Synthesis and Conformational Studies of Various Amides

In the past, aminocyclohexanol rings have been successfully utilized as pH-triggered molecular switches in various trans-2-aminocyclohexanol derivatives. By changing the groups on the amine nitrogen, these models provided a wide pH range in which a switch can occur. The pH-induced switch of conformation was monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The models were also incorporated into the bilayer membrane of liposome structures and tested for their ability to disrupt their membrane upon their conformational flip induced by a decrease in pH. In this work, the amide bond has been studied as a molecular switch and various amide derivatives have been tested for their potential as lipid-like compounds that also exhibit a pH-sensitive conformational flip. The conformational analysis of these compounds was achieved by various NMR techniques and NMR acid-base titration studies were utilized to estimate the pKa of a number of the compounds described

Indirect monitoring method of tool wear using the analysis of cutting force during dry machining of Ti alloys

In recent decades, optimize tool life is in constant evolution so many researchers have focused to analysis the tool wear by indirect monitoring (e.g. acoustic emission, cutting forces, vibrations) that plays a significant role in control and improvement of product during of machining operations - in real time to prevent instabilities of process. On another hand, it is recalled that titanium alloys are used in many industries as aerospace sector that have been utilized in strength to weight ration reduction in some parts of aircraft. On the negative side, Ti alloys tends to be hard machining due to their mechanical properties such as low thermal conductivity and modulus of elasticity causing increase cutting temperature, tool breakage or possibility interruption of process.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Monitoring Asthma in Childhood: Still a Challenge

Asthma monitoring should be focused on patient outcomes and goals. Using clinical practice tools allows the clinicians to detect problems such as bad adherence to maintenance therapy, comorbidities, or other external reason for a poorly controlled asthma. To succeed in the process of asthma control, doctors need the participation of the family. Because such educational task requires good agreement between patient environment and doctor, it might be difficult to achieve. However, it is worth to implement because the benefit is a life without symptoms of asthma with a minimum medication

An eGovernment Platform for Improving Communication among Municipalities and Citizens in the North of Chile

Government and its further development has been increasingly associated with the use of IT and communication. This interconnection is also happening in developing countries such as Chile. This study is designed to assess the e-government infrastructure and the use of IT and communication among some municipalities in Chile in order to implement a platform that allows government to government (G2G), government to employees and government to citizens (G2C) communication. The proposed platform will allow these municipalities to share information about citizens and corporations in the region. This study is conducted in second region of Chile and considered eight municipal governments. The findings suggest that while all the municipalities are highly interested in e-government initiatives, their infrastructure are different and in a very early stage of development. Thus, the study suggested e-government platform highly flexible to incorporate the differences in infrastructure among the municipalities, as secure as possible to allows government interactions, and implemented using an Application Service Provider (ASP) solution. As a result a distributed system using a Java system (J2EE) was the technology chosen e implemented for the ARM2 e-government platform

Tropical Dry Forest Succession and the Contribution of Lianas to Wood Area Index (WAI)

The transmission and interception of light through the canopy is an important indicator of forest productivity in tropical forest ecosystems, and the amount of light that eventually reaches the forest floor is influenced by its interactions with leaves, branches, fruits, and flowers among many different canopy elements. While most studies of forest canopy light interception focus on leaf area index (LAI), very few studies have examined wood area index (WAI), which may account for a substantial component of light interception in tropical forests. The influence of lianas on the interception of light and their overall contribution to WAI is a potentially important factor, but it is generally overlooked because of its difficulty to assess. In this paper we evaluate the relative contribution that lianas have to the overall WAI and canopy openness as function of successional stage via a latitudinal comparison of sites across the Americas (Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil). Our results suggest that lianas significantly increase WAI and decreases canopy openness. However, lianas were absent at all of our study sites where canopy openness exceeded 60%. Our data are the first to explicitly document the role of lianas in the estimation of WAI and, overall, they will contribute to better estimations of ecosystem level LAI in tropical environments, where there is a lack of data on WAI

Effect of the Inlet Gas Humidification on PEMFC Behavior and Current Density Distribution

Water management represents one of the main challenges in the design and operation of PEMFCs. The influence of inlet gas humidification on cell performance is analyzed using in-situ diagnostic tools, such as cyclic voltammetry and segmented cell current density measurements, supported by post-mortem ex-situ investigations. Particular attention is paid to the effect of low humidity conditions in both cathode and anode, under which the cell is observed to suffer severe voltage decline. A simple onedimensional water balance model is proposed to contribute to the understanding of the various operation regimes observed in PEMFCs under medium-to-low humidification conditions

Structural features of the Sierra Pampeana de Velasco and surrounding areas from gravimetric and magnetometric fields

La región que comprende la sierra de Velasco y el Sistema de Famatina, en el centro-oeste de la Provincia de La Rioja - Argentina, es un área clave para el estudio de la amalgamación de terrenos y tectónica vinculada con el levantamiento andino. En éste trabajo, se definen algunos rasgos de la estructura cortical de ésta región. Para ello, mediante la aplicación de métodos potenciales(gravedad y magnetismo), adecuadamente procesados e interpretados a través de técnicas semiautomáticas y de resalto de anomalías, se logró determinar: a) una región que respondería a la zona de sutura entre los terrenos Famatina y Pampia y b) fallas relacionadas al levantamiento de las sierras de Famatina y de Velasco. Los resultados anteriores se representan en una sección este - oeste en un modelo estructural de bloques de basamento entre Famatina y Velasco, hasta 12 km de profundidad. En él señalamos además la distribución de las fallas y sus buzamientos.The region comprising the Sierra de Velasco and Famatina System, in the center-west of the province of La Rioja in Argentina, is a key area for the study of the tectonic amalgamation of land and linked to the Andean uplift. In this paper, we define some features of the crustal structure of this region. To do this, by applying potential methods (gravity and magnetics), properly processed and interpreted through semiautomatic techniques and rib anomalies, it was determined: a) a region that respond to the suture zone between Famatina and Pampia Terrain b) faults related to the uplift of the Sierras de Famatina and Velasco. The above results are represented in a section east - west in a structural model of basement blocks between Famatina and Velasco, up to 12 km deep. It also noted the distribution of faults and dips.Fil: Sanchez, Marcos Ariel. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Instituto Geofisico Sismologico Volponi; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Spagnotto, Silvana Liz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Instituto Geofisico Sismologico Volponi; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Myriam Patricia. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Instituto Geofisico Sismologico Volponi; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin