Analysis Of Employment And Job Profiles Of Renewable Energy: The Case Of The European Union

In recent years, the European Union (EU) is involved in a process of intense development of renewable energy.One of the basic aims is to reduce atmospheric pollution.However, this type of production technologies also entails important social-economic implications including employment creation.The objective of this paper is to analyze the creation of employment due to the development of the main clean production technologies in the EU.In addition, we will study the main characteristics of the necessary job profiles in this new industry where their main skills and educational background will be analyzed

dislib: large scale high performance machine learning in Python

In recent years, machine learning has proven to be an extremely useful tool for extracting knowledge from data. This can be leveraged in numerous research areas, such as genomics, earth sciences, and astrophysics, to gain valuable insight. At the same time, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages among researchers due to its high productivity and rich ecosystem. Unfortunately, existing machine learning libraries for Python do not scale to large data sets, are hard to use by non-experts, and are difficult to set up in high performance computing clusters. These limitations have prevented scientists from exploiting the full potential of machine learning in their research. In this work, we present dislib [1], a distributed machine learning library on top of PyCOMPSs programming model [2] that addresses the issues of other similar existing libraries

Structural And Functional Analysis Of Engineered Cardiac Tissues In Response To Hypertrophic Growth Factors

The development of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis are central pathological processes that are common features resulting from many types of cardiac diseases. Moreover, a wide variety of inputs and interactions contribute to pathological hypertrophy and fibrosis. For example, changes in biomechanical stress on the myocardium, as occur during chronic pressure or volume overload, is a fundamental trigger for hypertrophy and fibrosis. In addition, crosstalk between myocytes and fibroblasts contributes to the structural, mechanical, and electrical remodeling in the pathogenesis of various heart conditions that lead to heart failure. During the development of pathological hypertrophy and fibrosis, many agonists such as endothelin (ET)-1, angiotensin (Ang) II, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β are activated in parallel, obscuring attribution of their individual, synergistic or subordinate effects. Finally, the development of hypertrophy and fibrosis themselves contribute to load changes in the heart, further complicating mechanistic interpretation. One impediment to further progress has been the lack of model systems that allow the experimental control required to draw definitive mechanistic conclusions of each of its components, yet retain the essential features of the in vivo environment. Accordingly, a major focus of this thesis is to examine the ability of a myocardial tissue engineering platform to decouple the effects of biochemical, mechanical and cell-specific inputs on microtissue auxotonic contractility. The model employed is based on microfabricated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) templates that generate arrays of 3D cardiac microtissues (CMT). Cantilevers within templates provide physiologically relevant auxotonic loading to the CMTs, promote the appropriate 3D organization of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts, and report resting and twitch force generation in real time. Additionally, we evaluated the correlation between sarcomere length and microtissue length, and developed twitch forces of these microtissues in an auxotonic preparation. While the role of known hypertrophic factors has been extensively studied using conventional cell culture and integrated in vivo models, few studies have used engineered cardiac tissues to examine how key hypertrophic agonists, alone or in combination, affect contractile parameters, including resting and twitch force as well as rates of force generation and relaxation. We found that the pathological mediators, endothelin (ET)-1, angiotensin (Ang) II, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, altered contractility with different magnitudes. Differences in contractile responses led us to further investigate the length-tension relationship in the microtissues. We further investigated how sarcomere length related to tissue length and contractile properties. Interestingly, we identified differential sarcomere lengths upon stimulation with different hypertrophic factors. ET-1 in particular, led to the largest changes in contractile properties. These results are described in greater detail in Chapter 2. Recognizing that biomechanical load acts in concert with pathological mediators in the development if cardiac hypertrophy, we utilized this cardiac microtissue model to generate templates with cantilevers with increased stiffness (Legant et al. 2009). The cantilever stiffness represent the resistance against which the engineered CMTs needs to contract, and mimics increased afterload as might occur during hypertension. We also studied the effect of increased afterload in combination with ET-1, Ang II, TGF-β upon force generation, and cell and tissue morphology. Interestingly, our data shows that cell area is altered only in the presence of increased afterload combined with hypertrophic factors, but not with the hypertrophic factors alone. These results are described in greater detail in Chapter 3. While many studies have focused on the interactions of nonmyocytes and myocytes, few studies have looked at the role of nonmyocytes in engineered tissue contractile function. Our studies focus on the role of nonmyocytes in contractile function. Our results suggest that myocyte enrichment (nonmyocyte depletion) leads to decreased contractile function, suggesting that nonmyocytes are required for proper contractile function. We also evaluated how nonmyocytes within engineered tissues contribute to the ET-1-induced changes in contractility. These results are described in greater detail in Chapter 4. Collectively, these studies have provided insights as to how cardiac microtissues can be employed to both isolate and integrate the biochemical and mechanical signals that contribute to changes in contractile function in the context of myocardial hypertrophy and disease. Continued work and future directions is discussed in Chapter 5

