Trace elements and C and N isotope composition in two mushroom species from a mine-spill contaminated site

Fungi play a key role in the functioning of soil in terrestrial ecosystems, and in particular in the remediation of degraded soils. The contribution of fungi to carbon and nutrient cycles, along with their capability to mobilise soil trace elements, is well-known. However, the importance of life history strategy for these functions has not yet been thoroughly studied. This study explored the soil-fungi relationship of two wild edible fungi, the ectomycorrhizal Laccaria laccata and the saprotroph Volvopluteus gloiocephalus. Fruiting bodies and surrounding soils in a mine-spill contaminated area were analysed. Isotope analyses revealed Laccaria laccata fruiting bodies were 15N-enriched when compared to Volvopluteus gloiocephalus, likely due to the transfer of 15N-depleted compounds to their host plant. Moreover, Laccaria laccata fruiting bodies δ13C values were closer to host plant values than surrounding soil, while Volvopluteus gloiocephalus matched the δ13C composition to that of the soil. Fungal species presented high bioaccumulation and concentrations of Cd and Cu in their fruiting bodies. Human consumption of these fruiting bodies may represent a toxicological risk due to their elevated Cd concentrations

Contribution of New Digital Technologies to the Digital Building Logbook

According to the European Commission, the Digital Building Logbook (DBL) is a repository of all of the relevant data of a building. It was first introduced at the European scale in the Renovation Wave strategy and was first defined in the proposal for the recast of the energy performance of buildings Directive in December 2021. The European DBL has not been implemented yet, since a common model does not yet exist. Even though great efforts are being made to establish it, some relevant issues need to be addressed first. One of them is the identification of data sources that will feed the DBL. Existing digital data sources have already been explored in some countries and they have been found to be insufficient. In this paper, new digital data sources suitable for the logbook are identified, and their contribution in terms of indicators and interoperability is analysed. The analysis shows that these sources have great potential to contribute to the DBL, because they bring the possibility to collect a great amount of real data on buildings. However, the main barrier for these tools to be incorporated into the DBL is that their linkage still requires further research

Modeling tunable band-pass filters based on RF-MEMS metamaterials

This work describes progress toward designing and modeling reconfigurable band-pass filters based on RF microelectromechanical systems (RF-MEMS) metamaterials. A device consisting of a coplanar waveguide structure that combines complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) and RF-MEMS varactor bridges, operating at K and Ka-band, is proposed. Several layouts have been designed and electromagnetically (EM) simulated. A full equivalent-circuit model for the description of the proposed structure, including transmission lines, RF-MEMS, subwavelength resonators and coupling parameters, is provided. A high degree of accuracy between EM simulations behavior and electrical model has been obtained.Postprint (published version

Parametric design of stop band pass filter based on RF metamaterials in LTCC technology

This paper presents a novel approach to design a parametric RF stop band pass ¯lter based on Low Temperature Co-¯red Ceramic (LTCC) Technology. The LTCC technology enables to miniaturize and development compact structures using not only the standard xy-planar circuit dimensions but also the z-height dimension. The proposed ¯lters topologies are based on a stripline loaded with one or several complementary rings resonator (CSRRs). Speci¯cally, a parametric study z-location of the stripline respect to the CSRRs is carried out in order to determine the optimum con¯gurations operating in the Ku-band.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Access to Spiropyrazolone-butenolides through NHC-Catalyzed [3 + 2]-Asymmetric Annulation of 3-Bromoenals and 1H-Pyrazol-4,5-diones

Producción CientíficaThe stereoselective synthesis of spirocyclic pyrazo- lin-5-ones by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organocatalysis has been less studied so far. For this reason and considering the interest of this class of compounds, here, we present the NHC-catalyzed [3 + 2]-asymmetric annulation of β-bromoenals and 1H-pyrazol-4,5- diones that achieves to produce chiral spiropyrazolone-butenolides. The synthesis is general for aryl and heteroaryl β-bromo-α,β- unsaturated aldehydes and 1,3-disubstituted pyrazolones. The spirobutenolides have been obtained in good yields (up to 88%) and enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 er). This constitutes the first described example using pyrazoldiones as the starting materials for this class of spiro compounds.Junta de Castilla y León predoctoral fellowship (EDU/556/2019

