Synthesis of Planar Microwave Circuits based on Metamaterial Concepts through Aggressive Space Mapping

RF and microwave applications represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the high performance electronics market, where ongoing innovation is critical. Manufacturers compete intensively to meet market needs with reduced cost, size, weight and many other performance criteria demands. Under this scenario, transmission lines based on metamaterial concepts can be considered a very interesting alternative to the conventional transmission lines. They are more compact (compatible with planar manufacturing processes) and present higher degrees of design flexibility. Furthermore, metamaterial transmission lines can also provide many other unique properties not achievable with ordinary transmission lines, such as dispersion or impedance engineering. Nevertheless, the impact in the industry is still not relevant, mostly due to the complexity of the related synthesis and design procedures. These procedures are mainly based on the engineer’s experience, with the help of costly full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulators and parameter extraction methods. The aim of this thesis is to contribute to simplify and speed up the synthesis and design procedures of artificial transmission lines. In particular, the lines obtained by periodically loading a conventional transmission line with electrically small resonators, such as split ring resonators (SSRs) or its complementary particle (CSRR). The design procedure is automated by using Space Mapping techniques. In contrast to other alternative methods, real synthesis is found from the circuit schematic (that provides a given target response) and without need of human intervention. Some efforts to make the method practical and useful have been carried out. Given a certain target response, it is determined whether it can be physically implemented with a chosen technology, and hence proceeding next to find the synthesis, or not. For this purpose, a two-step Aggressive Space Mapping approach is successfully proposed. In contrast to other methods, the real synthesis is found from certain target circuit values (corresponding to the equivalent circuit model that characterizes the structure to be synthesized). Different efforts have been carried out in order to implement a useful and practical method. Some of them were focused to determine if, given certain circuit parameters (which determine the target response) and certain given technology specifications (permittivity and height of the substrate, technology limits), that response is physically realizable (convergence region). This technique was successfully formulated and it is known as “Two-Step Aggressive Space Mapping Approach”. In this work, the latest improvements made till date, from the synthesis of basic unit cells until different applications and kinds of metamaterial-based circuits, are presented. The results are promising and prove the validity of the method, as well as its potential application to other basic cells and more complex designs. The general knowledge gained from these cases of study can be considered a good base for a coming implementation in commercial software tools, which can help to improve its competitiveness in markets, and also contribute to a more general use of this technology.Rodríguez Pérez, AM. (2014). Synthesis of Planar Microwave Circuits based on Metamaterial Concepts through Aggressive Space Mapping [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/48465TESI

Síntesis de Líneas de Transmisión Metamateriales con Mapeado Espacial Agresivo

[ES] Técnica propuesta para la obtención de forma automática de la síntesis de líneas microstrip cargadas con resonadores de anillos abiertos complementarios (CSRR). La estrategia empleada se basa en técnicas de mapeado espacial agresivo.[EN] A technique for the automated generation of the synthesis of microstrip lines loaded with complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) is proposed.This strategy makes use of an aggressive space mapping algorithm.Rodríguez Pérez, AM. (2010). Síntesis de Líneas de Transmisión Metamateriales con Mapeado Espacial Agresivo. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/27148.Archivo delegad

Analysis of the emotional state of a Spanish army unit in an area of operations

Introducción: El personal Militar por la naturaleza del trabajo que realiza y los lugares en los que los lleva a cabo, se convierte en una población vulnerable a padecer cambios emocionales como consecuencia del afrontamiento de dichas situaciones. Material y métodos: Se estudia un contingente de 168 miembros (edad media de 27 años, 12% mujeres y 88% hombres) del ejército español desplazado durante 4 meses en el año 2005 a la antigua Yugoslavia, con el objetivo de analizar las modificaciones generadas en los estados emocionales negativos de los citados individuos. La recogida de datos tuvo lugar en dos momentos diferenciados: durante la fase de concentración previa al despliegue y en una secuencia temporal posterior; al regreso a territorio nacional. En ambas ocasiones se utilizó el cuestionario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo. Resultados: Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la presencia de diferencias significativas entre las medidas de Ansiedad Estado en primera y segunda fase condicionadas por el sexo y el nivel académico; aunque los niveles de Ansiedad Estado y Ansiedad Rasgo no alcanzan en ningún momento puntuaciones de marcación negativa. Conclusiones: La experiencia vivida altera los niveles de Ansiedad Estado de de la muestra. Los niveles formativos superiores favorecen un afrontamiento positivo de la experiencia.Introduction: Military people, due to the special caracteristics of their work and the places in which takes place, becomes a vulnerable group to suffer emotional changes, resultant of facing such situations. Materials and Methods: A total of 168 Members (with an average age of 27 years, 12% women and 88% men) from the Spanish Army and Navy have been evaluated, displaced during 4 months in 2005 to the former Yugoslavia The objective of this research is the analysis of the changes generated in the negative emotional states of those individuals. Data collection took place in two different moments: the first one during the concentration pre-deployment period and the second one in a period just before the return to national territory. On both times we used the STAI anxiety test State-Trait. Results: The result shows the presence of significant differences between the measures of state anxiety in the first and second phase influenced by the sex and academic level, although the levels of state anxiety and Trait anxiety do not reach at any time negative ratings. Conclusions: The lived experience alters levels of anxiety state of the sample. Higher level training enhance coping a positive experience

