Comparison of coal chars prepared in different devices at similar temperature

The characteristics of chars prepared in both a drop tube furnace (DTF) and a flat flame burner (FFB) at 1300 ºC from seven coals of different rank and maceral composition are the subject of this study. Coal samples sized and sieved to 36-75 μm were fed. The flame temperature of the FFB was achieved with a mixture of methane, air and oxygen whereas two different gas compositions were used in the DTF to account for sub-stoichiometric (2.5% O2) and close to stoichiometric (10% O2) oxygen levels. Determination of micropore surface area was carried out by CO2 adsorption isotherms at 0°C and char reactivity to air was measured at 550 °C in a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). Overall similar combustion trends were obtained in both devices with burnout decreasing as coal rank increases and CO2 surface areas decreasing up to the medium volatile bituminous coal rank and increasing again for the anthracites. The results reveal a reasonable agreement between burnouts of FFB chars and low oxygen DTF chars whereas higher burnouts were obtained for higher oxygen DTF chars. The CO2 surface areas of the chars reasonably scattered without any systematic trend. The intrinsic reactivities of both series of chars from the DTF were similar to the corresponding FFB chars. Increasing coal rank, intrinsic reactivity of chars from the different combustion conditions decreased.The Principality of Asturias (Principado de Asturias), Project PC04-03 and the Ministry for Education (Ministerio de Educación), Project PSE2-2005Peer reviewe

Exercise to treat psychopathology and other clinical outcomes in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Psychopathology and side effects of antipsychotic drugs contribute to worsening physical health and long-term disability, and increasing the risk of mortality in these patients. The efficacy of exercise on these factors is not fully understood, and this lack of knowledge may hamper the routine application of physical activity as part of the clinical care of schizophrenia. Aims To determine the effect of exercise on psychopathology and other clinical markers in patients with schizophrenia. We also looked at several moderators. Method MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched from inception to October 2022. Randomized controlled trials of exercise interventions in patients 18-65 years old diagnosed with schizophrenia disorder were included. A multilevel random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to pool the data. Heterogeneity at each level of the meta-analysis was estimated via Cochran's Q, I2, and R2. Results Pooled effect estimates from 28 included studies (1,460 patients) showed that exercise is effective to improve schizophrenia psychopathology (Hedges' g = 0.28, [95% CI 0.14, 0.42]). Exercise presented stronger effects in outpatients than inpatients. We also found exercise is effective to improve muscle strength and self-reported disability. Conclusions Our meta-analysis demonstrated that exercise could be an important part in the management and treatment of schizophrenia. Considering the current evidence, aerobic and high-intensity interval training exercises may provide superior benefits over other modalities. However, more studies are warranted to determine the optimal type and dose of exercise to improve clinical outcomes in people with schizophrenia.12 página

Método de obtención de oxido de material pregrafítico, oxido de grafeno o grafeno a partir de materiales pregrafíticos y productos obtenidos por dicho método

Método de obtención de óxido de material pregrafítico, óxido de grafeno o grafeno a partir de materiales pregrafíticos y productos obtenidos por dicho método. Método de obtención de un producto seleccionado del grupo que consiste en óxido de material pregrafítico, óxido de grafeno y grafeno, caracterizado porque comprende transformar al menos un material pregrafítico en el producto sin tratamiento de grafitización. Preferiblemente, el material pregrafítico es coque (comercial o preparado a partir de breas, tanto de petróleo como de carbón o sintéticas)Peer reviewedConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasB1 Patente sin examen previ

Participatory visioning for building disruptive future scenarios for transport and land use planning

