Viabilidad del uso de la técnica de ultrasonidos para detectar defectos de curado en hormigones

Se pretende evaluar la viabilidad del uso de la técnica de ultrasonidos para detectar defectos de c urado en el hormigón. Para ello se ha elaborado un plan experimental, con probetas cúbicas de 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. En el estudio se efectuaron mediciones de propagación de ondas ultrasónicas planteando dos series de probetas: en la primera de ellas, se han tenido en cuenta siete ambientes distintos de curado, realizando mediciones a distintas edades, con rotura a compresión a 28 días. En la segunda serie de probetas, únicamente se han considerado tres ambientes: cámara húmeda, laboratorio y exterior, efec tuando mediciones en los días de rotura a compresión a 7 y 28 días. Los resultados de los ensayos permiten analizar el comportamiento de los hormigones en distintos ambientes de curado. Analíticamente se han podido relacionar los resultados obtenidos de velocidad de propagación de las ondas ultrasónicas con la resistencia a compresión de los hormigones comparando los módulos de elasticidad estático (E e ) y dinámico (E d )

Effect of corrosion degree on different steel ductility parameters, based on 'Equivalent Steel' criterion

One of the meaningful effects of concrete reinforcement steel corrosion on concrete structures is the decrease of mechanical properties, specifically the ductility of steel. The term ductility of steel refers to a group of properties which determine the reinforced concrete structures (RCS) and it is necessary to take this property into account for the recalculation of structures that have been already corroded until the point to condition in many occasions the analysis methodology. The paper aims to discuss these issues

Proposal of a new indicator to define ductility applied to corroded steel reinforcement on concrete structures = Propuesta de un nuevo indicador para definir la ductilidad aplicada a la corrosión del acero de refuerzo en estructuras de hormigón

The carbonation of concrete or the chlorides ingress in such quantity to reach the level of bars is triggers of reinforcement corrosion. One of the most significant effects of reinforcing steel corrosion on reinforced concrete structures is the decline in the ductility-related properties of the steel. Reinforcement ductility has a decisive effect on the overall ductility of reinforced concrete structures. Different Codes classify the type of steel depending on their ductility defined by the minimum values of several parameters. Using indicators of ductility associating different properties can be advantageous on many occasions. It is considered necessary to define the ductility by means of a single parameter that considers strength values and deformation simultaneously. There are a number of criteria for defining steel ductility by a single parameter. The present experimental study addresses the variation in the ductility of concrete-embedded steel bars when exposed to accelerated corrosion. This paper analyzes the suitability of a new indicator of ductility used in corroded bars

Self-reported psychological development in cosmetic breast surgery patients

Cosmetic breast surgery is the only therapeutic alternative for psychological and physical complications associated with micromasty, breast ptosis, and macromasty. We analyzed the effects of 2 variables, time, and type of cosmetic breast surgery, on anxiety symptomatology and quality of life. Following a mixed 3x4 design, 3 groups of women with breast augmentation (n=63), mastopexy (n=42), and breast reduction (n=30) were selected and evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey at 4 different times, the preoperative stage, and at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperative. Pearson’s chi square, Welch’s U, Games-Howell tests, mixed analysis of variance, and Cohen’s d and w for effect size were calculated. Results relating to anxiety (state and trait) showed that the time factor was significant (P<0.001) with differences between the preoperative stage (higher anxiety levels) and the 3 postoperative stages: at 1 month (P<0.001), 6 months (P<0.001), and 12 months (P<0.001). In quality of life, type of surgery and time factors were found to have interactive effects on vitality (P=0.044) and role-emotional (P=0.023) dimensions. Compared to the other 2 groups, women who had undergone mastopexy felt worse (vitality) at 1 month since surgery than in the other stages, and better at 6 months since surgery (role-emotional). In the rest of the dimensions, and focusing on the most relevant effect sizes, the type of surgery made a difference in the physical functioning (P=0.005) and role-physical (P=0.020) dimensions, where women who had had breast reduction felt worse than those who had had augmentation. Time also resulted in differences in the physical functioning (P<0.001), role-physical (P<0.001), and bodily pain (P<0.001) dimensions, where women felt worse at 1 month since surgery than during the rest of the stages, as well as in the social functioning dimension (P<0.001) at 1 month, compared to 6 months postoperative. We conclude that in the long term, women who have cosmetic breast surgery recover their physical and psychological well-bein

