Three pedagogical actions from a/r/tographic approach for the teaching of printmaking in art educaion

El grabado es una disciplina de múltiples posibilidades expresivas y tanto el manejo e interiorización de sus métodos, como la experimentación que deviene de ellos son factores que benefician distintos ámbitos de los procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje. Un enfoque a/r/tográfico integra los roles de artista, docente e investigador, lo cual contribuye a las reflexión de la práctica artística desarrolladas dentro del trabajo de taller. Este ejercicio estético es fundamental para orientar y proponer tres experiencias en tres contextos educativos; dos de ellas llevadas a cabo en el Museo Caja Granada. Todas ellas invitan al público en general y en la formación de maestros en particular y en el ámbito de la formación en Educación Artística de un grupo de estudiantes de Educación Social de la Universidad de Granada, a interactuar con obras de la colección. Se trata de acciones sencillas que valoran el resultado individual y lo relación con el resto de participantes, construyendo colectivamente una obra en interacción con su entorno. Los resultados alcanzados contribuyen finalmente a la cristalización de una propuesta que reúne ocho criterios como ideas base para la enseñanza y práctica del grabado aplicable, a otros posibles contextos educativos.Engraving is a discipline with multiple expressive possibilities and both the handling and internalization of its methods and the experimentation that results from them are factors that benefit different areas of the teaching and learning processes. An a/r/tographic approach (which brings together the roles of artist, teacher and researcher in an inquiry) contributes to visualizing these affirmations by drawing on the artistic reflections and practices displayed and occurring within the workshop work. The aesthetic exercise is fundamental for directing and proposing three experiences in three educational contexts; two of them are developed in the Caja Granada Museum and invite the general public and primary education teachers to interact with works of the collection while the third is deployed within the scope of professional training in Artistic Education of a group of Social Education students from the University of Granada. These are simple graphic actions that value the individual result and relate it to the rest of the participants, collectively constructing a work in interaction with its place of development. The results achieved contribute finally to the crystallization of a proposal that gathers eight criteria as basic ideas for the teaching and practice of engraving applicable to other possible educational contexts

Luminescence thermometry for brain activity monitoring: A perspective

Minimally invasive monitoring of brain activity is essential not only to gain understanding on the working principles of the brain, but also for the development of new diagnostic tools. In this perspective we describe how brain thermometry could be an alternative to conventional methods (e.g., magnetic resonance or nuclear medicine) for the acquisition of thermal images of the brain with enough spatial and temperature resolution to track brain activity in minimally perturbed animals. We focus on the latest advances in transcranial luminescence thermometry introducing a critical discussion on its advantages and shortcomings. We also anticipate the main challenges that the application of luminescent nanoparticles for brain thermometry will face in next years. With this work we aim to promote the development of near infrared luminescence for brain activity monitoring, which could also benefit other research areas dealing with the brain and its illnessesThis work was financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Innovación y Ciencias under project NANONERV PID 2019-106211RB-I00. BD acknowledges support from the Australian Research Council (DE200100985), RMIT University (Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowship Programme) and the Australian Academy of Sciences (JG Russell Award). PR-S is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva—Incorporación scholarship (IJC2019-041915-I). AB acknowledges funding from Comunidad de Madrid through TALENTO grant ref. 2019-T1/IND-14014. EX is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva - Incorporación scholarship (IJC2020-045229-I

Neural networks push the limits of luminescence lifetime nanosensing

Luminescence lifetime-based sensing is ideally suited to monitor biological systems due to its minimal invasiveness and remote working principle. Yet, its applicability is limited in conditions of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) induced by, e.g., short exposure times and presence of opaque tissues. Herein this limitation is overcome by applying a U-shaped convolutional neural network (U-NET) to improve luminescence lifetime estimation under conditions of extremely low SNR. Specifically, the prowess of the U-NET is showcased in the context of luminescence lifetime thermometry, achieving more precise thermal readouts using Ag2S nanothermometers. Compared to traditional analysis methods of decay curve fitting and integration, the U-NET can extract average lifetimes more precisely and consistently regardless of the SNR value. The improvement achieved in the sensing performance using the U-NET is demonstrated with two experiments characterized by extreme measurement conditions: thermal monitoring of free-falling droplets, and monitoring of thermal transients in suspended droplets through an opaque medium. These results broaden the applicability of luminescence lifetime-based sensing in fields including in vivo experimentation and microfluidics, while, hopefully, spurring further research on the implementation of machine learning (ML) in luminescence sensingThis work was financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Innovación y Ciencias under Project Nos. RTI2018-101050-J-I00, NANONERV PID2019-106211RB-I00, NANOGRANZ PID2021-123318OB-I00, TED2021-132317- I00B, and EIN2020-112419. Additional funding was provided by the European Union Horizon 2020 FETOpen project NanoTBTech (Grant No. 801305) and by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (S2022/BMD7403 REMIN-CM). R.M. is grateful to the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación for support to research through a Ramón y Cajal Fellowship (RYC2021-032913-I). L.M. acknowledges a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (No. 202108350018). I.Z.-G. thanks UCM-Santander for a predoctoral contract (CT63/19-CT64/19). P.R.-S. is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación scholarship (Grant No. IJC2019-041915-I