Mania as Debut of Cushing's Syndrome

This is a case of a patient affected by Cushing syndrome that was admitted at the hospital due to hormonal problems. He had presented psychiatric symptoms that were mistakenly considered not directly connected to the pathology causing the clinical condition, but a mere psychological reaction to it

Variáveis edáficas que condicionam o habitat de ácaros oribatídeos em Phaeozems Lúvicos sob plantações florestais (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The soil is a complex three-dimensional habitat and any changes in its structure and porosity are likely to affect the type and abundance of soil biota. Oribatid mites play an important role in the decomposition and mineralization of soil organic matter and their abundance depends on diverse soil parameters, including soil texture, organic matter content, pH, moisture, and the pore system. The aim of the present work is to analyze some of the edaphic variables that condition the habitat of oribatid mites in Luvic Phaeozems under Pinus radiata (site P) and Eucalyptus globulus (site E) plantations, in the Southeast of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bulk density, penetration resistance, pH, moisture, pore system parameters, and oribatid abundance and species composition were analyzed. Site E had a greater total porosity than site P. The high tortuosity of the pores in both sites generates a complex habitat architecture for the development of oribatid mites. In both sites, oribatids of 70-400 μm in size predominated and were more abundant in site E. A positive correlation between the abundance of oribatids and the pore size in both sites was observed. In site E this correlation was lower for 70-600 µm (R = 0.13) or negative for 70-400 µm (R = -0.78). Therefore, the oribatid abundance could be explained by a greater complexity of the structure of the organic horizon, lower bulk density and lower penetration resistance. These conditions favor the mineralization of organic matter, and therefore food availability. On the other hand, in site P, oribatid abundance is mainly influenced by the porous system, which conditions the access to food, competition between organisms and refuge from predators. Two new species were registered for Argentina: Mesotritia elegantula and Acrogalumna longipluma.El suelo es un hábitat tridimensional altamente complejo. Los cambios en su estructura y porosidad pueden afectar el tipo y la abundancia de la biota del suelo. Los ácaros oribátidos juegan un papel fundamental en la descomposición y mineralización de la materia orgánica del suelo, y su abundancia depende de la textura, la materia orgánica, el pH, la humedad, el sistema poroso, entre otros. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar algunas de las variables edáficas que condicionan el hábitat de los ácaros oribátidos en Phaeozems Lúvicos bajo plantaciones de Pinus radiata(P) y Eucalyptus globulus (E), en el sudeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se analizaron la densidad aparente, la resistencia a la penetración, el pH, la humedad, los parámetros del sistema poroso y la abundancia de oribátidos. Ambos sitios presentaron suelos bien estructurados con propiedades edáficas similares. La porosidad total fue mayor en el sitio E con respecto al sitio P. En ambos sitios la tortuosidad de los poros fue alta, lo que genera un hábitat de arquitectura compleja para el desarrollo de los ácaros oribátidos. Tanto en el sitio E como en el P predominaron oribátidos de 70-400 μm de tamaño y, en general, fueron más abundantes en el sitio E. Se observó una correlación positiva entre la abundancia de oribátidos y el tamaño de poros en ambos sitios. En el sitio E, esta correlación fue menor (70-600 μm) o negativa (70-400 μm). Por lo tanto, la abundancia de oribátidos podría explicarse por una mayor complejidad de la estructura del horizonte orgánico, menor densidad aparente y menor resistencia a la penetración. Estas condiciones favorecen la mineralización de la materia orgánica y, por lo tanto, la disponibilidad de alimento. Mientras, en el sitio P, la abundancia de oribátidos está influenciada principalmente por el sistema poroso, que condiciona el acceso al alimento, la competencia entre organismos y el refugio ante predadores. Se registration dos nuevas especies en Argentina, Mesotritia elegantula y Acrogalumna longipluma.O solo é um habitat tridimensional altamente complexo. As mudanças na estrutura e na porosidade podem afetar o tipo e quantidade da biota do solo. Os ácaros oribatídeos têm um papel fundamental na decomposição e mineralização da matéria orgânica do solo, e a sua abundância depende da textura, teor de matéria orgânica, pH, humidade, sistema poroso, entre outros parâmetros do solo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar algumas das variáveis edáficas que condicionam o habitat dos ácaros oribatídeos em Phaeozems Luvicos com plantações de Pinus radiata (P) e Eucalyptus globulus (E) no sudeste da província de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Foram analisados no solo a ddensidade aparente, resistência à penetração, pH, humidade, parâmetros do sistema poroso e a abundancia e espécies dos ácaros oribatídeos. Ambos os sítios apresentaram solos bem estruturados e com propriedades edáficas semelhantes. A porosidade total foi maior no sítio E quando comparado com o sítio P. Em ambos os sítios a tortuosidade dos poros foi alta, o que propicia um habitat de arquitetura complexa para o desenvolvimento dos ácaros oribatídeos. Tanto em E como em P, predominaram ácaros oribatídeos com 70-400 μm de tamanho e, em geral, foram mais abundantes em E. Foi observada uma correlação positiva entre a abundância de oribatídeos e o tamanho dos poros em ambos os sítios. Em E, esta correlação foi menor (70-600 μm) ou negativa (70-400 μm). Portanto, a abundância de oribatídeos poderia ser explicada pela maior complexidade da estrutura do horizonte orgânico, menor densidade do solo e menor resistência à penetração. Estas condições favorecem a mineralização da matéria orgânica e, consequentemente, a disponibilidade de alimento. Por outro lado, em P a abundância de oribatídeos é principalmente influenciada pelo sistema poroso que condiciona o acesso a alimento, a competição entre organismos e refúgio de predadores. Registaram-se duas novas espécies na Argentina, Mesotritia elegantula y Acrogalumna longipluma

