Isotopic overabundances and the energetic particle model of solar flares

According to the energetic particle model of solar flares particles are efficiently accelerated in the magnetic field loop of an active region (AR) by hydromagnetic turbulence. It is demonstrated that the isotopic overabundances observed in some flares are not a consequence of the flare itself but are characteristic of the plasma in the AR. Only when a flare releases the plasma into the interplanetary space it is possible to observe this anomalous composition at spacecraft locations

Ecolabels: a tool to analyze the environmental aspects of ceramic companies

Treball Final de Grau en Finances i Comptabilitat. Codi: FC1049. Curs acadèmic: 2019-2020This work aims to carry out an environmental analysis of the Spanish ceramic sector, based on comparative analysis between several companies in the sector that have different size, turnover and turnover. The realization of this work has been motivated by various reasons; one of them is the impact and importance of this sector on the business fabric of our province; also because of the growing trend of corporate social responsibility in financial and business management, as well as the need to implement eco-labels in the ceramic sector. In short, this work aims to give an overview of the importance of CSR in the ceramic sector of Castellón, based on a quantitative analysis of the level of implementation of environmental ecolabels

Impact of Nutrient Resorption on the Fitness and Growth in Iva Frutescens, Salt Marsh Elder

Nutrient resorption, a nutrient conservation mechanism used by deciduous plants, was investigated in Iva frutescens, a woody salt marsh perennial. To address the impact of nutrient resorption on the fitness and growth in the model organism, a field and laboratory study was undertaken. During the Fall of 2022, seed material and growth measurements were collected from ten replicate Iva frutescens plants at four salt marsh habitats along the coast of Narragansett Bay, RI. Collected seed material was dried to constant mass, manually sorted to purify seed sample, and weighed. In addition, a subsample of 100 seeds from five individuals from each sample site were counted and weighed to determine whether significant seed mass variation existed among individuals, or habitats. In this ongoing project, seed samples from the Fall of 2022 are continuing to be processed. Seed production and vegetative growth in Iva frutescens are currently being analyzed in preparation for the comparative work planned for Fall of 2023. These data, and future comparative analyses, will significantly add to the literature on nutrient resorption and its impacts on Iva frutescens fitness and growth, and that of plant nutrient conservation, at large

HOMA metabolic assessment in normoglycemic and diabetic canines.

Introducción: La Diabetes Mellitus es una patología producida por un aumento en los niveles de glucosa a nivel sanguíneo, fenómeno mediado por factores ambientales y genéticos. Esta alza en los niveles de glicemia se puede deber a una falla en la producción, ya sea parcial o absoluta de insulina, así como también por una pérdida en la sensibilidad a la insulina por parte de los tejidos. Dado que los pacientes diabéticos solo responden a manejos de insulinización, y que son en su mayoría delgados, estos caninos pueden tener insulinoresistencia, sin llegar a desarrollar intolerancia a la glucosa o diabetes. Objetivo: El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la insulinoresistencia por medio del modelo matemático HOMA en pacientes con distinta condición corporal. Métodos: Se determinaron los niveles de insulina a través de ensayo IRMA y el análisis estadístico utilizó prueba de X2 y análisis de varianza ANOVA. Resultados: El análisis de varianza ANOVA entre los grupos, no mostró diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el grupo HOMA normoglicémico del paciente obeso y normopeso, así como tampoco entre el grupo HOMA diabético y normopeso. El índice de correlación X2 no mostró una asociación significativa entre la condición corporal y el índice HOMA alterado, (X2 =3,056; p = 0.08). Los niveles de insulina fueron mayores en pacientes obesos respecto a normopeso, aunque esta diferencia no fue estadísticamente significativa (F = 1.004; p = 0.394). Conclusión: El estudio realizado no mostró diferencias significativas en los niveles HOMA asociada a aumentos en su condición corporal, lo cual se podría relacionar a un mayor estado de insulinodeficiencia por sobre el estado de insulinoresistencia.Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is caused by an increase in blood glucose levels, a phenomenon mediated by environmental and genetic factors. This increase in blood glucose levels may be due to a partial or absolute failure to produce insulin as well as a loss in tissue sensitivity to insulin. Given that diabetic patients respond only to insulin therapy and are mostly thin, canines can develop insulin resistance, without developing glucose intolerance or diabetes. Aims: We aim to evaluate insulin resistance using the mathematical model homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) in patients with different body condition. Insulin levels were determined using the IRMA assay, and X2 test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for the statistical analysis. Results: ANOVA between the groups showed no significant differences between the normoglycemic HOMA group of the obese and normal weight patients and between the diabetic and normal weight HOMA group. The X2 correlation index did not show a significant association between the body condition and the altered HOMA index (X2 = 3.056, p = 0.08). Insulin levels were higher in obese patients than in those with normal weight, although the difference was not significant (F = 1.004, p = 0.394). Conclusion: In addition, there were no significant differences in HOMA levels associated with increases in the body condition, which could be related with a higher state of insulin deficiency over the state of insulin resistance

