Critical aspects of substrate nanopatterning for the ordered growth of GaN nanocolumns

Precise and reproducible surface nanopatterning is the key for a successful ordered growth of GaN nanocolumns. In this work, we point out the main technological issues related to the patterning process, mainly surface roughness and cleaning, and mask adhesion to the substrate. We found that each of these factors, process-related, has a dramatic impact on the subsequent selective growth of the columns inside the patterned holes. We compare the performance of e-beam lithography, colloidal lithography, and focused ion beam in the fabrication of hole-patterned masks for ordered columnar growth. These results are applicable to the ordered growth of nanocolumns of different materials

Solución analítica de un modelo matemático de liofilización basado en la ley de Darcy: aplicación a una torta con base de jugo naranja

[ES] Se dedujo una solución analítica para la dinámica de la humedad durante la liofilización basada en la ley de Darcy no ideal que resuelve la singularidad en el tiempo cero. La solución analítica debe complementarse con una solución numérica de las ecuaciones de Fourier mediante la transferencia de calor en las dos zonas de producto. El modelo se ajustó a la dinámica experimental de liofilización de un producto a base de naranja. La pseudo-permeabilidad de Darcy obtenida fue de K*=2.0X10¿12 m2.5 con un índice de desviación de la conducta ideal de n=0.5. Las ecuaciones propuestas, resueltas con la pseudo-permeabilidad de Darcy ajustada y el índice de desviación ideal, reprodujeron la dinámica de liofilización experimental del mismo producto a diferentes temperaturas.[EN] An analytical solution for moisture dynamic during freeze-drying based in non-ideal Darcy¿s law that resolves the singularity at zero time was deducted. The non-ideal Darcy¿s law is represented by a Darcy¿s pseudo permeability (K¿) and a deviation index (n). The analytical solution must be complemented with a numerical solution of Fourier¿s equations for heat transfer in the two product zones. The model was fitted to experimental freeze-drying dynamics of an orange juice-based cake. The Darcy¿s pseudo permeability obtained was K¿ ¿ 2.0X10¿12 m2.5 with an ideal deviation index of n ¿ 0.5. The proposed equations, solved with fitted Darcy pseudo permeability and ideal deviation index, reproduced other experimental freeze-drying dynamics of the same product at different temperatures.This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT) [CVU No 469952]; Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad [AGL 2017-89251-R].Uscanga, MA.; Lopez-Sanchez, E.; Martínez-Navarrete, N.; García-Alvarado, MA.; Salgado-Cervantes, MA. (2021). Analytical solution of freeze-drying mathematical model based in Darcy's law: application to an orange juice-based cake. CyTA-Journal of Food. 19(1):265-272. https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2021.189219526527219

Unraveling the mechanism of TTL genes in cellulose biosynthesis

As sessile organisms, plants require mechanisms to sense and respond to the challenging environment, that encompass both biotic and abiotic factors that results in differential development. In these conditions is essential to balance growth and stress responses. As cell walls shape plant growth, this differential growth response cause alterations to the plant cell wall where cellulose is the major component. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate cellulose biosynthesis is essential to develop strategies to improve plant production. In Arabidopsis, the TETRATRICOPEPTIDE THIOREDOXIN-LIKE (TTL) gene family is composed by four members (TTL1 to TTL4) and mutations in TTL1, TTL3, and TTL4 genes cause reduced growth under salt and osmotic stress due to defects in plant cell wall integrity. We observe association of TTL3 with most core components in traducing BR signalling, such as LRR-RLK BRI1 or GSK3 BIN2 that modulate cellulose biosynthesis through phosphorylating cellulose synthases. Here, we show that ttl mutants present defects in the plant cell wall, particularly in Isoxaben, salt or sucrose stress. Spinning disk microscopy in etiolated hypocotyls reveals that, TTL proteins are responsible for the cellulose synthase complex (CSC) stability in plasma membrane (PM) upon sucrose stress. Moreover, TTL3 associates with LRR-RLKs that have been shown to be important for cellulose biosynthesis such as FEI1 in the FEI1/FEI2/SOS5 pathway. We aim to investigate the mechanisms by which TTL proteins regulate CesA stability in PM under stress, using a combination of genetics, biochemical, and molecular and cell biology approaches.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This work was supported by grants from: (1) Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BIO2014-55380-R, BIO2014-56153-REDT; (2) Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (BES-2015-071256

Continuous Phase Measurement in the W7-X Infrared Interferometer by Means of a FPGA and High-Speed ADCs.