Self-esteem among university students: how it can be improved through teamwork skills

Teamwork skills have been demonstrated to be excellent allies for the academic and professional sphere, and they can improve students’ psychological balance and self-esteem. For this reason, it is important to explore the relationship between teamwork skills and self-esteem. Considering the relevance of soft skills and self-esteem in university training, the main objective of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between teamwork skills and the successful development of self-esteem, a fundamental emotional factor in education. Additionally, we will analyse how self-esteem is related to other socio-academic factors (age, sex, and GPA). A questionnaire was distributed to social science university students. The Rosenberg 10-item scale, which aims to measure feelings of personal worth and self-respect, has been used to determine self-esteem. To measure soft skills for teamwork, we chose the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire, which evaluates the skill level of an individual in order to participate effectively in teamwork. The regression model indicates that self-esteem predictors related to teamwork skills are decision making, leadership, and communication. The results suggest significant differences in some individual variables, such as sex and age, with lower self-esteem being observed in females and older students. The described enriching interactions suggest the need to integrate teamwork training and self-esteem fostering at university to offer students lifelong competencies for their future success

Interaction of the antibiotic peptide nisin with anionic membranes in different phase-states: A vibrational study

Interactions between the antibiotic peptide nisin and multilamellar vesicles of phosphoglycerol lipids in different phase-states were studied using vibrational spectroscopy. The infrared amide I′ band of nisin, both in solution and in the membrane-bound state, was analyzed in the temperature range comprised between 20 and 60 °C in order to study its conformational behavior. Nisin presented mainly unordered and β-turns conformations. Their relative populations varied according to the environment and as the temperature increased: β turns were more favored in the membrane-bound state than in solution, but at higher temperatures the disordered conformation was dominant in both states. Spectral changes of specific infrared bands belonging to the hydrocarbon and polar moieties of lipids were also analyzed to evaluate the perturbation of the lipid membrane order. Nisin interactions with the membrane polar region induced a high restriction to water incorporation, promoting a small increase in the temperature of the lipid phase transition. Raman spectra of nisin/phosphoglycerol systems at ambient temperature were also analyzed. They revealed that the peptide incorporation to a membrane in the fluid phase caused drastic structural modifications in the hydrophobic region of the bilayer. Although nisin may be able to disrupt the hydrophobic portion of the bilayer in the gel phase, the most of the peptide molecule remained at the membrane surface interacting with the polar headgroups. This work provides evidence of a differential effect of nisin on anionic membranes, depending on the phase-state of the lipid.Fil: Sosa Morales, Marcelo Clemente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Juárez, Ana Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Montich, Guillermo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Rosa Maria Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentin

Sown Diversity Effects on Yield and Resistance to Weed Invasion : Clues to Improve Mixture Design Under Climatic Change in the Mediterranean

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABWith the aim to improve mixture design, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate change, we tested several forage communities following the biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) framework. We sowed monocultures and 4-species mixtures from a pool of 7 forage species in a sub-Mediterranean region (Eastern Pyrenees) and assessed the diversity effects on yield and resistance to weed invasion. The tested species included two grasses and five legumes with contrasting temporal patterns and different climatic amplitudes. The communities differed in their specific composition (mixture types) and the relative abundance of the components, following a simplex design, which allowed us to estimate separately the two components of the diversity effect: the individual species effects and that due to species interactions. Whereas monocultures performed in a highly variable way within and across harvests, both in relation to yield and weed suppression, mixture variability was narrower. Both functions increased in mixtures(with significant interaction effects between 24% and 57% for yield and 13% and 96% for weed suppression), especially in those mixtures including Mediterranean species, which showed the highest diversity effects that persisted over the three experimental years. Extreme climatic events during the experimental period might have affected not only the species' individual performances but also the strength of species interactions. Both components of diversity, identities and interactions, were key in maintaining high performances. We conclude that, under the current climate change scenario, it is important to include species in mixtures that increase resistance or resilience not only at the species level but also at the community level, through enhanced interaction effects

Climatic change and human-marine interactions in the uttermost tip of South America in Late Holocene

Palaeoclimatic records from southern tip of South America during the Last Holocene, indicate important climate intervals, such as the Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age, which offered new scenarios to hunter-gatherer groups who inhabited the region. The aim of this paper is to explore the social practices carried out by hunter-fisher-gatherer societies of the southern part of the Atlantic Coast of Tierra del Fuego island (53–55°S, 66–74°W) in order to deal with these environmental changes. From our perspective, foragers have played an active role in designing strategies to cope with environmental fluctuations. Consequently, we argue that in a context of ecological uncertainty, these societies would have developed flexible strategies in terms of subsistence, technology and settlement patterns. In order to test this proposal, zooarchaeological and technological analysis of different archaeological assemblages dated between the 1300 to 220 BP were undertaken. The results show that these hunter-fisher-gatherer societies exploited a broad range of faunal resources using a versatile technology which encompassed tools with low production values and high use values. Likewise, the analysis of landscape organization revealed a settlement strategy centered on the most productive habitats, which were preferentially reoccupied. We suggest that these strategies, supported by cumulative knowledge and material conditions, could have enhanced social resilience and sustainability.Fil: Alvarez, Myrian Rosa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Briz Godino, Ivan. University of York; Reino Unido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Pal, Nélida Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Bas López, Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Lacrouts, Adriana. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

On the search of the influence of substituents in the structural and vibrational properties of p-substituted sulfinylanilines: Study of p-trifluoromethylsulfinylaniline

The study of substitution effects on the structural and vibrational properties of para substituted sulfinylanilines proceeds a step forward with the study of p-trifluoromethylsulfinylaniline, synthesized and characterized by NMR, Raman, FTIR and mass spectra. The experimental spectra were compared and analyzed taking into account theoretical spectra obtained with quantum chemical calculations at different levels of theory. The spectroscopic results reveal the presence of a single form of this molecule which, according to the calculated molecular structure, possesses the NSO group coplanar with the ring plane. In addition, the syn conformation of the NSO group is also derived from both, experimental and theoretical data. The presence of the CF 3 group in the para position of the aromatic ring influences the properties of the N[dbnd]S[dbnd]O group, with the N[dbnd]S bond more strongly affected than the S[dbnd]O bond compared to results reported for other para substituted sulfinylanilines.Fil: Chemes, Doly María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Física; ArgentinaFil: Cutin, Edgardo Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Física; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Rosa Maria Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Robles, Norma Lis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Oberhammer, Heinz. Universität Tübingen; Alemani