Numerical and experimental development of cupronickel filler brazed joints for divertor and first wall components in DEMO fusion reactor

The brazeability of a cupronickel commercial alloy (Cu10Ni) was evaluated for its use as a filler alloy for high- temperature joining of tungsten to the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel EUROFER 97 (W-E) and between tungsten base materials (W-W) for its application at the first wall and divertor of future fusion reactors. In addition, given the importance of the residual stresses in these heterogenous joints, a study of the brazing conditions and the impact of the selected filler has been conducted using numerical software to understand its impact on the quality of the joint. Two thermal cycles were evaluated (1165 $^◦$C and 1190$^◦$C) and selected based on the thermal characterization of the filler alloy. The microstructural examination revealed that, in W-E joints, nickel acts as an activator element, reacting and forming interfacial layers at the EUROFER 97 - Cu10Ni interface. In the case of the W-W joints, a lower level of diffusion phenomenon and metallurgical interaction between Cu10Ni and base materials were observed. The hardness profile indicated that the hardening process of EUROFER 97 was associated with the formation of untempered martensite. On the other hand, tungsten kept the received hardness. The me- chanical characterization by shear test reported similar values between both types of joints carried out at 1190$^◦$C but different when the temperature was increased (1165 $^°$C), associated with the brittle character of tungsten and its lower metallurgical interaction. The numerical analysis of the brazing process carried out with ANSYS software shows that residual stresses are accumulated mainly at the interfaces. The information provided by the simulation shows, for a 50 μm filler thickness, the importance of mitigating the residual stress by selecting a filler with an intermediate Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) that alleviates mechanical stresses relative to the base materials

About an Hispanic annular fibulae with ‘Hercules knot’ and other findings from La Monravana (Llíria, Valencia)

En el marco de la entrega al Museo de Prehistoria de Valencia de una fíbula anular hispánica decorada en su puente con un motivo de nudo hercúleo, recuperada en el poblado ibérico de La Monravana, se presenta una revisión del modelo que se fecha hacia el siglo IV a.C. con una distribución geográfica en las tierras del interior de la provincia de Valencia y el sur de Cuenca. Junto a la fíbula se conservaba un conjunto de fotografías que reproducen un variado repertorio cerámico supuestamente de la misma procedencia. Su estudio permite realizar una aproximación a las producciones de este tipo de materiales en el área edetana hacia finales del siglo III o inicios del II a.C.In the context of the cession to the Prehistory Museum of Valencia of a Hispanic annular fibulae decorated on the bridge with a Herculean knot, from the Iberian settlement of La Monravana, a review of these model is made. It is dated toward the fourth century BC and presents a geographical distribution in the inland of the province of Valencia and southern Cuenca. Together with the fibulae a set of photographs that reproduce a varied repertoire ceramic supposedly from the same source was kept. Their study allows an approach to the production of such materials in the Edetanian territory towards the end of the third century or early second century BC.Este trabajo se ha realizado dentro del marco del proyecto del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad HAR2013-41447-P “El Bronce Final y la Edad del Hierro en el Sureste y el Levante de la Península Ibérica: procesos hacia la urbanización”

Growth strategies under different environmental conditions of an Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., 1758 population

The growth pattern of a salmon Salmo salar L., 1758 population from the Shin River (Scotland) was followed during the first year of freshwater life at two widely separated locations, in order to compare growth patterns under different environmental conditions. One sample from the Shin River was reared in Scotland, and another, from the same river, in Spain. At the population level, the Spanish fish were larger than the Scottish fish throughout the experiment. Growth rates were higher in Spain than in Scotland until February, but smaller at the end of the experiment. Segregation by size (parrs and pre-smolts) started at least one month earlier in Spain than in Scotland. There was also a different growth pattern between the Spanish and Scottish groups. In the last month of the trial, smolt length was the same for both samples, but Scottish parrs were larger than their Spanish counterparts. Parr and smolt growth rates were higher in Scotland in the last months, but the smolting individual ratio was higher in the Spanish sample.Con la finalidad de conocer el desarrollo durante el primer año de vida en agua dulce de una población de salmón atlántico Salmo salar L., 1758 en una localización geográfica diferente de la de origen, se tomó una muestra de ejemplares procedentes del río escocés Shin y se comparó el crecimiento de una parte proporcional de la descendencia en España con el de la descendencia en Escocia. En el ámbito poblacional la talla de los individuos en España es mayor que en Escocia durante todos los meses estudiados; la tasa de crecimiento es mayor en España hasta febrero, pero en los últimos meses es más alta en Escocia. La segregación por tamaños (juveniles y preesguines) comienza en España, al menos, un mes antes. Entre los dos grupos fisiológicos de España y Escocia se encuentran diferentes estrategias de crecimiento. En el último mes, el tamaño de los esguines es igual en las dos muestras, pero el de los juveniles es mayor en la escocesa. Las tasas de crecimiento de la muestra escocesa también son superiores en los últimos meses en los dos grupos fisiológicos, pero la proporción de individuos de la población que llegan a esguines al final del experimento es superior en la muestra española.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Regulation of neuroinflammation by cGMP-mediated pathways

En el trabajo aquí presentado se investigó la participación de los niveles intracelulares de GMP-cíclico (CMPC) en la regulación de diferentes aspectos de la neuroinflamación. En el primer capítulo hemos observado que los cultivos de astrocitos y de celulas microgliales aisladas de rata expresan la maquinaria necesaria para sintetizar GMPc en repuesta a Péptidos Natriuréticos (PN) y también los enzimas necesarios para degradar el nucleótido. También se investigaron los efectos de la estimulación por PN en la expresión de la proteína pro-inflamatoria iNOS. Hemos observado que el pretratamiento con ANP hace disminuir los niveles de la proteína iNOS inducida por el agente pro-inflamatorio LPS a través de un mecanismo dependiente de NPR-A-PKG en células microgliales cultivadas de rata. Además hemos observado que esta regulación a la baja parece estar hecha a nivel de traducción, sin afectar a la transcripción o la tasa de degradación de la proteína. Sobre la base de datos obtenidos en nuestro laboratorio en cultivos de células gliales, se ha demostrado que las vías mediadas por GMPc regulan la dinámica del citoesqueleto, la expresión de GFAP en los astrocitos y la motilidad, así como la expresión de genes inflamatorios en la microglía que se demuestra en el primer capítulo, lo que sugiere un papel en la regulación del fenotipo reactivo glial. En el segundo capítulo, hemos querido verificar si el GMPc regula la respuesta inflamatoria glial in vivo después de un daño producido en el SNC causado por una criolesión focal en la corteza cerebral en ratas y ratones. Se investigó el efecto de 3 dosis de tratamiento con dos inhibidores de diferentes fosfodiesterasas de GMPc (PDE), zaprinast y sildenafilo. Hemos observado que el inhibidor no selectivo de PDE-GMPc zaprinast potencia la astrogliosis alrededor de la lesión, mientras que produce una disminución de la activación de macrófagos/microglía, el estrés oxidativo y muerte neuronal en la rata. Se observó también que el tratamiento con el inhibidor selectivo de la PDE5 sildenafilo reproduce en los ratones los cambios en la reactividad glial y los efectos antioxidantes y antiapoptóticos observados anteriormente con el zaprinast en ratas, indicando que la inhibición de la PDE5 es responsable de estas acciones neuroprotectoras. Sin embargo, los efectos de sildenafilo no se observaron en los ratones deficientes en MT-I/II. Asimismo, se muestra que el sildenafilo aumenta significativamente los niveles de las proteínas MT-I/II en homogenados corticales de ratones lesionados así como la inmunotinción de MT-I/II en las células gliales alrededor de la lesión, y disminuye la activación del factor transcriptor de STAT3, apoyando la participación de estas proteínas en los efectos neuroprotectores del sildenafilo en la lesión cerebral focal. Como resultado de los efectos antiinflamatorios y neuroprotectores observados por los inhibidores de la PDE5 en el modelo criolesión, en el tercer capítulo se investigó si el tratamiento con sildenafilo podría tener efectos beneficiosos en un modelo de EAE inducido por MOG35-55, un modelo animal de esclerosis múltiple, una enfermedad en la que existe una respuesta inflamatoria alterada. Se demuestra que el tratamiento con sildenafilo después del inicio de la enfermedad reduce notablemente los síntomas clínicos de la EAE mediante la prevención de la pérdida axonal y la promoción de la remielinización. Por otra parte, el sildenafilo disminuye la infiltración de leucocitos CD3+ así como la activación de microglia/macrófagos en la médula espinal, al tiempo que aumenta la presencia de Foxp3-Tregs. Además, el tratamiento con sildenafilo disminuye la expresión de ICAM-1 en las células infiltradas de la médula espinal. La presencia de astrocitos reactivos que forman estructuras similares a cicatrices alrededor de los infiltrados se potenció por el tratamiento con sildenafilo, sugiriendo un posible mecanismo para restringir la propagación de leucocitos en el parénquima sano. Se demuestra también que el tratamiento con sildenafilo al inicio de los síntomas clínicos, cuando el proceso inflamatorio es más fuerte, impide el avance de la enfermedad y regula la respuesta adaptativa inmune periférica y los niveles de la PDE5. Teniendo en cuenta todos los resultados obtenidos se demuestra que la modulación de los niveles intracelulares de GMPc tiene efectos beneficiosos en los procesos neuroinflamatorios y que estos beneficios están relacionados con la regulación de la gliosis reactiva, el estrés oxidativo, factores antioxidantes, la respuesta inmune adaptativa y la infiltración de células inmunes en el SNC que conducen a una disminuición en el daño neuronal.In the present work we investigated the involvement of intracellular cGMP levels in regulating different aspects of neuroinflammation. In the first chapter we observed that cultured rat astrocytes and microglial cells express the necessary machinery to synthesize cGMP in response NPs and to degrade the nucleotide. We also investigated the effects of NP stimulation in the expression of the pro-inflammatory protein iNOS. We observed that pretreatment with ANP down-regulates iNOS protein levels induced by the pro-inflammatory agent LPS by an NPR-A-PKG dependent mechanism in rat cultured microglial cells. In addition we found that this down-regulation seems to be done at translational level, without affecting transcription or protein degradation rate. Based on evidence obtained in our laboratory in cultured glial cells indicates that cGMP-mediated pathways regulate cytoskeleton dynamics, GFAP expression and motility in astrocytes, as well as inflammatory gene expression in microglia found in the first chapter, suggesting a role in the regulation of the glial reactive phenotype. In the second chapter we wanted to examine if cGMP regulates the glial inflammatory response in vivo following CNS damage caused by a focal cryolesion onto the cortex in rats and mice. We investigated the effect of 3 doses of treatment with two different cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, zaprinast and sildenafil. We observed that the non-selective GMP-PDE inhibitor zaprinast enhances astrogliosis around the lesion while decreasing macrophage/microglial activation, oxidative stress and neuronal death in rat. We observed also that treatment with the selective PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil reproduces in mice the changes in glial reactivity and the antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects previously observed with zaprinast in rats indicating that inhibition of PDE5 is responsible for these neuroprotective actions. However, sildenafil effects were not observed in mice deficient in MT-I/II. We further show that sildenafil significantly increases MT-I/II protein levels in lesioned cortical homogenates and MT-I/II immunostaining in glial cells around the lesion, and decreases activation of the transcriptor factor STAT3, supporting the involvement of these proteins in the neuroprotective effects of sildenafil in focal brain lesion. As a result of the anti- inflammatory and neuroprotective effects observed by PDE5 inhibitors in the cryolesion model, in the third chapter we investigate if treatment with sildenafil could have beneficial effects in a MOG35-55-induced EAE model, an animal model of MS, a disease where an altered inflammatory response occurs. We show that treatment with sildenafil after disease onset markedly reduces the clinical signs of EAE by preventing axonal loss and promoting remyelination. Furthermore, sildenafil decreases CD3+-leukocyte infiltration and microglial/macrophage activation in the spinal cord, while increasing Foxp3-Tregs. In addition, sildenafil treatment decreased ICAM-1 in spinal cord infiltrated cells. The presence of reactive astrocytes forming scar-like structures around infiltrates was enhanced by sildenafil suggesting a possible mechanism for restriction of leukocyte spread into healthy parenchyma. We show also that treatment with sildenafil at the onset of clinical symptoms, when the inflammatory process is stronger, prevent disease advance and regulates peripheral adaptative immune response and PDE5 levels. Taking in account all the results obtained we evidenced that modulation of intracellular cGMP levels have beneficial effects in neuroinflammatory processes and that this benefits are related to regulation of reactive gliosis, oxidative stress, antioxidant factors, adaptative immune response and infiltration of immune cells into CNS leading to decrease neuronal damage

Estradiol valerate and alcohol intake: dose-response assessments

BACKGROUND: An injection of estradiol valerate (EV) provides estradiol for a prolonged period. Recent research indicates that a single 2.0 mg injection of EV modifies a female rat's appetite for alcoholic beverages. This research extends the initial research by assessing 8 doses of EV (from .001 to 2.0 mg/female rat), as well assessing the effects of 2.0 mg EV in females with ovariectomies. RESULTS: With the administration of EV, there was a dose-related loss of bodyweight reaching the maximum loss, when it occurred, at about 4 days after injections. Subsequently, rats returned to gaining weight regularly. Of the doses tested, only the 2.0 mg dose produced a consistent increase in intake of ethanol during the time previous research indicated that the rats would show enhanced intakes. There was, however, a dose-related trend for smaller doses to enhance intakes. Rats with ovariectomies showed a similar pattern of effects, to intact rats, with the 2 mg dose. After extensive histories of intake of alcohol, both placebo and EV-treated females had estradiol levels below the average measured in females without a history of alcohol-intake. CONCLUSION: The data support the conclusion that pharmacological doses of estradiol can produce enduring changes that are manifest as an enhanced appetite for alcoholic beverages. The effect can occur among females without ovaries

Anillos con équido de la Hispania Prerromana: consideraciones tipo-cronológicas

The catalog and study of the finger rings in the Iberian Peninsula is still to be done. To date, only one group with representations ol horses has attracted the attention of researchers, but the continued appearance of new pieces (mostly from the art trade) motivates this study in order to stimulate the research of Hispanic pre-roman jewelry and to prevent the loss of information from numerous specimens in the antiquarian market.Most of the pre-roman finger rings of the Iberian Peninsula display horses or images related to equestrian themes. The cataloging and study of all published pieces (and some from private collections), across the different cultures of the Iberian Peninsula between the 6th and the 1th century BC, allowed us to reconsider some research topics proposed about the Iberian finger rings, but also to establish a methodology to classify them:First, their morphology, decoration techniques and represented motifs. Secondly, the distribution of these pieces during the period of use defines a difference between cultural areas. Thirdly, the chronology defined by the archaeological contexts and by the comparison with numismatics. Finally, the extreme conservatism of the iconography and morphology of finger rings to external influences for more than four centuries.Combining these results gives us allows us a firm basis for further studies on the complete catalog of finger rings of the Iberian Peninsula, but also on the Hispanic jewelry and iconography between the 6th and 1th century BC.El catálogo y estudio de los anillos de la Península Ibérica está aún por hacer. Hasta hoy, sólo un grupo de anillos con representaciones de caballos ha llamado la atención de la investigación, pero la continuada aparición de nuevos ejemplares motiva recogerlos como aportación y estímulo al estudio de la joyería prerromana hispana y para para aprovechar la información que ofrecen los numerosos ejemplares en el mercado anticuario.Muchos de los anillos prerromanos de la Península Ibérica presentan caballos o imágenes relacionados con tema ecuestre. El catálogo y estudio de todos los publicados, a los que se añaden algunos de colecciones privadas, pertenecientes a distintas culturas de la Península Ibérica entre el s. VI y I a.C. nos ha permitido reconsiderar los estudios sobre los anillos ibéricos, así como establecer una metodología para clasificarlos:Primero, su morfología, técnicas decorativas y motivos representados. Segundo, la distribución de las piezas durante el periodo de uso ha definido diferencias entre áreas culturales. Tercero, la cronología, definida por los contextos arqueológicos y la comparación con la numismática. Finalmente, se ha observado un conservadurismo extremo de la iconografía y morfología de los anillos hacia influencias externas durante más de cuatro centurias.La combinación de los resultados nos ofrece una base firme para ulteriores estudios sobre el catálogo completo de los anillos de la Península Ibérica, pero también para el estudio de la joyería y de la iconografía hispana entre el s. VI y I a.C

Kidins220 deficiency causes ventriculomegaly via SNX27-retromer-dependent AQP4 degradation

Several psychiatric, neurologic and neurodegenerative disorders present increased brain ventricles volume, being hydrocephalus the disease with the major manifestation of ventriculomegaly caused by the accumulation of high amounts of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The molecules and pathomechanisms underlying cerebral ventricular enlargement are widely unknown. Kinase D interacting substrate of 220 kDa (KIDINS220) gene has been recently associated with schizophrenia and with a novel syndrome characterized by spastic paraplegia, intellectual disability, nystagmus and obesity (SINO syndrome), diseases frequently occurring with ventriculomegaly. Here we show that Kidins220, a transmembrane protein effector of various key neuronal signalling pathways, is a critical regulator of CSF homeostasis. We observe that both KIDINS220 and the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) are markedly downregulated at the ventricular ependymal lining of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients. We also find that Kidins220 deficient mice develop ventriculomegaly accompanied by water dyshomeostasis and loss of AQP4 in the brain ventricular ependymal layer and astrocytes. Kidins220 is a known cargo of the SNX27-retromer, a complex that redirects endocytosed plasma membrane proteins (cargos) back to the cell surface, thus avoiding their targeting to lysosomes for degradation. Mechanistically, we show that AQP4 is a novel cargo of the SNX27-retromer and that Kidins220 deficiency promotes a striking and unexpected downregulation of the SNX27-retromer that results in AQP4 lysosomal degradation. Accordingly, SNX27 silencing decreases AQP4 levels in wild-type astrocytes whereas SNX27 overexpression restores AQP4 content in Kidins220 deficient astrocytes. Together our data suggest that the KIDINS220-SNX27-retromer-AQP4 pathway is involved in human ventriculomegaly and open novel therapeutic perspectives

Inversion charge study in TMO hole-selective contact-based solar cells

© 2023 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes,creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.In this article, we study the effect of the inversion charge ( Q inv ) in a solar cell based on the hole-selective characteristic of substoichiometric molybdenum oxide (MoO x ) and vanadium oxide (VO x ) deposited directly on n-type silicon. We measure the capacitance–voltage ( C – V ) curves of the solar cells at different frequencies and explain the results taking into account the variation of the space charge and the existence of Q inv in the c-Si inverted region. The high-frequency capacitance measurements follow the Schottky metal–semiconductor theory, pointing to a low inversion charge influence in these measurements. However, for frequencies lower than 20 kHz, an increase in the capacitance is observed, which we relate to the contribution of the inversion charge. In addition, applying the metal–semiconductor theory to the high-frequency measurements, we have obtained the built-in voltage potential and show new evidence about the nature of the conduction process in this structure. This article provides a better understanding of the transition metal oxide/n-type crystalline silicon heterocontact.The authors would like to acknowledge the CAI de Técnicas Físicas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The authors would also like to thank the Mexican grants program CONACyT for its financial collaboration.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Supersymmetry with long-lived staus at the LHC

We consider SUSY extensions of the standard model where the gravitino is the dark-matter particle and the stau is long lived. If there is a significant mass gap with squarks and gluinos, the staus produced at hadron colliders tend to be fast (beta>0.8), and the searches based on their delay in the time of flight or their anomalous ionization become less effective. Such staus would be identified as regular muons with the same linear momentum and a slightly reduced energy. Compared to the usual SUSY models where a neutralino is the LSP, this scenario implies (i) more leptons (the two staus at the end of the decay chains), (ii) a strong e-mu asymmetry, and (iii) less missing E_T (just from neutrinos, as the lightest neutralino decays into stau). We study the bounds on this SUSY from current LHC analyses (same-sign dileptons and multilepton events) and discuss the best strategy for its observation.Comment: 15 page