Enzymatic obtainment of pectin and pectic oligosaccharides from artichoke by-products. Structural characterization and functional evaluation through machine learning

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física Aplicada. Fecha de lectura: 22-11-201

Evidence for non-conservative current-induced forces in the breaking of Au and Pt atomic chains

This experimental work aims at probing current-induced forces at the atomic scale. Specifically it addresses predictions in recent work regarding the appearance of run-away modes as a result of a combined effect of the non-conservative wind force and a ‘Berry force’. The systems we consider here are atomic chains of Au and Pt atoms, for which we investigate the distribution of break down voltage values. We observe two distinct modes of breaking for Au atomic chains. The breaking at high voltage appears to behave as expected for regular break down by thermal excitation due to Joule heating. However, there is a low-voltage breaking mode that has characteristics expected for the mechanism of current-induced forces. Although a full comparison would require more detailed information on the individual atomic configurations, the systems we consider are very similar to those considered in recent model calculations and the comparison between experiment and theory is very encouraging for the interpretation we propose.This work is part of the research programme of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), which is financially supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and is supported by the Spanish government through grant FIS2013-47328, the Conselleria d’Educació of the Generalitat Valenciana through grant PROMETEO/2012/011

Fast and accurate shot noise measurements on atomic-size junctions in the MHz regime

Shot noise measurements on atomic and molecular junctions provide rich information about the quantum transport properties of the junctions and on the inelastic scattering events taking place in the process. Dissipation at the nanoscale, a problem of central interest in nano-electronics, can be studied in its most explicit and simplified form. Here, we describe a measurement technique that permits extending previous noise measurements to a much higher frequency range, and to much higher bias voltage range, while maintaining a high accuracy in noise and conductance. We also demonstrate the advantages of having access to the spectral information for diagnostics.Comment: 8 figure

La mejora de la empleabilidad de los discapacitados a través de los Centros de Ocupación laboral. Aportaciones de la Ingeniería de Organización Industrial.

El objetivo de este articulo es presentar un proyecto de investigación que pretende extender los beneficios de las técnicas de Ingeniería de Métodos a los entornos relacionados con los Centros Ocupacionales y Centros Especiales de Empleo de discapacitad

Conductance quantization in atomic-sized gold contacts using a low-cost mechanically controllable break junction setup

The mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ) experimental setup is one of the main techniques employed in the study of electronic transport properties at the atomic and molecular scales. This work presents the construction of an inexpensive and simple but robust setup that shows the emergence of conductance quantization as a macroscopic gold wire is pulled to atomic dimensions. The homemade device is based on the MCBJ principle and allows repeatedly forming and breaking the metallic contact to perform a statistical analysis of the data extracting the most frequent electron transport structure. The histogram built from conductance measurements, at room temperature in air, show that the quality of the MCBJ equipment developed here is comparable to that of more sophisticated devices used in research laboratories. It is able to resolve up to three conductance peaks associated with gold nanowires reported in the literature. Such an experiment is suggested to be implemented as a powerful pedagogical tool in modern undergraduate physics labs.We are grateful for all the support of Generalitat Valenciana through PROMETEO2017/139 and GENT (CDEIGENT2018/028). This work was supported by the CEPRA Grant XII-2018-06 ‘Mechanical Spectroscopy’

Solución numérica de la ecuación de Reynolds. Formulación diferencial vs. formulación integral

La ecuación de Reynolds aparece en numerosos problemas de interés industrial. Entre ellos están los llamados sistemas elastohidrodinámicos (EHD) donde el flujo de líquido está acoplado a las deformaciones de las fronteras sólidas que lo confinan. El conjunto de ecuaciones que gobiernan el fenómeno es altamente no lineal y debe ser resuelto numéricamente. La ecuación de Reynolds en una dimensión puede ser planteada como una ecuación diferencial o bien, puede ser integrada para dar el campo de presiones como una función integral. Ambas versiones se comportan en forma diferente cuando son usadas en los modelos discretos; mientras la forma integral siempre trabaja adecuadamente, la forma diferencial produce resultados que dependen fuertemente de la discretización empleada. En este trabajo comparamos las dos alternativas empleando un caso límite de un sistema EHD, i.e. el contacto rígido. Los resultados presentados muestran de manera concluyente que la versión integral debe ser usada.Peer Reviewe

Solución numérica de la ecuación de Reynolds. Formulación diferencial vs. formulación integral

La ecuación de Reynolds aparece en numerosos problemas de interés industrial. Entre ellos están los llamados sistemas elastohidrodinámicos (EHD) donde el flujo de líquido está acoplado a las deformaciones de las fronteras sólidas que lo confinan. El conjunto de ecuaciones que gobiernan el fenómeno es altamente no lineal y debe ser resuelto numéricamente. La ecuación de Reynolds en una dimensión puede ser planteada como una ecuación diferencial o bien, puede ser integrada para dar el campo de presiones como una función integral. Ambas versiones se comportan en forma diferente cuando son usadas en los modelos discretos; mientras la forma integral siempre trabaja adecuadamente, la forma diferencial produce resultados que dependen fuertemente de la discretización empleada. En este trabajo comparamos las dos alternativas empleando un caso límite de un sistema EHD, i.e. el contacto rígido. Los resultados presentados muestran de manera concluyente que la versión integral debe ser usada.Peer Reviewe