Influence of assessment in the teaching-learning process in the higher education

The new European Higher Education Area (EHEA) involves a change in the way of understanding learning and the teacher?s work. In this field, assessment is a very important aspect in education. It influences determinedly in the process of helping and encouraging the students to learn and understand their progresses in learning. This paper shows, from the results obtained in the subject "Concrete as a Structural Material", of fourth grade in Building Degree, the factors which affect the teaching-learning process through assessmen

Elementos potenciadores del engagement de los jóvenes con narrativas ambientales

Este estudio analiza las opiniones de universitarios (N=296) -procedentes de grados de Educación y Comunicación- sobre la capacidad educomunicadora de tres storytelling proambientales, las emociones que suscitan e implicación que promueven, identificando su engagement. La investigación es empírica, descriptiva, no experimental, exploratoria y analítica. Se analizan y comparan las valoraciones recabadas tras el visionado con el instrumento validado Assessment of Engagement with Proenvironmental Storytelling. Los resultados constatan que todos propician un alto engagement, primando mensajes claros y proactivos, vehiculados a través de testimonios cuyos protagonistas facilitan la proyección. Prefieren que la voz en off invite a la ejecución de acciones para traducirlas en conductas cotidianas. La apelación emocional cobra relevancia para garantizar su implicación. Se evidencia el interés de los jóvenes por el medioambiente, demandando orientaciones para implicarse en proyectos proambientales. Además, sería deseable incorporar en su formación contenidos y herramientas para crear sus propias propuestas audiovisuales. This study analyzes the opinions of undergraduate students (N=296), -from Education and Communication degrees- on the educommunicative capacity of three pro-environmental storytelling, the emotions they generate, and the involvement they promote, identifying their engagement. The research is empirical, descriptive, non-experimental, exploratory and analytical. We analysed and compared the students' opinions collected after the viewing using the validated Assessment of Engagement with Proenvironmental Storytelling instrument. The results confirm that all promote a high engagement, prioritizing clear and proactive messages with testimonies whose protagonists facilitated the diffusion. They prefer the voice-over to prompt them to take actions that can be transformed into daily behaviours. Emotional appeal gains relevance to ensure pro-environmental commitment. The interest in the environment among young people is evident. They demand guidelines to become involved in pro-environmental projects. In addition, it seems desirable to incorporate in their training contents and tools that allow them to create their own audiovisual proposals

Resistencias cruzadas de poblaciones seleccionadas a ciantraniliprol y spiromesifén frente a otros insecticidas en Bemisia tabaci Gennadius

La mosca blanca Bemisia tabaci Gennadius es una plaga grave en muchos cultivos de campo y de invernadero en todo el mundo, y ha desarrollado resistencia a la mayoría de grupos químicos insecticidas. La facilidad con que esta plaga desarrolla resistencia hace imprescindible incorporar nuevos compuestos con diferentes modos de acción y sin resistencia cruzada con los utilizados anteriormente en las estrategias de manejo de la resistencia a insecticidas (MRI). Se ha probado el ciantraniliprol, que es una nueva materia activa aún sin registrar en España y el spiromesifén, un insecticida registrado hace pocos años. Nuestro trabajo se centra en el estudio de las resistencias cruzadas entre poblaciones de biotipo Q seleccionadas para la resistencia a estos nuevos insecticidas, con los materias activas más comúnmente utilizadas para el control de B. tabaci en el sureste español. Hasta el momento, los datos obtenidos de las poblaciones de B. tabaci resistentes a ciantraniliprol y spiromesifén no indicaron ninguna resistencia cruzada entre ellos y el resto de insecticidas bioensayados, presentando valores de CL50 similares al resto de poblaciones.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (AGL2011‐ 25164), fondos FEDER y DuPont

