Estudio del Terciario marino de la sierra del Mugrón (Prov. Albacete y Valencia)

The Miocene sediments of sierra del Mugron give us a good example of marine sedimentation in littoral facies. The stratigraphic observatior~s effectued, the petrologic characteristics of these materials and their classification, are analyzed in this paper. The set of these dates, with the help of macro and micropaleontologic criteries permits to interpret the conditions of deposition. It is concluded this deposition occurred in the internal continental plattform, in relation with regional tectonic process and a great development of coloriial organisms

Diseño y Simulación Mecánica de un Actuador Hidráulico Rotativo Sumergible Para Aplicación en Hidroterapia/Design and Mechanical Simulation of a Submersible Rotary Hydraulic Actuator for Hydrotherapy Application

El presente trabajo demuestra el proceso en la investigación inicial para el desarrollo de un actuador giratorio hidráulico para fines terapéuticos. El dispositivo se basa en la necesidad de un aparato motor aplicable a la rehabilitación de lesiones de rodilla, con la capacidad de ser usado en la hidroterapia, para lo cual se realiza una revisión bibliográfica y se define el comportamiento del actuador en función a los fenómenos de presión y flujo, definiendo así las funciones para el par y la velocidad del actuador. En una primera etapa, se presenta un modelo simplificado del actuador, para luego simular el comportamiento mecánico de los componentes con la ayuda de un software de análisis de elementos finitos. Concluyendo con la validación de los elementos principales del actuador, llamados eje y aleta, sometidos a los parámetros delimitados para la aplicación, dejando la base de un modelo del mecanismo útil para el cálculo de la dinámica del sistema como siguiente paso de la investigación. The present work demonstrates the process in the research and development of a hydraulic rotary actuator for therapeutic purposes. The device is based on the need for a motor apparatus applicable to the rehabilitation of knee injuries, with the ability to be used in hydrotherapy, for which a literature review is performed and the behavior of the actuator is defined depending on the pressure and flow phenomena, thus defining the functions for the torque and speed of the actuator. In the first stage, a simplified model of the actuator is presented, to proceed to simulate the mechanical behavior of the components with the help of finite element analysis software. Concluding with the validation of the main elements of the actuator, called axis and fin, subject to the parameters defined for the application, leaving the basis of a model of the mechanism useful for calculating the dynamics of the system as the next step of the investigation. Palabras claves: Actuador rotatorio, Simulación, Diseño, Mecánica hidráulica. Keywords: Rotary actuator, Simulation, Design, Hydraulic Mechanics

Novel Glycerol-Crosslinked Poly(acrylic acid) Hydrogel for Encapsulation and Release of Benzocaine

Drug delivery by a controlled-release mechanism offers several advantages over traditional delivery systems such as improved therapeutic activity, reduced number of drug administrations, as well as minimizing the risk of over-dose or under-dose. In this study, attempt has been made to develop a novel controlled release device from glycerol crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels. Glycerol crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) was fabricated by polymerizing acrylic acid and crosslinking the polymer with glycerol in the same reaction pot in the presence of benzoyl peroxide and Novozym 435. The fabricated hydrogel swelled more than 100% in neutral, acidic and basic buffer solutions. Swelling was pH and temperature dependent. The hydrogel encapsulated the drug benzocaine; the amount encapsulated was dependent on time, temperature and initial benzocaine concentration. The hydrogel also released the drug at a controlled rate

Modelizacion matemática de la hidroquímica de las aguas de un macizo dolomítico-yesífero. Aplicación a la génesis de los travertinos de las Lagunas de Ruidera

