Consequence analysis of an explosion by simple models: Texas refinery gasoline explosion case

Accidents in petrochemical plants and oil refineries are quite destructive, due to the high reactivity of chemicals involved in them. An accident that occurred in the Texas City refinery, on March 23rd 2005, consisting on a vapour cloud explosion (VCE) that followed a gasoline release and caused 15 deaths, has been studied in terms of people vulnerability to overpressure and thermal radiation. With this aim, simple models (TNT, TNO Multi-Energy, BST) have been used in order to evaluate the effects of the explosion.Moreover, a thermal radiation model was used to estimate the damage caused by the heat released as consequence of the explosion. Finally, the Probit methodology was used to evaluate the vulnerability of persons. Although differences between the data derived from each of them existed, they all reproduced actual damages with a reasonable accuracy. The results reached let us say that the TNO and BST models predict with a reasonable accuracy the effects of the explosion that occurred. Furthermore, the use of simplified empirical models can be used for risk assessment

Sources, transport and fate of PAHs in sediments and superficial water of a chronically polluted semi-enclosed body of seawater: linking of compartments.

This paper describes a study of the occurrence, levels and temporal evolution of PAHs in a bay characterized by persistent chronic impacts. A total of 40 samples, 20 of sediment and 20 of water, were taken at each of five different stations, in four sampling campaigns. Analyses of pollutants have been made using GC-MS. Results indicate that in a coastal environment subjected to chronic pollution by pyrolytic PAHs, episodes of petrogenic pollution, like oil-spills, can be identified by the combination of different source ratios. Results also indicate that, in the study area, PAHs are transported from superficial water to sediment. This conclusion is based on the degree of coincidence found in the presence/absence of individual PAHs in both compartments and in their petrogenic/pyrolytic nature, the positive sedimentation rate in the study area, together with the performance of the analyses of unfiltered water and the distribution of sources of PAHs found

Bimetallic Ru:Ni/MCM-48 Catalysts for the Effective Hydrogenation of D-Glucose into Sorbitol

Three different bimetallic Ru:Ni catalysts supported on a mesoporous silica MCM-48 were prepared byconsecutive wet impregnations, with a total metal loading of ca. 3% (w w−1). Ru:Ni ratios spanned in therange of 0.15–1.39 (w w−1) and were compared with the corresponding monometallic Ni/MCM-48. Thecatalysts so prepared were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, adsorp-tion/desorption of N2, Temperature Programmed Reduction, NH3− TPD and Atomic Absorption, andtested in the liquid phase hydrogenation of d-glucose into sorbitol in the temperature range 120–140◦Cunder 2.5 MPa of H2pressure. Bimetallic catalysts with Ru:Ni ratios higher than 0.45 enhanced the cat-alytic behavior of the monometallic Ni/MCM-48 in the reaction, increasing the reaction rate and showingcomplete selectivity to sorbitol by minimizing the production of mannitol. Ru:Ni/MCM-48 (0.45) wasrecovered from the reaction media and tested for three reaction cycles, showing good stability under theselected experimental conditions.Proyecto CTQ2015-64892-R (MINECO/FEDER)

Hydrothermal CO2 conversion using zinc as reductant: Batch reaction, modeling and parametric analysis of the process

Producción CientíficaHydrothermal CO2 reduction using Zn as reductant was investigated. This process has the advantage of avoiding the use of hydrogen with all its safety and environmental concerns, and allows an easy integration with CO2 capture as NaHCO3. In this work, this reaction was studied in batch reactors at temperatures from 275 to 325 °C. Conversions up to 60% were obtained with 100% selectivity towards formic acid, at reaction times between 10 and 180 min. A mathematical model correlated with data from literature was developed and is able to correctly predict both experimental and literature data with an averaged error of 3.5%. Main variables of the process were analyzed: temperature, Zn/HCO3− ratio, heating rate, Zn particle size, pressure, etc. The optimum reaction conditions found were 300 °C with a rapid heating, and particle sizes of 10 μm. Zn excess dramatically improves the yield, but a lower excess can be compensated at high pressures.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project ENE2014-53459-R