Delineamento de experimento aplicado ao processamento da cerâmica zircônia estabilizada com ítria via sinterização por corrente elétrica pulsada

Orientador : Prof. PhD. Gustavo Valentim LochCoorientador : Dr. Nério Vicente JúniorDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Métodos Numéricos em Engenharia. Defesa: Curitiba, 29/02/2016Inclui referências : f.98-104Área de concentração: Programação matemáticaResumo: Nesta dissertação, procurou-se obter um modelo matemático de previsão e controle de um processo de sinterização por corrente elétrica pulsada (SPS, do inglês Spark Plasma Sintering). Baseando-se em um delineamento de experimentos (DOE, do inglês Design of Experiments) para caracterizar as variáveis controláveis envolvidas no desenvolvimento de novos materiais cerâmicos, buscou-se obter determinadas qualidades. A cerâmica zircônia estabilizada com ítria (YSZ, do inglês Yttria Stabilized Zirconia) foi selecionada para a pesquisa. Realizou-se a análise do efeito dos parâmetros do processamento via SPS por meio dos resultados obtidos para a característica de densidade aparente das amostras de YSZ, que é a variável resposta selecionada. O delineamento fatorial completo 2K e a análise de variância (ANOVA, do inglês Analysis of Variance) foram utilizados para analisar os níveis dos parâmetros de granulometria do pó e de temperatura de processamento. Assim, um modelo matemático foi proposto para caracterizar o processo, de acordo com os resultados da variável resposta. Nessa análise preliminar, foram identificados desvios nas medições da característica de densidade aparente. Diante disso, a necessidade de tratamento de remoção de carbono das amostras processadas foi comprovada frente à melhoria obtida na porcentagem da capacidade de previsão do modelo matemático. De acordo com a análise realizada nas mesmas amostras após a remoção do carbono, pode-se concluir que a interação entre a granulometria e a temperatura de processamento causa influência no resultado da variável resposta. Um segundo experimento foi realizado por meio do método de Taguchi com o objetivo de reduzir a quantidade de observações. Foi verificado o efeito da presença de discos isolantes de corrente elétrica no sistema de preparação das amostras. Um modelo matemático de caracterização do processo foi proposto de acordo com essa metodologia. Além disso, um experimento de confirmação foi realizado segundo os ajustes ótimos do modelo proposto. Os resultados da variável resposta obtidos nesse segundo experimento foram considerados satisfatórios com relação aos dados disponíveis na literatura. Concluiu-se, sob as condições estudadas, que a granulometria do pó é um fator influente no resultado de densidade aparente do material selecionado. Palavras-chave: Planejamento de experimento, Delineamento fatorial, Método de Taguchi, Zircônia estabilizada com ítria, Sinterização por corrente elétrica pulsada.Abstract: This dissertation propose a mathematical model for prediction and control of a Spark Plasma Sintering process - SPS. The Design of Experiments - DOE was used to characterize control variables involved on the development of new ceramic materials with desired properties. The ceramic material selected as object to study was the Yttria Stabilized Zirconia - YSZ and the density is the response variable selected. The analyses of parameters that can make effects in apparent density of the samples after the SPS process was made. The 2k factorial design and the Analysis of Variance - ANOVA was used to analyze the two parameters process levels: i) powder particle size and ii) sintering temperature. Subsequently, a mathematical model was proposed for process characterization according to the apparent density obtained with planned experiments. In the initial analysis, some measurement of apparent density deviations were identified. Consequently, it has come to attention a necessity of a treatment to reduce the superficial carbon contamination in the processed samples and this process shows a better response to the mathematical model. In addition, it could be concluded that the interaction between particle size and process temperature cause an influence on the apparent density, according to the actual analysis with the same samples but without carbon, at this time. A second experiment was performed using the Taguchi method, with the objective to reduce the quantity of experiments and analyses the effect of using alumina discs with electrical insulant properties at the sample assemble. A second mathematical model was proposed for this process, and another series of validation experiments were performed in order to validate this second model. The results of apparent density were considered satisfactory according to reference literature. It were concluded that, under the studied circumstances, the powder particle size is an influent factor in the material apparent density. Key-words: Design of experiments, Factorial design, Taguchi method, Yttria Stabilized Zirconia, Spark Plasma Sintering

Dominant negative phenotype of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab, Cry11Aa and Cry4Ba mutants suggest hetero-oligomer formation among different Cry toxins.

