The Hilbert monopole revisited

A comparison between the resonant performance of the third iteration Hilbert monopole and a spiral shaped one of the same size and resonant frequency is presented. Quality factor, bandwidth, efficiency and radiation patterns are investigated. Although the Hilbert monopole total wire length is longer, it shows nearly the same radiation efficiency yet a lower quality factor. Hence the higher compression efficiency of the spiral shaped monopole does not provide any advantage in the antenna electromagnetic performance. Differences in radiation pattern are also observed. It is demonstrated that antenna resonance performance depends on its geometry, and not only on its size or wire length.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Muscle fatigue in athletes: physical, nutritional and pharmacological methods for improving recovery

Antecedentes: Una rápida recuperación en los deportistas es un aspecto fundamental para continuar entrenando a intensidades elevadas y seguir progresando más, especialmente en deportes en los que se compite todos los días. Los ejercicios excéntricos producen rupturas de miofibrillas musculares, sobre todo si se llevan a cabo de forma intensa y no habitual provocando daño muscular. Este daño muscular produce una fatiga muscular que limita el rendimiento muscular, disminuyendo la fuerza, el pico de potencia, o la velocidad. Por ello, es importante conocer de qué medios de recuperación muscular disponen los deportistas. Objetivo: Conocer las causas y consecuencias de la fatiga muscular y hacer una revisión sobre las ayudas ergogénicas: físicas, nutricionales y farmacológicas que existen para una rápida y mejor recuperación muscular y orgánica y poder conocer las más eficaces de una manera integral en la práctica deportiva. Métodos: Revisión bibliográfica en distintas bases de datos tanto en lengua castellana como inglesa, siguiendo 4 estrategias específicas, tratando de ofrecer un estado de conocimiento actual sobre las diferentes estrategias de recuperación post-ejercicio. Resultados: Ciertos deportes, como los de equipo o los que tienen un gran componente excéntrico que conllevan una mayor destrucción muscular, requieren una intervención especial para recuperar los microtraumatismos que se producen durante su práctica (entrenamientos y competición). Hay diferentes formas de mejorar la recuperación, como métodos físicos (masaje deportivo, electroestimulación, contrastes de agua), estrategias nutricionales (hidratación e ingesta de hidratos de carbonos y proteínas), ergonutricionales (aminoácidos ramificados, glutamina, β-hdroximetil butirato, creatina) y farmacológicas (antiinflamatorios, analgésicos, inmunomoduladores farmacológicos). Estas estrategias pueden ser básicas para conseguir una recuperación integral del deportista.Background: It is fundamental in athletes a rapid recovery, it is a really important aspect to continue training at high intensities and also to continue progressing, especially in sports when you compete every day. Eccentric exercises produce muscular myofibril ruptures, especially at high intensities, causing muscle damage. This damage produces muscular fatigue that limits its performance, decreasing the force, the peak power or/and the speed. For that reason, it is important to know the methods to recover from muscle fatigue. Aims: To know the causes and consequences of muscular fatigue and to review the ergogenic aids: physical, nutritional and pharmacological methods for a faster and better recovery. Likewise, to know the most effective recovery methods in sports, in a comprehensive way. Methods: Literature review on different databases both Spanish and English, following 4 specific strategies, trying to offer a current knowledge about different strategies of post-exercise recovery. Results: Some sports, like team sport or those who have a great eccentric component that involve greater muscle destruction; require special intervention to retrieve traumatisms that occur during sport practice (training and competition). There are different ways to improve it such as physical methods (sports massage, electrical stimulation, water contrasts), nutritional strategies (hydration and carbohydrate and protein intake), ergonutritional (branched chain amino acids, glutamine, β-hidroximetil butyrate, creatine) and pharmacological (analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory drug). These strategies can be basic to achieve a full recovery of the athlete

