A comprehensive hydrodynamic analysis of a full-scale oxidation ditch using Population Balance Modelling in CFD simulation

This work exhibits the importance of the experimental validation when full-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are developed to provide a detailed analysis of the spatial variations in 3D of the fluid flow inside aerated tanks. Single-phase and two-phase CFD models were performed to study the fluid behaviour carefully by means of the velocity profiles and the aeration pattern in a full-scale oxidation ditch. Air hold-up, bubble size distribution and interfacial area density were calculated by polydisperse models where Population Balance Model (PBM) was governed by break-up and coalescence; the free-surface approach allowed the CFD model to describe the three-dimensional effect of bubbly plumes in large scales in detail. Tracer tests were carried out to obtain the flow pattern and the hydraulic distribution of the flow into two wastewater treatment lanes in order to define the boundary conditions for the model correctly. Despite the difficulty of performing velocity measurements of the fluid in 3D, with and without air bubbles, these provided essential information to validate the CFD model. From this analysis, several simulations were performed to improve the hydrodynamics and the operation of the process by relocating the propellers

Developing and Evaluating a Game for the Assessment of Spatial Memory Using Auditory Stimuli

The combination of natural user interfaces and smart devices has become a new technological option to be exploited for the assessment of spatial memory. In this paper, we present an interactive game for assessing spatial memory using auditory stimuli. The distinct feature of our game is that it assesses the two types of information (i.e., acoustic and spatial) at the same time. We compared the performance of 100 children and 48 adults on the game with traditional neuropsychological tests. The performance on the game correlated with the performance on other traditional neuropsychological tests for the assessment of spatial short-term memory. Children and adults considered our game as easy to use, and all of them were satisfied with it. The results suggest that our game could be a valid tool for the identification of alterations in the spatial memory in both children and adults

Temperature dependence and mechanisms for vortex pinning by periodic arrays of Ni dots in Nb films

Pinning interactions between superconducting vortices in Nb and magnetic Ni dots were studied as a function of current and temperature to clarify the nature of pinning mechanisms. A strong current dependence is found for a square array of dots, with a temperature dependent optimum current for the observation of periodic pinning, that decreases with temperature as (1-T/Tc)3/2. This same temperature dependence is found for the critical current at the first matching field with a rectangular array of dots. The analysis of these results allows to narrow the possible pinning mechanisms to a combination of two: the interaction between the vortex and the magnetic moment of the dot and the proximity effect. Moreover, for the rectangular dot array, the temperature dependence of the crossover between the low field regime with a rectangular vortex lattice to the high field regime with a square configuration has been studied. It is found that the crossover field increases with decreasing temperature. This dependence indicates a change in the balance between elastic and pinning energies, associated with dynamical effects of the vortex lattice in the high field range.Comment: 12 text pages (revtex), 6 figures (1st jpeg, 2nd-6th postscript) accepted in Physical Review

Targeting Alzheimer’s disease with multimodal polypeptide-based nanoconjugates

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, remains incurable mainly due to our failings in the search for effective pharmacological strategies. Here, we describe the development of targeted multimodal polypeptide-based nanoconjugates as potential AD treatments. Treatment with polypeptide nanoconjugates bearing propargylamine moieties and bisdemethoxycurcumin or genistein afforded neuroprotection and displayed neurotrophic effects, as evidenced by an increase in dendritic density of pyramidal neurons in organotypic hippocampal culture. The additional conjugation of the Angiopep-2 targeting moiety enhanced nanoconjugate passage through the blood-brain barrier and modulated brain distribution with nanoconjugate accumulation in neurogenic areas, including the olfactory bulb. Nanoconjugate treatment effectively reduced neurotoxic amyloid aggregate levels and rescued impairments to olfactory memory and object recognition in APP/PS1 transgenic AD model mice. Overall, this study provides a description of a targeted multimodal polyglutamate-based nanoconjugate with neuroprotective and neurotrophic potential for AD treatment. Copyrigh