In vivo near-infrared imaging using ternary selenide semiconductor nanoparticles with an uncommon crystal structure

The implementation of in vivo fluorescence imaging as a reliable diagnostic imaging modality at the clinical level is still far from reality. Plenty of work remains ahead to provide medical practitioners with solid proof of the potential advantages of this imaging technique. To do so, one of the key objectives is to better the optical performance of dedicated contrast agents, thus improving the resolution and penetration depth achievable. This direction is followed here and the use of a novel AgInSe2 nanoparticle-based contrast agent (nanocapsule) is reported for fluorescence imaging. The use of an Ag2Se seeds-mediated synthesis method allows stabilizing an uncommon orthorhombic crystal structure, which endows the material with emission in the second biological window (1000–1400 nm), where deeper penetration in tissues is achieved. The nanocapsules, obtained via phospholipid-assisted encapsulation of the AgInSe2 nanoparticles, comply with the mandatory requisites for an imaging contrast agent—colloidal stability and negligible toxicity—and show superior brightness compared with widely used Ag2S nanoparticles. Imaging experiments point to the great potential of the novel AgInSe2-based nanocapsules for high-resolution, whole-body in vivo imaging. Their extended permanence time within blood vessels make them especially suitable for prolonged imaging of the cardiovascular systemJ.Y. acknowledges the support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC File No. 201704910867). R.M. acknowledges the support of the European Commission through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 797945 (LANTERNS). P.R. is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva – Incorporación scholarship (IJC2019-041915-I). This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España under projects MAT2016-75362-C3-1-R, MAT2017-83111R, and MAT2017-85617-R, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI16/00812), by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (B2017/BMD3867/RENIM-CM, PID2019-106211RB-I00), and cofinanced by the European Structural and investment fund. Additional funding was provided by the European Union Horizon 2020 FETOpen project NanoTBTech (801305), the Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal project IMP18_38 (2018/0265), and also by COST action CA17140. E.X. is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva Formación scholarship (FJC2018-036734-I

Incubación de empresas, actividad emprendedora y generación de conocimiento en el marco de la relación empresa-universidad-gobierno

En la actualidad, el conocimiento y la innovación son factores clave en los procesos de mejora económica y progresión social. Por tal motivo, las lógicas productivas y de articulación social requieren estar orientadas a generar y difundir información y conocimiento. Desde esta perspectiva, los aspectos intangibles de producción basados en el “saber hacer” son la piedra angular de la dinámica económica y social. Esta era, definida como la economía o la sociedad del conocimiento, se identifica como la estructura o sistema que orienta sus actividades productivas, organizacionales, sociales e institucionales para producir, acumular y transmitir conocimiento, basado en el impulso a la innovación, el espíritu emprendedor y el dinamismo económico. Uno de los ámbitos sustanciales al construir comunidades del aber se localiza en la configuración de vínculos entre universidades, industrias y gobiernos, acto trascendental para potenciar el emprendimiento y generar un ambiente innovador. Una manera de materializar este nuevo contexto productivo es mediante las incubadoras de empresas: estructuras capaces de fortalecer las habilidades del emprendedor, al tiempo que crean y transmiten conocimiento para generar nuevas tecnologías, la creación de empleos y el crecimiento económico, tanto en el ámbito local como nacional. La presente obra contiene diversos resultados de investigación que, desde distintos ángulos teóricos y empíricos, permiten analizar cómo emprender e incubar empresas, la gestión del conocimiento en organizaciones y las condiciones regionales de innovación, ofreciendo contribuciones interesantes en temas medulares que ayudan a entender mejor lo que se define como una economía o sociedad del conocimiento.Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Méxic

Mn5+ Lifetime-Based Thermal Imaging in the Optical Transparency Windows Through Skin-Mimicking Tissue Phantom

Lifetime-based luminescence thermometry has been shown to enable accurate deep-tissue monitoring of temperature changes – even at the in vivo level – in a minimally invasive way. However, major limiting factors to the performance of this approach are short lifetimes and poor brightness. These are characteristics, respectively, of semiconductor nanocrystals and lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, of which most luminescent nanothermometers are made. To address these limitations, the composition of luminescent nanothermometers co-doped with transition metal (Mn5+) and Er3+ ions are designed and optimized. The salient features of these nanothermometers are strong, near-infrared emission and long, temperature-dependent photoluminescence lifetime. The potential of these luminescent nanophosphors for thermal sensing is then showcased by monitoring a thermal gradient using a one-of-a-kind piece of equipment designed for lifetime-based luminescence thermometry measurements. The combination of the newly developed nanothermometers and the custom-made instrument allows for obtaining 2D thermal maps both in the absence and presence of tissue phantoms mimicking the optical properties of the skin. The results presented in this study thus provide credible foundations for the deployment of lifetime-based thermometry for accurate deep-tissue thermal mapping at the preclinical level