Report on TID algorithms

This deliverable presents the TID detection algorithms as improved in response to design principles stated in T2.1 and their testing in the lab environment, verification against measurements taken during quiet and disturbed periods of time, benchmarking for their transition to operations, and final validation to the user requirements of accuracy, timeliness, and coverage.TechTIDE project, funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [AD-1], will establish a pre-operational system to demonstrate reliability of a set of TID (Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances) detection methodologies to issue warnings of the occurrence of TIDs over the region extending from Europe to South Africa. TechTIDE warning system will estimate the parameters that specify the TID characteristics and the inferred perturbation, with all additional geophysical information to the users to help them assess the risks and to develop mitigation techniques, tailored to their application. This document is TechTIDE D2.2 “Report on the TID algorithms” and it is an output of TechTIDE Task 2.2 (Development of the TID identification algorithms and products) of the WP2 (TID identification methodologies) which has the final goal to release the basic algorithms for the TID identification and to test a first version of the value-added products for implementation in the TechTIDE warning system. The document highlights four aspects of the TID algorithm release process, (1) Developmentbased on the concept, techniques, and algorithms as stated in TechTIDE D2.1, (2) Verification, an internal testing process that ensures algorithm correctness, (3) Benchmarkingneeded to prepare algorithms to transition to operations, and (4) Validation, an external process of ensuring that developed algorithms are compliant with the stated end user expectations.Postprint (published version

Self-Assembly of CsPbBr3Perovskites in Micropatterned Polymeric Surfaces: Toward Luminescent Materials with Self-Cleaning Properties

In this work, we present a series of porous, honeycomb-patterned polymer films containing CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals as light emitters prepared by the breath figure approach. Microscopy analysis of the topography and composition of the material evidence that the CsPbBr3 nanocrystals are homogeneously distributed within the polymer matrix but preferably confined inside the pores due to the fabrication process. The optical properties of the CsPbBr3 nanocrystals remain unaltered after the film formation, proving that they are stable inside the polystyrene matrix, which protects them from degradation by environmental factors. Moreover, these surfaces present highly hydrophobic behavior due to their high porosity and defined micropatterning, which is in agreement with the Cassie-Baxter model. This is evidenced by performing a proof-of-concept coating on top of 3D-printed LED lenses, conferring the material with self-cleaning properties, while the CsPbBr3 nanocrystals embedded inside the polymeric matrix maintain their luminescent behavior.This work was funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (project TEC2017-86102-C2-2-R) and Junta de Andalucía (Research group INNANOMAT, ref. TEP-946) and co-financed by the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia (ref: FEDER-UCA18-106586). Co-funding from UE is also acknowledged. A.S.d.L. acknowledges the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for his Juan de la Cierva Incorporación postdoctoral fellowship (IJC2019-041128-I). R.A. also acknowledges the support of the Spanish MINECO through projects: Retos-Colaboración 2016 Project Safetag (no. RTC-2016-5197-2) and Retos de la Sociedad Project Nirvana (no. PID2020-119628RB-C31) by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and the “Agencia Valenciana de la Innovació” for the Valorització 2018 Project Hidronio (no. INNVAL10/ 18/032) and Valorització 2021 Project CATIOX (no. INNVA1/2021/56). R.A. also thanks the Spanish MINECO for their Ramón y Cajal Fellowship (no. RYC-2015-18349). SEM and TEM measurements were carried out at the DME-SCICyT- ELECMI-UCA

4-Amino-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ium nitrate

The non-centrosymmetric crystal structure of the novel semi-organic title compound, C2H5N4 +·NO3 −, is based on alternating layers of 4-amino-1H-1,2,4-triazolinium cations (formed by parallel chains of cations mediated by weak C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds) and nitrate anions inter­connected via linear and bifurcated N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the anions and cations

Water-Gas Shift Reaction on K/Cu(111) and Cu/K/TiO2(110) Surfaces: Alkali Promotion of Water Dissociation and Production of H2

The addition of potassium atoms to Cu(111) and Cu/TiO2(110) surfaces substantially enhances the rate for water dissociation and the production of hydrogen through the water-gas shift reaction (WGS, CO + H2O → H2 + CO2). In the range of temperatures investigated, 550-625 K, Cu/K/TiO2(110) exhibits a WGS activity substantially higher than those of K/Cu(111), Cu(111), and Cu/ZnO(0001̄) systems used to model an industrial Cu/ZnO catalyst. The apparent activation energy for the WGS drops from 18 Kcal/mol on Cu(111) to 12 Kcal/mol on K/Cu(111) and 6 Kcal/mol on Cu/K/TiO2(110). The results of density functional calculations show that K adatoms favor the thermochemistry for water dissociation on Cu(111) and Cu/TiO2(110) with the cleavage of an O-H bond occurring at room temperature. Furthermore, at the Cu/K/TiO2 interface, there is a synergy, and this system has a unique ability to dissociate the water molecule and catalyze hydrogen production through the WGS process. Therefore, when optimizing a regular catalyst, it is essential to consider mainly the effects of an alkali promoter on the metal-oxide interface.US Department of Energy DE-SC0012704Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2015-64669-