g-Nomic: a new pharmacogenetics interpretation software

We present g-Nomic, a pharmacogenetics interpretation software that analyzes globally a prescribed medication taking into account the personal background genetics, drug-drug interactions, lifestyle, nutritional supplements, inhibitors, inducers, and other risks to analyze primary or secondary metabolism pathways. G-Nomic provides a set of recommendations describing the suitability of a given combination of drugs for each patient according to their genes and polymedication. G-Nomic is updated monthly including data from the new drugs to be included, their known interactions, and the relevant pharmacokinetic biomarkers. For the interactions, the list is curated manually, only keeping those with clinical relevance. For each drug, their FDA and EMA drug labels are accessed, to check for relevant enzymes and transport proteins that influence its pharmacokinetics, and for their ability to induce or inhibit other enzymes, particularly the CYP-450 system. When this information is not available, a PubMed search is made to look for these characteristics. In addition, a distinction is made between drugs and prodrugs. A query on the g-Nomic software begins with entering the medication by either their common or commercial name. Non-pharmacological substances can be also added or selected under 'lifestyle habits'. The lifestyle list is dynamic, showing only the substances known to interact with the drugs that are currently selected, and includes herb compounds, such as St. John's wort, as well as proper lifestyle substances such as grapefruit or cigarette smoking. The software provides a list of the genes classified as primary biomarkers as candidates for genetic testing, and a list of the interactions that have been detected. If genetic information is available then, or is made available at a later point, these results can also be entered and the software returns pharmacogenetics recommendations regarding specific genotypes. g-Nomic takes all the above-mentioned parameters in an easy and user-friendly tool making prescription safer

Diseño y cálculo de una prótesis canina

[EN] The main goal of the following final degree project is the development of a forelimb dog’s prosthesis which can be manufactured by 3D printing technologies. In order to achieve this goal, a previous research about animal prosthetics in general and canine prosthetics in particular has been necesary. Once the current market has been analised, a design made with the software Siemens NX has been proposed. After that, some details about the materials that will be used on it has been explained and finally it has been showed up a light, useful and comfortable prototype. Then, a kinematic analysis has been performed to obtain the equations of a dog’s movements which will be necessaries for the programming of a dynamic model. The model and the inverse dynamic analysis have been implemented on the software MSC Adams. The inverse dynamic analysis is necessary to obtain the different load cases that the designed prosthesis has to resist. Finally, once the different load cases and a geometry to hold them have been obtained, making use of the software Ansys Workbench it has been carried out some Finite Element Method calculations which have been used for the validation of the designed prototype.[CA] L'objectiu principal del següent treball fi de grau és el desenvolupament d'un prototip de pròtesi de gos de pota davantera imprimible en 3D. Per a això, ha sigut necessari un estudi previ sobre l'ortopèdia animal en general i la canina en particular. Analitzant el mercat actual de les pròtesis per a gossos, s'ha proposat un disseny realitzat amb el programa Siemens NX que, complementat amb una detallada selecció de materials, s'ha aconseguit aportar un disseny lleuger, pràctic i còmode. A continuació, s'ha plantejat un anàlisi sobre la cinemàtica del gos per a obtindre les equacions del moviment necessàries per a la programació d'un model dinàmic. S'ha implementat un model dinàmic en el programa comercial MSC Adams, on s'ha realitzat un anàlisi dinàmic invers amb la finalitat d'obtindre els casos de càrrega que la pròtesi dissenyada ha de suportar. Finalment, una vegada obtinguts els distints casos de càrrega i una geometria que els vaja a suportar, per mitjà de la utilització del programa Ansys Workbench s'han realitzat una sèrie de càlculs d'Elements Finits que han servit per a la validació del prototip dissenyat.[ES] El objetivo principal del siguiente trabajo fin de grado es el desarrollo de un prototipo de prótesis de perro de pata delantera imprimible en 3D. Para ello, ha sido necesario un estudio previo sobre la ortopedia animal en general y la canina en particular. Una vez analizado el mercado actual de las prótesis para perros, se ha propuesto un diseño realizado con el software Siemens NX que, complementado con una detallada selección de materiales, se ha conseguido aportar un diseño ligero, práctico y cómodo. A continuación, se ha planteado un análisis sobre la cinemática del perro para obtener las ecuaciones del movimiento necesarias para la programación de un modelo dinámico. Se ha implementado un modelo dinámico en el software comercial MSC Adams, donde se ha realizado un análisis dinámico inverso con la finalidad de obtener los casos de carga que la prótesis diseñada ha de soportar. Finalmente, una vez obtenidos los distintos casos de carga y una geometría que los vaya a soportar, mediante la utilización del programa Ansys Workbench se han realizado una serie de cálculos de Elementos Finitos que han servido para la validación del prototipo diseñado.Sabater Fernández, C. (2019). Diseño y cálculo de una prótesis canina. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/125881TFG

Quantification of prebiotics in commercial infant formulas

Since breastfeeding is not always possible, infant formulas (IFs) are supplemented with prebiotic oligosaccharides, such as galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and/or fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to exert similar effects to those of the breast milk. Nowadays, a great number of infant formulas enriched with prebiotics are disposal in the market, however there are scarce data about their composition. In this study, the combined use of two chromatographic methods (GC-FID and HPLC-RID) for the quantification of carbohydrates present in commercial infant formulas have been used. According to the results obtained by GC-FID for products containing prebiotics, the content of FOS, GOS and GOS/FOS was in the ranges of 1.6-5.0, 1.7-3.2, and 0.08-0.25/2.3-3.8 g/100 g of product, respectively. HPLC-RID analysis allowed quantification of maltodextrins with degree of polymerization (DP) up to 19. The methodology proposed here may be used for routine quality control of infant formula and other food ingredients containing prebiotics.This work has been supported by projects AGL2011-27884 and AGL2014-58205-REDC from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; ALIBIRD-CM S-2013/ABI-272 (Comunidad de Madrid).Peer Reviewe