Background - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins are used worldwide in the control of different insect pests important in agriculture or in human health. The Cry proteins are pore-forming toxins that affect the midgut cell of target insects. It was shown that non-toxic Cry1Ab helix a-4 mutants had a dominant negative (DN) phenotype inhibiting the toxicity of wildtype Cry1Ab when used in equimolar or sub-stoichiometric ratios (1:1, 0.5:1, mutant:wt) indicating that oligomer formation is a key step in toxicity of Cry toxins. Methodology/Principal Findings - The DN Cry1Ab-D136N/T143D mutant that is able to block toxicity of Cry1Ab toxin, was used to analyze its capacity to block the activity against Manduca sexta larvae of other Cry1 toxins, such as Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ca, Cry1Da, Cry1Ea and Cry1Fa. Cry1Ab-DN mutant inhibited toxicity of Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa. In addition, we isolated mutants in helix a-4 of Cry4Ba and Cry11Aa, and demonstrate that Cry4Ba-E159K and Cry11Aa-V142D are inactive and completely block the toxicity against Aedes aegypti of both wildtype toxins, when used at sub-stoichiometric ratios, confirming a DN phenotype. As controls we analyzed Cry1Ab-R99A or Cry11Aa-E97A mutants that are located in helix a-3 and are affected in toxin oligomerization. These mutants do not show a DN phenotype but were able to block toxicity when used in 10:1 or 100:1 ratios (mutant:wt) probably by competition of binding with toxin receptors. Conclusions/Significance - We show that DN phenotype can be observed among different Cry toxins suggesting that may interact in vivo forming hetero-oligomers. The DN phenotype cannot be observed in mutants affected in oligomerization, suggesting that this step is important to inhibit toxicity of other toxin

Funcionamiento familiar y violencia escolar en adolescentes de 3ro y 4to grado de secundaria de una institución educativa pública del distrito de Puente Piedra, 2019

Este trabajo persiguió por objetivo determinar la relación entre funcionamiento familiar y violencia escolar en una muestra conformada por 201 adolescentes de ambos sexos, pertenecientes a 3ro y 4to grado de secundaria de una Institución Educativa Pública del distrito de Puente Piedra en el periodo 2019, cuyas edades se encontraban entre 14 a 16 años. El estudio fue cuantitativo de diseño no experimental, corte transversal y tipo descriptivo correlacional. Se emplearon como instrumentos la Escala de Funcionalidad Familiar (FACES-III) diseñada en 1985 por Olson, Portier y Lavee, y el Cuestionario de Violencia Escolar – Cuve 3 ESO elaborado en el año 2013 por Álvarez y Dobarro. Los resultados señalaron que existe correlación estadísticamente significativa de tipo inversa entre las variables funcionamiento familiar y violencia escolar (p=0,000) con un coeficiente de correlación de -,544** en la dimensión Flexibilidad y -,280** en la dimensión Cohesión. Se concluye que cuanto mayor sea el funcionamiento familiar a través de la flexibilidad y cohesión, menor será la violencia escolar en los participantes.This work pursues the objective of the relationship between family functioning and school violence in a sample made up of 201 adolescents of both sexes, belonging to 3rd and 4th grade of secondary school of an educational institution. They were between 14 and 16 years old. The study was quantitative of non-experimental design, cross section and descriptive correlational type. They were used as instruments in the Family Functionality Scale (FACES-III) conducted in 1985 by Olson, Portier and Lavee, and in the School Violence Questionnaire - Cuve 3 This is explained in 2013 by Álvarez and Dobarro. The results indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation of the inverse type between the variables Family functioning and school violence (p = 0.000) with a correlation coefficient of -, 544 ** in the Flexibility dimension and -, 280 ** in the dimension of Cohesion. The degree to which family functioning is found through flexibility and cohesion, and school violence in participants is concluded