Slab theorem and halfspace theorem for constant mean curvature surfaces in H2 x R

We prove that a properly embedded annular end of a surface in H 2 ×R with constant mean curvature 0 < H≤ 1 / 2 0<H≤1/2 can not be contained in any horizontal slab. Moreover, we show that a properly embedded surface with constant mean curvature 0 < H ≤ 1 / 2 0<H≤1/2 contained in H2 × [ 0 , + ∞ ) H 2 ×[0,+∞) and with finite topology is necessarily a graph over a simply connected domain of H 2 H 2 . For the case H = 1 / 2 H=1/2, the graph is entire.IMAG - María de Maeztu grant CEX2020-001105-M/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033, MICINN grant PID2020-117868GB-I00Junta de Andalucía grants A-FQM-139-UGR18 and P18-FR4049

Polymeric foams as the matrix of voltammetric sensors for the detection of catechol, hydroquinone, and their mixtures

Producción CientíficaPorous electrodes based on polymethylmethacrylate and graphite foams (PMMA_G_F) have been developed and characterized. Such devices have been successfully used as voltammetric sensors to analyze catechol, hydroquinone, and their mixtures. The presence of pores induces important changes in the oxidation/reduction mechanism of catechol and hydroquinone with respect to the sensing properties observed in nonfoamed PMMA_graphite electrodes (PMMA_G). The electropolymerization processes of catechol or hydroquinone at the electrode surface observed using PMMA_G do not occur at the surface of the foamed PMM_G_F. In addition, the limits of detection observed in foamed electrodes are one order of magnitude lower than the observed in the nonfoamed electrodes. Moreover, foamed electrodes can be used to detect simultaneously both isomers and a remarkable increase in the electrocatalytic properties shown by the foamed samples, produces a decrease in the oxidation potential peak of catechol in presence of hydroquinone, from +0.7 V to +0.3 V. Peak currents increased linearly with concentration of catechol in presence of hydroquinone over the range of 0.37·10−3 M to 1.69·10−3 M with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.27 mM. These effects demonstrate the advantages obtained by increasing the active surface by means of porous structures.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-67482-R)Junta de Castilla y Leon - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project VA-011U16

Dispersion of metals and arsenic from the tailings of an abandoned mine in Sierra of Madrid

The extraction and processing of minerals produce significant environmental impacts that last long after mining operations have ended. Abandoned mines provide obvious sources of contamination by metals and arsenic in surrounding areas. These areas typically support sparse vegetation, so weather events, typical of Mediterranean environments such as heavy rains, can drag metals and metalloids, in a more or less available form for vegetation, as in solution and suspension to accumulate in lower lands. In this study, the area affected by a copper mine, abandoned early last century in the Sierra de Madrid, was sampled. Soil properties such as pH, EC, total OM and texture were analyzed. Furthermore, the BCR (Bureau Community of Reference) fractionation of metals was carried out in order to evaluate the weathering of the starting materials and the selective movement of different fractions along the slope . Metals and arsenic were detected beyond the mine limits, in areas where water flows in a preferential way. Results showed high concentrations and readily extractable Cu and As, which may suggest potential bioavailability for organisms and may create an environmental risk and potential human exposure what results in a health risk for the population

Sistema articular e muscular humano

Titulación: Grao en Odontoloxía -- Materia: Anatomía HumanaO sistema articular e muscular humano é unha unidade didáctica incluída no módulo de Aparello Locomotor, no que se pretende coñecer a organización xeral, as variedades morfolóxicas e o funcionamento dos ósos, articulacións e músculos, facendo fincapé nos que se encontran na rexión da cabeza e pescozo. Esta unidade didáctica pretende dar a coñecer a organización xeral, as variedades morfolóxicas e o funcionamento das articulacións e músculos na rexión da cabeza e pescozo. O módulo II de Anatomía humana engloba todos os conceptos do aparello locomotor, este módulo dividímolo en dúas unidades didácticas, unha que fai referencia ao sistema esquelético humano e outra do sistema muscular e articular humano. A unidade didáctica do sistema muscular e articular humano trata das xeneralidades e a evolución embriolóxica tanto dos músculos como dasarticulacións, así como das articulacións e músculos específicos no ámbito da Odontoloxía.Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Servizo de Normalización Lingüístic

Real-time surveillance systems: Applicability for the control of influenza in acute care

Producción CientíficaThe high morbidity and mortality caused by influenza viruses translate into a great impact on specialized health care. Apart from the annual vaccination, the relevance of other measures to prevent and control this infection is unknown. The objective of our research was to determine the importance of a real-time surveillance system to establish early extended transmission precautions

Synthesis, structural study and antitumor activity of novel alditol-based imidazophenanthrolines (aldo-IPs)

A series of 1H-imidazo [4,5-f][1,10] phenanthroline derivatives functionalized at 2-position with chiral, and conformationally flexible polyhydroxy alkyl chains derived from carbohydrates (alditol-based imidazophenanthrolines, aldo-IPs) is presented herein. These novel glycomimetics showed relevant and differential cytotoxic activity against several cultured tumor cell lines (PC3, HeLa and HT-29), dependent on the nature and stereochemistry of the polyhydroxy alkyl chain. The mannose-based aldo-IP demonstrated the higher cytotoxicity in the series, substantially better than cisplatin metallo-drug in all cell lines tested, and better than G-quadruplex ligand 360A in HeLa and HT29 cells. Cell cycle experiments and Annexin V-PI assays revealed that aldo-IPs induce apoptosis in HeLa cells. Initial study of DNA interactions by DNA FRET melting assays proved that the aldo-IPs produce only a slight thermal stabilization of DNA secondary structures, more pronounced in the case of quadruplex DNA. Viscosity titrations with CT dsDNA suggest that the compounds behave as DNA groove binders, whereas equilibrium dialysis assays showed that the compounds bind CT with Ka values in the range 104&#8211;105 M&#8722;1. The aldo-IP derivatives were obtained with synthetically useful yields through a feasible one-pot multistep process, by aerobic oxidative cyclization of 1,10&#8208;phenanthroline&#8208;5,6&#8208;diamine with a selection of unprotected aldoses using (NH4)2SO4 as promoter.Ministerio de Ciencia e InnovaciónMinisterio de Economía, Comercio y EmpresaUniversidad de AlcaláComunidad de Madri

P3 mAb: An Immunogenic Anti-NeuGcGM3 Antibody with Unusual Immunoregulatory Properties

P3 is a murine IgM mAb that recognize N-glycosylated gangliosides, sulfatides, and antigens expressed in melanoma, breast, and lung human tumors. This antibody has the ability to trigger an IgG antibody response in the syngeneic BALB/c model, even when it is administered in the absence of adjuvant or carrier protein. The mechanism by which the P3 mAb, a self-immunoglobulin, induce this immune response in the absence of co-stimulatory or classical danger signals is still unknown. In the present paper we show that the high immunogenicity of P3 mAb depends not only on CD4 but also on CD8+ T cells, since the depletion of CD8+ or CD4+ T cells led to the loss of P3 mAb immunogenicity in the syngeneic model. Furthermore, the immunization with P3 mAb enhanced the recovery of the CD8+ T cell population in mice treated with an anti-CD8a antibody. Additionally, the immunization with P3 mAb restored the capacity of immunosuppressed mice to reject allogeneic tumors, a mechanism mediated by the action of CD8+ T cells. Finally, in mice with cyclophosphamide induced lymphopenia, the administration of P3 mAb accelerated the recovery of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These results show new possibilities for B and CD8+ T cells interactions during the immune response elicited by a self-protein. Furthermore they point to P3 mAb as a potential interesting candidate for the treatment of immunosuppressed patients