Participatory visioning in transport scenario building can be particularly useful to anticipate and examine unexpected outcomes over long-term future timelines, providing broad legitimacy to today's decision-making processes. However, the strategic value of participatory approaches is increasingly being contested due to the difficulty to operationalize non-linear thinking, resulting in long-term visions similar to business-as-usual projections. To address this challenge, we developed and implemented a novel participatory visioning approach based on using semi-structured interviews that incorporate two types of wild cards &- low probability and high impact processes &- as disruptive visioning triggers: imaginable and unimaginable processes. A group of experts evaluated the level of disruptive thinking in the generated future visions. The Henares Corridor in the Metropolitan Area of Madrid, Spain provided the empirical focus. The results present a total of seven 2050 visions: one desired common vision plus six wild card visions. Higher levels of disruptive thinking were mainly present in those future visions generated by unimaginable processes, as such processes initiate highly diverging participant future views. It was also noted that smaller and specific groups of participants can visualize 2050 futures more disruptively. Conclusions and reflections on the strengths and weakness of the presented approach are drawn

Stereoselective Alkylation of Chiral Titanium(IV) Enolates with tert-Butyl Peresters

[EN]Here, we present a new stereoselective alkylation of titanium(IV) enolates of chiral N-acyl oxazolidinones with tert-butyl peresters from Calpha-branched aliphatic carboxylic acids, which proceeds through the decarboxylation of the peresters and the subsequent formation of alkyl radicals to produce the alkylated adducts with an excellent diastereoselectivity. Theoretical calculations account for the observed reactivity and the outstanding stereocontrol. Importantly, the resultant compounds can be easily converted into ligands for asymmetric and catalytic transformations.We acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, e Innovación (MCIN)/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, UE) (Grant No. PGC2018-094311-B-I00 and Grant No. PID2019-110008GB-I00), the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR 271), and SGIker (UPV/EHU) for providing human and computational resources. Furthermore, a doctorate studentship to M.P.-P. (FPU, MINU) is acknowledged

Governance Knowledge Management and Decision Support Using Fuzzy Governance Maps

Business process management systems incorporate the pos sibility of monitoring the behaviour of a company, by observing their business process indicators. Depending on the process executed, and the order of their performances, certain KPIs can be modified to render the company more competitive. This paper proposes the creation of a model based fuzzy logic that can represent the relation between KPIs and the business processes of the companies. The use of this graph enables busi ness experts to simulate the evolution of the business according to the decisions taken in the governance process, thereby helping in governance activities.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIN2015-63502-C3-2-

The effects of continentality, marine nature and the recirculation of air masses on pollen concentration: Olea in a Mediterranean coastal enclave

Olea pollen concentrations have been studied in relation to the typology of air masses, pollen grain sources and marine nature during advections in a coastal enclave in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Since Spain is the world's leading olive producer, and olive growing extends throughout the Mediterranean basin, this location is ideal for the study of long-distance transport events (LTD) during the main pollen season (MPS). The air masses were classified using the calculation of 48-h back trajectories at 250, 500 and 750 m above ground level using the HYSPLIT model. After that, the frequency of LDT events from Africa and Europe was found to be 8.7% of the MPS days. In contrast, regional air masses were found in 38.6% of the MPS days. This was reflected in pollen concentrations, with significantly higher concentrations (p-value <0.05) on days with regional air masses compared to days with European air masses. Regarding the source areas, the importance of nearby sources with intense olive cultivation was confirmed (i.e., Andalusia). This proximity was relevant beyond the attenuations observed when the advections acquired a marine nature as the air mass back trajectories moved over the sea (p-value <0.001). The review of air mass typologies, source areas and pollen concentrations resulted in establishing peak dates and the detection of LDT associated with these peak dates. Distortions in the typical path of each air mass explained alterations in pollen concentrations on consecutive days. The recirculation and loops of the air mass back trajectories varied the pollen load that every type of air mass could originally contain.Funding: This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Spanish Government through the projects SICAAP-CPI RTI2018-096392-B-C21 and SICAAP-CPI RTI2018-096392-B-C22. The Interministerial Committee of Science and Technology, which financed the projects BOS2000-0563-C02-02, BOS2003-06329-C02-02, BOS 2006-15103; the Seneca Foundation of the Region of Murcia, which financed the project 08849/PI/08. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Ms. Paula García López, technician at the Aerobiological Network of the Region of Murcia, funded by the Spanish State Research Agency, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (code: PTA2017-13571-I)

Mapping of QTL for resistance to the Mediterranean corn borer attack using the intermated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) population of maize