Interferometry is used for measuring line average electronic densities in fusion plasmas. The W7-X stellarator will employ a two-color CO2 (10.591 m) and CO (5.295 m) heterodyne-infrared interferometer as an electronic density measurement diagnostic. The frequency displacement is 40 MHz for the CO2 wavelength and 25 MHz for the CO, so these values will fix the heterodyne frequencies. Because the frequency gap between the two carriers is wide enough and the detector sensitivity is similar for both wavelengths, it is possible to use a single detector for the two signals; nevertheless, they should be split with filters. Traditionally, the intermediate-frequency signals should be filtered, downconverted to a lower frequency by the use of analog circuitry, and then processed. A new approach is proposed. The intermediate-frequency signals are directly sampled by means of high-speed analog-to-digital converters followed by a digital diplexer and a specific phase-meter processor implemented in a field-programmable gate array. Preliminary results from the W7-X infrared interferometer prototype, without plasma, are presented

Intention-to-treat survival analysis of HCV/HIV co-infected liver transplant: Is it the waiting list?

In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients, the accelerated severity of liver disease, associated comorbidities, and mortality on the waiting list could change the possibility and results of liver transplantation (LT). Intention-to-treat survival analysis (ITTA) can accurately estimate the applicability and efficacy of LT. The primary objective of this study was to compare the survival of patients with HCV with and without HIV infection. We analyzed a cohort of 199 patients with HCV infection enrolled for LT between 1998 and 2015; 17 were also infected with HIV. The patients with HCV/HIV coinfection had higher mortality on the waiting list than those with HCV monoinfection (35.3% versus 4.6%; P¿¿70 years (hazard ratio [HR]¿=¿3.12; P¿<¿0.05), United Network for Organ Sharing status 1 (HR¿=¿10.1; P¿<¿0.01), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (HR¿=¿1.13; P¿<¿0.001), and HIV coinfection (HR¿=¿2.65; P¿<¿0.05) had independent negative predictive value for survival. In conclusion, our study indicates that HIV coinfection is a factor in mortality prior to transplantation and associated with higher mortality on the waiting list

Microconformado de Materiales Metálicos mediante Pulsos Láser en el Dominio de ns

La demanda de miniaturización introducida, entre otros, por la industria de fabricación de MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), hace necesario caracterizar y validar los procesos que emplean el láser en el microconformado de materiales metálicos a escala submilimétrica. Como alternativa al microconformado térmico, que hace uso de las deformaciones de origen térmico inducidas por la radiación láser, el microconformado mediante pulsos láser en el dominio de ns hace posible el conformado de materiales metálicos manteniendo, o incluso mejorando, las propiedades mecánicas de los mismos debido a la inducción de tensiones residuales de compresión en la superficie de la pieza tratada. Se presenta en este trabajo el estudio teórico y experimental del microconformado láser mediante la caracterización de diversas pruebas elementales. Miniaturization of components demanded by MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) industry, makes necessary the validation of the manufacturing processes applied to submillimetric metallic materials in which laser is used. As an alternative to thermal microforming in which laser induced thermal fields are responsible for the forming phenomena, the use of ns laser pulses makes possible microforming of metallic materials preserving, or even improving, their mechanical properties, due to the induction of residual stresses in the surface. In the present paper experimental tests and FEM simulation results on nanosecond time scale laser microforming are presented