Critical evaluation of the thermometric performance of ratiometric luminescence thermometers based on Ba3(VO4)2:Mn5+,Nd3+ for deep-tissue thermal imaging

Near-infrared (NIR) luminescence thermometry has been brought to the fore as a reliable approach for remote thermal sensing and imaging. Lanthanide (Ln3+)-based nanophosphors are often proposed as NIR nanothermometers of choice. However, the combination of Ln3+ with transition metal (TM) ions has recently emerged as a strategy to introduce additional emission bands and/or TM ↔ Ln3+ energy transfer pathways whose temperature dependence can be harnessed to increase the sensitivity of the thermometric approach. Yet, the examples of the combination of luminescence nanothermometers working in the NIR and hosting simultaneously TM and Ln3+ are scarce, leaving plenty of space for the exploration of these systems. Herein, we report on the preparation and optimization of the thermometric performance of Ba3(VO4)2:Mn5+,Nd3+ nanophosphors. The different temperature dependences of the emission intensity of the two doped luminescent centers allow using the ratio between Mn5+ and Nd3+ as a reliable thermometric parameter with a relative thermal sensitivity of 1% K−1 close to room temperature. We then showcase the suitability of this nanophosphor for employment in 2D NIR luminescence thermal imaging. Lastly, we critically evaluate the possibility of using this thermal imaging approach through opaque media with the help of phantoms with tissue-like optical properties. As expected, a loss of reliability of the thermometric method is observed due to tissue-induced photon scattering and absorption that differentially affect the emission of Mn5+ and Nd3+. Overall, the reported results underscore the good performance of the newly developed nanothermometer, while consolidating the call for the use of luminescence nanothermometers working in the time-domain (rather than in the spectral domain) for deep-tissue thermal readout/imaging

Infrared-Emitting Multimodal Nanostructures for Controlled In Vivo Magnetic Hyperthermia

Deliberate and local increase of the temperature within solid tumors represents an effective therapeutic approach. Thermal therapies embrace this concept leveraging the capability of some species to convert the absorbed energy into heat. To that end, magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) uses magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that can effectively dissipate the energy absorbed under alternating magnetic fields. However, MNPs fail to provide real-time thermal feedback with the risk of unwanted overheating and impeding on-the-fly adjustment of the therapeutic parameters. Localization of MNPs within a tissue in an accurate, rapid, and cost-effective way represents another challenge for increasing the efficacy of MHT. In this work, MNPs are combined with state-of-the-art infrared luminescent nanothermometers (LNTh; Ag2S nanoparticles) in a nanocapsule that simultaneously overcomes these limitations. The novel optomagnetic nanocapsule acts as multimodal contrast agents for different imaging techniques (magnetic resonance, photoacoustic and near-infrared fluorescence imaging, optical and X-ray computed tomography). Most crucially, these nanocapsules provide accurate (0.2 degrees C resolution) and real-time subcutaneous thermal feedback during in vivo MHT, also enabling the attainment of thermal maps of the area of interest. These findings are a milestone on the road toward controlled magnetothermal therapies with minimal side effects.E.X. and R.M. contributed equally to this work. Work partially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2019-106301RB-I00 and PID2019-105195RA-I00), by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2017-85617-R, SEV-2016-0686), by the Comunidad de Madrid (RENIM-CM, B2017/BMD-3867, co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Fund; NANOMAGCOST-CM P2018/NMT-4321), by the European COST Actions CA17115 (MyWave) and CA17140 (Nano2Clinic), by the Spanish Scientific Network HiperNano (RED2018-102626-T) and by the European Commission Horizon 2020 project NanoTBTech (Grant Number: 801305). D.G.-C. acknowledges CAM for funding PEJ-2018-AI/IND-11245. A.B. acknowledges funding from Comunidad de Madrid through TALENTO grant ref. 2019-T1/IND-14014. E.X. is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva Formación scholarship (FJC2018-036734-I). R.M. acknowledges the support of the European Commission through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant agreement N 797945 (LANTERNS). A. E. acknowledges the support from Comunidad de Madrid (Talento project 2018-T1/IND-1005) and from AECC (Ideas Semilla 2019 project). P.R.S. is grateful for a Juan de la Cierva Incorporación scholarship (IJC2019-041915-I). Procedures involving animal experiments were approved by the regional authority for animal experimentation of the Comunidad de Madrid and were conducted in agreement with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Ethics Committee, in compliance with the European Union directives 63/2010UE and Spanish regulation RD 53/2013

Pintando caballos: Estudio de la Anatomía y Biomecánica Equina a través de la Pintura sobre el Animal Vivo

Creación de un material docente (para web y plataformas móviles) pintando las estructuras anatómicas músculo-esqueléticas sobre caballos vivos para el aprendizaje de la anatomía funcional y biomecánica equina de forma sencilla, visual y didáctica