Economic sustainability in franchising: a model to predict franchisor success or failure

As a business model, franchising makes a major contribution to gross domestic product (GDP). A model that predicts franchisor success or failure is therefore necessary to ensure economic sustainability. In this study, such a model was developed by applying Lasso regression to a sample of franchises operating between 2002 and 2013. For franchises with the highest likelihood of survival, the franchise fees and the ratio of company-owned to franchised outlets were suited to the age of the franchise. Surviving franchises were those that opened franchised outlets at a sustainable pace, increased the franchise fee as intangible assets increased, and effectively managed profitability and efficiency

Report on the design and specifications of the TID algorithms and products

EU H2020 project TechTIDE deriverable, reporting on the design of the adjustments and upgrades required in order to develop the TID identification algorithms. The added value products that will result from the detection methods will be specified and designed. Each detection method developer will design a validation methodology that will lead to the definition of the confidence metrics.TechTIDE project, funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [AD-1], will establish a pre-operational system to demonstrate reliability of a set of TID (Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances) detection methodologies to issue warnings of the occurrence of TIDs over the region extended from Europe to South Africa. TechTIDE warning system will estimate the parameters that specify the TID characteristics and the inferred perturbation, with all additional geophysical information to the users to help them assess the risks and to develop mitigation techniques, tailored to their application. This document is TechTIDE D2.1 “Report on the design and specifications of the TID algorithms and products” and it is an output of TechTIDE Task 2.1 (Specifications for the TID algorithms and the resulting products) of the WP2 (TID identification methodologies) which has the final goal to release the basic algorithms for the TID identification and the value-added products for implementation in the TechTIDE warning system. The document presents the design of adjusted and upgraded TID detection codes, the design of the value-added products, and the validation plan. The design of the adjustments and the upgrades of the different methods are based on the initial requirements gathered among potential users affected by TIDs [RD-1]. Some requirements were brought in from ESA Space Situational Awareness Space Weather (SSA SWE) [RD-2] users' requirements. This way, TID algorithms and product outputs will try to adapt to assess ESA SSA SWE Service Network prerequisites.Preprin

Experimental evidences for the use of two macroalgal species, Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus as biomonitors of N sources

Proyecto ANILE (CTM2009-08396, CTM2010-08804-E) Plan Nacional de I+D+i y Proyecto RADIALES (IEO)Postprint2,263

Closed Endotracheal Suction Systems for COVID-19: Rapid Review

Background: The increase in admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) in 2020 and the morbidity and mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection pose a challenge to the analysis of evidence of health interventions carried out in ICUs. One of the most common interventions in patients infected with the virus and admitted to ICUs is endotracheal aspiration. Endotracheal suctioning has also been considered one of the most contaminating interventions. Objective: This review aims to analyze the benefits and risks of endotracheal suctioning using closed suction systems (CSS) in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A rapid review was carried out using the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, LILACS, the Cochrane Library, and IBECS. The data search included articles in English and Spanish, published between 2010 and 2020, concerning adult patients, and using the key words "endotracheal," "suction," and "closed system." Results: A total of 15 articles were included. The benefits and risks were divided into 3 categories: patient, care, and organization. Relating to the patient, we found differences in cardiorespiratory variables and changes in the ventilator, for example, improvement in patients with elevated positive and end-expiratory pressure due to maladaptation and alveolar collapse. Relating to care, we found a shorter suctioning time, by up to 1 minute. Relating to organization, we found fewer microorganisms on staff gloves. Other conflicting results between studies were related to ventilator-associated pneumonia, bacterial colonization, or mortality. Conclusions: Aside from the need for quality research comparing open suction systems and CSS as used to treat COVID-19 patients, closed endotracheal suctioning has benefits in terms of shorter stay in the ICU and reduced environmental contamination, preventing ventilator disconnection from the patient, reducing the suctioning time-though it does produce the greatest number of mucosal occlusions-and preventing interpatient and patient-staff environmental contamination. New evidence in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is required in order to compare results and establish new guidelines