Evaluación de la credibilidad de la prueba testifical en víctimas con discapacidad intelectual

Uno de los principales obstáculos en el acceso a la justicia de las víctimas con discapacidad procede de los estereotipos referidos a su capacidad para declarar en un procedimiento policial y judicial, tendiendo unos a considerarlos menos creíbles que al resto de víctimas y otros más creíbles por su supuesta incapacidad para elaborar mentiras complejas. El presente trabajo revisa tres de los estudios recientemente realizados por el grupo UCM de Psicología del Testimonio con el objetivo de analizar el papel de la experiencia y la intuición en la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual (DI), y comprobar si los procedimientos de análisis de credibilidad tales como el basado en el Modelo de Control de la Realidad [Reality Monitoring, RM] y el de Evaluación de la Validez de las Declaraciones [Statement Validity Assessment, SVA] serían válidos para discriminar entre relatos verdaderos y falsos en estos colectivos. De para discriminar entre las víctimas reales y simuladas, pero tampoco parece resultar suficiente analizar las características de los relatos como único indicador. Se propone como alternativa el procedimiento general HELPT para la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con DI

Credibility assessment of testimonies provided by victims with intellectual disabilities

One of the main obstacles in the way of access to justice for the victims with intellectual disability comes from the stereotypes referred to their ability to produce a statement at police legal procedures, with the consequence that some consider their statements less reliable than the rest of the victims, and others considerate their statements more reliable given their inability to create complex lies. This article reviews three of the most recent studies done by the UCM group of Psychology of Testimony, with the objective of analyzing the role of experience and intuition in the evaluation of credibility in people with intellectual disability (ID), and also it aims to prove whether the credibility analysis procedures such as Reality Monitoring (RM) and Statement Validity Assessment (SVA) would be valid procedures to discriminate between real and false statements within these collectives. From the results of these studies, it can be deducted that experience may not seem to be enough in order to discriminate between real and simulated victims, but analyzing the characteristics of the statements as the only indicator doesn’t seem to be enough either. As an alternative, the general procedure HELPT is proposed for the evaluation of credibility of people with ID.Uno de los principales obstáculos en el acceso a la justicia de las víctimas con discapacidad procede de los estereotipos referidos a su capacidad para declarar en un procedimiento policial y judicial, tendiendo unos a considerarlos menos creíbles que al resto de víctimas y otros más creíbles por su supuesta incapacidad para elaborar mentiras complejas. El presente trabajo revisa tres de los estudios recientemente realizados por el grupo UCM de Psicología del Testimonio con el objetivo de analizar el papel de la experiencia y la intuición en la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual (DI), y comprobar si los procedimientos de análisis de credibilidad tales como el basado en el Modelo de Control de la Realidad [Reality Monitoring, RM] y el de Evaluación de la Validez de las Declaraciones [Statement Validity Assessment, SVA] serían válidos para discriminar entre relatos verdaderos y falsos en estos colectivos. De para discriminar entre las víctimas reales y simuladas, pero tampoco parece resultar suficiente analizar las características de los relatos como único indicador. Se propone como alternativa el procedimiento general HELPT para la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con DI

Bioelectronics-on-a-chip for cardio myoblast proliferation enhancement using electric field stimulation