Fabrication of GaN nanorods by focused ion beam

Ordered arrays of III-Nitride nanocolumns are excellent candidates for the fabrication of nano-optoelectronic devices. Different technologies such as e-beam lithography or colloidal lithography, have been used to obtain ordered arrays. All these technologies have in common several processing steps that can affect the crystalline growth of the nanocolumns. In this work, we present a single lithographic step that permits to grow ordered GaN nanocolumns with different geometries. The patterning is based in the use of a focusedionbeam with different doses. With this method has been possible to create GaN nanopillars and nanocylinder

Multimorbidity by Patient and Tumor Factors and Time-to-Surgery Among Colorectal Cancer Patients in Spain: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer treatment and outcomes can be influenced by tumor characteristics, patient overall health status, and comorbidities. While previous studies have analyzed the influence of comorbidity on cancer outcomes, limited information is available regarding factors associated with the increased prevalence of comorbidities and multimorbidity among patients with colorectal cancer in Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study obtained data from all colorectal cancer cases diagnosed in two Spanish provinces in 2011 from two population-based cancer registries and electronic health records. We calculated the prevalence of comorbidities according to patient and tumor factors, identified factors associated with an increased prevalence of comorbidity and multimorbidity, analyzed the association between comorbidities and time-to-surgery, and developed an interactive web application (https://comcor.netlify.com/). RESULTS: The most common comorbidities were diabetes (23.6%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.2%), and congestive heart failure (14.5%). Among all comorbidities, 52% of patients were diagnosed at more advanced stages (stage III/IV). Patients with advanced age, restricted performance status or who were disabled, obese, and smokers had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity. Patients with multimorbidity had a longer time-to-surgery than those without comorbidity (17 days, 95% confidence interval: 3-29 days). CONCLUSION: We identified a consistent pattern of factors associated with a higher prevalence of comorbidities and multimorbidity at diagnosis and an increased time-to-surgery among patients with colorectal cancer with multimorbidity in Spain. This pattern may provide insights for further etiological and preventive research and help to identify patients at a higher risk for poorer cancer outcomes and suboptimal treatment

Extractos del probiótico Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 protegen frente a la infección por RGNNV en cultivo celular

El agente etiológico de la retinopatía y encefalitis viral (VER) es el virus de la necrosis nerviosa (VNN). Aunque esta enfermedad puede causar una elevada mortalidad en numerosas especies de peces, no existen métodos efectivos para su tratamiento o prevención. La utilización de piensos funcionales es una estrategia novedosa para prevenir enfermedades de etiología infecciosa en acuicultura. El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido evaluar in vitro la capacidad inmunoestimulante y antivírica frente a un aislado VNN de un extracto de la bacteria probiótica Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 (SpPdp11), aislada de dorada. En concreto, se ha cuantificado la transcripción de diferentes genes implicados en la respuesta inmune antiviral en células tratadas con este postbiótico, y se ha analizado su interferencia sobre distintas fases del proceso de infección vírica, analizándose tanto la supervivencia celular, como la multiplicación vírica. Los resultados muestran que el extracto de SpPdp11 es capaz de generar un estado antiviral en las células que las protege frente a la infección por VNN, por lo que este postbiótico es un buen candidato para incluir en los piensos de las especies susceptibles como estrategia de lucha frente a VNNProyecto de la Junta de Andalucía P18-RT-1067 y del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2020-113637RB-C22 Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía TECH

Targeting ribosomal G-quadruplexes with naphthalene-diimides as RNA polymerase I inhibitors for colorectal cancer treatment

17 pags., 6 figs., 2 tabs.Sanchez-Martin et al. report a mode of action for naphthalene-diimides, a well-known class of G-quadruplexes ligands. Their work provides evidence of naphthalene-diimides targeting G-quadruplexes in ribosomal DNA, inducing a blockade of RNA polymerase I-mediated transcription and cell death. These compounds could be exploited in colorectal cancer treatment.This work was supported by the European Commission (TAR- BRAINFECT to J.A.G.-S.) and the National Institutes of Health (GM084946 to D.A.S.). The Government of Spain granted with PhD fellowships FPU16/ 05822 to V.S.-M. and FPU17/05413 to A.S.-L. The University of Almeria granted with PhD fellowship to M.O.-G. Funding for open access charge: Eu- ropean Commissio