Splicing Machinery is Dysregulated in Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors and is Associated with Aggressiveness Features

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) constitute approximately 15% of all brain tumors, and most have a sporadic origin. Recent studies suggest that altered alternative splicing and, consequently, appearance of aberrant splicing variants, is a common feature of most tumor pathologies. Moreover, spliceosome is considered an attractive therapeutic target in tumor pathologies, and the inhibition of SF3B1 (e.g., using pladienolide-B) has been shown to exert antitumor effects. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the expression levels of selected splicing-machinery components in 261 PitNETs (somatotropinomas/non-functioning PitNETS/corticotropinomas/prolactinomas) and evaluated the direct effects of pladienolide-B in cell proliferation/viability/hormone secretion in human PitNETs cell cultures and pituitary cell lines (AtT-20/GH3). Results revealed a severe dysregulation of splicing-machinery components in all the PitNET subtypes compared to normal pituitaries and a unique fingerprint of splicing-machinery components that accurately discriminate between normal and tumor tissue in each PitNET subtype. Moreover, expression of specific components was associated with key clinical parameters. Interestingly, certain components were commonly dysregulated throughout all PitNET subtypes. Finally, pladienolide-B reduced cell proliferation/viability/hormone secretion in PitNET cell cultures and cell lines. Altogether, our data demonstrate a drastic dysregulation of the splicing-machinery in PitNETs that might be associated to their tumorigenesis, paving the way to explore the use of specific splicing-machinery components as novel diagnostic/prognostic and therapeutic targets in PitNETs

Uso de selenio para proteger a los peces de la intoxicación por microcistinas

Uso de selenio para proteger a los peces de la intoxicación por microcistinas. En la presente invención se refiere al uso de una composición que comprende Selenio para el tratamiento, prevención y/o recuperación de efectos tóxicos en peces expuestos a microcistinas (MCs). También se refiere al uso de la citada composición en la recuperación de las alteraciones histopatológicas producidas en los tejidos de la lista que comprende hígado, riñón, corazón, branquias y/o tracto gastrointestinal. Además, dicha composición se utiliza para la fabricación de un alimento funcional, un complemento vitamínico, o un complemento nutricional.Españ

HGF, IL-1α, and IL-27 are robust biomarkers in early severity stratification of COVID-19 patients

© 2021 by the authors.Pneumonia is the leading cause of hospital admission and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to identify the cytokines responsible for lung damage and mortality. We prospectively recruited 108 COVID-19 patients between March and April 2020 and divided them into four groups according to the severity of respiratory symptoms. Twenty-eight healthy volunteers were used for normalization of the results. Multiple cytokines showed statistically significant differences between mild and critical patients. High HGF levels were associated with the critical group (OR = 3.51; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 1.95–6.33). Moreover, high IL-1α (OR = 1.36; p = 0.01; 95%CI = 1.07–1.73) and low IL-27 (OR = 0.58; p < 0.005; 95%CI = 0.39–0.85) greatly increased the risk of ending up in the severe group. This model was especially sensitive in order to predict critical status (AUC = 0.794; specificity = 69.74%; sensitivity = 81.25%). Furthermore, high levels of HGF and IL-1α showed significant results in the survival analysis (p = 0.033 and p = 0.011, respectively). HGF, IL-1α, and IL 27 at hospital admission were strongly associated with severe/critical COVID-19 patients and therefore are excellent predictors of bad prognosis. HGF and IL-1α were also mortality biomarkers.This work was supported by the Carlos III Health Institute (Grant COV20/00491)