011-047677)