CL100 expression is down-regulated in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and its re-expression decreases its malignant potential

Although early stage ovarian cancer can be effectively treated with surgery and chemotherapy, the majority of cases present with advanced disease, which remains essentially incurable. Unfortunately, little is known about the genes important for the development and progression of this disease. In this study, the expression of 68 phosphatases was determined in immortalized ovarian epithelial cells (IOSE) and compared to ovarian cancer cell lines. CL100, a dual specificity phosphatase, displayed 10-25-fold higher expression in normal compared to malignant ovarian cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining of normal ovaries and 68 ovarian cancer specimens confirmed this differential expression. Re-expression of CL100 in ovarian cancer cells decreased adherent and non-adherent cell growth and induced phenotypic changes including loss of filopodia and lamellipodia with an associated decrease in cell motility. Induced expression of CL100 in ovarian cancer cells suppressed intraperitoneal tumor growth in nude mice. These results show for the first time that CL100 expression is altered in human ovarian cancer, that CL100 expression changes cell morphology and motility, and that it suppresses intraperitoneal growth of human ovarian epithelial cancer. These data suggest that down-regulation of CL100 may play a role in the progression of human ovarian cancer

Reversible photocontrol of dopaminergic transmission in wild-type animals

Understanding the dopaminergic system is a priority in neurobiology and neuropharmacology. Dopamine receptors are involved in the modulation of fundamental physiological functions and dysregulation of dopaminergic transmission is associated with major neurological disorders. However, the available tools to dissect the endogenous dopaminergic circuits have limited specificity, reversibility, resolution, or require genetic manipulation. Here we introduce azodopa, a novel photoswitchable ligand that enables reversible spatiotemporal control of dopaminergic transmission. We demonstrate that azodopa activates D1-like receptors in vitro in a light-dependent manner. Moreover, it enables reversibly photocontrolling zebrafish motility on a time scale of seconds and allows separating the retinal component of dopaminergic neurotransmission. Azodopa increases the overall neural activity in the cortex of anesthetized mice and displays illuminationdependent activity in individual cells. Azodopa is the first photoswitchable dopamine agonist with demonstrated efficacy in wildtype animals and opens the way to remotely controlling dopaminergic neurotransmission for fundamental and therapeutic purposes

Análisis del rendimiento académico en los estudios de informática de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia aplicando técnicas de minería de datos

En este trabajo presentamos un análisis del rendimiento académico de los alumnos de nuevo ingreso en la titulación de Ingeniería Técnica en Informática de Sistemas de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) a lo largo de tres cursos, aunque también se ha trabajado con las titulaciones de Ingeniería Técnica en Informática de Gestión y de Ingeniería Informática. Este análisis relaciona el rendimiento con las características socioeconómicas y académicas de los alumnos, que se obtienen en el momento de su matrícula, y que se recogen en la base de datos de la universidad. Hemos definido un indicador del rendimiento para cada alumno, teniendo en cuenta las calificaciones obtenidas y las convocatorias utilizadas. Para el estudio utilizamos técnicas de minería de datos, que pretenden determinar qué nivel de condicionamiento existe entre dicho rendimiento y características como el nivel de conocimientos de entrada del alumno, su contexto geográfico y sociocultural, etc… Esto proporciona una herramienta importante para la acción tutorial, que puede apoyarse en las predicciones de los modelos que se obtienen para encauzar sus recomendaciones y encuadrar las expectativas y el esfuerzo necesario para cada alumno, lógicamente dentro de la cautela habitual a la hora de tratar modelos inferidos a partir de datos.Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, a través del programa PACE

FOSL1 promotes cholangiocarcinoma via transcriptional effectors that could be therapeutically targeted

Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) development and progression stands as a critical step for the development of novel therapies. Through an inter-species approach, this study provides evidence of the clinical and functional role of the transcription factor FOSL1 in cholangiocarcinoma. Moreover, we report that downstream effectors of FOSL1 are susceptible to pharmacological inhibition, thus providing new opportunities for therapeutic intervention