The digital building logbook as a gateway linked to existing national data sources: The cases of Spain and Italy

The Digital Building Logbook (DBL) was first introduced together with the Renovation Wave initiative, promoted by the European Commission and then defined in the proposal for a recast of the energy performance of buildings Directive, in December 2021, as a repository of relevant data on a building that aims to alleviate the current lack of information of the European building stock. Several data sources on buildings already exist at different levels in Europe, and their interlinkage is crucial for a proper data population of the future Building Logbook. However, these data sources are scattered and heterogeneous, thus, they need to be evaluated to determine their suitability for the DBL. This paper analyses the sources that currently exist in Spain and Italy, focusing respectively on Aragon and Lombardy region, and addressing their interoperability possibilities and the indicators collected. The results show that the available data are not fully aligned with the relevant indicators from the existing proposals for a European DBL, and that few data sources are currently suitable for the DBL, since most of them are not interoperable. Considering the features and limitations of the data sources, a dataflow general scheme based on the definition of the DBL is defined for each case study, and guidelines are presented on data collection and interoperability in order to make its implementation feasible at the European scale

Ring oscillator switching noise under NBTI wearout

In this paper the switching noise of a CMOS ring oscillator has been analysed when their pFETs are subjected to negative bias temperature instability (NBTI). The impact of pFET under NBTI has been experimentally quantified whereas CMOS ring oscillator frequency and the switching noise has been analysed by means of electrical full-model simulation. The results show that the impact on the electromagnetic compatibility behaviour increases with NBTI wearout.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Electromagnetic compatibility of CMOS circuits along the lifetime

The continuous scaling of CMOS circuits has set the MOSFET transistor in the nanoelectronic era. In this context, the functionality and complexity of integrated circuits (ICs) are growing up. However, the operation voltage has been continuously reduced. The higher complexity of ICs has allowed including electronic systems in a lot of safety critical applications (i.e., automotive, aeronautics and/or medical applications). Therefore, the functionality of these electronic equipments must be assured and the risk of electromagnetic interference (EMI) must be reduced during their lifetime. Nowadays, circuits’ robustness to electromagnetic interference is checked in a burn-in component, without taking into account the impact of the natural devices’ aging. However, shrunk dimensions imply the appearance of several wear out mechanisms, which can limit the functionality of the circuits and modify their electromagnetic performance. Therefore, the time dependence of electromagnetic behaviour, which is known as Electromagnetic Robustness or Electromagnetic Reliability (EMR), should be evaluated. The switching noise is probably one of the main EMC emission problems in CMOS circuits. It is know that wear out mechanism affects the switching behaviour of CMOS circuits. Therefore, some effects on EMC performance of these circuits should be expected. In this work, the switching noise behaviour or CMOS circuits under one of the most important reliability problems are analysed by means of electrical simulation. In order to do that, a characterization of wear out mechanism on single MOSFET is presented and modelled. The results show a reduction on the frequency switching noise emission in circuits subjected to wear out, due to the reduction of the drain current of MOSFET.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Cuidadores informales: una aproximación multidisciplinar a su perfil y necesidades