Thermodinamíc equations of solution and precipitation carbonates-calcium sulfates let us stablish a mathematical model of calcareous tufa deposits simulation. The conceptual genetic model of calcareous tufa is related with solution of preexisting carbonates in high CO2, presure ground-water. When ground-water reach surface, the fast degassing processes lead to calcite precipitation. Ground-water are considered placed in two different types of acuifer system: dolomitic aquifer (D) and dolomitic-gypsiferous acuifer (DY). Calcium activity in ground-water (aS) may be expressed by the relation: as=10p1 ∙ (pCO2)p2 ∙ (Ts)p3 where, pCO2 is partiel pressure of CO2 in equilibrium with ground-water, and Ts, is absolute temperature of ground-water. Values of p1, p2 and p3, constant are, in the case ofa dolomitic aquicer: p1= 6,71624   p2= 0,32933   p3= 3,64469 However values of p1, p2 and p3 constants in dolomitic-gypsiferous aquifer are: p1= 3,29381   p2= O,03392   p3= -0,40223 In the same way we may calculate the end calcium activity in surface watering (af) after degassing CO2 in equilibrium with a rural atmosphere (pCO2=10-3,503atm). Urban and urban industrial areas may reach pC02= 10-3atm. The rate of precipitation of calcareous tues (Tons per year) may writte: [[(Vt ∙ aB / (VI - SL (eL - pL))] – at] ∙ (VI - SL (eL - pL)) ∙ 105 VI=water infiltration in the basin (Hm3/year), sL=marsh and/or lake surface (Km2), eL=evaporation rate (m/year), PL=precipitation rate (m/year). This equation let us also stablish, the influence on calcareous tufs sedimentation of basinal, climatological and environmental parameters. Their use may focus to conservation of many present day damaged travertine systems.La utilización de las ecuaciones termodinámicas que relacionan los procesos de disoluciónprecipitación de travertinos calcáreos permite establecer una modelización matemática del proceso. Se han analizado dos supuestos teóricos: el de un acuífero dolomítico (D) y el de un acuífero dolomíticoyesífero (DY). La actividad de calcio de las aguas subterráneas en los dos supuestos puede ser expresada como una función del tipo: as=10p1 ∙ (pCO2)p2 ∙ (Ts)p3 Las constantes p1, p2 y p3 varían en función de la hipótesis considerada, así en el caso del acuífero dolomítico los valores de estas constantes son: p1= 6,71624   p2= 0,32933   p3= 3,64469 Y en el caso de un acuífero dolomítico yesífero estas constantes toman los siguientes valores: p1= 3,29381   p2= O,03392   p3= -0,40223 Utilizando las mismas consideraciones se puede calcular el valor de la actividad final de calcio (af) en las aguas superficiales en equilibrio con la pCO2 atmosférica. Conocidos los valores de aI y at para cualquier tipo de condicionante podemos escribir la expresión aproximada: [[(Vt ∙ aB / (VI - SL (eL - pL))] – at] ∙ (VI - SL (eL - pL)) ∙ 105 en la que VI, es el volumen del agua infIltrada; SL la superficie de las zonas encharcadas; eL la evaporación en la lámina libre de agua, y PL la precipitación del agua sobre las zonas encharcadas. Esta expresión nos permite calcular la velocidad de precipitación de carbonatos en zonas de surgencias kársticas, así como establecer la influencia sobre el proceso de los diferentes parámetros cuencales climáticos y ambientales. Así como puede ser utilizada en la conservación y en su caso desarrollo de sistemas travertínicos actuales amenazados por desafortunadas actuaciones humanas

Loss of genes implicated in gastric function during platypus evolution

Several genes implicated in food digestion have been deleted or inactivated in platypus. This loss perhaps explains the anatomical and physiological differences in the gastrointestinal tract between monotremes and other vertebrates and provides insights into platypus genome evolution

Formulation of DNA Nanocomposites: Towards Functional Materials for Protein Expression

DNA hydrogels are an emerging class of materials that hold great promise for numerous biotechnological applications, ranging from tissue engineering to targeted drug delivery and cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS). In addition to the molecular programmability of DNA that can be used to instruct biological systems, the formulation of DNA materials, e.g., as bulk hydrogels or microgels, is also relevant for specific applications. To advance the state of knowledge in this research area, the present work explores the scope of a recently developed class of complex DNA nanocomposites, synthesized by RCA polymerization of DNA-functionalized silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). SiNP/CNT-DNA composites were produced as bulk materials and microgels which contained a plasmid with transcribable genetic information for a fluorescent marker protein. Using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, we found that the materials are very efficiently taken up by various eukaryotic cell lines, which were able to continue dividing while the ingested material was evenly distributed to the daughter cells. However, no expression of the encoded protein occurred within the cells. While the microgels did not induce production of the marker protein even in a CFPS procedure with eukaryotic cell lysate, the bulk composites proved to be efficient templates for CFPS. This work contributes to the understanding of the molecular interactions between DNA composites and the functional cellular machinery. Implications for the use of such materials for CFPS procedures are discussed