2D-Tasks for Cognitive Rehabilitation

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation is a complex clinic process which tries to restore or compensate cognitive and behavioral disorders in people suffering from a central nervous system injury. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Biomedical Engineering play an essential role in this field, allowing improvement and expansion of present rehabilitation programs. This paper presents a set of cognitive rehabilitation 2D-Tasks for patients with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). These tasks allow a high degree of personalization and individualization in therapies, based on the opportunities offered by new technologies

PETER building : an example of integration of renewable energies into the edification

El objetivo principal del presente artículo es mostrar y dar a conocer las aplicaciones de la edificación bioclimática, sus ventajas y características. Para ello, se muestra el proyecto de Construcción de un Edificio Inteligente de “Energía Convencional Cero” (“Bioclimático”) de unos 1700 m2 en el Campus de la Universidad de Extremadura en Badajoz. Se pondrán en práctica los conceptos sobre ahorro y eficiencia energética en la edificación, así como la integración de las energías renovables en el edificio PETER. Además se mostrará como es posible en ciudades de clima extremo (como es la ciudad de Badajoz, con necesidad de calefacción en invierno y de refrigeración en verano), climatizar edificios aplicando medidas que minimizan el consumo energético. Finalmente, se lleva a cabo un proceso de simulación energética que permite comprobar el comportamiento energético del edificio.The present article is intended to show the main features, advantages and applications of bioclimatic architecture as well as the the integration of renewable energies ito the edification. For such purpose, the Project of an approximate 1 700 m2 intelligent zeroconventional- energy (“Bioclimatic”) building (referred to as PETER Project (Experimental Transborder Park on Renewable Energies)), to be located in the Campus of the University of Extremadura in Badajoz, is described. Specific principles directly relating building design, like energy saving, energy efficient and integration of renewable energy sources, are put in practice. In addition will be shown as it is possible in cities of extreme climate (as it is the city of Badajoz, with necessity of heating in winter and refrigeration in summer), to acclimate buildings applying measures that diminish the power consumption. Finally, a description of the energy response of the building is carried out via computer simulation techniques

Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

Surfactants for microemulsions

Research effort in past years has focused on the development of microemulsions with specific properties, namely, high solubilizing power and temperature insensitivity. Phase behavior studies have provided the foundations for this development. On the basis of mass balance analysis and the geometry of three-phase tie triangles, the composition of the surfactant films separating micro-water and oil domains in bicontinuous type microemulsions has been determined. This information allows a better comparison of the solubilizing power of surfactants. In addition, decisive progress has been made in the development of surfactant systems for the preparation of biocompatible microemulsions.Peer reviewe

Formation of polymeric nano-emulsions by a low-energy method and their use for nanoparticle preparation

Formation of polymeric O/W nano-emulsions has been studied in the water/polyoxyethylene 4 sorbitan monolaurate/ethylcellulose solution system by the phase inversion composition (PIC) method. These nano-emulsions were used for the preparation of nanoparticles by solvent evaporation. Composition variables such as O/S ratio or final water content as well as emulsification path have been found to play a key role in the formation of stable, nanometer sized emulsions. Nano-emulsions with a constant water content of 90 wt.% and O/S ratios from 50/50 to 70/30 showed an average droplet size of about 200 nm as assessed by dynamic light scattering. Mean nanoparticle diameters, as determined by transmission electron microscopy image analysis, were of the order of 50 nm and showed a slight increase as well as a broader size distribution at increasing O/S ratios. The findings verify that the low-energy emulsification methods are not only valid for aliphatic and semipolar oils, but also for a highly polar solvent such as ethylacetate containing a preformed polymer.CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&i Plan 2008–2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund. Financial support from MEC (grant CTQ2008-06892-CO3-O1 and CTQ2005-09063-CO3-O2) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (grant 2005-SGR-00812 and 2009-SGR-961) is acknowledgedPeer reviewe

Microemulsiones y liposomas

Peer reviewe

Procedimiento para la preparación de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) por métodos de emulsificación de condensación

Fecha de presentación nacional 28.06.2002.-- Titular: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC).El objeto de esta invenci on es la obtenci on de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) mediante métodos de condensación (de baja energía). Hasta la fecha se han descrito principalmente nanoemulsiones de tipo aceite en agua (O/W) y sólo se han encontrado dos patentes de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) preparadas con métodos convencionales de dispersión, utilizando elevada energía, como ultrasonidos o homogenizadores de alta presión, que son equipos muy costosos. La ventaja de las nano-emulsiones que se desea patentar radica en que se han obtenido con métodos de condensación, como la adición sucesiva de un componente a la mezcla de los restantes con ligera agitación, o el método PIT, que requieren un consumo menor de energía y equipos menos costosos.Peer reviewe

Formation of Pegylated polyurethane and Lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles obtained from O/W nano-emulsions

The present work describes the formation of Pegylated polyurethane and Lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles obtained from O/W nano-emulsions via an interfacial polycondensation process in the aqueous solution/polysorbate 80/diisocyanate/medium chain triglyceride systems. The initial nano-emulsions were prepared using the phase inversion composition (PIC) method. Dynamic light scattering studies revealed the changes in the particle size occurring during the process of nanoparticle formation. Well-defined polymeric nanoparticles with a small particle diameter (below 80 nm) and low polydispersity index were obtained using a highly hydrophilic component (polyethylene glycol or lysine) and an aliphatic diisocyante monomer. FT-IR and AFM studies showed that the polymeric matrix of nanoparticles was built by copolymers derived from reaction between the diisocyanate and the hydroxyl groups of both nonionic surfactant and the highly hydrophilic component. Pegylated-polyurethane and lysine-coated polyurea nanoparticles designed in this study are promising tools for future applications in biomedical sciences.The authors acknowledge financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, DGI (CTQ 2008-06892-C03-02/PPQ), “Generalitat de Catalunya” DURSI (Grant 2009 SGR-961), and CIBER-BBN. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&i Plan 2008–2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fundation.Peer reviewe