Esta tesis doctoral ofrece una descripción de la situación actual de los cuidadores informales, analizando las repercusiones de dicha dedicación a través de indicadores de salud, asistenciales y sociosanitarios. Este estudio pretende facilitar la adopción de medidas políticas innovadoras e integradoras, que conformen soluciones posibles ante el reto que representa el envejecimiento poblacional y su posible demanda de cuidados.La investigación se articula en torno a tres capítulos independientes pero con un nexo en común: el estudio del perfil y necesidades de los cuidadores informales desde una aproximación multidisciplinar. En un primer capítulo, se considera la realidad de los cuidadores europeos procedentes de diferentes sistemas de bienestar, y combina el análisis macro y micro de la población. Se utiliza como base empírica los datos obtenidos en la Encuesta Social Europea (European Social Survey 2014/2015). Mediante el modelo Logit sencillo y el modelo Logit con estructura multinivel jerarquizado, se abordan las consecuencias de que en el hogar haya una persona dependiente y el número de horas empleadas en su cuidado. Los resultados se comparan entre sexos y cohortes generacionales, controlando diversos factores relativos al individuo y a la tipología regional del país de residencia: países mediterráneos, nórdicos, continentales, anglosajones o del este de Europa. El segundo capítulo se centra en los cuidadores españoles (Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2011/2012), profundizando tanto en los efectos directos del cuidado informal, como en la modificación de autocuidados. De igual manera que en el capítulo anterior, se selecciona el modelo Logit y se reportan datos en términos de elasticidades. Estas estimaciones se han repetido de forma independiente por submuestras de edad y género.El tercer capítulo aborda el estudio de los cuidadores que se hacen cargo de pacientes con trastorno mental grave. Para ello, se ha diseñado e implementado un estudio observacional descriptivo e inferencial de carácter local y en un ámbito asistencial (Hospital de día de psiquiatría de Huesca). Se exploran las relaciones entre las características sociodemográficas y las consecuencias físicas, psíquicas y sociales de la carga realizada por los cuidadores de pacientes con dicho trastorno. Los resultados revelan que la carga del cuidador no se distribuye por igual en la población analizada. Ser mujer, residente de países del sur o del este de Europa, con carencias educativas y dificultades económicas, y que el enfermo precise de una intensa carga de cuidados, incrementa sobremanera la vulnerabilidad de la situación. En general, el impacto de ser cuidador es más grande en mujeres y personas mayores, que en hombres y personas más jóvenes. Estas diferencias se acentúan con la edad. Además, se ha comprobado que el rol de cuidador influye en la adopción de comportamientos de riesgo para la salud: estas personas realizan menos ejercicio físico, duermen menos y se alimentan peor. A pesar de esto, los cuidadores de los países mediterráneos son los que mantienen mejores estilos de vida sobre todo en lo concerniente a la alimentación y el mantenimiento de un peso saludable.Las tendencias de los resultados europeos y españoles se reproducen en el estudio local. Los cuidadores de los pacientes con trastorno mental grave acusan consecuencias comparables a la muestra nacional e internacional, asociados a unos niveles de sobrecarga intensos, elevados porcentajes de ansiedad o depresión y escaso apoyo social. Todo ello, repercute y merma su calidad de vida. Los resultados de este trabajo proporcionan evidencia empírica que completa y complementa el estado del arte sobre la crisis de los cuidados informales, la importancia de considerar la perspectiva de género y la influencia de los determinantes sociales de la salud. En especial, destaca el desgaste sufrido por el cuidador en diversas dimensiones (social, sanitaria y política), y se apunta a la necesidad de coordinación entre todos los agentes implicados para que desde un enfoque multidisciplinar, se garantice la integridad de los cuidados a las personas dependientes. Se proponen intervenciones que luchan contra la inequidad en la salud de esta población. Algunos de estos planteamientos se encaminan hacia la creación de programas de atención comunitaria que apoyen a las familias y personas cuidadoras. Se trata de integrarlos en una cartera de servicios propia como estrategia específica del servicio nacional de salud, y promover la investigación para la impulsar la detección precoz de necesidades en la población. En definitiva, el importante rol del cuidador y la carga de cuidados que realiza, obliga a replantear la coordinación sociosanitaria como una herramienta imprescindible para sostener el estado de bienestar y el desarrollo comunitario.<br /

Characterization and modelling of switchable stop-band filters based on RF-MEMS and complementary split ring resonators

In this work, we present the characterization and electrical modelling of a reconfigurable stop-band filter based on RF microelectromechanical systems (RF-MEMS) combined with metamaterial structures. The device consists of a coplanar waveguide (CPW) structure that combines complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) and RF-MEMS varactor bridges operating at Q-band. A full electrical model for the description of the proposed structure is presented. The circuit model takes into account the electrical characteristics of the RF-MEMS, CSRRs and transmission line as well as the involved electromagnetic coupling and is used for accurate prediction of switchable filter response.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft