Procedimiento para el conformado de materiales cerámicos y/o metálicos por gelificación de carragenatos

Referencia OEPM: P200000561.-- Fecha de solicitud: 08/03/2000.-- Titulares: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto Universitario de Tecnología (Venezuela).La presente invención se refiere a un procedimiento para el conformado de piezas de forma simple o compleja a partir de suspensiones acuosas, que comprende las etapas de preparación de una suspensión estable de los polvos cerámicos y/o metálicos en agua, la adición de un gelificante, bien en forma de polvo o disuelto previamente en agua, el llenado de un molde con la mezcla a una temperatura superior a la Tg, y el moldeo rápido por descenso de la temperatura por debajo de la Tg del aglomerante. Como aditivo gelificante se utilizan polisacáridos de la familia de los carragenatos. La invención es adecuada para el conformado de piezas por simple vertido de la mezcla en el molde o por métodos que utilizan presión, como el moldeo por inyección a baja presión.Peer reviewe

Impedimetric Biosensor Based on a Hechtia argentea Lectin for the Detection of Salmonella spp.

A sensitive electrochemical detection method for Salmonella spp. was described, based on the use of Hechtia argentea lectin immobilised on a screen-printed gold electrode. The lectin was extracted from Hechtia argentea, a plant belonging to the Bromeliaceae family. The lectin with molecular weight near 27.4 kDa showed selectivity towards D-mannose, contained on the lipopolysaccharide cell wall of Salmonella spp. Carbohydrate selectivity of the lectin was measured as a change in impedance with respect to concentration. The binding of the bacteria to the biosensor surface increased impedance with increasing concentrations of Salmonella spp., achieving a linear range of detection of 15–2.57 × 107 CFU mL−1, with a limit of detection of 5 CFU mL−1. Increases in impedance were measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and analysed using Nyquist plots. The biosensor was applied in analysis of hen egg samples, and the results were consistent with those obtained using the official analysis methodologyS

Predictive Value of Serum Antibodies and Point Mutations of AQP4, AQP1 and MOG in A Cohort of Spanish Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders

The detection of IgG aquaporin-4 antibodies in the serum of patients with Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) has dramatically improved the diagnosis of this disease and its distinction from multiple sclerosis. Recently, a group of patients have been described who have an NMO spectrum disorder (NMOsd) and who are seronegative for AQP4 antibodies but positive for IgG aquaporin-1 (AQP1) or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether AQP1 and MOG could be considered new biomarkers of this disease; and if point mutations in the gDNA of AQP4, AQP1 and MOG genes could be associated with the etiology of NMOsd. We evaluated the diagnostic capability of ELISA and cell-based assays (CBA), and analyzed their reliability, specificity, and sensitivity in detecting antibodies against these three proteins. The results showed that both assays can recognize these antigen proteins under appropriate conditions, but only anti-AQP4 antibodies, and not AQP1 or MOG, appears to be a clear biomarker for NMOsd. CBA is the best method for detecting these antibodies; and serum levels of AQP4 antibodies do not correlate with the progression of this disease. So far, the sequencing analysis has not revealed a genetic basis for the etiology of NMOsd, but a more extensive analysis is required before definitive conclusions can be drawn.Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadFEDER (Grants PI16/01249 y PI16/00493

Calcium-Looping performance of steel and blast furnace slags for thermochemical energy storage in concentrated solar power plants

The Calcium Looping (CaL) process, based on the carbonation/calcination of CaO, has been proposed as a feasible technology for Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES) in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants. The CaL process usually employs limestone as CaO precursor for its very low cost, non-toxicity, abundance and wide geographical distribution. However, the multicycle activity of limestone derived CaO under relevant CaL conditions for TCES in CSP plants can be severely limited by pore plugging. In this work, the alternative use of calcium-rich steel and blast furnace slags after treatment with acetic acid is investigated. A main observation is that the calcination temperature to regenerate the CaO is significantly reduced as compared to limestone. Furthermore, the multicycle activity of some of the slags tested at relevant CaL conditions for TCES remains high and stable if the treated samples are subjected to filtration. This process serves to remove silica grains, which helps decrease the porosity of the CaO resulting from calcination in the mesoporous range thus mitigating pore plugging.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad CTQ2014-52763-C2-2-R, CTQ2014-52763-C2-1-

CO2 capture performance of Ca-Mg acetates at realistic Calcium Looping conditions

The Calcium Looping (CaL) process, based on the cyclic carbonation/calcination of CaO, has emerged in the last years as a potentially low cost technique for CO2capture at reduced energy penalty. In the present work, natural limestone and dolomite have been pretreated with diluted acetic acid to obtain Ca and Ca-Mg mixed acetates, whose CO2capture performance has been tested at CaL conditions that necessarily imply sorbent regeneration under high CO2partial pressure. The CaL multicycle capture performance of these sorbents has been compared with that of CaO directly derived from limestone and dolomite calcination. Results show that acetic acid pretreatment of limestone does not lead to an improvement of its capture capacity, although it allows for a higher calcination efficiency to regenerate CaO at reduced temperatures (∼900 °C) as compared to natural limestone (>∼930 °C). On the other hand, if a recarbonation stage is introduced before calcination to reactivate the sorbent, a significantly higher residual capture capacity is obtained for the Ca-Mg mixed acetate derived from dolomite as compared to either natural dolomite or limestone. The main reason for this behavior is the enhancement of carbonation in the solid-state diffusion controlled phase. It is argued that the presence of inert MgO grains in the mixed acetate with reduced segregation notably promotes solid state diffusion of ions across the porous structure created after recarbonation.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad CTQ2014-52763-C2-2-R, CTQ2014-52763-C2-1-RJunta de Andalucía FQM-5735, TEP-785

La olfacción: otro componente importante del examen físico. Olfaction: another important component of physical examination

Se presenta un trabajo donde se revisa la literatura disponible, y se aporta la experiencia personal de los autores sobre la utilidad de la olfacción para realizar un correcto diagnóstico clínico, así como las posibilidades técnicas con que contamos hoy para detectar y medir diversas substancias emanadas del cuerpo humano. Los objetivos propuestos son: cómo promover la idea de incluir la enseñanza organizada y sistemática de la olfacción como un componente importante del examen físico del paciente, y motivar a los tecnólogos para que produzcan y desarrollen instrumentos con los fines expresados. La literatura y la práctica diaria demuestran la abundante y útil información que brinda la olfacción bien realizada. Se expone lo referido sobre la olfacción por varios clásicos de la medicina y por jóvenes especialistas de nuestro tiempo y se concluye que la olfacción debe incluirse junto con la inspección, palpación, percusión y auscultación como otro elemento del examen físico que debe ser enseñado sistemáticamente en nuestras universidades, así como la conveniencia de desarrollar una tecnología que permita detectar substancias volátiles en el aliento y otras emanaciones humanas. No se trata aquí de la utilidad de los olores con fines terapéuticos o de otro tipo que no sea diagnóstico. Palabras clave: Olfacción / Examen Físico / Docencia Médica / Tecnología de la Salud ABSTRACT A study where available medical literature is revised and personal experience of the authors about the usefulness of olfaction is taken in order to carry out a proper clinical diagnosis, as well as the technical possibilities in present days to detect and measure several substances that emanate from the human body. The objectives proposed are: the promotion of the idea to include an organized and systematic teaching of olfaction as an important component of physical examination in patients, and to encourage the technologists to produce and develop instruments with this purpose. Medical literature and daily practice show the abundant and useful information that a proper olfaction offers. Criteria about olfaction that some classics of Medicine explained and young specialists of current times set out are taken into account, concluding that olfaction must be included together with inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation as another element of physical examination, that it should be taught systematically in our medical schools, and to analyze the advantage to create a technology which allows to detect volatile substances in breath and other human emanations. It is not about the utilization of odors with therapeutic purposes or any other type which is not diagnostic. Key words: OLFACTION / PHYSICAL EXAMINATION / MEDICAL TEACHING / HEALTH TECHNOLOG

La olfacción: otro componente importante del examen físico. Olfaction: another important component of physical examination

Se presenta un trabajo donde se revisa la literatura disponible, y se aporta la experiencia personal de los autores sobre la utilidad de la olfacción para realizar un correcto diagnóstico clínico, así como las posibilidades técnicas con que contamos hoy para detectar y medir diversas substancias emanadas del cuerpo humano. Los objetivos propuestos son: cómo promover la idea de incluir la enseñanza organizada y sistemática de la olfacción como un componente importante del examen físico del paciente, y motivar a los tecnólogos para que produzcan y desarrollen instrumentos con los fines expresados. La literatura y la práctica diaria demuestran la abundante y útil información que brinda la olfacción bien realizada. Se expone lo referido sobre la olfacción por varios clásicos de la medicina y por jóvenes especialistas de nuestro tiempo y se concluye que la olfacción debe incluirse junto con la inspección, palpación, percusión y auscultación como otro elemento del examen físico que debe ser enseñado sistemáticamente en nuestras universidades, así como la conveniencia de desarrollar una tecnología que permita detectar substancias volátiles en el aliento y otras emanaciones humanas. No se trata aquí de la utilidad de los olores con fines terapéuticos o de otro tipo que no sea diagnóstico. Palabras clave: Olfacción / Examen Físico / Docencia Médica / Tecnología de la Salud ABSTRACT A study where available medical literature is revised and personal experience of the authors about the usefulness of olfaction is taken in order to carry out a proper clinical diagnosis, as well as the technical possibilities in present days to detect and measure several substances that emanate from the human body. The objectives proposed are: the promotion of the idea to include an organized and systematic teaching of olfaction as an important component of physical examination in patients, and to encourage the technologists to produce and develop instruments with this purpose. Medical literature and daily practice show the abundant and useful information that a proper olfaction offers. Criteria about olfaction that some classics of Medicine explained and young specialists of current times set out are taken into account, concluding that olfaction must be included together with inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation as another element of physical examination, that it should be taught systematically in our medical schools, and to analyze the advantage to create a technology which allows to detect volatile substances in breath and other human emanations. It is not about the utilization of odors with therapeutic purposes or any other type which is not diagnostic. Key words: OLFACTION / PHYSICAL EXAMINATION / MEDICAL TEACHING / HEALTH TECHNOLOG

Temperature optimization in microalgae raceway reactors by depth regulation

[EN] In the microlagae-based producion systems, in addition to pH and dissolved oxygen, other parameters that significantly affect microalgae growth are solar radiation and temperature. Inadequate temperature significantly reduces biomass productivity in photobioreactors and can even cause total culture collapse. Direct temperature control in large-scale open reactors is considered unfeasible due to the large amount of energy required, leaving only the option of using passive or semi-passive systems. This paper presents an indirect method for temperature optimization in these systems by varying the culture depth using a thermal balance model and weather forecasts.[ES] En los sistemas de producción de microalgas, además del pH y el oxígeno disuelto, otros parámetros que afectan de forma considerable al crecimiento de las microalgas son la radiación solar y la temperatura. La radiación solar no es controlable y es considerada como la principal perturbación del sistema. En relación a la temperatura, un valor inadecuado de la misma reduce de manera notoria la productividad de biomasa en los fotobioreactores y puede incluso causar el colapso total de los cultivos. El control directo de la temperatura en reactores abiertos a gran escala se considera inviable debido a la gran cantidad de energía requerida, por lo que se suele optar por la opción de usar sistemas pasivos o semipasivos. Este artículo presenta un método indirecto para la optimización de la temperatura en fotobioreactores de escala industrial haciendo uso de un modelo de balance térmico del sistema y de predicciones climáticas futuras.Este trabajo ha sido financiado con el Proyecto del Plan Nacional PID2020-112709RB-C21 del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.González Hernández, J.; Rodríguez Miranda, E.; Guzmán Sánchez, JL.; Acién Fernández, FG.; Visioli, A. (2022). Optimización de temperatura en reactores raceway para la producción de microalgas mediante regulación de nivel. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial. 19(2):164-173. https://doi.org/10.4995/riai.2022.16586OJS16417319

Early research on the effect of climate change on groundwater recharge of Ventós (Alicante)

Las predicciones sobre cambio climático tienen un gran interés en regiones como la provincia de Alicante cuya economía está basada en gran medida en las aguas subterráneas. A priori un descenso en la precipitación y un aumento de la temperatura podría generar impactos sobre la recarga de los acuíferos. En este contexto, el objetivo de este estudio ha sido explorar el posible impacto sobre la recarga de un pequeño acuífero. Para lograr este objetivo, técnicas de regionalización han sido utilizadas a partir del modelo HadCM3. Se han estimado las series de precipitaciones y temperaturas para los escenarios de cambio climático A2 y B2. Estas bases de datos han sido introducidas en un modelo hidrológico HYDROBAL para establecer los balances de agua en el suelo. Los resultados han mostrado un aumento de la temperatura de 4ºC y un descenso de la precipitación del 10% a final de siglo para ambos escenarios. El modelo hidrológico indica un balance de agua negativo en relación al periodo base (1961-1990), obteniéndose las mayores diferencias para el escenario A2. Esto podría producir un fuerte impacto sobre la recarga del acuífero Ventós, aspecto que deber ser corroborado en futuros estudios.Predictions of climate change have a high interest in regions like the province of Alicante whose economy is largely based on groundwater. It is expected that the decrease of precipitation and the increase of temperature according to climate change forecasts, could impact on the recharge to aquifers. In this context, the aim of this study was explore the possible impact of climate changes forecasts on recharge in a small aquifer. In order to achieve it downscaling techniques have been used from the HadCM3 Global Climate Model. Air temperature and precipitation data in two climate change scenarios, B2 and A2 have been estimated. These databases have been coupled to HYDROBAL a hydrological model, to determine the soil water balance. Results have showed increase of 4º C of temperature and decrease of 10% precipitation in both scenarios at the end century. The hydrological model shows a negative water balance in relation to baseline period (1961-1990), being the higher differences with the A2 scenario. It could produce an important impact on the recharge of the Ventós aquifer, but it must be checked in future studies.Este trabajo ha sido financiado con una beca del MAEC-AECID, y realizado en el marco de los proyectos ECOBAL CGL2011-30531-C03-01 y SURVIVE CGL 2011-30531-C02-02

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (6)

Sumario : Investigación: Colisiones entre galaxias.-- Pulsación estelar: nuevas técnicas, nuevos avances.-- Ventana Abierta: The Black Hoyle.-- Charlas con...Ricardo Amils.-- Actualidad Científica: El “impactante” nacimiento de la Luna.-- Descubrimiento de agua en una nebulosa planetaria.-- Actividades IAA.-- Agenda.Esta revista se publica con la ayuda de la Acción Especial DIF 2001-4284-E del Programa Nacional de Difusión de la Ciencia y la Tecnología, del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología.N