The Mediterranean corn borer or pink stem borer (MCB, Sesamia nonagrioides Lefebvre) causes important yield losses as a consequence of stalk tunneling and direct kernel damage. B73 and Mo17 are the source of the most commercial valuable maize inbred lines in temperate zones, while the intermated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) population is an invaluable source for QTL identification. However, no or few experiments have been carried out to detect QTL for corn borer resistance in the B73 × Mo17 population. The objective of this work was to locate QTL for resistance to stem tunneling and kernel damage by MCB in the IBM population. We detected a QTL for kernel damage at bin 8.05, although the effect was small and two QTL for stalk tunneling at bins 1.06 and 9.04 in which the additive effects were 4 cm, approximately. The two QTL detected for MCB resistance were close to other QTL consistently found for European corn borer (ECB, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner) resistance, indicating mechanisms of resistance common to both pests or gene clusters controlling resistance to different plagues. The precise mapping achieved with the IBM population will facilitate the QTL pyramiding and the positional cloning of the detected QTL.This research was supported by the National Plan for Research and Development of Spain (Project Cod. AGL2006-13140). B Ordas and R Santiago acknowledge a contract from the Spanish National Research Council (I3P Program) and G Sandoya acknowledges a fellowship from the Ministry of Education and Science (Spain).MECCSICPeer reviewe

Teaching to Promote Entrepreneurship in the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Analysis Methodologies and Content

El trabajo parte de la reflexión sobre las oportunidades laborales de los egresados en publicidad y relaciones públicas, con una hipótesis inicial sobre las posibilidades de desarrollo de una carrera profesional autónoma a partir de la formación en competencias para el emprendimiento. La investigación contempla el análisis de contenido de guías docentes de diferentes asignaturas y universidades. Además se cuenta con dos doctorandas docentes y emprendedoras. Los resultados obtenidos revelan puntos fuertes y áreas de mejora que conviene atender si se pretende fomentar el emprendimiento en Publicidad y Relaciones Públicas, y abre una agenda de investigación específica sobre el tema.This paper reflects about employment opportunities of Advertising and Public Relations’ graduates and it suggests an initial assumption about possibilities for development of a self-sufficient professional career from skills training for entrepreneurship. This research includes content analysis of several teaching guides. In addition, it counts with the collaboration of two PhD students and entrepreneurs. The results show strength points and improvement areas that should be considerate to encourage entrepreneurship within the Degree of Advertising and Public Relation and it allows the beginning of a specific research roadmap on this issue

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Genetic association study in a cohort of spanish children

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a strong genetic component. The study is aimed to test the association of 34 polymorphisms with ADHD symptomatology considering the role of clinical subtypes and sex in a Spanish population. Methods: A cohort of ADHD 290 patients and 340 controls aged 6–18 years were included in a case–control study, stratified by sex and ADHD subtype. Multivariate logistic regression was used to detect the combined effects of multiple variants. Results: After correcting for multiple testing, we found several significant associations between the polymorphisms and ADHD (p value corrected ≤0.05): (1) SLC6A4 and LPHN3 were associated in the total population; (2) SLC6A2, SLC6A3, SLC6A4 and LPHN3 were associated in the combined subtype; and (3) LPHN3 was associated in the male sample. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the influence of these variables for the total sample, combined and inattentive subtype, female and male sample, revealing that these factors contributed to 8.5, 14.6, 2.6, 16.5 and 8.5 % of the variance respectively. Conclusions: We report evidence of the genetic contribution of common variants to the ADHD phenotype in four genes, with the LPHN3 gene playing a particularly important role. Future studies should investigate the contribution of genetic variants to the risk of ADHD considering their role in specific sex or subtype, as doing so may produce more predictable and robust modelsThis study was supported by the following research grants: Fundacion Alicia Koplowitz (4019-004), Biobank of Fundacion Jimenez Diaz Hospital (RD09/0076/00101, Instituto de Salud Carlos III) and the Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases -CIBERER (06/07/0036). The work of CG-S is supported by a Fundacion Conchita Rabago Gran