Water dynamics, coherent domains and the origin of life

The aim of this thesis is to deploy and develop quantum physics to account for the role of fast electronic dynamics on water’s characteristics, in particular, for water under confinement, and to explore some of its implications in the context of the origin of life. There are unexplained observations of proton synchronization in waterfilled carbon nanotubes, that point at a qualitatively different behavior of water to that predicted by existing theories. A novel study of water as a complex system is proposed and advanced, that combines quantum electrodynamics and quantum chemistry approaches and simulation methods. Several water scales and representations are explored, that aim at the development of a QED-QC multi-scale simulation framework potentially well-adapted for simulation in a biological environment. A multi-scale ontology for water is proposed, with representations at the micro, meso and macroscopic scale, that encode certain properties of the water system. In particular, a polaron model is used at the macroscopic scale, to obtain the size of the polarons that accounts for the observed kinetic energy difference of nanotube water, based on the relationship between radius and number of polarons for kinetic energy value. At the mesoscopic scale, the system is captured through the exciton wave function, using Quantum exciton Hamiltonian, to obtain water quantum dynamics and synchronization. It is argued that the nanotube water molecular dispositions promote quantum electronic synchronization and thus possibly proton synchronization. At the microscopic scale, water is represented as a point charges nuclei, and electron density in 3D space, system. The electron density plots are obtained using linear response, with softening of the potential for the protons. Also, exact Shrödinger equation in the grid is solved using Discrete Variable Representation, in this case for the electron density in 1D, and the time-evolution of the electron density is derived. We show that water molecule’s electronic interaction with a common electromagnetic degree of freedom and synchronization provides a mechanism for proton synchronization. The question of water collective behavior possible role for life is tackled in a model for the origin of life based on our findings. The significance of this study is that it offers a plausible explanation of the observed nanotube water behavior, and several avenues of development of QED-QC study of water, contributing to the development of a QED-QC simulation framework in which to simulate water in biology with potential future applications for biology and medicine.O objetivo desta tese é desenvolver a física quântica para dar conta do papel da dinâmica eletrônica rápida nas características da água, em particular, para a água sob confinamento, e explorar algumas de suas implicações no contexto da origem da água. vida. Existem observações inexplicáveis de sincronização de prótons em nanotubos de carbono cheios de água, que apontam para um comportamento qualitativamente diferente da água ao previsto pelas teorias existentes. Um novo estudo da água como um sistema complexo é proposto e avançado, que combina abordagens de eletrodinâmica quântica e química quântica e métodos de simulação. Várias escalas de água e representações são exploradas, que visam ao desenvolvimento de uma estrutura de simulação multi-escala QED-QC potencialmente bem adaptada para simulação em um ambiente biológico. Uma ontologia multi-escala para a água é proposta, com representações nas escalas micro, meso e macroscópica, que codificam certas propriedades do sistema hídrico. Em particular, um modelo de polaron é usado na escala macroscópica, para obter o tamanho dos polarons que é responsável pela diferença de energia cinética observada da água do nanotubo, com base na relação entre o raio e o número de polarons para o valor da energia cinética. Na escala mesoscópica, o sistema é capturado por meio da função de onda de exciton, usando o Hamiltoniano do exciton quântico, para obter a dinâmica e a sincronização quântica da água. Argumenta-se que as disposições moleculares da água do nanotubo promovem a sincronização eletrônica quântica e, portanto, possivelmente a sincronização de prótons. Na escala microscópica, a água é representada como um núcleo de carga pontual e densidade eletrônica no espaço 3D, sistema. Os gráficos de densidade de elétrons são obtidos usando resposta linear, com amolecimento do potencial para os prótons. Além disso, a equação exata de Shrödinger na grade é resolvida usando Representação de Variável Discreta, neste caso para a densidade de elétrons em 1D, e a evolução temporal da densidade de elétrons é derivada. Mostramos que a interação eletrônica da molécula de água com um grau eletromagnético comum de liberdade e sincronização fornece um mecanismo para a sincronização de prótons. A questão do possível papel do comportamento coletivo da água para a vida é abordada em um modelo para a origem da vida baseado em nossas descobertas. A significância deste estudo é que ele oferece uma explicação plausível do comportamento da água do nanotubo observado, e várias vias de desenvolvimento do estudo QED-QC da água, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de uma estrutura de simulação QED-QC na qual simular a água na biologia com potenciais aplicações futuras para biologia e medicina

New methods to reduce leakage errors in planar near-field measurements

This paper describes two methods to cancel the effect of two kinds of leakage signals which may be presented when an antenna is measured in a planar near-field range. One method tries to reduce leakage bias errors from the receiver¿s quadrature detector and it is based on estimating the bias constant added to every near-field data sample. Then, that constant is subtracted from the data, removing its undesired effect on the far-field pattern. The estimation is performed by back-propagating the field from the scan plane to the antenna under test plane (AUT) and averaging all the data located outside the AUT aperture. The second method is able to cancel the effect of the leakage from faulty transmission lines, connectors or rotary joints. The basis of this method is also a reconstruction process to determine the field distribution on the AUT plane. Once this distribution is known, a spatial filtering is applied to cancel the contribution due to those faulty elements. After that, a near-field-to-far-field transformation is applied, obtaining a new radiation pattern where the leakage effects have disappeared. To verify the effectiveness of both methods, several examples are presented

The role of aversiveness in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and inflexible avoidance

The study of avoidance behaviour is considered relevant to improve our understanding of anxiety disorders, which are commonly characterized by the presence of undue avoidance behaviours. Flores et al. (2018) found evidence that Prospective Intolerance of Uncertainty (P-IU) is associated with inflexible avoidance behaviour. Specifically, healthy participants learned in a free-operant discriminative task to avoid an aversive sound, and were tested in extinction to measure the sensitivity of avoidance responses to the devaluation of the sound aversiveness. The results showed that an increase in P-IU was positively associated with insensitivity to outcome devaluation. This association was still significant even when trait anxiety was controlled for. These results suggested that PIU may be a vulnerability factor for inflexible avoidance. However, in a recent replication, we found that the relationship between P-IU and inflexible avoidance was moderated by the participants ratings of outcome aversiveness. Specifically, the significant association between PIU and insensitivity to outcome devaluation was found to be conditional upon high aversiveness ratings.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, proyecto I+D+i PSI2014-56061. Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme. Plan Propio de Investigación de la Universidad de Málaga, Programa de Fortalecimiento de las Capacidades en I+D+I en las Universidades 2014-20150, Fondos FEDER

The new challenges of the manufacturing industry applying the norm ISO 45001:2018

The present work reflects the impact that the manufacturing industries must solve in the application of the ISO 45001: 2018 Standard on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. In such, a globalized market where human and material assets must be preserved for the survival of organizations, management systems based on continuous improvement play an important role in ensuring compliance with applicable legal requirements, risk management and the opportunities, as well as the achievement of the best working conditions. The manufacturing industry has not been alien to this evolution; the nature of the risks present in the different industries, the operations carried out, the machinery, the use of work teams and their processes make this sector a priority and strategic sector that should be at the forefront of new technologies and rules. The implementation of the ISO 45001: 2018 standard in the manufacturing industry is a challenge for the implementation of high-level management systems that guarantee a healthy and safe environment for workers and a strategic and operational decision from the business point of view based on improving the performance of health and safety at work and increasing competitiveness in an increasingly demanding market.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Create to play, play to learn: gamification and game creation in EFL

Màster Universitari de Formació del Professorat de Secundària Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Facultat d'Educació, Universitat de Barcelona. Curs: 2022-2023. Tutora: Isabel Alonso Breto[spa] En este documento se presenta una propuesta de secuencia didáctica fundamentada en la gamificación, con el objetivo de promover la motivación y el compromiso de los estudiantes en una clase de inglés como lengua extranjera para el cuarto año de educación secundaria. Las sesiones se enmarcarán en un contexto ficticio, asignando roles específicos a los alumnos. Se propondrá una amplia variedad de actividades que fomenten la participación activa de los estudiantes, estimulen su creatividad y les brinden nuevas estructuras y expresiones lingüísticas, al tiempo que promuevan la reflexión sobre las mismas. Los alumnos deberán hacer uso de su imaginación y creatividad, así como trabajar en colaboración para resolver diversos problemas a lo largo de todas las sesiones. Asimismo, se incorporará una tarea final en la que los estudiantes, organizados en grupos, deberán crear un nuevo juego y evaluar su desempeño mutuamente.[eng] This document presents a proposal for a didactic sequence based on gamification, aiming to foster motivation and engagement among students in an English as a foreign language class for the fourth year of secondary education. The sessions will be framed within a fictional context, assigning specific roles to the students. A wide variety of activities will be proposed to encourage active student participation, stimulate their creativity, and provide them with new language structures and expressions, while promoting reflection on the same. Students will be required to utilize their imagination and creativity, as well as work collaboratively to solve various problems throughout the sessions. Additionally, a final task will be incorporated where students, organized in groups, will have to create a new game and evaluate each other's performance

What Does Influence the Neonatal Microbiome?

: This editorial aims to provide a concise summary of the factors involved in the dynamics of microbiome establishment and maturation. At the same time, it briefly updates the current knowledge and opens new questions in this regard. Many factors act as drivers of the microbiota's development at both pre- and post-natal levels (e.g., maternal factors, antibiotic usage, type of delivery, dietary pattern, post-natal feeding type, etc.). However, it is interesting to research into its real impact, the relationship between these external modulators, and how to modulate them. The are great opportunities for new research in the field

Capacidade de absorção da inflação e seu efeito sobre o preço das ações: uma revisão da literatura

This article addresses the inflation absorption capability of companies classified by sectors, as well as its impact in the price of shares. It starts by justifying the importance of the subject of study and then it presents a review of the international literature on the subject. The pioneer works on the subject are highlighted and a classification of the studies that have been analyzed is provided. Then, it analyzes the Spanish case in order to complete the main conclusions of the study. According to the authors, the inflation absorption capability, allows us to know the capability that companies from a determined sector have to translate the inflationary changes that happen in the economy into prices. The companies with a high capability of absorption will tend to present higher quotations, and will be less sensitive to inflationary changes.Este artículo aborda la capacidad de absorción de la inflación que tienen las empresas clasificadas por sectores, así como su impacto en el precio de las acciones. Se comienza justificando la importancia del tema objeto de estudio, para luego presentar una revisión de la literatura internacional. Se destacan los trabajos pioneros en la materia y se aporta una clasificación de los estudios examinados. Luego, se analiza el caso español, para finalizar con las principales conclusiones del estudio. Según los autores, la capacidad de absorción de la inflación permite conocer la habilidad que tienen las empresas de un determinado sector para trasladar a precios los cambios inflacionistas que acontecen en la economía. Las empresas con alta capacidad de absorción de la inflación tenderán a presentar cotizaciones más elevadas y, además, serán menos sensibles a cambios inflacionistas.Este artigo aborda a capacidade de absorção da inflação que têm as empresas classificadas por setores, assim como seu impacto no preço das ações. Começa-se justificando a importância do tema objeto de estudo, para logo apresentar uma revisão da literatura internacional. Destacam-se os trabalhos pioneiros na matéria e fornece uma classificação dos estudos analisados. Logo, analisa-se o caso espanhol, para finalizar com as principais conclusões do estudo. Segundo os autores, a capacidade de absorção da inflação permite conhecer a habilidade que têm as empresas de um determinado setor para transladar a preços as mudanças inflacionárias que acontecem na economia. As empresas com alta capacidade de absorção da inflação tenderão a apresentar cotizações mais elevadas e, além disso, serão menos sensíveis a mudanças inflacionárias

Formaciones boscosas en Sierra Morena oriental (Andalucía, España).

En el presente trabajo se estudia la fitosociología de los bosques localizados en Sierra Morena Oriental (comarca de Andújar, Jaén, Andalucía), comentando las siguientes asociaciones: Pyre bourgaeanae-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas Martínez 1987 (de la que se proponen como nuevas la subas. quercetosum fugineae Velasco ex Cano & Valle y myrtetosum communi.s Cano & Valle); Sanguisorbo agrimonioidis-Quercetum suberis Rivas Goday 1959 y Arbolo unedonis-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas Goday ex Rivas Martínez 1987, de la que se describe como nueva la subas. blechnetosum spicantis Cano & Valle.In this paper we have studied the phytosociology of the forests wich are located in east Sierra Morena (Jaén, Andalucía), proposing the following syntaxa as new: Pyre bourgaeanae-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas Martínez 1987 subas. quercetosum fagineae Velasco ex Cano & Valle and myrtetosum communis Cano & Valle, and Arbuto unedonis-Quercetum pyrenaicae Rivas Goday ex Rivas Martínez 1987 subas. blechnetosum spicantis Cano & Valle

Estimates of the likelihood of threats are related to intolerance of uncertainty and learning

In the present experiment, we assessed the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and expectancy ratings of threats both in the presence of conditioned stimuli (CS) that signalled the delivery of an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US), and after making an avoidance response. Participants learned the relationship between several pictures serving as CSs and an aversive sound serving as the US, and learned to avoid the US through a procedure including alternating pavlovian and negative reinforcement training phases. Expectancy ratings were measured on every training trial. Our results only showed a significant association between intolerance of uncertainty and expectancy ratings made after avoidance responses. This association was found only when the avoidance response was made in the presence of CSs signalling that the aversive sound was avoidable. The increase in intolerance of uncertainty was related to lower expectancy ratings in good learners, and to higher expectancy ratings in bad learners. These results are tentatively explained by invoking a view of intolerance of uncertainty as an exaggerated reaction to uncertainty aimed at learning to avoid threats.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Ministerio de Ciencia y Competitividad. Proyecto Nacional I+D+i. PSI2014-56061