Background: Cardio myoblast generation from conventional approaches is laborious and time-consuming. We present a bioelectronics on-a-chip for stimulating cells cardio myoblast proliferation during culture. Method: The bioelectronics chip fabrication methodology involves two different process. In the first step, an aluminum layer of 200 nm is deposited over a soda-lime glass substrate using physical vapor deposition and selectively removed using a Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser to create the electric tracks. To perform the experiments, we developed a biochip composed of a cell culture chamber fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a glass coverslip or a cell culture dish placed over the electric circuit tracks. By using such a glass cover slip or cell culture dish we avoid any toxic reactions caused by electrodes in the culture or may be degraded by electrochemical reactions with the cell medium, which is crucial to determine the effective cell-device coupling. Results: The chip was used to study the effect of electric field stimulation of Rat ventricular cardiomyoblasts cells (H9c2). Results shows a remarkable increase in the number of H9c2 cells for the stimulated samples, where after 72 h the cell density double the cell density of control samples. Conclusions: Cell proliferation of Rat ventricular cardiomyoblasts cells (H9c2) using the bioelectronics-on-a-chip was enhanced upon the electrical stimulation. The dependence on the geometrical characteristics of the electric circuit on the peak value and homogeneity of the electric field generated are analyzed and proper parameters to ensure a homogeneous electric field at the cell culture chamber are obtained. It can also be observed a high dependence of the electric field on the geometry of the electrostimulator circuit tracks and envisage the potential applications on electrophysiology studies, monitoring and modulate cellular behavior through the application of electric fieldsThis work was partially supported by Mineco through the projects FIS 2015–71933-REDT and RTI 2018–097063-B-I00, Consellería de Educación Program for Development of a Strategic Grouping in Materials – AeMAT Grant No. ED431E2018/08, Xunta de Galicia ref. ED431B2017/64. Xunta de Galicia, Spain, under Galician Programme for Research Innovation and Growth 2011–2015 (I2C Plan)S

Scientific output on transsexuality in the Spanish biomedical literature: Bibliometric and content analysis (1973-2011)

Objetivo: Explorar la evolución del conocimiento científico sobre transexualidad durante los últimos 40 años, a través de un análisis bibliométrico y de contenido de la producción de la literatura biomédica española sobre la transexualidad entre los años 1973 y 2011. Método: Descriptivo y transversal. Universo: artículos biomédicos españoles sobre transexualidad publicados entre 1973 y 2011. Fuente: ÍndiceMédico Español e ISOC-Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades. Análisis: bibliométrico y de contenido de las publicaciones biomédicas. Resultados: 65 artículos biomédicos analizados. Entre 1973 y 1984, en España, el conocimiento sobre transexualidad se produce y circula en revistas médicas. En 1996 se inicia una década de gran productividad, y en los años siguientes el número de revistas que publican sobre transexualidad se multiplica. Hasta 2006, año de mayor productividad biomédica, los discursos biomédicos reproducen representaciones de la transexualidad ancladas en el determinismo biológico. En el período 2008-2011, los y las profesionales incorporan teorías feministas y perspectivas sociales en sus discursos. Conclusiones: En el último cuarto del siglo xx, el discurso médico dominante ha considerado las manifestaciones de las personas transexuales desde una perspectiva biologicista que concibe la transexualidad como un error de correspondencia sexo/género. En los últimos años, la aparición de nuevas categorías de identidad y la reflexión desde posturas no esencialistas y normativas del género favorece la gestión clínica de la transexualidad.Objective: To explore the scientific output on transsexuality in the Spanish biomedical literature between 1973 and 2011, through bibliometric and content analyses. Methods: We carried out a descriptive, cross-sectional study of Spanish biomedical articles on transsexuality published between 1973 and 2011. The data sources consisted of Índice Médico Español and ISOC-Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades. Bibliometric and content analyses were performed. Results: A total of 65 papers were analyzed. Knowledge on transsexuality in Spain began to appear in medical journals between 1973 and 1984. A decade of intense productivity began in 1996 and the number of journals publishing articles on transsexuality multiplied in the following years. Until 2006, the year with the most biomedical productivity, biomedical discourses reproduced representations of transsexuality anchored in biological determinism. From 2008-2011, professionals writing on the topic incorporated feminist theories and social perspectives in their discourses. Conclusions: In the last quarter of the twentieth century, the dominant medical discourse considered manifestations of transsexual people from a biologist perspective that conceives transsexuality as a configuration mismatch between sex and gender. The emergence of new identity categories and medical reflection from non-essentialist and non-normative gender perspectives has improved the clinical management of transsexuality