Two-phase heat transfer model of a beam-down gas-solid fluidized bed solar particle receiver

Beam-down concentrating solar power for thermochemical and energy absorption applications stands as an attractive approach that can enhance the renewable energies deployment. This work explores the integration of beam-down optics with fluidized bed technology proposing a model to calculate both gas and bed temperatures. The beam-down system concentrates the energy from the solar field into a fluidized bed receiver. A novel phenomenological model is proposed to adapt the well-known two-phase theory to the heat transfer process of a bed operating in the bubbling regime while it is directly irradiated from the top. In this way, this simple model can be used as a design tool for beam-down fluidized bed receivers. The top bed surface is considered as an opaque diffuse layer formed by gray particles. A single layer model is applied to estimate the effective emissivity between the heterogeneous bed surface and the ambient conditions in the freeboard. The vertical temperature profile is obtained considering particle phase heat conduction, particle to gas heat convection, solid convection, bubble convection and radiation heat transfer mechanisms. The model is validated using silicon carbide and zirconia fluidized bed experiments reported in the literature. The model shows that the solid convection is the dominant heat transfer mechanism for a beam-down fluidized bed receiver. Further results explore the influence of the operating conditions on the fluidized bed receiver for a bed of silicon carbide particles, showing that energy concentration fluxes of 35 . 10(4) W/m(2) can reach bed temperatures of 1000 degrees C when operating at a gas velocities of 3.U-mf

Metabolomics and biochemical approaches link salicylic acid biosynthesis to cyanogenesis in peach plants

Despite the long-established importance of salicylic acid (SA) in plant stress responses and other biological processes, its biosynthetic pathways have not been fully characterized. The proposed synthesis of SA originates from chorismate by two distinct pathways: the isochorismate and phenylalanine (Phe) ammonia-lyase (PAL) pathways. Cyanogenesis is the process related to the release of hydrogen cyanide from endogenous cyanogenic glycosides (CNglcs), and it has been linked to plant plasticity improvement. To date, however, no relationship has been suggested between the two pathways. In this work, by metabolomics and biochemical approaches (including the use of [C-13]-labeled compounds), we provide strong evidences showing that CNglcs turnover is involved, at least in part, in SA biosynthesis in peach plants under control and stress conditions. The main CNglcs in peach are prunasin and amygdalin, with mandelonitrile (MD), synthesized from phenylalanine, controlling their turnover. In peach plants MD is the intermediary molecule of the suggested new SA biosynthetic pathway and CNglcs turnover, regulating the biosynthesis of both amygdalin and SA. MD-treated peach plants displayed increased SA levels via benzoic acid (one of the SA precursors within the PAL pathway). MD also provided partial protection against Plum pox virus infection in peach seedlings. Thus, we propose a third pathway, an alternative to the PAL pathway, for SA synthesis in peach plantsThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2014-52563-R). PDV and CP thank CSIC and UPCT, respectively, as well as the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for their ‘Ramon & Cajal’ research contract, co-financed by FEDER funds. We also acknowledge Prof. Manuel Acosta Echeverría for his very useful commentaries and discussion

‘Saluda’, a programme to prevent the drug consumption: a evaluation of a new version in Spanish adolescents

En la actualidad se han evaluado numerosas intervenciones preventivas de drogodependencias en el medio escolar. Sin embargo, en España son pocos los estudios que analizan la influencia precisa de cada uno de los componentes específicos a los programas con el fin de determinar cuáles se consideran cruciales para el cambio de conducta de consumo. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar los efectos de una nueva versión del programa de prevención del consumo de drogas Saluda en la que se prescinde del componente fomento del ocio saludable y las tareas para casa. Esta versión reducida fue dirigida a una muestra de 106 escolares (44.6 % chicos) entre 14 y 17 años (M = 15.20; DT = 0.92) de un centro de Educación Secundaria. Se trata de un estudio exploratorio de tipo cuasi experimental y un diseño pre-post de un único grupo. Se realizó diferencia de proporciones mediante la prueba Z y diferencia de medias mediante la prueba T para muestras relacionadas. Los resultados muestran una reducción en el porcentaje de episodios de embriaguez, así como un efecto de mejora significativa sobre las variables protectoras del consumo. Se discuten estos hallazgos y se realizan propuestas para la mejora de futuras intervenciones.In Spain, as in the majority of countries in the world, drug use is a public health problem. Adolescence is considered to be a period at risk for the onset of drug use; thus, it becomes essential to intensify efforts and reduce the demand for drugs. For this purpose, numerous interventions have been evaluated, finding several sources of deficiency: among them, it is worth mentioning the lack of studies that analyzing the most effective components on drug prevention programs. In Spain, only Saluda program provides empirical evidence on the contribution of its components to the program. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a new version of Saluda program on a sample of 106 students (44.6% boys) between 14 and 17 years (M = 15.20, SD = 0.92). A pilot study was conducted, in which the components “healthy leisure promotion” and “homework” were omitted. Concerning intragroup comparisons, analyses of variance on repeated measures and difference of proportions were performed. The results showed a reduction in alcohol consumption and cannabis as well as a significant improving effect on consumption protective variables. These findings were made in order to improve future preventive interventions

Connexin 43 plays an important role in the molecular mechanisms implicated in ischemic preconditioning

Comunicaciones a congreso

Non-face-to-face teaching of oral pathology through previous presentation of scientific articles in English

Elaboración de un dossier de artículos en Inglés en relación a cada unidad temática de la asignatura Patología Médica Bucal. Los artículos se presentarán al alumnado tras la clase magistral de cada área temática para fomentar la docencia “no presencial”.To prepare a file with articles in English about each of the subject areas of Oral Medical Pathology. The articles will be presented after the master class of each topic to encourage non-face-to-face teaching.Depto. de Especialidades Clínicas OdontológicasFac. de OdontologíaFALSEsubmitte

Long- term enhancements in antidepressant efficacy and neurogenesis: Effects of intranasal co- administration of neuropeptide Y 1 receptor (NPY1R) and galanin receptor 2 (GALR2) agonists in the ventral hippocampus

This study evaluates the sustained antidepressant- like effects and neurogenic potential of a 3- day intranasal co- administration regimen of galanin receptor 2 (GALR2) agonist M1145 and neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor (NPY1R) agonist [Leu31, Pro34]NPY in the ventral hippocampus of adult rats, with outcomes ana-lyzed 3 weeks post- treatment. Utilizing the forced swimming test (FST), we found that this co- administration significantly enhances antidepressant- like behaviors, an effect neutralized by the GALR2 antagonist M871, highlighting the syner-gistic potential of these neuropeptides in modulating mood- related behaviors. In situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) indicated a significant increase in GALR2/NPYY1R heteroreceptor complexes in the ventral hippocampal dentate gyrus, suggesting a molecular basis for the behavioral outcomes observed. Moreover, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunolabeling revealed increased cell proliferation in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, specifically in neuroblasts as evidenced by co- labeling with doublecortin (DCX), without affect-ing quiescent neural progenitors or astrocytes. The study also noted a significant uptick in the number of DCX- positive cells and alterations in dendritic morphol-ogy in the ventral hippocampus, indicative of enhanced neuronal differentiation and maturation.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBU

Cost-effectiveness of multicomponent interventions in type 2 diabetes mellitus in a cluster randomised controlled trial: the INDICA study

Objective: To analyse the cost-effectiveness of multicomponent interventions designed to improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in primary care in the Canary Islands, Spain, within the INDICA randomised clinical trial, from the public health system perspective. Design: An economic evaluation was conducted for the within-trial period (2 years) comparing the four arms of the INDICA study. Setting: Primary care in the Canary Islands, Spain. Participants: 2334 patients with T2DM without complications were included. Interventions: Interventions for patients (PTI), for primary care professionals (PFI), for both (combined intervention arm for patients and professionals, CBI) and usual care (UC) as a control group. Outcomes: The main outcome was the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years (QALY). Only the intervention and the healthcare costs were included. Analysis: Multilevel models were used to estimate results, and to measure the size and significance of incremental changes. Missed values were treated by means of multiple imputations procedure. Results: There were no differences between arms in terms of costs (p=0.093), while some differences were observed in terms of QALYs after 2 years of follow-up (p=0.028). PFI and CBI arms were dominated by the other two arms, PTI and UC. The differences between the PTI and the UC arms were very small in terms of QALYs, but significant in terms of healthcare costs (p=0.045). The total cost of the PTI arm (€2571, 95% CI €2317 to €2826) was lower than the cost in the UC arm (€2750, 95% CI €2506 to €2995), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Base case estimates of the incremental cost per QALY indicate that the PTI strategy was the cost-effective option. Conclusions: The INDICA intervention designed for patients with T2DM and families is likely to be cost-effective from the public healthcare perspective. A cost-effectiveness model should explore this in the long term.This study received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), grants: ADE10/00032 and PI16/00769, jointly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) ‘A way to make Europe’. The sponsor did not play any role in study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, drawing up of the report or the decision to submit the article for publication.S